A I NW 20 1990 
 D E F E lA::^0ej2^j_^jjj?^ 
 
 OF THE 
 
 TRUE AND CATHOLICK DOCTRINE 
 
 OF THE 
 
 SACRAMENT OF THE BODY AND BLOOD 
 OF OUR SAVIOUR CHRIST : 
 
 WITH A 
 
 CONFUTATION OF SUNDRY ERRORS CONCERNING THE SAME. 
 
 BY THE 
 
 MOST REV. THOMAS CRANMER, 
 
 LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY. 
 
 TO WHICH IS PREKIXED 
 
 AN INTRODUCTION, HISTORICAL AND CRITICAL, IN ILLUSTRATION 
 
 OF THE WORK; AND IN VINDICATION OF THE CHARACTER 
 
 OF THE AUTHOR, AND THEREWITH OF 
 
 THE REFORMATION IN ENGLAND, 
 
 AGAINST SOJIE OF THE ALLEGATIONS WHICH HAVE BEEN RECENTLY MADE BY 
 
 THE Kev. D^- LINGARD, THE Rev. D^^ MILNER, 
 AND CHARLES BUTLER, Esq. 
 
 BY THE REV. HENRY JOHN TODD, M.A. F.S.A. 
 
 CHAPLAIN IN ORDINARY TO lUS MAJESTY, AND RECTOIl OF SETTRINCTON, YORKSHIRE. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 SOLD BY C. AND J. RIVINGTON ; PAYNE AND FOSS ; LONGMAN AND 
 CO. ; G. B. WHITTAKER ; CADELL ; R. II. EVANS ; AND BALDWIN, 
 CRADOCK AND JOY ; AND BY J. AND G. TODD ; WOLSTENHOLME ; 
 AND BARCLAY; YORK. 
 
 1825. 
 
LONDON: 
 PRINTED BY R. GILBERT, 
 
 ST. John's square. 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 Where doctrine is true, it will not be over- 
 thrown by railing" accusation against the teach- 
 ers of it, nor even by an exposure of their infir- 
 mities or sins. The Reformation in England 
 is founded upon doctrines which are true. Of 
 these Archbishop Cranmer considered his doc- 
 trine of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper, in 
 contradistinction to what is maintained upon 
 this subject by the Church of Rome, as the 
 chief; and he emphatically pronounces it "the 
 true doctrine." Yet as endeavours have been 
 made to weaken this doctrine, and calumnies 
 against the teacher of it have been rendered sub- 
 servient to these endeavours ; any minister of 
 the Reformed Church of England, however hum- 
 ble may be his power, is truly exercising his 
 duty, while, in calling the attention of the pub- 
 lick to the great doctrine which chiefly distin- 
 guishes the Church of England from the Church 
 
 A 2 
 
IV PREFACE. 
 
 of Rome, he rescues also from reproach, where 
 it is not deserved, the character of the great 
 prelate who taught it. Such is the design of 
 the following pages ; in which the assertions of 
 eminent scholars, who are opposed to the Refor- 
 mation and its children, are sometimes challeng- 
 ed merely by the exercise, which seeks no lofty 
 name, of referring to authorities. Ingenuity in 
 selection, perspicuity of statement, and elegance 
 of style, may lead us indeed delightfully along 
 through a narrative, or a volume of history; 
 but elegance of style, perspicuity of statement, 
 and ingenuity in selection, without accuracy, 
 change at once the captivating light of any 
 point into a mournful gloom. 
 
 I have presumed, in citing the Strictures 
 upon Southey's Book of the Church by J, Mer- 
 lin, to name Dr. Milner as the author; Mr. 
 Butler, in his Book of the Roman Catholic 
 Church, having expressly stated, and others of 
 the Romish communion having asserted, (while 
 the internal evidence in the Strictures also leads 
 to the same conclusion,) this learned Ro- 
 manist as such. Yet I had rather that the in- 
 
PREFACE. V 
 
 fbrmation was unauthorized ; as it is pitiable to 
 find, in two editions of the Strictures, that the 
 dishonesty of Bonner, in fabricating a speech 
 for Cranmer, (the ** grievous lie," as Strype in- 
 dignantly calls it, Eccl. Mem. iii. 238,) and 
 publishing it as if pronounced by the Arch- 
 bishop, is stated as existing in Strype's Eccle- 
 siastical Memorials ''from tht Lambeth Records;' 
 when not a word is extant, or known to have 
 been extant, in any record at Lambeth, relating 
 to this matter ; and, as I have said, (Introduct. 
 p. cix,) no reference is made to such records 
 by Strype. Let it never more be supposed, by 
 the reference of Dr. Milner, that the Lambeth 
 Records sustain the wicked fabrication of Bon- 
 ner. 
 
 With his usual kindness, and condescension, 
 his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury has 
 allowed me; upon the present occasion, to exa- 
 mine the Records in Lambeth Library. And for 
 admission to the State-Paper Office, and the exa- 
 mination of some documents there preserved 
 respecting Cranmer, I have been greatly in- 
 debted to the very liberal permission of the 
 
VI PREFACE. 
 
 Right Honourable Mr. Secretary Peel ; and to 
 the obliging assistance of Robert Lemon, Esq. de- 
 puty-keeper of the Records in that Office. Nor 
 may I omit this opportunity of saying, that to 
 the care and zeal of Mr. Lemon the country 
 is indebted for a most exact arrangement of 
 innumerable historical papers in the Office, 
 for the discovery of several hitherto unknown, 
 and for his interesting remarks upon many of 
 them. I have also gratefully profited by the 
 inspection of the Registers of the Archbishops 
 and of the Dean and Chapter of York ; and in 
 the Library of the latter I have discovered an 
 unknown Manuscript of the celebrated Sir John 
 Harington, from which I have gathered some 
 important circumstances respecting the persecu- 
 tion of the Protestants in the reign of Mary. 
 In this Manuscript there are also several curious 
 illustrations of the reign of Elizabeth ; some of 
 which, as well as other original materials, I hope 
 to copy, if health and opportunity favour me, 
 into a vindication of the history of that time 
 against some recent misrepresentations. 
 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Account of Archbishop 
 Cranmer's book i, ii, iii, xiii. 
 
 The connection of this 
 book with our Church 
 and State - - i, ii. 
 
 Protestant Constitution 
 described - - iii. 
 
 The Reformation worth 
 maintaining - - iii. 
 
 The Archbishop's confer- 
 ence with Ridley upon 
 the subject of his book iv, v. 
 
 Character of Fox's Acts 
 and Monuments - iv. 
 
 Dr. Milner's censure of 
 Fox - - - V. 
 
 Bertram's book upon the 
 Sacrament of the Lord's 
 Supper - - V, vii. 
 
 The Archbishop's zeal for 
 publishing books in the 
 national language, in 
 
 PAGE 
 
 order to promote the 
 Reformation - - viii. 
 
 Original letter of the Arch- 
 bishop on the preceding 
 subject - - ix. 
 
 Metrical psalmody - x. 
 
 The Archbishop's book 
 attacked by Bp. Gar- 
 diner and Dr. Smith xi, xiv. 
 
 The Archbishop's fine de- 
 fence of his book and 
 of himself - - xii. 
 
 The Archbishop not a Lu- 
 theran or a Zuinglian 
 
 xii, Ixxi, Ixxii. 
 
 Process against the Arch- 
 bishop firstprintedfrom 
 a manuscript in the 
 Lambeth Library - xiv. 
 
 The Archbishop's letter 
 to King Edward VL xvi. 
 
 Manuscript remains of the 
 
VIll 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Archbishop in the State 
 Paper Office - xix, xx. 
 
 The Fathers and School- 
 men appealed to by the 
 Archbishop - xx. 
 
 The study of them recom- 
 mended, together with 
 other good writers xxi, xxii. 
 
 The Fathers, and Bibles, 
 the strongest arguments 
 against Popery - xxii. 
 
 The sense of the Church 
 of England as to the 
 Real Presence xxii, xxiii. 
 
 The Archbishop's, and 
 Ridley's, and Hooper's, 
 assertions upon this 
 subject - xxiii, xxiv. 
 
 Their martyrdom in de- 
 fence of those asser- 
 tions - - xxiv. 
 
 Mr. Butler unfairly cites 
 Bp. Jeremy Taylor on 
 the subject of Transub- 
 stantiation and the Mass 
 
 xxiv, XXV. 
 
 Bp. Jeremy Taylor pro- 
 nounces both Transub- 
 stantiation and theMass 
 as idolatrous - xxv. 
 
 Mr. Butler cites Bp. Gun- 
 ning, but conceals what 
 should have been added 
 respecting him - xxvi. 
 
 Mr. Butler's remarks on 
 
 PAGE 
 
 the Article of our 
 Church respecting 
 
 Transubstantiation xxvii. 
 
 Answered - - xxix. 
 
 The Archbishop's senti- 
 ments upon universal 
 redemption and rege- 
 neration in baptism 
 
 XXX, xxxi. 
 
 The character of the Arch- 
 bishop - xxxi, Ixi, cxiii. 
 
 The slander upon the me- 
 mory of Anne Boleyn 
 considered - xxxii, et seq. 
 
 Sanders's, and Bayly's, 
 and Phillips's notices 
 of it - - xxxii. 
 
 Mr. Baddeley's notice of 
 the same, with his rail- 
 ing against Cranmer 
 
 xxxii. 
 
 Dr. Lingard's and Mr. 
 Butler's notices of Anne 
 Boleyn - - xxxiii. 
 
 Mr. Southey's notice of 
 her story as blackened 
 by the Romanists xxxiii. 
 
 Rastal's pretended book, 
 upon which the calum- 
 ny against Anne Bo- 
 leyn is founded, con- 
 sidered - - xxxiv. 
 
 Character of Sanders xxxv, 
 xxxvi. 
 
 Dr. Lingard's account of 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 IX 
 
 PAGE 
 
 the elevation of the 
 Archbishop to the see 
 of Canterbury consi- 
 dered - xxxvi, et seq. 
 
 Dr. Lingard's remarks 
 upon the Archbishop's 
 protestation against the 
 pope, together with 
 Mr. Butler's, answered, 
 
 xxxix, xl, xli. 
 
 The authority of the 
 Archbishop's register 
 as to this point - xli. 
 
 Misrepresentation of San- 
 ders and Phillips on the 
 subject - xli, et seq. 
 
 The Archbishop's own as- 
 sertion as to this pro- 
 test - - xliii. 
 
 Cardinal Pole's assertions 
 not always to be relied 
 upon - - xlv. 
 
 Dr. Lingard's account of 
 the Archbishop's con- 
 duct, as to the divorce 
 of queen Catherine, 
 considered - xlv. et seq. 
 
 Original letter of the 
 Archbishop on the sub- 
 ject - - xlvi. 
 
 Dr. Lingard and Dr. Mil- 
 ner ought to have seen 
 this letter - xlvi, xlix. 
 
 Dr. Lingard's account of 
 
 PAGE 
 
 king Henry's union 
 with Anne Boleyn - 1. 
 
 Bishop Gardiner's opinion 
 upon it the same as the 
 Archbishop's - 1, li, Hi. 
 
 Dr. Lingard's description 
 of the marriage of the 
 King and Anne Boleyn 
 in a garret, considered Iv. 
 
 Dr Milner's observation 
 on the marriage, cor- 
 rected - - _ Ivi. 
 
 The Archbishop's notice 
 of falsehoods, reported 
 of him, omitted by Dr. 
 Lingard in his citation 
 of his Grace's letter - Ivi. 
 
 Dr. Lingard's statement 
 as to the king's supre- 
 macy - Ivi, Ivii. 
 
 Dr. Lingard's notice of 
 the Archbishop upon 
 this occasion, but his 
 concealment of bishop 
 Gardiner's having writ- 
 ten a violent book 
 against the pope's su- 
 premacy - Ivii. 
 
 Dr. Lingard's reflection 
 upon the learning or 
 fanaticism of the Arch- 
 bishop refuted Ixi. et seq. 
 
 The title of Antichrist 
 applied to the pope Ixii, Ixiii. 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 Curious application of 
 it in this view by 
 the Romanists them- 
 selves - - Ixiii. 
 
 Dr. Lingard's charge 
 against the Archbishop, 
 as to the trial and pu- 
 nishment of Lambert, 
 answered - Ixiv, et seq. 
 
 Dr. Milner and Mr. But- 
 ler agree with Dr. Lin- 
 gard, and also as to the 
 case of Anne Askew 
 
 Ixiv, et seq. 
 
 The Archbishop's aver- 
 sion to cruelty - Ixv. 
 
 Dr. Lingard refers to re- 
 cantations of Anne As^ 
 kew, which were denied 
 by herself - - Ixvi. 
 
 Bishop Gardiner the fore- 
 most in the proceedings 
 both against Askew 
 and Lambert " Ixvii. 
 
 Dr. Milner's remark up- 
 on the Archbishop as a 
 Lutheran, or Zuinglian, 
 answered - - Ixxi. 
 
 Original letter of the 
 Archbishop in 1540, 
 shewing his aversion to 
 the Church of Rome Ixxiii. 
 
 The Archbishop's oppo- 
 sition to the Act of the 
 Six Articles Ixxvi, et seq. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Dr. Lingard's citation of 
 a letter upon this sub- 
 ject, considered - Ixxvii. 
 
 Mr. Butler's expostula- 
 tion with Mr. Southey 
 upon this subject con- 
 sidered - Ixxix, Ixxx. 
 
 Dr. Lingard's mis-state- 
 ment as to the Arch- 
 bishop in the discussion 
 of this point - Ixxxi. 
 
 The Archbishop's spirit 
 in the cause of religion Ixxxi. 
 
 Dr. Lingard's charge 
 against the Archbishop 
 in the case of Joan 
 Bocher, answered Ixxxiii. 
 
 Dr. Lingard's notice of 
 the case of Van Parris 
 
 Ixxxiv. 
 
 Phillips's mis-statement 
 of the cases both of 
 Van Parris, and of Bo- 
 cher - Ixxiii, Ixxxv. 
 
 Dr. Milner alleges the 
 cruelty of the Archbi- 
 shop to both by a re- 
 ference to Burnet Ixxxv. 
 
 The passage, referred to 
 in Burnet, explained 
 
 Ixxxv, et seq. 
 
 Dr. Lingard's account of 
 the Archbishop's beha- 
 viour, upon the acces- 
 sion of Mary to the 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 XI 
 
 PAGE 
 
 throne, considei'ecl Ixxxvii, 
 et seq. 
 
 Dr. Thornden, one of the 
 dissembling nionks,who 
 were enemies to the 
 Archbishop Ixxxix, et seq. 
 
 Conspiracy of the dissem- 
 bling monks of Christ 
 Church, Canterbury, 
 against the Archbishop xc. 
 
 Character of several mem- 
 bers of theArchbishop's 
 cathedral - - xci. 
 
 Dr. Lingard's partiality to 
 the bishops Gardiner 
 and Bonner - xci, xcii. 
 
 Sir John Harington's ma- 
 nuscript narrative of 
 Bp. Gardiner's cruelty 
 
 xcii, et seq. 
 
 His description of Bp. 
 Gardiner and Bp. Bon- 
 ner - - xciv, xcv. 
 
 Cardinal Pole's character 
 
 xcv, xcvi. 
 
 Dr. Lingard's suggestions 
 that Bonner and Gar- 
 diner were not quite so 
 guilty, as they have 
 been represented •• xcvii. 
 
 Dr. Lingard's mistaken 
 relation of the Protes- 
 tants who were burned 
 in the reign of Mary xcvii. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Bp. Bonner's character xcviii. 
 
 Dr. Lingard's relation of 
 the code of ecclesiasti- 
 cal laws, compiled by 
 the Archbishop and his 
 associates - xcix, et seq. 
 
 Tlie Reformatio Legum 
 Ecclesiasticarum ex- 
 plained - xcix, et seq. 
 
 Dr. Lingard's insinuation 
 as to the Archbishop's 
 and his associates' in- 
 tention in these laws - c. 
 
 Mr. Butler's belief of the 
 wish of the Archbishop 
 and his associates - c. 
 
 The Archbishop and his 
 associates defended - ci. 
 
 The cruel persecution by 
 Mary and her agents ci, cii. 
 
 Dr. Lingard's exhibition 
 of the Archbishop in his 
 last days - - cii. 
 
 Dr. Lingard mistakenly 
 adds a seventh recanta- 
 tion to those which the 
 
 , Archbishop is said to 
 have made - - ciii. 
 
 Strype's account of the six 
 recantations - ciii, et seq. 
 
 Suspicious circumstances 
 observable in them cv,etseq. 
 
 The order, by the Privy 
 Council, for the Arch- 
 
Xll 
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 bishop's recantation in 
 the first instance to be 
 burnt - - cvii. 
 
 The preparation of part 
 of these recantations for 
 the Archbishop obvious 
 
 cviii, et seq. 
 
 The original copy of them 
 dishonestly published 
 by Bp. Bonner cviii, cix. 
 
 And dishonourably privi- 
 leged by queen Mary cviii. 
 
 Dr. Lingard's observation 
 upon the recantations 
 considered - - cix. 
 
 Dr. Milner's strange re- 
 ference to the Lambeth 
 Records, in confirma- 
 
 tion of these recanta- 
 tions, exposed - cix. 
 
 The real speech of the 
 Archbishop at his mar- 
 tyrdom, instead of that 
 prepared for him ex, cxi. 
 
 Account of the Archbi- 
 shop's last moments cxi, cxii. 
 
 Observations on the Re- 
 formation in England, cxiii. 
 
 Milton's character of it cxiv. 
 
 Blackstone referred to in 
 behalf of it - cxiv. 
 
 Concluding remark upon 
 it in an Essay, honour- 
 ed with the approbation 
 of the University of 
 Oxford - - cxv. 
 
HISTORICAL 
 
 CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. 
 
 I. An account of the Archbishops work. II. The 
 vindication of the Archbishop's character. 
 
 I. The work of Archbishop Cranmer, which 
 is reprinted in the following pages, has long 
 ceased to be a book of frequent occurrence. 
 Nearly three centuries have passed since it first 
 appeared ; since it was also afterwards embo- 
 died in the prelate's admirable vindication of it 
 against Bishop Gardiner ; and since it likewise 
 was published in a Latin translation. Of its 
 celebrity our theologians and ecclesiastical wri- 
 ters often speak. Over the pages of it no dis- 
 cerning reader will turn without finding abun- 
 dant examples of irresistible argumentation, as 
 well as impressive eloquence. And the indisso- 
 luble connection of it with our Church and State 
 every Protestant will admit, when the learned 
 
 a 
 
11 HISTORICAL AND 
 
 amongst them call to mind, and the unlearned 
 are informed, that to the establishment of the 
 Reformation in England this w'^ork in the highest 
 degree contributed, and that it refutes the doc- 
 trine which chiefly distinguishes the Church of 
 Rome from the Church of England. 
 
 That no reader may be interrupted in the pe- 
 rusal of this important treatise, the orthography 
 of it in the following pages is that of our own 
 time ; the spelling of words in the time of Cran- 
 mer being so unsettled, as that in the same 
 page, and even in the same line, a single expres- 
 sion presents often different forms. Sometimes 
 an archaism, or a seeming vulgarism, which the 
 recollection of the time excuses, is found in this 
 discourse ; but the words and reasoning all 
 along are in unison with the prelate's own decla- 
 ration of *' '^ making inore clearly appear the light 
 from the darkness''' The contents of the mar- 
 tyr's book, like the publick tables that of old 
 were hung up in temples and market-places, 
 sliould be in characters so " ^ plain, that he may 
 run that readeth them T yes, and that he may 
 mark them too; that he may mark them as form- 
 ing much of the basis of that Protestant Consti- 
 tution, " ^ under which we have enjoyed more 
 
 * Defence of the true Doctrine, &c. present edition, p. So. 
 " Habakkuk ii. 2. 
 
 * Substance of the Speech of the Right Hon. Robert Peel in 
 the House of Commons, May 9, 1 81 7, on the Right Hon. Henry 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. Ill 
 
 liberty, we have acquired more glory, we pos- 
 sess more character and power, than hitherto 
 has fallen to the lot of any other country on the 
 globe ;" and that hence he may mark them £is 
 proclaiming with a voice never to be silenced, 
 we trust, that '* "^ the Reformation was worth 
 estabUshing," and therefore *' it is worth main- 
 taining." 
 
 The treatise before us, while it principally 
 discusses the subject of Transubstantiation, and 
 the Sacrifice of the Mass, delivers some excel- 
 lent observations upon certain doctrines adopted 
 by our Church, (besides that which concerns the 
 Sacrament of the Lord's Supper,) agreeing also 
 with the primate's decision upon such points in 
 the publick formularies of our faith. They shall 
 be noticed in the present Introduction. But I 
 ought, in illustration of the work, first to state 
 the history of it, and then shew how the differ- 
 ence in question between the Churches of Rome 
 and England is marked, and how the great re- 
 former determined upon other points. 
 
 ** * During the time of king Henry the eighth, 
 until the entering of king Edward, it seemeth 
 
 Grattan's motion, That the House should resolve itself into a 
 Committee, to take into consideration the laws affecting the 
 Roman Catholicks of the United Kingdom. Third edition, 
 p. 40. 
 
 ^ Sermons and Charges by Bp. Harrington, p. 437. " If the 
 Reformation was worth establishing, it is worth maintaining." 
 
 • Fox's Acts and ^Fonuments. 
 u 2 
 
IV HISTORICAL AND 
 
 that Cranmer was scarcely yet thoroughly per- 
 suaded in the right knowledge of the Sacrament, 
 or at least was not yet fully ripened in the same; 
 wherein shortly after being more groundedly 
 confirmed by conference with bishop Ridley, in 
 process of time did so profit in riper knowledge, 
 that at last he took upon him the defence of that 
 whole doctrine, that is, to refute and throw down, 
 first, the corporal presence ; secondly, the fan- 
 tastical transubstantiation ; thirdly, the idola- 
 trous adoration ; fourthly, the false error of the 
 Papists, that wicked men do eat the natural 
 body of Christ; and, lastly, the blasphemous 
 sacrifice of the mass. Whereupon in conclusion 
 he wrote five books for the publick instruction of the 
 Church of England: avhich instruction yet 
 
 TO THIS DAY STANDETH, AND IS RECEIVED, 
 IN THIS CHURCH OF ENGLAND." 
 
 Such is the ^ faithful statement of Fox, the 
 
 ' I have great pleasure in citing the following passage from 
 tlie Preface to Dr. Wordsworth's Ecclesiastical Biography; 
 assuring the reader also, that in numerous researches which it 
 has been often my duty to make among ancient registers, and 
 other records, the accuracy of Fox in such as he has ap- 
 plied to his purpose is indisputable. " I am well aware," Dr. 
 Wordsworth says, " that by the extent to which I have availed 
 myself of Fox's Acts and Monuments, I fall within the sphere 
 of such censures as that of Dr. John Milner, in which he speaks 
 of ' the frequent publications of John Fox's lying Book of 
 Martyrs, witli prints of men, women, and children, expiring in 
 llamos ; the nonsense, inconsistency, and falsehoods of which,' 
 
CRlTtCAL INTRODUCTION. V 
 
 martyrologist, in respect to the work before us. 
 Cranmer himself has also informed us, in his 
 Profession of faith in 1555, that *'^his book 
 was made seven years ago ;" and it was ^ about 
 the year 1546, when Ridley, by reading the 
 work of ' Bertram concerning the Body and 
 
 lie saj's, * he had in part exposed in his Letters to a Preben- 
 dary.' I am not ignorant of what has been said also by Dr. 
 Milner's predecessors in the same argument, by Harpsfield, 
 Parsons, and others. But these writings have not proved, and 
 it never will be proved, that John Fox is not one of the most 
 faithful and authentick of all historians. We know too much 
 of the strength of Fox's book, and of the weakness of those of 
 his adversaries, to be further moved by Dr. Milner's censures, 
 than to charge them with falsehood. All the many researches 
 and discoveries of later times, in regard to historical documents, 
 have only contributed to place the general fidelity and truth of 
 Fox's melancholy narrative on a rock which cannot be shaken." 
 
 « Fox's Acts and Mon. 
 
 ^ Ridley communicated his thoughts upon Bertram's book 
 to Cranmer about the year 1546. Strype's Life of Cranmer, 
 B. 2. ch. 25. 
 
 * Bertram, who is also called Ratramnus, asserts our doc- 
 trine as expressly as we (Protestants) ourselves can do ; deli- 
 vering it in the same words, and proving it by many of the 
 same arguments and authorities which we bring. See Bishop 
 Burnet on the 28th Article. He was a monk of the Abbey of 
 Corbey, in the ninth century. Mabillon says, that he had seen 
 a manuscript of his work on the Eucharist eight hundred years 
 old. Cave gives him the highest character as a man and a 
 scholar, and adds, " excepta lite Eucharistica, ah ipsis scrip- 
 toribtis pontificiis suvimis elogiis ornatns." Li the London edi- 
 tion of the Catalogus Testium Veritatis, 1686, all the objections 
 
Vi HISTORICAL AND 
 
 Blood of Christ, had been led to examine 
 closely the prevailing opinion of the corporal 
 presence ; when, having found it much opposed 
 in the ninth century, especially by this learned 
 writer, he communicated the result of his in- 
 quiry to Cranmer. Henceforward, indeed, they 
 both pursued the subject with more than ordi- 
 nary care ; and the Archbishop brought toge- 
 ther their observations into the present Z)e/e«ce 
 of the TRUE doctrine, as he has justly entitled his 
 book. But a supposition that Ridley was the 
 author of this book, or rather a wish to deprive 
 Cranmer of the merit due to his own learning 
 and research, appears to have been at the time 
 expressed. " ^ How," said Secretary Bourne, 
 in his examination of Ridley in the Tower, 
 •' how can you then make but a figure or a sign 
 of the Sacrament, as that book doth which is set 
 forth in my Lord of Canterbury s name ? I wiss 
 you can tell who made it : Did not you make it ?" — • 
 *' And here," Ridley himself relates, " here was 
 much murmuring of the rest, as though they 
 would have given me the glory of writing that book ; 
 — Master Secretary, quoth I, that book was 
 made of a great learned man, and one who is 
 able to do the like again ; as for me, I assure 
 
 of the Romanists against this writer are learnedly and acutely 
 refuted. 
 
 ^ Ridley's Life of bishop Ridley, (from Fox,) p. 440. 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTIOX. VU 
 
 you, be not deceived, I was never able to do or 
 write any such like thing : he passeth me no 
 less than the learned master his young scholar : 
 — But, Sir, methinks it is not charitably done, 
 to bear the people in hand that any man doth 
 so lightly esteem the Sacrament, as to make of 
 it a figure only ; but that but maketh it a bare 
 figure without any more profit ; ivhich that hook 
 doth often deny, as appeaixth to the reader rnost 
 plainly.'" 
 
 It is highly probable, that soon after the con- 
 sultation of Cranmer and Ridley upon this sub- 
 ject, the Archbishop caused an English trans- 
 lation of Bertram's book to be published ; a 
 circumstance, which has been overlooked by the 
 historians of the English Reformation. For in 
 1548', and in 1549, two editions of this plain, 
 brief, and very useful discourse, made their ap- 
 pearance, royally privileged, with the following 
 title: " The boke of Barthram, priest, intreat- 
 inge of the bodye and bloude of Christe, wryt- 
 ten to great Charles the emperoure, and set forth 
 seven hundred years ago." It is printed in a 
 small form, but in types usually given to books 
 of a larger size ; as if it had been intended to 
 gratify the eye of age, as well as youth. And 
 this accords with the accustomed zeal of Cran- 
 
 ' By T. Raynalde in 1548, and by A. Kitson in 1549. 
 Ames, Hist, of Printing, p. 220. The copy however, which 
 is now before me, is printed by Raynalde in 1549. 
 
VIU HISTORICAL AND 
 
 mer to exhibit the most valuable information in 
 the national language : Witness his successful 
 motion, almost immediately after his consecra- 
 tion, that the Scriptures should be translated 
 into English, and his subsequent joy that the 
 translation might be used by all : Witness his 
 exertions also to bring into use prayer in the ver- 
 nacular tongue, and thus to render publick de- 
 votion intelligible to all. Of this pious diligence, 
 though many other instances might be given, all 
 contributing to promote the Reformation, I vs^ill 
 add only one which Burnet and Strype had 
 not seen, but vv^hich Collier has with a slight 
 alteration or two printed, and which presents 
 to us the great prelate, in the pursuit of his 
 noble object, employing the aids of metre 
 and of musick. It is contained in an origi- 
 nal letter, which appears to have been written 
 subsequently to the " "" Royal Mandate for 
 publishing and using the prayers in the English 
 tongue;" the King having observed, in this di- 
 rection to the Archbishop, that '' the people 
 heretofore understood no part of such prayers 
 or suffrages as were used to be sung and said." 
 The whole of this Mandate, as Strype has well 
 observed, runs in such a pious strain, as though 
 none but Cranmer had been the suggester of it. 
 It is printed entire in Burnet's History of the 
 Reformation, and great part of it is copied by 
 
 " Burnet's Hist, of the Reformation, vol. i. Records, p. 264, 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. IX 
 
 Strype in his Memorials of the Archbishop ; 
 and it is dated in June, 1544. In the succeed- 
 ing August the Archbishop was also called upon 
 by the Privy Council to appoint processions in 
 the English tongue. The following is the Arch- 
 bishop's letter, copied from the original now re- 
 maining in the State-Paper Office. 
 
 *' It may please your Maiestie to be aduer- 
 tised, that according to your Highnes' com- 
 mandemente, sent vnto me by your grace's 
 secretary Mr. Pagett, I haue translated into 
 the English tongue so well as I coulde, in so 
 shorte tyme, certeyne processions to be vsed 
 vpon festiuall dales, yf, after due correction and 
 amendemente of the same, your highnes shall 
 thinke it so conuenient : In whiche translation, 
 forasmoche as many of the processions in the 
 Lattyn were but barren, (as me semed,) and 
 litle frutefull ; I was constrayned to vse more 
 than the libertie of a translator: ffor in some 
 processions I have alterid diners wourdes, in 
 some I haue added parte, in some taken parte 
 awaie. Some I have lefte oute hole, either for 
 bycause the matter apperid to me to be little to 
 purpose, or bycause the dales be not with vs 
 festiuall dales. And some procession I haue 
 added hole, bycause I thought I hadd better 
 matter for the purpose than was the procession 
 in Latten : the iudgemente wherof I referre 
 
X HiSTOUlCAL AND 
 
 holie vnto your Maiestie. And after your highnes 
 hath corrected yt, yf your grace coinande some 
 devoute and solempne note to be made there- 
 vnto, (as is to the procession whiche your Ma- 
 iestie hath alredie set furth in Englishe,) I truste 
 it woU moche excitate and stirre the hearts of all 
 men vnto deuotion and godlynes. But in myn 
 opinion the songe" that shalbe made thervnto 
 sholde not be full of notes, but as nere as may 
 be for euery sillable a note, so that it may be 
 songe distinctly and deuoutly, as be in the ma- 
 tens and euen song, Venite, the hymnes Te Deum, 
 Benedictus, Magnificat ^ Nunc Dimittis, and all the 
 psalmes and versicles, and the masse Gloria in 
 e.vceisis, Gloria Patri, the Crede, the Preface, the 
 Pater noster, and some of the Sanctus and Agnus, 
 As concernyng the Salve festa dies, the Latin note 
 (as I thinke) is sobre and distinct enoughe. 
 Wherefore I haue trauailed to make the verses 
 in Englishe, and have put the Latten note vnto 
 the same. Neuertheles, thei that be connyng 
 in syngyng can make a moche more solempne 
 
 " This passage leads us to believe, that metrical psalmody 
 might at this time have been thought of by Cranmer, espe- 
 cially by what follows in the letter as to his English verses ; 
 and, it may be added, by the imitations of the Archbishop's 
 endeavour, which soon fallowed in the stanzas of Sternhold, 
 Hunnis, and others. So that the psalmody in question may 
 seem to be of higher authority, than hitherto has been con» 
 ceded to it. 
 
ClUTICAL INTRODUCTION. XI 
 
 note thereto. I made them only for a profe to 
 see how Englishe wolde do in songe. But by- 
 cause myn Englishe verses lacke the grace and 
 facilitie which I wolde wishe they hadd, your 
 Maiestie may cause some other to make theyra 
 againe, that can do the same in more pleasante 
 Englishe and phrase. As for the sentence, I 
 suppose, [it] will serue well enough. Thus Al- 
 mightie God preserue your Maiestie in longe and 
 prosperous helth and felicitie. ffrom Bekisborne 
 the vij"" of October. 
 
 " Your grace's most bounden, 
 •' chaplayne and bedisman, 
 
 '* T. Cantuarien. 
 
 The Discourse of the Archbishop upon the 
 Lord's Supper, almost immediately after the 
 publication of it, was attacked by bishop Gar- 
 diner, then a prisoner in the Tower, in ** An 
 Explication and Assertion of the true Catholick 
 Faith touching the most blessed Sacrament of 
 the Altar, ivith confutation of a book [the Arch- 
 bishop's] written against the same, 1551 ;" and 
 printed, according to Strype, in France. Ano- 
 ther opponent also. Dr. Smith, then at Louvain, 
 published an answer to Cranmer. Both adver-? 
 saries brought against the Archbishop the accu- 
 sation of inconsistency. Finding in his Defence 
 of the true Doctrine, that Consubstantiation, as 
 well as Transubstantjation, was opposed, they 
 
XU HISTORICAL AND 
 
 reminded the author that formerly he had been a 
 Papist, then a Lutheran, and lastly a Zuinglian, 
 in his sacramental profession. The Archbishop 
 was instant in his reply ° to both ; confuting as 
 well " the crafty and sophistical cavillation" of 
 Gardiner, as such places in the puny book of 
 Smith as " seemed any thing worthy the answer- 
 
 ° It may be proper to extract, from the reply at large, the 
 following words. " After it had pleased God," the Archbishop 
 says, " to shew unto me by his word a more perfect knowledge 
 of his Son Jesus Christ, from time to time, as I grew in know- 
 ledge of him, by little and little I 2^ut away my former igno- 
 rance. And as God of his mercy gave me light, so through 
 his grace I opened my eyes to receive it ; and did not wilfully 
 repugn unto God, and remain in darkness. And I trust in 
 God's mercy and pardon for my former errors, because I erred 
 hut of fraiUiess and ignorance." Answer to Gardiner, p. 402, 
 He had just before ingenuously also said, after denying an al- 
 legation made by Smith, that he was " in the error of the real 
 presence, and in divers other errors, &c. for lack of good in- 
 struction from his youth ; the outrageous floods of papistical 
 errors at that time overflowing the world ; for the which, and 
 other offences of his youth he daily prayed to God for mercy 
 and pardon." And in the first part of his book he observes, 
 in the same honourable spirit, " It is lawful and commendable 
 for a man to learn from time to time, and to go from his igno- 
 rance that he may receive and embrace the truth. As for me, 
 I am not, I grant, of that nature that the Papists for most 
 part be, who study to devise all shameful shifts, rather than 
 they will forsake any error, wherewith they were infected in 
 their youth." Answ. &c. p. 62. As to the accusation of his 
 being a Loitheran, or a Zuinglian, see the observation in a sub- 
 sequent page on Dr. Lingard's similar opinion. 
 
CRITrCAL INTRODUCTIOX. XIU 
 
 ing." This answer was eagerly expected, and 
 well received; was printed in 1551 ; and again i* 
 in 1552, according to Ames, which Strype, how- 
 ever, has not noticed. And as a proof not only 
 of the welcome which it had experienced, but 
 of the high character which it maintained, it 
 was republished in 1580. Archbishop Parker '^ 
 indeed has said of it, that no controversy against 
 the Papists was ever handled more accurately ; 
 and succeeding writers of distinction have be- 
 stowed their eulogy upon the language as well 
 as the spirit of it, upon its acuteness as well as 
 its zeal. Of his own confidence in the great 
 doctrine, which he so learnedly and copiously 
 maintained, he gave this solemn testimony in 
 his last most impressive words: " As' for the 
 Sacrament," said the venerable martyr as he 
 approached the stake, " As for the Sacrament, 
 I believe as I have taught in my book agai7ist the 
 bishop of Winchester ; the which my book teacheth 
 so true a doctrine of the Sacrament, that it shall 
 stand at the last day before the judgement of 
 God, where the papistical doctrine, contrary 
 thereto, shall be ashamed to shew her face." It 
 is in this book that the Defence of the true doctrine 
 
 p Ames, Hist, of Printing, p. 227. 
 
 ■i Strype's Life of Cranmer, B. 2. ch. 25. 
 
 "' Fox's Acts and Mon. 
 
XIV HISTORICAL AND 
 
 is incorporated * ; the whole of which, together 
 with the whole of Gardiner's attack upon it, is 
 there reprinted, with additional observations* 
 And it is this Defence, against which the indig- 
 nation of Roman Catholicks was in vain exer- 
 cised. In vain, as to silencing it, was it made 
 an article' in the charges brought against the 
 mighty prelate. In vain, as to weakening its 
 effect, was it proposed to him by his cunning 
 enemies as a theme for recantation ^ Gardiner 
 indeed affected to answer it in Latin under a 
 feigned name; when the Archbishop, though 
 then in prison, vindicated his own work to a very 
 great extent, and intended some addition to that 
 vindication, if it might have been", " before his 
 life," as he said, ** were taken away, which he 
 saw was likely to be within a very short space." 
 After that event, the learned Peter Martyr in- 
 deed appeared as his acute and elaborate de-^ 
 fender. 
 
 But as Gardiner, under the assumed title of 
 M. A. Constantius, had so unfairly proceeded 
 
 • Now and then an amended reading may be observed in 
 this reprint of the Defence, which I have followed by enclosing 
 the reading in brackets. 
 
 ' See the Process against him, first printed from the manu- 
 script in the Library at Lambeth Palace at the close of the 
 Oxford edition of Strype's Life of Cranmer, 1812. p. 1077, 
 et seq. 
 
 " Strype's Life of Cranmer, B. 2. ch. 25. The work is sup- 
 posed to be lost. 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. XV 
 
 with Cranmer's book as to confound the method 
 of it, and to disjoin and mangle passages in 
 subserviency only to his own objections ; the 
 Archbishop was of opinion, that if learned 
 foreigners saw his Defence of the true doc- 
 tr'me translated into the Latin tongue, (as the 
 second attack of Gardiner was written in that 
 language,) it would sufficiently vindicate him in 
 their judgement and esteem. Sir John Cheke, 
 an accomplished scholar, elegantly performed 
 this service for the Archbishop ; and the Defence 
 in Latin, with some additions ', appeared in 
 1553; as it also again appeared in 1557, with 
 observations which had been made upon a re- 
 view of this translation by the archbishop him- 
 self in prison, and which had fallen into the 
 hands of the English exiles at Embden, who 
 offered in this publication their grateful sense of 
 duty to the memory of the martyred primate. 
 Prefixed to this Latin translation is an epistle 
 from Cranmer to King Edward VI, in which he 
 says, that " it was his care of the Lord's flock 
 committed to him, which induced him to renew 
 and restore the Lord's Supper according to the 
 institution of Christ : which was the reason that, 
 about three years before, he had set forth a book 
 in English against the principal abuses of the 
 papistical mass." But the whole epistle is writ- 
 
 * Strype's Life of Cranmor, B. 2. cli. ;?5. 
 
XVI HrSTOKICAL AKD 
 
 ten, as Strype observes, (who, however, has not 
 copied it, nor has Burnet in his History of the 
 Reformation,) with so much sharpness of wit, 
 as well as in a pure and elegant style, as to 
 render the insertion of it in the note below desi- 
 rable ^'. Strype has mentioned a manuscript 
 
 ■ I copy the Letter from the edition of 1557, a book not often 
 to be met with. 
 
 " Illustrissimo ac nobilissimo Principi Edvardo Sexto, An- 
 glice, Francice, et Hibernice Regi, Jidei defensori, et in terris 
 secundum Christum Ecclesice Anglicance et Hiberniccs capiti su- 
 premo, Thomas Cantuariensis Archiepiscopus. 
 
 " Pro cura Dominici gregis mihi commissa, in quo salutari 
 pastu verbi Divini erudiendo omnem curam cogitationemque 
 meam collocare debeo, Illustriss. Princeps, Coenam Domini 
 (quae multis et magnis superstitionibus violata est, et ad quae- 
 stum translata,) renovandam ad Servatoris Christi instituta et 
 redintegrandam putavi ; et de vero ejus usu ex verbi Divini et 
 veteris ac sanctae Ecclesiae authoritate commonefaciendos esse 
 otTines judicavi, quorum cura, et instructio, ad officii mei 
 authoritatem aliqua ex parte pertinet. 
 
 " Itaque ante triennium Missae papisticae abusus praecipuos 
 (quibus non modo Ecclesia Anglica, sed etiam totus pene orbis 
 foedatus atque infectus fuerat,) libello quodam Anglo confutavi, 
 et verum atque Christianum ejus usum restituendum docui. 
 Quo libra ita multi sunt ad sanam de ea re opinionem adducti, ut 
 veritatis vim, quanta esset, sentirem, et gratiae Servatoris 
 Christi beneficia intelligerem, ut ad veritatis lucem patefactam 
 occaecati homines splendorem hicis acciperent, et (ut Paulus 
 praedicante Anania) oculorum aciem perciperent. Hoc ita 
 aegre Stephanus Gardinerus, Wintoniensis turn Episcopus, 
 tulerat, ut nihil sibi prius faciendum putarit, quam ut librum 
 tarn utilem et plausibilem confutaret; ratus, nisi opera sua 
 aliqua impedimenta objicerentur, nullos deploratae jam«t dere- 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTIOX. XVU 
 
 written by the archbishop, preserved in the 
 library of Bene't College, Cambridge, entitled 
 
 Ilctae pen^ sententiae adj uteres fore. Itaque eadem ipse lingua 
 iisdem de rebus conscribit, et firmatam jam de vero Coenae usu 
 sententiam evertere conatur, et papisticam opinionem, supev- 
 stitionibus undique diffluentem, revocare conatur. Post hunc 
 prodiit M. Antonius Constantius, Stephano Gardinero ita affi* 
 nis et germanus, ut idem ipse esse videatur ; tanta est inge- 
 niorum subtilitas, scripturae sophistices similitude. Sed uter- 
 que idem tractat, alio tamen modo. 
 
 " Constantius enim libro Latine scripto argumenta meaper- 
 sequitur, ut sibi optimum videtur ; et, ut causam juvet, ssepe 
 truncata, saepe inversa, saepe disjecta, sic introducit, ut non 
 magis a me agnosci potuerint, quam Medese liberi in multa 
 membra disjecti et deformati. Neque enim de hujusmodi cor- 
 poris forma, neque de uUa re recte judicare possumus, ubi tota 
 species ante oculos proposita non cat in quam intueri, quasi ia 
 Phidiaa Minervam, debemus ; et non particulam aliquam, sicutl 
 Momus crepidam Veneris, lacessere. Itaque ut melius mea de 
 hac controversia opinione sententia teneretur, lihrum meum de 
 Anglo in Latinum convertendum curavij ut omnes intelligerent 
 nos neque obscuram nostram sententiam, neque abditam esse 
 velle, quam cum multis bonis et doctis viris communem habe- 
 mus, et cum verbo Dei, et verbi defensatrice vera Ecclesia, 
 consentientem. ■■I'.- 
 
 " Nemo est autem ex omnibus dignior, in cujus nomine li- 
 bellus hie appareat qiiam in tuo. Es enim non modo Papista* 
 rum opinione Fidei defensor^ (qui hoc non k seipsis protulerant, 
 sed Deo per illos ad ipsovum perniciem prsemonente,) sed etiam 
 bonorum omnium authoritate dignus, in quem tantum EcclesifiB 
 munus conferatur. Es hujus Ecclesiae Anglicse et Hibernic« 
 supremus in terris moderator, sub quo quasi sub Moyse partem 
 spiritus et magnam multorum curam atque administrationem 
 commissam habeo. Es etiam non modo legibus nostria tanta 
 
 b 
 
win HISTORICAL AND 
 
 De re sacramentaria ; and Burnet and Collier, as 
 well as Strype, have printed other dispersed 
 
 regni Rex, sed etiam natura, quae Majestatem tuam ita ad 
 omnem excellentiam formavit, ut quae singula in aliis exqui- 
 sita sunt, ea in Majestate tua perfecta emineant. Video in re- 
 gibus mediocre aliquid esse non posse, et authoritate veteris 
 proverbii in eo confirmor, et gaudeo banc excellentiam non 
 modo ad meliorem partem, sed etiam ad optimam, esse trans- 
 latam. Haec non laudandae Majestatis tuse gratia, sed cohor- 
 tandae potius dico, ut res, in hac estate tarn illustres, uberri- 
 mos postbac et excellentissimos tantse dignitatis splendores in 
 constanti aetate ferant. Quanta enim ornamenta ingenii et doc- 
 trinae, vel ab optima natura, vel bonis praeceptoribus tribui 
 poterant, eadem in te omnia excellentia sunt ; et quod in pri- 
 mis laudabilissimum est, timer Dei, et verse religionis studium, 
 in quibus Majestas tua ea cum laude versatur, qua seipsum Rex 
 et Propheta commendavit quum dixerat, Senibus se intelligen- 
 tiorem esse, quia mandata Dei inquirebat. 
 
 *' Hiis aliisque gravibus de causis commoveor, ut hunc librum, 
 jam Lat'inmn factum, nomini tuo ofFeram. Spero autem rei 
 ipsa; satisfactum hoc libro esse, qui non modo summam verae 
 doctrinae continet, sed omnia adversariorum argumenta, (quae 
 quidem recitatu digna sunt) refutat. Sed quia nimis curiosi 
 quidam sunt, et nulla, ne diligenti quidem et plena rerum ex- 
 plicatione contenti, et eandem materiam argumentorum, (ne 
 nihil dicere videantur,) in alias formas transmutJHit, et ordinem 
 naturae pro licentia ingeniorum confundunt ; ideo nostram ad 
 Stephani Gardineri librum responsionem, Latinam factam, brevi 
 in lucem educemus, ut nullus (ne sophistis quidem) ad contra- 
 dicendum locus relictus sit : qua ratione putabo non modo uni, 
 sed Gardinero etiam et Constantio quoque esse satisfactum ; 
 ft quod de comosdiis ille dixit, hoc de personatis istis dicen- 
 dum, Unum cognoris, ambos cognoris. Quod si quaedam uno 
 in libro pertractata sunt, quae in altero preeLermissa fuerint, 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. XIX 
 
 observations by Cranmer upon the same sub- 
 ject. To bring together whatever relates to the 
 archbishop's inquiries, and determinations, as 
 to this important doctrine, 1 may add, that in 
 the State-Paper Office there remain, in the pri- 
 mate's hand-writing, a paper De Sacramento 
 EucharisticB ; another, De 3Iissa piivata ; and in a 
 thin folio (among discussions upon " other points) 
 De Eucharistia, and De Sacramentorum usu ; and 
 
 iisdem ego responsionem neam adjungam, ut adversarii, si qui 
 relicti sint, vel non habeant quod objiciant, vel, si objecerint, 
 videant quid responderi ad ilia possit. Hse sunt causae, Rex 
 nobilissime, quae me ad emittendum hune librum impulerunt, 
 eumque sub majestatis tuae autoritate divulgandura. Te spero 
 ita hoc meum studium accepturum, quemadomodum et causae 
 sequitas fert, et officium meum postulat, et dementia tua in 
 aliis honestis causis solet facere. Dominus Jesus majestatem 
 tuam servet. Lambethae, Idibus Martiis. M. D. LIII." 
 
 ^ The book is indorsed, " a boke conteyning dy vers Articles, 
 ice." and contains discussions 
 
 De unitate et trinitate personarum. 
 
 De peccato originali. 
 
 De duabus Christi naturis. 
 
 De Justificatione. 
 
 De Ecclesia. 
 
 De Baptismo. 
 
 De Eucharistia. 
 
 De Penitentia. 
 
 De Sacramentorum usu. 
 
 De ministris Ecclesiae. 
 
 De ritibus ecclesiasticis. 
 
 De rebus civilibus. 
 
 De corporum resurrectione et extremo judicio. 
 b2 
 
XX HISTORICAL AXD 
 
 in English, What a Saci^ament is. These were, 
 no doubt, composed before the Defence of the 
 true doctrine had been written ; and with other 
 theological observations have been preserved, 
 bearing an indorsement upon one of them, (the 
 whole having been contained in a bundle,) ''Most 
 of ^ these papers Archbishop Cranmer's hand^ 
 
 The Defence of the true doctrine, as Fox has al- 
 ready told us, and as Strype has repeated the 
 information, was written on purpose for the pub- 
 lick instruction of the Church of England. 
 Written too as it was by Cranmer in his mature 
 age, after all his great reading, and all his dili- 
 gent study of the fathers and ecclesiastical wri- 
 ters, with whose judgments and opinions in the 
 doctrine he thus became intimately acquainted; 
 it is, as Strype has justly'' concluded, the more 
 to be valued. And yet the use which Cranmer 
 made of the fathers and schoolmen, in appealing 
 to their authority for confutation of the Roman- 
 ists, in his dispute with them, has been strangely 
 undervalued by " some ; as if with the Roman- 
 
 * The other separate papers, which I inspected at the State 
 Paper Office, are the following : 
 
 De Sacerdotum et Episcoporum ordine ac ministerio. 
 
 De potestate ac primatu Papae : indorsed 1537. 
 
 De Fide. 
 
 De veneratione sanctorum, et imaginibus : two loose books. 
 
 •* Strype's Life of Cranmer, b. 2. ch. 25. 
 
 ' Dr. Glocester Ridley, in his valuable life of Bishop Ridley, 
 censures very justly the inconsiderate observation of Mr. Gil- 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. XX] 
 
 ists any argument could be more effectual, than 
 that which laid open the weakness of pretences 
 under which they sheltered themselves from the 
 efficacy of scriptural arguments alone ; or as if 
 the archbishop might have been content to give 
 merely a rational account of his faith ; and, by 
 disavowing the authority of the fathers as in- 
 sufficient, have '^ acknowledged that he held opi- 
 nions contrary to the Church through all ages 1 
 No : the archbishop knew the value of the au- 
 thority in question ; and accordingly in Injunc- 
 tions, given by King Edward the Sixth, in the 
 first year of his reign, to the Dean and Chap- 
 ter of York, (and to the governours also of 
 other cathedrals,) of which Cranmer no doubt 
 was the author, especial attention is directed 
 to this point. *' ^ Item, they shall make a li- 
 brarie in some convenient place within their 
 churche, within the space of one yeare next en- 
 
 pin in his life of Latimer, that Ridley and Cranmer should have 
 avoided appealing to the fathers. The strongest arguments 
 that can be produced against Popery, as Atterbury has ob- 
 served, are the Fathers and Bibles. 
 
 "* See Ridley's Life, ut supr. p. 493. 
 
 ® Register of the Dean and Chapter of York, fol. 46. a. 
 Burnet mentions this register, but I think that he had never 
 seen it. See his History of the Reformation, vol. 3. under the 
 year 1547. If he had examined it, he would surely have ex- 
 tracted from it some of the valuable information which it con- 
 tains, as applicable to the noble purpose in which he was en- 
 gaged. 
 
XXU HISTORICAL AND 
 
 suyng this visitation, and shall have in the same 
 Saynte Augustynes, Basill, Gregorie Nazianzeney 
 Hierome, Ambrose, Chrisostome, Cipriane, Theophi- 
 lact, Erasmus, and other good writers' workes." 
 But more powerfully, than in a mere recommen- 
 dation of the study of the fathers, Cranmer has 
 illustrated the ^ obligations of his cause to them 
 in his Defence of the true doctriiie; and upon the 
 copiousness, as well as the accuracy, of citations 
 in it from their works, the reader may fix his 
 attention without fear of contradiction, and with 
 full confidence in their value. 
 
 Of Cranmer, and Ridley, and the rest of the 
 Protestant Clergy, who framed the Communion 
 Service in 1548, which the Defence before us 
 illustrates throughout, and which is our liturgi- 
 cal rejection of Transubstantiation, it has how- 
 ever been lately asserted, that they believed 
 somewhat equivalent to Transubstantiation in 
 what they taught, and asserted, of the ^ real pre- 
 
 ' Just as it is said of our Established Church generally : 
 " She has produced the strongest arguments against Popery — 
 Fathers and Bibles." Atterbury, Preface to his Answer to 
 some Considerations on the spirit of Martin Luther, &c. See 
 also a preceding note. 
 
 ^ It will be proper here to recite the words of Cranmer in 
 the Preface to his book against Gardiner, with which Arch- 
 bishop Sharp has closed his excellent discourse upon tlie sense 
 of the Church of England as to the real presence in the Eucha- 
 rist. This passage " of the most learned Archbishop Cran- 
 mer," Dr. Sharp truly affirms, " may go further than any other 
 
\ 
 CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. XXlii 
 
 sence of Christ in the Sacrament. Now the 
 fact is, that they positively disowned any mate- 
 rial presence of Christ's body, or any part of it, 
 either by conversion, substitution, or union ; and 
 believed no other than a figurative presence of 
 Christ's body properly so called, yet affirming 
 the Eucharist to be a true and real communica- 
 tion of the virtues and benefits of his body, not 
 merely a figurative commemoration of them. 
 And Cranmer, and Ridley, and Hooper, not to 
 
 man's ybrf/ic ascertaining, and cleamig, the sense of our Church 
 in this matter, since he had the principal hand in compiling both 
 our Liturgy and our Articles." — " When I say and repeat many 
 times in my book," Cranmer says, " that the body of Christ is 
 present in them that worthily receive the sacrament ; lest any 
 man should mistake my words, and think that I mean, that 
 although Christ be not corporally in the outward visible signs, 
 yet he is corporally in the persons that duly receive them : this 
 is to advertise the reader, that I mean no such thing : but my 
 meaning is, that the force, the grace, the virtue, and benefit, of 
 Christ's body that was crucified for us, and of his blood that 
 was shed for us, be really and effectually present with all them 
 that duly receive the sacraments ; but all this i understand 
 OF HIS SPIRITUAL PRESENCE ; of the whicli he saith, / will he 
 with yoti until the world's end. And, Wheresoever two or three 
 be gathered together in my Name, there am I in the midst of 
 them. And, He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, 
 dmelleth in me, and I in him. Nor no more truly is he corpo- 
 rally or really present in the due ministration of the Lord's 
 Supper, than he is in the due ministration of Baptism ;" that is 
 to say, in botli spiritually, by grace. Abp. Sharp's Serm. vol. 
 7. p. 370, 
 
XXIV HISTORICAL AND 
 
 mention other learned Protestants, have left us 
 their ample '' assertions and their full belief in 
 proof of this, and in vindication of the honour of 
 our Reformed Church ; and with their blood 
 sealed the truths which they taught. But the 
 author, who would involve these great men in 
 the very error of their adversaries, betakes him- 
 self also to other expedients, in connection with 
 his pretence ; and brings forward the celebrated 
 Jeremy Taylor, " ' the bishop of Down; thmi 
 whom the whole Protestant Church boasts no fairer 
 name; who had fully examined Transubstantia- 
 tion and the Mass, and declared, after his exa- 
 mination of them, that the doctrine of the Catho- 
 lick Church upon them was not idolatrous." 
 But was this really the full cvamination of bishop 
 Taylor upon the subject ? Not so : the few 
 lines from *'The Liberty of Prophesying," which 
 are adduced, were the observation of Taylor in 
 his younger days, and were published in 1647 ; 
 but in *' The Dissuasive from Popery," pub- 
 
 *" I have printed in the Appendix to this volume, the opi- 
 nions and assertions of Ridley and Hooper, upon this impor- 
 tant subject. 
 
 • The Book of the Roman Catholic Church, 1825, by Charles 
 Butler, Esq. p. 321 ; and the Enquiry as to the Declaration 
 against Transubstantiation, &c. published anonymously in 
 1822, but of which Mr. Butler avows himself the author in 
 the Book of the Roman Catholic Church, and copies it into the 
 eighteenth letter in that recent work. 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. XXV 
 
 lished by him, when reading and judgment were 
 matured, in 1664, the masterly, and learned, 
 and eloquent pages throughout denounce Tran- 
 substantiation and the Mass as absolutely idola- 
 trous. The learned remarker upon '' Cranmer, 
 and Ridley, and Taylor, knows that I am correct 
 in my assertion ; and he knows, or ought to 
 know, that a very vigilant prelate of the English 
 Church long since noticed the endeavour, which 
 the remarker has stated, made by Taylor in his 
 •' Liberty of Prophegyiog" to free the Papists 
 from formal idolatry ; the prelate adding, *' ^ but 
 the same Dr. Taylor afterwards, in his Dissua- 
 sive from Popery, fully confutes Dr. Hammond, 
 (who would have the papistical worship of the 
 host to be only material idolatry,) and himself; 
 and truly proves, that the popish adoration of 
 the host in the Eucharist is properly idolatrical." 
 Now can the remarker upon Cranmer, and Rid- 
 ley, and Taylor, himself a scholar of indefatiga- 
 ble research, not have known this latter work of 
 a man than whom the whole Protestant Church 
 boasts no fairer name ? Or can he hope to con- 
 tent the reader with a meagre extract from Tay- 
 lor, afterwards over-ruled by himself, and pre- 
 sent that as the solemn and only decision, upon 
 
 '' Book of the Rom. Cath. Church, p. 324. 
 ' Bp. Barlow's Remains, p. 203. I have printed in the 
 appendix an extract from Taylor's own book. 
 
XXVI HISTORICAL AND 
 
 the subject, of a man than ivhom the ivhole Pro- 
 testant Church boasts no fairer name ? Is the 
 suppression of truth the way to promote any in- 
 quhy, civil or religious ? And is a compliment 
 to the name of a great divine a compensation for 
 withholding the mention of his illustrious ser- 
 vices to the Protestant Church, in the elaborate 
 and unanswerable Dissuasive from Popery 1 And 
 is the whole truth proclaimed, when Mr. Butler 
 also " cites another prelate of the English Church 
 in his behalf, because that . prelate said in the 
 House of Lords, when the Declaration against 
 Transubstantiation was enacted by the law of 
 the land, ** ° that the Church of Rome was not 
 idolatrous ?" This is all that Mr. Butler tells of 
 Dr. Gunning, bishop of Ely. But what was the 
 conduct of this bishop ? He had reflected, no 
 doubt, on the hastiness of his saying ; and 
 though he had also said that he could not take 
 that test against Popery, " ° yet as soon as the 
 Bill was passed, he took it." How Mr. Butler 
 may digest this practical answer of one of his 
 own witnesses, it is not easy to say ; but it may 
 be easily seen why he himself, accomplished in 
 the science of the law, has not brought forward 
 this evidence. But besides these appeals to 
 
 ■" Book of the Rom. Cath. Ch. p. 327. 
 
 " Burnet, Hist, of his own Times, vmder the year 1G78. 
 
 '' Ibid. 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. XXVll 
 
 Protestant divines in favour, as it is pretended, 
 of Transubstantiation ; Mr. Butler has also di- 
 rected his readers to the Articles of the Church 
 of England, one of which, as it had been drawn 
 up by Crannier, was altered in the reign of queen 
 Elizabeth, and rendered ** ^ so comprehensive," 
 he says, " as to let in the believers of Transub- 
 stantiation." Now let our Protestant country- 
 men be more fully informed as to this allegation. 
 And in order to this, the old paragraph of Cran- 
 mer's article is first to be observed : ** "^ Since 
 the very being of human nature doth require, that 
 the body of one and the same man cannot be at 
 one and the same time in many places, but must 
 of necessity be in some certain and determinate 
 place ; therefore the body of Christ cannot be 
 present in many different places at the same 
 time : and since, as the holy Scriptures testify, 
 Christ hath been taken up into heaven, and there 
 is to abide till the end of the world ; it becometh 
 not any of the faithful to believe, or confess, 
 that there is a real or corporal presence, as 
 they (the Papists) phrase it, of the body and 
 blood of Christ in the holy Eucharist." This 
 was omitted in the Articles established as they 
 now stand. And why? '' The design of the 
 government was at that time much turned to 
 the drawing over the body of the nation to the Refor- 
 
 P Book of the Rom. Cath. Ch. p. 324. 
 ■J Articles of Religion, 1552. Art. XXIX. 
 
XXVIU HISTORICAL AXD 
 
 mation^'' (bishop Burnet, in his History of the 
 Reformation, and especially in his Exposition of 
 the Thirty-nine Articles, has well observed,) " in 
 whom the old leaven had gone deep; and no 
 part of it deeper than the belief of the corporal 
 presence of Christ in the Sacrament. Therefore 
 it was thought not expedient to offend them by 
 so particular a definition in this matter ; in which 
 the very words real presence were rejected. It 
 might, perhaps, be also suggested, that here a 
 definition was made that went too much upon 
 the principles of natural philosophy; which, how 
 true soever, might not be the proper subject of 
 an article of religion. Therefore it was thought 
 fit to suppress the old paragraph ; (it luas thought 
 enough to condemn Transubstantiation, Hist. Kef. 
 ann. 1559 ;) though the paragraph was a part of 
 the Article that was subscribed. Yet it was not 
 published. But the paragraph. The body of 
 Christ is given, taken, and eate7i in the Supper, only 
 after an heavenly and spiritual manner, &c. Art. 
 28th, this paragraph was put in its stead, and 
 was received and published by the next Convo- 
 cation ; which upon the matter was a full expla- 
 nation of the way of Christ's presence in the Sacra- 
 ment ; that he is present in a heavenly and spiritual 
 manner, and that faith is the mean by which he is 
 received. This seemed to be more theological, 
 and IT DOES indeed amount to the same 
 THING ;" that is, the declaration iu the old para- 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. XXIX 
 
 graph against Transubstantiation. And we see, 
 Burnet continues, " what was the sense of the 
 first Convocation in queen Elizabeth's reign : 
 it differed in nothing from that in king Edward's 
 time: and therefore, though the old paragraph 
 is now no part of our Articles, yet we are cer- 
 tain that the clergy at that time did not at all 
 doubt the truth of it. We are sure it was their 
 opinion; since they subscribed it, though they 
 did not think it fit to publish it, at first ; and 
 though it was afterwards changed for another 
 that was the same in sense.'" (Burnet on the 28th 
 Article.) So much for the circumstance of let- 
 ting in, as Mr. Butler calls it, those who believed in 
 Tra?isubstantiation. But unless they professed 
 what the Article ^ delivers, they were let in to no 
 other purpose than self-congratulation on their 
 mental reserve, or than the Jesuitical pretence 
 of conforming to what they did not believe. If 
 indeed they had been let in without the security 
 of this profession when required, there is no 
 knowing to what extent a feigned submission to 
 Protestantism might have carried them. 
 
 I come now to the notice of some important 
 passages in the Defence of the true doctrine, which 
 relate to established articles of our faith, and 
 agree with the decisions of Cranmer upon the 
 subjects in our national confession. They are 
 
 ' See the present Articles of Religion, Art. 28, throughout. 
 
XXX HISTORICAL AND 
 
 his sentiments upon the doctrines of universal 
 redemption through Christ, and of regeneration 
 in baptism : the former being in the preface, as 
 now before the reader, p. 1, where he de- 
 scrfbes the reason of Christ's coming into the 
 world, and again in the work, p. 234, from his 
 representation of Christ as our *' high bishop," 
 until *' he took all men's sins unto himself;" 
 and the latter in p. 74, where the sentence 
 begins with " Forasmuch as the same is a most 
 holy sacrament," and closes with *' wine is sig- 
 nified ;" and again in p. 191, where '' The sum 
 of Damascene" commences, and "feed the soul" 
 concludes, the valuable observations. See also p. 
 243. So desirous was Cranmer, from first to last, 
 to maintain the belief of universal redemption, 
 that in the Necessary Erudition of a Christian 
 Man, published in 1543, which is admitted to be 
 his work; in the Royal 'Injunctions of 1547, 
 which (as I have before said) are believed to be 
 drawn up by his pen ; and in the Defence now 
 before us of 1550 ; he is uniform, animated, per- 
 
 ' One of the anthems, directed to be sung in these injunc- 
 tions, is this: " Lyke as Moyses lifte uppe the serpent in the 
 ■vvildernes, even so was our Savyoure Jesus Christe lifte uppe 
 upon the crosse, that whosoever belevethe in him shulde not 
 perishe, but have joye for ever : ffor God so loved the worlde, 
 that he gave his onelie begotten Sonne, that such as beleve in 
 him shulde not perishe, but have life everlasting." Regist. 
 D. and Ch. of York, fol. 47. b. 
 
CRITICAL INTllODUCTIOK. XXXI 
 
 spicuoiis, and encouraging to every true peni- 
 tent. And with this confidence he closed his days 
 in 1556: *' * The great mystery that God be- 
 came man," he said, " was not wrought for 
 little or few offences. Thou didst not give thy 
 Son, O heavenly Father, unto death for small 
 sins only, but for eiU the greatest sins of the 
 world, so that the sinner return to Thee with his 
 whole heart, as I do here at this present." 
 
 II. From what has been said respecting the 
 Archbishop's book, and other works connected 
 with it, I proceed to a vindication of his charac- 
 ter and conduct in regard to circumstances, 
 which elsewhere have been detailed, not with- 
 out misrepresenting the history both of himself 
 and of the Reformation ; and which, in the de- 
 preciation of both, have endeavoured to exalt 
 the adversaries of Protestantism. That the cha- 
 racter of Cranmer will not allow deductions, he 
 must be an injudicious advocate who should pre- 
 tend. I might indeed introduce his failings as 
 pleading, considering his difficult station, for some 
 remission of severe judgment upon them : I 
 might plead his virtues as far outweighing those 
 failings. But my object in these pages is only 
 to examine certain statements and insinuations, 
 
 ' Fox, Acts and Mun. 
 
XXXll HISTORICAL AND 
 
 brought against him and his cause, in a tone of 
 Confidence as if not to be shaken, and as if defying 
 contradiction; as if it were just to condemn another, 
 and take little or no notice of facts that acquit 
 him ; as if the eloquence of declamation might bid 
 inquiry seek no further. Hence, if I may here 
 advert to the " revived slander upon the memory 
 also of Cranmer's early friend, the early friend too 
 of the Reformation, the celebrated "Anne Boleyn, 
 
 " That the ribaldry, scandal, and inconsistence, which are 
 found in the pages of Bayly and of Phillips upon the subject 
 of Anne Boleyn, should in these times be revived, is hardly 
 credible. The refutations of these malignant reflections are 
 numerous ; as I shall presently recount. Phillips, who was a 
 Canon of Tongres, half a century since followed Sanders, whom 
 about half a century before Bayly also followed ; and they are 
 accompanied by another ecclesiastick of their communion, in 
 bringing forward again the report of Anne Boleyn being the 
 daughter of Henry. See a Sure way to find out the True 
 Religion, &'C. by the Rev. T. Baddeley, 12mo. Manchester, 
 3d. ed. 1823. p. 29. But this is the person, who, in speaking 
 of Cranmer, bestows upon him every infamous name which the 
 imagination can form, and the pen describe, p, 72. and then in 
 a note, with unparalleled efFrontery, appeals to the biography 
 of Dr. Lempriere, a Protestant Clergyman, as if confirming 
 all he says ; when Dr. Lempriere in fact is the eulogist of tlie 
 Archbishop. 
 
 '^ " All the account of Anne Boleyai by Sanders is so palpable 
 a lie, or rather a complicated heap of lies, and so much de- 
 pends on it, that 1 presume it will not offend the reader to be 
 detained a few minutes in the refutation of it. For if it were 
 true, verv niur-h mii>ht be drawn from it. both to disparage king 
 
CRITICAL IXTRODUCTION. XXXlll 
 
 who is not concerned to find that, to their notice 
 of the calumny. Dr. Lingard and Mr. Butler 
 have not distinctly subjoined the references to 
 authors who have refuted it ? that they talk only 
 of '* ^ an attempt" to refute it, of its being 
 ^'problematical,'" and of a probability in favour 
 of the accused? that to " ^ the powerful argu- 
 ments of Le Grand," and " the strong asser- 
 tions of Sanders," as they are called, many emi- 
 nent names, as of * Camden, and Herbert, and 
 Ridley, and others, besides that of Burnet, 
 have not been opposed ? that the '' questionable 
 
 Henry, who pretended conscience to annul his marriage for the 
 nearness of affinity, and yet would after that marry his own 
 daughter. It leaves also a foul and lasting stain both on the 
 memory of Anne Boleyn, and of her incomparable daughter, 
 queen Elizabeth. It also derogates so much from the first re- 
 formers, rvho had some kind of dependance on queen Anne Bo- 
 leyn, that it seems to he of great importance for directing the 
 reader in the judgment he is to make of persons and things, to 
 lay ojjen the falsehood of this account." Burnet, Hist, of the 
 Reformation, vol. i. p. 42, which see. Hence Dr. Southey 
 has adverted to " the fiendish malignity, with which her story 
 has been blackened by the Romanists." Book of the Church, 
 vol. ii. p. 37. " With characteristick effrontery they asserted, 
 that her mother and sister had been both mistresses of the king, 
 and that she was his own daughter!" Ibid. p. 38. 
 
 ^ Lingard, Hist, of Eng. vol. vi. p. 153. 
 
 ^ Butler, Bookof theRom. Catli. Church, p. 191. 
 
 ^ See Lord Herbert's Hist, of K. Hen. VIlI. p. 250. And 
 Burnet's Hist, of the Ref vol. i. p. 42, 43. And Appendix, 
 p. 278, 279. 
 
 ^ " A book of one Rastal, a judge, that was never seen by 
 
 C 
 
XXXIV HISTORICAL AND 
 
 existence of the very authority, upon which 
 Sanders founded his tale, has not been stated ? 
 
 any other person than Sanders." Burnet, Hist. Ref. vol. i. 
 p. 42. And pretending no other existence, it may be added, 
 than what a marginal note in Sanders's book exhibits : " hasc 
 narratio a Gulielmo Rastallo judice, in vita Thomas Mori." 
 There is no printed life of Sir Thomas More by Rastal. Wood 
 indeed mentions a life of More by this person, as a manuscript; 
 but evidently upon report, and not upon the sight of it. See 
 Ath. Ox. ed. 1G91, vol. i. col. 115. Rastal was a Romanist, 
 the son of John Rastal, who married the sister of Sir Thomas 
 More, and who, according to Wood, " was a zealous man for 
 the Catholick cause, and a great hater of the proceedings of 
 K. Hen. VIII. as to his divorce, and for his ejecting the pope's 
 pov:er Jiom the nation." Ath. Ox. i. col. 38. Some hasty re- 
 port, some fabricated malignity, from such a parent, and in 
 such times, the aon perhaps had heard, and again reported, and 
 even committed to writing ; but if he did thus much, where is 
 any contemporary authority to sanction the slanderous tale ? 
 And why slumbered it, so gratifying as at an earlier period the 
 knowledge of it must have been to the enemies of the Refor- 
 mation, for more than half a century ? About thirty years 
 after the first appearance of Sanders's book, the calumny re- 
 appeared with a pretence by the narrator of it, that he had 
 understood from several persons, while he was in England, just 
 what Sanders relates ; with which he introduces into his pages 
 whatever may further vilify her name, in statements most ab- 
 surd, and in the grossest language. And his motive too, like 
 that which inserted the tale in Sanders, sprung from revenge 
 of the darkest character : it is found in a rare book, entitled, 
 Examen Catholicum Edicti Anglicani, quod contra Catholicos 
 est latum auctoritate Parliamenti Angliae, Anno Dom. 1606, 
 &c. " Is enim rex [Henricus] — in eam dementiam est pro- 
 lapsus^ ut eam, quam olim adulter ex Bolenii Vicecomitis 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. XXXV 
 
 and that their cold and circumlocutory avowal 
 of not believing the tale, (without the proper 
 guidance, however, to the testimonies that ex- 
 pose the wickedness and silence the effrontery 
 of the charge,) should yet be accompanied with 
 the declaration of one of these gentlemen, that 
 *' "^ he cannot think the historians, who have as- 
 serted it, deserving the epithet oi fiendish malign 
 nity, which Dr. Southey has bestowed upon 
 them in his Book of the Church ?" How gratify- 
 ing might it have been, if, instead of this, the 
 able pen, which wrote it, had severely repre- 
 hended Sanders, the leader of these historians, 
 and 
 
 to the fiend 
 
 Made answer meet, that made void all his wiles : 
 So fares it, when with truth falsehood contends !" 
 
 uxore, Annam (Sanderus docet, et ab Anglis plurimis anno 
 prseterito, dum in Anglia essem, intellexi) procreaverat prolem, 
 in matrimonium, repudiate legitima et sanctissima conjuge, 
 duxerit." Ed. Paris, 1607, fol. 5. The wretched scribbler 
 then proceeds to state, in words which I will not copy, that 
 Anne Boleyn, not content to indulge her vicious propensities at 
 home, went into France for similar purposes ; and after her re- 
 turn to England, he says, " fit filia pro conjuge, scortum pro 
 uxore !" His subsequent ribaldry as to queen Elizabeth would 
 be laughable, if it were not malicious. So much for impartial 
 narratives ! 
 
 ' Butler, Book of the Roman Cath. Church, p. 191. 
 
 ** Milton, Par. Reg. It is to be lamented that the term is 
 applicable, which has been given to Sanders's calumny. **The 
 
 c 2 
 
XXXVl HISTORICAL AKH 
 
 But I hasten to what immediately concerns 
 the archbishop. And I shall pursue the recent 
 observations of Dr. Lingard step by step ; occa- 
 sionally joining to them the corresponding re- 
 mark, made by other learned writers of the Ro- 
 mish Church. Nor will I *' set down any thing" 
 without a careful appeal to the evidences, which 
 substantiate what I relate. 
 
 The elevation of Cranmer to the see of Can- 
 terbury is thus described. " I know not why 
 Burnet is so anxious to persuade his hearers, 
 that Cranmer was unwilling to accept the arch- 
 bishoprick, and found means to delay the matter 
 six months. There were few instances of the 
 see of Canterbury being filled so soon after a 
 vacancy. Six months indeed elapsed before his 
 consecration ; but that arose from the negocia- 
 tion with Rome to procure his bulls. He must 
 have given his consent at least three months 
 before." Lingard, Hist, of England, 2d edit, 
 vol. 6. pp. 253, 254. Ought not Dr. Lingard 
 here to have given Cranmer's own account of 
 his declining the archbishoprick ? And is not 
 Burnet right in believing the solemn asseveration 
 of the primate, made in the presence of his ene- 
 
 authority of our countryman, Sanders, a man so famous for 
 veracity, that if Captain Lemuel Gulliver had not supplanted 
 him, we might use the proverbial phrase, It is as true as if 
 Sanders had said it /" Jortin, Additions to Neve's Remarks 
 on Phillips, p. 503. 
 
CUITICAL INTRODUCTION. XXXVll 
 
 mies ? "" /protest before you all," said Cranmer, 
 ** there never was man came 7norc unwillino- to a 
 bishoprick, than I did to that; insomuch that 
 when king Henry did send for me in post that I 
 should come over, I prolonged my journey by 
 seven weeks at the least, thinking that he would 
 be forgetful of me in the mean time." To the 
 insinuation of Dr. Martin, in his answer to this 
 manly avowal, that there was a base compact 
 between the king and the archbishop, the latter 
 replied, with all the firmness of insulted vera- 
 city : ** You say not true !" Dr. Lingard, how- 
 ever, having omitted this self-defence of Cran- 
 mer, is opposed to it, as we have seen, in saying 
 that thej^e are few instances of the see of Canterbury 
 being filled so soon after a vacancy as in si.v months ; 
 as if the delay of Cranmer had been only in con- 
 formity to custom, and the time in question a 
 portion absolutely requisite to complete the 
 forms of his elevation ; and that therefore Cran- 
 mer is not to be believed. Now the predeces- 
 sors of Cranmer, for more than a century at 
 least, were certainly not thus impeded in their 
 approach to the primacy. We inquire after the 
 dates of vacancy and succession in the ^ cases of 
 
 • Fox, Acts and Mon. 
 
 ^ Archbishop Bredwardin died Aug. 26, 1349. Islip was 
 his successor, by the papal bull, dated Oct. 7, 1349, pubhshed 
 in the chapter-house at Canterbury, Dec. 18, and he was con- 
 secrated the 20th. Le Neve's Fasti Eccl. Angl. p. C. Arch- 
 
XXXVm HISTORICAL AND 
 
 Islip, and Chicliel6, and Stafford, and Kemp, 
 and Bourchier, and Dean, from 1349 to 1501, 
 and find all the formalities of the bull, and the 
 reception of the pall, and the consecration, 
 within the time named. Then why should six 
 months be required for the negociation with 
 Rome, in Cranmer's case, to procure his bulls ? 
 Have we not the answer in the archbishop's own 
 declaration 1 And yet Dr. Lingard says, that 
 ** the necessary bulls for Cranmer were expe- 
 dited with unusual dispatch.'" Yes ; after the see 
 had long remained vacant, owing to the endea- 
 vour of Cranmer to decline it, then came the 
 
 bishop Arundel died Feb. 19, or £0, 1413. Chichele was his 
 successor, by translation, March 4, 1413 ; received his tempos 
 ralities in May, and his pall in July following. Le Neve, p. 7. 
 Chichele died April 12, 1443. Stafford was his successor, by 
 the papal bull, dated May 15, 1443, received the temporalities 
 in June, was consecrated in August, and inthronized in Sep- 
 tember, Le Neve, p. 7. Stafford died in June, or July, 1452. 
 Kemp was his successor, by the bull, dated July 21, 1452, 
 The bull of his translation reached Canterbury Sept. 21, the 
 next day was read in the chapter, and the same day he received 
 his cross. Le Neve, p. 7. Kemp died March 22, 1543, 
 Bourchier was his successor, elected April 22 following, and 
 received the bull of confirmation August 22. Le Neve, p, 8. 
 Langton died Jan. 27, 1500, that is, 1500-1. Dean succeeded 
 him ; elected in April following, and confirmed by the papal 
 bull May 26, Le Neve, p. 8. Abundance of similar exam- 
 ples, as to time, in tlie cases of prelates of other sees, might be 
 added. 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. XXXIX 
 
 papal bull, ^ bearing the protracted date ; and 
 still the primate elect delayed his consecration 
 another month. 
 
 This leads us to the difficulty, as Dr. Lingard 
 terms it, which occurred at this solemnity. 
 " By what casuistry could the archbishop elect, 
 who was well acquainted with the services ex- 
 pected from him, reconcile it with his consci- 
 ence to swear at his consecration canonical 
 obedience to the pope, when he was already 
 resolved to act in opposition to the papal autho- 
 rity? With the royal approbation he called 
 four witnesses into St. Stephen's chapel at 
 Westminster, and in their presence '' declared, 
 that by the oath of obedience to the pope, which 
 for the sake of form he was obliged to take, he 
 did not intend to bind himself to any thing con- 
 trary to the law of God, or prejudicial to the 
 rights of the king, or prohibitory of such reforms 
 as he might judge useful to the Church of En- 
 gland. Thence he proceeded to the altar : the 
 ceremony was performed after the usual man- 
 ner: and the pontifical oath was cheerfully taken 
 by the new prelate, both before his consecra- 
 
 « Warham died Aug. 23, 1532. The bull for Cranmer to 
 succeed him was dated Feb. 22, 1532-3, and he was consecrated 
 March 30 following. Le Neve, p. 8. Strype's Life of Cran- 
 mer, b. i. ch. 4. 
 
 '' Strype and Collier have printed the protestation, copied 
 from the register of Abp. Cranmer. 
 
Xl HISTORICAL AND 
 
 tion, and at the delivery of the pallium." Liii- 
 gard. Hist. vol. 6. p. 254. . So Mr. Butler: 
 " Although, when he was consecrated Arch- 
 bishop of Canterbury, Cranmer took the custo- 
 mary oath of obedience to the see of Rome, did 
 he not, just before he took it, retire into a pri- 
 vate room, and protest against it ? Was this 
 honourable ?" Book of the Roman Catholick 
 Church, p. 216. No ; certainly such conduct 
 would deserve a contrary epithet ; as the call- 
 ing four witnesses only, before whom he was to 
 swear, w^ould be pronounced a suspicious and 
 unjustifiable act. But the suspicious and dis- 
 honourable privacy has been only pretended. 
 Proof is yet wanting. They, who have concurred 
 with it in Phillips's ' Life of Cardinal Pole, have 
 withheld the replies to it by the distinguished 
 '' writers who rose immediately in the cause of 
 Protestantism, and reviewed that insidious bio- 
 graphy with all the accuracy requisite to detect 
 its numerous misrepresentations. By them, and 
 by Burnet and Strype before them, the truth 
 }\ s^ been minutely drawn from authentick docu- 
 ments. The scruples of Cranmer, concerning 
 the legality of the customary oath, had been 
 communicated to the best canonists and civi- 
 lians. By their advice he was led to protest 
 
 ' See Phillips's 2d edit. vol. ii. p. 210. 
 ■^ Dr. Neve, Dr. Ridley, Mr. Stone, &c. 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. xU 
 
 against it ; 7iot, hmvevcr, in a private room, but 
 publickly and repeatedly' ; first, in the chapter- 
 house of the church in which he was to be con- 
 secrated ; and then before those, by whom he 
 was consecrated, at the altar of the church. 
 The '" register of the archbishop commences with 
 the declaration to succeeding times, (and yet 
 exists,) that his protestation was thus made 
 " openly and publickly, before witnesses specially 
 and officially named, and doubtless in the pre- 
 sence of many other unnamed. It has been 
 rightly ° considered as surprising, that Phillips, 
 the modern narrator of the pretended clandes- 
 tinity, should have confidently asserted it, when 
 the refutation of it by Fuller in particular, whom 
 he cites soon afterwards, was before him. Phil- 
 lips silently, and as if ashamed of his predecessor, 
 partly follows indeed Sanders, who says that 
 Cranmer protested only to a notary, that he un- 
 willingly took the oath of obedience to the pope; 
 when before him other testimonies also were 
 
 ' Burnet, Hist, of the Ref. vol. i. p. 129. And Strype, Life 
 of Cranmer, b. i. ch. 4. 
 
 " In the library of MSS. at Lambeth Palace. 
 
 " In Dei nomine Amen. Coram vobis autentica persona, et 
 testibus fide dignis, hie presentibus, Ego Thomas in Cant. 
 Archiep. electus dico, allego, et in hiis scriptis palam, puhiice, 
 et expresse protestor, &c. The Archbishops Protestation, 
 Reg. fol. 4. 
 
 ° Stone's Remarks upon Phillips's Life of Pole, 2d edit. 
 p. 233. 
 
Xlii HISTORICAL AND 
 
 open, which deny' any privacy. To the oath it- 
 self, it may be observed, the coeval ab}uration 
 of Gardiner has ibeen assimilated. He had 
 taken the same oath to the pope, and then re- 
 fused the supremacy maintained in it, with a 
 declaration, '""that an engagement against right 
 is by no means binding." But still that is an 
 after-act, and indefensible. Cranmer, before he 
 took the oath, declared the limitations by which 
 he secured himself in his allegiance to the king, 
 and in his determination to reform the church, 
 against a power which would admit neither the 
 supremacy of the former, nor the necessity of 
 alteration in the latter. Even the jurist. Dr. 
 Martin, the enemy of Cranmer, is opposed to 
 *' the secret protest,"" as Dr. Lingard calls it; 
 and admits the publicity of the fact, while he 
 commented indeed severely, and in part falsely, 
 upon the occasion of it. 
 
 " "^ Martin. Did you not swear obedience to 
 the see of Rome ? 
 
 *' Cranmer. Indeed I did once swear unto 
 the same. 
 
 ** Martin. Yea, that you did twice, as appear- 
 eth by records and writings here ready to be shewn. 
 
 p From Gardiner's Oratio De Vera Obedientia. See Rid- 
 ley's Review of Phillips's Life of Pole, p. 308. Fox has ad- 
 verted to the perjury of Gardener, and of Bonner, with irre- 
 sistible strength of reasoning, in his Acts and Mon. 
 
 "^ Fox, Acts and Mon. 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. xHii 
 
 *' Craiimer. But I remember, I saved all by 
 protestatiotz that I made by the counsel of the best 
 learned men I could get at that time" So that here 
 also we see the Archbishop believing his ov»^n 
 sincerity, which at first led him to declare his 
 entire repugnance to the oath, uninjured by tak- 
 ing it, after his consultation with those who ad- 
 vised the protest ; a belief, which, in the con- 
 ference with Dr. Martin, he solemnly repeats. 
 Dr. Lingard adds an observation, made by a cor- 
 respondent of Burnet, (and admitted in the 
 Appendix to the third volume of the History of 
 the Reformation,) who says, he had two manu- 
 script letters of Cardinal Pole, in which the 
 Cardinal charges Cranmer with having made his 
 protestation only in a private manner. The Car- 
 dinal is said to charge the Archbishop with the 
 matter in question : but it is not alleged that he 
 substantiated the charge. Of the letters, in which 
 this charge is brought forward, no account is 
 given by Phillips, the eulogist of Pole, and the 
 slanderer of Cranmer. No verification appears 
 in a note either from the letters of Pole, pub- 
 lished by Quirini; or from any other work, 
 which relates to the character and conduct of 
 Pole. Not a whisper is uttered as to the page 
 or volume, manuscript or printed, whence the 
 precious information has been stolen. But PhiU 
 
Xliv IIISTOIIICAL AND 
 
 lips may be traced to 'Sanders; and perhaps 
 he was also indebted to the correspondent of 
 Burnet, who adds that Pole " 'branded the 
 alleged proceeding of Cranmer with such ex- 
 pressions as he was unwilling to transcribe." 
 But no transcript of this indignation has yet 
 descended to us. To this concealed authority 
 alone Dr. Lingard refers ; leaving Sanders, and 
 the published letters of Pole, and even Phillips, 
 ** ' by whose aid (weak masters though they be) 
 he has bedimmed" occasionally the light of his- 
 tory, unsummoned in its behalf. Nor has the 
 observation of Martin, the civilian, in his con- 
 ference with Cranmer, been noticed as it de- 
 serves. For there he appeals, yet certainly with 
 no friendly voice, to the record ; and there, as 
 we have seen, the repetition of Cranmer s oath con- 
 nects with it the repeated protestation, which Mar- 
 tin indeed denies not ; but, by the abuse with 
 which he loads it, confirms the fact. Collier, 
 
 "■ Sanders says, that Cranmer protested to a single notary, 
 that he took the oath against his will ; when, in fact, he neither 
 protested only before a single notary, nor that he took the oath 
 unwillingly ; but, as Dr. Lingard says, he took it '* cheerfully ,*" 
 cheerfully, I suppose, upon the belief that by the publick pro- 
 testation he had satisfied his own mind. See Burnet, Hist. 
 Ref. 1. Records, p. 284. and Sanders De Schismate, &c. ed. 
 1585, fol. 58. b. ed. 1586, p. 83. 
 
 ' Burnet, Hist. Ref. vol. 3. Append, p. 309. 
 
 ' Shakspeare, Tempest. 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTIOX. x\t 
 
 in his Ecclesiastical History, to " which Mr. 
 Phillips and Dr. Lingard often refer with appro- 
 bation, has not thought the denial of the pub- 
 licity in question worthy a single remark. Per- 
 haps he considered, as doubtless every liberal 
 inquirer after truth will consider, that the objur- 
 gatory words of Pole should have been pro- 
 duced ; as the reader might then see whether 
 reason had given place to railing, and whether 
 the circumstances stated might in any respect 
 be impugned. The charges, made by Pole, have 
 not escaped at all times the suspicion of " fabri- 
 cation. And if the correspondent of Burnet 
 had lived to read the masterly vindications, by 
 Neve and Ridley in particular, of the publicity 
 w^hich the accusation in his manuscript letters 
 is said to contradict, he would, I am persuaded, 
 have joined his voice to the absolving voices of 
 them and of Burnet. 
 
 The divorce of Catherine next occasions Dr. 
 Lingard to introduce the Archbishop as a gross 
 hypocrite. ** As soon as the convocation had 
 separated," (after the debate on this subject,) 
 ** a hypocritical farce was enacted between Henry 
 
 " Collier was indeed a piotestant, and a man of great learn- 
 ing ; " but such a one as protestants generally, and justly, re- 
 gard with suspicion." See Catholicus's Episcopal Oath of Al- 
 legiance to the Pope, &c. p. 30. 
 
 " See Burnet, Hist. Ref. 1. Append, p. 282. " This was a 
 forgery of Cardinal Pole's, which Sanders greedily catched to 
 dress up the scene." 
 
Xlvi HISTORICAL AXD 
 
 and Cranmer. The latter wrote a most urgent 
 letter to the king, representing the evils to which 
 the nation was exposed from a disputed succes- 
 sion, and begging, for the exoneration of his 
 own conscience, and the performance of his 
 duty to the country, the royal licence to examine 
 and determine the great cause of the divorce." 
 Hist, of Eng. ut supr. vol. 6. p. 256. It had 
 been well if Dr. Lingard had exhibited this let- 
 ter of the Archbishop. It would at least have 
 rectified one mistake of Dr. Milner, who also, 
 in his reflections upon Cranmer, says, that " ^ he 
 began an hypocritical and collusive letter to the 
 King, dated March 11, 1533, representing to him 
 the scandal taken at the undecided state of the 
 divorce ;" while the reader also would have been 
 again enabled to form his own judgment. I will 
 therefore give this letter, as it still exists, in the 
 hand-writing of the defamed prelate, among 
 other ^ original documents respecting him in the 
 State-Paper Office. 
 
 ** Please yt your highnes, that wher your 
 grace's grete cause of matrimony is (as it is 
 thought) thorough all Christianytie divulgated, 
 
 ^ Strictures on Southey's Book of tlie Church, p. 57. 
 
 * There is a copy of this and of other letters written by the 
 Archbishop, among the Lansdowne MSS. in the British Mu- 
 seum ; some of which have been printed in the Christian 
 Remembrancer, 1820, vol. ,?. p. GGl, et seq. 
 
. CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. xlvii 
 
 and in tlie mowthes of the rude and ignoraunte 
 comon people of this your grace's reahiie so 
 talked of, that fewe of theym do feare to reporte 
 and saye, that therof ys likely hode herafter to 
 ensue grete inconuenience, daunger, and perill 
 to this your grace's realme, and moche incer- 
 teintie of succession, by whiche things the saide 
 ignoraunte people be not a litle offended : And 
 forasmoche as yt hathe pleased Almightie God 
 and your grace, of your habundant goodnes to 
 me shewed, to call me (albeyt a poure wretche 
 and moche unworthie) unto the high and charge- 
 able office of primate and archebisshope in this 
 your grace's realme, wherein I beseche Almightie 
 God to graunte me his grace so to use and de- 
 meane myself, as may be standing with hys plea- 
 sure, and the discharge of my conscience, and 
 to the weale of this your grace's said realme ; 
 and considering also the obloquie and ^ brute 
 which dailye doth spring and increase of the 
 clergie of this realme, and speciallie of the 
 heades and presidents of the same, because they 
 in this behalve do not forsee and prouide conve- 
 nient remedies as might expell and put out of 
 doubt all such inconveniences, perilles, and 
 daungers, as the saide rude and ignoraunte peo- 
 ple do speke and talke to be ymynent; I your 
 moost humble orator and bedeman am, in con- 
 sideration of the premisses, urgently constrayned 
 
 '' Bruit, i. e. noise, rinnour. 
 
Xlviii HISTOIUCAL AKD 
 
 at this tyme most humbly to beseche your most 
 noble grace, that wher my office, and duetie, 
 is by you and your predecessours sufferaunce 
 and graunts to directe and ordre causes spiritual! 
 in this your grace's realme according to the lawes 
 of God and holye churche, and for relief of 
 almaner greves and infirmities of the people, 
 Goddes subjects and yours, happening in the 
 said spiritual! causes, to provide suche remedie 
 as shalbe thought most convenient for their helpe 
 and relief in that behalf; and because I wolde 
 be right lothe, and also it shall not becom me 
 (forasmoche as your grace ys my prince and 
 souereigne) to entreprise any parte of my office 
 in the said weightie cause, without your grace's 
 favour obteigned and pleasure therin first knovven ; 
 it may please the same to acerteyn me of your 
 grace's pleasure in the premisses, to th'entent 
 that the same knowen I may procede for my 
 discharge, afore God, to th'execution of my saide 
 office and duetie, according to his calling and 
 your's : Besechyng your highnes most humbly 
 uppon my knees to pardon me of thes my bolde 
 and rude letters, and the same to accepte and 
 take in good sense and parte, firom my Manor 
 at Lamhith the xj"' day of Aprile in the first 
 yere of my Consecration. 
 
 ** Your highnes' most humble 
 " bedisman and Chaplain, 
 
 " Thomas Cantuar." 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTIOX. xW^ 
 
 Now the observations of Dr. Lingard and Dr. 
 Milner, and of other writers, upon this trans- 
 action, have been gathered frofn the answer of 
 the King to the Archbishop, which has been pub- 
 lished ; not from the preceding letter, which 
 should ^ never be kept from the eye of the reader 
 of English history. Lord Herbert had probably 
 never examined it ; for he says no more, in cor- 
 recting an untrue assertion of Sanders upon the 
 subject, than that ** " the records which I have 
 seen mention only that Cranmer demanded and 
 obtained leave of the King to determine the mat- 
 ter, since it caused much doubt amonsf the com- 
 mon people, and fears of great inconvenience in 
 the matter of succession." Burnet, and Collier, 
 and Strype, would not have overpassed the hu- 
 mility and the piety, observable in it, if they had 
 seen this letter. And though, as Strype has re- 
 lated, the Archbishop by pronouncing the sen- 
 tence of divorce drew upon himself an implaca- 
 ble hatred from the pope and emperor abroad, 
 as well as from the papists at home ; every can- 
 did Romanist would at least concede to this let- 
 ter the character of judicious caution, and per- 
 haps be led to believe the assertion of one of 
 Cranmer's biographers, that his being placed in 
 this cause of the divorce at the head of other 
 
 '' A transcript from the copy of this letter, with some 
 variations, is in the Christian Remembrancer, vol. 2. p. 6G2. 
 •■■ Hist, of Hen. VIO. ed. 1019. p. 347. 
 
 d 
 
1 ITISTORICAL AXD 
 
 commissioners, (among whom indeed was the 
 active bishop Gardiner,) '* '^ gave great offence 
 to the Queen, and shocked the Archbishop him- 
 self." Convinced, however, that it was his duty 
 to determine the King's cause, yet knowing that 
 his judgement could have no effect without the 
 royal permission ; therefore it was that the Arch- 
 bishop, " *as the most principal minister of his 
 majesty's spiritual jurisdiction within the realm," 
 solicited and obtained the necessary consent, the 
 King " saving to himself his pre-eminence over 
 him as his subject." 
 
 "But what, it was then asked, must be 
 thought of the King's present union with Anne 
 Boleyn ? How could he have proceeded to a 
 new marriage before the former had been law^ 
 fully annulled ? Was the right of succession 
 less doubtful now than before ? To silence these 
 questions, Cranmer held another court at Lam- 
 beth ; and, having first heard the King's proc- 
 tor, officially declared that Henry and Anne 
 were and had been joined in lawful matrimony ; 
 that their marriage was and had been publick 
 and manifest ; and that he moreover confirmed 
 it by his judicial and pastoral authority." Lin- 
 gard. Hist, ut supr. vol. 6. p. 258. Such also 
 was the professed opinion, at the time, of Gardi- 
 ner, the admired prelate of the Romanists, 
 
 '^ Gilpin's Life of Abp. Cranmer. 
 ' Burnet, Hist. Ref. 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTIOX. li 
 
 (though overpassed by Dr. Lingard,) who " '^pub- 
 lished the King's divorce and second marriage 
 to be done by the undoubted word of God, the 
 censures of the most famous Universities of the 
 world, the judgement of the Church of England, 
 and by Act of Parliament ; whereof he himself 
 was the procurer in the Universities, and in all 
 points a principal doer." Or as another prelate, 
 not unbefriended also by the pen of Dr. Lin- 
 gard, Edmund Bonner, in his Preface to Gar- 
 diner's printed Oration, has related it : ** ^ In 
 this Oration De Vera Obedientia, that is, concern- 
 ing true obedience, — he (Gardiner) speaketh of 
 the King's marriage; which by the ripe judge- 
 ment, authority, and privilege of the most and 
 principal Universities of the world, and then 
 with the consent of the whole Church of Eng- 
 land, he contracted with the most clear and 
 most noble lady, queen Anne : after that, touch- 
 ing the King's title as pertaining to the supreme 
 head of the Church of England : lastly of all, 
 of the false, pretensed supremacy of the bishop 
 of Rome in the realm of England, most justly 
 abrogated." How changed in the time of Mary 
 was this fellow-commissioner with Cranmer! 
 
 ' Michael Wood's Translation of Gardiner's De Vera Obe- 
 dientia, a book of extraordinary rarity, having been supposed 
 to be suppressed by Romanists where possible ; printed at 
 Rouen in 1553. Pref. sign. A. 3. b. 
 
 " M. Wood, ut supr. sign. b. ii. b. 
 d2 
 
lii HISTORICAL AND 
 
 ** Now he layeth all the fault to the Archbishop 
 of Canterbury, as though it had been that Arch- 
 bishop's only deed. Then he brake the queen's 
 head, in procuring and affirming her to be ille- 
 gitimate : now he giveth her a plaster with re- 
 canting, and saying, she is legitimate !" But 
 as the business of the divorce has been called 
 ** a hypocritical farce," why is not Gardiner 
 also said to have ** ^ enacted'" a part in it? We 
 might have admitted even a complimentary ad- 
 dress to him upon the occasion, such as, ** ' my 
 lord, you played once, — and were accounted 
 a good actor." And of the eulogium too, be- 
 stowed by Bonner upon his learned compeer, 
 we might have expected some notice. But nei- 
 ther Bonner, nor Gardiner, is introduced into 
 the pages of Dr. Lingard with any ridicule, or 
 reprehension, upon the conduct of either in re- 
 
 '' Shakspeare, Hamlet, and Dr. Lingard. See before, p. 
 xlv. Indeed, as Strype observes, " though Cranmer pro- 
 nounced the sentence, he was but the mouth of the rest, (the 
 bishops of Winchester, London, Bath, Lincoln, &c.) and they 
 were all in as deep as he." Life of Cranmer, b. 1. eh. 4. And 
 thus correctly Shakspeare, Hen. VIII. 
 
 " By the main assent 
 
 " Of all these learned men she was divorc'd." 
 
 Burnet is careful that the reader should not lose sight of 
 Gardiner in the business ; for to his description as a bishop he 
 adds his name ; but distinguishes other prelates by the names 
 only of their sees. Hist. Ref. 1. p. 131. 
 
 * Shakspeare, Hamlet. 
 
GRITICAL INTRODUCTION. liii 
 
 gard to the divorce. For an obvious purpose it 
 was sufficient to aim at the conviction only of 
 one, and to leave uncensured the " "^ fellows of 
 his (pretended) crime." 
 
 Cranmer held another court at Lambeth, Dr. 
 Lingard says in the preceding extract. He did: 
 and there in general words, no reason being 
 given in the sentence, confirmed the marriage of 
 the king with Anne Boleyn. But before he 
 proceeded to this confirmation, and immediately 
 after pronouncing the sentence of divorce upon 
 queen Catherine, he exercised his usual judg- 
 ment in addressing the king upon this important 
 point. The letter, in his ' own hand-writing, 
 still exists in the State-Paper Office. 
 
 " Please yt your highnes to be aduertised, 
 that this xxiij day of this present moneth of 
 May I haue gyven sentence in your grace's grete 
 and weightie cause, the copy wherof I haue sent 
 vnto your highnes by thys berar, Richard Wat- 
 kyns. And when I was by the letters of Thurle- 
 bye, your grace's chapleyne, aduertised of your 
 grace's pleasure that I shulde cause your grace's 
 counsaile to conceyve a procuracye concernyng 
 the seconde matrymony, I haue sent the said 
 letters vnto theym, and required theym to do 
 
 ■' Milton, Par. Lost. 
 
 ' This letter is also found among the copies before-men- 
 tioned, and with varjations. 
 
liv HISTORICAL AND 
 
 according to the tenore therof; most humbly 
 beseching your highnes, that I may knowe your 
 grace's ferther pleasure concerning the same 
 matrymony, assone as your grace with your 
 counsaile shalbe perfectly resolved therin. ffor 
 the time of the coronation is so instaunte, and 
 so nere at hande, that the matter requireth good 
 expedition to be hadd in the same. And thus 
 our Lord haue your highnes evermore in his 
 blessed tuition and gouernance. ffrom Dun- 
 staple, the xxiij. day of May. 
 
 *' Your highnes' most humble 
 ** Chaplain and bedisman, 
 " Thomas Cantuar." 
 
 The procuracy, mentioned by the Archbishop, 
 is the instrument, by which a person delegated 
 his proctor to represent him in any judicial court 
 or cause. The proctor, upon the present occa' 
 sion, appeared in order to assert, that the mar- 
 riage had been solemnized with Anne Boleyn in 
 the preceding January. And now let us for a 
 moment revert to this fact. ** On the 25th of 
 January, at an early hour. Dr. Rowland Lee, 
 one of the royal chaplains, received an order 
 to celebrate mass in a garret at the western end 
 of the palace of Whitehall. There he found 
 the King attended by Norris and Heneage, two 
 of the grooms of the chamber, and Anne Boleyn 
 accompanied by her train-bearer Anne Savage, 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTIOK. Iv 
 
 afterwards lady Berkeley. — Burnet treats this 
 account as one of the fictions of Sanders : but 
 it is taken from a manuscript history of the di- 
 vorce, presented to queen Mary thirty years 
 before the work of Sanders was printed. See 
 Le Grand, ii. 110." Lingard, Hist, ut supr. 
 vol. 6. pp. 250, 251. That the marriage was 
 private, is not to be doubted ; but that the King 
 of England should condescend to the celebra- 
 tion of it in a " garret, a circumstance seeking 
 in vain the corroboration of Sanders, and of any 
 other writer, and exhibited (as it is said) only in 
 a solitary unknown manuscript, is what even 
 the " " smith, with open mouth swallowing a 
 tailor's news," would hardly credit. Lord Her- 
 bert describes with accuracy the time and the 
 circumstances of the marriage, except as to the 
 presence of Cranmer ; who himself has told us 
 in a letter to Hawkyns, ambassador at the Em- 
 peror's Court, upon the subject of Anne Bo- 
 ley n's coronation, " ° You may nott ymagin that 
 
 " Sanders mentions the secrecy of the marriage, but evi- 
 dently had no knowledge of its being celebrated in a garret. 
 For after Lee had consented to proceed with the ceremony, 
 " annuente rege," Sanders only says, " vertit se ad altare :" 
 De Schism, ed. 1586. pp. 90, 91. But would he not gladly, 
 and sneeringly, have added, in contignatione tegulis jiroxhnd, 
 or some such expression, if there had been any rumour of 
 the kind to bear him out ? 
 
 " Shakspeare, King John. 
 
 " ArchfEologia, vol. xviii. And Ellis's Letters illustr. of 
 English Hist. 1821. vol. 2. p. .'JO. 
 
Ivi TTIS'IOKIC AI. AND 
 
 this coronacion was before her marriage, for she 
 was maried nmche about saiiite Paules daye last, 
 Notwithstandyng yt hath byn reported thorowte 
 a great parte of the realme that I married her ; 
 whiche was 'playnli) false, for I myself knewe tiot 
 therofa fortenifght after yt was doniie. A n d m a n y 
 
 OTHER THYNGES BE ALSO REPORTED OF ME, 
 WHICHE BE MERE LYES AND TALES." Dr. Lill- 
 
 gard has cited the self-defence of the Archbi- 
 shop, so far as it rectifies the mistake of Lord 
 Herbert, and after him of Burnet, and of Strype, 
 and of Dr. p Mihier too, that he was one of the 
 witnesses at the marriage. But it has not been 
 denied, that the duke of Norfolk, the earl and 
 countess of Wiltshire, and the brothers of the 
 Queen, w^ere present at the ceremony. It may 
 lead the reader often to pause, when the story 
 of Cranmer meets his eye, if he regards the con- 
 clusion of the defence, which I have just cited, 
 and which he will not find in the pages of Dr* 
 Lingard. 
 
 To the King's supremacy, as it is stated by 
 Dr. Lingard, our attention is next required. 
 " The spiritual supremacy of a lay prince was 
 so repugnant to the notions to which men had 
 
 ^ Dr. Milner is mistaken not in this respect alone ; for he 
 says, that Cranmer " stood witness to the monarch's nuptials 
 with Anne Boleyn, on Nov. 14, 1532." Strictures on Southey, 
 p. 58. Cranmer was not a witness, we see by his own testi- 
 mony ; and the time was not in Nov. but in January. 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. Ivif 
 
 been habituated, that it was every where re- 
 ceived with doubt and astonishment. To dispel 
 these prejudices Henry issued injunctions, that 
 the word pope should be carefully erased out of 
 all books employed in the publick worship ; — 
 that all clergymen, from the bishop to the curate, 
 should on every Sunday and holiday teach, 
 that the King was the true head of the Church, 
 and that the authority hitherto exercised by the 
 popes was an usurpation, tamely admitted by 
 the carelessness or timidity of his predecessors. 
 Cranmer, as the first in dignity, gave the exam- 
 ple to his brethren, &c." (that is, as a preacher 
 upon the subject.) Hist, ut supr. vol. 6. p. 283. 
 And yet Dr. Lingard has not here informed the 
 reader, that Gardiner even ivrote a book, violent 
 against the supremacy of the pope. The supremacy 
 was invested in the King, as Lord Herbert re- 
 lates it, " '^ by the approbation of his parlia- 
 ment. The universities and bishops of this king- 
 dom did not a little second him ; and particu- 
 larly Stephen Gardiner in his Latin Sermon ' De 
 Vera Obedientia, with the Preface of Dr. Bonna\" 
 
 o Hist, of Hen. VIII. ed. 1649, pp. 389, 390, 
 " Xhere is a copy of this book in the library of York Catlic- 
 dral, viz. Stephani Wintoniensis Episcopi de Vera Obedientia 
 Orat. 4to. Hamburgi, 1536. On the first page is a remark in 
 MS. the coeval hand-writing, apparently, of some amazed or 
 offended Romanist : " Apostatce Gardineri excusatio." Through- 
 out the book are scorings and other marks, as if implying the 
 detestation or astonishment of the penman. 
 
Iviii HISTORICAL AND 
 
 Dr. Lingard indeed ingeniously observes, that 
 Henry " ' called on the most loyal and learned 
 prelates to employ their talents in support of his 
 new dignity: and the call was obeyed by Samp- 
 son and Stokesley, Tunstal and Gardiner : by 
 the former, as was thought, from affection to 
 the cause, by the latter through fear of displea- 
 sure." Stimulated by fear, " as was thought,'* 
 behold Gardiner then, as well as Cranmer, giv- 
 ing an ejcamjik to his brethren, and to the whole 
 kingdom ; and introduced, with a commendatory 
 analysis of the product of his fear, by the ob- 
 sequious Bonner ; who concludes his address to 
 the reader with observing, ** * if thou at any 
 time heretofore have doubted either of true obe- 
 dience, or of the King's marriage or title, or of 
 the bishop of Rome's false pretensed supre- 
 macy ; — having read over this Oration, (which, 
 if thou favour the truth, and hate the tyranny of 
 the bishop of Rome and his devilish fraudulent 
 falsehood, shall doubtless wonderfully content 
 thee,) throw down thine error, and acknowledge 
 the truth now freely offered thee at length." 
 But before we copy a syllable from the timid 
 prelate's Oration, let us not fail to observe him 
 represented by Dr. Lingard as merely " " con- 
 
 * Hist, ut supr. vol. 6. p. 284. 
 
 • M. Wood, Transl. of Bp. Gardiner's Oratio, &c., and of 
 Bonner's preface, sign, b. iiii. b. 
 
 " Hist, nt snpr. vol. 6. p. 849. 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. Ux 
 
 senting, in order to avoid the royal displeasure, 
 to renounce the papal supremacy ;" not as re- 
 probating it with all the learning and accuracy 
 which he possessed, and which he well knew 
 were rightly so employed. The title of ** " su- 
 preme head of the Church of England," Gardi- 
 ner accordingly asserts, *' is granted to the King 
 by free common consent in the open court of 
 Parliament : — wherein there is }io ^ newly invented 
 matter wrought : only their will was to have the 
 power, pertaining to a prince of God's law, to 
 be the more clearly expressed with a fit term to 
 express it by ; namely for this purpose, to with- 
 draw that vain opinion out of the common peo- 
 ple's heads, which the false pretensed power of 
 the bishop of Rome had, for the space of certain 
 years, blinded them withal, to the great impeach- 
 ment of the King's authority." The zeal of 
 Gardiner, and not his fear, is noticed in a man- 
 ner, deserving particular attention, by one of 
 
 " M. Wood, Transl. ut supr. fol. xviii. 
 
 * The statute that declares the supremacy " is, as the com- 
 mon lawyers term it, statutum declarativum, not introdiictivum 
 novi juris ; as doth clearly appear by the preamble, which hath 
 these words: AH^it the King's Majesty justly and rightfully 
 is and ought to be taken and accepted supreme head of the 
 Church of England, and so is recognised by the Clergy in their 
 Convocation ; yet nevertheless, for corroboration and confir- 
 mation thereof, Be it enacted, that the King shall be taken and 
 accepted supreme head, &c." Dr. Hakewill's Answer to Dr, 
 Carier, &c. 1616. p. 47. 
 
IX HISTORICAL AND 
 
 our most learned divines at the beginning of 
 James the first's reign : " ^The Clergy were the 
 forwardest in persuading the King to accept and 
 assume the title of supreme head of the Church, 
 as may appear in the treatises of divers bi- 
 shops ; as namely, Stephen Gardiner's discourse 
 of true obedience with Bonner's preface an- 
 nexed to it ; Longland's sermon ; and Tunstal's 
 letter to Cardinal Pole : and surely he that shall 
 observe their vehement protestations, specially of 
 Gardiner, ivhom I hold the most sufficient among 
 them for learning, and withal the soundness and 
 weight of the reasons which they enforce against 
 the pope's jurisdiction, will easily believe that 
 they thought in very deed as they wrote, 
 that their minds and their pens concurred in 
 one." Of short duration was the concurrence, 
 however, (if there were any concurrence,) in 
 the pens and minds of Gardiner and of Bonner. 
 " * What man," says the indignant and accurate 
 Fox, " what man reading this book of Winches- 
 ter De Vera Obedientia, with Bonner's preface 
 before the same, would ever have thought any 
 alteration could so work in man's heart to make 
 
 ^ Dr. Hake will, as in the preceding note, pp. 153, 154. He 
 was the author of that most ingenious, entertaining, and 
 learned book, An Apology, or Declaration of the Power and 
 Providence of God ; as also of other useful works ; and was 
 Archdeacon of Surrey. 
 
 * Acts and Mon. 
 
CRITICAL IXTRODUCTIOX. Ixi 
 
 these men thus to turn the cat, as they say, in 
 the pan, and to start so suddenly from the truth 
 so manifestly known, so pithily proved, so ve- 
 hemently defended, and (as it seemed) so faith- 
 fully subscribed ! If they dissembled all this that 
 they wrote, subscribed, and sware unto, what 
 perjury most execrable it was before God and 
 man ! If they meant good faith, and spake then 
 as they thought, what pestilent blindness is 
 this, so suddenly fallen upon them, to make that 
 false now which was true before, or that to be 
 now true which before was false !" 
 
 But while Dr. Lingard has not obtruded upon 
 the reader more respecting Gardiner, on this 
 occasion, than what illustrates the pretended 
 fear of that prelate ; he scruples not to speak of 
 Cranmer, as though the archbishop were a fana- 
 tick, and not a man of learning ; when, in truth, 
 where Cranmer has been considered in the cha- 
 racters of a scholar and a divine, his profound 
 learning has ever been the object of admiration; 
 and his composure of temper has ever been re- 
 garded in opposition to wild notions of religion. 
 ** Cranmer, as the first in dignity, gave the ex- 
 ample to his brethren ; and zealously inculcated 
 from the pulpit, what his learning or fanaticism 
 had lately discovei^ed , that the pontiff was the anti- 
 christ of the Apocalypse (Poli Ep. i. p. 444.) : 
 an assertion, which then filled the Catholick 
 with horror, but at the present day excites no- 
 
Ixii HISTORICAL AND 
 
 thing but contempt and ridicule." Lingard, 
 Hist, ut supr. vol. 6. pp. 283, 284. What ? that 
 Cranmer had lately discovered this, assertion, when 
 Dr. Linoard knows that what Cranmer incul- 
 cated had, long before his time, and in the song 
 of the poet, as well as in the disquisition of the 
 theologian, been a frequent theme. " ^ As if 
 his Holiness," says the admirable writer whom I 
 just now cited, *' had never been graced with 
 the title of Antichrist befoix Henry assumed his 
 title of supreme headT Dr. Lingard will allow 
 me to refresh his memory, and to subtract from 
 his notices of Cranmer the imputed discovery, 
 in referrino- to authors with whom he is well ac- 
 quainted. I am not about to expatiate upon the 
 correctness of the discovery : I profess only to 
 shew, historically, that the title was not coined 
 by Cranmer. WiclifFe, a century before the 
 archbishop, *" believed the pope to be Antichrist. 
 Chaucer, his contemporary, the father of our 
 poetry ; and Dante, his senior, the famous poet 
 of Italy, ^ asserted the same of the Romish 
 Church. At the opening of the sixteenth cen- 
 tury, the title was so often applied to the papal 
 
 '' Dr. Hakewill, ut supr. p. 154. 
 
 •-■ Fox, Hist. Ecclesiastica, Argent. 1564. fol. 178. Baber's 
 Life of Wicliffe, prefixed to his valuable republication of Wic- 
 lifFe's New Test. p. xvi. 
 
 '' See Dr. Warton's notes on Pope, edit. Bowles, vol, v. 
 p. 143. 
 
CRITICAL IXTUODUCTIOX. Ixiil 
 
 power, that Julius II. forbad the Clergy even 
 to speak of the coming of Antichrist. The Ro- 
 manists saw the tendency of this application in 
 our own country at the time when Dr. Lingard 
 speaks of " the discovery;" the pope being then 
 (in 1533) " ^ reckoned among many as the Anti- 
 Christ;" and accordingly, *' '^ by fabulous and 
 ridiculous stories of Antichrist, they endeavoured 
 to cast a mist before metis eyes^ that they should the 
 less believe and understand the pope to be him" Of 
 this ingenious device Strype has presented us 
 with a ° specimen, entitled, A Popish Discourse 
 of Antichrist. Now Warburton says, that *' '' on 
 this common principle, that the pope, or church of 
 Home, was the ver'y Antichrist foretold, was the 
 Reformation begun and carried on : on this was 
 the great separation from the Church of Rome 
 conceived and perfected." So that the wonder 
 diminishes, when we find the title considered as 
 the child of fanaticism, and as an ambidextrous 
 weapon in theological warfare. 
 
 Upon the trial of Lambert very observable 
 are the words of Dr. Lingard. " Of all the pro- 
 secutions for heresy, none excited greater inte- 
 rest than that of Lambert, alias Nicholson, a 
 
 * Strype's Eccl. Memorials, vol. i. p. 163. 
 ' Ibid. p. 164. 
 
 * Ibid. Appendix, p. 122. 
 
 '• Serm. on the Rise of Antichrist. 
 
Ixiv HISTORICAL AXD 
 
 clergyman in priest's orders, and a school- 
 master in London. Nor is it the least remarka- 
 ble circumstance in his story, that of the three 
 men %oho brought him to the stake, Taylor, Barnes, 
 and Cranmer, two professed, even then, most 
 certainly later, the very same doctrine as their 
 victim, and all three suffered afterwards the 
 same, or nearly the same, punishment." Hist. 
 ut supr. vol. 6. p. 367. Has Dr. Lingard been 
 able, then, to prove that Cranmer brought Lam- 
 bert to the stake ? He pretends no proof. The 
 particulars of the examination of Lambert, he 
 admits, have not been preserved. But he fol- 
 lows the assertion of Phillips, who ' says that 
 Cranmer had consented to Lambert's and Anne 
 Askew's death. Dr. Milner and Mr. Butler 
 "^ join in asserting the especial instrumentality of 
 the archbishop to that effect. Now from the 
 court of the archbishop, before which he had 
 been brought, Lambert appealed to the king. 
 And by the king he was heard, overpowered in 
 the disputation, and condemned to the stake. 
 *' ' We do not find," an amiable biographer of 
 Cranmer says, *' that the archbishop took any 
 part in his death'' Another defender of Cran- 
 mer, against the present and other assertions of 
 
 * Life of Cardinal Pole, ut supr. vol. ii. p. 208. 
 '' Strictures on Southey's Book of the Church, pp. 32^. 60 ; 
 and the Book of the Rom. Cath. Church, p. 217. 
 ' Gilpin's Life of Cranmer. 
 
CIlITiCAL INTRODUCTIONT. IxV 
 
 Phillips, observes, that " " Fuller acknowledges 
 the consent which Phillips has alleged ; but I 
 cannot see for what reason ; as it is not authen- 
 ticated by any historian that I can meet with. 
 Henry had disputed with Lambert, and ordered 
 him to be burnt, or retract his opinion : and 
 chancellor Wriothesley prosecuted Askew, and 
 put her to the rack : — but it no where appears that 
 Cranmefs advice^ or consent, was asked upon either 
 of them.'" Cranmer at that time believed the 
 corporal presence ; the disbelief of which was 
 the crime of Lambert and of Askew. To Va- 
 dian, a learned foreigner, however, who had 
 written a book denying transubstantiation, and 
 who wished to find a patron of it in Cranmer, 
 the refusing reply evidently marks, in the strong 
 expression of " ° h(£c tarn amenta controversia,'* 
 the archbishop's aversion to cruelties which 
 p had been practised, in consequence of such 
 disputes. But while these circumstances are 
 stated, who would not wish to find, instead of 
 them, the testimony either of Cranmer' s oppo- 
 
 " Stone's Remarks on Phillips, &c. ut supr. p. 240. 
 
 " See the whole letter in Strype's Appendix to his Life of 
 Cranmer, No. XXV. The date of it is believed to be 1537. 
 
 P Alluding, most probably, to the cases of Frith and Hewet, 
 which Cranmer mentions in the letter to Hawkyns, before cited ; 
 the former of whom he endeavoured to save by persuasion. 
 See Lingard, vol. vi. p. 366. And Ellis's Original Letters, &c. 
 vol. ii. p. 40. 
 
 e 
 
]xvi HISTORICAL AND 
 
 sition to the proceedings, or his interference in 
 behalf of the persons whom they affected ? As 
 for the truly mournful tale of the martyr, Anne 
 Askew, Dr. Lingard indeed refers to it only in 
 a note, in which he "^ says, she was, after two 
 recantations, condemned to the flames by Cran- 
 mer and other bishops. And yet this injury to 
 the fame of the lady is repelled in her own 
 words, which Fox has preserved in her Answer 
 against the false surmises of her recantation. " 'I 
 have read the process," says the noble-minded 
 woman, " which is reported, of them that know 
 not the truth, to be my recantation. But, as the 
 Lord liveth, I never meant thing less than to 
 recant. Notwithstanding, this I confess, that 
 in my first troubles I was examined by the bi- 
 shop of London about the sacrament. Yet had 
 they no grant of my mouth, but this ; that I 
 believed therein, as the Word of God did bind 
 me to believe : moix had they 7iever of me. Then 
 he made a copy which is now in print, and re- 
 quired me to set thereunto my hand. But I 
 refused it. Then my two sureties did will me 
 in no wise to stick thereat ; for it was no great 
 matter, they said. Then with much ado, at the 
 last I wrote thus: I Anne Askew do believe 
 this, if God's Word do agree to the same, and 
 the true catholick church. Then the bishop be- 
 
 '^ Hist, lit supr. vol. vi. p. 458. 
 ' Acts and Mon. 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION, Ixvii 
 
 ing in great displeasure with me, because I made 
 doubts in my writing, commanded me to prison, 
 where I was a while ; but, afterwards, by the 
 means of friends, I came out again. Here is the 
 'truth of that matter. Anne Askew." 
 
 In the foreground of these melancholy pro- 
 ceedings should stand Gardiner, and not Cran- 
 mer. But that arrangement has not been thought 
 expedient in the pages of Dr. Lingard. With 
 Lambert the Archbishop had, before his trial, 
 expostulated * mildly on the maintenance of his 
 alleged error; nor in the publick disputation 
 with him was he harsh or overbearing, but ap- 
 peared as it were checked by the arguments of 
 his opponent ; (or as Fox describes it, " " him- 
 self entangled, and all the audience amazed ;") 
 when Gardiner, ** " being drowned with malice 
 against the poor man, without the king's com- 
 mandment, observing no order, before the Arch- 
 bishop had made an end, unshamefacedly kneeled 
 down to take in hand the disputation." So in 
 the case of Askew, while Bonner ^ attempted 
 
 • Entries, respecting the examination of this lady, appear to 
 have been falsely made in the Register of bishop Bonner. Fox, 
 Acts and Mon. 
 
 ' See Gilpin's Life of Cranmer, p. 58. 
 
 " Acts and Mon. 
 
 ' Ibid. 
 
 ^ Ibid. Bonner lastly waited upon her in Newgate, in 
 company with M. Rich. And there, the persecuted lady 
 says, " M. Rich and the Bishop of London, with all their 
 
 li 2 
 
Ixviii HISTORICAL and 
 
 to inveigle her in disputation, Gardiner wasp- 
 ishly called her a parrot ; for " ' she made some 
 smart repartees upon this bishop of Winchester;" 
 and to his severer remarks she replied, " "^ she 
 was ready to suffer all things at his hands ; not 
 
 power and flattering words, went about to persuade me from 
 God : but I did not esteem their glosing pretences. Then 
 came there to me M. Nich. Shaxton, and counselled me to re- 
 cant as he had done. I said to him, that it had been good 
 for him never to have been born." Ibid. — Shaxton had been 
 bishop of Salisbury, and favoured the Reformation ; re- 
 signed his bishoprick, and was in danger of suffering as a 
 heretick : but he recanted ; and to complete this apostasy, 
 preached the sermon at the burning of Anne Askew, and wrote 
 a book in defence of articles to which upon his recantation he 
 subscribed ; a transaction which escaped not the vigilance of a 
 warm opponent to the Romanists, who in these articles consi- 
 ders the spirit of Gardiner to be very apparent : " I call these 
 articles your's, because you subscribe to them, and set them 
 forth under your name. But if I were required to say my con- 
 science, I could not deny but I think them Winchester's work- 
 manship ; because they agree so well with his doctrine, &c." 
 See the Confutation of xiii Articles whereunto N. Shaxton, late 
 bishop of Salisbury, subscribed, and caused to be set forth in 
 print, the year of our Lord 1546, when he recanted in Smith- 
 field at London at the burning of Mrs. Anne Askew." By R. 
 Crowley. Address to Shaxton, sign. A. ii. What became of 
 Shaxton in king Edward's time, Burnet says, he cannot tell ; 
 but he found that, in the reign of Mary, he was a cruel per- 
 secutor and burner of Protestants ; yet that by the Romanists 
 he was still little considered, and raised no higher than to be 
 bishop suffragan of Ely. 
 
 ^ Burnet, Hist. Ref. vol. I. p. 341. 
 
 * Fox, Acts and Mon. 
 
CRITieAL INTRODUCTION. Ixix 
 
 only his rebukes, but all that should follotv be- 
 sides ; yea, and all that gladly." The name of 
 Cranraer, throughout the narrative of this lady's 
 sufferings, is ^ not once introduced either by 
 Fox, or Lord Herbert, or Burnet, or Strype, or 
 Collier. Upon her, it is highly probable, the 
 sentence of condemnation was pronounced by 
 *" Bonner, bishop of London, in whose register 
 proceedings against her were recorded. Upon 
 Lambert, indeed, Cromwell, the Vicar-General, 
 "^ delivered the cruel judgement. 
 
 With the case of Lambert, Dr. Lingard has 
 embodied his own opinion of Cranmer's theolo- 
 gical tenets, as to the doctrine of the sacra- 
 ment. *' Cranmer's promptitude to reject the 
 doctrine of the real presence, when he could do 
 it with safety, has provoked a suspicion that he 
 
 '' Upon no other authority, than what is contained in the 
 following exclamation, Dr. Milner says, that " Cranmer was 
 •publickly reproached with causing Askew's death, by her com- 
 panion and friend, Joan Bocher, when, subsequently, he was on 
 the point of pronouncing the same sentence on the latter wo- 
 man : It is not long ago, she said, since you condemned Anne 
 Askew for a piece of bread ; and now you are ready to con- 
 demn me for a piece of flesh." Strictures on Southey's Book 
 of the Church, p. 32. 
 
 *= The bishop of London pronounced the sentence in the 
 cases of Frith and Hewet. See Cranmer's relation of this, 
 cited by Dr, Lingard, Hist, vol. 6. p. ZQQ. and Ellis's Orig. 
 Lett. vol. 2. p. 40. 
 
 <* Collier, Eccl. Hist. vol. 2. p. 152. 
 
IXX HISTORICAL AND 
 
 did not sincerely believe it before : but Burnet 
 and Strype conceive that he held the Lutheran 
 tenet of consubstantiation at this period : and I 
 am inclined to assent to them from the tenor of 
 two letters already quoted, that to Hawkyns, 
 and the other to Vadianus." Hist, ut supr. 
 vol. 6. p. 368. The former of these letters, writ- 
 ten by Cranmer, recites the opinion of Frith, 
 who had been condemned by the bishop of Lon- 
 don : *' ^His said opynion ys of such nature, 
 that he thoughte it not necessary to be believed, 
 as an article of our/aythe, that ther ys the very 
 corporall presence of Christe within the oste 
 and sacramente of the alter ; and holdeth of this 
 poynte moste after the opynion of Oecolampa- 
 dius. And surely I myself sent for hym iii or 
 iiii tymes to persuade hym to leave that his 
 imaginacion." The letter to Vadian is ^sup- 
 posed to express the prudent desire of eluding, 
 and, if possible, of then suppressing contro- 
 versy upon the subject, knowing the King's at- 
 tachment to the doctrine of the real presence ; 
 because, " ^dici non potest, quantum hsec tam 
 cruenta controversia — maxima apud nos bene 
 current! verbo evangelii obstiterit." But Dr. 
 Lingard is not correct in supposing that, at this 
 
 ' Lingard and Ellis, as in the preceding note. 
 ' Lingard, Hist. vol. 6. p. 367. 
 
 » Strype, Life of Cranmer, App. No. XXV. and Lingard, 
 ut supra. 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. Ixxi 
 
 period, Cranmer held the Lutheran tenet. The 
 Archbishop was asked by Martin, the civilian, 
 at his trial, what he maintained as to this point , 
 and his answer is preserved. 
 
 ** ^ Martin. What doctrine taught you, when 
 you condemned Lambert, the sacramentary, in 
 the King's presence in Whitehall ?" 
 
 " Cranmer. / mamtained then the papists^ doc- 
 trine.'" Dr. Lingard has here found it convenient 
 to lean to the notions of Fox, and Burnet, and 
 Strype ; who, as Dr. Wordsworth has justly 
 observed, ** 'upon no better authority than the 
 calumnies of his adversaries, and the slight pre- 
 sumptions arising from his early familiarity with 
 Germans, and his translating the Latin Cate- 
 chism of Justus Jonas, have supposed that Cran- 
 mer once maintained the Lutheran doctrine of 
 the sacrament ; from whose hands the same error 
 has been received by very many modern wri- 
 ters." Hence the affirmation of Dr. Milner, 
 that " ^ it is universally acknowledged that Cran- 
 mer was a thorough-paced Lutheran, or Zuin- 
 glian, when he travelled through Germany, and 
 married Osiander's sister, [niece,] for his second 
 wife, in 1529." And Gardiner and Smith 'ac- 
 cused the Archbishop of being first a Papist, 
 
 '' Fox, Acts and Mon. 
 
 ' Eccles. Biography, 1st edit. vol. S. p. 550. 
 
 ^ Strictures on Southey's Book of the Church, p. 32. 
 
 ' See before, p. xii. 
 
IXXii HISTORICAL AXD 
 
 then a Lutheran, and at last a Zuinglian, in 
 what he maintained upon the doctrine of the 
 sacrament. And thus too Dr. Martin assailed 
 the primate with this taunt, *' ™You, Master 
 Cranmer, have taught in this high sacrament of 
 the altar three contrary doctrines, and yet you pre- 
 tended in every one verbum Domini^ — " Nay," 
 replied the Archbishop, '* I taught but two con- 
 trary doctrines in the same :" that is, the two 
 doctrines of the Church of Rome, and of the 
 Reformed Church of England. Yet Sanders, 
 who cared not what he wrote, as Strype ob- 
 serves, '* "so he might but throw his dirt upon 
 the Reformation and the Reformers," has re- 
 peated without any proof the threefold charge 
 against the Archbishop. Cranmer indeed ap- 
 pears to have ° faltered at the doctrine of transub- 
 stantiation, after examining a .learned preacher 
 who denied it, in 1539 ; and again, upon a simi- 
 lar occasion, in 1541 ; though he professed the 
 Romish tenet, till the conference with Ridley" 
 led him wholly to disclaim it, and gave rise to 
 the treatise which in the following pages is again 
 presented to the publick. An original letter, 
 from the Archbishop to Sir Thomas Wriothes- 
 ley, is in the State Paper Office, (without the 
 date of the year, but, by the date of the letter 
 
 " Fox, Acts and Mon. 
 
 " Strype, Life of Cranmer, B. 1. ch. 18. 
 
 • Ibid. 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. Ixxiil 
 
 which it describes, evidently written imme- 
 diately after the receipt of it in Sept. 1540,) 
 in which the aversion of Cranmer to the Church 
 of Rome is undisguised. 
 
 " p Maister Wrythiosley, 
 *' After my right harty recoiiiendations, theis 
 be to signifie vnto you that I have receyved out 
 of the realme of Pole lettres from Dantiscus, 
 busshope of Varinien. who was many yeres the 
 kynge of Pole his ambassadour vnto the empe- 
 rour the same tyme that I was the kyng our 
 master his ambassadour ; in whome I founde at 
 that tyme grete humanitie and feithfulnes ; and, 
 as I coude perceyve, an hart he had to serve 
 the kyngs majestic our master, as if he had been 
 his own subjecte ; and as lovyngely he intreated 
 me, as if he had been my own brother, notwith- 
 sandynge that we were of two contrary jugements ; 
 for he was a meer papiste. Nevertheles, he wold 
 heare me diligently, and patiently, to say al my 
 mynde concernynge the busshope of Rome, and 
 seemed many times to condescend vnto my juge- 
 ment, and to alowe the same. Howbeit, after 
 he came home into his own contray, and had ij 
 busshoprycks gyven vnto hym, Jordanus conver- 
 siis est retrorsum : for he returned agayne holly 
 
 P Directed, To my loving ffrend S"* Thomas Wrythisley, 
 Secretary vnto the Kyng's Majestic. 
 
Ixxiv HISTORICAL AND 
 
 adpapis7num. And now they say, that he is the 
 gretest persecutor of Godd's worde that is in all 
 the lande of Pole ; and you may perceyve by 
 his lettre, (which herewith you schal receyve,) 
 how much he is offended with me, for that ac- 
 cordynge to Godd's worde I wrote myselfe in 
 the subscription of my lettre, ecclesie Cantuarieny 
 ministerum. Now syns I receyved this lettre, I 
 haue been moch inquieted therwith, consider- 
 ynge what haynous rumors by myschevous 
 tongues be spred into so farr contrays of the 
 kyng's majestic, which wolde make any true and 
 lovynge subject's harte to blede in his body to 
 heare or reade of his Prince. And bycause you 
 sholde the better perceyve the same, I haue sent 
 you Dantiscus' own letter, interlined in places 
 most notable concernyng that matter; desier- 
 ynge you to declare the same to the kyng's 
 highnes at conuenient oportunitie, and to knowe 
 his pleasure whether I shall make any answere 
 vnto the said Dantiscus, and what answer I 
 schal make : for the matter is of such import- 
 ance, that I dare not presume to make a slender 
 aunswer vpon myn own heade. Nevertheles, I 
 thynke it not good to open this matter vnto the 
 kyng's grace vntyl he be wel recouered of his 
 disease, which I pray God shortely to put away, 
 lest perad venture it myght trouble and move his 
 grace, and rather be occasion of longer conty- 
 nuance of the said disease. And if that had not 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. IxXV 
 
 been, I wolde haue come to the Courte this day 
 my selfe, but I thought it veray evyl that any 
 person or matter sholde at this present disquyete 
 his grace. Wherefore I referr vnto your wise- 
 dome to breake this matter vnto his grace at 
 such tyme as you schal thynke most expedient, 
 ffrom Lamhith this saynt Mathies day. 
 *' Your assured, 
 
 ** T. Cantuarien." 
 
 The original letter of Dantiscus, sent with 
 the preceding, is in the same repository, but is 
 in a perishing state. It is dated ** ex arce nos- 
 tra Heilsberg. prima Septembris 1540." It is 
 written with strong animadversion upon obvious 
 occurrences in England in that year, and with 
 the following prophetical application as it were 
 to Cranmer : " Tu tamen ne te irvpa'^ov juopoc 
 occupet, quum ea sint apud vos tempera, quae 
 nulla prius in orbis Christiani regione fuerunt 
 unquam, caveas." The passage is underlined 
 by Cranmer, and over the Greek words are 
 written by him salamandre fatiim. Part of ano- 
 ther sentence, underlined also by the Archbi- 
 shop, which is much decayed, is too curious to 
 be omitted : " Tot scilicet bonorum Ecclesiee 
 di[reptiones, qu.] — quodque magis hlc omnes 
 in admiracionem ac detestacionem inducit, tot 
 conjugiay tot que conti^a omnes cum humanas tum 
 etiam divinas leges repudia, quae tamen, quamvis 
 
IxXvi HISTORICAL AND 
 
 passim hie in vulgus sparsa pro veris habentur, 
 apud me adhue sunt ambigua." Here is an 
 evident allusion to the '' frequency of divorces, 
 which at that time prevailed. And presently 
 there is an apparent reference to the marriage 
 of the King; *' de insigni ad te conjugio scrip- 
 serim." 
 
 So much for this curious correspondence, 
 so near the time too when the King, instead of 
 promoting the Reformation, had been retracing 
 his steps ; and when Gardiner had been active 
 in framing, and successful in establishing, the 
 merciless Act of the Six Articles. This Act 
 Cranmer had opposed. Dr. Lingard thus re- 
 lates the opposition: '* On the second day the 
 king himself came down to the house, and 
 joined in the debate : to resist the royal theolo- 
 gian required a degree of courage unusual in 
 the prelates of that day : and Cranmer and his 
 colleagues, who had hitherto led the opposition, 
 now, with the exception of the bishop of Salis- 
 bury, owned themselves vanquished and con- 
 vinced by the superiority of his reasoning and 
 learning. On the authority of Fox we are told 
 that the Archbishop persisted in his opposition 
 to the last: (Fox, ii. 372. Burnet, i. 258.) but 
 this statement not only seems irreconcilable with 
 the Journals, but is contradicted by the express 
 assertion of one of the lords who were present. 
 
 V 
 
 "i Strype, Life of Cranmer, B. 1. ch. SO. 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. Ixxvii 
 
 ' Notwithstanding my lord of Canterbury, my 
 lord of Ely, my lord of Salisbury, my lords of 
 Worcester, Rochester, and St. Davyes, defended 
 the contrary a long time, yet finally his highnes 
 confounded them all with goodlie learning. York, 
 Durham, Winchester, London, Chichester, Nor- 
 wiche, and Carlisle, have shewed themselves 
 honest and well learned men. We of the tem- 
 poralty have been all of one opinion ; and my 
 lord chancellor (Audley) and my lord privy seal 
 (Cromwell) as good as we can devise. My lord 
 of Canterbury and all his bishops have given 
 their opinions, and have come in to us, save 
 Salisbury, who yet continueth a lewd fool.' 
 Cleop. E. V. p. 128." Hist, up supr. vol. 6. p. 381. 
 The preceding extract is part of the letter copied 
 from the manuscript by the accurate Strype, 
 and printed in the Appendix to his Life of Cran- 
 mer, No. XXVL though Dr. Lingard has not 
 noticed it ; where it is observable that the letter 
 is " without any name subscribed,'" which also Dr. 
 Lingard has suppressed ; so that instead of being 
 written by one of the lords present at the debate, 
 it may have been the exaggerated communi- 
 cation of any friend to the papal cause, in the 
 way of news, as indeed it seems to be; for it ' 
 begins, *' And also 72ewes here, I assure you 
 never prince shewed himself so wise a man, &c. 
 as the King hath done in this parlyment ;" (which 
 in Dr. Lingard's extract is omitted ;) and pro- 
 
IxXviii HISTORICAL ANO 
 
 bably was gathered from the report of some lord 
 who had been present. In relating a publick 
 circumstance, whether orally or by letter, whicli 
 succeeds according to our wish, nothing is more 
 common than to identify ourselves with the 
 promoters of it. *' ' Great triumphing," says 
 Strype, '* was now on the papists' side as ap- 
 pears by this letter." He calls the news in this 
 letter, however, *' ' a flying report." The letter 
 also, I have observed, is anonymous ; and still 
 it conceals the strenuous, the noble opposition 
 made to it by Cranmer ; still it affirms, what is 
 not true, that the bishop of Salisbury alone per- 
 sisted in refusing his assent, and that the Arch- 
 bishop of Canterbury with the bishops who have 
 been already named of his opinion " came in" to 
 the opposing party, when the ' bishop of Wor- 
 cester, as well as the bishop of Salisbury, rather 
 than conform, resigned his bishoprick ; and still 
 it coldly talks of the debate, in general terms, 
 of having continued only a long time, when as 
 Fox has stated the fact, and as Lord Herbert, 
 and Burnet, and Strype, and even Collier, 
 
 ^ Strype, Life of Cranmer, B. 1. cli. 19. 
 
 • Ibid. 
 
 * Lord Herbert, p. 449. Burnet, i. p. 266. Strype, Life of 
 Cranmer, B. 1. ch. 19. and Dr. Lingard himself; " Latimer, 
 and Shaxton, the bishops of Worcester and Salisbury, who by 
 the intemperance of their language had given offence, resigned 
 th^ir sees. The French ambassador says, that both refused 
 iheir assent." Hist. vol. 6. p. 381. 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. Ixxix 
 
 have repeated it, *' " Cranmer for three days to* 
 gether in the open assembly opposed these Articles 
 boldly ;' and when even the second edition of 
 Sanders has admitted the " longam d'lfficilemque 
 alter catiomiri' in parliament upon the subject, 
 after the first edition (like the anonymous wri- 
 ter of the present letter) had conceded only 
 " diu multumque dispiitatum." But the Roman- 
 ists have ever aimed, in reciting the circum- 
 stances of the Six Articles, to fix upon the 
 memory of Cranmer the stain of a judgment 
 slavishly prostituted to the will of the king. 
 " "^ There was no abject compliance," says 
 Phillips, " to which he did not let himself 
 down, to flatter the passions of Henry VIII. and 
 to secure his own credit, &c. In consequence 
 of this abandoned turn of mind, he subscribed to 
 the six famous Articles, which contain so many 
 points in which the Reformers disagree with the 
 ancient doctrine, though he disbelieved them 
 all." Here the archbishop is introduced assent- 
 ing in a manner, which has been invented by 
 the slanderer : for ^ subscription to these Articles 
 
 " Lord Herbert, p. 448. 
 
 " Life of Cardinal Pole, vol. ii. p. 211. 
 
 ^ And yet Mr. Butler thus expostulates with Dr. Southey : 
 " Although Cranmer subscribed, and caused his clergy to sub» 
 scribe, the Six Articles, the third and fourth of which enjoined 
 celibacy to the' clergy, and the observance of the vow of chas- 
 tity, was he not married, and did not he continue to cohabit 
 
IXXX HISTORICAL AXD 
 
 was never enjoined at all. And when after tlie 
 second day's debate, (a second day is admitted 
 by Dr. Lingard,) and the third day to which the 
 question was adjourned had arrived; Cranmer 
 " protested against the bill, though the king de- 
 sired him to retire, since he could not consent to 
 it. Dr. Lingard adds, that " two separate com- 
 mittees were appointed,with the same instructions 
 to each, to prepare a bill in conformity with the 
 royal suggestion. One consisted, and it must 
 appear a most singular selection, of three converts 
 to the cause, the prelates of Canterbury, Ely, 
 
 with his wife ? was not this dissimulation ?" Book of the Rom. 
 Cath. Church, p. 216. Let Strype answer Mr. Butler: " The 
 papist writers say, Cranmer opposed the Six Articles, because 
 himself was a married man, and so it would touch him close : 
 but it is plain that there were other of these Six Articles, which 
 he utterly disliked ; and especially he abhorred the rigorous 
 penalty of the Act. But hereupon he privately sent away his 
 wife into Germany among her friends." Life of Cranmer, b. i. 
 eh. 19. Hear also the belief and assertion of Lord Herbert : 
 " It appears not what arguments Cranmer used : only I find 
 the king sent to him for a copy of them, and misliked not his 
 freedom, as knowing all he spake was out of a sincere inten- 
 tion, though some thought he had a private interest as being a 
 married man ; though, fearing this law, he sent away his wife 
 for the present into Germany, &c." Hist. p. 4i8. As to sub- 
 scriptions to the Act in question, they are the gratuitous appen- 
 dages to it of Mr. Phillips and Mr. Butler. The Clergy were 
 enjoined by the Act to read it in their churches once a quarter, 
 but they were never required to subscribe to it. 
 
 * ** The king desired the archbishop to go out of the House, 
 since he could not give his consent to the Bill ; but he humbly 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. Ixxxi 
 
 and St. David's ; and the other, of their warm- 
 est opponents, the bishops of York, Durham, 
 and Winchester." Hist. vol. 6. p. 382. Has 
 Dr. Lingard, then, never observed that, in com- 
 mittees of the lords and commons upon extraor- 
 dinary questions, both enemies and friends of the 
 point at issue are found ? And can Dr. Lingard 
 call Cranmer a convert to a cause, which he waited 
 for opportunity only again to oppose 1 Of these very 
 six Articles the archbishop himself afterwards 
 brought in a bill to mitigate the penalties. For 
 what the three converts, as Dr. Lingard calls them, 
 had proposed as a committee^, v/as rejected. 
 His most impartial biographer shall relate the 
 subsequent proceeding. ** ^ This ivas a bold at' 
 tempt, and drew on him the whole force of oppo- 
 sition. The bishops of Rochester and Hereford, 
 who had promised to assist him, gave way, as 
 the debate grew warm ; and begged him to fol- 
 -"low their example. It was in vain, they told 
 him, to persist : he could not benefit his cause ; 
 Btit he might ruin himself. The archbishop, 
 with that spirit which he always exerted where 
 religion vv^as concerned ^ declared himself care- 
 less of any consequences. His perseverance had 
 
 excused himself; for he thought he was bound in conscience to 
 stay and vote against it." Burnet, vol. i. p. 258. 
 
 ^ Gilpin, p. 81. 
 
 '' See Collier, vol. ii. p. 201. 
 
 f 
 
IXXXii MIsrORICAL AND 
 
 an effect which he durst not have hoped for. 
 The laity were entirely exempted from the pe- 
 nalties of the act ; and the clergy were in no 
 danger, till after the third conviction. The pri- 
 mate obtained also that no offences should be 
 cognizable, after they had lain dormant a year. 
 It is not improbable, that he was indebted for 
 this victory to the ' book, which he had sent to 
 the king ; the rigour of whose opinions it might, 
 in some degree, have qualified." 
 
 To the charges which have been brought 
 against the archbishop for his conduct in the 
 condemnations of Joan Bocher or Bourchier, 
 and George Van Parris, as hereticks, we proceed 
 with sorrow ; as recalling circumstances in our 
 history, and in the history of Cranmer, truly 
 painful. For the burning of the former, usually 
 called Joan of Kent, Cranmer is said to have 
 contended with the young king, who argued 
 against it: *' the objection was solved by the 
 example of Moses, who had condemned blas- 
 phemers to be stoned ; and the king with tears 
 put his signature to the warrant." Lingard, 
 Hist. vol. 7. p. 101. It has been usual to leave 
 Cranmer in the present deplorable scene with- 
 out any strong effort of defence. Strype, who 
 in his Life of the Archbishop retires as it were 
 
 • Burnet, vol. i. p. 265. " Cranmer went about that which 
 the king had comwianded, and made a book of the reasons that 
 led him to oppose the Six Articles," &-c. 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTIOX. Ixxxiu 
 
 from the attempt, resolved afterwards, in his 
 Ecclesiastical Memorials, not thus to " desert 
 the primate in his utmost need." Sir John 
 Hay ward, in his Life and Reign of Edward VI. 
 had said, " ^ that Cranmer was violent with the 
 king by persuasions and entreaties to seal the 
 warrant for Joan Bocher ; and by his importu- 
 nity prevailed with the king, who told the arch- 
 bishop, he would lay the charge of it upon him 
 before God :" — and then he adds his conjecture 
 upon this, " that it might be Cranmer's impor- 
 tunity of blood, by which that woman was burnt, 
 that he himself afterwards felt the smart of 
 fire." — To these remarks Strype replies : '* ^ This 
 passage, whether it be true or no, I cannot tell. 
 The king mentions nothing of it in his Journal, 
 only that she was burnt for her obstinacy in her 
 heresy. And the character is utterly disagree- 
 ing from Cranmer's spirit. For none was more 
 tender of blood than he ; none more pitiful and 
 compassionate. Nor was he a man for rigorous 
 methods and violent courses. Indeed Fox men- 
 tions, that the Council put Cranmer upon mov- 
 ing the king to sign this warrant : which was a 
 sign he had no great forwardness to it himself. 
 And in obedience to them he did labour with 
 the king about it, and obtained it. And though 
 
 Eccl. Memorials, vol. ii. p. 473. 
 Ibid. 
 
 f2 
 
IxXXiv HISTORICAL AND 
 
 he did this, it neither argued violence, nor impor- 
 tunity for blood. For as he was not present at 
 her condemnation, as appears by the Council- 
 Book, so he may be concluded to have had no 
 desire of her death, though the warrant by his 
 means was signed for her execution. His 
 thoughts, I am apt to think, were, that this fear 
 of death, which she saw so near, might serve to 
 reclaim her from her error, when his and other 
 learned men's reasonings with her, being both 
 ignorant and obstinate, were ineffectual." Dr. 
 Lingard notices the next victim, Van Parris, a 
 ' Dutchman, and a surgeon in London, without 
 any aggravation ; unlike the historian, whom he 
 sometimes follows, who, in order to heap re- 
 doubled shame upon his memory, has intro- 
 duced the archbishop as resorting to the king 
 with the same importunity for the punishment 
 of Van Parris, as he had for Joan Bocher, and as 
 if they had both suffered together ; when be- 
 tween their respective condemnations there was 
 
 ' There were in several parts of England many Anabaptists, 
 as this Dutchman is said to have been, who had left their homes 
 in Holland, and in Germany, on account of their tenets. Of 
 these tenets Burnet has given, in the case of Van Parris, some 
 account. Hist. Ref. vol. ii. p. 111. A very full account is to 
 be found in the proceedings against Giles Vanbellar, ano- 
 ther Dutchman, who abjured them, in the MS. Register of 
 Edward (Lee) Archbishop of York, under the year 1534. 
 Reg. Prerog. Off. York, 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. IXXXV 
 
 an interval of two years : "^ Whereas the young 
 king," Phillips says, " shewed a reluctance to 
 sign the warrant foi^ the execution of these wretches ^ 
 one of whom was more a bedlamite than a here- 
 tick, Cranmer solved his scruples, and prevailed 
 on him to put his hand to it." Of such inter- 
 ference by Cranmer, at the time when Van Parris 
 really suffered, there is no notice in the Journal 
 of Edward ; as of such interference also there is 
 none in the case of Bocher. But Dr. Milner 
 appeals to B urnet, as testifying the alleged cruelty 
 of Cranmer alike to Bocher and Van Parris. 
 And indeed Burnet has misled this learned Ro- 
 manist, and others, by the inaccuracy of his state- 
 ment subjoined to instruments copied from the 
 register of Cranmer in the Lambeth library. 
 Burnet must have entrusted the labour of copy- 
 ing to some ^ unskilful hand. He himself would 
 never have printed (as in the Records, No. 35. 
 illustrating his second volume of the History of 
 the Reformation, it is printed) " Serinof actus regi^ 
 &c." when the real words in the Register are 
 *' Certijicatorium factum regi, &c." It is in fact, 
 the necessary certificate of the sentence passed 
 upon Bocher, and again recited in the case of 
 
 e Life of Cardinal Pole, vol. ii. p. 209. 
 
 "* Even the reference to the entries in the Register, and a 
 date, here mentioned by Burnet, are not correct. The true 
 date is April 7. 1551. The folia in the Register are 74, 75, and 
 78, 79. 
 
IXXXvi HISTORICAL AND 
 
 Van Parris, in obedience to the Act which had 
 been passed at the beginning of this reign, that 
 " the courts of Bishops and all their processes 
 should be carried on in the King's name, as in 
 the other courts of law." And therefore in 
 these cases the words are, '* Vestrse Regise sub- 
 limitati, &c. dictam Heereticam rel'mquimus, &c." 
 and " Vestrse Regise sublimitati, et potentise 
 brachii vestri secularis, dictum Hsereticum 7^elm- 
 quimus, et tradimus, animadversione vestra Regia 
 puniendum, &c." Now, because Burnet, speak- 
 ing of the case of Van Parris, says that the pro- 
 cess and sentence, '* together with a petition im- 
 ploring the ed-ecution thereof, and the assistance of 
 the secular power ," are the same as in the case of 
 Bocher : therefore the legal form, leaving the 
 convict to the disposal of the king, in which there 
 is no imploration except that of blessing upon the 
 reign of Edward, has been converted into the 
 stain of importunity for blood in the character 
 of the principal judge. The word petition must 
 have been adopted by Burnet, or by him who 
 gave him the copy of the instruments, in the 
 forensick meaning of the address to one having 
 jurisdiction or authority ; for the instruments ex- 
 hibit no entreaty whatever, no desire of assistance, 
 but simply state the process and the sentence, 
 (as was requisite,) and leave the punishment to 
 the power and the direction of the king. With- 
 out this explanation, the enemy of Cranmer 
 
CKITICAL INTHODSCTJON. IxXXVil 
 
 might still **have advantage against him;" with 
 it, the charge deduced from Burnet, as by Dr. 
 Milner, is refuted. 
 
 The intelligence brought to the Archbishop, 
 upon the accession of Mary to the throne, that 
 the Roman catholick service had been performed 
 in his church at Canterbury, has drawn from 
 the pen of Dr. Lingard the following statement 
 of the consequences. The intelligence added, 
 '' that by strangers this innovation was supposed 
 to have been made by Cranmer's order, or with 
 his consent ; and that a report was circulated of 
 his having offered to celebrate mass before the 
 queen. Cranmer hastened to refute these charges 
 by a publick denial ; and in a declaration which, 
 while its boldness does honour to his courage, 
 betrays by its asperity the bitterness of his feel- 
 ings, asserted that the mass was the device and 
 invention of the father of lies, who w^as even 
 then persecuting Christ, his holy word, and his 
 church ; that it was not he, the Archbishop, but 
 a false, flattering, lying, and deceitful monk, 
 who had restored the ancient worship at Can- 
 terbury ; that he had never offered to say mass 
 before the queen, &c. Of this intemperate de- 
 claration several copies were dispersed, and 
 publickly read to the people in the streets." 
 Hist, ut supr. vol. 7. pp. 185, 186. But the 
 whole truth is not told. The declaration was 
 certainly drawn with a view to pubHck use ; and 
 
IxXXViii HISTORICAL AND 
 
 was submitted by Cranmer to Scory, who had 
 been bishop of Chichester, for the advantage of 
 his private and friendly consideration. Of this 
 incomplete paper Scory indiscreetly gave co- 
 pies ; one of which was read in Cheapside ; and 
 many were subsequently dispersed ; but with- 
 out the knowledge or consent, on the contrary 
 to the great mortification, of the Archbishop. 
 For being summoned before the Council, and 
 asked if he was the author of the declaration, 
 he answered, that certainly he was ; but that he 
 was very sorry to find the paper had gone from 
 him in such a manner, as he had resolved to 
 enlarge it in many respects, and to aflSx it, with 
 his hand and seal to it, to the doors of the 
 churches in London. This reply before the Privy 
 Council was made on the 8th of Sept. 1553, 
 when, Burnet and others say, the Archbishop 
 was, contrary to all expectation, dismissed. It 
 was on that day, however, that the Council re- 
 solved to commit the Archbishop to the Tower 
 upon the charge of treason, *' ^ aggravated by 
 spreadinge aboute seditious bills movinge tu- 
 multes to the disquietnes of the presente state." 
 Not a single bill is Cranmer known to have dis- 
 persed. To the injudicious zeal of his friend 
 the alleged mischief is to be attributed. At the 
 close of the Latin version of the declaration, 
 
 ' Extracts from the Privy Council Book, Archaeolog. vol. 
 xviii. cited by Dr. Lingard. 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. Ixxxix 
 
 published in 1554, it is there said, ** "" Lecta 
 public^ Londini in vico mercatorum ab amicOy 
 qui clam autogTapkum surripuerat, 5. Sejjt. Anno 
 Dom. 1553." Valerandus Pollanus republished 
 it, in 1554 ; though Burnet and Strype have 
 overpassed the circumstance. The English co- 
 pies were probably called in and destroyed. Of 
 the reprint in 1557 by the English exiles a copy 
 yet exists among Fox's collections in the ° Har- 
 leian manuscripts, (No. 417.) to whom it was 
 sent by Grindal, afterwards archbishop of Can- 
 terbury ; and in that part of the written narra- 
 tive, which names it, there is a marginal direc- 
 tion by Grindal, " it is goode that the letter it 
 selfe be lette in : the copie of it in prynte is 
 annexed ;" which is a single duodecimo leaf. In 
 it the religion of the former reign is nobly 
 owned ; and a vindication both of the Reforma- 
 tion, and of Cranmer himself, proposed. And 
 what wonder, if in it there be also an " asperity 
 which betrays the bitterness of his feelings ?" 
 The false, flattering, lying, and dissembling monk, 
 who caused the mass to be set up at Canterbury 
 without his advice or counsel, was Thornden, 
 prebendary of Canterbury and suflragan bishop 
 of Dover, who had lived in his family, and with 
 whom he used to converse most familiarly ; and 
 was one of several dissembling monks whom Cran- 
 mer had unfortunately selected, or permitted to 
 
 "* Burnet, ii. Records, p. 250. 
 
XC HISTORICAL AND 
 
 be selected, from the dissolved priory of Christ 
 Church, Canterbury, into his cathedral, and 
 who were joined with Thornden in a wicked 
 confederacy against him. If, upon witnessing 
 this new act of baseness by the leading monk, 
 Cranmer had shewn no asperity, I should have 
 marvelled at the tameness which allowed the 
 usurpation of his authority to pass unrepre- 
 hended. The recollection, probably, of the ill 
 choice which had been made of ^ other worth- 
 
 p Besides Thornden, who had been a monk of Christ Church, 
 I am compelled to name Mills, and Parkhurst, and Gardiner, 
 who also had been of the same monastick body, and were 
 transferred to prebends in the new foundation. Whether Wil- 
 loughby and Sentleger, who were also of the first prebendaries, 
 had been monks, I know not. These six were all concerned in 
 the conspiracy against Cranmer. Indeed Strype has said that 
 ^^ for the most part, the prebendaries of Canterbury were at that 
 time addicted to the pope and the old superstitions." Life of 
 Cranmer. B. i. chapters 26, and 27 ; where the above conspi- 
 rators and their proceedings are named, and their base ingra- 
 titude as well as their false accusations exposed ; together with 
 the confessions of their guilt ; their supplications to the arch- 
 bishop for pardon, and to the king for release from confine- 
 ment ; and the conduct of the Archbishop towards them, " be- 
 ing a man that delighted not in revenge." The meanness of 
 guilt is also very observable in their confessions and submis- 
 sions. Strype's Cranm. Appendix, No. 33. It is apparently 
 to this transaction of the late monks of Canterbury that an 
 eloquent allusion is made, in a publication not many years after 
 the event : " Did ever those papists, whose lives were spared 
 by good byshop Cranmer's meanes, who were brought up, who 
 were defended, who were advanced, who were sheelded from 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION'. XCl 
 
 less characters from the monks of Christ Church, 
 might also renew the bitterness of his feelings. 
 *• Many of the members of the new foundation 
 he had himself preferred, and to many of them 
 was a kind friend. The expression is too strong 
 to be mistaken ; and however Dr. Lingard may 
 deny the practice of other '' immoralities, as- 
 cribed to the monks of Christ Church by several 
 writers ; of the sins of falsehood and ingratitude 
 towards the benefactor whom they surrounded 
 he will allow some to be guilty. 
 
 But, amongst the many partialities of Dr. Lin- 
 gard , none can be more revolting than his pretence, 
 by way of contrast to the character of Cranmer, 
 of an unpersecuting temper in Gardiner and of 
 a mild demeanour in Bonner; men,who have been 
 hitherto regarded with national disgust, and of 
 whom the mention in the pages of Dr. Lingard 
 disclaims as it were the notice of them as per- 
 secutors, either in combination, or apart. *' With 
 whom the persecution under Mary originated, 
 is a matter of uncertainty. By the reformed 
 
 harme and perill by him, once requite hym with one drop of 
 kyndnesse? And yet they spake hym faire in hys prospe- 
 ritie !" A Warning against Papists, &c. sign. L. 3. b. The 
 behaviour of Cranmer, upon the present occasion, " who was 
 gentle even to excess," is also recited by Burnet, iii. p. 
 110. 
 
 •J Strype, Life of Cranm. B. 1. ch. 26. 
 
 ■■ Hist, ut supr. vol. 6. p. 346. 
 
XCU HISTORICAL AND 
 
 writers the infamy of the measure is usually 
 allotted to Gardiner, more, as far as I can judge, 
 from conjecture and prejudice, than from real 
 information. The charge is not supported by 
 any authentic document : it is weakened by the 
 general tenor of the chancellor's conduct." Hist, 
 ut supr. vol. 7. p. 259. And whom has Dr. 
 Lingard introduced to bear him out in the pre- 
 tence of Gardiner's innocence ? The Jesuit Per- 
 sons, or Parsons, who was one of Cranmer's 
 slanderers ; an Englishman who dishonourably 
 left his own country, and became a Romanist ; 
 and from the pope obtained leave to esta- 
 blish a seminary at Rome, in which English 
 students might be educated to act as mis- 
 sionaries in their native country for the propa- 
 gation of the Romish faith. But Dr. Lingard 
 requires *' real information," as to the innocence 
 or guilt of Gardiner ; which is a demand that 
 cannot be too highly praised, and a demand that 
 may be answered. Sir John Harington, whose 
 literary character is well known, and who has 
 repeatedly supplied other information with which 
 Dr. Lingard has enriched his pages, has left an 
 account in manuscript of the treatment which 
 his father experienced, while a prisoner in the 
 Tower, from Gardiner, who pretended to be his 
 friend ; and of the opinion, expressed by him, 
 as to the general chai^acter both of the prelate. 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. XCiii 
 
 and of the times. " ' Gardiner and his fellowes 
 did condemne to the fyre a number of poore 
 harmlesse soules that profest to beleue as they 
 were taught but three yeares before : — which 
 great extremitye was part the cause of stirring 
 vp of Wiat's lysing, for which many Protestants 
 were greatly troubled : among others my father 
 was committed to the Tower ; and there, among 
 other thinges he wrote, he translated TuUie de 
 Amicitia, but finding Gardiner as he thought his 
 heavie freind and harkning to no reason, he 
 wrote a ryme to him, (in which kynde if I were 
 not a partiall praiser, I would say he was equall 
 to the best of those tymes,) one stanza whereof 
 I will here sett downe, that charges the Bishop 
 with ingratitude : 
 
 " Your chaunce was once as myne is now, 
 To keep this hould against your will ; 
 And then you sware you knew well how, 
 Though pow you swarve I know how ill. 
 But thus the world his course doth passe : 
 The Priest forgets that Clark he was : 
 And you that then cryde Justice still. 
 And now have justice at your will, 
 Wrest justice wrong against all skill. 
 
 ** This and much more to the like effect he 
 wrote, but still lay in the Tower for his labor ; 
 
 • Manuscript in the Library of York Cathedral, No. XVI. 
 L. 5. 
 
XCiv HISTORICAL AND 
 
 which wrong, infecting his Muse with some ran- 
 cor, he prosecuted him with his penne after his 
 death that persecuted him by his power in his 
 life, verefieng the old saieng, Scribit in marmore 
 IcBsiis: for this epitaph I found in a book of my 
 father's of his owne writing : 
 
 " Here lye the bones of busy Gardiner dead, 
 
 That in fine yeares spoild more good lawes and lore, 
 Than two great kings, with all the witts they bred, 
 Could stablish sure in forty yeares before : 
 The Queen beguild, the Lords like lymehounds led, 
 The usurping rule of Rome he did restore, 
 Burne, head, and hang, imprison, vex, and spoile 
 The worthie sort of this declyning soile. 
 
 *' Thus generallie did all the Protestants com- 
 plaine of the great crueltie in Queen Maries 
 tyme/' pp. 231, 2, 3. 
 
 Sir John Harington also left an account, which 
 has been published in his Catalogue of bishops, 
 both of Gardiner and of Bonner ; in which the 
 former is certainly exhibited as an object of less 
 dread and detestation than the latter. *' * But," 
 Sir John observes, ** for his sharp persecuting or 
 rather revenging himself on Cranmer and Ridley, 
 his too great cruelty cannot be excused. And 
 the plots he laid to entrap the lady Elizabeth ; 
 
 ' Brief View, or Catalogue, ut supr. under the Bishops of 
 Winchester. 
 
CRITICAL INTKODUCTION. XCV 
 
 his terrible hard usage of all her followers ; I 
 cannot yet scarce think of with charity, nor 
 write of with patience." Yet Sir John adds, 
 that he had heard '* some as partially praise his 
 clemency," and others assert " that Bonner was 
 more faulty than he ; and that Gardiner would 
 rate him for it, and call him ass for using poor 
 men so bloodily.'" Others have attempted to clear 
 him of being the author of the cruelties in the 
 reign of Mary, by laying the blame of them 
 upon Cardinal Pole. Of the subtilty of his 
 character none appear to have doubted ; and to 
 his learning all have yielded their testimony. 
 Fox proclaims not his pride, and envy, and 
 cruelty, without mentioning also his sharp wit 
 and his excellent memory. But the severest 
 reflection upon him, among many which remain, 
 is, that avarice and cruelty were the chief " or- 
 naments of his character. 
 
 ** There appears to be reason to think," Mr. 
 Butler observes, " that Mary's bishops, in gene- 
 ral, did not promote the persecution. Little blame 
 seems imputable to "" Cardinal Pole, or bishop Tun- 
 
 * " Avaricia et crudelitas, ejus erant prcecipua ornamenta." 
 Account of Gardiner, prefixed to D. Nicolai Ridleii, Episc. 
 Lend, de Coena Dominica Assertio, &c. Genev. 1556. Epist. 
 p. 6. 
 
 " Very powerfully it has been remarked, that "it ought not 
 to create surprise that Pole should have found advocates, when 
 such characters as Bonner and Gardiner have had their apolo- 
 gists. Of the former it has been said by a Catholick historian 
 
XCvi HISTORICAL AND 
 
 stal; more is chargeable on Gardiner; the greatest 
 part of the odium fell on Bo7iner. Dr. Lingard 
 
 [him, who has prefixed the name of Dodd to his Church His- 
 tory,] that he acted according to the statutes ; which is a mani- 
 fest untruth : for he began to persecute the Protestants with 
 the utmost rigour before the revival of the repealed laws ; and 
 even after their re-enactment he exceeded the powers, which 
 were vested in him, by taking the execution into his own hands, 
 and inflicting cruel and illegal punishments. The same charge 
 justly lies against the crafty Gardiner, of whom it is said upon 
 the authority of the Jesuit, Robert Parsons, that ' no one great 
 man in that government was further off from blood and bloodi- 
 ness, or from cruelty and revenge ; and that he was known to 
 be a most tender-hearted and mild man in that behalf; inso- 
 much that it was sometimes, and by some great personages, 
 objected to him for no small fault, to be ever full of compas- 
 sion in the office and charge that he bare ; yea, to him espe- 
 cially it was imputed, that none of the greatest and most known 
 Protestants in queen Mary's reign were ever called to account, 
 or put to trouble for religion." Parsons's Answer to Sir Fran- 
 cis Hastings, as quoted by Lingard, vol. vii. p. 259. '* Upon 
 this testimony of an apostate and traitor, who endeavoured all 
 that in him lay to make his native country a province of Spain, 
 we are required to believe, contrary to the evidence of Gar- 
 diner's contemporaries, that this intriguing and versatile church- 
 man was a man of compassion, and adverse to persecution. 
 Yet it is a known fact, and the historian who has quoted Par- 
 sons as a voucher for Gardiner's character, could not but know 
 it, that with this ecclesiastick, and with him alone, originated 
 the six bloody Articles, &c. and that the butchery of the two 
 prelates, Ridley and Latimer, to say nothing of Cranmer, was 
 the joint deed of Gardiner and Pole, &c." The Life of Lati- 
 mer, prefixed to his Sermons, by John Watkins, LL.D. 1824, 
 p. clxi. 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. XCvil 
 
 suggests some observations, which render it very 
 •probable, that neither Gardiner nor Bonner were 
 '^quite so guilty as they have been represented." 
 Book of the Rom. Cath. Church, p. 207. Of 
 Gardiner I have spoken. The tyranny of Bon- 
 ner, and his exultation over the victims of it, 
 are the themes of several publications from 1541 
 till long after his death ; exclusively of what 
 Fox has at large related of him. Even Phillips, 
 the biographer of Pole, conceding that ** ^ a 
 number of unhappy persons" (that is, protes- 
 tants in the reign of Mary,) '' ^ suffered in the 
 diocese of London, of which Bonner was bi- 
 shop, who is repr^eseiited as the chief incendiary of 
 that flamed even Phillips has offered no contra- 
 diction to this especial charge. But it is need- 
 
 y Life of Cardinal Pole, vol. ii. p. 216. 
 
 * I will here advert to Dr. Lingard's account of the Protes- 
 tant martyrs in the reign of Mary : " After every allowance it 
 will be found, that in the space of four years almost two hundred 
 'persons perished in the flames for religious opinion." Hist, ut 
 supr. vol. vii. p. 285. An authentick account has been pre- 
 served, which Strype has printed, (Eccl. Mem. vol. iii. Orig. 
 Papers, p. 291,) of the number of those who were burned, in 
 the time of Mary, for religion ; and of the places where they 
 suffered. The gentle relation of only " almost two hundred," 
 which the pen of Dr. Lingard concedes, miserable to relate, is 
 augmented in the ^^ four years," of which he speaks, to " two 
 hundred and eighty -eight, besides those that dyed of famine in 
 sondry prisons :" but with this number of those who perished 
 at the stake, and with any mention of those who perished by 
 famine, thp pages of Dr. Lingard are not stained. 
 
XCViii HISTORICAL AND 
 
 less to cite further evidence. When Bonner is 
 named, '* who knows not of his story?" Who 
 has not read, that from him Elizabeth, at her 
 accession to the throne, '* ^ turned aside, as from 
 a man polluted with blood, who was a just ob- 
 ject of horror to every heart susceptible of huma- 
 nity ?" His successor, bishop Grindal, has left 
 another exhibition of the *' real information^ 
 which Dr. Lingard demands, in the last tribute 
 which was paid to this miserable prelate. Bon- 
 ner had been excommunicated : By the law 
 therefore, Grindal says, '* '' Christian sepulture 
 might have been denyed him. But we thought 
 nott goode to deale so rigorouslye, and therfore 
 permitted him to be buried in St. George's 
 church-yarde ; and the same to be done nott in 
 the daye solemnely, butt in the nighte privilye : 
 which I, and some other with whome I con- 
 ferred, thought requisite in that person for two 
 causes. One was, I hearde that diverse his po- 
 pishe cousins and frendes in London assembled 
 themselves, entendynge to honor his funeralle so 
 moche as they coude : of which honor such a per- 
 secutor was nott ivorthy^ and speciallye in these 
 dayes. Another was, for that I feared that the 
 people of the cittie, (to whom Bo?mer in his life was 
 odious,) if they had scene flockynge of Papistes 
 
 * Hume, Hist, of Eng. and Burnet, vol. ii. 374. 
 " Ellis's Original Letters, ii. p. 25 S. 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. XCIX 
 
 aboute his coffin, they would have been moved 
 with indignation." 
 
 But in relating the persecution under Mary, 
 Dr. Lingard observes, that " fortunately for the 
 professors of the ancient faith, Edward died 
 before the code of ecclesiastical laws, supplied 
 by Cranmer, had obtained the sanction of the 
 legislature : by the accession of Mary the power 
 of the sword passed from the hands of one reli- 
 gious party to those of the other ; and within a 
 short time Cranmer and his associates perished 
 in the flames which they had prepared to kindle 
 for their opponents." Hist. vol. 7. p. 258. We 
 might, at the first reading of this melancholy 
 passage, imagine that the persons who prepared 
 and digested the body of laws, entitled Kefor^ 
 matio Legum Ecclesiasticarum, (which is the code 
 in question,) had all perished in like manner with 
 the primate ; and that to these merciless pre- 
 lates, divines, and lawyers, in all thirty-two, 
 was meted out the punishment which they only 
 had enacted. In this company there were indeed 
 four or five, who were associates in martyrdom 
 with Cranmer. And as to the persecuting code, 
 it is called by Strype " a very noble enterprise ;" 
 and by Burnet, *' that noble design, so near be- 
 ing 'perfected in king Edward's days." It was 
 not perfected ; that is, perhaps some hesitation 
 still existed among the framers of the code as to 
 the penalties recited in it, which in the mind of 
 
 g2 
 
C HISTORICAL AND 
 
 the king, or of Cranmer, is very likely to have 
 prevailed ; but certainly it failed of being com- 
 pleted or ratified, in consequence of the death 
 of the king. As to an establishment of it, which 
 indeed had been intended in the former reign, it 
 cannot be said that ** the feet" of these associates 
 of Cranmer " were swift to shed blood ;" for 
 the design, when it was revived in 1549 by act 
 of parliament, directed indeed the examination 
 of the old and a compilation of new ecclesias- 
 tical laws, but not absolutely the establishment 
 of the altered code exactly at the end of the 
 time prescribed for the important labour ; which 
 was the term oi three years . And were Cranmer 
 and his associates as active in exercising '' the 
 power of the sword" in the reign of Edward, as 
 by others it was exercised in the reign of Mary ? 
 But they '^ intended it, as Dr. Lingard evidently 
 insinuates ; and it may be sufficient in his esti- 
 mation, perhaps, to condemn a Protestant for 
 the supposed intention, and acquit the Ro- 
 manist for the real act ; or it may be his hope 
 to persuade the reader, that persecution was 
 equally busy on both sides ; that even the as- 
 sociates of Cranmer led the way to the atroci- 
 ties of Mary's agents ; and that, in the present 
 
 •^ Mr. Butler charitably says, that Cranmer and his asso- 
 ciates nished Mary and her associates to be exposed to their 
 projected persecutioHs. See the Bock of the Rom. Cath. 
 Church, p. 205. 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. CI 
 
 case, the accomplished scholars and divines of 
 the reign of Edward, of whose names the nation 
 is proud, are to be dragged before the publick, 
 exclaiming as it were, 
 
 " * we but teach 
 
 " Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return 
 " To plague the inventor." 
 
 But these learned men were not the inventors 
 of such measures, nor the persecutors of hundreds 
 of persons, or of tens. By their means severe 
 laws of the former reign were repealed. From 
 the school, in which they had been taught the 
 lesson of persecution, they gathered indeed so 
 much of the papal laws as pronounced the ty- 
 ranny of putting men to death for their opi- 
 nions ; and to the civil magistrate assigned the 
 power, which had long been exercised by the 
 pope, of punishing those who maintained here- 
 tical opinions. It was by the decisions and 
 practice of the Church of Rome for above six 
 centuries, by the revived laws against hereticks, 
 that the agents of Mary directed their pro- 
 ceedings in regard to such persons. And hence 
 originated '* the ^ foulest blot, on the character 
 of the queen, her long and cruel persecution of 
 the reformers;" the sacrifice of nearly three 
 
 • Shakspeare, Macbeth. 
 
 ' Dr. LingarcFs own confession, Hist. vol. 7. p. 330. 
 
Cll HISTOllICAL AND 
 
 hundred persons at the stake, the death of others 
 in prison and by famine, for not yielding their 
 religious opinions ; and most of them for deny- 
 ing transubstantiation. 
 
 This brings us at once to the last days and 
 hour of Cranmer, who " perished in the flames 
 which" the Church of Rome in earlier times 
 ** had kindled," and which in the reign of Mary 
 raged with redoubled fury. With no concession 
 to the ^ weakness of human nature, with no ac- 
 knowledgment of the fallen prelate's self-con- 
 viction. Dr. Lingard thus introduces him. " He 
 had not the fortitude to look death in the face. 
 To save his life, he feigned himself a convert to 
 the established creed ; openly condemned his 
 past delinquency ; and, stifling the remorse of 
 his conscience, in seven successive instruments 
 abjured the faith which he had taught, and 
 approved of that which he had opposed." Hist. 
 vol. 7. p. 274. Not a syllable follows of the 
 subtilty, with which the fortitude of the Arch- 
 bishop had been assailed and subdued ; nor of 
 the manner by which the instruments of abjura- 
 tion were procured, and in which they appeared. 
 Dr. Lingard would not willingly, I am per- 
 suaded, augment the degradation of Cranmer: 
 but to the six instruments of the Archbishop's 
 
 ^ ** We may admire inflexible constancy; but it becomes 
 very few of us to insult over such weakness." Dr. Sturges, 
 Answ. to Dr. Milner, 2nd edit. p. 1B2, 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION, ciii 
 
 abjuration, published by Bonner, he has for the 
 first time in the page of history mistakenly 
 added a seventh. It is necessary here to copy at 
 length what the indefatigable and accurate 
 Strype has recorded. 
 
 ** •* Other historians speak of the Archbishop's 
 recantation, which he made upon the incessant 
 solicitations and temptations of the popish zea- 
 lots at Oxford. Which unworthy compliance 
 he was at last prevailed with to submit to, partly 
 by the flattery and terror suggested to him, and 
 partly by the hardship of his own straight im- 
 prisonment. Our writers mention only one re- 
 cantation ; and that Fox hath set down ; wherein 
 they follow him. But this is but an imperfect 
 relation of this good man's frailty. I shall there- 
 fore endeavour to set down this piece of his his- 
 tory more distinctly. There were several re- 
 canting writings to which he had subscribed one 
 after another : for after the unhappy prelate by 
 over persuasion wrote one paper with his sub- 
 scription set to it, which he thought to pen so 
 favourably and dexterously for himself, that he 
 might evade both the danger from the state, and 
 the danger of his conscience too ; that would not 
 serve, but another was required as explanatory 
 of that. And when he had complied with that, 
 yet either because writ too briefly or too ambi- 
 
 ■• Eccl. Mem. vol. iii. p. 232. 
 
CIV HISTORICAL AND 
 
 guously, neither would that serve, but drew on 
 a third, fuller and more expressive than the for- 
 mer. Nor could he escape so : but still o. fourth 
 diXidi Jifth paper of recantation were demanded of 
 him to be more large and particular. Nay, and 
 lastly a sivth, which was very prolix, containing 
 an acknowledgment of all the forsaken and de- 
 tested errors and superstitions of Rome, an ab- 
 horrence of his own books, and a vilifying of 
 himself as a persecutor, a blasphemer, and a 
 mischief-maker ; nay, and as the wickedest 
 wretch that lived. And this was not all ; but 
 after they had thus humbled and mortified the 
 miserable man with recantations, subscriptions, 
 submissions, and abjurations, putting luords into 
 his mouth which his heai^t abhorred; by all this 
 drudgery they would not permit him to redeem 
 his unhappy life; but prepared him a renunciatory 
 oration to pronounce publickly in St. Marys Church, 
 (Oxford,) immediately before he was led forth to 
 burning. But here he gave his enemies, insatia- 
 ble in their reproaches of him, a notable disap- 
 pointment. They verily thought that when they 
 had brought him thus far, he would still have 
 said as they would have him. But herein their 
 politicks failed them ; and by this last stretch of 
 the cord all was undone, which they with so 
 much art and labour had effected before. For 
 the reverend man began indeed his speech ac- 
 cording to their appointment and pleasure ; but 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. CV 
 
 in the process of^it, at that very cue when he 
 was to own the Pope and his superstitions, and 
 to revoke his own book and doctrine of the Sa- 
 crament, (which was to be brought in by this 
 preface, that one th'mg above all the rest troubled 
 his co7iscience beyond all that ever he did in his life,) 
 he, on the contrary, to their great astonishment 
 and vexation, made that preface serve to his re- 
 vocation and abhorrence of his former e.vtorted sub- 
 scriptions, and to his free owning and standing to his 
 book ivrote against Transubstantiatioji, and the 
 avowing the evangelical doctrines he had before 
 taught." 
 
 To the preceding passage Dr. Wordsworth 
 has subjoined his own acute observation, that 
 ** ' notwithstanding all the researches of the his- 
 torians, it cannot, I think, be denied, that this 
 part of Cranmer's story is involved in great ob- 
 scurity and uncertainty. That he made a sub- 
 mission and recantation, cannot be doubted : 
 but I own, I know not how to reconcile si.v seve- 
 ral submissions, and the nature of them, their 
 dates, &c. with other circumstances of the nar- 
 rative. We are not told the precise period at 
 which he was removed to the lodgings of the 
 dean of Christ Church, and plied with the seve- 
 ral ^ topicks, and arts of seduction, enumerated 
 
 ' Eccl. Biography, vol. ili. p. 591. 
 
 '' Especially with the promise of his life being spared, and 
 with suggestions that yet he might live many years, and yet 
 
Cvi HISTORICAL AND 
 
 by Fox. But let it be observed, that the 14th 
 of February was the day of his degradation, at 
 which time, surely, the Archbishop's behaviour 
 gave no warnings of his lamentable fall : and yet 
 the fourth submission, as published by Bonner, 
 (and it should seem that they are ranged chro- 
 nologically,) is dated on the 16th of the same 
 month, only two days after. There are other 
 very suspicious circumstances accompanying 
 Bonner's publication. But the above remark, I 
 think, is alone sufficient to shew, that this part 
 of the narrative requires further elucidation." 
 
 Indeed there are very ^ suspicious circum- 
 stances attending the publication of the six ab- 
 jurations. Dr. Lingard says, " there is an entry 
 in the Council- Book of March 13, ordering the 
 printers, Rydall and Copland, to give up the 
 printed copies of Cranmer's recantation to be 
 burned. (Burnet, vol. iii. p. 179.) Perhaps it 
 was incorrectly printed: perhaps they waited 
 
 enjoy dignity or ease, or both. This was no new artifice of the 
 Romanists of that period, when a Protestant was to be reco- 
 vered to their church. To the martyr, Dr. Rowland Taylor, 
 it was accordingly urged, though in vain, as to producing any 
 recantation, just as it had been successfully urged to Cranmer : 
 " You are a man of goodly personage, in your best strength, 
 and by nature like to live many years ; and, without doubt, 
 you should in time come to be in as good reputation as ever 
 you were, or rather better," &c. Fox, Acts ^nd Mon. 
 
 ' Camerarius, in his Life of Melancthon, seems to suspect 
 the subscriptions. Vita P. Mel. 1655, p. 340. 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. CVll 
 
 for that whifh, he said, God would inspire him 
 to make." Hist. vol. 7. p. 276. The date of 
 the order, in this extract, is the eighth day pre- 
 ceding the martyrdom of Cranmer. But the 
 order which I will copy, appears to have been 
 dated three days later. I shall premise, what 
 Burnet has fairly told, and Dr. Lingard unfairly 
 concealed, ** "" that the Privy Council ivere con- 
 cerned, when they heard that Cranmefs paper of 
 recantatio7i was published.'''' This is the entry in 
 the Council Book : ** ** A recognisance entred 
 into by one Ryddall and Coplande prynters, that 
 they will deliver forthwith to Mr. Cawood the 
 queen's Majesties printer all such bookes as 
 they of late printed concerning Cranmer's re- 
 cantation to be by the said Cawoode burnt, 
 dat. xvi March, 1555." The sneer and the con- 
 jectures of Dr. Lingard, in regard to this order, 
 we have seen. Let us now observe what the 
 learned Whiston, in defending the Archbishop, 
 has said ; that " ° if the Privy Council had been 
 satisfied that this recantation was genuine, their 
 procedure seems not a little absurd and incredi- 
 ble. It is much more likely that the Council 
 ordered it to be burnt as a known forgery, and as 
 
 ■» Burnet, vol. iii. p. 179. 
 
 " From the Orig. MS. by Bishop Kennet. Lansdowne MSS. 
 Brit. Mus. No. 980, p. 189. 
 
 ° An Enquiry into the Evidence of Archbishop Cranmer's 
 Recantation, &c, 1736, p. IC, 
 
Cviii HISTORICAL AND 
 
 « 
 
 capable of raising a groundless corffpassion and 
 indignation in the people, when they should be- 
 lieve Cranmer was become a thorough Roman 
 Catholick, and yet was to be burnt as an obsti- 
 nate Protestant heretick." However, after a 
 few days, the recantations, certainly with some 
 palpable fabrications in them, were entrusted to 
 the press of Cawood, and appeared with the 
 sanction both of royal and episcopal authority. 
 Bonner, bishop of London, is said in the title- 
 page to have e.vamined it; and it was printed 
 cum privikgio, that is^ with Mary's express per- 
 mission. 
 
 Now to the words in this authorized publica- 
 tion, jjretemUng to be those of the Archbishop, is 
 prefixed this direction, " ^ Here to declare the 
 Queues just title to the crowne ;" at once betraying 
 
 P From the publication of Bonner, entitled, " All the Sub- 
 myssyons and Recantations of Thomas Cranmer, late Arche- 
 byshop of Canterburye, iruely set forth both in Latyn and 
 Englysh, agreable to the originalles, wrytten and subscribed 
 with his owne hande. Visum et examinatum per reverendum 
 patrem et dominum, Edmundum, Episcopum London. Anno 
 MDLVI. Excusum Lond. in sedibus J. Cawodi, Typogr. 
 Regiae Majest. cum privilegio." Sign. B. i. b. This publica- 
 tion in its original form is very rarely to be met with ; as though 
 not called in by authority to be burnt, it is supposed to have 
 been by the Romanists, in after times, for obvious reasons, sup- 
 pressed as much as possible. From an original copy I have 
 made my extracts. Strype has printed the whole, interspersed 
 with his remarks. Eccl. Mem. vol. iii. p. 233, et seq. 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. eiX 
 
 a part of what had been '^ prepared for the martyr 
 by others, not what he uttered himself. The 
 words are as follow. *"^ And now I come to the 
 great thing that so much troubleth my consci- 
 ence, more than any other thing that ever I did ; 
 and that is, setting abroad untrue books and wri- 
 tings contrary to the truth of God's Word, which 
 
 •J Dr. Lingard observes, that on the morning of his execution 
 Cranmer transcribed and signed a paper ; and giving to Gar- 
 cina, the Spanish friar, who was directed to attend him, " one 
 copy of it, retained the other for his own use. But when the 
 friar was gone, he appears to have made a second copy, in 
 which, entirely omitting the fourth article, the assertion of the 
 queen's right, he substituted, in lieu of the confession contained 
 in the fifth, a disavowal of the six retractations which he had 
 already made." Hist. vol. 7, p. 278. Dr. Lingard then must 
 suppose, what is irreconcilable with all the circumstances, that 
 though Cranmer gave the friar a copy of his paper in which the 
 assertion of the queen's right was made, and which, as he ob- 
 serves, the Archbishop entirely omitted, Bonner would be so 
 moderate as not to have printed it ! This egregious super- 
 intendant of the publication of Cranmer's recantations, having 
 the effrontery to publish to the world the very contrary to 
 what Cranmer professed as if it had been approved and pro- 
 nounced by him, here forgot to fabricate the fourth article, or 
 assertion of the queen's right ; and, relying on the deluded 
 primate's complete submission, prepared for him only the hint 
 on which he was to speak: " Here to declare the quenes just 
 title to the crowne." Dr. Milner, strange to tell, refers to 
 these recantations in Strype, as if taken from the Lambeth Re- 
 cords ! Strict, on Southey, p. 61. Not a syllable on the sub-, 
 ject is in the Lambeth Records ; nor indeed has Strype named 
 them. 
 
 ' From the Submjssyons, &c. sign. B. i. b. B. ii. a. 
 
ex HISTORICAL AND 
 
 now I renounce and condemn, and infuse them utterly 
 as erro7ieous and none of mine. But you must know 
 also what books they were, that you may beware of 
 them ; or else my conscience is not discharged. For 
 they be the books which I wrote against the Sacra- 
 7nent of the Altar, since the death of King Henry 
 the Eighth. But whatsoever I wrote then, now is 
 time and place to say truth. Wherefore renouncing 
 all those books, and whatsoever is in them contained, 
 I say and believe, that our Saviour Christ Jesus is 
 really and substantially contained in the blessed Sa- 
 crament of the Altar, under the forms of bread and 
 wine.''' 
 
 Now the real words of Cranmer (those which 
 are printed in the preceding extract, in Italick 
 letters, not being his,) have been 'preserved by 
 Fox, in his Acts and Monuments ; and agree 
 minutely with the speech, taken ut the time by 
 
 ^ Fox thus abridges the narration : " the Archbishop revokes 
 his former recantations, and repents the same; stands to his 
 book ; deceives the expectation of the Papists ; and throws 
 them into great rage." Burnet, in his History of the Refor- 
 mation, says, that the Archbishop, after their last extortion of 
 subscriptions from him, " still conceiving some jealousy that 
 they might burn him, wrote secretly a paper, containing a sin- 
 cere confession of his faith, such as flowed from his conscience, 
 and not from his fears ; and being brought out, he carried that 
 along with him." The historian then gives the substance of 
 this paper, precisely corresponding with what is found in Fox, 
 and what is related by the Papist who attended the last moments 
 of the martyr. 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. CXI 
 
 a papist, who was an eye and ear witness to the 
 last moments of the martyr. 
 
 From the honest, plain, and uncontradicted 
 testimony, therefore of the papist, an adversary 
 of the Archbishop, the genuine speech here fol- 
 lows ; such testimony convincing us, that when 
 death approached, Cranmer had *' the fortitude 
 to look it in the face ;" convincing us also of the 
 baseness practised by those who, to the act of 
 martyring him, scrupled not to join the fabrica- 
 tion we have just seen. 
 
 These, then, are the true words : *' ' And now 
 I come to the great thing that troubleth my con- 
 science more than any other thing that ever I 
 said or did in my life ; and that is, the setting 
 abroad things contrary to the truth ; which here 
 I now renounce and refuse, as things written 
 with my hand, contrary to the truth which I 
 thought in my heart, and writ for fear of death, 
 and to save my life, if it might be ; and that is, 
 all such bills, which I have written or signed 
 with mine own hand since my degradation ; 
 wherein I have written many things untrue. 
 And forasmuch as my hand offended in writing 
 contrary to my heart, therefore my hand shall 
 first be punished ; for if I may come to the fire, 
 
 ' This account of Cranmer's end, related by a Papist to his 
 friend in a letter from Oxford, which is of considerable length 
 and very circumstantial, is given by Strype in his Life of Cran- 
 mer, b. iii. ch. 21. 
 
CXii HISTORICAL AND 
 
 it shall be first burned. And as for the Pope, I 
 refuse him, as Christ's enemy and antichrist, 
 with all his false doctrine. And here, being ad- 
 monished of his recantation and dissembling, he 
 said, Alas, my lord, I have been a man that all 
 my life loved plainness, and never dissembled 
 till now against the truth ; which I am most 
 sorry for. He added hereunto, that, for the Sa- 
 crament, he believed as he had taught in his 
 " book against the bishop of Winchester. And 
 here he was " suffered to speak no more. Com- 
 ing to the stake with a cheerful countenance 
 and willing mind, he put off his garments with 
 haste. Fire being now put to him, he stretched 
 out his right hand, and thrust it into the flame ; 
 and held it there a good space before the fire 
 came to any other part of his body, where his 
 
 " See the account of this book in the present Introduction, 
 p. xi. et seq. 
 
 " In his disputation with the Papists on Transubstantiation 
 and the Mass, he had in like manner not been suffered to speak 
 all he wished. " Such haste was made, that no answer could 
 be suffered to be taken fully to any argument, before another 
 brought a new argument, &c." And Ridley, who was con- 
 cerned with him in the same disputation, has recorded that he 
 " never saw or heard any thing done or handled more vainly, 
 or tumultuously," than this disputation was by their papistical 
 opponents, who compelled them, after every kind of outrage 
 and insult, to leave oir the reading their arguments and their 
 proofs. Fox, in his Acts and Monuments, has preserved at 
 large these memorials of literary as well as religious cruelty. 
 
CRITICAL INTRODUCTION. CXIU 
 
 hand was seen of every man sensibly burning ; 
 crying with a loud voice, ** ^ This hand hath 
 offetided." 
 
 Such was the end of Archbishop Cranmer, 
 over whose weakness, as well as strength, the 
 Romanists triumphed ; but of whom it may be 
 also said, in the history of his abjuration, that 
 ** ^ out of weakness he was made strong, and 
 waxed valiant;" regardless of the base denial 
 of their promised pardon, and punishing as far 
 as he could his own unworthy submission to the 
 treacherous conditions of it. 
 
 Whoever attentively considers the character 
 of Cranmer, will agree with * one of his biogra- 
 phers, that the light in which he appears to most 
 advantage, is in that of a reformer, conducting 
 the great work of a religious establishment. 
 That work for near three centuries has " " stood 
 like a tower." And is it now to be assailed, with 
 the hope of shaking it, by the revived enginery of 
 early and of midway opponents ? Is it possible 
 that the misrepresentations of former days, the 
 distortions of ancient facts, supported by in- 
 sinuating diction and ingenious arrangement, 
 should lead us to believe that the labours of 
 Cranmer were ill-directed, and that his great 
 
 5 ** His eyes were lifted up to heaven," says Fox, " and often- 
 times he repeated his unworthy right hand, so long as his voice 
 would suffer him." 
 
 ' Heb. xi. 34. * Gilpin. '' Milton, P. L-. 
 
 h 
 
Cxiv HISTORICAL AND 
 
 work is not worth defence ? Forbid it, truth ; 
 forbid it, honour ; forbid it, liberty. And to 
 the '^ doubts or queries whether happiness, 
 and wisdom, and improvement in morals, and 
 the revival of letters, have been promoted by 
 this great work, the Reformation, the sublime 
 words of one of its noblest children might be a 
 sufficient answer, if a passage of very animated 
 eloquence upon the subject, from a production 
 honoured by the University of Oxford, did not 
 also present itself as worthy to be generally 
 known and admired ; with which I shall finish 
 what I have collected, and what I urge, in be- 
 half of Archbishop Cranmer, and of the Refor- 
 mation in England. 
 
 And first, in the words of Milton ; '' "^ When 
 I recall to mind at last, after so many dark 
 ages, wherein the huge overshadowing train of 
 error had almost swept all the stars out of the 
 firmament of the church ; how the bright and 
 blissful Reformatio??., by Divine Power, struck 
 through the black and settled night of ignorance 
 and antichristian tyranny, methinks a sovereign 
 
 " They are expressed by Mr. Butler in his Book of the Ro- 
 inan Cath. Church, p. 1G7, et seq. Need I refer Mr. Butler 
 also for an answer to the fine observations of Blackstone upon 
 the Reformation, at the close of his excellent Commentaries on 
 the laws of England ? The learned members of Mr. Butler's 
 communion will hardly be obliged by his queries. 
 
 '' Of Reformation in England, B. 1. 
 
CRITICAL INTIIODUCTIOX. CXV 
 
 and reviving joy must needs rush into the bosom 
 of him that reads, or hears ; and the sweet odour 
 of the returning Gospel imbathe his soul with 
 the fragrancy of heaven. Then was the sacred 
 Bible sought out of the dusty corners where 
 profane falsehood and neglect had thrown it ; 
 the schools opened ; divine and human learning- 
 raked out of the embers of forgotten tongues ; 
 the princes and cities trooping apace to the new- 
 erected banner of salvation ; the martyrs, with 
 the unresistible might of weakness, shaking the 
 powers of darkness, and scorning the fiery rage 
 of the old red dragon." 
 
 Lastly, let us mark the observation made 
 in our own times. ** "" The Reformation, that 
 great spring-time of English literature ; the 
 nativity, as it were, and very cradle of our 
 national genius. For the children of the Re- 
 formation are, indeed, the great supporters 
 and pedestals of our national fame. To the 
 Reformation we are indebted for Hooker, and 
 Hall, and Chillingworth, and even for the flower 
 of our countrymen, Milton. Nor can it be 
 doubted, but that those agitations and con- 
 vulsions of the publick mind, which ever accom- 
 pany any great change in publick opinion, es- 
 pecially on matters of such eternal importance, 
 
 * A Comparative Estimate of the English Literature of tlie 
 seventeenth and eighteenth Centuries, by Richard Burden of 
 Oriel College ; a prize Essay, recited in the Theatre at Oxford, 
 in the year 1814. p. 2U. et seq. 
 
CXVi HISTORICAL, &C. 
 
 are highly favourable to the excitation of dor- 
 mant genius, the evolution of latent powers. 
 They say to the sluggard, arise; and to the 
 secret one, come forth. They speak with a voice 
 which not even the obstinacy of inveterate indo- 
 lence can resist, which penetrated even to the 
 dark cells of superstition. At the Reformation 
 the mind first again recovered its liberty, and 
 resulted back to its native independence of 
 thinking. This was that universal and truly 
 Catholick emancipation, that Egyptian deliver- 
 ance, that enlargement and liberation of the 
 soul, that manumission of the spirit, whereby it 
 was rescued from the subtleties of the school- 
 men, the vanities of a fearful ignorance; and 
 having escaped as a bird out of the snare of the 
 fowler, it took its flight from earth, to bring 
 down fire from heaven. But what was more 
 than all this, the writers of that day had their 
 imaginations warmed, and their conceptions 
 elevated, by that constant conversation with the 
 Scriptures, which the Reformation excited ; the 
 Scriptures, those abundant repertories of all that 
 is vast in thought, stupendous in imagery, and 
 magnificent in language. To these fountains of 
 sublime truth they made their daily pilgrimage, 
 and their nightly visitations. Here it is that we 
 must look for the reason, why there are passages 
 in Hooker, which might have done honour to 
 Shakspeare ; passages, such as we now search 
 for in vain either in poetry, or in prose." 
 
A 
 
 DEFENCE 
 
 TRUE AND CATHOLICK DOCTRINE OF THE SACRAMENT 
 OF THE BODY AND BLOOD 
 
 OF 
 
 OUR SAVIOUR CHRIST. 
 
 WITH 
 
 A CONFUTATION OF SUNDRY ERRORS CONCERNING THE SAME, GROUNDED AND 
 
 ESTABLISHED UPON GOD'S HOLY WORD, AND APPROVED BY THE CONSENT 
 
 OF THE MOST ANCIENT DOCTORS OF THE CHURCH. 
 
 MADE BY THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, 
 
 THOMAS, 
 
 ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, 
 PRIMATE OF ALL ENGLAND, AND METROPOLITAN, 
 
 1550 
 
 [*3 
 
THIS BOOK IS DIVIDED INTO FIVE PARTS. 
 
 FAOS 
 
 The first is of the True and Catholick Doctrine and 
 Use of the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of 
 our Saviour Christ ------ 9 
 
 The second is against the Error of Transubstantia- 
 tion 43 
 
 The third teacheth the Manner how Christ is pre- 
 sent in his Holy Supper - - - - -101 
 
 The fourth is of the Eating and Drinking of the 
 Body and Blood of our Saviour Christ - - 198 
 
 The fifth Book is of the Oblation and Sacrifice of 
 our Saviour Christ 229 
 
A TABLE 
 
 OF THE 
 
 CHIEF AND PRINCIPAL MATTERS 
 
 CONTAINED IN THIS BOOK. 
 
 THE CONTENTS OF THE FIRST BOOK. 
 
 PAGK 
 
 The abuse of the Lord's Supper - - -9 
 
 The eating of the body of Christ - - - 10 
 
 The eating of the sacrament of his body -■ - 12 
 
 Christ calleth the material bread his body - -15 
 
 Evil men do eat the sacrament but not the body of Christ 1 G 
 Things sufficient for a Christian man's faith, concerning 
 
 this sacrament - - - - - 1 7 
 The sacrament which was ordained to make love and con- 
 cord, is turned into the occasion of variance and discord 17 
 The spiritual hunger and thirstiness of the soul - 19 
 The spiritual food of the soul - - - 22 
 Christ far excelleth all corporeal food - - - 25 
 The sacraments were ordained to confirm our faith - 25 
 Wherefore this sacrament was ordained in bread and wine 2& 
 The unity of Christ's mystical body - - - 29 
 This sacrament moveth all men to love and friendship - 30 
 The doctrine oFTransubstantiation doth clean subvert our 
 
 faith in Christ - - - - - 31 
 
 The spiritual eating is with the heart, not with the teeth 32 
 
 The principal errors of the Papists - - - 36 
 
 The first is of Transubstantiation - - - Sd 
 
 The second is of the Prenence of Christ in Uiis sacrauient SfJ 
 
Vli THE TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 The third is, that evil men eat and drink the very body 
 
 and blood of f!hrist - - - - 41 
 
 [And a fourth error is, that Christ is offered every day for 
 
 remission of sins] - - - - - 41 
 
 THE CONTENTS OF THE SECOND BOOK. 
 
 The confutation of the error of Transubstantiation - 43 
 
 The Papistical doctrine is contrary to God's word - 44 
 
 The Papistical doctrine is against reason - - 50 
 
 The Papistical doctrine is also against our senses •• 52 
 The Papistical doctrine is contrary to the faith of the old 
 
 authors of Christ's church - - - - 54 
 Transubstantiation came from Rome - - - 69. 
 The first reason of the Papists to prove their Transubstan- 
 tiation - • - - - - 71 
 The second argument for Transubstantiation - -75 
 Authors wrested by the Papists for their Transubstantiation 78 
 Negatives by comparison - - - - 82 
 Absurdities that follow of Transubstantiation - - 97 
 
 THE CONTENTS OF THE THIRD BOOK. 
 
 The presence of Christ in the sacrament - - 101 
 Christ corporally is ascended into heaven - - 102 
 The difference between the true and the Papistical doc- 
 trine concerning the presence of Christ's body - 103 
 The proof whereof by our profession in our common creed 107 
 Another proof by the holy Scripture - - - 108 
 Also another proof by ancient authors - - - 109 
 One body cannot be in divers places at one time - 116 
 An answer to the Papists, alleging for them these words, 
 
 *' This is my body " - - - - 124 
 
 The argument of the Papists - - - - 124 
 
 The interpretation of these words, " This is my body" - 124 
 
 Christ called bread his body, and wine his blood - 120 
 
 Bread is my body, wine is my blood, be figurative speeches 131 
 
THE TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 FAGK 
 
 To eat Christ's flesh and drink his blood, be figurative 
 speeches - - - -. - -132 
 
 This is my body, this is my blood, be figurative speeches 1 38 
 The bread representeth Christ's body, and the wine his 
 
 blood - - - - - - 138 
 
 Signs and figures have the names of the things which they 
 signify - - - - - -111 
 
 Five principal things to be noted in Theodoretus - 155 
 
 Figurative speeches be not strange - - - 158 
 
 Christ himself used figurative speeches - - 158 
 
 The Paschal Lamb - - - - - 160 
 
 The Lord's Supper - - - - -161 
 
 What figurative speeches were used at Christ's last supper 163 
 
 Answers to the authorities and arguments of the Papists 164 
 
 One brief answer to all - - - - 164 
 
 The answers to all the doctors - - - 166 
 
 THE CONTENTS OF THE FOURTH BOOK. 
 
 Whether evil men do eat and drink Christ - - 198 
 
 The godly only eat Christ - - - - 198 
 What is the eating of Christ's flesh, and drinking of his 
 
 blood --...- 200 
 
 Christ is not eaten with teeth, but with faith - - 201 
 
 The good only eat Christ _ _ _ . 202 
 The answer to the Papists that do aflfirm that the evil do 
 
 eat Christ's body, &c. - - - - 215 
 The answer to the Papists' authors, which, at the first shew, 
 
 seem to make for them - - - - 216 
 Figures be called by the names of the things which they 
 
 signify ------ 219 
 
 The adoration of the sacrament - - - 221 
 
 The simple people be deceived - - - 221 
 
 They be the Papists that have deceived the people - 227 
 An exhortation to the true honouring of Christ in the 
 
 sacrament ------ 228 
 
THE TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
 
 THE CONTENTS OF THE FIFTH BOOK. 
 
 The sacrifice of the mass > _ . . 229 
 The difference between tlie sacrifice of Christ, and of the 
 
 priests of the old law ... - 230 
 
 Two kinds of sacrifices - - - - 232 
 
 Tlie sacrifice of Christ - - - - 232 
 
 A more plain declaration of the sacrifice of Christ - 234 
 The sacrifices of the old law _ - - - 235 
 The mass is not a sacrifice propitiatory - - 237 
 A confutation of the Papists' cavillation - - 238 
 The true sacrifice of all Christian people - - 239 
 The Popish mass is detestable idolatry, utterly to be ba- 
 nished from all Christian congregations - - 241 
 Every man ought to receive the sacrament himself, and 
 not one for another - - - - 242 
 
 The difference between the priest and the layman - 243 
 The answer to the Papists, concerning the sacrifice pro- 
 pitiatory - - - - - -244 
 
 An answer tu the authors - - - - 246 
 
 The lay persons make a sacrifice as well as the priest - 248 
 The Papistical mass is neither a sacrifice propitiatory, nor 
 
 of thanksgiving - - - - - 249 
 
 There were no Papistical masses in the primitive church - 249 
 The causes and means how Papistical masses entered into 
 
 the church - - - - - 252 
 
 The abuses of the Papistical masses . - - 252 
 
 Which church is to be followed - - - 253 
 
 A short instruction to the holy communion - - 254 
 
 HEHE ENDETH THE lAliLE. 
 
PREFACE TO THE READER. 
 
 Our Saviour Christ Jesus, according to the 
 will of his Eternal Father, when the time thereto 
 was fully accomplished, taking our nature upon 
 him, came into this world, from the high throne 
 of his Father, to declare unto miserable sinners 
 good news ; to heal them that were sick ; to 
 make the blind to see ; the deaf to hear; and the 
 dumb to speak ; to set prisoners at liberty ; to 
 shew that the time of grace and mercy was 
 come ; to give light to them that were in dark- 
 ness and in the shadow of death; and to preach 
 and give pardon and full remission of sin to all 
 his elected. And to perform the same, he made 
 a sacrifice and oblation of his own body upon the 
 cross, which was a full redemption, satisfaction, 
 and propitiation, for the sins of the whole world. 
 And to commend this his sacrifice unto all his 
 faithful people, and to confirm their faith and 
 hope of eternal salvation in the same, he hath 
 ordained a perpetual memory of his said sacri 
 
 B 
 
A PREFACE TO 
 
 fice, daily to be used in the church to his perpe- 
 tual laud and praise, and to our singular comfort 
 and consolation ; that is to say, the celebration 
 of his holy supper, wherein he doth not cease to 
 give himself, with all his benefits, to all those that 
 duly receive the same supper, according* to his 
 blessed ordinance. But the Romish Antichrist, 
 to deface this great benefit of Christ, hath taught 
 that his sacrifice upon the cross is not sufficient 
 hereunto, without another sacrifice devised by 
 him, and made by the priest, or else without in- 
 dulgences, beads, pardons, pilgrimages, and such 
 other pelfry, to supply Christ's imperfection. 
 And that Christian people cannot apply to them- 
 selves the benefits of Christ's passion, but that 
 the same is in the distribution of the bishop of 
 Rome, or else that by Christ we have no full re- 
 mission, but be delivered only from sin, and yet 
 remaineth temporal pain in purgatory due for 
 the same, to be remitted after this life by the 
 Romish Antichrist and his ministers, who take 
 upon them to do for us that thing, which Christ 
 either would not or could not do. O heinous 
 blasphemy and most detestable injury against 
 Christ ; O wicked abomination in the temple of 
 God ; O pride intolerable of Antichrist, and most 
 manifest token of the son of perdition, extolling 
 himself above God, and with Lucifer exalting 
 his seat and power above the throne of God ! 
 For he that taketh upon him to supply that 
 
THE READER, 
 
 thing, which he pretendeth to be imperfect in 
 Christ, must needs make himself above Christ, 
 and so very Antichrist. For what is this else, 
 but to be against Christ, and to bring him into 
 contempt as one that either for lack of charity 
 would not, or for lack of power he could not, 
 with all his blood- shedding and death, clearly 
 deliver his faithful, and give them full remission 
 of their sins, but that the full perfection thereof 
 must be had at the hands of Antichrist of Rome 
 and his ministers ? What man of knowledge and 
 zeal to God's honour can with dry eyes see this 
 injury to Christ, and look upon the state of reli- 
 gion brought in by the Papists, perceiving the 
 true sense of God's word subverted by false 
 glosses of man's devising, the true Christian re- 
 ligion turned into certain hypocritical and super- 
 stitious sects, the people praying with their 
 mouths and hearing with their ears they wist not 
 what, and so ignorant in God's word, that they 
 could not discern hypocrisy and superstition 
 from true and sincere religion ? This was of late 
 years the face of religion within this realm of 
 England, and yet remaineth in divers realms. 
 But (thanks be to Almighty God and to the 
 king's majesty, with his father, a prince of most 
 famous memory,) the superstitious sects of monks 
 and friars, that were in this realm, be clean 
 taken away; the Scripture is restored unto the 
 proper and true understanding; the people may 
 
A PKEFACF. TO 
 
 daily read and hear God's heavenly word, and 
 pray in their own language which they under- 
 stand, so that their hearts and mouths may go 
 together, and be none of those people of whom 
 Christ complained, saying, ** These people ho- 
 nour me with their lips, but their hearts be far 
 from me ^." Thanks be to God, many corrupt 
 weeds be plucked up, which were wont to rot 
 the flock of Christ, and to let the growing of the 
 Lord's harvest. 
 
 But what availeth it to take away beads, par- 
 dons, pilgrimages, and such other like Popery, 
 so long as the chief roots remain unpulled up ? 
 whereof, so long as they remain, will spring 
 again all former impediments of the Lord's har- 
 vest, and corruption of his flock. The rest is 
 but branches and leaves, the cutting away 
 whereof is but like topping and lopping of a 
 tree, or cutting down of weeds, leaving the body 
 standing, and the roots in the ground ; but the 
 very body of the tree, or rather the roots of the 
 weeds, is the Popish doctrine of Transubstantia- 
 tion, of the real presence of Christ's flesh and 
 blood in the sacrament of the altar, (as they call 
 it,) and of the sacrifice and oblation of Christ 
 made by the priest for the salvation of the quick 
 and the dead. Which roots, if they be suffered 
 to grow in the Lord's vineyard, they will over- 
 
 * Matt. XV. 
 
THr. READER. 
 
 Spread all the ground again with the old errors 
 and superstitions. These injuries to Christ be 
 so intolerable, that no Christian heart can wil- 
 lingly bear them. Wherefore seeing that many 
 have set to their hands, and whetted their tools, 
 to pluck up the weeds, and to cut down the tree 
 of error, I, not knowing otherwise how to excuse 
 myself at the last day, have in this book set to 
 my hand and axe with the rest to cut down this 
 tree, and to pluck up the weeds and plants by 
 the roots, which our heavenly Father never 
 planted, but were grafted and sown in his vine- 
 yard by his adversary the devil, and Antichrist, 
 his minister. The Lord grant, that this my tra- 
 vail and labour in his vineyard be not in vain, 
 but that it may prosper and bring forth good 
 fruits to his honour and glory. For when I see 
 his vineyard overgrown with thorns, brambleSj 
 and weeds, I know that everlasting woe apper- 
 taineth unto me, if I hold my peace, and put not 
 to my hands and tongue to labour in purging 
 his vineyard. God I take to witness, (who seeth 
 the hearts of all men thoroughly unto the bot- 
 tom,) that I take this labour for none other con- 
 sideration, but for the glory of his name, and the 
 discharge of my duty, and the zeal that I bear 
 toward the flock of Christ. I know in what 
 office God hath placed me, and to what purpose ; 
 that is to say, to set forth his word truly unto his 
 people, to the uttermost of my power, without 
 
A PREFACE TO 
 
 respect of person, or regard of thing in the 
 world, but of Him alone. I know what account 
 I shall make to Him hereof at the last day, when 
 every man shall answer for his vocation, and re- 
 ceive for the same, good or ill, according as he 
 hath done. I know how Antichrist hath ob- 
 scured the glory of God, and the true knowledge 
 of his word, overcasting the same with mists 
 and clouds of error and ignorance, through false 
 glosses and interpretations. It pitieth me to 
 see the simple and hungry flock of Christ led 
 into corrupt pastures, to be carried blindfold, 
 they know not whither, and to be fed with poi- 
 son in the stead of wholesome meats. 
 
 And moved by the duty, office, and place, 
 whereunto it hath pleased God to call me, I give 
 warning in his name unto all that profess Christy 
 that they flee far from Babylon, if they will save 
 their souls, and to beware of that great harlot, 
 that is to say, the pestiferous see of Rome, that 
 she make you not drunk with her pleasant wine. 
 Trust not her sweet promises, nor banquet 
 with her ; for instead of wine she will give you 
 sour dregs, and for meat she will feed you with 
 rank poison. But come to our Redeemer and 
 Saviour Christ, who refresheth all that truly 
 come unto him, be their anguish and heaviness 
 never so great. Give credit unto him, in whose 
 mouth was never found guile, nor untruth. By 
 him you shall be clearly delivered from all your 
 
THE READEll. 
 
 diseases, of him you shall have full remission, 
 a poena et a culpa. He it is that feedeth continu- 
 ally, all that belong unto him, with his own flesh 
 that hanged upon the cross ; and giveth them 
 drink of the blood flowing out of his own side, 
 and maketh to spring within them water that 
 floweth unto everlasting life. Listen not to the 
 false incantations, sweet whisperings, and crafty 
 jugglings of the subtle Papists, wherewith they 
 have this many years deluded and bewitched 
 the world, but hearken to Christ, give ear unto 
 his words; which shall lead you the right way 
 unto everlasting life, there with him to live ever 
 as heirs of his kingdom. Amen^ 
 
THE FIRST BOOK 
 
 IS OF 
 
 THE TRUE AND CATIIOLICK DOCTRINE AND USE 
 
 SACRAMENT 
 
 BODY AND BLOOD OF OUR SAVIOUR CHRIST. 
 
 The Supper of the Lord, otherwise called the chap. 
 Holy Communion, or Sacrament of the Body 
 
 and Blood of our Saviour Christ, hath been of oftheLod's 
 many men, and by sundry ways, very much ^^^^^' 
 abused ; but especially within these four or five 
 hundred years. Of some it hath been used as a 
 sacrifice propitiatory for sin, and otherwise su- 
 perstitiously, far from the intent that Christ did 
 first ordain the same at the beginning ; doing 
 therein great wrong and injury to his death and 
 passion. And of other some it hath been very 
 lightly esteemed, or rather condemned and de- 
 
10 THE TRUE DOCTRINE AND USE 
 
 spised, as a thing of small or none effect. And 
 thus between both the parties hath been much 
 variance and contention in divers places of 
 Christendom. Therefore to the intent that this 
 holy Sacrament, or Lord's Supper, may hereafter 
 neither of the one party be contemned or lightly 
 esteemed, nor of the other party be abused to 
 any other purpose than Christ himself did first 
 appoint and ordain the same ; and that, so, the 
 contention on both parties may be quieted and 
 ended ; the most sure and plain way is, to cleave 
 unto holy Scripture. Wherein whatsoever is 
 found, must be taken for a most sure ground and 
 an infallible truth ; and whatsoever cannot b6 
 grounded upon the same (touching our faith) is 
 man's device, changeable and uncertain. And 
 therefore here are set forth the very words that 
 Christ himself and his apostle St. Paul spake, 
 both of the eating and drinking of Christ's body 
 and blood, and also of the eating and drinking of 
 the sacrament of the same. 
 CHAP. First, as concerning the eating of the body 
 
 ^^ and drinking of the blood of our Saviour Christ, 
 
 '^HhTboiy ^^^ speaketh himself, in the sixth chapter of St. 
 
 of Christ. JqIih^ JH ^{^18 ^Jgg . 
 
 *' Verily, verily I say unto you, except you 
 eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink his 
 blood, you have no life in you. Whoso eateth 
 my flesh and drinketh my blood, hath eternal 
 life^ and I will raise him up at the last day. For 
 
OF THE lord's SUPPER. I! 
 
 my flesh is very meat, and my blood is very 
 drink. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh 
 my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him. As the 
 living Father hath sent me, and I live by the 
 Father, even so he that eateth me, shall live by 
 me. This is the bread which came down from 
 heaven. Not as your fathers did eat manna, 
 and are dead. He that eateth this bread, shall 
 live for ever^" 
 
 Of these words of Christ % it is plain and ma- 
 nifest, that the eating of Christ's flesh, and drink- 
 ing of his blood, is not like to the eating and 
 drinking of other meats and drinks. For al- 
 though without meat and drink man cannot live, 
 yet it followeth not, that he that eateth, and 
 drinketh, shall live for ever. 
 
 But as touching this meat and drink of the 
 body and blood of Christ, it is true, both he 
 that eateth and drinketh them, hath everlasting 
 life ; and also he that eateth and drinketh them 
 not, hath not everlasting life. For to eat that 
 meat and drink that drink, is to dwell in Christ, 
 and to have Christ dwelling in him ^. 
 
 And therefore no man can say or think % that 
 he eateth the body of Christ or drinketh his 
 blood, except he dwelleth in Christ, and hath 
 Christ dwelling in him. Thus have ye heard of 
 
 '' John vi. «; Augustin. in Joan. Tractat. 26. 
 
 '* Eodem tract. « Aug. de Civitate, lib. 21. cap. 25, 
 
12 THE TRUE DOCTRTXE AND USE 
 
 the eating and drinking of the very flesh and 
 blood of our Saviour Christ. 
 CHAP. Now as touching the sacraments of the same, 
 * — our Saviour Christ did institute them in bread 
 
 ofthesacfa- and wiuc, at his last supper, which he had with 
 body. his apostles the night before his death, at which 
 time, (as St. Matthew saith,) 
 
 " When they were eating, Jesus took breads 
 and when he had given thanks, he brake it^ gave 
 it to his disciples, and said. Take, eat, this is my 
 body. And he took the cup, and when he had 
 given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, Drink 
 ye all of this, for this is my blood of the New Tes- 
 tament, that is shed for many, for the remission 
 of sins. But^l say unto you, I will not drink 
 henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that 
 day, when I shall drink it new with you in my 
 Father's kingdom ^" 
 
 This thing is rehearsed also of St. Mark, in 
 these words : 
 
 ** As they did eat, Jesus took bread, and 
 when he had blessed, he brake it, and gave it 
 to them, and said, Take, eat, this is my body : 
 and taking the cup, when he had given thanks, 
 he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. 
 And he said to them, This is my blood of the 
 New Testament, which is shed for many. Ve- 
 rily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the 
 
 ' Matt. xxvi. 
 
OF THE lord's SUPPEU. 13 
 
 fruit of the vine, until that day that 1 drink it 
 new in the kingdom of God ^." 
 
 The Evangelist St. Luke uttereth this matter 
 on this wise. 
 
 *' When the hour was come, he sat down, and 
 the twelve apostles with him. And he said unto 
 them, I have greatly desired to eat this pascha 
 with you before I suffer. For I say unto you, 
 Henceforth I will not eat of it any more, until it 
 be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And he 
 took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take 
 this, and divide it among you. For I say unto 
 you, 1 will not drink of the fruit of the vine, 
 until the kingdom of God come. And he took 
 bread, and when he had given thanks, he brake 
 it, and gave it unto them, saying, This is my 
 body, which is given for you. This do in re- 
 membrance of me. Likewise also when he had 
 supped, he took the cup, saying, This cup is the 
 New Testament in my blood, which is shed for 
 you"." 
 
 Hitherto you have heard all that the Evange- 
 lists declare, that Christ spake or did at his last 
 supper, concerning the institution of the com- 
 munion and sacrament of his body and blood. 
 Now you shall hear what St. Paul saith concern- 
 ing the same, in the tenth chapter of the First to 
 the Corinthians, where he writeth thus : 
 
 ' Mark xiv. ■' Luke xxii. 
 
14 THE TRUE DOCTRINE AND USE 
 
 " Is not the cup of blessing, which we bless; 
 a communion of the blood of Christ ? Is not the 
 bread, which we break, a communion of the body 
 of Christ ? We being many, are one bread and 
 one body. For we all are partakers of one 
 bread and of one cup '." 
 
 And in the eleventh he speaketh on this manner. 
 
 *' That which I delivered unto you, I received 
 of the Lord. For the Lord Jesus, the same night 
 in the which he was betrayed, took bread, and 
 when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said. 
 Take, eat, this is my body, which is broken for 
 you. Do this in remembrance of me. Likewise 
 also he took the cup, when supper was done, 
 saying, This cup is the New Testament in my 
 blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in re- 
 membrance of me. For as often as you shall 
 eat this bread and drink this cup, shew forth the 
 Lord's death till he come. Wherefore whoso- 
 ever shall eat of this bread or drink of this cup 
 unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood 
 of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, 
 and so eat of the bread, and drink of the cup. 
 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eat- 
 eth and drinketh his own damnation, because 
 he maketh no difference of the Lord's body. 
 For this cause many are weak and sick among 
 you, and many do sleep \" 
 
 * 1 Cor. X. '' Ibid. xi. 
 
OF THE lord's SUPPER, 15 
 
 By these words of Christ rehearsed by the 
 Evangelists, and by the doctrine also of St. Paul, 
 (which he confesseth that he received of Christ,) 
 two things specially are to be noted. 
 
 First, that our Saviour Christ called the ma- chap. 
 terial bread which he brake, his body, and the 
 
 IV. 
 
 ,,, , r • r ^ 'Ni'ii i Christ call- 
 
 wine (which was the iruit oi the vnie) his blood, ed the mate. 
 
 . rial bread 
 
 And yet he spake not this to the intent that men I'is body. 
 should think that material bread is his very 
 body, or that his very body is material bread : 
 neither that wine made of grapes is his very 
 blood, or that his very blood is wine made of 
 grapes, but to signify unto us (as St. Paul saith) 
 that the cup is a communion of Christ's blood 
 that was shed for us, and the bread is a commu- 
 nion of his flesh that was crucified for us. So 
 that although, in the truth of his human nature, 
 Christ be in heaven, and sitteth on the right 
 hand of God the Father, yet whosoever eateth 
 of that bread in the supper of the Lord, accord- 
 ing to Christ's institution and ordinance, is as-^ 
 sured by Christ's own promise and testament, 
 that he is a member of his body, and receiveth 
 the benefits of his passion, which he suflfered for 
 us upon the cross. And likewise he that drink- 
 eth of that holy cup in that supper of the Lord, 
 according to Christ's institution, is certified by 
 Christ's legacy and testament, that he is made 
 partaker of the blood of Christ, which was shed 
 for us. And this meant St. Paul, when he saith. 
 
16 THE TRUE DOCTRINE AND USE 
 
 " Is not the cup of blessing which we bless, a 
 communion of the blood of Christ ? Is not the 
 bread which we break, a communion of the body 
 of Christ?" So that no man can contemn or 
 lightly esteem this holy communion, except he 
 contemn also Christ's body and blood, and pass 
 not whether he have any fellowship with him or 
 no. And of those men St. Paul saith, " That 
 they eat and drink their own damnation, because 
 they esteem not the body of Christ.'' 
 CHAP. The second thing which may be learned of 
 ^' the foresaid words of Christ and St. Paul is this. 
 
 fafthTs"a-'*'* that although none eateth the body of Christ, 
 ™he*body and drinketh his blood, but they have eternal 
 of Christ, j-^g^ ^^^ appeareth by the words before recited of 
 St. John,) yet both the good and the bad do eat 
 and drink the bread and wine, which be the sa- 
 craments of the same : but, beside the sacra- 
 ments, the good eateth everlasting life; the evil, 
 everlasting death. Therefore St. Paul saith, 
 ** Whosoever shall eat of the bread or drink 
 of the cup of the Lord unworthily, he shall 
 be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord." 
 Here St. Paul saith not, that he that eateth the 
 bread and drinketh the cup of the Lord unwor- 
 thily, eateth and drinketh the body and blood 
 of the Lord, but is guilty of the body and blood 
 of the Lord. But what he eateth and drinketh 
 St. Paul declareth, saying, "He that eateth and 
 drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh his 
 
OF THE lord's SUPPER. 17 
 
 own damnation." Thus is declared the sum of 
 all that Scripture speaketh of the eating and 
 drinking, both of the body and blood of Christ, 
 and also of the sacrament of the same. 
 
 And as these things be most certainly true, be- chaf. 
 cause they be spoken of by Christ himself, the 
 
 VI. 
 
 author of all truth, and by his holy apostle St. suffice fori 
 Paul, as he received them of Christ, so all doc- mans faith, 
 
 concerning 
 
 trmes contrary to the same be most certamlv ti>is sacra- 
 
 '' •' ment. 
 
 false and untrue, and of all Christian men to be 
 eschewedj because they be contrary to God's word. 
 And all doctrine concerning this matter, that is 
 more than this, which is not grounded upon 
 God's word, is of no necessity, neither ought the 
 people's heads to be busied, or their consciences 
 troubled with the same. So that things spoken 
 and done by Christ, and written by the holy 
 Evangelists and St. Paul, ought to suffice the 
 faith of Christian people, as touching the doc- 
 trine of the Lord's Supper, and holy communion 
 or sacrament of his body and blood ; which, being 
 well considered and weighed, shall be a just oc- 
 casion to pacify and agree both parties, as well 
 them that hitherto have contemned or lightly 
 esteemed it, as also them which have hitherto, 
 for lack of knowledge or otherwise, ungodly 
 abused it. 
 
 Christ ordained the sacrament to move arid chap; 
 stir all men to friendship, love, and concord. 
 
 vn. 
 
 and to put away all hatred, variance, and dis^ m^t whichr 
 
18 THE TRUE DOCTRINE AND USE 
 
 ed'to^mie cord, and to testify a brotherly and unfeigned 
 concoTd! is love between all them that be the members of 
 ibe oc^casion ChHst ; but the devil, the enemy of Christ and 
 anddi'^oTd.of all his members, hath so craftily juggled 
 herein, that of nothing riseth so much conten- 
 tion as of this holy sacrament. God grant that 
 all contention set aside, both the parties may 
 come to this holy communion with such a lively 
 faith in Christ, and such an unfeigned love to all 
 Christ's members, that as they carnally eat with 
 their mouth this sacramental bread and drink 
 the wine, so spiritually they may eat and drink 
 the very flesh and blood of Christ, which is in 
 heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of his Fa- 
 ther. And that finally by his means they may 
 enjoy with him the glory and kingdom of hea- 
 ven. Amen. 
 CHAP. Whereas in the first part of this treaty of the 
 _I!!!l_ sacrament of the body and blood of our Saviour 
 Christ, was briefly declared the institution and 
 meaning of the same, according to the very 
 words of the Gospel and of St. Paul, yet it shall 
 not be in vain somewhat more at large to de- 
 clare the same, according to the mind, as well 
 of holy Scripture, as of old ancient authors; and 
 that so sincerely and plainly, without doubts, 
 ambiguities, or vain questions, that the very 
 simple and unlearned people may easily under- 
 stand the same, and be edified thereby ; which 
 by God's grace is mine only intent and desire. 
 
OF THE lord's SUPPER. 19 
 
 that the flock of Christ dispersed in this realm 
 (among whom I am appointed a special pastor) 
 may no longer lack the commodity, and fruit, 
 which springeth of this heavenly knowledge. 
 For the more clearly it is understood, the more 
 sweetness, fruit, comfort, and edification it bring- 
 eth to the godly receivers thereof. And to the 
 clear understanding of this sacrament, divers 
 things must be considered. 
 
 First, that as all men of themselves be sinners, chap. 
 and through sin be in God's wrath, banished far 
 
 IX. 
 
 away from him, condemned to hell and everlast- Sd hunger 
 ing damnation, and none is clearly innocent, but ness Jfthe 
 Christ alone : so every soul, inspired by God, is 
 desirous to be delivered from sin and hell, and 
 to obtain at God's hands mercy, favour, righte- 
 ousness, and everlasting salvation. And this 
 earnest and great desire is called in Scripture, 
 the hunger and thirst of the soul ; with which 
 kind of hunger David was taken, when he said: 
 ** As an hart longeth for springs of water, so doth 
 my soul long for thee, O God '." — *' My soul 
 hath thirsted after God, who is the well of life. 
 My soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh wisheth for 
 thee""." And this hujiger the silly, poor, sinful 
 soul is drawn into, by means of the law, which 
 sheweth unto her the horribleness of sin, the 
 terror of God's indignation, and the horror of 
 
 ' P^jalm xlii. '" Ibid. Ixiii- 
 
 C 2 
 
20 THE TRUE DOCTRINE a!ND USE 
 
 death and everlasting damnation. And when 
 she seeth nothing but damnation for her offences, 
 by justice and accusation of the law, and this 
 damnation is ever before her eyes; then, in this 
 great distress, the soul being pressed with hea- 
 viness and sorrow seeketh for some comfort, 
 and dcsireth some remedy for her miserable and 
 sorrowful estate. And this feeling of her damn- 
 able condition, and greedy desire of refreshing, 
 is the spiritual hunger of the soul. And whoso- 
 ever hath this godly hunger, is blessed of God, 
 and shall have meat and drink enough, as Christ 
 himself said : '' Blessed be they that hunger 
 and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be 
 filled full "." And on the other side, they that 
 see not their own sinful and damnable estate, 
 but think themselves holy enough, and in good 
 case and condition enough, as they have no spi- 
 ritual hunger, so shall they not be fed of God 
 with any spiritual food. For as Almighty God 
 feedeth them that be hungry, so doth he send 
 away empty all that be not hungry. But this 
 hunger and thirst is not easily perceived of the 
 carnal man : for when he heareth the Holy Ghost 
 speak of meat and drink, his mind is by and by 
 in the kitchen and buttery, and he thinketh 
 upon his dishes and pots, his mouth and his 
 belly. But the Scripture in sundry places useth 
 
 " Matt. V. 
 
OF THE lord's SUPPER. 21 
 
 special words, whereby to draw our gross minds 
 from the fancying of our teeth and belly, and 
 from this carnal and fleshly imagination. For 
 the apostles and disciples of Christ, when they 
 were yet carnal, knew not what was meant by 
 this kind of hunger and meat, and therefore 
 when they desired him to eat, to withdraw their 
 minds from carnal meat, he said unto them : 
 " I have other meat to eat, which you know 
 not°." And why knew they it not? Forsooth 
 because their minds were gross as yet, and had 
 not received the fulness of the Spirit. And 
 therefore our Saviour Christ, minding to draw 
 them from this grossness, told them of another 
 kind of meat than they fancied, (as it were,) re- 
 buking them, for that they perceived not that 
 there was any other kind of eating and drinking, 
 besides that eating and drinking which is with 
 the mouth and the throat. Likewise when he 
 said to the woman of Samaria : " Whosoever 
 shall drink of that water that I shall give him, 
 shall never be thirsty again p." They that heard 
 him speak those words, might well perceive that 
 he went about to make them well acquainted 
 with another kind of drinking, than is the drink- 
 ing with the mouth and throat. For there is no 
 such kind of drink, that with one's drinking, can 
 quench the thirst of a man's body for ever. 
 
 • Johniv. " Ibid. 
 
22 THE TRUE DOCTRINE AND USE 
 
 Wherefore, in saying, he shall never be thirsty 
 again, he did draw their minds from drinking 
 with the mouth unto another kind of drinking 
 whereof they knew not, and unto another kind 
 of thirsting wherewith as yet they were not ac- 
 quainted. And when our Saviour Christ said, 
 ** He that cometh to me shall not hunger; and 
 he that believeth on me shall never be thirsty'';" 
 he gave them a plain watch- word, that there was 
 another kind of meat and drink than that where- 
 with he fed them at the other side of the water, 
 and another kind of hungering and thirsting 
 than was the hungering and thirsting of the 
 body. By these words therefore he drove the 
 people to understand another kind of eating and 
 drinking, of hungering and thirsting, than that 
 which belongeth only for the preservation of 
 temporal life. Now then as the thing that com- 
 forteth the body, is called meat and drink ; of a 
 like sort the Scripture calleth the same thing 
 that comforteth the soul, meat and drink. 
 CHAP. Wherefore as here before in the first note is de- 
 ._ clared the hunger and drought of the soul, so is 
 
 X. 
 
 The spiri- . n , . , 
 
 tuai food of it now secondly to be noted, what is the meat, 
 
 the soul. 1 . 7 in -, n ■, 
 
 drink, and food of the soul. The meat, drink, 
 food and refreshing of the soul, is our Saviour 
 Christ, as he said himself. " Come unto me 
 all you that travail and be laden, and I will 
 
 *• John vi. 
 
OF THE lord's .SUPPER. 23 
 
 refresh you'." — " And if any man be dry," 
 saith he, *' let him come to me and drink. He 
 that believeth in me, floods of water of life 
 shall flow out of his belly'." — ** And I am the 
 bread of life," saith Christ; " he that cometh 
 to me, shall not be hungry ; and he that believ- 
 eth in me, shall never be dry '." For as meat 
 and drink do comfort the hungry body, so doth 
 the death of Christ's body, and the shedding of 
 his blood, comfort the soul, when she is after 
 her sort hungry. What thing is it that comfort- 
 eth and nourisheth the body ? Forsooth, meat 
 and drink. By what names then shall we call 
 the body and blood of our Saviour Christ (which 
 do comfort and nourish the hungry soul) but by 
 the names of meat and drink ? And this simili- 
 tude caused our Saviour to say, *' My flesh is 
 very meat, and my blood is very drink "." For 
 there is no kind of meat that is comfortable to 
 the soul, but only the death of Christ's blessed 
 body ; nor no kind of drink that can quench her 
 thirst, but only the blood-shedding of our Savi- 
 our Christ, which was shed for her offences. 
 For as there is a carnal generation, and a carnal 
 feeding and nourishment, so is there also a spi- 
 ritual generation, and a spiritual feeding. And 
 as every man, by carnal generation of father and 
 
 ■^ Matt. xi. ' John vii. ' John vi. " Ibid. 
 
24 THE TRUE DOCTRINE AND USE 
 
 mother, is carnally begotten and born unto this 
 mortal life, so is every good Christian spiritually 
 born by Christ unto eternal life. And as every 
 man is carnally fed and nourished in his body by 
 meat and drink, even so is every good Christian 
 man spiritually fed and nourished in his soul by 
 the flesh and blood of our Saviour Christ. And 
 as the body liveth by meat and drink, and there- 
 by increaseth and grov^^eth from a young babe 
 unto a perfect man, (v^^hich thing experience 
 teacheth us,) so the soul liveth by Christ himself, 
 by pure faith eating his flesh and drinking his 
 blood. And this Christ himself teacheth us in 
 the sixth of John, saying, *' Verily, verily I say 
 unto you, except ye eat the flesh of the Son of 
 Man, and drink his blood, you have no life in 
 you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my 
 blood, hath eternal life, and I will raise him up 
 at the last day : for my flesh is very meat, and 
 my blood is very drink. He that eateth my 
 flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me, 
 and I in him. As the living Father hath sent 
 me, and I live by the Father, even so he that 
 eateth me, shall live by me\" And this St. 
 Paul confessed of himself, saying, ^' That I have 
 life, I have it by faith in the Son of God. And 
 now it is not I that live, but Christ liveth in 
 
 V '> 
 
 " John vi, ^ Gal. ii. 
 
OF THE lord's SUPPER. 25 
 
 The third thing to be noted is this, that al- chap. 
 
 though our Saviour Christ resembleth his flesh ' 
 
 and blood to meat and drink, yet he far passeth exceiietraii 
 and excelleth all corporal meats and drinks, food. 
 For although corporal meats and drinks do 
 nourish and continue our life here in this world, 
 yet they begin not our life. For the beginning 
 of our life we have of our fathers and mothers ; 
 and the meat, after we be begotten, doth feed 
 and nourish us, and so preserveth us for a time. 
 But our Saviour Christ is both the first begin- 
 ner of our spiritual life, (who first begetteth us 
 unto God his Father,) and also afterward he is 
 our lively food and nourishment. 
 
 Moreover, meat and drink doth feed and nou- 
 rish only our bodies ; but Christ is the true and 
 perfect nourishment both of bodj'^ and soul. And 
 besides that, bodily food preserveth the life but 
 for a time, but Christ is such a spiritual and per- 
 fect food, that he preserveth both body and soul 
 for ever. As he said unto Martha, *' I am resur- 
 rection and life. He that believeth in me, al- 
 though he die, yet shall he live. And he that 
 liveth and believeth in me, shall not die for 
 ever." 
 
 Fourthly, it is to be noted, that the true know- chap. 
 ledge of these things is the true knowledge of 
 
 XII. 
 
 rf-11 • 1 It 1 • • 1 "^''^ sacra- 
 
 Christ; and to teach these thmgs, is to teach ments were 
 
 ordained to 
 
 Christ ; and the believing and feeling of these co'ijirm our 
 things, is the believing and feeling of Christ in 
 
2Q THE TRUE DOCTRINE AND USE 
 
 our hearts. And the more clearly we see, un- 
 derstand, and believe these things, the more 
 clearly we see and understand Christ, and have 
 more fully our faith and comfort in him. And 
 although our carnal generation and our carnal 
 nourishment be known to all men by daily ex- 
 perience, and by our common senses ; yet this 
 our spiritual generation and our spiritual nutri- 
 tion be so obscure and hid unto us, that we 
 cannot attain to the true and perfect knowledge 
 and feeling of them, but only by faith, which 
 must be grounded upon God's most holy word 
 and sacraments. And for this consideration our 
 Saviour Christ hath not only set forth these 
 things most plainly in his holy word, that we 
 may hear them with our ears ; but he hath also 
 ordained one visible sacrament of spiritual rege- 
 neration in water, and another visible sacra- 
 ment of spiritual nourishment in bread and wine, 
 to the intent, that as much as is possible for man, 
 we may see Christ with our eyes, smell him at 
 our nose, taste him with our mouths, grope him 
 with our hands, and perceive him with all our 
 senses. For as the word of God, preached, put- 
 teth Christ into our ears ; so likewise these ele- 
 ments of water, bread, and wine, joined to God's 
 word, do, after a sacramental manner, put Christ 
 into our eyes, mouths, hands, and all our senses. 
 And for this cause Christ ordained baptism in 
 water, that as surely as we see, feel, and touch 
 
OF THE LOUd's SUPPER. 27 
 
 water with our bodies, and be washed with wa- 
 ter; so assuredly ought we to believe, when we 
 be baptized, that Christ is verily present with 
 us, and that by him we be newly born again 
 spiritually, and washed from our sins, and 
 grafted in the stock of Christ's own body, and 
 be apparelled, clothed, and harnessed with him, 
 in such wise, that as the devil hath no power 
 against Christ, so hath he none against us, so 
 long as we remain grafted in that stock, and be 
 clothed with that apparel, and harnessed with 
 that armour. So that the washing in water of 
 baptism, is, as it were, a shewing of Christ be- 
 fore our eyes, and a sensible touching, feeling, 
 and groping of him, to the confirmation of the 
 inward faith, which we have in him. And in 
 like manner Christ ordained the sacrament of 
 his body and blood in bread and wine, to preach 
 unto us, that as our bodies be fed, nourished, 
 and preserved with meat and drink, so (as touch- 
 ing our spiritual life towards God) we be fed, 
 nourished, and preserved by the body and blood 
 of our Saviour Christ ; and also that he is such 
 a preservation unto us, that neither the devils of 
 hell, nor eternal death, nor sin, can be able to 
 prevail against us, so long as, by true and con- 
 stant faith, we be fed and nourished with that 
 meat and drink. And for this cause Christ or- 
 dained this sacrament in bread and wine, (which 
 we eat and drink, and be chief nutriments of our 
 
28 THE TRUE DOCTRINE AND USE 
 
 body,) to the intent that as surely as we see the 
 bread and wine with our eyes, smell them with 
 our noses, touch them with our hands, and taste 
 them with our mouths; so assuredly ought we to 
 believe, that Christ is our spiritual life and sus- 
 tenance of our souls, like as the said bread and 
 wine is the food and sustenance of our bodies. 
 And no less ought we to doubt, that our souls be 
 fed and live by Christ, than that our bodies be 
 fed and live by meat and drink. Thus our Sa- 
 viour Christ knowing us to be in this world, as 
 it were, but babes and weaklings in faith, hath 
 ordained sensible signs and tokens, whereby to 
 allure and draw us to more strength and more 
 constant faith in him. So that the eating and 
 drinking of this sacramental bread and wine, is, 
 as it were, a shewing of Christ before our eyes, 
 a smelling of him with our noses, a feeling and 
 groping of him with our hands, and an eating, 
 chawing, digesting, and feeding upon him to our 
 spiritual strength and perfection. 
 CHAP. Fifthly, it is to be noted, that although there 
 be many kinds of meats and drinks, which feed 
 
 XIII. 
 
 Where forc 
 
 this sacra- thc body, yct our Saviour Christ (as many an- 
 
 ment was . • \ i • i i • n 
 
 ordained in cicut autliors writc) ordauicd this sacrament of 
 
 bread and 
 
 wine. our spiritual feeding in bread and wine, rather 
 than in other meats and drinks, because that 
 bread and wine do most truly represent unto us 
 the spiritual union and knot of all faithful people, 
 as well unto Christ, as also amongst themselves. 
 
OF THE lord's SUPPER. 29 
 
 For like as bread is made of a great number of 
 grains of corn, ground, baken, and so joined to- 
 gether, that thereof is made one loaf; and an 
 infinite number of grapes be pressed together in 
 one vessel, and thereof is made wine ; likewise 
 is the whole multitude of true Christian people 
 spiritually joined, first to Christ, and then among 
 themselves together, in one faith, one baptism, 
 one holy spirit, one knot and bond of love. 
 
 Sixthly, it is to be noted, that as the bread <^"ap 
 and wine, which we do eat, be turned into our 
 
 XIV. 
 
 flesh and blood, and be made our very flesh andcbris"L^" 
 
 mystical 
 
 very blood, and be so jomed and mixed with our i»«dj. 
 flesh and blood, that they be made one whole 
 body together, even so be all faithful Christians 
 spiritually turned into the body of Christ, and be 
 so joined unto Christ, and also together among 
 themselves, that they do make but one mystical 
 body of Christ, as St. Paul saith : *' We be one 
 bread and one body, as many as be partakers of 
 one bread and one cup y." And as one loaf is 
 given among many men, so that every one is 
 partaker of the same loaf, and likewise one cup 
 of wine is distributed unto many persons, where- 
 of every one is partaker ; even so our Saviour 
 Christ (whose flesh and blood is represented by 
 the mystical bread and wine in the Lord's Sup- 
 per) doth give himself unto all his true members, 
 
 " 1 Cor. X. 
 
30 THE TRUE DOCTRINE AND USE 
 
 spiritually to feed them, nourish them, and to 
 give them continual life by him ^ And as the 
 branches of a tree, or member of a body, if they 
 be dead or cut off, they neither live, nor receive 
 any nourishment or sustenance of the body or 
 tree; so likewise ungodly and wicked people, 
 (which be cut off from Christ's mystical body, 
 or be dead members of the same,) do not spiri- 
 tually feed upon Christ's body and blood, nor 
 have any life, strength, or sustenance thereby. 
 CHAP. Seventhly, it is to be noted, that whereas no- 
 thing in this life is more acceptable before God, 
 
 XV. 
 
 melumoveth or morc plcasaut unto man, than Christian peo- 
 loye and plc to llve togcthcr quictly in love and peace, 
 
 Iriendsliip. 
 
 unity and concord : this sacrament doth most 
 aptly and effectually move us thereunto. For 
 when we be made all partakers of this one table, 
 what ought we to think, but that we be all 
 members of one spiritual body, (whereof Christ 
 is the head,) that we be joined together in one 
 Christ, as a great number of grains of corn be 
 joined together in one loaf. Surely they have 
 very hard and stony hearts, which with these 
 things be not moved. And more cruel and un- 
 reasonable be they than brute beasts, that can- 
 not be persuaded to be good to their Christian 
 brethren and neighbours (for whom Christ suf- 
 fered death) when in this sacrament they be put 
 
 ' Dionysius, 
 
OF THE lord's SUPPER. 31 
 
 in remembrance, that the Son of God bestowed 
 his life for his enemies. For we see by daily 
 experience, that eating and drinking together 
 maketh friends, and continueth friendship. Much 
 more then ought the table of Christ to move us 
 so to do. Wild beasts and birds be made gen- 
 tle by giving them meat and drink ; why then 
 should not Christian men wax meek and gentle 
 with this heavenly meat of Christ ? Hereunto 
 we be stirred and moved as well by the bread 
 and wine in this holy supper, as by the words of 
 holy Scripture recited in the same. Wherefore 
 whose heart soever this holy sacrament, com- 
 munion, and supper of Christ, will not kindle 
 with love unto his neighbours, and cause him to 
 put out of his heart all envy, hatred, and malice, 
 and to grow in tha same all amity, friendship, 
 and concord, he deceiveth himself if he think 
 that he hath the spirit of Christ dwelling within 
 him. But all these foresaid godly admonitions, 
 exhortations, and comforts, do the Papists (as 
 much as lieth in them) take away from all Chris- 
 tian people, by their Transubstantiation. 
 
 For if we receive no bread nor wine in the The doctrine 
 
 ofTransub- 
 
 holy communion, then all those lessons and stantiaUon 
 
 '' _ doth clean 
 
 comforts be Rone, which we should learn and *">vert our 
 
 <-• ' faith in 
 
 receive by eating of the bread and drinking of Christ, 
 the wine. And that fantastical imagination giv- 
 eth an occasion utterly to subvert our whole 
 faith in Christ. For if this sacrament be or- 
 
32 
 
 THE TRUE DOCTRINE AND USE 
 
 dained in bread and wine (which be food for the 
 body) to signify and declare unto us our spiri- 
 tual food by Christ, then if our corporal feed- 
 ing upon the bread and wine be but fantastical, 
 (so that there is no bread nor wine there indeed 
 to feed upon, although there appear there to be,) 
 then it doth us to understand, that our spiritual 
 feeding in Christ is also fantastical, and that in- 
 deed we feed not of him. Which sophistry is 
 so devilish and wicked, and so much injurious 
 to Christ, that it could not come from any other 
 person but only from the devil himself, and from 
 his special minister. Antichrist. 
 CHAP. The eighth thing that is to be noted is, that 
 this spiritual meat of Christ's body and blood, 
 
 XVI. 
 
 The spiri- . 'i-i it t • i 
 
 tuai eating is not rcccivcd HI thc mouth, and digested m the 
 
 is with the 
 lieart, not 
 with the 
 teeth. 
 
 stomach, (as corporal meats and drinks com- 
 monly be,) but it is received with a pure heart, 
 and a sincere faith. And the true eating and 
 drinking of the said body and blood of Christ, is 
 with a constant and a lively faith to believe that 
 Christ gave his body, and shed his blood upon 
 the cross for us, and that he doth so join and in- 
 corporate himself to us, that he is our head, and 
 we his members, and flesh of his flesh, and bone 
 of his bones, having him dwelling in us, and we 
 in him. And herein standeth the whole effect 
 and strength of this sacrament. And this faith 
 God worketh inwardly in our hearts by his holy 
 Spirit, and confirmeth the same outwardly to 
 
OF THE lord's SUPPER* 33 
 
 our ears by hearing of his word, and to our 
 other senses, by eating and drinking of the sa- 
 cramental bread and wine in his holy supper. 
 What thing then can be more comfortable to us, 
 than to eat this meat and drink this drink? 
 Whereby Christ certifieth us, that we be spiri- 
 tually and truly fed and nourished by him, and 
 that we dwell in him, and he in us. Can this 
 be shewed unto us more plainly, than when he 
 saith himself, " He that eateth me, shall live by 
 me^?" Wherefore whosoever doth not contemn 
 the everlasting life, how can he but highly esteem 
 this sacrament? How can he but embrace it, 
 as a sure pledge of his salvation ? And when he 
 seeth godly people devoutly receive the same^ 
 how can he but be desirous oftentimes to re- 
 ceive it with them ? Surely no man, that well 
 Understandeth and diligently weigheth these 
 things, can be without a great desire to come 
 to this holy supper. All men desire to have 
 God's favour; and when they know the contrary^ 
 that they be in his indignation, and cast out of 
 his favour, what thing can comfort them ? How 
 be their minds vexed ! What trouble is in their 
 consciences ! All God's creatures seem to be 
 against them, and do make them afraid, as things 
 being ministers of God's wrath and indignation 
 towards them. And rest and comfort can they 
 
 • John vi. 
 
34 THE TRUE DOCTRINE AND, USE 
 
 find none, neither within them nor without them. 
 And in this case they do hate as well God as the 
 devil ; God as an unmerciful and extreme judge, 
 and the devil as a most malicious and cruel tor- 
 mentor. But in this sorrowful heaviness, holy- 
 Scripture teacheth them, that our heavenly Fa- 
 ther can by no means be pleased with them 
 again, but by the sacrifice and death of his only- 
 begotten Son, whereby God hath made a per- 
 petual amity and peace with us, doth pardon 
 the sins of them that believe in him, maketh 
 them his children, and giveth them to his first- 
 begotten Son Christ, to be incorporate into him, 
 to be saved by him, and to be made heirs of 
 heaven with him. And in the receiving of the 
 holy supper of our Lord, we be put in remem- 
 brance of this his death, and of the whole mys- 
 tery of our redemption. In the which supper 
 is made mention of his testament, and of the 
 foresaid communion of us with Christ, and of 
 the remission of our sins by his sacrifice upon 
 the cross. Wherefore in this sacrament (if it be 
 rightly received with a true faith) we be assured 
 that our sins be forgiven, and the league of 
 peace and the testament of God is confirmed 
 between him and us, so that whosoever by a 
 true faith doth eat Christ's flesh, and drink his 
 blood, hath everlasting life by him. Which 
 thing when we feel in our hearts, at the receiv- 
 ing of the Lord's Supper, what thing can be 
 
OF THE lord's supper. 35 
 
 more joyful, more pleasant, or more comfortable 
 unto us ? All this to be true, is most certain by 
 the words of Christ himself, when he did first 
 institute his holy supper, the night before his 
 death, as it appeareth, as well by the words of 
 the Evangelists, as of St. Paul. *' Do this," 
 saith Christ, ''as often as you drink it in remem- 
 brance of me." And St. Paul saith, ** As often 
 as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you 
 shall shew the Lord's death until he come." 
 And again, Christ said, *' This cup is a new tes- 
 tament, in my own blood, which shall be shed 
 for the remission of sins." This doctrine, here 
 recited, may suffice for all that be humble and 
 godly, and seek nothing that is superfluous, but 
 that is necessary and profitable. Ahd therefore 
 unto such persons may be made here an end of 
 this book. But unto them that be contentious 
 Papists, and idolaters, nothing is enough. And 
 yet because they shall not glory in their subtle 
 inventions and deceivable doctrine, (as though 
 no man were able to answer them,) I shall de- 
 sire the readers, of patience, to suffer me a little 
 while to spend some time in vain to confute 
 their most vain vanities. And yet the time shall 
 not be altogether spent in vain, for thereby shall 
 more clearly appear the light from the darkness, 
 the truth from false sophistical subtleties, and 
 the certain word of God from men's dreams and 
 fantastical inventions. 
 
 D 2 
 
36 THE TRtFE DOCTRINE AND USE 
 
 CHAP. But these things cannot manifestly appear to 
 the reader, except the principal points be first 
 
 XVII. 
 
 The princi- 
 
 pal errors of set out, wherein the Papists vary from the truth 
 The first is' of God's word, which be chiefly four. 
 
 ofTransub- • -r» • 
 
 stantiation. First, the Papists say, that in the Supper of 
 the Lord, after the words of consecration (as 
 they call it) there is none other substance re- 
 maining, but the substance of Christ's flesh and 
 blood, so that there remaineth neither bread to 
 be eaten, nor wine to be drunken. And although 
 there be the colour of bread and wine, the sa- 
 vour, the smell, the bigness, the fashion, and all 
 other (as they call them) accidents or qualities 
 and quantities of bread and wine, yet (say they) 
 there is no very bread nor wine, but they be 
 turned into the flesh and blood of Christ. And 
 this conversion they call Transubstantiation, that 
 is to say, turning of one substance into another 
 substance. And although all the accidents, both 
 of the bread and wine, remain still, yet (say 
 they) the same accidents be in no manner of 
 thing; but hang alone in the air, without any 
 thing to stay them upon. For in the body and 
 blood of Christ (say they) these accidents can- 
 not be, nor yet in the air for the body and blood 
 of Christ, and the air, be neither of that bigness, 
 fashion, smell, nor colour, that the bread and 
 wine be. Nor in the bread and wine (say they) 
 these accidents cannot be ; for the substance of 
 
OF THE lord's SUPPER. 37 
 
 bread and wine (as they affirm) be clean gone. 
 And so there remaineth whiteness, but nothing- 
 is white : there remaineth colours, but nothing- 
 is coloured therewith : there remaineth round- 
 ness, but nothing is round : and there is bigness, 
 and yet nothing is big: there is sweetness, with- 
 out any sweet thing : softness, without any soft 
 thing : breaking, without any thing broken : di- 
 vision, without any thing divided : and so other 
 qualities and quantities, without any thing to 
 receive them. And this doctrine they teach as 
 a necessary article of our faith. But it is not the 
 doctrine of Christ, but the subtle invention of 
 Antichrist, first decreed by Innocent the Third ^ 
 and after more at large set forth by school au- 
 thors, whose study was ever to defend and set 
 abroad to the world all such matters, as the bi- 
 shops of Rome had once decreed. And the devil, 
 by his minister Antichrist, had so dazzled the 
 eyes of a great multitude of Christian people in 
 these latter days, that they sought not for their 
 faith at the clear light of God's word, but at the 
 Romish Antichrist, believing whatsoever he pre- 
 scribed unto them, yea though it were against all 
 reason, all senses, and God's most holy word 
 also. For else he could not have been very Anti- 
 christ indeed, except he had been so repugnant 
 
 '' De stunma Trini. et fide Catholica. 
 
38 THE TRUE DOCTRINE AND USE 
 
 unto Christ, whose doctrine is clean contrary to 
 this doctrine of Antichrist. For Christ teach- 
 eth, that we receive very bread and wine in the 
 most blessed Supper of the Lord, as sacraments 
 to admonish us, that as bodily we be fed with 
 bread and wine bodily, so we be fed with the 
 body and blood of our Saviour Christ spiritually. 
 As in our baptism we receive very water, to sig- 
 nify unto us, that as water is an element to wash 
 the body outwardly, so be our souls washed by 
 the Holy Ghost inwardly. 
 
 The second Thc sccond principal thing, wherein the Pa- 
 is of the pre- ^ n r-i li 1 ' t ' 
 senceof pists varv from the truth of God s word, is this. 
 
 Christ in * -^ 
 
 this sacra- Tlicy say, that the very natural flesh and blood 
 of Christ, which suffered for us upon the cross, 
 and sitteth at the right hand of the Father in 
 heaven, is also really, substantially, corporeally 
 and naturally, in or under the accidents of the 
 sacramental bread and wine, which they call the 
 forms of bread and wine. And yet here they 
 vary not a little among themselves. For some 
 say, that the very natural body of Christ is there, 
 but not naturally nor sensibly. And others say, 
 that it is there naturally and sensibly, and of the 
 same bigness and fashion that it is in heaven, 
 and as the same was born of the blessed virgin 
 Mary, and that it is there broken and torn in 
 pieces with our teeth. And this appeareth 
 partly by the school authors, and partly by the 
 
OF THE L(^RD's supper. 39 
 
 confession of Berengarius % which Nicholas the 
 Second constrained him to make, which was this. 
 That of the sacraments of the Lord's table, the 
 said Berengarius should promise to hold that 
 faith, which the said Pope Nicholas and his 
 counsel held ; which was, that not only the sa- 
 craments of bread and wine, but also the very- 
 flesh and blood of our Lord Jesu Christ, are sen- 
 sibly handled of the priest in the altar, broken, 
 and torn with the teeth of the faithful people. 
 But the true Catholick faith, grounded upon 
 God's most infallible word, teacheth us, that our 
 Saviour Christ (as concerning his man's nature 
 and bodily presence) is gone up into heaven, 
 and sitteth at the right hand of his Father, and 
 there shall he tarry until the world's end, at what 
 time he shall come again, to judge both the 
 quick and the dead, as he saith himself in many 
 Scriptures. '* I forsake the world," saith he, 
 " and go to my Father'^." And in another place 
 he saith, *' You shall have ever poor men among 
 you, but me you shall not ever have *." And 
 again he saith, " Many hereafter shall come and 
 say, look, here is Christ, or, look, there he is, 
 but believe them not^" And St. Peter saith in 
 the Acts, " That heaven must receive Christ, 
 
 •= De consecrati. Distin. 2. Ego Berengarius. 
 ^ John vi. * Matt. xxvi. ' Ibid. xxiv. 
 
40 THE TRUE DOCTRINE AND USE 
 
 until the time that all things shall be restored ^" 
 And St. Paul, writing to the Colossians, agreeth 
 hereto, saying, ** Seek for things that be above, 
 where Christ is sitting at the right hand of the 
 Father ''." And St. Paul, speaking of the very 
 sacrament, saith, '* As often as you shall eat 
 this bread, and drink this cup, shew forth the 
 Lord's death until he come '." Till he come, 
 saith St. Paul, signifying, that he is not there 
 corporeally present. For what speech were this, 
 or who useth of him that is already present, to 
 say, until he come ? For until he come, signi- 
 fieth that he is not yet present. This is the Ca- 
 tholick faith, which we learn from our youth in 
 our common Creed, and which Christ taught, 
 the apostles followed, and the martyrs confirmed 
 with their blood. And although Christ in his 
 human nature substantially, really, corporeally, 
 naturally and sensibly, be present with his Fa- 
 ther in heaven, yet sacramentally and spiritually 
 he is here present in water, bread, and wine, as 
 in signs and sacraments, but he is indeed spirit 
 tually in the faithful Christian people, which 
 according to Christ's ordinance be baptized, or 
 receive the holy communion, or unfeignedly be- 
 lieve in him. Thus have you heard the second 
 principal article, wherein the Papists vary from 
 
 «" Acts iii. ■> Coloas.-iii. * 1 Cor. xi. 
 
Christ. 
 
 OF THE lord's SUPPER. 41 
 
 the truth of God's word, and from the Catholick 
 faith. Now the third thing, wherein they vary, 
 is this. 
 
 The Papists say, that evil and uneodlv men The third is. 
 
 . , "^ O J thatevilmen 
 
 receive in this sacrament the very body and ^at and drink 
 
 •^ ♦' the very bo- 
 
 blood of Christ, and eat and drink the self-same *^J?°'''''°°*^ 
 
 ' 01 
 
 thing that the good and godly men do. But 
 the truth of God's word is contrary, that all 
 those that be godly members of Christ, as they 
 corporally eat the bread and drink the wine, so 
 spiritually they eat and drink Christ's very flesh 
 and blood ; and as for the wicked members of 
 the devil, they eat the sacramental bread, and 
 drink the sacramental wine, but they do not 
 spiritually eat Christ's flesh, nor drink his 
 blood, but they eat and drink their own damna- 
 tion. 
 
 The fourth thing, wherein the Popish priests 
 dissent from the manifest word of God, is this. 
 They say, that they offer Christ every day for 
 remission of sin, and distribute by their masses 
 the merits of Christ's passion. But the pro- 
 phets, apostles, and evangelists do say^ that 
 Christ himself in his own person made a sacri- 
 fice for our sins upon the cross, by whose wounds 
 all our diseases were healed, and our sins par- 
 doned; and so did never no priest, man, nor 
 creature but he, nor he did the same never more 
 than once. And the benefit hereof is in no 
 
42 THE TRUE DOCTRINE AND USE, &C; 
 
 man's power to give unto any other, but every 
 man must receive it at Christ's hands himself, 
 by his own faith and belief, as the prophet 
 saith ". 
 
 '' Habakkuk ii. 
 
 HERE ENDETH THE FIRST BOOK. 
 
THE SECOND BOOK 
 
 IS 
 
 AGAINST THE ERROR 
 
 TRANS UBSTANTIATION. 
 
 Thus have you heard declared four things, chap. 
 wherein chiefly the Papistical doctrine varieth ^- 
 from the true word of God, and from the oldJJ-J^"/-, 
 Catholick Christian faith, in this matter of the f^Zsli- 
 
 -r 1 J o stantiation. 
 
 Lord s Supper. 
 
 Now, lest any man should think that I feign 
 any thing of mine own head, without any other 
 ground or authority, you shall hear, by God's 
 grace, as well the errors of the Papists confuted, 
 as the Catholick truth defended, both by God's 
 most certain word, and also by the most old 
 approved authors and martyrs of Christ's 
 church. 
 
44 AGAINST THE ERROR OF 
 
 CHAP, And first, that bread and wine remain after 
 
 II. 
 
 the words of consecration, and be eaten and 
 ticaidoc- drunken in the Lord's Supper, is most manifest 
 
 trine is con- 
 trary to by the plain words of Christ himself, when he 
 
 God's word. . . ^ 
 
 ministered the same supper unto his disciples. 
 For as the Evangelists write, " Christ took 
 bread, and brake it, and gave it to his disciples, 
 and said. Take, eat, this is my body '." 
 
 Here the Papists triumph of these words, when 
 Christ said, *' This is my body ""," which they 
 call the words of consecration. For (say they) 
 as soon as these words be fully ended, there is 
 no bread left, nor none other substance, but only 
 Christ's body. When Christ said " this," the 
 bread (say they) remained. And when he said 
 *' is," yet the bread remained. Also when he 
 added ** my," the bread remained still. And 
 when he said " bo-," yet the bread was there 
 still. But when he had finished the whole sen- 
 tence, " This is my body," then (say they) the 
 bread was gone, and there remained no sub- 
 stance but Christ's body, as though the bread 
 could not remain, when it is made a sacrament. 
 But this negative, that there is no bread, they 
 make of their own brains, by their unwritten 
 verities. 
 
 Oh, good Lord, how would they have bragged 
 if Christ had said, this is no bread ! But Christ 
 
 ' Matt. xxvi. Mark xiv. *" Luke xxii. 
 
TRANSUBSTANTIATIO^T. 45 
 
 spake not that negative, this is no bread, but 
 said affirmingly, " This is my body," not deny- 
 ing the bread, but affirming that his body was 
 eaten (meaning spiritually) as the bread was 
 eaten corporally. And that this was the mean- 
 ing of Christ, appeareth plainly by St. Paul, in 
 the tenth chapter to the Corinthians, the first 
 Epistle, where he (speaking of the same matter) 
 saith, ** Is not the bread, which we break, the 
 communion of the body of Christ"?" Who un- 
 derstood the mind of Christ better than St. Paul, 
 to whom Christ shewed his most secret counsels? 
 And St. Paul is not afraid, for our better under- 
 standing of Christ's words, somewhat to alter 
 the same, lest we might stand stiffly in the letters 
 and syllables, and err in mistaking of Christ's 
 words. For whereas our Saviour Christ brake 
 the bread and said. This is my body, St. Paul 
 saith, that the bread which we break is the 
 communion of Christ's body. Christ said, his 
 body: and St. Paul said, the communion of his 
 body : meaning, nevertheless, both one thing, 
 that they, which eat the bread worthily, do eat 
 spiritually Christ's very body. And so Christ 
 calleth the bread his body, (as the old authors 
 report,) because it representeth his body, and 
 signifieth unto them which eat that bread ac- 
 cording to Christ's ordinance, that they do spi- 
 
 " 1 Cor, X. 
 
46 AGAINST THE ERROR OF 
 
 ritually eat his body, and be spiritually fed and 
 nourished by him, and yet the bread remaineth 
 still there, as a sacrament to signify the same. 
 But of these words of consecration shall be 
 spoken hereafter more at large. Therefore to 
 return to the purpose, that the bread remaineth, 
 and is eaten in this sacrament, appeareth by the 
 words which go before the consecration. For 
 that Christ " took bread, and brake it, and gave 
 it to his disciples, and said. Take, eat^:" all this 
 was done and spoken before the words of conse- 
 cration. Wherefore they must needs be under- 
 stood of the very bread, that Christ took bread, 
 brake bread, gave bread to his disciples, com- 
 manding them to take bread, and eat bread. 
 But the same is more plain and evident of the 
 wine, that it remaineth, and is drunken at the 
 Lord's Supper, as well by the words that go be- 
 fore, as by the words that follow after the con- 
 secration. For before the words of consecration, 
 Christ took the cup of wine, and gave it unto 
 his disciples, and said, " Drink you allof this''." 
 And after the words of consecration followeth, 
 " they drank all of it'." Now I ask all the Pa- 
 pists, what thing it was that Christ commanded 
 his disciples to drink, when he said. Drink ye all 
 of this ? The blood of Christ was not yet there, 
 by their own confession, for it was spoken be- 
 
 " Matt. xxvi. '' Ibid, ' Mark xiv. 
 
TRANSUBSTANTIATION. 47 
 
 fore the consecration : therefore it could be no- 
 thing else but wine that he commanded them to 
 drink. Then I ask the Papists once again, whe- 
 ther the disciples drank wine or not ? If they 
 say, yea, then let them recant their error, that 
 there was no wine remaining after the consecra- 
 tion. If they say, nay, then they condemn the 
 apostles of disobedience to Christ's command- 
 ment, which drank not wine as he commanded 
 them. Or rather they reprove Christ as a jug- 
 gler, which commanded his apostles to drink 
 wine, and when they came to the drinking there- 
 of, he himself had conveyed it away. Moreover, 
 before Christ delivered the cup of wine to his 
 disciples, he said unto them, "Divide this among 
 you'." Here would I ask the Papists another 
 question, what thing it was that Christ com- 
 manded his disciples to divide among them ? I 
 am sure they will not say, it was the cup, except 
 they be disposed to make men laugh at them. 
 Nor I think they will not say, it was the blood 
 of Christ, as well because the words were spoken 
 before the consecration, as because the blood of 
 Christ is not divided, but spiritually given whole 
 in the sacrament. Then could it be understood 
 of nothing else but of wine, which they should 
 divide among them, and drink all together. And 
 when the communion was ended, Christ said 
 
 * Luke xxii. 
 
48 AGAINST THE ERROR OF 
 
 unto his apostles, *' Verily I say unto you, that 
 I will drink no more henceforth of this fruit of 
 the vine, until that day, that I shall drink it new 
 with you, in my Father's kingdom*." By these 
 words it is clear, that it was very wine that the 
 apostles drank at that godly supper. For the 
 blood of Christ is not the fruit of the vine, nor 
 the accidents of wine ; nor none other thing is 
 the fruit of the vine, but very wine only. How 
 could Christ have expressed more plainly, that 
 bread and wine remain, than by taking the bread 
 in his hands, and breaking it himself, and giving 
 it unto his disciples, commanding them to eat it? 
 And by taking the cup of wine in his hands, and 
 delivering it unto them, commanding them to 
 divide it among them, and to drink it, and call^ 
 ing it the fruit of the vine? These words of 
 Christ be so plain, that if an angel of heaven 
 would tell us the contrary, he ought not to be 
 believed. And then much less may we believe 
 the subtle lying Papists. If Christ would have 
 had us to believe (as a necessary article of our 
 faith) that there remaineth neither bread nor 
 wine, would he have spoken after this sort, using' 
 all such terms and circumstances as should make 
 us believe, that still there remaineth bread and 
 wine ? What manner of teacher make they of 
 Christ, that say he meant one thing, when his 
 
 ' Matti xxvi, Mark xiv, 
 
TRANSUBSTAMTIATION. 49 
 
 words be clean contrary ? What Christian heart 
 can patiently suffer this contumely of Christ ? 
 But what crafty teachers be these Papists, who 
 devise fantasies of their own heads, directly con- 
 trary to Christ's teaching, and then set the same 
 abroad to Christian people, to be most assuredly 
 believed as God's own most holy word ! St. 
 Paul did not so, but followed herein the manner 
 of Christ's speaking, in calling of bread, bread, 
 and wine, wine, and never altering Christ's words 
 herein. *' The bread which we break," saith he, 
 " is it not the communion of Christ's body"?" 
 Now I ask again of the Papists, whether he 
 spake this of the bread consecrated or not con- 
 secrated ? They cannot say that he spake it of 
 the bread unconsecrated, for that is not the com- 
 munion of Christ's body by their own doctrine. 
 And if St. Paul spake it of bread consecrated, 
 then they must needs confess, that after conse- 
 cration such bread remaineth, as is broken bread, 
 which can be none other than very true material 
 bread. And straightways after St. Paul saith, 
 in the same place, *' that we be partakers of 
 one bread and one cup \" And in the next 
 chapter, speaking more fully of the same matter, 
 four times he nameth the bread and the cup, 
 never making mention of any transubstantiation, 
 or remaining of accidents without any sub- ^ 
 
 " 1 Cor. X. '' Ibid. 
 
50 AGAINST THE ERROR OF 
 
 stance; which things he would have made some 
 mention of, if it had been a necessary article of 
 our faith to believe that there remaineth no 
 bread nor wine. Thus it is evident and plain, 
 by the words of the Scripture, that after conse- 
 cration remaineth bread and wine, and that the 
 Papistical doctrine of Transubstantiation is di- 
 rectly contrary to God's word. 
 CHAP. Let us now consider also, how the same is 
 [^; against natural reason and natural operation. 
 
 ciS'^dStrf ' which although they prevail not against God's 
 leafon^' vi^ord, yct wlicu they be joined with God's word, 
 they be of great moment to confirm any truth. 
 Natural reason abhorreth vacuum, that is to say, 
 that there should be any empty place, wherein 
 no substance should be. But if there remain no 
 bread nor wine, the place where they were be- 
 fore, and where their accidents be, is filled with 
 no substance, but remaineth vacuum, clean con- 
 trary to the order of nature. We see also that 
 the wine, though it be consecrated, yet will it 
 turn to vinegar, and the bread will mould, which 
 then be nothing else but sour wine and moulded 
 bread, which could not wax sour nor mouldy, 
 if there were no bread nor wine there at all , 
 And if the sacraments were now burnt, (as in the 
 old church they burned all that remained un- 
 eaten,) let the Papists tell what is burnt. They 
 must needs say, that it is either bread, or the 
 body of Christ. But bread (say they) is none 
 
TRANSUBSTANTlATlOIf. 51 
 
 there. Then must they needs burn the body of 
 Christ, and be called Christ-burners, (as hereto- 
 fore they have burned many of his members,) 
 except they will say, that accidents burn alone 
 without any substance, contrary to all the course 
 of nature. The sacramental bread and wine also 
 will nourish, which nourishment naturally com- 
 eth of the substance of the meats and drinks, and 
 not of the accidents. The wine also will poison, 
 (as divers bishops of Rome have had experi- 
 ences, both in poisoning of others, and being 
 poisoned themselves,) which poisoning they 
 cannot ascribe to the most wholesome blood of 
 our Saviour Christ, but only to the poisoned 
 wine. And most of all it is against the nature of 
 accidents, to be in nothing. For the definition 
 of accidents is to be in some substance, so that 
 if they be, they must needs be in something. 
 And if they be in nothing, then they be not. 
 And a thousand things more of like foolishness 
 do the Papists affirm by their Transubstantiation, 
 contrary to all nature and reason ; as that two 
 bodies be in one place, and one body in many 
 places at one time, and that substances be gen- 
 dered of accidents only, and accidents converted 
 into substances, and a body to be in a place 
 and occupy no room, and generation to be with- 
 out corruption, and corruption without genera- 
 tion, with many such like things, against all 
 order and principles of nature and reason. 
 
 E 2 
 
52 AGAINST THE ERROR OF 
 
 CHAP. The Papistical doctrine is also against all our 
 outward senses, called our five wits. For our 
 
 IV. 
 
 Ja'id^cfrTne" eyes say, they see there bread and wine, our 
 against all noscs suicll bread and wine, our mouths taste, 
 and our hands feel bread and wine. And al- 
 though the article of our faith be above all our 
 outward senses, so that we believe things which 
 we can neither see, feel, hear, smell, nor taste, 
 yet they be not contrary to our senses, at the 
 least so contrary, that in such things which we 
 from time to time do see, smell, feel, hear, and 
 taste, we shall not trust our senses, but believe 
 clean contrary. Christ never made no such ar- 
 ticle of our faith. Our faith teacheth us to be- 
 lieve things that we see not; but it doth not bid 
 us, that we shall not believe that we see daily 
 with our eyes, and hear with our ears, and grope 
 with our hands. For although our senses can- 
 not reach so far as our faith doth, yet so far as 
 the compass of our senses doth usually reach, 
 our faith is not contrary to the same, but rather 
 our senses do confirm our faith. Or else what 
 availeth it to St. Thomas, for the confirmation of 
 Christ's resurrection, that he did put his hand 
 into Christ's side, and felt his wounds, if he 
 might not trust his senses, nor give no credit 
 thereto ? And what a wide door is here opened 
 to Valentinus, Marcion, and other hereticks, 
 which said that Christ was not crucified, but 
 that Simon Cvrenaeus was crucified for him, al- 
 
TRAN8UBSTANTIATI0K. 53 
 
 though to the sight of the people it seemed that 
 Christ was crucified ? Or to such hereticks as 
 said, that Christ was no man, although to men's 
 sights he appeared in the form of man, and 
 seemed to be hungry, dry, weary ; to weep, 
 sleep, eat, drink, yea and to die like as other 
 men do ? For if we once admit this doctrine, 
 then no credit is to be given to our senses, we 
 open a large field, and give a great occasion unto 
 an innumerable rabblement of most heinous he- 
 resies. And if there be no trust to be given to 
 our senses in this matter of the sacrament, why 
 then do the Papists so stoutly affirm, that the 
 accidents remain after the consecration, which 
 cannot be judged but by the senses? For the 
 Scripture speaketh no word of the accidents of 
 bread and wine, but of the bread and wine 
 themselves. And it is against the nature and 
 definition of accidents to be alone without any 
 substance. Wherefore if we may not trust our 
 senses in this matter of the sacrament, then if 
 the substance of the bread and wine be gone, 
 why may we not then, say, that the accidents be 
 gone also ? And if we must needs believe our 
 senses, as concerning the accidents of bread and 
 wine, why may we not do the like of the sub- 
 stance, and that rather than of the accidents ? 
 Forasmuch as after the consecration, the Scrip- 
 ture saith in no place, that there is no substance 
 of bread nor of wine, but calleth them still by 
 
54 AGAINST THE ERROR OF 
 
 such names, as signify the substances, and not 
 the accidents. And finally, if our senses be 
 daily deceived in this matter, then is the sensible 
 sacrament nothing else, but an illusion of our 
 senses. And so we make much for their pur- 
 pose, that said that Christ was a crafty juggler, 
 that made things to appear to men's sights, that 
 indeed were no such things, but forms only, 
 figures and appearances of them. But to con- 
 clude in few words this process of our senses, 
 let all the Papists lay their heads together, and 
 they shall never be able to shew one article of 
 our faith, so directly contrary to our senses, that 
 all our senses by daily experience shall affirm a 
 thing to be, and yet our faith shall teach us the 
 contrary thereunto. 
 CHAP. Now forasmuch as it is declared, how this Pa- 
 ^- pistical opinion of Transubstantiation is against 
 
 Ja'iSS' ^^^ word of God, against nature, against reason, 
 to theSii ^^d against all our senses, we shall shew fur- 
 autVorsof thcrmorc, that it is against the faith and doc- 
 church. trme of the old authors of Christ's church, be- 
 ginning at those authors, which were nearest 
 unto Christ's time, and therefore might best 
 justinus. know the truth herein. First, Justinus, a great 
 learned man, and an holy martyr, the oldest au- 
 thor that this day is known to write any treatise 
 upon the sacraments, and wrote not much 
 above one hundred years after Christ's ascen- 
 sion. 
 
TRANSUBSTANTIATION. 55 
 
 He writeth in his second Apology, " That the 
 bread, water, and wine in this sacrament, are 
 not to be taken as other common meats and 
 drinks be, but they be meats ordained purposely 
 to give thanks to God, and therefore be called 
 Eucharistia, and be called also the body and 
 blood of Christ. And that it is lawful for none 
 to eat or drink of them, but that profess Christ, 
 and live according to the same. And yet the 
 same meat and drink," saith he, *' is changed 
 into our flesh and blood, and nourisheth our bo- 
 dies." By which saying it is evident, that Jus- 
 tinus thought, that the bread and wine remained 
 still, for else it could not have been turned into 
 our flesh and blood, to nourish our bodies. 
 Next to him was Ireneeus ^, above one hundred 
 and fifty years after Christ, who (as it is to be 
 supposed) could not be deceived in the neces- 
 sary points of our faith, for he was a disciple of 
 Polycarpus, which was disciple to St. John the 
 Evangelist. This Ireneeus followeth the sense 
 of Justinus wholly in this matter, and almost 
 also his words, saying, *' That the bread wherein 
 we give thanks unto God, although it be of the 
 earth, yet when the name of God is called upon ■ 
 it, it is not then common bread, but the bread 
 of thanksgiving, having two things in it, one 
 earthly and the other heavenly. What meant 
 
 ^ Irenaeus contra Valentin, li. 4. cap. ^4. 
 
56 AGAINST THE ERROR OF 
 
 he by the heavenly thing, but the sanctification 
 which Cometh by the invocation of the name of 
 God ? And w^hat by the earthly thing, but the 
 very bread, which (as he said before) is of the 
 earth, and which also (he saith) doth nourish 
 our bodies, as other bread doth which we do 
 use? 
 
 Shortly after Irenaeus was Origen, about two 
 hundred years after Christ's ascension ; who 
 also affirmeth, that the material bread remain- 
 eth, saying, "That the nature of the bread avail- 
 eth nothing, but goeth down into the belly, and 
 is voided downward ; but the word of God, 
 spoken upon the bread, is it that availeth^" 
 After Origen came Cyprian the holy martyr, 
 about the year of our Lord 250, who writeth 
 against them that ministered this sacrament with 
 water only, and without wine. " Forasmuch," 
 saith he, " as Christ said, I am a true vine, 
 therefore the blood of Christ is not water, but 
 wine ; nor it cannot be thought that his blood 
 (whereby we be redeemed and have life) is in 
 the cup, when wine is not in the cup, whereby 
 the blood of Christ is shewed \" 
 
 What words could Cyprian have spoken more 
 plainly, to shew that the wine doth remain, than 
 to say thus : " If there be no wine, there is no 
 
 ^ Origenes in Math. cap. 15. 
 
 * Cyprian, ad Csecilium, li. 2. Epistola 3. 
 
TRANSUBSTANTIATION. 57 
 
 blood of Christ." And yet he speaketh shortly 
 after, as plainly, in the same Epistle : ** Christ," 
 saith he, '* taking the cup, blessed it, and gave 
 it to his disciples, saying, * Drink you all of this, 
 for this is the blood of the New Testament, which 
 shall be shed for many, for the remission of sins. 
 I say unto you, that from henceforth I will not 
 drink of this creature of the vine, until I shall 
 drink with you new wine in the kingdom of my 
 Father.' By these words of Christ," says St. 
 Cyprian, ** we perceive, that the cup which the 
 Lord offered, was not only water, but also wine ; 
 and that it was wine, that Christ called his 
 blood ; whereby it is clear, that Christ's blood is 
 not offered, if there be no wine in the chalice." 
 And after it followeth : '' How shall we drink 
 with Christ new wine of the creature of the vine, 
 if in the sacrifice of God the Father and of Christ 
 we do not offer wine ?" In these words of St. 
 Cyprian appeareth most manifestly, that in this 
 sacrament is not only offered very wine, that is 
 made of grapes that come of the vine, but also 
 that we drink the same. And yet the same giv- 
 eth us to understand, that if we drink that wine 
 worthily, we drink also spiritually the very blood 
 of Christ, which was shed for our sins. 
 
 Eusebius Emissenus, a man of singular fame Eusebius 
 
 ^ Emissenus. 
 
 in learning, about three hundred years after 
 Christ's ascension, did in few words set out this 
 matter so plainly, (both how the bread and wine 
 
58 AGAINST THE ERROR OF 
 
 be converted into the body and blood of Christ, 
 and yet remain still in their nature, and also 
 how, besides the outward receiving of bread and 
 wine, Christ is inwardly by faith received in our 
 hearts,) all this, I say, he doth so plainly set 
 out, that more plainness cannot be reasonably 
 desired in this matter. For he saith, that the 
 conversion of the visible creatures of bread and 
 wine, into the body and blood of Christ, is like 
 unto our conversion in baptism, where out- 
 wardly nothing is chafnged, but remaineth the 
 same that was before, but all the alteration is 
 inwardly and spiritually. '* If thou wilt know," 
 saith he ^ ** how it ought not to seem to thee a 
 new thing, and impossible, that earthly and cor- 
 ruptible things be turned into the substance of 
 Christ, look upon thyself, which art made new 
 in baptism, when thou wast far from life, and 
 banished as a stranger from mercy, and from the 
 way of salvation, and inwardly wast dead, yet 
 suddenly thou beganst another life in Christ, 
 and wast made new by wholesome mysteries, 
 and wast turned into the body of the church, not 
 by seeing, but by believing ; and of the child of 
 damnation, by a secret pureness, thou wast made 
 the chosen son of God. Thou visibly didst re- 
 main in the same measure, that thou hadst be- 
 fore, but invisibly thou wast made greater, with- 
 
 '' De Consecr. Distinct. 2. 
 
TllANSUBSTANTIATION. 59 
 
 out any increase of thy body. Thou wast the 
 self-same person, and yet by increase of faith 
 thou wast made another man. Outwardly no- 
 thing was added, but all the change was in- 
 wardly. And so was man made the son of 
 Christ, and Christ formed in the mind of man. 
 Therefore as thou (putting away thy former vile- 
 ness) didst receive a new dignity, not feeling 
 any change in thy body ; and as the curing of 
 thy disease, the putting away of thine infection, 
 the wiping away of thy filthiness, be not seen 
 with thine eyes, but believed in thy mind : so 
 likewise, when thou dost go up to the reverend 
 altar, to feed upon spiritual meat, in thy faith 
 look upon the body and blood of him that is thy 
 God, honour him, touch him with thy mind, 
 tak^ him in the hand of thy heart, and chiefly 
 drink him with the draught of thy inward man." 
 Hitherto have I rehearsed the sayings of Euse- 
 bius, which be so plain, that no man can wish 
 more plainly to be declared, that this mutation 
 of the bread and wine into the body and blood 
 of Christ, is a spiritual mutation, and that out- 
 wardly nothing is changed. But as outwardly 
 we eat the bread and drink the wine with our 
 mouths, so inwardly by faith we spiritually eat 
 the very flesh, and drink the very blood, of 
 Christ. 
 
 Hilarius also, in few words, saith the same. nuaiiu». 
 " There is a figure," saith he ; '* for bread and 
 
60 AGAINST THE ERROR OF 
 
 wine be outwardly seen. And there is also a 
 truth of that figure ; for the body and blood of 
 Christ be of a truth inwardly believed." And 
 this Hilarius was within less than three hundred 
 and fifty years after Christ. 
 
 And Epiphanius, shortly after the same time, 
 saith% that the bread is meat, but the virtue that 
 is in it, is it that giveth life. But if there were 
 no bread at all, how could it be meat ? 
 
 About the same time, or shortly after, about 
 the year of our Lord 400, St. John Chrysos- 
 tome writeth thus, against them that used only 
 water in the sacrament. ** Christ," saith he, 
 " minding to pluck up that heresy by the roots, 
 used wine, as well before his resurrection, when 
 he gave the mysteries, as after at his table with- 
 out mysteries. For he saith, of the fruit of the 
 vine ; which surely bringeth forth no water, but 
 wine**." These words of Chrysostome declare 
 plainly, that Christ in his holy table both drank 
 wine, and gave wine to drink, which had not 
 been true, if no wine had remained after the con- 
 secration, as the Papists feign. And yet more 
 plainly St. Chrysostome ' declareth this matter 
 in another place, saying, '* The bread before it 
 be sanctified, is called bread, but when it is 
 
 ' Epiphanius contra haereses, lib. 3. 10. 2. Et in Anace- 
 phaleosi. 
 
 ^ Chrysost. in Mat. ca. 26. horn. 83. 
 
 I Ad Ceesarium monachum. / 
 
TRANSUnSTANTIATION. 61 
 
 sanctified by the means of the priest, it is deli- 
 vered from the name of bread, and is exalted to 
 the name of the Lord's body, although the na- 
 ture of bread doth still remain." The nature of 
 bread (saith he) doth still remain, to the utter 
 and manifest confutation of the Papists, which 
 say, that the accidents of bread do remain, but 
 not the nature and substance. At the same 
 time was St. Ambrose, who declareth the alter- Ambrosius. 
 ation of bread and wine into the body and blood 
 of Christ, not to be such, that the nature and 
 substance of bread and wine be gone, but that 
 through grace there is a spiritual mutation by 
 the mighty power of God, so that he that wor- 
 thily eateth of that bread doth spiritually eat 
 Christ, and dwelleth in Christ, and Christ in 
 him. " For," saith St. Ambrose^, speaking of 
 this change of bread into the body of Christ, 
 " if the word of God be of that force that it can 
 make things of nought, and those things to be 
 which never were before, much more it can 
 make things that were before still to be, and 
 also to be changed into other things." And he 
 bringeth, for example hereof, the change of us 
 in baptism, wherein a man is so changed, (as is 
 before declared in the words of Eusebius,) that 
 he is made a new creature, and yet his substance 
 
 ' De iis qui mysteriis initiantur, cap. ultim. et de sacramentis, 
 li. 4. ca. 4. 
 
62 AGAINST THE ERKOR OF 
 
 remaineth the same that was before. And St. 
 Aiigustimis. Augustine % about the same time, wrote thus : 
 ** That which you see in the altar, is the bread 
 and the cup, which also your eyes do shew you. 
 But faith sheweth further, that bread is the body 
 of Christ, and the cup his blood." Here he de- 
 clareth four things to be in the sacrament : two 
 that we see, which be bread and wine; and 
 other two, which we see not, but by faith only, 
 which be the body and blood of Christ. And 
 the same thing he declareth also as plainly in 
 another place '', saying, " The sacrifice of the 
 church consisteth of two things ; of the visible 
 kind of the element, and of the invisible flesh 
 and blood of our Lord Jesu Christ, both of the 
 sacrament, and of the thing signified by the sa- 
 crament : even as the person of Christ consist- 
 eth of God and man, forasmuch as he is very 
 God and very man. For every thing containeth 
 in it the very nature of those things, whereof it 
 consisteth. Now the sacrifice of the church 
 consisteth of two things ; of the sacrament, and 
 of the thing thereby signified, that is to say, the 
 body of Christ. Therefore there is both the 
 sacrament, and the thing of the sacrament, which 
 is Christ's body." What can be devised to be 
 spoken more plainly against the error of the Pa- 
 
 ^ Auguatinus in sermone ad infantes, 
 '' In lib. sententiarum Prosperi. 
 
TRANSUBSTANTIATION". G3 
 
 pists, which say that no bread nor wine remain- 
 eth in the sacrament ? For as the person of 
 Christ consisteth of two natures, that is to say, 
 of his manhood, and of his Godhead, (and there- 
 fore both those natures remain in Christ,) even 
 so (saith St. Augustine) the sacrament consist- 
 eth of two natures ; of the elements of bread and 
 wine, and of the body and blood of Christ ; and 
 therefore both these natures must needs remain 
 in the sacrament. 
 
 For the more plain understanding hereof, it is 
 to be noted, that there were certain hereticks, as 
 Simon, Menander, Marcion, Valentinus, Basi- 
 lides, Cerdon, Manes, Eutyches Manichaeus, 
 Apollinaris, and divers other of like sorts, which 
 said, that Christ was very God, but not a very 
 man, although in eating, drinking, sleeping, and 
 all other operations of man, to men's judgments 
 he appeared like unto a man. Others there 
 were, as Artemon, Theodorus, Sabellius, Paulus 
 Samosathenus, Marcellus, Photinus, Nestorius, 
 and many others of the same sects, which said, 
 that he was a very natural man, but not very 
 God, although in giving the blind their sight, 
 the dumb their speech, the deaf their hearing, 
 in healing suddenly with his word all diseases, 
 in raising to life them that were dead, and in all 
 other works of God, he shewed himself as he 
 had been God. Yet other there were which, 
 seeing the Scripture so plain in those two mat- 
 
64 AGAINST THE ERROR OF 
 
 ters, confessed that he was both God and man, 
 but not both at one time. For before his incar- 
 nation (said they) . he was God only, and not 
 man ; and after his incarnation he ceased from 
 his Godhead, and became a man only, and not 
 God, until his resurrection or ascension, and 
 then (said they) he left his manhood, and was 
 only God again, as he was before his incarnation. 
 So that when he was man, he was not God, and 
 when he was God, he was not man. But against 
 these vain heresies, the Catholick faith, by the 
 express word of God, holdeth and believeth, 
 that Christ after his incarnation left not his di- 
 vine nature, but remained still God, as he was 
 before, being together at one time (as he is still) 
 both perfect God and perfect man. And for a 
 plain declaration hereof, the old ancient authors 
 give two examples ; one is of man, which is made 
 of two parts, of a soul and of a body, and each 
 of these two parts remain in man at one time ; 
 so that when the soul, by the almighty power 
 of God, is put into the body, neither the body 
 nor soul perisheth thereby, but thereof is made 
 a perfect man, having a perfect soul and a per- 
 fect body remaining in him both at one time. 
 The other example, which the old authors do 
 bring in for this purpose, is of the holy supper 
 of our Lord, which consisteth (say they) of two 
 parts ; of the sacrament, or visible element of 
 bread and wine, and of the bodv and blood of 
 
TRAXSUBSTANTIATION. 66 
 
 Christ. And as in them that duly receive the 
 sacrament the very natures of bread and wine 
 cease not to be there, but remain there still, and 
 be eaten corporally, as the body and blood of 
 Christ be eaten spiritually : so likewise doth the 
 divine nature of Christ remain still with his hu- 
 manity. Let now the Papists avaunt themselves 
 of their Transubstantiation, that there remaineth 
 no bread nor wine in the ministration of the sa- 
 crament, if they will defend the wicked heresies 
 before rehearsed, that Christ is not God and 
 man both together. But to prove that this was 
 the mind of the old authors, beside the saying of 
 St. Augustine here recited, I shall also rehearse 
 divers other. 
 
 St. John Chrysostome' writeth against the 
 pestilent error of Apollinaris, which affirmed 
 that the godhead and manhood in Christ were 
 so mixed and confounded together, that they 
 both made but one nature. Against whom St. 
 John Chrysostome writeth thus : ** When thou 
 spcakest of God, thou must consider a thing 
 that in nature is single, without composition, 
 without conversion, that is invisible, immortal, 
 incircumscriptible, incomprehensible, with such 
 like. And when thou speakest of man, thou 
 meanest a nature that is weak, subject to hun- 
 ger, thirst, weeping, fear, sweating, and such 
 
 ; Chrysost, ad Cacsuiium Monaclmm, 
 F 
 
66 AGAINST THE ERROR OF 
 
 like passions, which cannot be in the divine na= 
 ture. And when thou speakest of Christ, thou 
 joinest two natures together in one person, who 
 is both passible and impassible : passible, as 
 concerning his flesh, and impassible in his 
 deity." And after, he concludeth, saying, 
 '-' Wherefore Christ is both God and man. God 
 by his impassible nature, and man because he 
 suffered. He himself being one person, one son, 
 one lord, hath the dominion and power of two 
 natures joined together, which be not of one sub- 
 stance, but each of them hath his properties dis- 
 tinct from the other. And therefore remaineth 
 there two natures, distinct, and not confounded. 
 For as before the consecration of the bread, we 
 call it bread, but when God's grace hath sancti- 
 fied it by the priest, it is delivered from the name 
 of bread, and is exalted to the name of the body 
 of the Lord, although the nature of the bread 
 remain still in it, and it is not called two bodies, 
 but one body of God's son; so likewise here, the 
 divine nature resteth in the body of Christ, and 
 these two make one son, and one person." 
 These words of St. John Chrysostome declare, 
 and that not in obscure terms, but in plain 
 words, that after the consecration the nature of 
 bread remaineth still, although it have an higher 
 name, and be called the body of Christ ; to sig- 
 nify unto the godly eaters of that bread, that they 
 spiritually eat the supernatural bread of the body 
 
TRANSUBSTANTIATIOK. G7 
 
 of Christ, who spiritually is there present, and 
 dwelleth in them, and they in him, although 
 corporeally he sitteth in heaven, at the right 
 hand of his Father. 
 
 Hereunto accordeth also Gelasius^ writing 
 against Eutyches and Nestorius, of whom the 
 one said, that Christ was a perfect man, but not 
 God, and the other affirmed clean contrary, that 
 he was very God, but not man. But against 
 these two heinous heresies Gelasius proveth, by 
 most manifest Scriptures, that Christ is both 
 God and man, and that after his incarnation 
 remained in him [[as well]] the nature of his 
 Godhead, [[as the nature of his manhood;]] so 
 that he hath in him two natures with their na- 
 tural properties, and yet he is but one Christ. 
 And for the more evident declaration hereof, he 
 bringeth two examples ; the one is of man, who 
 being but one, yet he is made of two parts, and 
 hath in him two natures, remaining both toge- 
 ther in him, that is to say, the body and the soul 
 with their natural properties. The other exam- 
 ple is of the sacrament of the body and blood of 
 Christ; *' which," saith he, *' is a godly thing, 
 and yet the substance or nature of bread and 
 wine do not cease to be there still." Note well 
 these words against all the Papists of our time, 
 that Gelasius (which was bishop of Rome more 
 than a thousand years past) writeth of this sa- 
 
 ^ Gelasius contra Eutychcn ct Neytorium. 
 F 2 
 
68 AGAtNST TH£ error OF 
 
 tt-ament, that the bread and wine cease not to 
 be there still, as Christ ceased not to be God 
 after his incarnation, but remained still perfect 
 God as he was before. 
 
 Theodoretus ' also affirmeth the same, both in 
 his first and in his second dialogue. In the first 
 he saith thus : " He that called his natural body 
 wheat and bread, and also called himself a vine, 
 the self-same called bread and wine his body 
 and blood> and yet changed not their natures." 
 And in his second dialogue he saith more plainly. 
 " For," saith he, *' as the bread and wine after 
 the consecration lose not their proper nature, 
 but keep their former substance, form, and figure, 
 which they had before, even so the body of 
 Christ, after his ascension, was changed into the 
 godly substance." Now let the Papists choose 
 which of these two they will grant, (for one of 
 them they must needs grant,) either that the na- 
 ture and substance of bread and wine remain 
 still in the sacrament after the consecration, 
 (and then must they recant their doctrine of 
 Transubstantiation,) or else that they be of the 
 error of Nestorius and others, which did say, 
 that the nature of the Godhead remained not in 
 Christ after his incarnation. For all these old 
 authors agree, that it is in the one, as it is in 
 the other. 
 
 ' Theodoretuy in Dialogis. 
 
TRANSUBSTANTIATION. 69 
 
 Now forasmuch as it is proved sufficiently, ^hap. 
 
 VI. 
 
 (as well by the holy Scripture, as by natural . 
 
 Transub- 
 
 operation, by natural reason, by all our senses, stantiaHqn 
 
 ■"■ came fioiu 
 
 and by the most old and best learned authors, Rome- 
 and holy martyrs of Christ's church,) that the 
 substaace of bread and wine do remain, and be 
 received of faithful people in the blessed sacra- 
 ment, or supper of the Lord ; it is a thing wor- 
 thy to be considered and well weighed, what 
 moved the school authors of late years to defend 
 the contrary opinion, not only so far from all ex- 
 perience of our senses, and so far from all reason, 
 but also clean contrary :;to the old church of 
 Christ, and to God's most holy word. 
 
 Surely nothing moved them thereto so much, 
 as did the vain faith which they had in the 
 church and see of Rome. For Johannes Scotus"*, 
 otherwise called Duns, (the subtlest of all the 
 school authors,) in treating of this matter of 
 Transubstantiation, sheweth plainly the cause 
 thereof. " For," saith he, " the words of the 
 Scripture might be expounded more easily and 
 more plainly without Transubstantiation; but 
 the church did choose this sense, (which is more 
 hard,) being moved thereto, as it seemeth, chiefly 
 because that of the sacraments men ought to 
 hold, as the holy church of Rome holdeth. But 
 it holdeth, that bread is transubstantiate, oi 
 
 f Scotus, sup. i, sen. distinct. 11. 
 
'70 AGAINST THE ERROR OF 
 
 turned into the body, and wine into the blood, 
 as it is shewed De summa Trinitate, etjide Catho- 
 Uca, fir miter credimus . ' ' 
 Gabriel. And Gabriel CBiel]] also, (who of all others 
 
 wrote most largely upon the canon of the Mass,) 
 saith thus : *' It is to be noted, that although it be 
 taught in the Scripture, that the body of Christ 
 is truly contained and received of Christian peo- 
 ple under the kinds of bread and wine, yet how 
 the body of Christ is there, whether by conver- 
 sion of any thing into it, or without conversion 
 the body is there with the bread, both the sub- 
 stance and accidents lof bread remaining there 
 still, it is not found expressed in the Bible. Yet 
 forasmuch as of the sacraments men must hold 
 as the holy church of Rome holdeth, as it is 
 written, De hcei^eticis, ad abolendam ; and that 
 church holdeth, and hath determined, that the 
 bread is transubstantiated into the body of 
 Christ, and the wine into his blood ; therefore is 
 this opinion received of all them that be catho- 
 lick, that the substance of bread remaineth not, 
 but really and truly is turned, transubstantiated, 
 and changed into the substance of the body of 
 Christ." 
 CHAP. Thus you have heard the cause, wherefore this 
 opinion of Transubstantiation at this present is 
 holden and defended among Christian people, 
 that is to say, because the church of Rome hath 
 so determined, although the contrary, by the 
 
 VII. 
 
TRANSUBSTANTIATION. 71 
 
 Papists' own confession, appear to be more easy, 
 more true, and more according to the Scripture. 
 But because our English Papists (who speak 
 more grossly herein than the Pope himself, 
 affirming that the natural body of Christ is natu- 
 rally in the bread and wine,) cannot, nor dare 
 not, ground their faith, concerning Transub- 
 stantiation, upon the church of Rome ; which 
 although in name it may be called most holy, 
 yet indeed it is the most stinking dunghill of all 
 wickedness that is under heaven, and the very 
 synagogue of the devil, which whosoever follow- 
 eth, cannot but stumble, and fall into a pit full 
 of errors ; because, I say, the English Papists 
 dare not now establish their faith upon that 
 foundation of Rome, therefore they seek fig- 
 leaves, that is to say, vain reasons, gathered of 
 their own brains, and authorities wrested from 
 the intent mid mind of the authors, wherewith 
 to cover and hide their shameful errors. Where- 
 fore I thought it good somewhat to travel herein, 
 to take away those fig-leaves, that their shame- 
 ful errors may plainly to every man appear. 
 
 The greatest reason and of most importance, chap. 
 and of such strength, as they think, or at the 
 
 VIII. 
 
 least as they pretend, that all the world cannot reason o» the 
 
 . . Papists to 
 
 answer thereto, is this : Our Saviour Christ tak- prove their 
 
 , . , . . Transub- 
 
 ing the bread, brake it, and gave it to his disci- stantiation. 
 pies, saying, This is my body: Now (say they) 
 as soon as Christ had spoken these words, the 
 
72 AGAINST THE ERROR OF 
 
 bread was straightway altered and changed, 
 and the substance thereof was converted into 
 the substance of his precious body. But what 
 The answer. Christian cars can patiently hear this doctrine, 
 that Christ is every day made anew, and made 
 of another substance than he was made of in his 
 mother's womb ? For whereas, at his incarna- 
 tion, he was made of the nature and substance 
 of his blessed mother ; now, by these Papists' 
 opinion, he is made every day of the nature and 
 substance of bread and wine, which (as they 
 say) be turned into the substance of his body 
 and blood. O, what a marvellous metamorpho- 
 sis and abominable heresy is this; to say that 
 Christ is daily made anew, and of a new matter : 
 whereof it foUoweth necessarily, that they make 
 us every day a new Christ, and not the same that 
 was born of the Virgin Mary, nor that was cru- 
 cified upon the cross, as it shall be plainly proved 
 by these arguments following. 
 
 First, thus : if Christ's body that was cruci- 
 fied was not made of bread, but the body that 
 was eaten in the supper was made of bread, (as 
 the Papists say,) then Christ's body that was 
 eaten was not the same that was crucified. 
 
 And again : if Christ's body that was cruci- 
 fied, was not made of bread, and Christ's body 
 that was crucified was the same that was eaten 
 at his last supper, then Christ's body that was 
 eaten was not made of thread. 
 
TRANSUBSTANTIATION. 73 
 
 And moreover, if Christ's body that was eaten 
 at the last supper was the same that was cruci- 
 fied, and Christ's body that was eaten at the 
 supper was made of bread, (as the Papists 
 feign,) then Christ's body that was crucified was 
 made of bread. 
 
 And in like manner it followeth, if the body of 
 Christ in the sacrament, be made of the sub- 
 stance of bread and wine, and the same body 
 was conceived in the Virgin's womb, then the 
 body of Christ in the Virgin's womb was made 
 of bread and wine. Or else turn the argument 
 thus : the body of Christ in the Virgin's womb 
 was not made of bread and wine, but this body 
 of Christ in the sacrament is made of bread and 
 wine ; then this body of Christ is not the same 
 that was conceived in the Virgin's womb. 
 
 Another argument. Christ that was born in 
 the Virgin's womb, as concerning his body, was 
 made of none other substance but of the sub- 
 stance of his blessed mother ; but Christ in the 
 sacrament is made of another substance ; then 
 he is another Christ. And so the Antichrist of 
 Rome, the chief author of all idolatry, would 
 bring faithful Christian people from the true 
 worshipping of Christ, that was made and born 
 of the blessed Virgin Mary, through the opera- 
 tion of the Holy Ghost, and suifered for us upon 
 the cross, to worship another Christ made of 
 bread and wine, through the consecration of a 
 
74 AGAINST THE ERROR OF 
 
 Popish priest. And thus the Popish priests 
 make themselves the makers of God. For (say 
 they) the priest by the words of consecration 
 maketh that thing which is eaten and drunken 
 in the Lord's Supper; and that (say they) is 
 Christ himself both God and man, and so they 
 take upon them to make both God and man. 
 But let all true worshippers worship one God, 
 one Christ, once corporeally made, of one only 
 corporeal substance, that is to say, of the blessed 
 Virgin Mary, that once died, and rose once 
 again, once ascended into heaven, and there sit- 
 teth and shall sit at the right hand of his Father 
 evermore, although spiritually he be every day 
 amongst us, and whosoever come together in his 
 name, he is in the midst among them. And he 
 is the spiritual pasture and food of our souls, as 
 meat and drink is of our bodies, which he signi- 
 fieth unto us by the institution of his most holy 
 supper in bread and wine, declaring that as the 
 bread and wine corporally comfort and feed our 
 bodies, so doth he with his flesh and blood spiri- 
 tually comfort and feed our souls. Ajid now 
 may be easily answered the Papists' argument, 
 whereof they do so much boast. For brag they 
 never so much of the conversion of bread and 
 wine into the body and blood of Christ, yet that 
 conversion is spiritual, and putteth not away the 
 corporal presence of the material bread and wine. 
 But forasmuch as the same is a most holy sa- 
 
TRANSUBSTANTIATION. 75 
 
 crament of our spiritual nourishment, (which we 
 have by the body and blood of our Saviour 
 Christ,) there must needs remain the sensible 
 element, that is to say, bread and wine, without 
 the which there can be no sacrament : as in our 
 spiritual regeneration there can be no sacrament 
 of baptism, if there be no water. For as bap- 
 tism is no perfect sacrament of spiritual regene- 
 ration, without there be as well the element of 
 water, as the Holy Ghost, spiritually regene- 
 rating the person that is baptized, (which is sig- 
 nified by the said water,) even so the supper of 
 our Lord can be no perfect sacrament of spiritual 
 food, except there be as well bread and wine, as 
 the body and blood of our Saviour Christ, spiri- 
 tually feeding us, which by the said bread and 
 wine is signified. And howsoever the body and 
 blood of our Saviour Christ be there present, 
 they may as well be present there with the sub- 
 stance of bread and wine, as with the accidents 
 of the same, as the school authors do confess 
 themselves ; and it shall be well proved if the 
 adversaries will deny it. 
 
 Thus you see the strongest argument of the 
 Papists answered unto ; and the chief foundation, 
 whereupon they build their error of Transub- 
 stantiation, utterly subverted and overthrown. 
 
 Another reason have they of like strength. If chap. 
 the bread should remain (say they) then should 
 
 IX. 
 
 follow many absurdities, and chiefly, that Christ argumeutfor 
 
76 AGAINST THE ERROR OF 
 
 Transub- hath taken the nature of bread, as he took the 
 
 stantiation. 
 
 nature of man, and so joined it to his substance. 
 And then as we have God verily incarnate for 
 our redemption, so should we have him impa- 
 nate. 
 The answer. Thou mayst cousidcr, good reader, that the 
 rest of their reasons be very weak and feeble, 
 when these be the chief and strongest. Truth 
 it is indeed, that Christ should have been impa- 
 nate, if he had joined the bread unto his sub- 
 stance in unity of person, that is to say, if he had 
 joined the bread unto him in such sort, that he 
 had made the bread one person with himself. 
 But forasmuch as he is joined to the bread but 
 sacramentally, there foUoweth no impanation 
 thereof, no more than the Holy Ghost is ina- 
 quate, that is to say, made water, being sacra- 
 mentally joined to the water in baptism. Nor 
 he was not made a dove, when he took upon him 
 the form of a dove, to signify that he, whom St. 
 John did baptize, was very Christ. But rather 
 of the error of the Papists themselves, (as one 
 error draweth another after it,) should follow the 
 great absurdity, which they speak upon, that is 
 to say, that Christ should be impanate and invi- 
 nate. For if Christ do use the bread in such 
 wise, that he doth not annihilate and make no- 
 thing of it, (as the Papists say,) but maketh of 
 it his own body, then is the bread joined to his 
 body in a greater unity, than is his humanity to 
 
TRAMSUBSTANTIATIOK". 77 
 
 his Godhead. For his Godhead is adjoined unto 
 his humanity in unity of person, and not of na- 
 ture : but our Saviour Christ (by their saying) 
 adjoineth bread unto his body in unity both of 
 nature and person. So that the bread and the 
 body of Christ be but one thing, both in nature 
 and person. And so is there a more entire 
 union between Christ and bread, than between 
 his Godhead and manhood, or between his soul 
 and his body. And thus these arguments of the 
 Papists return (like rivetted nails) upon their 
 own heads. 
 
 Yet a third reason they have, which they ga^ chap. 
 ther out of the sixth of John, where Christ saith, 
 
 " I am lively bread, which came from heaven, reason'."^* 
 If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for 
 ever. And the bread which I will give is my 
 flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." 
 Then they reason after this fashion. If the bread 
 which Christ gave, be his flesh, then it cannot 
 also be material bread ; and so it must needs 
 follow, that the material bread is gone, and that 
 none other substance remaineth, but the flesh 
 of Christ only. 
 
 To this is soon made answer, that Christ, in The answe 
 that place of John, spake not of the material 
 and sacramental bread, nor of the sacramental 
 eating, (for that was spoken two or three years 
 before the sacrament was first ordained,) but he 
 spake of spiritual bread (many times repeating, 
 
78 AGAINST THE ERROR OF 
 
 " I am the bread of life, which came from hea- 
 ven,") and of spiritual eating by faith, after which 
 sort he was at the same present time eaten of 
 as many as believed on him, although the sacra- 
 ment was not at that time made and instituted. 
 And therefore he said, " Your fathers did eat 
 manna in the desert, and died ; but he that eat- 
 eth this brea^ shall live for ever." Therefore 
 this place of St. John can in no wise be under- 
 stood of the sacramental bread, which neither 
 came from heaven, neither giveth life to all that 
 eat it. Nor of such bread Christ could have 
 then presently said. This is my flesh, except 
 they will say that Christ did then consecrate; 
 so many years before the institution of his Holy 
 Supper. 
 CHAP. Now that I have made a full, direct, and plain 
 answer to the vain reasons and caviilations of 
 
 XI. 
 
 Authors 
 
 wrested by thc Papists ; ordcT requireth to make likewise 
 for their"'' auswcT uuto thcir sophistical allegations and 
 
 Transub- • r t i • /• 
 
 stantiation. wrcstmg ot authors unto their fantastical pur- 
 poses. There be chiefly three places, which at 
 the first shew seem much to make for their in- 
 tent, but when they shall be thoroughly weigh- 
 ed, they make nothing for them at all. 
 
 The first is a place of Cyprian ", in his sermon 
 of the Lord's Supper, where he saith, as is al- 
 leged in the detection of the devil's sophistry, 
 
 • Cyprianus de Coena Domini. 
 
TRANSUBSTANTIATION^. 79 
 
 '* This bread, which our Lord gave to his disci- 
 ples, changed in nature, but not in outward 
 form, is, by the omnipotency of God's word, 
 made flesh." Here the Papists stick tooth and 
 nail to these words, ** changed in nature." Ergo 
 (say they) the nature of the bread is changed. 
 Here is one chief point of the devil's sophistry The answer. 
 used, who in allegation of Scripture useth ever, 
 either to add thereto, or to take away from it, or 
 to alter the sense thereof. And so have they, in 
 this author, left out those words which would 
 open plainly all the whole matter. For next the 
 words, which be here before of them recited, do 
 follow these words : " As in the person of Christ 
 the humanity was seen, and the divinity was hid, 
 even so did the divinity ineffably put itself into 
 the visible sacrament." Which words of Cy- 
 prian do manifestly shew, that the sacrament 
 doth still remain with the divinity; and that, sa- 
 cramentally, the divinity is poured into the bread 
 and wine, the same bread and wine still remain- 
 ing : like as the same divinity, by unity of per- 
 son, was in the humanity of Christ, the same 
 humanity still remaining with the divinity. And 
 yet the bread is changed, not in shape, nor sub- 
 stance, but in nature, (as Cyprian truly saith,) 
 not meaning that the natural substance of bread 
 is clean gone, but that, by God's word, there is 
 added thereto another higher property, nature, 
 and condition, far passing the nature and condi • 
 
80 AGAINST THE ERROR OF 
 
 tion of common bread, that is to say> that the 
 bread doth shew unto us, (as the same Cyprian 
 saith,) that we be partakers of the Spirit of God, 
 and most purely joined unto Christ, and spiri- 
 tually fed with his flesh and blood ; so that now 
 the said mystical bread is both a corporal food 
 for the body, and a spiritual food for the soul. 
 And likewise is the nature of the water changed 
 in baptism ; forasmuch as beside his common 
 nature^ (which is to wash and make clean the 
 body,) it declareth unto us, that our souls be 
 also washed and made clean by the Holy Ghost. 
 And thus is answered the chief authority of the 
 doctors, which the Papists take for the principal 
 defence of their error. But for further declara- 
 tion of St. Cyprian's mind herein, read the place 
 of him before recited, fol. 78. 
 ciiAr. Another authority they have of St.JohnChry- 
 _ sostome, which they boast also to be invincible. 
 
 XII. 
 
 chrysosto- Chrysostomc (say they) writeth us, in a certain 
 homely De Eucharistia: " Dost thou see bread? 
 Dost thou see wine ? Do they void beneath, as 
 other meats do ? God forbid ; think not so. For 
 as wax, if it be put into the fire, it is made like 
 the fire, no substance remaineth, nothing is left : 
 so here also think thou that the mysteries be 
 consumed by the substance of the body." At 
 these words of Chrysostome the Papists do tri- 
 iimph, as though they had won the field. Lo, 
 (say they,) doth not Chrysostomus, the great 
 
TRANSUBSTAXTIATIOX. 81 
 
 clerk, say most plainly, that we see neither bread 
 nor wine ? but that, as wax in the fire, they be 
 consumed to nothing, so that no substance re- 
 maineth ? But if they had rehearsed no more The answer. 
 but the very next sentence that followeth in 
 Chrysostome, (which craftily and maliciously 
 they leave out,) the meaning of St. John Chry- 
 sostome would easily have appeared, and yet 
 will make them blush, if they be not utterly past 
 shame. For after the foresaid words of Chry- 
 sostome, immediately follow these words : 
 " Wherefore," saith he, " when ye come to 
 these mysteries, do not think that you receive 
 by a man the body of God, but that with 
 tongues you receive fire by the angels sera- 
 phim." And straight after it followeth thus : 
 " Think that the blood of salvation floweth out 
 of the pure and godly side of Christ, and so 
 coming to it receive it with pure lips. Where- 
 fore, brethren, I pray you and beseech you, let 
 us not be from the church, nor let us not be oc- 
 cupied there with vain communication, but let 
 us stand fearful and trembling, casting down our 
 eyes, lifting up our minds, mourning privily 
 without speech, and rejoicing in our hearts." 
 These words of Chrysostome do follow immedi- 
 ately after the other words, which the Papists 
 before rehearsed. Therefore if the Papists will 
 gather of the words by them recited, that there 
 is neither bread nor wine in the sacrament, J 
 
 G 
 
82 AGAINST THE ERROR OF 
 
 may as well gather of the words that follow, that 
 there is neither priest nor Christ's body. For 
 as in the former sentence Chrysostome saith, 
 that we may not think that we see bread and 
 wine : so in the second sentence he saith, that 
 we may not think that we receive the body of 
 Christ of the priest's hands. Wherefore if upon 
 the second sentence, (as the Papists themselves 
 will say,) it cannot be truly gathered, that in 
 the holy communion there is not the body of 
 Christ ministered by the priest : then must they 
 confess also, that it cannot be well and truly ga- 
 thered upon the first sentence, that there is no 
 bread nor wine. But there be all these things 
 together in the holy communion : Christ himself 
 spiritually eaten and drunken, and nourishing 
 the right believers ; the bread and wine as a sa- 
 crament declaring the same ; and the priest as a 
 minister thereof. Wherefore St. John Chrysos- 
 tome meant not absolutely to deny that there is 
 bread and wine, or to deny utterly the priest 
 and the body of Christ to be there; but he useth 
 Negatives a spccch wliicli is no pure nes^ative, but a ne^a- 
 
 by coinpa- . . 
 
 lison. tivc by comparison: which fashion of speech is 
 commonly used, not only in the Scripture, and 
 among all good authors, but also in all manner 
 of languages. For when two things be compared 
 together, in the extolling of the more excell-ent, 
 or abasing of the more vile, is many times used 
 a negative by comparison, which nevertheless is 
 
TTlA?;rsU.B3TANTIATI0Ne 83 
 
 no pure negative, but only in the respect of the 
 more excellent, or the more base. As by exam- 
 ple : when the people, rejecting the prophet Sa- 
 muel, desired to have a king, Almighty God said 
 to Samuel, " They have not rejected thee, but 
 me "." Not meaning by this negative absolutely 
 that they had not rejected Samuel, (in whose 
 place they desired to have a king,) but by that 
 one negative by comparison he understood two 
 affirmatives, that is to say, that they had reject- 
 ed Samuel, and not him alone, but also that they 
 had chiefly rejected God. And when the pro- 
 phet David said in the person of Christ, ''I am 
 a worm, and not a man"";" by this negative he 
 denied not utterly that Christ was a man, but 
 (the more vehemently to express the great humi- 
 liation of Christ) he said, that he was not abased 
 only to the nature of man, but was brought so 
 low, that he might rather be called a worm than 
 a man. This manner of speech was familiar and 
 usual to St. Paul, as when he said, " It is not I 
 that do it, but it is the sin that dwelleth in me''." 
 And in another place he saith, " Christ sent me 
 not to baptize, but to preach the Gospel '." 
 And again he saith, " My speech and preaching 
 was not in words of man's persuasion, but in ma- 
 nifest declaration of the spirit and power'." 
 And he saith also, " Neither he that grafteth, 
 
 • 1 Sam. viii. •' Psal, xxii. "* Rom, vii. '' 1 Cor, i. ' Ibicl, 
 
 G 2 
 
84 AGAINST THE ERROR OF 
 
 nor he that watereth, is any thing ; but God that 
 giveth the increase*." And he saith moreover, 
 " It is not I that live, but Christ liveth within 
 me"." — And " God forbid that I should rejoice 
 in any thing, but in the cross of our Lord Jesu 
 Christ"." And further, " We do not wrestle 
 against flesh and blood, but against the spirits 
 of darkness ^."' In all these sentences, and many 
 other like, although they be negatives, never- 
 theless St. Paul meant not clearly to deny that 
 he did that evil whereof he spake, or utterly to 
 say that he was not sent to baptize, (who indeed 
 did baptize at certain times, and was sent to do 
 all things that pertained to salvation,) or that in 
 his office of setting forth God's word he used no 
 witty persuasions, (which indeed he used most 
 discreetly,) or that the grafter and waterer be 
 nothing, (which be God's creatures made to his 
 similitude, and without whose work there should 
 be no increase,) or to say that he was not alive, 
 (who both lived and ran through all countries, to 
 set forth God's glory,) or clearly to affirm that he 
 gloried and rejoiced in no other thing than in 
 Christ's cross, (who rejoiced with all men that 
 were in joy, and sorrowed with all that were in 
 sorrow,) or to deny utterly that we wrestle 
 against flesh and blood, which cease not daily 
 to wrestle and war against our enemies, the 
 world, the flesh, and the devil. 
 
 ' 1 Cor. lii. " Gal. ii. " Gal. vi. > Eplies. vi. 
 
TRANSUBSTANTIATIOX. 85 
 
 In all these sentences, St. Paul (as I said) 
 meant not clearly to deny these things, which 
 undoubtedly were all true, but he meant, that 
 in comparison of other greater things, these 
 smaller were not much to be esteemed ; but 
 that the greater things w^ere the chief things 
 to be considered : as that sin, committed by his 
 mfirmity, was rather to be imputed to original 
 sin, or corruption of nature, which lay lurking 
 within him, than to his own will and consent. 
 And that although he was sent to baptize, yet 
 he was chiefly sent to preach God's word. And 
 that although he used wise and discreet persua- 
 sions therein, yet the success thereof came prin- 
 cipally of the power of God, and of the working 
 of the Holy Spirit. And that although the 
 grafter and waterer of the garden be some things, 
 and do not a little in their offices, yet it is God 
 chiefly that giveth the increase. And that al- 
 though he lived in this world, yet his chief life, 
 concerning God, was by Christ, whom he had 
 living within him. And that although he gloried 
 in many other things, yea, in his own infirmities, 
 yet his greatest joy was in the redemption by 
 the cross of Christ. And that although our spi- 
 rit daily fighteth against our flesh, yet our chief 
 and principal fight is against our ghostly ene- 
 mies, the subtle and puissant wicked spirits and 
 devils. 
 
 The same manner of speech used also St. 
 
86 AGAINST THE ERROR OF 
 
 Peter, in his first Epistle, saying, *' That the 
 apparel of vromen should not be outwardly, with 
 braided hair, and setting on of gold, nor in put- 
 ting on of gorgeous apparel, but that the inward 
 man of the heart should be without corrup- 
 tion\" In which manner of speech he intended 
 not utterly to forbid all braiding of hair, all gold 
 and costly apparel, to all women ; for every one 
 must be apparelled according to their condition, 
 state, and degree ; but he meant hereby clearly 
 to condemn all pride and excess in apparel, and 
 to move all women that they should study to 
 deck their souls inwardly with all virtues, and 
 not to be curious outwardly to deck and adorn 
 their bodies with sumptuous apparel. And our 
 Saviour Christ himself was full of such manner 
 of sj^eeches. " Gather not unto you," saith he, 
 ** treasure upon earth "" :" willing us thereby ra- 
 ther to set our minds upon heavenly treasure, 
 which ever endureth, than upon earthly trea- 
 sure, which, by many sundry occasions, perish- 
 eth, and is taken away from us. And yet 
 worldly treasure must needs be had, and pos- 
 sessed of some men, as the person, time, and 
 occasion doth serve. Likewise he said, " When 
 you be brought before kings and princes, think 
 not what and how you shall answer'':" not will- 
 ing us by this negative, that we should negli- 
 
 ' 1 Pet. iii. * Matt. vi. * Matt. x. 
 
tuansucstantiation; 87^ 
 
 gently and unadvisedly answer we care not what, 
 but that we should depend on our Heavenly Fa- 
 ther, trusting that by his Holy Spirit He will 
 sufficiently instruct us of answer, rather than to 
 trust to any answer to be devised by our wit and 
 study. And in the same manner he spake, when 
 he said, " It is not you that speak, but it is the 
 Spirit of God that speaketh within you'." For 
 the Spirit of God is he, that principally putteth 
 godly words into our mouths, and yet neverthe- 
 less we do speak according to his moving. And 
 to be short, in all these sentences following, that 
 is to say, ** Call no man your father upon 
 earth '^." — " Let no man call you lord or mas- 
 ter '." — " Fear not them that kill the body ^" — 
 " I came not to send peace upon earth ^" — " It 
 is not in me to set you at my right hand or left 
 hand**." — *' You shall not worship the Father 
 neither in this mount, nor in Jerusalem '." — ** I 
 take no witness at no man^" — *' My doctrine is 
 not mine ^" — " I seek not my glory ""." In all 
 these negatives, our Saviour Christ spake not 
 precisely and utterly to deny all the foresaid 
 things, but in comparison of them to prefer other 
 things : as to prefer our Father and Lord in hea- 
 ven, above any worldly father, lord, or master 
 in earth, and his fear above the fear of any crea- 
 ture, and his word and gospel above all worldly 
 
 '^Matt.x. ''Matt.xxiii. -^Ibid. 'Matt.x. ^ Ibid. 
 " Matt. XX. * John iv. ^ John v. ' John vii. '" John viii. 
 
AGAINST THE ERROR OF 
 
 peace ; also to prefer spiritual and inward ho- 
 nouring of God in pure heart and mind, above 
 local, corporal, and outward honour, and that 
 Christ preferred his Father's glory above his 
 own. 
 
 Now forasmuch as I have declared at length 
 the nature and kind of these negative speeches, 
 (which be no pure negatives but by comparison,) 
 it is easy hereby to make answer to St. John 
 Chrysostome, who used this phrase of speech 
 most of any author. For his meaning in his 
 foresaid homily, was not that in the celebration 
 of the Lord's Supper is neither bread nor wine, 
 neither priest, nor the body of Christ, (which 
 the Papists themselves must needs confess,) but 
 his intent was, to draw our minds upwards to 
 heaven, that we should not consider so much the 
 bread, wine, priest, and body of Christ, as we 
 should consider his divinity and Holy Spirit 
 given unto us to our eternal salvation. And 
 therefore in the same place he useth so many 
 times these words, "Think, and think not;" 
 willing us by those words, that we should not 
 fix our thoughts and minds upon the bread, wine, 
 priest, nor Christ's body ; but to lift up our 
 hearts higher unto his spirit and divinity, with- 
 out the which his body availeth nothing, as he 
 said himself: *' It is the spirit that giveth life, 
 the flesh availeth nothing"." And as the same 
 
 " John vi. 
 
TRANSUBSTANTIATION. 89 
 
 Chrysostome in many places movetli us not to 
 consider the water in baptism, but rather to 
 have respect to the Holy Ghost, received in bap- 
 tism, and represented by the water; even so 
 doth he in this homily of the holy communion 
 move us to lift up our minds, from all visible and 
 corporal things, to things invisible and spiritual. 
 Insomuch, that although Christ was but once 
 crucified, yet would Chrysostome have us to 
 think that we see him daily whipped and scourg- 
 ed before our eyes, and his body hanging upon 
 the cross, and the spear thrust into his side, and 
 the most holy blood to flow out of his side into 
 our mouths. After which manner St. Paul wrote 
 to the Galatians ", that Christ was painted and 
 crucified before their eyes. Therefore, saith 
 Chrysostome, in the same homily, a little before chrysosto- 
 the place rehearsed, " What dost thou, O man ? ™"'' 
 didst not thou promise to the priest, which said, 
 Lift up your minds and hearts ; and thou didst 
 answer. We lift them up unto the Lord? Art 
 not thou ashamed and afraid, being at that same 
 hour found a liar ? A wonderful thing : the table 
 is set forth furnished with God's mysteries, the 
 Lamb of God is offered for them, the priest is 
 careful for them, spiritual fire cometh out of that 
 heavenly table, the angels seraphim be there 
 present, covering their faces with six wings. All 
 the angelical powers, with the priest, be means 
 
 " Galat. iii. 
 
90 AGAINST THE ERROR OF 
 
 and intercessors for you, a spiritual fire cometh 
 down from heaven, blood in the cup is drunk 
 out of the most pure side unto thy purification. 
 And art not thou ashamed, afraid, and abashed, 
 not endeavouring thyself to purchase God's 
 mercy? O man, doth not thine own conscience 
 condemn thee ? There be in the week one hun- 
 dred and sixty-eight hours, and God asketh but 
 one of them to be given wholly unto him, and 
 thou consumest that in worldly business, in tri- 
 fling and talking; with what boldness then shalt 
 thou come to these holy mysteries, O corrupt 
 conscience?" Hitherto I have rehearsed St. 
 John Chrysostome's words, which do shew how 
 our minds should be occupied at this holy table 
 of our Lord, that is to say, withdrawn from the 
 consideration of sensible things, unto the con- 
 templation of most heavenly and godly things. 
 And thus is answered this place of Chrysostome, 
 which the Papists took for an insoluble, and a 
 place that no man was able to answer. But for 
 a further declaration of Chrysostome's mind in 
 this matter, read the place of him before re- 
 hearsed, fol. 60 and 65. 
 CHAP. Yet there is another place of St. Ambrose p, 
 XIII. which the Papists think maketh much for their 
 purpose ; but, after due examination, it shall 
 plainly appear how much they be deceived. 
 They allege these words of St. Ambrose, in a 
 
 P Ambros. de iis qui mysteriis initiantur. 
 
THANSUBSTAjSTTIATION. 91 
 
 book entitled Dc iis qui mitiautur myslcrm: 
 '* Let us prove that there is not that thing which 
 nature formed, but which benediction did con- 
 secrate, and that benediction is of more strength 
 than nature. For by the blessing, nature itself 
 is also changed. ' Moses held a rod, he cast it 
 from him, and it was made a serpent. Again 
 he took the serpent by the tail, and it was turn- 
 ed again into the nature of a rod '\' Wherefore 
 thou seest, that by the grace of the prophet, the 
 nature of the serpent and rod was twice chang- 
 ed. * The floods of Egypt ran pure water, and 
 suddenly blood began to burst out of the veins 
 of the springs, so that men could not drink of 
 the flood ; but, at the prayer of the prophet, the 
 blood of the flood went away, and the nature of 
 water came again ''.' — * The people of the He- 
 brews were compassed about, on the one side 
 with the Egyptians, and on the other side with 
 the sea. Moses lifted up his rod, the water di- 
 vided itself, and stood up like a wall, and be- 
 tween the waters was left a way for them to pass 
 on foot. And Jordan, against nature, turned 
 back to the head of his spring ^' Doth it not 
 appear now that the nature of the sea floods, or 
 of the course of fresh water, was changed ? 
 * The people was dry, Moses touched a stone, 
 and water came out of the stone'.' Did not 
 
 P Exod. vii. 1 Ibid. '' Exod. xiv. ' Exod. xvii. • 
 
92 AGAINST THE ERROR OF 
 
 grace here work above nature, to make the 
 stone to bring forth water, which it had not of 
 nature ? ' Marath was a most bitter flood, so 
 that the people being dry, could not drink 
 thereof'.' Moses put wood into the water, and 
 the nature of the water lost his bitterness, which 
 grace infused did so suddenly moderate. * In 
 the time of Elisha the prophet, an axe had fallen 
 from one of the prophet's servants into the wa- 
 ter ; he that lost the iron, desired the prophet 
 Elisha's help, who put the helve into the water, 
 and the iron swam above ".' Which thing we 
 know was done above nature, for iron is heavier 
 than the liquor of water. Thus we perceive that 
 grace is of more force than nature, and yet hi- 
 therto we have rehearsed but the grace of the 
 blessing of the prophets. Now if the blessing 
 of a man be of such value, that it may change 
 nature, what do we say of the consecration of 
 God, wherein is the operation of the words of 
 our Saviour Christ ? For this sacrament which 
 thou receivest, is done by the word of Christ. 
 Then if the word of Elijah was of such power 
 that it could bring fire down from heaven, shall 
 not the word of Christ be of that power to 
 change the kinds of the elements ? Of the mak- 
 ing of the whole world thou hast read, ' That 
 God spake, and the things were done; he com- 
 
 ' Exod. XV. " 2 Kings vi. 
 
TRANSITBSTANTIATION. 93 
 
 manded, and they were created \' The word 
 then- of Christ, that could of nothing make 
 things that were not, can it not change those 
 things that be into that thing which before they 
 were not ? For it is no less matter to give to 
 things new natures, than to alter natures." 
 Thus far have I rehearsed the words of St. Am- 
 brose, if the said book be his, (which they that 
 be of greatest learning and judgment do not 
 think,) by which words the Papists would prove 
 that in the supper of the Lord, after the words 
 of consecration, as they be commonly called, 
 there remaineth neither bread nor wine, because 
 that St. Ambrose saith in this place, that the 
 nature of the bread and wine is changed. 
 
 But to satisfy their minds, let us grant, for The answer. 
 their pleasure, that the foresaid book was St. 
 Ambrose's own work ; yet the same book maketh 
 nothing for their purpose, but quite against them. 
 For he saith not that the substance of bread and 
 wine is gone, but he saith that their nature is 
 changed, that is to say, that in the holy commu- 
 nion we ought not to receive the bread and wine 
 as other common meats and drinks, but as things 
 clean changed into a higher estate, nature, and 
 condition, to be taken as holy meats and drinks, 
 whereby we receive spiritual feeding and super- 
 natural nourishment from heaven, of the very 
 
 " Psal. cxlviii. 
 
94 AGAIN^ST THE ERROR OF 
 
 true body and blood of our Saviour Christ, 
 through the omnipotent power of God and the 
 wonderful working of the Holy Ghost. Which 
 so well agreeth with the substance of bread and 
 wine still remaining, that if they were gone away, 
 and not there, this our spiritual feeding could 
 not be taught unto us by them. 
 
 And therefore in the most part of the examples 
 which St. Ambrose allegeth for the wonderful 
 alteration of natures, the substances did still re- 
 main, after the natures and properties were 
 changed. As when the water of Jordan, con- 
 trary to his nature, stood still like a wall, or 
 flowed against the stream towards the head and 
 spring, yet the substance of the water remained 
 the same that it was before. Likewise the stone, 
 that above his nature and kind flowed water, 
 was the self-same stone that it was before. And 
 the flood of Marath, that changed his nature of 
 , bitterness, changed, for all that, no part of his 
 substance. No more did that iron, which, con- 
 trary to his nature, swam upon the water, lose 
 thereby any part of the substance thereof. 
 Therefore as in these alterations of natures, the 
 substances nevertheless remained the same that 
 they v/ere before the alterations : even so doth 
 the substance of bread and wine remain in the 
 Lord's Supper, and be naturally received and 
 digested into the body, notwithstanding the sa- 
 cramental mutation of the same into the body 
 
 4 
 
TRANSUBSTANTIATION. 95 
 
 and blood of Christ. Which sacramental muta- 
 tion declareth the supernatural, spiritual, and 
 inexplicable eating and drinking, feeding and 
 digesting, of the same body and blood of Christ, 
 in all them that godly, and according to their 
 duty, do receive the said sacramental bread and 
 wine. And that St. Ambrose thus meant, that 
 the substance of bread and wine remain still after 
 the consecration, it is most clear by three other 
 examples of the same matter, following in the 
 same chapter. 
 
 One is of them that be regenerated, in whom 
 after their regeneration doth still remain their 
 former natural substance. Another is of the 
 incarnation of our Saviour Christ, in the which 
 perished no substance, but remaineth as well the 
 substance of his godhead, as the substance which 
 he took of the blessed Virgin Mary. The third 
 example is of the water in baptism, where the 
 water still remaineth water, although the Holy 
 Ghost come upon the water, or rather upon him 
 that is baptized therein. 
 
 And although the same St. Ambrose, in ano- 
 ther book, entitled De Sacramentis, doth say, 
 ** That the bread is bread before the words of 
 consecration; but when the consecration is done, 
 of bread is made the body of Christ^:" yet in 
 the same book, and in the same chapter, he tell- 
 
 '' In libro 4. De Sacramentis, cap. 4, 
 
96 AGAINTST THE ERROR OF 
 
 etli in what manner and form the same is done 
 by the words of Christ : not by taking away the 
 substance of the bread, but adding to the bread 
 the grace of Christ's body, and so calling it the 
 body of Christ. And hereof he bringeth four 
 examples ; the first, of the regeneration of a 
 man ; the second is of the standing of the water 
 of the Red Sea ; the third is of the bitter water 
 of Marath ; and the fourth is of the iron that 
 swam above the water. In every of the which 
 examples, the former substance remained still, 
 notwithstanding alteration of the natures. And 
 he concludeth the whole matter in these few 
 words : " If there be so much strength in the 
 words of the Lord Jesu, that things had their 
 beginning which never were before, how much 
 more be they able to work, that those things that 
 were before should remain, and also be changed 
 into other things !" Which words do shew ma- 
 nifestly, that notwithstanding this wonderful, 
 sacramental, and spiritual changing of the bread 
 into the body of Christ, yet the substance of the 
 bread remaineth the same that it was before. 
 Thus is a sufficient answer made unto three 
 principal authorities, which the Papists use to 
 allege, to establish their error of Transubstan- 
 tiation : the first of Cyprian, the second of St. 
 John Chrysostome, and the third of St. Am- 
 brose. Other authorities and reasons some of 
 them do bring for the same purpose ; but foras- 
 
TRANSUBBTANTIATION". 97 
 
 much as they be of small moment and weight, 
 and easy to be answered unto, I will pass them 
 over at this time, and not trouble the reader 
 with them, but leave them to be weighed by his 
 discretion. 
 
 And now I will rehearse divers difficulties, ab- chap. 
 surdities, and inconveniences, which must needs 
 
 XIV. 
 
 P ■,-, I . p m 1 • • Absunlitiea 
 
 lollow upon this error ot Iransubstantiation j tiiatibiiow 
 
 olTiansub- 
 
 whereof not one doth follow of the true and right stautiaiion. 
 faith, which is according to God's word. 
 
 First, if the Papists be demanded, what thing- 
 it is that is broken, what is eaten, what is 
 drunken, and what is chewed with the teeth, 
 lips, and mouth in this sacrament, they have no- 
 thing to answer, but the accidents. For (as 
 they say) bread and wine be not the visible ele- 
 ments in this sacrament, but only their accidents ; 
 and so they be forced to say, that accidents be 
 broken, eaten, drunken, chewed, and swallowed, 
 without any substance at all : which is not only 
 against all reason, but also against the doctrine 
 of all ancient authors. 
 
 Secondly, these transubstantiators do say, 
 (contrary to all learning,) that the accidents of 
 bread and wine do hang alone in the air without 
 any substance, wherein they may be stayed. 
 And what can be said more foolishly ? 
 
 Thirdly, that the substance of Christ's body 
 is there really, corporally, and naturally present, 
 without any accidents of the same. And so the- 
 
98 AGAINST THE ERROR OF 
 
 Papists make accidents to be without substances, 
 and substances to be without accidents. 
 
 Fourthly, they say, that the place where the 
 bread and wine be, hath no substance there to 
 fill that place, and so must they needs be granted 
 vacuum, which nature utterly abhorreth. 
 
 Fifthly, they are not ashamed to say the sub- 
 stance is made of accidents, when the bread 
 mouldeth, or is turned into worms, or when the 
 wine soureth. 
 
 Sixthly, that substance is nourished without 
 substance by accidents only, if it chance any 
 cat, mouse, dog, or any other thing, to eat the 
 sacramental bread, or drink the sacramental wine. 
 
 These inconveniences and absurdities do fol- 
 low of the fond Papistical Transubstantiation, 
 with a number of other errors as evil or worse 
 than these, whereunto they be never able to an- 
 swer, as many of them have confessed them- 
 selves. And it is a wonder to see, how in many 
 of the foresaid things, they vary among them- 
 selves. Whereas the other doctrine of the Scrip- 
 ture, and of the old Catholick church, (but not 
 of the lately corrupted Romish church,) is plain 
 and easy, as well to be understood, as to answer 
 to all the foresaid questions, without any absur- 
 dity or inconvenience following thereof: so that 
 every answer shall agree with God's word, with 
 the old church, and also with all reason and true 
 philosophy. 
 
TRANSUBSTANTIATION. 99 
 
 For as touching- the first point, what is broken, 
 what is eaten, what drunken, and what chewed 
 in this sacrament, it is easy to answer, the bread 
 and wine, as St. Paul saith: the bread which we 
 break. 
 
 And as concerning the second and third points, 
 neither is the substance of bread and wine with- 
 out their proper accidents, nor their accidents 
 hang alone in the air without any substance, but 
 according to all learning the substances of the 
 bread and wine reserve their own accidents, and 
 the accidents do rest in their own substances. 
 
 And also as concerning the fourth point, there 
 is no place left void after consecration, (as the 
 Papists dream,) but bread and wine fulfil their 
 places, as they did before. 
 
 And as touching the fifth point, (whereof the 
 worms or moulding is engendered, and whereof 
 the vinegar cometh^) the answer is easy to make, 
 according to all learning and experience, that 
 they come, according to the course of nature, of 
 the substance of the bread and wine too long 
 kept, and not of the accidents alone, as the Pa- 
 pists do fondly fancy. And likewise the sub- 
 stances of the bread and wine do feed and nou- 
 rish the body of them that eat the same, and not 
 the only accidents. 
 
 In these answers is no absurdity nor inconve- 
 nience, nothing spoken either contrary to holy 
 Scripture, or to natural reason, philosophy, or 
 
 H 2 
 
100 AGAINST THE ERROR, &C. 
 
 experience, or against any old ancient author, 
 or the primitive or Catholick church ; but only 
 against the malignant and Papistical church of 
 Rome. Whereas on the other side, that cursed 
 synagogue of Antichrist hath defined and deter- 
 mined in this matter so many things contrary to 
 Christ's word, contrary to the old Catholick 
 church, and the holy martyrs and doctors of the 
 same, and contrary to all natural reason, learn- 
 ing, and philosophy. And the final end of all 
 this Antichrist's doctrine is none other, but by 
 subtlety and craft to bring Christian people, from 
 the true honouring of Christ, unto the greatest 
 idolatry that ever was in this world devised : as, 
 by God's grace, shall be plainly set forth here- 
 after. 
 
 THUS ENDETH THE SECOND BOOK. 
 
THE THIRD BOOK 
 
 TEACHETH THE MANNER HOW 
 
 CHRIST IS PRESENT IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. 
 
 Now this matter of Transubstantiation being, as chap. 
 I trust, sufficiently resolved, (which is the first 
 
 part before rehearsed, wherein the Papistical sencroT 
 doctrine varieth from the Catholick truth,) order sacramenu^ 
 requireth next to treat of the second part, which 
 is of the manner of the presence of the body and 
 blood of our Saviour Christ in the sacrament 
 thereof, wherein is no less contention than in 
 the first part. For a plain explication whereof, 
 it is not unknown to all true faithful Christian 
 people, that our Saviour Christ, being perfect 
 God, and in all things equal and co-eternal with 
 his Father, for our sakes became also a perfect 
 man, taking flesh and blood of his blessed mo- 
 ther and virgin Mary, and, saving sin, being in 
 all things like unto us ; adjoining unto his divi- 
 nity a most perfect soul and a most perfect 
 body; his soul being endued with life, sense, will. 
 
102 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 reason, wisdom, memory, and all other things 
 required to the perfect soul of man; and his 
 body being made of very flesh and bones, not 
 only having all members of a perfect man's body 
 in due order and proportion, but also being sub- 
 ject to hunger, thirst, labour, sweat, weariness, 
 cold, heat, and all other like infirmities and pas- 
 sions of man, and unto death also, and that the 
 most vile and painful, upon the cross. And 
 after his death he rose again, with the self- same 
 visible and palpable body, and appeared there- 
 with, and shewed the same unto his apostles, 
 and especially to Thomas, making him to put 
 his hands into his side and to feel his wounds. 
 Christ cor- And with the self-same body he forsook this 
 
 porally is "^ 
 
 ascended world, aud asccndcd into heaven, (the apostles 
 
 into heaven. ' n i 
 
 seeing and beholding his body when it ascend- 
 ed,) and now sitteth at the right hand of his Fa- 
 ther, and there shall remain until the last day, 
 when he shall come to judge the quick and the 
 dead ". This is the true Catholick faith, which 
 the Scripture teacheth, and the universal church 
 of Christ hath ever believed from the beginning 
 until within these four or five hundred years 
 last past, that the bishop of Rome, with the as- 
 sistance of his Papists, hath set up a new faith 
 and belief of their own devising, that the same 
 body really, corporally, naturally, and sensibly, 
 
 * Acts iii. 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. 105 
 
 is in this world still, and that in an hundred 
 thousand places at one time, being enclosed in 
 every pix and bread consecrated. 
 
 And although we do affirm, (according to chap. 
 God's word,) that Christ is "in all persons that 
 
 II. 
 
 truly believe in him, in such sort, that with his J,l!fe*be-^'' 
 flesh and blood he doth spiritually nourish them, tru^anirthe 
 and feed them, and giveth them everlasting life, doctrine* 
 
 111 1 1 r- nil concerning 
 
 and doth assure them thereoi, as well bv the the presence 
 
 of Christ's 
 
 promise of his word, as by the sacramental bread ^°^y- 
 and wine in his holy supper, which he did insti- 
 tute for the same purpose, yet we do not a little 
 vary from the heinous errors of the Papists : for 
 they teach, that Christ is in the bread and wine : 
 but we say, according to the truth, that he is in 
 them that worthily eat and drink the bread and 
 wine. They say, that when any man eateth the 
 bread and drinketh the cup, Christ goeth into 
 his mouth or stomach with the bread and wine, 
 and no further : but we say, that Christ is in the 
 whole man, both in the body and soul of him 
 that worthily eateth the bread and drinketh the 
 cup, and not in his mouth or stomach only. 
 They say, that Christ is received in the mouth, 
 and entereth in with the bread and wine : we 
 say, that he is received in the heart, and entereth 
 in by faith. They say, that Christ is really in 
 the sacramental bread, being reserved an whole 
 year, or so long as the form of bread remaineth ; 
 but after the receiving thereof, he flyeth up (say 
 
104 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 they) from the receiver unto heaven, as soon as 
 the bread is chewed in the mouth, or changed in 
 the stomach : but we say, that Christ remaineth 
 in the man that worthily receiveth it, so long as 
 the man remaineth'a member of Christ. 
 
 They say, that in the sacrament, the corporal 
 members of Christ be not distant in place one 
 from another, but that wheresoever the head is, 
 there be the feet, and wheresoever the arms be, 
 there be the legs ; so that in every part of the 
 bread and wine is altogether whole head, whole 
 feet, whole flesh, whole blood, whole heart, 
 whole lungs, whole breast, whole back, and al- 
 together whole, confused, and mixt without dis- 
 tinction or diversity. O, what a foolish and an 
 abominable invention is this, to make of the 
 most pure and perfect body of Christ such a 
 confused and monstrous body ! And yet can the 
 Papists imagine nothing so foolish, but all Chris- 
 tian people must receive the same as an oracle 
 of God, and as a most certain article of their 
 faith, without whispering to the contrary. 
 
 Furthermore the Papists say, that a dog or a 
 cat eat the body of Christ, if they by chance do 
 eat the sacramental bread : we say, that no 
 earthly creature can eat the body of Christ, nor 
 drink his blood, but only man. They say, that 
 every man, good and evil, eateth the body of 
 Christ : we say, that both do eat the sacramental 
 bread and drink the wine, but none do eat the 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. 105 
 
 very body of Christ, and drink his blood, but 
 only they that be lively members of his body. 
 
 They say, that good men eat the body of 
 Christ, and drink his blood, only at that time 
 when they receive the sacrament : we say, that 
 they eat, drink, and feed of Christ continually, 
 so long as they be members of his body. 
 
 They say, that the body of Christ that is in 
 the sacrament, hath his own proper form and 
 quantity : we say, that Christ is there sacra- 
 mentally and spiritually, without form or quan- 
 tity. 
 
 They say, that the fathers and prophets of the 
 Old Testament did not eat the body nor drink 
 the blood of Christ : we say, that they did eat 
 his body and drink his blood, although he was 
 not yet born nor incarnated. 
 
 They say, that the body of Christ is every day 
 many times made as often as there be masses 
 said, and that then and there he is made of bread 
 and wine : we say, that Christ's body was never 
 but once made, and then not of the nature and 
 substance of bread and wine, but of the sub- 
 stance of his blessed mother. 
 
 They say, that the mass is a sacrifice satisfac- 
 tory for sin, by the devotion of the priest that 
 offereth, and not by the thing that is offered : but 
 we say, that their saying is a most heinous lie 
 and detestable error against the glory of Christ. 
 For the satisfaction for our sins is not the devo- 
 
106 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 tion nor offering of the priest ; but the only host 
 and satisfaction for all the sins of the world is 
 the death of Christ, and the oblation of his body 
 upon the cross, that is to say, the oblation that 
 Christ himself offered once upon the cross, and 
 never but once, nor never none but he. And 
 therefore that oblation, which the priests make 
 daily in their Papistical masses, cannot be a sa- 
 tisfaction for other men's sins by the priest's de- 
 votion, but it is a mere elusion and subtle craft of 
 the devil, whereby Antichrist hath many years 
 blinded and deceived the world. 
 
 They say, that Christ is corporally in many 
 places at one time, affirming that his body is 
 corporally and really present in as many places 
 as there be hosts consecrated : we say, that as 
 the Son corporally is ever in heaven, and no 
 where else ; and yet by his operation and virtue, 
 the Son is here on earth, by whose influence 
 and virtue all things in the world be corporally 
 regenerated, encreased, and grow to their per- 
 fect state ; so likewise our Saviour Christ bodily 
 and corporally is in heaven, sitting at the right 
 hand of his Father, although spiritually he hath 
 promised to be present with us upon earth unto 
 the world's end. And whensoever two or three 
 be gathered together in his name, he is there in 
 the midst among them, by whose supernal grace 
 all godly men be first by him spiritually regene- 
 rated, and after increase and grow to their spiri- 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. 107 
 
 tual perfection in God, spiritually by faith eating 
 his flesh and drinking his blood, although the 
 same corporally be in heaven, far distant from 
 our sight. 
 
 Now to return to the principal matter, lest it c«ap. 
 might be thought a new device of us, that Christ 
 
 III. 
 
 as concerning his body and his human nature is herei7by 
 in heaven, and not in earth : therefore by God's sioninour 
 grace, it shall be evidently proved, that this is creed. 
 no new devised matter, but that it was ever the 
 old faith of the Catholick church, until the Pa- 
 pists invented a new faith, that Christ really, 
 corporally, naturally, and sensibly is here still 
 with us in earth, shut up in a box, or within the 
 compass of bread and wine. This needeth no 
 better nor stronger proof, than that which the 
 old authors bring for the same, that is to say, 
 the general profession of all Christian people in 
 the common Creed, wherein, as concerning 
 Christ's humanity, they be taught to believe 
 after this sort: that he was conceived by the 
 Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary ; that he 
 suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, 
 dead, and buried ; that he descended into hell, 
 and rose again the third day ; that he ascended 
 into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of his 
 almighty Father, and from thence shall come to 
 judge the quick and the dead. This hath been 
 ever the Catholick faith of Christian people, that 
 Christ, as concerning his body and his manhood^ 
 
108 
 
 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 is in heaven, and shall there continue until he 
 come down at the last judgment. And foras- 
 much as the Creed maketh so express mention 
 of the article of his ascension, and departing 
 hence from us ; if it had been another article of 
 our faith, that his body tarrieth also here with us 
 in earth, surely in this place of the Creed was so 
 urgent an occasion given to make some mention 
 thereof, that doubtless it would not have been 
 passed over in our Creed with silence. For if 
 Christ, as concerning his humanity, be both 
 here and gone hence, and both those two be ar- 
 ticles of our faith, when mention was made of 
 the one in the Creed, it was necessary to make 
 mention of the other, lest, by professing the one, 
 we should be dissuaded from believing the other, 
 being so contrary the one to the other. 
 CHAP. To this article of our Creed accordeth holy 
 
 '. — Scripture, and all the old ancient doctors of 
 
 beieofby Christ's cliurch. For Christ himself said, " I 
 
 the Scrip- 
 ture, leave the world, and go to my Father^'." And 
 
 also he said, '* You shall ever have poor folks 
 with you, but you shall not ever have me with 
 you ^" And he gave warning of this error be- 
 fore hand, saying, " That the time would come 
 when many deceivers should be in the world, 
 and say, Here is Christ, and there is Christ; but 
 believe them not, said Christ ^" And St. Mark 
 
 ^ John xvi. <= Matt. xxvi. ^ Matt. xxiv. 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. 109 
 
 writethin the last chapter of his Gospel, ** That 
 the Lord Jesus was taken up into heaven, and 
 sitteth at the right hand of his Father '." And 
 St. Paul exhorteth all men *' to seek for things 
 that be above in heaven, where Christ," saith 
 he, " sitteth at the right hand of God his Fa- 
 ther ^" Also he saith, " That we have such a 
 bishop, that sitteth in heaven at the right hand 
 of the throne of God's majesty ^." And " that 
 he having offered one sacrifice for sins, sitteth 
 continually at the right hand of God, until his 
 enemies be put under his feet, as a footstool ''." 
 And hereunto consent all the old doctors of the 
 church. 
 
 First, Origen* upon Matthew reasoneth this <^"^p- 
 matter, how Christ may be called a stranger 
 
 V. 
 
 that is departed into another country, seeing thS°by 
 
 11--1 t 1 in 1 ^"^ieit au- 
 
 that he is with us alway unto the world s end, thors. 
 and is among all them that be gathered together 
 in his name, and also in the midst of them that 
 know him not. And thus he reasoneth : *' If he 
 be here among us still, how can he be gone 
 hence as a stranger departed into another coun- 
 try ? Whereunto he answereth, that Christ is 
 both God and man, having in him two natures. 
 And as a man he is not with us unto the world's 
 end, nor is present with all his faithful that be 
 
 • Mark vii. ^ Coloss. iii. « Heb. viii. *" Heb. x. 
 
 ' Oiigen. ill Mat. Tract. A'i. 
 
OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 gathered together m his name; but his divine 
 power and spirit is ever with us. Paul (saith 
 he) was absent from the Corinthians in his body, 
 when he was present with them in his spirit. 
 So is Christ (saith he) gone hence, and absent 
 in his humanity, which in his divine nature is 
 every where. And in this saying (saith Origen) 
 we divide not his humanity ; for St. John writ- 
 eth, that no spirit that divideth Jesus can be of 
 God ; but we reserve to both his natures their 
 own properties." In these words Origen hath 
 plainly declared his mind, that Christ's body is 
 not both present here with us, and also gone 
 hence and estranged from us. For that were to 
 make two natures of one body, and to divide the 
 body of Jesus ; forasmuch as one nature cannot 
 at one time be both with us and absent from us. 
 And therefore, saith Origen, that the presence 
 must be understood of his divinity, and the ab- 
 sence of his humanity. 
 
 And according hereunto, St. Augustine writ- 
 eth thus, in an Epistle Ad Darda?m?n ^. " Doubt 
 not but Jesus Christ, as concerning the nature 
 of his manhood, is now there, from whence he 
 shall come ; and remember well and believe the 
 profession of a Christian man, that he rose from 
 death, ascended into heaven, sitteth at the right 
 hand of his Father, and from that place, and 
 
 '' August, ad Dardanum, Epist. 57. 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. Ill 
 
 none other, shall he come to judge the quick 
 and the dead. And he shall come (as the angels 
 said) as he was seen go into heaven, that is to 
 say, in the same form and substance, unto the 
 which he gave immortality, but changed not na- 
 ture. After this form, (saith he,) meaning his 
 man's nature, we may not think that he is every 
 where. For we must beware, that we do not so 
 establish his divinity, that we take away the 
 verity of his body." These be St. Augustine's 
 plain words. And by and by, after, he addeth 
 these words : " The Lord Jesus as God is every 
 where, and as man is in heaven." And, finally, 
 he concludeth this matter in these few words : 
 " Doubt not but our Lord Jesus Christ is every 
 where as God ; and as a dweller he is in man 
 that is the temple of God, and he is in a certain 
 place in heaven, because of the measure of a 
 very body." And again St. Augustine writeth 
 upon the Gospel of St. John' : *' The Lord Je- 
 sus," saith he, ** is above, but yet the truth of 
 his word is here. His body wherein he arose is 
 in one place, but the truth of his word is spread 
 every where." And in another place of the 
 same book ™, St. Augustine, expounding these 
 words of Christ, " You shall ever have poor men 
 with you, but me you shall not ever have," saith, 
 ** That Christ spake these words of the presence 
 
 ' In Joan. Tract, 30. " Tract. 50. 
 
112 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 of his body. For (saith he) as concerning his 
 Divine Majesty, as concerning his providence, 
 as concerning his infallible and invisible grace, 
 these words be fulfilled which he spake, ' I am 
 with you unto the world's end.' But as con- 
 cerning the flesh which he took in his incarna- 
 tion, as concerning that which was born of the 
 Virgin, as concerning that which was appre- 
 hended by the Jews, and crucified upon a tree, 
 and taken down from the cross, lapped in linen 
 clothes, and buried, and rose again, and appeared 
 after his resurrection ; as concerning that flesh 
 he said, ' You shall not ever have me with you.' 
 Wherefore seeing, that as concerning his flesh, 
 he was conversant with his disciples forty days, 
 and they accompanying, -seeing, and following 
 him, he went up into heaven, both he is not 
 here, (for he sitteth at the right hand of his Fa- 
 ther,) and yet he is here, for he departed not 
 hence, as concerning the presence of his Divine 
 Majesty. As concerning the presence of his 
 Majesty, we have Christ ever with us ; but as 
 concerning the presence of his flesh, he said 
 truly to his disciples, ' Ye shall not ever have 
 me with you.' For as concerning the presence 
 of his flesh, the church had Christ but a few 
 days ; yet now it holdeth him fast by faith, 
 though it see him not with eyes." All these be 
 St. Augustine's words. 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. 113 
 
 Also in another book ", entitled to St. Auous- 
 tine, is written thus : '* We must believe and 
 confess, that the Son of God, as concerning his 
 divinity, is invisible, without a body, immortal, 
 and incircumscriptible ; but, as concerning his 
 humanity, we ought to believe and confess, that 
 he is visible, hath a body, and is contained in a 
 certain place, and hath truly all the members of 
 a man." Of these words of St. Augustine, it is 
 most clear, that the profession of the Catholick 
 faith is, that Christ, as concerning his bodily 
 substance and nature of man, is in heaven, and 
 not present here with us in earth. For the na- 
 ture and property of a very body is to be in one 
 place, and to occupy one place, and not to be 
 every where, or in riiany places at one time. 
 And though the body of Christ, after his resur- 
 rection and ascension, was made immortal, yet 
 the nature thereof was not changed ; for then, 
 as St. Augustine saith, it were no very body. 
 And further, St. Augustine sheweth both the 
 manner and form, how Christ is here present 
 with us in earth, and how he is absent, saying, 
 that he is present by his divine nature and ma- 
 jesty, by his providence, and by his grace ; but 
 by his human nature and very body, he is ab- 
 sent from this world, and present in heaven, 
 
 " De Essentia Divinitatis. 
 I 
 
114 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 Cyrillus" likewise, upon the Gospel of St. 
 John, agreeth fully with St. Augustine, saying, 
 ** Although Christ took away from hence the 
 presence of his body, yet in the majesty of his 
 Godhead he is ever here, as he promised to his 
 disciples at his departing, saying, * I am with 
 you ever unto the world's end.' " And in ano- 
 ther place P of the same book, St. Cyril saith 
 thus : *' Christian people must believe, that al- 
 though Christ be absent from us, as concerning 
 his body, yet by his power he governeth us and 
 all things, and is present with all them that love 
 him. Therefore he said, * Truly, truly I say 
 unto you, wheresoever there be two or three ga- 
 thered together in my name, there am I in the 
 midst of them.' For like as when he was con- 
 versant here in earth as a man, yet then he filled 
 heaven, and did not leave the company of an- 
 gels : even so being now in heaven with his flesh, 
 yet he filleth the earth, and is in them that love 
 him. And it is to be marked, that although 
 Christ should go away only as concerning his 
 flesh, (for he is ever present in the power of his 
 divinity,) yet for a little time he said he would 
 be with his disciples." These be the words of 
 St. Cyril. 
 
 St. Ambrose also saith \ " That we must not 
 
 • Cyrillus in Joan. lib. 6. cap. 14. "^ Libro 6. cap. 21. 
 
 '^ Ambrosius in Lucam. lib. 10. cap. 24. 
 
JN HIS HOLY SUPPER. 115 
 
 seek Christ upon earth, nor in earth, but in hea- 
 ven, where he sitteth at the right hand of his 
 Father." 
 
 And likewise St. Gregory "■ writeth thus: 
 ** Christ," saith he, " is not here by the pre- 
 sence of his flesh, and yet he is absent no where 
 by the presence of his majesty." What subtlety 
 thinkest thou, good reader, can the Papists now 
 imagine, to defend their pernicious error, that 
 Christ in his human nature is bodily here in 
 earth, in the consecrated bread and wine ; see- 
 ing that all the old church of Christ believed the 
 contrary, and all the old authors wrote the con- 
 trary ? For they all affirmed and believed, that 
 Christ, being one person, hath nevertheless in 
 him two natures or substances, that is to say, 
 the nature of his Godhead, and the nature of his 
 manhood. They say furthermore, that Christ is 
 both gone hence from us unto heaven, and is 
 also here with us in earth, but not in his human 
 nature, as the Papists would have us to believe ; 
 but the old authors say, that he is in heaven, as 
 concerning his manhood, and nevertheless both 
 here and there, and every where, as concerning 
 his Godhead. For although his divinity be such 
 that it is infinite, without measure, compass, or 
 place ; so that, as concerning that nature, he is 
 circumscribed with no place, but is every where, 
 
 ' GregOiius in Horn, ruschat, 
 1 2 
 
116 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 and filleth all the world : yet as concerning his 
 human nature, he hath measure, compass, and 
 place ; so that when he was here upon earth, he 
 was not at the same time in heaven ; and now 
 that he is ascended into heaven, as concerning 
 that nature, he hath now forsaken the earth, and 
 is only in heaven, 
 CHAP. For one nature, that is circumscribed, com- 
 passed, and measured, cannot be in divers places 
 
 VI. 
 
 cZottm at one time. This is the faith of the old Catho- 
 pilces at lick church, as appeareth as well by the authors 
 before rehearsed, as by these that hereafter 
 follow. 
 
 St. Augustine speaking, that a body must 
 needs be in some place, saith, '* That if it be not 
 within the compass of a place, it is no where. 
 And if it be no where, then it is not '." 
 
 And St. Cyril, considering the proper nature 
 of a very body, said, '* That if the nature of the 
 Godhead were a body, it must needs be in a 
 place, and have quantity, greatness, and circum- 
 scription *." 
 
 If then the nature of the Godhead must needs 
 be circumscribed, if it were a body, much more 
 must the nature of Christ's manhood be circum- 
 scribed and contained within the compass of a 
 certain place. 
 
 Didymus also ", in his book De Spiritu Saticto, 
 
 • Ad Dardanum. » Cyrillus de Trin. lib. 2. 
 
 " Didymus de Spiritu Sancto, lib. 1. cap. 1. 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. 117 
 
 (which St. Jerome did translate,) proveth, that the 
 Holy Ghost is very God; because he is in many 
 places at one time, which no creature can be. 
 *'For," saith he, " all creatures, visible and invi- 
 sible, be circumscribed and environed either with- 
 in one place, (as corporeal and visible things be,) 
 or within the propriety of their own substance, 
 (as angels and invisible creatures be,) so that no 
 angel," saith he, '* can be at one time in two places. 
 And forasmuch as the Holy Ghost is in many 
 men at one time, therefore," saith he, "the Holy 
 Ghost must needs be God." The same affirm- 
 eth St. Basil also ", " That the angel, which was 
 with Cornelius, was not at the same time with 
 Philip; nor the angel, which spake to Zachary 
 in the altar, was not the same time in his proper 
 place in heaven. But the Holy Ghost was at 
 one time in Habakkuk, and in Daniel in Baby- 
 lon, and with Jeremy in prison, and with Eze- 
 kiel in Chober; whereby he proveth, that the 
 Holy Ghost is God." Wherefore the Papists, 
 which say that the body of Christ is in an infi- 
 nite number of places at one time, do make his 
 body to be God, and so confound the two na- 
 tures of Christ, attributing to his human nature 
 that tiling which belongeth only to his divinity, 
 which is a most heinous and detestable heresy. 
 Against whom writeth Fulgentius ^ in this wise, 
 
 ' Basilius (le Spiritu Sancto, cap. 22. 
 
 ^ Fulgentius ad Trasimundum Regem, lib. 2, 
 
lis OF THE PKESENCE OF CHllIST 
 
 speaking of the distinction and diversity of the 
 two natures in Christ : " One and the self-same 
 Christ," saith he, " of mankind was made a man, 
 compassed in a place, who of his Father is God, 
 without measure or place. One and the self- 
 same person, as concerning his man's substance, 
 was not in heaven, when he was in earth, and 
 forsook the earth when he ascended into heaven: 
 but as concerning his godly substance, which is 
 above all measure, he neither left heaven, when 
 he canie from heaven, nor he left not the earth 
 when he ascended into heaven, w^hich may be 
 known by the most certain word of Christ him- 
 self, who, to shew the placing of his humanity, 
 said to his disciples, * I ascend up to my Father 
 and your Father, to my God and your God.' 
 Also when he had said of Lazarus, that he was 
 dead, he added, saying, * I am glad for your 
 sakes, that you may believe ; for I was not there.' 
 But to shew the unmeasurable compass of his 
 divinity, he said to his disciples, ' Behold, I am 
 with you always unto the world's end.' Now 
 how did he go up into heaven, but because he is 
 a very man, contained within a place ? Or how 
 is he present with faithful people, but because 
 he is very God, being without measure ?" Of 
 these words of Fulgentius it is declared most 
 certainly, that Christ is not here with us in earth, 
 but by his Godhead, and that his humanity is in 
 heaven only, and absent from us. 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. 119 
 
 Yet the same is more plainly shewed, (if more 
 plainly can be spoken,) by Vigilius', a bishop and 
 an holy martyr. He writeth thus against the he- 
 retick Eutyches, which denied the humanity of 
 Christ, holding opinion that he was only God, and 
 not man. Whose error Vigilius confuting, proveth 
 that Christ had in him two natures joined toge- 
 ther in one person, the nature of his Godhead 
 and the nature of his manhood. Thus he writ- 
 eth: '* Christ said to his disciples, * If you loved 
 me, you would be glad, for I go unto my Father.' 
 And again he said, ' It is expedient for you that 
 I go, for if I go not, the Comforter shall not 
 come to you.' And yet surely the eternal word 
 of God, the virtue of God, the wisdom of God, 
 was ever with his Father, and in his Father, yea 
 even at the same time when he was with us and 
 in us. For when he did mercifully dwell in this 
 world, he left not his habitation in heaven, for 
 he is every where whole with his Father equal 
 in divinity, whom no place can contain, for the 
 Son filleth all things, and there is no place that 
 lacketh the presence of his divinity. From 
 whence then and whither did he say that he 
 would go ? Or how did he say that he went to 
 his Father, from whom doubtless he never de- 
 parted ? But that to go to his Father, and from 
 us, was to take from this world that nature which 
 
 * Vigilius contra Eutychen, lib. 1. 
 
120 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 he received of us. Thou seest, therefore, that it 
 was the property of that nature to be taken 
 away and go from us, which in the end of the 
 world shall be rendered again to us, as the an- 
 gels witnessed, saying, * This Jesus, which is 
 taken from you, shall come again, like as you saw 
 him going up into heaven.' For look upon the 
 miracle, look upon the mystery, of both the na- 
 tures. The Son of God, as concerning his hu- 
 manity, went from us ; as concerning his divi- 
 nity, he said unto us, * Behold 1 am with you 
 all the days unto the world's end.' " 
 
 Thus far have I rehearsed the words of Vigi- 
 lius, and by and bye he concludeth thus : " He 
 is with us, and not with us. For those whom 
 he left and went from them, as concerning his 
 humanity, those he left not, nor forsook them 
 not, as touching his divinity. For as touching 
 the form of a servant, (which he took away from 
 us into heaven,) he is absent from us ; but by 
 the form of God, (which goeth not from us,) he 
 is present with us in earth : aud nevertheless, 
 both present and absent, he is all one Christ." 
 
 Hitherto you have heard Vigilius speak, that 
 Christ as concerning his bodily presence, and 
 the nature of his manhood is gone from us, taken 
 from us, is gone up into heaven, is not with us, 
 hath left us, hath forsaken us. But as concern- 
 ing the other nature of his Deity, he is still with 
 us; so that he is both with us, and not with us : 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. 121 
 
 with US in the nature of his Deity, and not with 
 us in the nature of his humanity. And yet more 
 clearly doth the same Vigilius declare the same 
 thing in another place % saying, " If the word 
 and the flesh were both of one nature, seeing 
 that the word is every where, why is not the 
 flesh then every where ? For when it was in 
 earth, then verily it was not in heaven ; and now 
 when it is in heaven, it is not surely in earth. 
 And it is so sure that it is not in earth, that as 
 concerning it, we look for him to come from 
 heaven, whom, as concerning his eternal word, ' 
 we believe to be with us in earth. Therefore by 
 your doctrine, (saith Vigilius unto Eutyches, 
 who defended that the divinity and humanity in 
 Christ was but one nature,) either the word is 
 contained in a place with his flesh, or else the 
 flesh is every where with the word. For one 
 nature cannot receive in itself two divers and 
 contrary things. But these two things be divers 
 and far unlike, that is to say, to be contained in 
 a place, and to be every where. Therefore inas- 
 much as the word is every where, and the flesh 
 is not every where, it appeareth plainly, that 
 one Christ himself hath in him two natures ; 
 and that by his divine nature he is every where, 
 and by his human nature he is contained in a 
 place ; that he is created, and hath no beginningj, 
 
 * Contra Eutychen, lib. 4. 
 
122 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 that he is subject to death, and cannot die. 
 Whereof one he hath by the nature of his word, 
 - whereby he is God, and the other he hath by 
 the nature of his flesh, whereby the same God 
 is man also. Therefore one Son of God, the 
 self-same was made the son of man, and he hath 
 a beginning by the nature of his flesh, and no 
 beginning by the nature of his Godhead. He is 
 created by the nature of his flesh, and not cre- 
 ated by the nature of his Godhead. He is com- 
 prehended in a place by the nature of his flesh, 
 and not comprehended in a place by the nature 
 of his Godhead. He is inferior to angels in the 
 nature of his flesh, and is equal to his Father in 
 the nature of his Godhead. He died by the na- 
 ture of his flesh, and died not by the nature of 
 his Godhead. This is the faith and Catholick 
 confession which the apostles taught, the mar- 
 tyrs did corroborate, and faithful people keep 
 unto this day." All these be the sayings of Vi- 
 gilius, who, according to all the other authors 
 before rehearsed, and to the faith and Catholick 
 confession of the apostles, martyrs, and all faith- 
 ful people unto his time, saith, that as concern- 
 ing Christ's humanity, when he was here on 
 earth, he was not in heaven ; and now when he 
 is in heaven, he is not in earth. For one nature 
 ' cannot be both contained in a place in heaven, 
 and be also herein earth at one time. And for- 
 asmuch as Christ is here with us in earth, and 
 
IN HIS HOLT SUPPER. 123 
 
 also is contained in a place in heaven, he proveth 
 thereby, that Christ hath two natures in him, 
 the nature of a man, whereby he is gone from 
 us, and ascended into heaven ; and the nature of 
 his Godhead, whereby he is here with us in 
 earths So that it is not one nature that is here 
 with us, and that is gone from us, that is as- 
 cended into heaven, and there contained, and 
 that is permanent here with us in earth. Where- 
 fore the Papists, which now of late years have 
 made a new faith, that Christ's natural body is 
 teally and naturally present both with us here 
 in earth, and sitteth at the right hand of his Fa- 
 ther in heaven, do err in two very horrible here- 
 sies. The one, that they confound his two na- 
 tures, his Godhead and his manhood, attributing 
 unto his humanity that thing which appertaineth 
 only to his divinity, that is to say, to be in hea- 
 ven and earth and in many places at one time. 
 The other is, that they divide and separate his 
 human nature, or his body, making of one body 
 of Christ two bodies and two natures; one which 
 is in heaven, visible and palpable, having all 
 members and proportions of a most perfect na- 
 tural man ; and another, which they say is in 
 earth here with us, in every bread and wine that 
 is consecrated, having no distinction, form, nor 
 proportion of members : Which contrarieties and 
 diversities (as this holy martyr Vigilius saith) 
 cannot be together in one nature. 
 
124 01' THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 CHAP. But now seeing that it is so evident a matter, 
 
 VII. 
 
 both by the express words of Scripture, and also 
 
 An answer 
 
 to the Pa- by all the old authors of the same, that our Sa- 
 
 pists, alleg- 
 ing for Uiem viour Christ (as concernino- his bodily presence) 
 
 these words, ^ ^ j i / 
 
 bod'"'"'*"^ is ascended into heaven, and is not here in earth ; 
 and seeing that this hath been the true confes- 
 sion of the Catholick faith ever since Christ's 
 ascension ; it is now to be considered what moved 
 the Papists to make a new and contrary faith, 
 and what Scriptures they have for their purpose. 
 What moved them I know not, but their own 
 iniquity, or the nature and condition of the see 
 of Rome, which is of all other most contrary to 
 Christ, and therefore most worthy to be called 
 the see of Antichrist. And as for Scripture, 
 
 nienioftiie they allcgc none but only one, and that not truly 
 
 Papists. Ill 1 • 
 
 understood; but, to serve their purpose, wrested 
 
 out of tune, whereby they make it to jar and 
 
 sound contrary to all other Scriptures pertaining 
 
 to that matter. 
 
 Jr'Tta'tiorof Christ took bread, (say they,) blessed and 
 
 II'tlj^u mj ^'^^^^ it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, 
 
 boaj." i( rpj^-g jg j^y ]3Q(jy " These words they ever 
 
 still repeat and beat upon, that Christ said, 
 ** This is my body." And this saying they make 
 their sheet-anchor, to prove thereby as well the 
 real and natural presence of Christ's body in the 
 sacrament, as their imagined Transubstantiation. 
 For these words of Christ (say they) be most 
 plain and most true. Then forasmuch as he said^ 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. 125 
 
 ** This is my body," it must needs be true, that 
 that thing which the priest holdeth in his hands 
 is Christ's body. And if it be Christ's body, 
 then can it not be bread, whereof they gather 
 by their reasoning, that there is Christ's body 
 really present, and no bread. Now forasmuch 
 as all their proof hangeth only upon these words, 
 ** This is my body," the true sense and meaning 
 of these words must be examined. But (say 
 they) what need they any examination ? What 
 words can be more plain than to say, ** This is 
 my body ?" 
 
 Truth it is indeed, that the words be as plain The answer, 
 as may be spoken ; but that the sense is not so 
 plain, it is manifest to every man that weigheth 
 substantially the circumstances of the place. 
 For when Christ gave bread to his disciples, and 
 said, ** This is my body," there is no man of any 
 discretion, that understandeth the English 
 tongue, but he may well know by the order of 
 the speech, that Christ Ispake those words of the 
 bread, calling it his body, as all the old authors 
 also do affirm, although many of the Papists 
 deny the same. Wherefore this sentence can- 
 not mean as the words seem and purport, but 
 there must needs be some figure or mystery in 
 this speech, more than appeareth in the plain 
 words. For by this manner of speech, plainly 
 understood without any figure as the words lie, 
 can be gathered none other sense but that bread • 
 
126 dF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 is Christ's body, and that Christ's body is bread, 
 which all Christian ears do abhor to hear. 
 Wherefore in these words must needs be sought 
 out another sense and meaning than the words 
 of themselves do bear. 
 CHAP. And although the true sense and understand- 
 ing of these words be sufficiently declared be- 
 
 VIII. 
 
 edbreadVs forc, whcu I spakc of Transubstautiatiou; yet to 
 wbe hL" make the matter so plain that no scruple or doubt 
 shall remain, here is occasion given more fully 
 to treat thereof. In which process shall be 
 shewed, that these sentences of Christ, *' This is 
 my body," " This is my blood," be figurative 
 speeches. And although it be manifest enough 
 by the plain words of the Gospel, and proved 
 before in the process of Transubstantiation, that 
 Christ spake of bread when he said, " This is 
 my body;" likewise that it was very wine which 
 he called his blood ; yet lest the Papists should 
 say that we suck this out of our own fingers, 
 the same shall be proved, by testimony of all the 
 old authors, to be the true and old faith of the 
 Catholick church. Whereas the school authors 
 and Papists shall not be able to shew so much 
 as one word of any ancient author to the con- 
 trary. 
 
 First, Irenaeus, writing against the Valenti- 
 nians, in his fourth book^ saith, ** That Christ 
 
 ** Irenaeus contra Valen. li)). 4. cap. 32. 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. 127 
 
 confessed bread, which is a creature, to be his 
 body, and the cup to be his blood." And in the 
 same book% he writeth thus also : ** The bread, 
 wherein the thanks be given, is the body of the 
 Lord." And yet again, in the same book ^ he 
 saith, ** That Christ taking bread of the same 
 sort that our bread is of, confessed that it was 
 his body. And that that thing which was tem- 
 pered in the chalice, was his blood." And in 
 the fifth book % he writeth further, " That of the 
 chalice, which is his blood, a man is nourished, 
 and doth grow by the bread, which is his body." 
 These words of Irenseus be most plain, that 
 Christ taking very material bread, a creature of 
 God, and of such sort as other bread is, which 
 we do use, called that his body, when he said, 
 ** This is my body." And the wine also, which 
 doth feed and nourish us, he called his blood. 
 
 Tertullian likewise, in his book written against 
 the Jews^, saith, *' That Christ called bread his 
 body." And in his book against Marcion, he 
 oftentimes repeateth the self-same words. And 
 St. Cyprian, in the first book of his Epistles ^, 
 saith the same thing, " That Christ called such 
 bread, as is made of many corns joined together, 
 his body : and such wine he named his blood, as 
 is pressed out of many grapes, and made into 
 
 ' Irenseus contra Valen. cap. 34. '' Cap. 57. * Lib. 5. 
 
 ' Tertullianus adversus Jiidaeos. 
 
 ^ Cyprianus ad Magnum, lib. 1. epist. 6. 
 
128 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRISt 
 
 wine." And in his second book'', he saith these 
 words, "Water is not the blood of Christ, but 
 wine." And again, in the same Epistle, he saith, 
 " That it was wine which Christ called his 
 blood ; and that if wine be not in the chalice, 
 then we drink not of the fruit of the vine." And 
 in the same Epistle he saith, " That meal alone, 
 or water alone, is not the body of Christ, except 
 they be both joined together to make thereof 
 bread." Epiphanius also saith ', ** That Christ, 
 speaking of a loaf which is round in fashion, and 
 cannot see, hear, nor feel, said of it, * This is 
 my body.' " And St. Jerome, writing Ad Hedi- 
 hiam, saith these words'', *' Let us mark, that 
 the bread which the Lord brake and gave to his 
 disciples, was the body of our Saviour Christ, as 
 he said unto them, * Take and eat, this is my 
 body.' " And St. Augustine also saith \ "■ That 
 although we may set forth Christ by mouth, by 
 writing, and by the sacrament of his body and 
 blood, yet we call neither our tongue, nor words, 
 nor ink, letters, nor paper, the body and blood 
 of Christ ; but that we call the body and blood 
 of Christ, which is taken of the fruit of the earth, 
 and consecrated by mystical prayer." And also 
 he saith"", *' Jesus called meat his body, and 
 drink, his blood." 
 
 '' Cyprianus ad Magnum, lib. 2. epist. 5. 
 
 ' Epiphan. in Ancorato. ^ Hieron. a<l Hedibiam« 
 
 ' August, de Ti'init. lib. 3. cap. 4. 
 
 " De verbis Apostoli, serm. 2. 
 
TN HIS HOLY SU1>P£R. 129 
 
 Moreover Cyril, upon Si. John, saith", ** That 
 Christ gave to his disciples pieces of bread, say- 
 ing, * Take, eat, this is my body.' " 
 
 Likew^ise Theodoretus saith", " When Christ 
 gave the holy mysteries, he called bread his 
 body ; and the cup mixt with wine and water^ 
 he called his blood." 
 
 By all these foresaid authors and places, with 
 many more, it is plainly proved, that when our 
 Saviour Christ gave bread unto his disciples, 
 saying, ** Take and eat, this is my body ;" and 
 likewise when he gave them the cup, saying, 
 '* Divide this among you, and drink you all of 
 this, for this is my blood ;" he called then the 
 very material bread his body, and the very wine 
 his blood. 
 
 That bread (I say) that is one of the creatures 
 here in earth among us, and that groweth out of 
 the earth, and is made of many grains of corn, 
 beaten into flour, and mixt with water, and so 
 baken and made into bread, of such sort as other 
 our bread is, that hath neither sense nor reason, 
 and finally that feedeth and nourisheth our bo- 
 dies. Such bread Christ called his body, when 
 he said, ''This is my body." And such wine as 
 is made of grapes pressed together, and thereof 
 is made drink which nourisheth the body, such 
 
 " Cyrillus in .Toanem. lib. 4. cap. 14. 
 " Theodoretus in Dialocro. 1. 
 
130 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 wine he called his blood. This is the true doc- 
 trine, confirmed as well by holy Scripture, as by 
 all ancient authors of Christ's church, both 
 Greeks and Latins, that is to say, that when our 
 Saviour Christ gave bread and wine to his disci- 
 ples, and spake these words, " This is my body," 
 '* This is my blood," it was very bread and wine 
 which he called his body and blood. 
 
 Now let the Papists shew some authority for 
 their opinion, either of Scripture or of some an- 
 cient author. And let them not constrain all 
 men to follow their fond devices, only because 
 they say it is so, without any other ground or 
 authority, but their own bare words. For in 
 such wise credit is to be given to God's word 
 only, and not to the word of any man. As many 
 of them as I have read (the bishop of Winchester 
 only excepted) do say, that Christ called not 
 the bread his body, nor wine his blood, when he 
 said, " This is my body, this is my blood." 
 And yet in expounding these words, they vary 
 among themselves : which is a token that they 
 be uncertain of their own doctrine. For some 
 of them say, that by this pronoun demonstra- 
 tive, " this," Christ understood not the bread 
 nor wine, but his body and blood. And other 
 some say, that by the pronoun " this," he meant 
 neither the bread nor wine, nor his body nor 
 blood, but that he meant a particular thing un- 
 certain, which they call iMdividuum vagum, or 
 
TNT HIS HOLY SUPPER. 131 
 
 individuum i?i gencre, I trow some mathematical 
 quiddity, they camiot tell what. But let all these 
 Papists together shew any one authority, either 
 of Scripture, or of ancient author, either Greek 
 or Latin, that saith as they say, that Christ 
 called not bread and wine his body and blood, 
 but individuum vagwn ; and for my part I shall 
 give them place, and confess that they say true. 
 And if they can shew nothing for them of anti- 
 quity, but only their own bare words, then it is 
 reason that they give place to the truth con- 
 firmed by so many authorities, both of Scripture 
 and of ancient writers, which is, that Christ called 
 very material bread his body, and very wine 
 made of grapes his blood. 
 
 Now this being fully proved, it must needs chap. 
 
 follow consequently, that this manner of speak- If: 
 
 ing is a figurative speech : for in plain and pro- ^od^'f wi™^ 
 per speech it is not true to say that bread is be figura°uv, 
 Christ's body, or wine his blood. For Christ'.s''^''"'"' 
 body hath a soul, life, sense, and reason : but 
 bread hath neither soul nor life, sense nor rea- 
 son. Likewise, in plain speech, it is not true 
 that we eat Christ's body, and drink his blood. 
 For eating and drinking, in their proper and 
 usual signification, is with the tongue, teeth, and 
 lips, to swallow, divide, and chew in pieces : 
 which thing to do to the flesh and blood of 
 Christ, is horrible to be heard of any Christian. 
 
 K 2 
 
l''^2 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 CHAP. 
 X. 
 
 To eat 
 
 So that these speeches, to eat Christ's body^ 
 
 and drink his blood, to call bread his body, or 
 
 ciirist's wnro his blood, be speeches not taken in the 
 
 llesli, and _ _ *• 
 
 blood ^lie P^*^P^^' signification of every word, but by trans- 
 /iguiative lation of these words, " eatinsf and drinkinof," 
 
 speeches. ' ~ ~' 
 
 from the signification of a corporeal thing* to sig- 
 nify a spiritual thing; and by calling a thing that 
 signifieth by the name of the thing which is 
 signified thereby : which is no rare nor strange 
 thing, but an usual manner and phrase in common 
 speech. And yet lest this fault should be im- 
 puted unto us, that we do feign things of our own 
 heads without authority, (as the Papists be ac- 
 customed to do,) here shall be cited sufficient 
 authority, as well of Scripture, as of old ancient 
 authors, to approve the same. 
 
 First, when our Saviour Christ, in the sixth of 
 John, said, " That he was the bread of life, the 
 which whosoever did eat, should not die, but live 
 for ever; and that the bread which he would 
 give us^ was his flesh; and, therefore, whosoever 
 should eat his flesh, and drink his blood, should 
 have everlasting life ; and they that should not 
 cat his flesh and drink his blood, should not 
 have everlasting life p." When Christ liad 
 spoken these words, with many more of the eat- 
 ing of his flesh and drinking of his blood, both 
 ^ the Jews, and many also of his disciples, were 
 
 •' Jolm vi. 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. 133 
 
 offended with his words, and said, " This is an 
 hard saying : for how can he give us his flesli to \ 
 be eaten ?" Christ perceiving their murmuring 
 hearts, (because they knew none other eating of 
 his flesh, but by chewing and swallowing,) to 
 declare that they should not eat his body after 
 that sort, nor that he meant of any such carnal 
 eating, he said thus unto them, " What if you 
 see the Son of man ascend up where he was be- 
 fore ? It is the spirit that giveth life, the flesh 
 availeth nothing. The words, which I spake 
 unto you, be spirit and life." These words our 
 Saviour Christ spake, to lift up their minds from 
 earth to heaven, and from carnal to spiritual 
 eating, that they should not fancy that they 
 should with their teeth eat him presently here in 
 earth, for his flesh so eaten (saith he) should no- 
 thing profit them. And yet so they should not 
 eat him, for he would take his body away from 
 them, and ascend with it into heaven : and 
 there by faith, and not with teeth, they should 
 spiritually eat him, sitting at the right hand of 
 his Father. " And therefore," saith he, " the 
 words which I do speak, be spirit and life:" 
 that is to say, are not to be understood that we 
 shall eat Christ with our teeth grossly and car- 
 nally, but that we shall spiritually and ghostly 
 with our faith eat him, being carnally absent x 
 
 from us in heaven, in such wise as Abraham and 
 other holy fathers did eat him, many years be.- 
 
134 OF THE PRESENCE OE CHRIST 
 
 fore he was incarnated and born. As St. Paul 
 saith, " That they did eat the same spiritual 
 meat that we do, and drank the same spiritual 
 drink, that is to say, Christ ''." For they spiri- 
 tually by their faith were fed and nourished with 
 Christ's body and blood, and had eternal life by 
 him, before he was born, as we have now, that 
 come after his ascension. Thus have you heard, 
 by the declaration of Christ himself, and of St. 
 Paul, that the eating and drinking of Christ's 
 flesh and blood is not taken in the common sig- 
 nification, with mouth and teeth to eat and chew 
 a thing being present, but by a lively faith in 
 heart and mind to chew and digest a thing being 
 absent, either ascended hence into heaven, or 
 else not yet born upon earth. 
 
 And Origen " declaring the said eating of 
 Christ's flesh and drinking of his blood, not to 
 be understood as the words do sound, but figu- 
 ratively, writeth thus upon these words of 
 Christ : " Except you eat my flesh and drink 
 my blood, you shall not have life in you." 
 '* Consider," saith Origen, '* that these things, 
 written in God's books, are figures ; and there- 
 fore examine and understand them as spiritual 
 and not as carnal men. For if you understand 
 them as carnal men, they hurt you and feed you 
 not. For even in the Gospels is there found let- 
 's 1 Cor. X. ' Ormen, in Levit. Horn. 7. 
 
llSr HIS HOLY SUPPER. 135 
 
 ter that killeth ; and not only in the Old Testa- 
 ment, but also in the New, is there found letter 
 that slayeth him that doth not spiritually under- 
 stand that which is spoken. For if thou follow 
 the letter or words of this that Christ said, * Ex- 
 cept you eat my flesh and drink my blood,' this 
 letter killeth." Who can more plainly express 
 in any words, that the eating and drinking of 
 Christ's flesh and blood are not to be taken in 
 common signification, as the words pretend and 
 sound, than Origen doth in this place? And St. 
 John Chrysostome affirmeth the same % saying, 
 " That if any man understand the words of 
 Christ carnally, he shall surely profit nothing 
 thereby. For what mean these words, ' The 
 flesh availeth nothing ?' He meant not of his 
 flesh, (God forbid,) but he meant of them that 
 fleshly and carnally understood those things 
 that Christ spake. But what is carnal under- 
 standing ? To understand the words simply as 
 they be spoken, and nothing else. For we ought 
 not so to understand the things which we see, 
 but all mysteries must be considered with in- 
 ward eyes, and that is, spiritually to understand 
 them." In these words St. John Chrysostome 
 sheweth plainly, that the words of Christ, con- 
 cerning the eating of his flesh and drinking of 
 his blood, are not to be understood simply, as 
 
 * Chrysost, in Joamiem. Horn. 26. 
 
136 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 they be spoken, but spiritually and figuratively. 
 And yet most plainly of all other, St. Augustine 
 doth declare this matter in his book De Doctrina 
 Christiana *, in which book he instructeth Chris- 
 tian people, how they should understand those 
 places of Scripture, which seem hard and ob- 
 scure. " Seldom," saith he, *' is any difficulty 
 in proper words, but either the circumstance of 
 the place, or the conferring of divers transla- 
 tions, or else the original tongue wherein it was 
 written, will make the sense plain. But in words 
 that be altered from their proper signification, 
 there is great diligence and heed to be taken. 
 And specially we must beware, that we take not 
 literally any thing that is spoken figuratively. 
 Nor, contrariwise, we must not take for a figure 
 any thing that is spoken properly. Therefore 
 must be declared," saith St. Augustine, ** the 
 manner how to discern a proper speech from a 
 figurative ; wherein," saith he, *' must be ob- 
 served this rule, that if the thing which is spoken 
 be to the furtherance of charity, then it is a pro- 
 per speech, and no figure. So that if it be a 
 commandment that forbiddeth any evil or wick- 
 ed act, or commandeth any good or beneficial 
 thing, then it is no figure. But if it command 
 any ill or wicked thing, or forbid any thing that 
 iis good and beneficial, then it is a figurative 
 
 ' Augustinus De Doctrina Christ, lib. 3. 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPEK. 137 
 
 speech. Now this saying of Christ, ' Except 
 you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink 
 his blood, you shall have no life in you,' seemeth 
 to command an heinous and a wicked thing ; 
 therefore it is a figure, commanding us to be 
 partakers of Christ's passion, keeping in our 
 minds, to our great comfort and profit, that his 
 flesh was crucified and wounded for us." This 
 is briefly the sentence of St. Augustine, in his 
 book De Doctrina Christiana. And the like he 
 writeth in his book De Catechisandis Rndibus ", 
 and in his book Contra Adversarium Legis et 
 Pi^ophetarmn % and in divers other places, which 
 for tediousness I pass over. For if I should re- 
 hearse all the authorities of St. Augustine and 
 others which make mention of this matter, it 
 would weary the reader too much. Wherefore 
 to all them that by any reasonable means will 
 be satisfied, these things before rehearsed are 
 sufficient to prove that the eating of Christ's flesh 
 and drinking of his blood, is not to be under- 
 stood simply and plainly, (as the words do pro- 
 perly signify,) that we do eat and drink him 
 with our mouths ; but it is a figurative speech 
 spiritually to be understood, that we must deeply 
 print and fruitfully believe in our hearts, that his 
 flesh was crucified, and his blood shed, for our 
 redemption. And this our belief in him, is to 
 
 " De Catech. rudib. cnp. 2G. 
 
 * Contra advers. Legis ct Prophet, cap. 9. 
 
138 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 eat his flesh and to drink his blood, although 
 they be not present here with us, but be as- 
 cended into heaven. As our forefathers, before 
 Christ's time, did likewise eat his flesh and drink 
 his blood, which was so far from them, that he 
 was not yet then born; 
 CHAP. The same authors do say also, that when Christ 
 called the bread his body, and the wine his 
 
 XI, 
 
 ijo^'Vhis'is ^1^0^) i^ "^^s no proper speech that he then 
 
 ^'/figyrauve "^^^ » ^"^ ^^ ^^^ sacramcuts be figures of other 
 
 speeches, ^jjingg^ ^nd yct have the very names of the things 
 
 which they do signify : so Christ, instituting the 
 
 sacrament of his most precious body and blood, 
 
 did use figurative speeches, calling the bread by 
 
 Je'jTrJ's^nfeth ^^^^ namc of his body, because it signifieth his 
 
 dy'andtht body; and the wine he called his blood, because 
 
 blood." it represented his blood. 
 
 TertuUian \ herein writing against Marcion, 
 saith these words : " Christ did not reprove 
 bread, whereby he did represent his very body," 
 And in the same book he saith, ** That Jesus 
 taking bread, and distributing it amongst his 
 disciples, made it his body, saying, 'This is my 
 body;' that is to say, (saith Tertullian,) a figure 
 of my body. And therefore, (saith Tertullian,) 
 that Christ called bread his body, and wine his 
 blood, because that, in the Old Testament, bread 
 and wine were figures of his body and blood." 
 
 ' TertuUianus contra Marcionem, lib. 1. 
 
IX HIS HOLY SUPPEK. 139 
 
 And St. Cyprian, the holy martyr', saith of 
 this matter, ** That Christ's blood is shewed in 
 the wine, and the people in the water, that is 
 mixt with the wine : so that the mixture of the 
 water to the wine, signifieth the spiritual com- 
 mixtion and joining of us unto Christ." By 
 which similitude Cyprian meant not that the 
 blood of Christ is wine, or the people water ; 
 but as the water doth signify and represent the 
 people, so doth the wine signify and represent 
 Christ's blood : and the uniting of the water and 
 wine together, signifieth the uniting of Christian 
 people unto Christ himself. And the same St. 
 Cyprian, in another place "", writing hereof, saith, 
 " That Christ, in his last supper, gave to his 
 apostles with his own hands bread and wine, 
 which he called his flesh and blood ; but in the 
 cross he gave his very body to be wounded w^ith 
 the hands of the soldiers, that the apostles might 
 declare to the world how and in what manner 
 bread and wine may be the flesh of Christ. And 
 the manner he straightways declareth thus : that 
 things which do signify, and those things which 
 be signified by them, may be both called by one 
 name." Here it is certain by St. Cyprian's 
 mind, wherefore and in what wise bread is called 
 Christ's flesh, and wine his blood ; that is to say, 
 because that every thing that reprcscnteth and 
 
 ' Cyprianus, lib, 2. epist. 3, * De unctione Chrismatis. 
 
140 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 signifieth another thing, may be called by name 
 of the thing which it signifieth. 
 
 And therefore St. John Chrysostome saitll^ 
 " That Christ ordained the table of his holy sup- 
 per for this purpose, that in that sacrament he 
 should daily shew unto us bread and wine for a 
 similitude of his body and blood." 
 
 St. Jerome likewise saith % upon the Gospel 
 of Matthew, " That Christ took bread, which 
 comforteth man's heart, that he might represent 
 thereby his very body and blood." 
 
 Also St. Ambrose "^ (if the book be his that is 
 entitled De hiis qui misteriis initkmtur,) saith, 
 ** That before the consecration another kind is 
 named ; but after the consecration the body of 
 Christ is signified. Christ said his blood; before 
 the consecration, it is called another thing; but, 
 after the consecration, is signified the blood of 
 Christ. And in his book De Sacramentis" , (if 
 that be also his,) he writeth thus : " Thou dost 
 receive the sacrament for a similitude of the flesh 
 and blood of Christ ; but thou dost obtain the 
 grace and virtue of his true nature ; and, receiv- 
 ing the bread in that food, thou art partaker of 
 his godly substance." And in the same book \ 
 he saith, " As thou hast in baptism received the 
 similitude of death, so likewise dost thou in this 
 
 '' Chrysost. in Psal. xxii. "^ Hieronym. in Matt. xxvi. 
 
 * Ambros. de hiis qui mysteriis initiantur. cap. ult. 
 
 ^ De sacramentis, lib. b*. cap. 10. ^ Lib. 4. cap. 4. 
 
l^'^ Hi.=> noLr supper. 141 
 
 sacrament drink the similitude of Christ's pre- 
 cious blood." And again he saith, in the said 
 book% " The priest saith, make unto us this 
 oblation to be acceptable, which is the figure of 
 the body and blood of our Lord Jesu Christ." 
 And upon the Epistle of St. Paul to the Corin- 
 thians ^ he saith, " That in eating and drinking 
 the bread and wine, we do signify the flesh and 
 blood, which were offered for us. And the Old 
 Testament," saith he, '* was instituted in blood, 
 because that blood was a witness of God's bene- 
 fit; in signification and figure whereof, we take 
 the mystical cup of his blood, to the tuition of 
 our body and soul." Of these places of SU 
 Chrysostome, St. Jerome, and St. Ambrose, it 
 is clear, that in the sacramental bread and wine, 
 is not really and corporally the very natural sub- 
 stance of the flesh and blood of Christ, but that 
 the bread and wine be similitudes, mysteries, 
 and representations, significations, sacraments, siirns and 
 figures and signs of his body and blood; and the name's of 
 
 ni 11 1 r 1 • *''^ tilings 
 
 therefore be called and have the name of his which they 
 
 signify. 
 
 very flesh and blood. 
 
 And yet St. Augustine sheweth this matter 
 more clearly and fully than any of the rest, spe- 
 cially in an Epistle which he wrote Ad Botiifa- 
 ciiim \ where he saith, "That a day or two before 
 
 E Dc sacramcntis, lib. 4. cap. 5. '' 1 Cor. xi. 
 
 ' August, ad Bonifaciuni, Epist. 2'6. 
 
142 OF THE PKESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 Good Friday, we used in common speech to say 
 thus : to-morrow, or this day two days, Christ 
 suffered his passion, where in very deed he never 
 suffered his passion but once, and that was many 
 years passed. Likewise upon Easter-day we 
 say, this day Christ rose from death, where in 
 very deed it is many hundred years since he rose 
 from death. Why then do not men reprove us 
 as liars, when we speak in this sort ? But be- 
 cause we call these days so, by a similitude of 
 these days, wherein these things were done in 
 deed. And so it is called that day, which is not 
 that day in deed, but by the course of the year 
 is a like day, and such things be said to be done 
 that day for the solemn celebration of the sacra- 
 ment, which things in deed were not done that 
 day, but long before. Was Ch'rist offered any 
 more but once ? And he offered himself, and yet 
 in a sacrament or representation, not only every 
 solemn feast of Easter, but every day he is offer 
 ed to the people ; so that he doth not lie that 
 saith, he is every day offered. For if sacraments 
 had not some similitude or likeness of those 
 things, whereof they be sacraments, they could 
 in no wise be sacraments. And for their simili- 
 tude and likeness, commonly they have the name 
 of the things, whereof they be sacraments. 
 Therefore, as after a certain manner of speech, 
 the sacrament of Christ's body, is Christ's body; 
 the sacrament of Christ's blood, is Christ's blood : 
 
IN niS HOLY SUPPER. 143 
 
 SO likewise the sacrament of faith, is faith. And 
 to believe, is nothing else but to have faith : and 
 therefore, when we answer for young children in 
 their baptism, that they believe, which have not 
 yet the mind to believe, we answer that they 
 have faith, because they have the sacrament of 
 faith. And we say also, that they turn unto 
 God, because of the sacrament of the conversion 
 unto God ; for that answer pertaineth to the ce- 
 lebration of the sacrament. And likewise speak- 
 eth the apostle of baptism, saying, ' That by 
 baptism we be buried with him into death :' he 
 saith not, that we signify burial ; but he saith 
 plainly, that we be buried.' So that the sacra- 
 ment of so great a thing is not called but by the 
 name of the thing itself." 
 
 Hitherto I haVe rehearsed the answer of St. 
 Augustine unto Boniface, a learned bishop, who 
 asked of him, how the parents and friends could 
 answer for a young babe in baptism, and say in 
 his person, that he believeth and converteth unto 
 God, when the child can neither do nor think 
 any such thing. Whereunto the answer of St. 
 Augustine is this : that forasmuch as baptism is 
 the sacrament of the profession of our faith, and 
 of our conversion unto God, it becometh us so to 
 answer for young children coming thereunto, as 
 to that sacrament appertaineth, although the 
 children indeed have no knowledge of such 
 things. And yet in our said answers we ought • 
 
144 OF THE PRESENCE OF CIItllST 
 
 not to be reprehended as vain men or liars ; for- 
 asmuch as in common speech we use daily to call 
 sacraments and figures by the names of the 
 things that be signified by them, although they 
 be not the same thing indeed. As every Good 
 Friday, (as often as it returneth from year to 
 year,) we call it the day of Christ's passion; and 
 every Easter-day we call the day of his resur- 
 rection ; and every day in the year we say that 
 Christ is offered, and the sacrament of his body, 
 we call it his body, and the sacrament of his 
 blood, we call it his blood ; and our baptism St. 
 Paul calleth our burial with Christ. And yet in 
 very deed Christ never suffered but once, never 
 arose but once, never was offered but once; nor 
 in very deed in baptism we be not buried, nor 
 the sacrament of Christ's body fs not his body, 
 nor the sacrament of his blood is not his blood . 
 But so they be called, because they be figures, 
 sacraments, and representations of the things 
 themselves which they signify, and whereof they 
 bear the name. Thus doth St. Augustine most 
 plainly open this matter in his Epistle to Boni- 
 facius. Of this manner of speech, (wherein a 
 sign is called by the name of the thing which it 
 signifieth,) speaketh St. Augustine also right 
 largely in his questions Super Leviticum et contra 
 Adamantimn ^ declaring how blood in Scripture 
 
 '' Super Lev. quest. 57. 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. . 145 
 
 is called the soul. " A thing which signifieth," 
 saith he, " is wont to be called by the name of 
 the thing which it signifieth, as it is written in 
 the Scripture. The seven ears be seven years ; 
 the Scripture saith not signifieth seven years ; 
 and seven kine be seven years, and many other 
 like. And so said Paul, that ' the stone was 
 Christ,' and not that it signified Christ ; but 
 even as it had been he in deed, which neverthe- 
 less was not Christ by substance, but by signifi- 
 cation. Even so," saith St. Augustine, ''because 
 the blood signifieth and representeth the soul, 
 therefore in a sacrament or signification it is 
 called the soul," And Contra Adamant mm \ he 
 "writeth much like, saying, *' In such wise is 
 blood the soul, as the stone was Christ ; and yet 
 the apostle saith not, that the stone signified 
 Christ, but saith it was Christ. And this sen- 
 tence, ' blood is the soul,' may be understood to 
 be spoken in a sign or figure. For Christ did 
 not stick to say, * This is my body,' when he 
 gave the sign of his body." Here St. Augustine 
 rehearsing divers sentences which were spoken 
 figuratively, that is to say, when one thing was 
 called by the name of another, and yet was not 
 the other in substance, but in signification ; as 
 that blood is the soul, seven kine be seven years, 
 seven ears be seven years, the stone was Christ • 
 
 ' Contra Adaniaiitiiini, cap. 12. 
 L 
 
146 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 among such manner of speeches, he rehearsed 
 those words which Christ spake at his last sup- 
 per, **This is my body," which declareth plainly 
 St. Augustine's mind that Christ spake those 
 words figuratively, not meaning that the bread 
 was his body by substance, but by signification. 
 And therefore St. Augustine saith. Contra Majci- 
 minum "", " That in sacraments we must not con- 
 sider what they be, but what they signify. For 
 they be signs of things, being one thing, and sig- 
 nifying another." Which he doth shew specially 
 of this sacramenty saying, "The heavenly bread, 
 which is Christ's flesh, by some manner of speech 
 is called Christ's body, when in very deed it is 
 the sacrament of his body. And that ofi'ering 
 of the flesh, which is done by the priest's hands, 
 is called Christ's passion, death, and crucifying, 
 not in very deed, but in a mystical significa- 
 tion"." 
 
 And to this purpose it is both pleasant, com- 
 fortable, and profitable, to read Theodoretus, in 
 his Dialogues", where he disputeth and sheweth 
 at length, how the names of things be changed 
 in Scripture, and yet the things remain still. 
 And for example, he proveth, that the flesh of 
 Christ is in the Scripture sometimes called a veil 
 of covering, sometimes a cloth, sometimes a 
 
 " Contra Maximinum, lib. 3. cap. 22. 
 
 " In lib. sententiarum Prosperi de consecr. diss. 9. Hoc est, 
 
 " Tk«odo?et, i>i dia^logis. 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. 147 
 
 vestment, and sometimes a stole : and the blood 
 of the grape is called Christ's blood, and the 
 names of bread and wine, and of his flesh and 
 blood, Christ doth so change, that sometimes he 
 calleth his body, corn or bread ; and sometimes 
 contrary, he calleth bread, his body. And like- 
 wise his blood sometime he calleth wine, and 
 sometimes, contrary, he calleth wine his blood. 
 For the more plain understanding whereof, it 
 shall not be amiss to recite his own sayings in 
 his foresaid Dialogues, touching this matter of 
 the holy sacrament of Christ's flesh and blood. 
 The speakers in these Dialogues be Orthodoxus 
 the right believer, and Eranistes his companion, 
 but not understanding the right faith. 
 
 Orthodoxus saith to his companion, ** Dosfn^'i^'i"* 
 
 ■'■ Dialog lie 1 
 
 thou not know that God calleth bread his flesh? 
 
 Eranistes. " I know that. 
 
 Orthodoxus. *' And in another place he calleth 
 his body corn ? 
 
 Eran. " I know that also ; for I have heard 
 him say, *The hour is come that the Son of man 
 shall be glorified P;' and except the grain-corn 
 that falleth in the ground, die, it remaineth sole; 
 but if it die, then it bringeth forth much fruit. 
 
 Orth. " When he gave the mysteries or sacra- 
 ments, he called bread his body ; and that which 
 was mixt in the cup, he called blood. 
 
 •* John xii. 
 L 2 
 
148 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 Eran. " So he called them. 
 
 Orth. " But that also which was his natural 
 body, may well be called his body ; and his very 
 blood also, may be called his blood. 
 
 Eran. " It is plain. 
 
 Orth. ''But our Saviour without doubt chang- 
 ed the names, and gave to the body the name of 
 the sign or token, and to the token he gave the 
 name of the body. And so when he called him- 
 self a vine, he called blood that, which was the 
 token of blood. 
 
 Eran. " Surely thou hast spoken the truth ; 
 but I would know the cause wherefore the names 
 were changed. 
 
 Orth. " The cause is manifest to them that be 
 expert in true religion. For he would that they 
 which be partakers of the godly sacraments, 
 should not set their minds upon the nature of the 
 things which they see, but, by the changing of 
 the names, should believe the things which be 
 wrought in them by grace. For he that called 
 that which is his natural body, corn and bread, 
 and also called himself a vine, he did honour the 
 visible tokens and signs with the names of his 
 body and blood, not changing the nature, but 
 adding grace to nature. 
 
 Eran. " Sacraments be spoken of sacrament- 
 ally, and also by them be manifestly declared 
 things which all men know not. 
 
 Orth. " Seeing then that it is certain that the 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. 149 
 
 patriarch called the Lord's body ' a vestment 
 and apparel %' and that now we be entered to 
 speak of godly sacraments, tell me truly of what 
 thing thinkest thou this holy meat to be a token 
 and figure ? Of Christ's divinity, or of his body 
 and blood ? 
 
 Eran. " It is clear that it is the figure of those 
 things, whereof it beareth the name. 
 
 Orth. ''Meanest thou of his body and blood? 
 
 Eran. '* Even so I mean. 
 
 Orth. " Thou hast spoken as one that loveth 
 the truth ; for the Lord, when he took the token 
 or sign, he said not, ' This is my divinity,' but 
 * This is my body,' and * This is my blood.' 
 And in another place, ' The bread which I will 
 give, is my flesh, which I will give for the life of 
 the world'.' 
 
 Eran. " The things be true, for they be God's 
 words." 
 
 All this writeth Theodoretus in his first Dia- 
 logue. 
 
 And in the second he writeth the same in Diaiogue>2. 
 effect, (and yet in some things more plainly,) 
 against such hereticks as aflirmed, that after 
 Christ's resurrection and ascension his humanity 
 was changed from the very nature of a man, and 
 turned into his divinity. Against whom thus he 
 writeth. 
 
 ' Gen. xlix. ' John vi. 
 
150 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHIllST 
 
 Orth. " Corruption, health, sickness, and 
 death, be accidents ; for they go and come. 
 
 Eran. " It is meet they be so called. 
 
 Orth. " Men's bodies after their resurrection 
 be delivered from corruption, death, and morta- 
 lity, and yet they lose not their proper nature. 
 
 Eran. " Truth it is. 
 
 Orth. " The body of Christ therefore did rise 
 quite clean from all corruption and death, and is 
 impassible, immortal, glorified with the glory of 
 Cod, and is honoured of the powers of heaven; 
 and yet it is a body, and hath the same bigness 
 that it had before. 
 
 Eran. " Thy sayings seem true, and according 
 to reason; but after he was ascended up into 
 heaven, I think thou wilt not say, that his body 
 was not turned into the nature of the Godhead. 
 
 Orth. " I would not so say for the persuasion 
 of man's reason ; nor am I so arrogant and pre- 
 sumptuous to affirm any thing which Scripture 
 passeth over in silence ; but I have heard St. 
 Paul cry, ' That God hath ordained a day, when 
 he will judge all the world in justice by that 
 man which, he appointed before, performing his 
 promise to all men, and raising him from death*.' 
 I have learned also of the holy angels, * That he 
 will come after that fashion, as his disciples saw 
 him go to heaven*.' But they saw a nature of a 
 
 * Acts xvii. * Acts i. 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. 151 
 
 certain bigness, not a nature which had no big- 
 ness. I heard furthermore the Lord say, * You 
 shall see the Son of man come in the clouds of 
 heaven".' And I know that every thing that 
 men see, hath a certain bigness. For that na- 
 ture that hath no bigness, cannot be seen. 
 Moreover to set in the throne of glory, and to set 
 the lambs upon his right hand, and the goats 
 upon his left hand, signifieth a thing that hath 
 quantity and bigness." 
 
 Hitherto I have rehearsed Theodoretus's 
 words, and shortly after Eranistes saith : 
 
 Ermi. ** We must turn every stone, (as the 
 proverb saith,) to seek out the truth, but speci- 
 ally when godly matters be propounded. 
 
 Orth. ** Tell me then the sacramental signs, 
 which be offered to God by his priests, whereof 
 be they signs which be oifered to God by his 
 priest ; whereof be they signs, sayest thou ? 
 
 Eran. ** Of the Lord's body and blood. 
 
 Orth. *' Of a very body, or not of a very body? 
 
 Ei^an. " Of a very body. 
 
 Orth. " Very well, for an image must be made 
 after a true pattern ; for painters follow nature, 
 and paint the images of such things as we see 
 with our eyes. 
 
 Eran. " Truth it is. 
 
 Orth. '' If therefore the godly sacraments re- 
 
 " Matt xxiv. 
 
152 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 present a true body, then is the Lord's body yet 
 still a body, not converted into the nature of his 
 Godhead, but replenished with God's glory. 
 
 Eran. "^ It cometli in good time that thou 
 makest mention of God's sacraments ; for by the 
 same I shall prove, that Christ's body is turned 
 into another nature. Answer, therefore, unto 
 my questions. 
 
 Orth. " I shall answer. 
 
 Eraii. *' What callest thou that which is offer- 
 ed before the invocation of the priest ? 
 
 Orth. *' We must not speak plainly, for it is 
 like that some be present, which have not pro- 
 fessed Christ. 
 
 Eran. " Answer covertly. 
 
 Orth. *' It is a nourishment made of seeds 
 that be like. 
 
 Eran. *' Then how call we the other sign? 
 
 Orth. " It is also a common name, that signi- 
 lieth a kind of drink. 
 
 Eran. " But how dost thou call them after 
 the sanctification ? 
 
 Orth. " The body of Christ, and the blood of 
 Christ. 
 
 Eran. " And dost thou believe that thou art 
 made partaker of Christ's body and blood ? 
 
 Orth. " I believe so. 
 
 Eran. " Therefore as the tokens of God's body 
 and blood be other things before the priest's in- 
 vocation, but after the invocation they be chang- 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. 
 
 ed, and be other things: so also the body of 
 Christ, after his assumption, is changed into his 
 divine substance. 
 
 Orth. " Thou art taken with thine own net. 
 For the sacramental signs go not from their own 
 nature after the sanctification, but continue in 
 their former substance, form, and figure, and 
 may be seen and touched as well as before; yet 
 in our minds we do consider what they be 
 made, and do repute and esteem them, and have 
 them in reverence, according to the same things 
 that they be taken for. Therefore compare the 
 images to the pattern, and thou shalt see them 
 like. For a figure must be like to the thing it- 
 self. For Christ's body hath his former fashion, 
 figure, and bigness ; and, to speak at one word, 
 the same substance of his body. But after his 
 resurrection, it was made immortal, and of such 
 power, that no corruption nor death could come 
 unto it ; and it was exalted to that dignity, that 
 it was set at the right hand of the Father, and 
 honoured of all creatures, as the body of him 
 that is the Lord of nature. 
 
 Er^an. ** But the sacramental token change th 
 his former name ; for it is no more called as it was 
 before, but is called Christ's body. Therefore 
 must his body, after his ascension, be called 
 God, and not a body. 
 
 Orth. " Thou seemest to me ignorant ; for it 
 is not called his body only, but also the bread of 
 
 153 
 
154 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 life, as the Lord called it. So the body of Christ 
 we call a godly body, a body that giveth life, 
 God's body, the Lord's body, our Master's body, 
 meaning that it is not a common body, as other 
 men's bodies be, but that it is the body of our 
 Lord Jesu Christ, both God and man." 
 
 This have I rehearsed of the great clerk and 
 holy bishop Theodoretus, whom some of the Pa- 
 pists perceiving to make so plainly against them 
 have defamed, saying that he was infected with 
 the error of Nestorius. Here the Papists shew 
 their old accustomed nature and condition, which 
 is, (even in a manifest manner,) rather to lie 
 without shame, than to give place unto the truth, 
 and confess their own error. And although his 
 adversaries falsely bruited such a fame against 
 him when he was yet alive, nevertheless he was 
 purged thereof by the holy council of Calcedon, 
 about eleven hundred years ago. And further- 
 more, in his book which he wrote against here- 
 sies, he specially condemneth Nestorius by name. 
 And also all his three books of his Dialogues, 
 before rehearsed, he wrote chiefly against Nes- 
 torius, and was never herein noted of error this 
 thousand year, but hath ever been reputed and 
 taken for an holy bishop, a great learned man, 
 and a grave author, until now at this present 
 time, when the Papists have nothing to answer 
 unto him, they begin in excusing of themselves, 
 to defame him. 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. 155 
 
 Thus much have I spoken for Theodoretus, 
 which I pray thee be not weary to read, good rea- 
 der, but often and with delectation, deliberation, 
 and good advertisement to read. For it con- 
 taineth plainly and briefly the true instruction of 
 a Christian man, concerning the matter which in 
 this book we treat upon. 
 
 First, that our Saviour Christ in his last sup- Five princi- 
 
 *■ pal things to 
 
 per, when he gave bread and wine to his apos- ^^ ""J^d ia 
 ties, saying, *' This is my body, this is my blood," ^"'''• 
 it was bread which he called his body, and wine 
 mixed in the cup, which he called his blood : so 
 that he changed the names of the bread and wine, 
 which were the mysteries, sacraments, signs, 
 figures, and tokens of Christ's flesh and blood, 
 and called them by the names of the things 
 which they did represent and signify, that is to 
 say, the bread he called by the name of his very 
 flesh, and the wine by the name of his blood. 
 
 Second, that although the names of bread and 
 wine were changed after sanctification, yet ne- 
 vertheless the things themselves remained the 
 self-same that they were before the sanctifica- 
 tion, that is to say, the same bread and wine in 
 nature, substance, form, and fashion. 
 
 The third, seeing that the substance of the bread 
 and wine be not changed, why be then their names 
 changed, and the bread called Christ's flesh, and 
 the wine his blood ? Theodoretus sheweth, that 
 thecause thereof was this, that we should not have 
 
156 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 SO much respect to the bread and wine, which 
 we see with our eyes and taste with our mouths, 
 as we should have to Christ himself, in whom we 
 believe with our hearts, and feel and taste him 
 by our faith, and with whose flesh and blood, by 
 his grace, we believe that we be spiritually fed 
 and nourished. These things we ought to re- 
 member and revolve in our minds, and to lift up 
 our hearts from the bread and wine unto Christ 
 that sitteth above. And because we should so 
 do, therefore after the consecration, they be no 
 more called bread and wine, but the body and 
 blood of Christ. 
 
 The fourth. It is in these sacraments of bread 
 and wine, as it is in the very body of Christ. 
 For as the body of Christ before his resurrection, 
 and after, is all one in nature, substance, bigness, 
 form, and fashion, and yet it is not called as 
 another common body, but with addition, for 
 the dignity of his exaltation, it is called a hea- 
 venly, a godly, an immortal, and the Lord's 
 body : so likewise the bread and wine, before 
 the consecration and after, is all one in nature, 
 substance, bigness, form, and fashion, and yet it 
 is not called as other common bread, but for the 
 dignity whereunto it is taken, it is called with 
 addition, heavenly bread, the bread of life, and 
 the bread of thanksgiving. 
 
 The fifth, that no man ought to be so arrogant 
 and presumptuous to affirm for a certain truth in 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. 157 
 
 religion, any thing which is not spoken of in 
 holy Scripture. And this is spoken to the great 
 and utter condemnation of the Papists, which 
 make and unmake new articles of our faith from 
 time to time, at their pleasure, without any 
 Scripture at all, yea quite and clean contrary to 
 Scripture. And yet will they have all men bound 
 to believe whatsoever they invent, upon peril of 
 damnation and everlasting fire. And they would 
 constrain with fire and faggot all men to consent, 
 contrary to the manifest words of God, to these 
 their errors in this matter of the holy sacrament 
 of Christ's body and blood. First, that there 
 remaineth no bread nor wine after the consecra- 
 tion, but that Christ's flesh and blood is made of 
 them. Second, that Christ's body is really, cor- 
 porally, substantially, sensibly, and naturally in 
 the bread and wine. Thirdly, that wicked per- 
 sons do eat and drink Christ's very body and 
 blood. Fourthly, that priests offer Christ every 
 day, and make of him a new sacrifice propitia- 
 tory for sin. 
 
 Thus, for shortness of time, do I make an end 
 of Theodoretus, with other old ancient writers, 
 which do most clearly affirm, that to eat Christ's 
 body, and to drink his blood, be figurative 
 speeches. And so be these sentences likewise, 
 which Christ spake at his supper, " This is my 
 body, this is my blood." 
 
158 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 CHAP. And marvel not, good reader, that Christ at 
 xn. . . 
 _ that time spake in figures, when he did institute 
 
 Figumtive , ' . , . . 
 
 speeches be that sacrament, seenig that it is the nature of all 
 
 not strange. 
 
 sacraments to be figures. And although the 
 Scripture be full of schemes, tropes, and figures, 
 yet specially it useth them when it speaketh of 
 sacraments. 
 
 " When the ark," (which rq^resented God's 
 majesty,) ** was come into the army of the Is- 
 raelites, the Philistines said that God was come 
 into the army \" And God himself said, by his 
 prophet Nathan, " That from the time that he 
 had brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, 
 he dwelled not in houses, but that he was carried 
 about in tents and tabernacles ^" And yet was 
 not God himself so carried about, or went in 
 tents or tabernacles, but because the ark, which 
 was a figure of God, was so removed from place 
 to place, he spake of himself that thing, which 
 was to be understood of the ark. 
 S used'"" ^^^ Christ himself oftentimes spake in simi- 
 fpeeches! li^udcs, parablcs, and figures, as when he said, 
 ** The field is the world, the enemy is the devil, 
 the seed is the word of God \" — " John is Elias, 
 I am a vine, and you be the branches\" — " I am 
 bread of life \"_-'* My father is an husbandman, 
 and he hath his fan in his hand, and will make 
 
 " 1 Sam. iv. y 2 Sam. a ii. » Matt. xiii. 
 
 * Matt, xi, and xvii. »► JoH!i xvi. 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. 159 
 
 clean his floor, and gather the wheat into his 
 barn ; but the chafF he will cast into everlasting 
 fire'." — " I have a meat to eat, which you know 
 nof*." — '* Work not meat that perisheth, but that 
 endureth unto everlasting life*." — " I am a good 
 shepherd ^" — "The Son of man will set the sheep 
 at his right hand, and the goats at his left hand V 
 • — " I am a door**." — One of you is the devil'." 
 '* Whosoever doeth my Father's will, he is my 
 brother, sister, and mother \" And when he 
 said to his mother and to John, ** This is thy son, 
 this is thy mother '." 
 
 These, with an infinite number of like sen- 
 tences, Christ spake in parables, metaphors, 
 tropes, and figures. But chiefly when he spake 
 of the sacraments, he used figurative speeches. 
 As when of baptism he said, ** That we must be 
 baptized with the Holy Ghost *" :" meaning of 
 spiritual baptism. And like speech used St. 
 John the Baptist, saying of Christ, *' That he 
 should baptize with the Holy Ghost and fire°." 
 And Christ said, " That we must be born again, 
 or else we cannot see the kingdom of God "." 
 And said also, '* Whosoever shall drink of that 
 water which I shall give him, he shall never be 
 dry again. But the water which I shall give 
 
 * John vi. ^ John xv. Matt. iii. ' John iv. 
 
 ' John vi. " John x. '' Matt. xxv. ' John x. 
 
 » John vi. ' Matt. xii. "' Acts i. " Matt, iii, 
 
 * John iii. 
 
160 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 him, shall be made withm him a well, which 
 shall spring into everlasting life ''." And St. 
 Paul saith, *' That in baptism we clothe us with 
 Christ, and be buried with him '." 
 
 This baptism, washing, and new birth by the 
 fire and the Holy Ghost, and this water that 
 springeth in a man, and floweth into everlasting 
 life, cannot be understood of any material water, 
 material washing, and material birth, but by 
 translation of things visible into things invisible, 
 they must be understood spiritually and figura- 
 tively. 
 
 After the same sort the mystery of our re- 
 demption, and the passion of our Saviour Christ 
 upon the cross, as well in the New as the Old 
 Testament, is expressed and declared by many 
 figures and figurative speeches. As the pure 
 The paschal pasclial Lamb without spot, signified Christ. 
 The effusion of the Lamb's blood, signified the 
 effusion of Christ's blood. And the salvation of 
 the children of Israel from temporal death by the 
 Lamb's blood, signified our salvation from eter- 
 nal death by Christ's blood. And as Almighty 
 God, passing through Egypt, killed all the 
 Egyptians' heirs in every house, and left not one 
 alive ; and nevertheless he passed by the chil- 
 dren of Israel's houses, where he saw the Lamb's 
 blood upon the doors, and hurted none of them, 
 
 ■i John iv. ^ JRom. vi. Galat. iii. 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. 5Gi 
 
 but saved them all by the means of the Lamb's 
 blood : so likewise at the last judgment of the 
 whole world, none shall be passed over and 
 saved, but that shall be found marked with the 
 blood of the most pure and immaculate Lamb 
 Jesus Christ. And forasmuch as the shedding 
 of that Lamb's blood, was a token and figure of The Lords 
 the shedding of Christ's blood then to come; 
 and forasmuch also as all the sacraments and 
 figures of the Old Testament ceased and had an 
 end in Christ : lest by our great unkindness we 
 should peradventure be forgetful of the great 
 benefit of Christ, therefore at his last supper, 
 (when he took his leave of his apostles to depart 
 out of the v/orld,) he did make a new will and 
 testament, wherein he bequeathed unto us clean 
 remission of all our sins, and the everlasting in- 
 heritance of heaven. And the same he con- 
 firmed the next day with his own blood and death. 
 And lest we should forget the samC;, he ordained 
 not a yearly memory, (as the paschal Lamb was 
 eaten but once every year,) but a daily remem- 
 brance he ordained thereof in bread and wine, 
 sanctified and dedicated to that purpose, saying, 
 *' This is my body; this cup is my blood, which * 
 is shed for the remission of sins. Do this in the 
 remembrance of me." Admonishing us by these 
 words, spoken at the making of his last will and 
 testament, and at his departing out of the world, 
 (because they should be the better remember-' 
 
 M 
 
162 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 ed,) that whensoever we do eat the bread in his 
 holy supper, and drink of that cup, we should 
 remember how much Christ hath done for us, 
 and how he died for our sakes. Therefore, saith 
 St. Paul, " As often as ye shall eat of this bread 
 and drink the cup, you shall shew forth the 
 Lord's death until he come." And forasmuch as 
 this holy bread broken, and the wine divided, do 
 represent unto us the death of Christ now pass- 
 ed, as the killing of the paschal Lamb did repre- 
 sent the same yet to come : therefore our Saviour 
 Christ used the same manner of speech of the 
 bread and wine, as God before used of the pas- 
 chal Lamb. For as in the Old Testament God 
 said, " This is the Lord's pass-by, or passover :" 
 even so saith Christ in the New Testament, 
 ** This is my body, this is my blood." But in 
 the old mystery and sacrament, the Lamb was 
 not the Lord's very passover or passing-by, but 
 it was a figure which represented his passing by. 
 So likewise in the New Testament, the bread 
 and wine be not Christ's very body and blood, 
 but they be figures, which by Christ's institu- 
 tion be, unto the godly receivers thereof, sacra- 
 ments, tokens, significations, and representations 
 of his very flesh and blood : instructing their 
 faith, that as the bread and wine feed them cor- 
 porally, and continue this temporal life ; so the 
 very flesh and blood of Christ feedeth them spi- 
 ritually, and giveth them everlasting life. 
 
IX HIS HOLV SUPPER. 1G3 
 
 And why should any man think it strange to ^^j^^^^' ''^"" 
 admit a figure in these speeches, " This is my ';^'^^';fj|"^ ^t 
 body, this is my blood?" seeing that the com- ^upj',e,f '**** 
 munication the same night (by the Papists' own 
 confessions) was so full of figurative speeches ? 
 For the apostles spake figuratively when they 
 asked Christ where he would eat his passover or 
 pass-by. And Christ himself used the same 
 figure when he said, " I have much desired to 
 eat this passover with you." Also to eat Christ's 
 body and to drink his blood, I am sure they will 
 not say that it is taken properly, to eat and drink 
 as we do eat other meats and drinks. And when 
 Christ said, '* This cup is a new testament in 
 my blood;" here, in one sentence, be two 
 figures, one in this word " cup," which is not 
 taken for the cup itself, but for the thing con- 
 tained in the cup : another is in this word " tes- 
 tament ;" for neither the cup, nor the wine con- 
 tained in the cup, is Christ's testament, but is a 
 token, sign, and figure, whereby is represented 
 unto us his testament, confirmed by his blood. 
 
 And if the Papists will say, (as they say indeed,) 
 that by this cup is neither meant the cup nor 
 the wine contained in the cup, but that thereby 
 is meant Christ's blood contained in the cup : 
 yet must they needs grant that there is a figure. 
 For Christ's blood is not in proper speech the 
 new testament, but it is the thing that confirmed 
 tke new testament. And yet by this strange in- 
 
 M 2 
 
CHAP. 
 XIII. 
 
 164 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 terpretation the Papists make a very strange 
 speech, more strange than any figurative speech 
 is. For this they make the sentence : this blood 
 is a new testament in my blood. Which saying 
 is so fond, and so far from all reason, that the 
 foolishness thereof is evident to every man. 
 Now forasmuch as it is plainly declared and 
 ^^^~ manifestly proved, that Christ called bread his 
 tks and°a"- ^ody, and wine his blood, and that these sen- 
 theTapls'ts. tences be figurative speeches; and that Christ, 
 as concerning his humanity and bodily presence, 
 is ascended into heaven with his whole flesh and 
 blood, and is not here upon earth ; and that the 
 substance of bread and wine do remain still, and 
 be received in the sacrament ; and that although 
 they remain, yet they have changed their names, 
 so that the bread is called Christ's body, and the 
 wine his blood ; and that the cause why their 
 names be changed, is this, that we should lift 
 up our hearts and minds from the things which 
 we see unto the things which we believe, and be 
 above in heaven, whereof the bread and wine 
 have the names, although they be not the very 
 same things in deed. These things well consi- 
 dered and weighed, all the authorities and argu- 
 ments, which the Papists feign to serve for their 
 purpose, be clean wiped away. 
 CHAP. For whether the authors (which they allege) 
 say that we do eat Christ's flesh, and drink his 
 
 XIV. 
 
 One brief 
 
 answectoaii. blood, Or that the bread and wine is converted 
 
IN" HIS HOLY SUPPER. 165 
 
 into the substance of his flesh and blood, or that 
 we be turned into his flesh, or that in the Lord's 
 Supper we do receive his very flesh and blood ; 
 or that in the bread and wine is received that 
 which did hang upon the cross, or that Christ 
 hath left his flesh with us, or that Christ is in us, 
 and we in him ; or that he is whole here and 
 whole in heaven ; or that the same thing is in the 
 chalice which flowed out of his side, or that the 
 same thing is received with our mouth which is 
 believed with our faith; or that the bread and 
 wine, after the consecration, be the body and 
 blood of Christ ; or that we be nourished with 
 the body and blood of Christ; or that Christ is 
 both gone hence and is still here; or that Christ 
 at his last supper bare himself in his own hands: 
 • — These and all other like sentences may not be 
 understood of Christ's humanity literally and 
 carnally, as the words in common speech do pro- 
 perly signify: for so doth no man eat Christ's 
 flesh, nor drink his blood ; nor so is not the bread 
 and wine turned into his flesh and blood, nor we 
 into him ; nor so is the bread and wine after the 
 consecration his flesh and blood ; nor so is not his 
 flesh and blood whole here in earth, eaten with 
 our mouths ; nor so did not Christ take himself 
 in his own hands : But these and all other like 
 sentences, which declare Christ to be here in 
 earth, and to be eaten and drunken of Christian 
 people, are to be understood either of his divinef 
 
16G OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 nature, whereby he is every where, or else they 
 must be understood figuratively or spiritually. 
 For figuratively he is in the bread and wine, and 
 spiritually he is in them that worthily eat and 
 drink the bread and wine; but really, carnally, 
 and corporally, he is only in heaven, from whence 
 lie shall come to judge the quick and dead. 
 
 This brief answer will suffice for all that the 
 Papists can bring for their purpose, if it be aptly 
 applied. And for the more evidence hereof, I 
 shall apply the same to some such places as the 
 Papists think do make most for them : that, by 
 the answer to those places, the rest may be the 
 more easily answered unto. 
 CHAP. They allege St. Clement, whose words be 
 these, as they report. "The sacraments of God's 
 
 XV. 
 
 tt^cfemlns, sccrcts arc committed to three degrees, to a 
 p's'o a 2. pj.-gg^^ ^ deacon, and a minister ; which with fear 
 and trembling ought to keep the leavings of the 
 broken pieces of the Lord's body, that no cor- 
 ruption be found in the holy place, lest by neg- 
 ligence great injury be done to the portion of the 
 Lord's body." And by and by followeth : ** So 
 many hosts must be offered in the altar, as will 
 suffice for the people : and if any remain, they 
 must not be kept until the morning, but be 
 spent and consumed of the clerks with fear and 
 trembling. And they that consume the residue 
 of the Lord's body, may not by and by take 
 other common meats, lest they should mix that 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. 167 
 
 holy portion with the meat which is digested by 
 the belly, and voided by the fundament. There- 
 fore if the Lord's portion be eaten in the morn- 
 ing, the ministers that consume it must fast unto 
 six of the clock ; and if they do take it at three 
 or four of the clock, the minister must fast until 
 the evening." Thus much writeth Clement of 
 this matter, if the epistle which they allege were 
 Clement's, as indeed it is not. But they have 
 feigned many things in other men's names, 
 thereby to establish their feigned purposes. But 
 whose soever the epistle was, if it be thoroughly 
 considered, it maketh much more against the 
 Papists, than for their purpose. For by the same 
 epistle appeareth evidently three special things 
 against the errors of the Papists. 
 
 The first is, that the bread in the sacrament is 
 called the Lord's body, and the pieces of the 
 broken bread be called the pieces and fragments 
 of the Lord's body, which cannot be understood 
 but figuratively. The second is, that the bread 
 ought not to be reserved and hanged up, as the 
 Papists every where do use. The third is, that 
 the priests ought not to receive the sacrament 
 alone, (as the Papists commonly do, making a 
 sale thereof unto the people,) but they ought to 
 communicate with the people. And here it is 
 diligently to be noted, that we ought not un- 
 reverently and unadvisedly to approach unto the 
 meat of the Lcird's table, as we do to other com.- 
 
168 OF THE PRESLNCi. OF CHRIST 
 
 mon meats and drinks, but with great fear and 
 dread ; lest we should come to that holy table 
 unworthily, wherein is not only represented, 
 but also spiritually given unto us, very Christ 
 himself. And therefore ^we ought to come to 
 that board of the Lord with all reverence, faith, 
 love and charity, fear and dread, according to 
 the same. 
 
 Here I pass over Ignatius ' and Irenaeus *, 
 which make nothing for the Papists' opinions, 
 but stand in the commendation of the holy com- 
 munion, and in exhortation of all men to the 
 often and godly receiving thereof. And yet nei- 
 ther they, nor no man else, can extol and com- 
 mend the same sufficiently, according to the 
 dignity thereof, if it be godly used, as it ought 
 to be. 
 tcIoion^Ss Dionysius also, whom they allege to praise 
 Hie?cip."3. ^^^ extol this sacrament, (as indeed it is most 
 worthy, being a sacrament of most high dignity 
 and perfection, representing unto us our most 
 perfect spiritual conjunction unto Christ, and 
 our continual nourishing, feeding, comfort, and 
 spiritual life in him,) yet he never said that the 
 flesh and blood of Christ was in the bread and 
 wine really, corporally, sensibly, and naturally, 
 (as the Papists would bear us in hand ;) but he 
 
 ' Ignatius in Epist. ad Ephesianos. 
 * Ireneeus, lib. 5, contra Valentin. 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. 1 G9 
 
 calleth ever the bread and wine signs, pledges, 
 and tokens, declaring unto the faithful receivers 
 of the same, that they receive Christ spiritually, 
 and that they spiritually eat his flesh and drink 
 his blood. And although the bread and wine 
 be the figures, signs, and tokens of Christ's flesh 
 and blood, (as St. Dionysius calleth them both 
 before the consecration as after,) yet the Greek 
 annotations upon the same Dionysius do say, 
 that the very things themselves be above in hea- 
 ven. And as the same Dionysius maketh no- 
 thing for the Papists' opinions in this point of 
 Christ's real and corporal presence ; so in divers 
 other things he maketh quite and clean against 
 them, and that specially in three points ; in 
 Transubstantiation, in reservation of the sacra- 
 ment, and in the receiving of the same by the 
 priest alone. 
 
 Furthermore they do allege TertuUian, that The answer 
 
 •^ P to Tertallia- 
 
 he constantly affirmeth, that in the sacrament ofnusderesur- 
 
 '' rectioiie car- 
 
 the altar we do eat the body and drink thesis- 
 blood of our Saviour Christ. To whom we grant 
 that our flesh eateth and drinketh the bread and 
 wine, which be called the body and blood of 
 Christ, because (as TertuUian saith) they do re- 
 present his body and blood, although they be 
 not really the same in very deed. And we grant 
 also, that our souls by faith do eat his very 
 body and drink his blood ; but that is, spiritu- 
 ally, sucking out of the same everlasting life. . 
 
170 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 But we deny that unto this spiritual feeding is 
 
 required any real and corporal presence. And 
 
 therefore this Tertullian, speaketh nothing 
 
 against the truth of our Catholick doctrine, but 
 
 he speaketh many things most plainly for us, 
 
 and against the Papists, and specially in three 
 
 points. First in that he saith, that Christ called 
 
 bread his body. The second, that Christ called 
 
 it so, because it representeth his body. The 
 
 third, in that he saith, that by these words of 
 
 Christ, " This is my body," is meant, this is a 
 
 figure of my body. 
 
 The answer Moreovcr they allege for them Origen, be- 
 to origenes 111 1 
 in^jumer. causc they would seem to have many ancient 
 
 authors favourers of their erroneous doctrine; 
 which Origen is most clearly against them. 
 " For although he do say (as they allege) that 
 those things which before we signified by ob- 
 scure figures, be now truly in deed, and in their 
 very nature and kind, accomplished and fulfill- 
 ed ; and for the declaration thereof, he bringeth 
 forth three examples ; one of the stone that flow- 
 eth water, another of the sea and cloud, and the 
 third of manna, which in the Old Testament did 
 signify Christ to come, who is now come indeed, 
 and is manifested and exhibited unto us, as it 
 were^ face to face, and sensibly, in his word, in 
 the sacrament of regeneration, and in the sacra- 
 ments of bread and wine ;" — yet Origen meant 
 not, that Christ is corporally either in his word. 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. 171 
 
 or in the water of baptism, or in the bread and 
 wine, nor that we carnally and corporally be re- 
 generated and born again, or eat Christ's flesh, 
 and blood. For our regeneration in Christ is 
 spiritual, and our eating and drinking is a spiri- 
 tual feeding, which kind of regeneration and 
 feeding requireth no real and corporal presence 
 of Christ, but only his presence in spirit, grace, 
 and effectual operation. And that Origen thus 
 meant, that Christ's flesh is a spiritual meat, and 
 his blood a spiritual drink ; and that the eating 
 and drinking of his flesh and blood may not be 
 understood literally, but spiritually ; it is mani- 
 fested by Origen's own words, in his seventh 
 homily upon the book called Leviticus, where he 
 sheweth, " That those words must be understood 
 figuratively, and whosoever understandeth them 
 otherwise, they be deceived, and take harm by 
 their own gross understanding "." 
 
 And likewise meant Cyprian, in those places The answer 
 which the adversaries of the truth allege for him, nus, Hb-'a. 
 concerning the true eating of Christ's very flesh 
 and drinking of his blood. 
 
 For Cyprian spake of no gross and carnal eat- 
 ing with the mouth, but of an inward, spiritual, 
 and pure eating with heart and mind, which is 
 to believe in our hearts, that his flesh was rent 
 and torn for us upon the cross, and his blood 
 
 " In Levit. Horn. 7. 
 
172 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 shed for our redemption, and that the same flesh 
 and blood now sitteth at the right hand of the 
 Father, making continual intercession for us ; 
 and to imprint and digest this in our minds, put- 
 ting our whole affiance and trust in him, as 
 touching our salvation, and offering ourselves 
 clearly unto him, to love and serve him all the 
 days of our life : This is truly, sincerely, and 
 spiritually to eat his flesh and to drink his 
 blood. 
 
 And this sacrifice of Christ upon the cross, 
 was that oblation which, Cyprian saith, was 
 figured and signified, before it was done, by the 
 wine which Noah drank, and by the bread and 
 wine which Melchisedec gave to Abraham, and 
 by many other figures which Cyprian there re- 
 hearseth. 
 
 And now when Christ is come, and hath ac- 
 complished that sacrifice, the same is figured, 
 signified, and represented unto us by that bread 
 and wine, which faithful people receive daily in 
 the holy communion: wherein like as with their 
 mouths carnally they eat the bread and drink 
 the wine ; so by their faith spiritually they eat 
 Christ's very flesh, and drink his very blood. 
 And hereby it appeareth that St. Cyprian clearly 
 affirmeth the most true doctrine, and is wholly 
 upon our side. And against the Papists he 
 teacheth most plainly, that the communion 
 ought to be received of ^11 men under both the 
 
IX HIS HOLY SUPPER. 173 
 
 kinds, and that Christ called bread his body and 
 wine his blood, and that there is no transub- 
 stantiation, but that bread remaineth there as a 
 figure to represent Christ's body, and wine to 
 represent his blood ; and that those which be 
 not the lively members of Christ, do eat the 
 bread and drink the wine, and be nourished by 
 them, but the very flesh and blood of Christ 
 they neither eat nor drink. 
 
 Thus have you heard declared the mind of 
 Cyprian. 
 
 But Hilarius (think they) is plainest for them The answer 
 
 toHiIarius8 
 
 m this matter, whose words they translate thus: aeTrinitate. 
 ** If the word was made verily flesh, and we ve- 
 rily receive the word being flesh in our Lord's 
 meat, how shall not Christ be thought to dwell 
 naturally in us ? who, being born man, hath 
 taken unto him the nature of our flesh, that can- 
 not be severed, and hath put together the nature 
 of his flesh to the nature of his eternity, under 
 the sacrament of the communion of his flesh unto 
 us. For so we be all one, because the Father 
 is in Christ, and Christ in us. Wherefore who- 
 soever will deny the Father to be naturally in 
 Christ, he must deny first either himself to be 
 naturally in Christ, or Christ to be naturally in 
 him. For the being of the Father in Christ, and 
 the being of Christ in us, maketh us to be one 
 in them. And therefore if Christ have taken 
 verily the flesh of our body, and the man that . 
 
174 OF THE -PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 was verily born of the Virgin Mary is Christ, 
 and also we receive under the true mystery the 
 flesh of his body, by means whereof we shall be 
 one, (for the Father is in Christ, and Christ in 
 us,) how shall that be called the unity of will, 
 when the natural property, brought to pass by 
 the sacrament, is the sacrament of unity ?" 
 
 Thus do the Papists (the adversaries of God's 
 word and of his truth) allege the authority of Hila- 
 rius, either perversely and purposely, as it seem- 
 eth, untruly citing him, and wresting his words 
 to their purpose, or else not truly understanding 
 him. For although he saith that Christ is natu- 
 rally in us, yet he saith also that we be naturally 
 in him. And nevertheless in so saying, he meant 
 not of the natural and corporal presence of the 
 substance of Christ's body and of ours ; for as 
 our bodies be not after that sort within his body, 
 so it is not his body after that sort within our 
 bodies ; but he meant that Christ in his incarna- 
 tion received of us a mortal nature, and united 
 the same unto his divinity, and so be we natu- 
 rally in him. And the sacraments of baptism 
 and of his holy supper, (if we rightly use the 
 same,) do most assuredly certify us, that we be 
 partakers of his godly nature, having given unto 
 us by him immortality and life everlasting, and 
 so is Christ naturally in us. And so be we one 
 with Christ, and Christ with us, not only in will 
 and mind, but also in very natural properties. 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. 175 
 
 And so concludeth Hilariiis against Arius, that 
 Christ is one with his Father, not in purpose and 
 will only, but also in very nature. And as the 
 union between Christ and us in baptism is spi- 
 ritual, and requireth no real and corporal pre- 
 sence ; so likewise our union with Christ in his 
 holy supper is spiritual, and therefore requireth 
 no real and corporal presence. And therefore 
 Hilarius, speaking there of both the sacraments, 
 maketh no difference between our union with 
 Christ in baptism, and our union with him in his 
 holy supper; and saith further, that as Christ 
 is in us, so be we in him; which the Papists 
 cannot understand corporally and really, except 
 they will say, that all our bodies be corporally 
 within Christ's body. Thus is Hilarius answered 
 unto both plainly and shortly. 
 
 And this answer to Hilarius will serve also The answer 
 unto Cyril, whom they allege to speak after the 
 same sort that Hilarius doth, that Christ is na- 
 turally in us. The words which they recite be 
 these : *' We deny not," saith Cyril against the 
 heretick, " but we be spiritually joined to Christ 
 by faith and sincere charity ; but that we should 
 have no manner of conjunction in our flesh with 
 Christ, that we utterly deny, and think it utterly 
 discrepant from God's holy Scriptures. For who 
 doubteth, that Christ is so the vine tree, and we 
 so the branches, as we get thence our life. Hear 
 what St. Paul saith, ' We be all one body with . 
 
17G OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 Christ ; for though we be many, we be one in 
 him.' All we participate in one food. Thinketh 
 this heretick that we know not the strength and 
 virtue of the mystical benediction ? which, when 
 it is made in us, doth it not make Christ, by 
 communication of his flesh, to dwell corporally 
 in us ? Why be the members of faithful men's 
 bodies called the members of Christ ? * Know 
 you not, (saith St. Paul,) that your members be 
 the members of Christ ? And shall I make the 
 members of Christ parts of the whore's body ? 
 God forbid.' And our Saviour also saith, * He 
 that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, 
 dwelleth in me, and I in him.'" 
 
 Although in these words Cyril doth say, that 
 Christ doth dwell corporally in us, when we re- 
 ceive the mystical benediction ; yet he neither 
 saith that Christ dwelleth corporally in the bread, 
 nor that he dwelleth in us corporally only at 
 such times as we receive the sacrament, nor that 
 he dwelleth in us, and not we in him ; but he 
 saith as well, that we dwell in him, as that he 
 dwelleth in us. Which dwelling is neither cor- 
 poral nor local, but an heavenly, spiritual, and 
 supernatural dwelling, whereby, so long as we 
 dwell in him, and he in us, we have by him ever- 
 lasting life. And therefore Cyril saith, in the 
 same place, that Christ is the vine, and we the 
 branches, because that by him we have life. 
 For as the branches receive life and nourishment 
 
I>J HIS HOLY SUPPER. 177 
 
 of the body of the vme, so receive we by him the 
 natural property of his body, which is life and 
 immortality ; and by that means we, being his 
 members, do live, and are spiritually nourished. 
 And this meant Cyril by this word corporally, 
 when he saith, that Christ dwelleth corporally in 
 us. And the same meant also St. Hilarius by 
 this word naturally, when he said that Christ 
 dwelleth naturally in us. And as St. Paul, when 
 he said that in Christ dwelleth the fulJ divinity 
 corporally, by this word corporally, he meant not 
 that the divinity is a body, and so by that body 
 dwelleth bodily in Christ. But by this word 
 corporally, he meant that the divinity is not in 
 Christ accidentally, lightly, and slenderly, but 
 substantially and perfectly, with all his might 
 and power: so that Christ was not only a mortal 
 man, to suffer for us ; but also he was immortal 
 God, able to redeem us. So St. Cyril, when he 
 said that Christ is in us corporally, he meant 
 that we have him in us, not lightly and to small 
 effect and purpose, but that we have him in us 
 substantially, pithily, and effectually, in such 
 wise that we have by him redemption and ever- 
 lastinof life. And this I suck not out of mine 
 own fingers, but have it of Cyril's own express 
 words, where he saith, '* A little benediction 
 draweth the whole man to God, and filleth him 
 with his grace ; and after this manner Christ 
 
 N 
 
178 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 dwelleth in us, and we in Christ \" But as for 
 corporal eating and drinking with our mouths, 
 and digesting with our bodies, Cyril never meant 
 that Christ doth so dwell in us, as he plainly 
 declareth. 
 
 ** Our sacrament," saith he^ " doth not affirm 
 the eating of a man, drawing wickedly Christian 
 people to hgtve gross imaginations and carnal 
 fantasies of such things as be fine and pure, and 
 received only with a sincere faith. But as two 
 waxes that be molten and put together, they 
 close so in one, that every part of the one is 
 joined to every part of the other : even so, (saith 
 Cyril %) he that receiveth the flesh and blood of 
 the Lord, must needs be so joined with Christ, 
 that Christ must be in him, and he in Christ." 
 By these words of Cyril appeareth his mind 
 plainly, that we may not grossly and rudely 
 think of the eating of Christ with our mouths, 
 but with our faith, by which eating, although he 
 be absent hence bodily, and be in the eternal 
 life and glory with his Father, yet we be made 
 partakers of his nature, to be immortal and have 
 eternal life and glory with him. And thus is 
 declared the mind as well of Cyril as of Hila- 
 rius. And here may be well enough passed over 
 Basiiius, Basilius, Greoorius Nvssenus, and Gres^orius 
 
 Nyssemis, , J ' O 
 
 arid Nazian- Nazianzcnus, partly because thev speak little of 
 
 ^ In Johan. lib. 4. cap. 17. '' Ai>athematismo. 11, 
 
 * In Johan. lib. 4. cap. 1 7. 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. 179 
 
 this matter, and because they may be easily an- 
 swered unto, by that which is before declared 
 and often repeated, which is, that a figure hath 
 the name of the thing whereof it is the figure, 
 and therefore of the figure may be spoken the 
 same thing that may be spoken of the thing it- 
 self. And as concerning the eating of Christ's 
 flesh and drinking of his blood, they spake of 
 the spiritual eating and drinking thereof by faith, 
 and not of corporal eating and drinking with the 
 mouth and teeth. 
 
 Likewise Eusebius Emissenus is shortly an- The answer 
 
 to Einisse- 
 
 swered unto ; for he speaketh not of any real and n«s- 
 corporal conversion of bread and wine into 
 Christ's body and blood, nor of any corporal 
 and real eating and drinking of the same, but he 
 speaketh of a sacramental conversion of bread 
 and wine, and of a spiritual eating and drinking 
 of the body and blood. After which sort, 
 Christ is as well present in baptism (as the same 
 Eusebius plainly there declareth) as he is in the 
 Lord's table : which is not carnally and corpo- 
 rally, but by faith, and spiritually. But of this 
 author is spoken before more at large in the 
 matter of Transubstantiation. 
 
 And now I will come to the saying of St. Am- The answer 
 
 '' '-' to Ainbio- 
 
 brose, which is always in their mouths. Before s'«s'ie;.i- 
 the consecration, saith he, (as they allege,) it is '*''•»• ti'p.4. 
 bread ; but after the words of consecration it is 
 
 N 2 
 
tiun. 
 
 180 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 the body of Christ. For answer hereunto, it 
 must be first known what consecration is. 
 Consecra- Cousccration is the separation of any thing 
 from a profane and worldly use unto a spiritual 
 and godly use. 
 
 And therefore when usual and common water 
 is taken from other uses, and put to the use of 
 baptism in the name of the Father, and of the 
 Son, and of the Holy Ghost, then it may rightly 
 be called consecrated water, that is to say, wa- 
 ter put to an holy use. Even so when common 
 bread and wine be taken and severed from other 
 bread and wine, to the use of the holy commu- 
 nion, that portion of bread and wine, although it 
 be of the same substance that the other is from 
 the which it is severed, yet it is now called con- 
 secrated or holy bread and holy wine. Not that 
 the bread and wine have or can have any holi- 
 ness in them, but that they be used to an holy 
 work, and represent holy and godly things. 
 
 And therefore St. Dionyse^ calieth the bread 
 holy bread, and the cup an holy cup, as soon as 
 they be set upon the altar to the use of the holy 
 communion. 
 
 But specially they may be called holy and 
 consecrated, when they be separated to that holy 
 use by Christ's own words, which he spake for 
 that purpose, saying of the bread, " This is my 
 
 * De Ecci. Hierar. cap. 3. 
 
IN Ills HOLY SUPPER. 181 
 
 body*';" and of the wine, " This is my blood"/' 
 So that commonly the authors, before those 
 words be spoken, do take the bread and wine 
 but as other common bread and wine ; but after 
 those words be pronounced over them, then they 
 take them for consecrated and holy bread and 
 wine. Not that the bread and wine can be par- 
 takers of any holiness or godliness, or can be the 
 body and blood of Christ ; but that they repre- 
 sent the very body and blood of Christ, and the 
 holy food and nourishment which we have by 
 him. And so they be called by the names of 
 the body and blood of Christ, as the sign, token, 
 and figure is called by the name of the very 
 thing which it sheweth and signifieth. And 
 therefore as St. Ambrose, in the words before 
 cited by the adversaries, saith, that before the 
 consecration it is bread, and after the consecra- 
 tion it is Christ's body : so in other places he 
 doth more plainly set forth his meaning, saying 
 these words : " Before the benediction of the 
 heavenly words, it is called another kind of 
 thing; but, after the consecration, is signified 
 the body of Christ. Likewise before the conse- 
 cration, it is called another thing; but, after the 
 consecration, it is named the blood of Christ ''." 
 And again he saith : '' When 1 treated of the 
 
 "" Matt. xxvi. Matt. xiv. " Luke xxii. 
 
 "• De his qui mysteriis initiantuv cap. ult. 
 
182 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 sacraments, I told you, that that thing which is 
 offered before the words of Christ, is called 
 bread ; but when the words of Christ be pro- 
 nounced, then it is not called bread, but it is 
 called by the name of Christ's body\" 
 
 By which words of St. Ambrose, it appeareth 
 plainly, that the bread is called by the name of 
 Christ's body after the consecration; and al- 
 though it be still bread, yet after consecration it 
 is dignified by the name of the thing which it 
 representeth, as at length is declared before in 
 ' the process of Transubstantiation, and specially 
 in the words of Theodoretus. 
 
 And as the bread is a corporal meat, and cor- 
 porally eaten, so, saith St. Ambrose ^ is the body 
 of Christ a spiritual meat, and spiritually eaten, 
 and that requireth no corporal presence. 
 The answer Now Ict US cxamiuc St. John Chrysostome, 
 
 lo Chrysos- i • ^ 
 
 lomas. who, m sound of words, maketh most for the ad- 
 versaries of the truth : but they that be familiar 
 and acquainted with Chrysostome's manner of 
 speaking, how in all his writings he is full of al- 
 lusions, schemes, tropes, and figures, shall soon 
 perceive, that he helpeth nothing their purposes, 
 as it shall well appear by the discussing of those 
 places, which the Papists do allege of him ; which 
 be specially two : One is Li Sermont de Eucha- 
 ristia in Encceniis ; and the other is, De Proditione 
 
 • De sacramentis, lib. 5. cap. 4. ' Ibid. lib. 6. cap. 1. 
 
IN IHS HOLY SUPPER. 183 
 
 JudcE. And as touching the first, no man can 
 speak more plainly against them than St. John 
 Chrysostome speaketh in that sermon. Where- 
 fore it is to be wondered why they should allege 
 him for their party, unless they be so blind in 
 their opinion that they can see nothing, nor dis- 
 cern what maketh for them, nor what against 
 them. For there he hath these words : " When 
 you come to these mysteries, (speaking of the 
 Lord's board and holy communion,) do not think 
 that you receive by a man the body of God," 
 meaning of Christ ^ These be St. John Chry- 
 sostome's own words in that place. 
 
 Then if we receive not the body of Christ at 
 the hands of a man. Ergo, the body of Christ is 
 not really, corporally, and naturally in the sacra- 
 ment, and so given to us by the priest. And 
 then it followeth that all the Papists be liars, be- 
 cause they feign and teach the contrary. 
 
 But this place of Chrysostome is touched be- 
 fore more at length in answering to the Papists' 
 Transubstantiation. 
 
 Wherefore now shall be answered the other 
 place'', which they allege of Chrysostome in 
 these words : ** Here he is present in the sacra- 
 ment and doth consecrate, which garnished the 
 table at the maundy or last supper. For it is 
 
 ^ In sermone de Eiicharistia in Encaeniis. 
 ^ De proditione Judae. 
 
184 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 not man, which maketh of the bread and wine, 
 being set forth to be consecrated, the body and 
 blood of Christ ; but it is Christ himself (which 
 for us is crucified) that maketh himself to be 
 there present. The words are uttered and pro- 
 nounced by the mouth of the priest, but the con- 
 secration is by the virtue, might, and grace of 
 God himself : and as this saying of God, ' In- 
 crease, be multiplied, and fill the earth V once 
 spoken by God, took always effect towards ge- 
 neration : even so the saying of Christ, ' This 
 is my body ^' being but once spoken, doth 
 throughout all churches to this present, and shall 
 to his last coming, give force and strength to 
 this sacrifice o" 
 
 Thus far they rehearse of Chrysostome's words. 
 Which words, although they sound much for 
 their purpose, yet if they be thoroughly consi- 
 dered, and conferred with other places of the 
 same author, it shall well appear, that he meant 
 nothing less than that Christ's body should be 
 corporally and naturally present in the bread 
 and wine ; but that in such sort he is in heaven 
 only, and in our minds by faith we ascend up 
 into heaven, to eat him there, although sacra- 
 mentally as in a sign and figure, he be in the 
 bread and wine, and so is he also in the water of 
 baptism ; and in them that rightly receive the 
 
 ' Gen. i. *" Matt. xxvi. Matt, xiv, Luke xxii. 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. 185 
 
 bread and wine, he is in a much more perfection 
 than corporally, which should avail them no- 
 thing ; but in them he is spiritually with his 
 divine power, giving them eternal life. 
 
 And as in the first creation of the world all 
 living creatures had their first life by God's only 
 word ; for God only spake his word, and all 
 things were created by and by accordingly; 
 and after their creation he spake these words, 
 '' Increase and multiply ' ;" and, by the virtue of 
 those words, all things have gendered and in- 
 creased ever since that time : even so after that 
 Christ said, " Eat, this is my body, and drink, 
 this is my blood, do this hereafter in remem- 
 brance of me"' ;" by virtue of these words, and 
 not by virtue of any man, the bread and wine be 
 so consecrated, that whosoever with a lively faith 
 doth eat that bread and drink that wine, doth 
 spiritually eat, drink, and feed upon Christ, sit- 
 ting in heaven with his Father. And this is the 
 whole meaning of St. Chrysostome. 
 
 And therefore doth he so often say, that we 
 receive Christ in baptism ; and when he hath 
 spoken of the receiving of him in the holy Com- 
 munion, by and by he speaketh of the receiving 
 of him in baptism, without declaring any diver- 
 sity of his presence in the one, from his presence 
 in the other. 
 
 ' Gen. i. " Matt. xxvi. Mark xiv. Luke xxii. 
 
186 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 He saith also in many places ", ** That we as- 
 cend into heaven, and do eat Christ sitting there 
 above." 
 
 And wh^re St. Chrysostome and other authors 
 do speak of the wonderful operation of God in 
 his sacraments, passing all man's wit, senses, 
 and reason, he meaneth not of the working of 
 God in the water, bread, and wine, but of the 
 marvellous working of God in the hearts of them 
 that receive the sacraments, secretly, inwardly, 
 and spiritually transforming them ; renewing, 
 feeding, comforting, and nourishing them with 
 his flesh and blood, through his most Holy Spi- 
 rit, the same flesh and blood still remaining in 
 heaven. 
 
 Thus is this place of Chrysostome sufficiently 
 answered unto ; and if any man require any 
 more, then let him look what is recited of the 
 same author before, in the matter of Transub- 
 stantiation* 
 Si'oX Yet furthermore they bring for them Theophi- 
 Mar'kx'iv. lus Alcxaudriuus, who (as they allege) saith 
 thus : '* Christ giving thanks did break, (which 
 also we do,) adding thereto prayer: And he 
 gave unto them, saying, ' Take, this is my 
 body ;' this that I do now give, and that which 
 ye now do take. For the bread is not a figure 
 only of Christ's body, but it is changed into the 
 
 " Ad populum Antiochetium, horn. 61. et in Joan. horn. 45. 
 
IN HIS HOLT SUPPER. 187 
 
 very body of Christ ; for Christ saith, * The 
 bread which I will give you, is my flesh °.' Ne- 
 vertheless the flesh of Christ is not seen for our 
 weakness, but bread and wine are familiar unto 
 us. And surely if we should visibly see flesh 
 and blood, we could not abide it. And there- 
 fore our Lord, bearing with our weakness, doth 
 retain and keep the form and appearance of 
 bread and wine ; but he doth turn the very 
 bread and wine into the very flesh and blood of 
 Christ." 
 
 These be the words which the Papists do cite 
 out of Theophilus upon the Gospel of St. Mark. 
 But by this one place it appeareth evidently, 
 either how negligent the Papists be in searching 
 out and examining the sayings of the authors, 
 which they allege for their purpose ; or else how 
 false and deceitful they be, which willingly and 
 wittingly have made in this one place, and, as it 
 were with one breath, two loud and shameful 
 lies. 
 
 The first is, that because they would give the 
 more authority to the words by them alleged, 
 they (like false apothecaries that sell quid pro quo) 
 falsify the author's name, fathering such sayings 
 upon Theophilus Alexandrinus, an old and an- 
 cient author, which were indeed none of his 
 words, but were the words of Theophylactus, 
 
 John 
 
188 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 who was many years after Theophilus Alexan- 
 drinus. But such hath ever been the Papistical 
 subtleties, to set forth their own inventions, 
 dreams, and lies, under the name of antiquity and 
 ancient authors. 
 
 The second lie or falsehood is, that they falsify 
 the author's words and meaning, subverting the 
 truth of his doctrine. For where Theopliylactus 
 (according to the Catholick doctr'ine of ancient 
 authors) saith, that Almighty God, condescend- 
 ing to our infirmity, reserveth the kind of bread 
 and wine^ and yet turneth them into the virtue of 
 Christ's flesh and blood, they say that he re- 
 serveth the forms and appearances of bread and 
 wine, and turneth them into the verity of his 
 flesh and blood, so turning and altering kinds 
 into forms and appearances, and virtue into ve- 
 rity, that of the virtue of the flesh and blood they 
 make the verity of his flesh and blood. And 
 thus have they falsified as well the name as the 
 words of TheophylactuSj turning verity into plain 
 and flat falsity. 
 
 But to set forth plainly the meaning of Theo- 
 pliylactus in this matter : As hot and burning iron 
 is iron still, and yet hath the force of fire ; and 
 as the flesh of Christ, still remaining flesh, giv- 
 eth life, as the flesh of him that is God : so the 
 sacramental bread and wine remain still in their 
 proper kinds; and yet to them that worthily eat 
 and drink them, they be turned not into the cor- 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. 189 
 
 poral presence, but into the virtue of Christ's 
 flesh and blood. 
 
 And although Theophylactus spake of the eat- 
 ing of the very body of Christ, and the drinking 
 of his very bloody, (and not only of the figures of 
 them,) and of the conversion of the bread and 
 wine into the body and blood of Christ, yet he 
 meaneth not of a gross, carnal, corporal, and 
 sensible conversion of the bread and wine, nor 
 of a like eating and drinking of his flesh and 
 blood ; for so not only our stomachs would yearn 
 and our hearts abhor to eat his flesh and to drink 
 his blood ; but also such eating and drinking 
 could nothing profit and avail us : but he spake 
 of the celestial and spiritual eating of Christ, 
 and of a sacramental conversion of the bread, 
 calling the bread not only a figure, but also the 
 body of Christ, giving us by those words to un- 
 derstand, that in the sacrament we not only eat 
 corporally the bread, which is a sacrament and 
 figure of Christ's body ; but spiritually we eat 
 also his very body, and drink his very blood. 
 And this doctrine of Theophylactus is both true, 
 godly, and comfortable. 
 
 Besides this our adversaries do allege St. Je- Tiie answer 
 
 *^ to Hierony- 
 
 rome, upon the Epistle Ad Titiim, that there is ^'j;?^*;'^7 
 as great diflTerence between the loaves called'^'"""- 
 panes 'propositionis, and the body of Christ, as 
 there is between a shadow of a body, and the 
 body itself, and as there is between an image • 
 
190 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 and the thing itself, and between an example of 
 things to come and the things that be prefigured 
 by them." 
 
 These words of St. Jerome, truly understood, 
 serve nothing for the intent of the Papists. For 
 he meant that the shew-bread of the law was 
 but a dark shadow of Christ to come ; but the 
 sacrament of Christ's body is a clear testimony 
 that Christ is already come, and that he hath 
 performed that which was promised, and doth 
 presently comfort and feed us spiritually with 
 his precious body and blood, notwithstanding 
 that corporally he is ascended into heaven. 
 Augustinus, And the same is to be answered unto all that 
 
 Serlulius, 
 
 Leo Ful- tjjg adversaries brinof of St. Auorustine, Sedulius, 
 
 gentius.Cas- " o ' ? 
 
 Gregorius ^^^* Fulgcutius, Cassiodorus, Gregorius, and 
 others, concerning the eating of Christ in the 
 sacrament. 
 
 Which thing cannot be understood plainly as 
 the words sound, but figuratively and spiritually, 
 as before is sufficiently proved, and hereafter 
 shall be more fully declared in the fourth part 
 of this book. 
 
 But here John Damascene ^ may in no wise 
 be passed over, whom for his authority the ad- 
 versaries of Christ's true natural body do reckon 
 as a stout champion sufficient to defend all the 
 whole matter alone. But neither is the autho- 
 
 " Damascenus de fide orth. lib. 4. cap. 14. 
 
IN HIS HOLT SUPPER. 191 
 
 rity of Damascene so great, that they may op- 
 press us thereby, nor his words so plain for 
 them, as they boast and untruly pretend. For 
 he is but a young new author in the respect of 
 those which we have brought in for our party. 
 And in divers points he varieth from the most 
 ancient authors, (if he mean as they expound 
 him,) as when he saith, that the bread and wine 
 be not figures, which all the old authors call 
 figures, and that the bread and wine consume 
 not, nor be voided downward, which Origen and 
 St. Augustine affirm, or that they be not called 
 the examples of Christ's body after the consecra- 
 tion, which shall manifestly appear false by the 
 Liturgy ascribed unto St. Basil. 
 
 And moreover the said Damascene was one 
 of the bishop of Rome's chief proctors against 
 the emperors, and as it were his right hand, to 
 set abroad all idolatry by his own hand-writing. 
 And therefore if he lost his hand (as they say he 
 did) he lost it by God's most righteous judg- 
 ment, whatsoever they feign and fable of the 
 miraculous restitution of the same. And yet 
 whatsoever the said Damascene writeth in other 
 matters, surely in this place which the adversa- 
 ries do allege, he writeth spiritually and godly, 
 although the Papists either of ignorance mistake 
 him, or else willingly wrest him and writhe him 
 to their purpose, clean contrary to his meaning. 
 
 The sum of Damascene's doctrine in this mat- • 
 
192 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 ter is this : that as Christ, being both God and 
 man, hath in him two natures ; so hath he two 
 nativities, one eternal and the other temporal. 
 And so likewise we, being as it were double men, 
 or having every one of us two men in us, the new 
 man and the old man, the spiritual man and the 
 carnal man, have a double nativity : one of our 
 first carnal father, Adam, by whom as by ancient 
 inheritance cometh unto us malediction and 
 everlasting damnation; and the other of our hea- 
 venly Adam, that is to say, of Christ, by whom 
 we be made heirs of celestial benediction and 
 everlasting glory and immortality. 
 
 And because this Adam is spiritual, therefore 
 our generation by him must be spiritual, and our 
 feeding must be likewise spiritual. And our spi- 
 ritual generation by him is plainly set forth in 
 baptism, and our spiritual meat and food is set 
 forth in the holy communion and supper of the 
 Lord. And because our sights be so feeble that 
 we cannot see the spiritual water wherewith we 
 be washed in baptism, nor the spiritual meat 
 wherewith we be fed at the Lord's table ; there- 
 fore to help our infirmities, and to make us the 
 better to see the same with a pure faith, our Sa- 
 viour Christ hath set forth the same as it were 
 before our eyes by sensible signs and tokens, 
 which we be daily used and accustomed unto. 
 
 And because the common custom of men is to 
 wash in water, therefore our spiritual regenera- 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. 103 
 
 tion in Christ, or spiritual washing in his blood, 
 is declared unto us in baptism by water. Like- 
 wise our spiritual nourishment and feeding in 
 Christ, is set before our eyes by bread and wine, 
 because they be meats and drinks which chiefly 
 and usually we be fed withal ; that as they feed 
 the body, so doth Christ with his flesh and blood 
 spiritually feed the soul. 
 
 And therefore the bread and wine be called 
 examples of Christ's flesh and blood, and also 
 they be called his very flesh and blood, to sig- 
 nify unto us that as they feed us carnally, so do 
 they admonish us that Christ with his flesh and , 
 
 blood doth feed us spiritually and most truly 
 unto everlasting life. And as Almighty God by 
 his most mighty word and his Holy Spirit and 
 infinite power brought forth all creatures in the 
 beginning, and ever since hath preserved them ; 
 even so by the same word and power he work- 
 eth in us from time to time this marvellous spiri- 
 tual generation and wonderful spiritual nourish- 
 ment and feeding, which is wrought only by 
 God, and is comprehended and received of us 
 by faith. 
 
 And as bread and drink by natural nourish- 
 ment be changed into a man's body, and yet the 
 body is not changed, but the same that it was 
 before ; so although the bread and wine be sa- 
 cramentally changed into Christ's body, yet his 
 body is the same and in the same place that it' 
 
 o 
 
194 " OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 was before, that is to say, in heaven, without 
 any alteration of the same. 
 
 And the bread and wine be not so changed 
 into the flesh and blood of Christ, that they be 
 made one nature, but they remain still distinct 
 in nature, so that the bread in itself is not his 
 flesh, and the wine his blood, but unto them 
 that worthily eat and drink the bread and wine, 
 to them the bread and wine be his flesh and 
 blood, that is to say, by things natural and which 
 they be accustomed unto, they be exalted unto 
 things above nature. For the sacramental bread 
 and wine be not bare and naked figures, but so 
 pithy and efficacious, that whosoever worthily 
 eateth them, eateth spiritually Christ's flesh and 
 blood, and hath by them everlasting life. 
 
 Wherefore whosoever cometh to the Lord's 
 table, must come with all humility, fear, reve- 
 rence, and purity of life, as to receive not only 
 bread and wine, but also our Saviour Christ both 
 God and man, with all his benefits, to the relief 
 and sustentation both of their bodies and souls. 
 
 This is briefly the sum and true meaning of 
 Damascene, concerning this matter. 
 
 Wherefore they that gather of him either the 
 natural presence of Christ's body in the sacra- 
 ments of bread and wine, or the adoration of the 
 outward and visible sacrament, or that after the 
 consecration there remaineth no bread nor wine 
 nor other substance^ but only the substance of 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. 195 
 
 the body and blood of Christ; either they under- 
 stand not Damascene, or else of wilful froward- 
 ness they will not understand him; which rather 
 seemeth to be true, by such collections as they 
 have unjustly gathered and noted out of him. 
 
 For although he say, that Christ is the spiri- 
 tual meat, yet as in baptism the Holy Ghost is 
 not in the water, but in him that is unfeignedly 
 baptized; so Damascene meant not that Christ 
 is in the bread, but in him that worthily eateth 
 the bread. 
 
 And though he say, that the bread is Christ's 
 body, and the wine his blood, yet he meant not 
 that the bread considered in itself, or the wine 
 in itself being not received, is his flesh and 
 blood ; but to such as by unfeigned faith wor- 
 thily receive the bread and wine, to such the 
 bread and wine are called by Damascene the 
 body and blood of Christ, because that such 
 persons through the working of the Holy Ghost 
 be so knit and united spiritually to Christ's flesh 
 and blood, and to his divinity also, that they be 
 fed with them unto everlasting life. 
 
 Furthermore Damascene saith not that the sa- 
 crament should be worshipped and adored, as 
 the Papists term it, which is plain idolatry, but 
 that we must worship Christ, God and man. 
 And yet we may not worship him in bread and 
 wine, but sitting in heaven with his Father, and 
 being spiritually within ourselves. 
 
 o 2 
 
]J>6 OF THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST 
 
 Nor he saith not, that there remaineth no bread 
 nor wine, nor none other substance, but only the 
 substance of the body and blood of Christ ; but 
 he saith plainly, that as a burning coal is not 
 wood only, but fire and wood joined together ; 
 so the bread of the communion is not bread 
 only, but bread joined to the divinity. But 
 those that say, that there is none other substance 
 but the substance of the body and blood of 
 Christ, do not only deny that thepe is bread and 
 wine, but by force they must deny also that 
 thexe is either Christ's divinity or his soul. For 
 if the flesh and blood, the soul and divinity of 
 Christ be four substances, and in the sacrament 
 be but two of them, that is to say, his flesh and 
 blood, then where be his soul and divinity? And 
 thus these men divide Jesus, separating his divi- 
 nity from his humanity: of whom St. John saith, 
 *' Whosoever divideth Jesus, is not of God, but 
 he is Antichrist ''." 
 
 And moreover these men do so separate 
 Christ's body from his members in the sacra- 
 ment, that they leave him no man's body at all. 
 For as Damascene saith, " That the distinction 
 of members pertain so much to the nature of a 
 man's body, that where there is no such distinc- 
 tion, there is no perfect man's body '." But by 
 these Papists' doctrine, there is no such distinc- 
 
 ' 1 John iv. ■■ In libio de duabus in Christo voluntatibus. 
 
IN HIS HOLY SUPPER. 197 
 
 tion of members in the sacrament ; for either 
 there is no head, feet, hands, arms, legs, mouth, 
 eyes, and nose at all ; or else all is head, all feet, 
 all hands, all arms, all legs, all mouth, all eyes, 
 and all nose. And so they make of Christ's 
 body no man's body at all. 
 
 Thus being confuted the Papists' errors as 
 well concerning Transubstantiation, as the real, 
 corporal, and natural presence of Christ in the 
 sacrament,! which were two principal points pur- 
 posed in the beginning of this work ; now it is 
 time something to speak of the third error of 
 the Papists, which is concerning the eating of 
 Christ's very body and drinking of his blood. 
 
 THUS ENDETH TH-E THIRD BOOK. 
 
 .'f 
 
THE FOURTH BOOK 
 
 IS OF TUE 
 
 PATING AND DRINKING OF THE BODY AND BLOOD 
 
 OUR SAVIOUR CHRIST. 
 
 CHAP. The gross error of the Papists, is of the carnal 
 eating and drinking of Christ's flesh and blood 
 
 I. 
 
 Whether ill • , i , , 
 
 men do eat With OUr mOUths. 
 
 chrilt?" For they say, that whosoever eat and drink 
 the sacraments of bread and wine, do eat and 
 drink also with their mouths Christ's very flesh 
 and blood, be they never so ungodly and wicked 
 persons. But Christ himself taught clean con- 
 trary in the sixth of John, that we eat not him 
 carnally with our mouths, but spiritually with 
 Thegodij our faith, saying, *' Verily, verily I say unto you, 
 Christ. he that believeth in me, hath everlasting life. I 
 am the bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna 
 in the wilderness, and died. This is the bread 
 that came from heaven, that whosoever shall eat 
 thereof, shall not die. I am the lively bread that 
 came from heaven ; if any man eat of this bread. 
 
OF THE EATING AND DRINKING, &C. ^^^ 
 
 he shall live for ever. And the bread which I 
 will give, is my flesh, which I will give for the 
 life of the world." 
 
 This is the most true doctrine of our Saviour 
 Christ, that whosoever eateth him, shall have 
 everlasting life. And by and by it folio we th in 
 the same place of John more clearly : " Verily, 
 verily I say unto you, except you eat the flesh 
 of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you shall 
 not have life in you. He that eateth my flesh 
 and drinketh my blood, hath life everlasting, and 
 I will raise him again at the last day : for my 
 flesh is very meat, and my blood is very drink. 
 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, 
 dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Fa- 
 ther hath sent me, and I live by the Father ; 
 even so he that eateth me, shall live by me. 
 This is the bread which came down from hea- 
 ven, not as your fathers did eat manna, and are 
 dead ; he that eateth of this bread, shall live for 
 ever*." 
 
 This taught our Saviour Christ as well his 
 disciples as the Jews at Capernaum, that the 
 eating of his flesh and drinking of his blood was 
 not like to the eating of manna. For both good 
 and bad did eat manna, bmt none do eat his flesh 
 and drink his blood, but they have everlasting 
 life. For as his Father dwelleth in him, and he 
 
 * John vi. 
 
200 OF THE EATING AND DRINKING 
 
 in his Father, and so hath life by his Father : so 
 he that eateth Christ's flesh and drinketh his 
 blood, dwelleth in Christ, and Christ in him, 
 and by Christ he hath eternal life. 
 
 What need we any other witness, when Christ 
 himself doth testify the matter so plainly, that 
 whosoever eateth his flesh and drinketh his 
 blood, hath everlasting life ? And that to eat his 
 flesh and to drink his blood, is to believe in him? 
 And whosoever believeth in him, hath everlast- 
 ing life ? Whereof it followeth necessarily, that 
 ungodly persons, being limbs of the devil, do not 
 eat Christ's flesh nor drink his blood : except 
 the Papists would say, that such have everlast- 
 ing life. 
 
 But as the devil is the food of the wicked, 
 which he nourisheth in all iniquity, and bringeth 
 up unto everlasting damnation : so is Christ the 
 very food of all them that be the lively members 
 of his body, and them he nourisheth, feedeth, 
 bringeth up, and cherisheth unto everlasting 
 life. 
 CHAP. And every good and faithful Christian man 
 feeleth in himself how he feedeth of Christ, eat- 
 
 II. 
 
 Sn^oV'^ii^g his flesh, and drinking his blood. For he 
 
 flesb!and putteth thc wholc hope and trust of his redemp- 
 
 Lis"biood? tion and salvation in that only sacrifice, which 
 
 Christ made upon the cross, having his body 
 
 there broken-, and his blood there shed for the 
 
 remission of his sins. And this great benefit of 
 
CHAP. 
 III. 
 
 THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 201 
 
 Christ the faithful man earnestly considereth in 
 his mind, cheweth and digesteth it with the sto- 
 mach of his heart, spiritually receiving Christ 
 wholly into him, and giving again himself wholly 
 unto Christ. 
 
 And this is the eating of Christ's flesh and 
 drinking of his blood, the feeling whereof is to 
 every man the feeling how he eateth and drink- 
 eth Christ, which none evil man nor member of 
 the devil can do. 
 
 For as Christ is a spiritual meat, so is he spi- 
 ritually eaten and digested with the spiritual 
 
 r» 1*1 • • ^ -I ii'/> Christ is not 
 
 part of us, and giveth us spiritual and eternal life, eaten with 
 and is not eaten, swallowed, and digested with withVaith. 
 our teeth, tongues, throats, and bellies. " There- 
 fore," saith St. Cyprian ^ ** he that drinketh of 
 the holy cup, remembering this benefit of God, 
 is more thirsty than he was before. And lifting 
 up his heart unto the living God, is taken with 
 such a singular hunger and appetite, that he ab- 
 horreth all gaily and bitter drinks of sin; and all 
 savour of carnal pleasure is to him, as it were, 
 sharp and sour vinegar. And the sinner being- 
 converted, receiving the holy mysteries of the 
 Lord's Supper, giveth thanks unto God, and 
 boweth down his head, knowing that his sins be 
 forgiven, and that he is made clean and perfect; 
 and his soul (which God hath sanctified) he ren- 
 
 '' Cyprianus dc cocna Domini, 
 
202 OF THE EATING AND DRINKING 
 
 dereth to God again as a faithful pledge, and 
 then he glorieth with Paul, and rejoiceth, saying, 
 * Now it is not 1 that live, but it is Christ that 
 liveth within me.' These things be practised 
 and used among faithful people ; and to pure 
 minds the eating of his flesh is no horror but 
 honour, and the spirit delighteth in the drinking 
 of the holy and sanctifying blood. And doing 
 this, we whet not our teeth to bite, but with pure 
 faith we break, the holy bread." These be the 
 words of Cyprian. 
 
 And according unto the same, St. Austin saith, 
 *' Prepare not thy jaws, but thy hearts" And 
 in another place"*, (as it is cited of him,) he 
 saith, " Why dost thou prepare thy belly and 
 thy teeth? believe, and thou hast eaten." But 
 of this matter is sufficiently spoken before, where 
 it is proved, that to eat Christ's flesh and drink 
 his blood be figurative speeches. 
 CHAP. And now to return to our purpose, that only 
 the lively members of Christ do eat his flesh and 
 
 IV. 
 
 The good 
 
 Christ. 
 
 oniyITt drink his blood, I shall bring forth many other 
 places of ancient authors before not mentioned. 
 First, Origen' writeth plainly after this manner: 
 " The word was made flesh and very meat, which 
 whoso eateth, shall surely live for ever ; which 
 no evil man can eat. For if it could be that he 
 
 •^ August, de verbis Domini, serm. o3. 
 * In Joan, tract. 25, ^ Origenes in Math. cap. 15. 
 
THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 203 
 
 that continueth evil, might eat the word made 
 flesh, seeing that he is the word and bread of 
 life, it should not have been written, * Whoso- 
 ever eateth this bread, shall live for ever.'" 
 These words be so plain, that I need say nothing 
 for the more clear declaration of them. Where- 
 fore you shall hear how Cyprian agreeth with 
 him. Cyprian, in his sermon ascribed unto him 
 of the Lord's Supper \ saith, " The author of 
 this tradition said, that except we eat his flesh 
 and drink his blood, we should have no life in 
 us ; instructing us with a spiritual lesson, and 
 opening to us a way to understand so privy a 
 thing, that we should know that the eating is 
 our dwelling in him, and our drinking is as it 
 were an incorporation in him, being subject 
 unto him in obedience, joined unto him in our 
 wills, and united in our affections. The eating 
 therefore of this flesh, is a certain hunger and 
 desire to dwell in him." Thus writeth Cyprian 
 of the eating and drinking of Christ. And a little 
 after he saith, " That none do eat of this lamb, 
 but such as be true Israelites, that is to say, 
 pure Christian men, without colour or dissimu- 
 lation." 
 
 And AthanasiusS speaking of the eating of 
 Christ's flesh, and drinking of his blood, saith, 
 
 ' Cyprianus in sermo. de coena Domini. 
 
 e Athanasiuti de peccalo in Spiritum Sanctum. 
 
204 OF THE EATING AND DRINKING 
 
 *' That for this cause he made mention of his as- 
 cension into heaven, to pluck them from corporal 
 fancy, that they might learn hereafter that his 
 flesh was called the celestial meat that came 
 from above, and a spiritual food which he would 
 give. For those things that I speak to you 
 (saith he) be spirit and life. Which is as much 
 to say, as that thing which you see shall be slain, 
 and given for the nourishment of the world, that 
 it may be distributed to every body spiritually, 
 and be to all men a conservation unto the resur- 
 rection of eternal life. 
 
 In these words Athanasius declareth the cause 
 why Christ made mention of his ascension into 
 heaven, when he spake of the eating and drink- 
 ing of his flesh and blood. The cause after Atha- 
 nasius's mind was this, that his hearers should 
 not think of any carnal eating of his body with 
 their mouths ; for as concerning the presence of 
 his body, he should be taken from them, and as- 
 cend into heaven ; but that they should under- 
 stand him to be a spiritual meat, and spiritually 
 to be eaten, and by that refreshing to give eter- 
 nal life, which he doth to none but to such as 
 be his lively members. 
 
 And of this eating speaketh also Basilius '', 
 " That we eat Christ's flesh and drink his blood, 
 being made, by his incarnation and sensible life, 
 
 ^ Basilius, epistola. 141. 
 
THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 
 
 partakers of his word and wisdom. For his 
 flesh and blood be called all his mystical con- 
 versation here in his flesh and his doctrine, con- 
 sisting of his whole life, pertaining both to his 
 humanity and divinity, whereby the soul is nou- 
 rished and brought to the contemplation of 
 things eternal." Thus teacheth Basilius how 
 we eat Christ's flesh and drink his blood, which 
 pertaineth only to the true and faithful members 
 of Christ. 
 
 St. Jerome also saith ', *' All that love pleasure 
 more than God, eat not the flesh of Jesu, nor 
 drink his blood, of the which himself saith, * He 
 that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, 
 hath everlasting life.' " * 
 
 And in another place'', St. Jerome saith, 
 " That hereticks do not eat and drink the body 
 and blood of the Lord." 
 
 And moreover he saith ', '* That hereticks eat 
 not the flesh of Jesu, whose flesh is the meat of 
 faithful men." 
 
 Thus agreeth St. Jerome with the other before 
 rehearsed, that hereticks and such as follow 
 worldly pleasures, eat not Christ's flesh nor drink 
 his blood, because that Christ said, " He that 
 eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, hath 
 everlasting life." 
 
 ' Hieronimus in Esaiam, cap. (!>(). 
 ^ In Hieremiam. ' la Oseani. cap. 8. 
 
 205 
 
206 OF THE EATING AND DRINKING 
 
 And St. Ambrose saith "", " That Jesus is the 
 bread which is the meat of saints ; and that he 
 that taketh this bread, dieth not a sinner's death ; 
 for this bread is the remission of sins." 
 
 And in another book to him entitled", he writ- 
 eth thus : '* This bread of life which came from 
 heaven, doth minister everlasting life ; and who- 
 soever eateth this bread, shall not die for ever ; 
 and is the body of Christ." 
 
 And yet in another book" set forth in his name, 
 he saith on this wise : '* He that did eat manna 
 died, but he that eateth this body shall have re- 
 mission of his sins, and shall not die for ever." 
 
 And again he saith p, ** As often as thou drink- 
 est, thou hast remission of thy sins.'* 
 
 These sentences of St. Ambrose be so plain 
 in this matter, that there needeth no more but 
 only the rehearsal of them. 
 
 But St. Augustine in many places'' plainly 
 discussing this matter, saith: " He that agreeth 
 not with Christ, doth neither eat his body nor 
 drink his blood, although to the condemnation of 
 his presumption he receive every day the sacra- 
 ment of so high a matter." 
 
 And moreover St. Augustine most plainly 
 resolveth this matter in his book De civitate 
 
 " Ambrosius de benedictione patriarcharum, cap. 9. 
 
 " De his qui mysteriis initiantur. 
 
 " De sacramentis, lib. 4. cap. 5. ^ Lib. 5. cap. 3. 
 
 *• Augustinus in sententiis ex Prospero decerptis, cap. 339. 
 
THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 207 
 
 Dei\ disputing against two kinds of hereticks : 
 *' Whereof the one said, that as many as were 
 christened and received the sacrament of Christ's 
 body and blood, should be saved, howsoever 
 they lived or believed ; because that Christ said, 
 * This is the bread that came from heaven ; that 
 whosoever shall eat thereof, shall not die. I am 
 the bread of life, which came from heaven ; who- 
 soever shall eat of this bread, shall live for 
 ever.' Therefore (said these hereticks) all such 
 men must needs be delivered from eternal death, 
 and at length be brought to eternal life." 
 
 *' The other said, that hereticks and schis- 
 maticks might eat the sacrament of Christ's body, 
 but not his very body ; because they be no 
 members of his body. And therefore they pro- 
 mised not everlasting life to all that received 
 Christ's baptism and the sacrament of his body, 
 but all such as professed a true faith, although 
 they lived never so ungodly. For such (said 
 they) do eat the body of Christ, not only in a 
 sacrament, but also in deed, because they be 
 members of Christ's body." 
 
 But St. Augustine, answering to both these 
 heresies, saith, '' That neither hereticks, nor 
 such as profess a true faith in their mouths and 
 in their living shew the contrary, have either a 
 true faith, (which worketh by charity and doth 
 
 ■" De civitate Dei, lib. 21. cap. %5, 
 
208 OF THE EATING AND DRINKING 
 
 none evil,) or are to be counted among the mem- 
 bers of Christ. For they cannot be both mem- 
 bers of Christ and members of the devil. There- 
 fore (saith he) it may not be said, that any of 
 them eat the body of Christ. For when Christ 
 saith, 'He that eateth my flesh and drinkethmy 
 blood, dwelleth in me and I in him ;' he sheweth 
 what it is (notsacramentally, but in deed) to eat 
 his body and drink his blood : which is, when a 
 man dwelleth so in Christ, that Christ dwelleth 
 in him. For Christ spake those words, as if he 
 should say, ' He that dwelleth not in me, and in 
 whom I dwell not, let him not say or think, that 
 he eateth my body or drinketh my blood.' " 
 
 These be the plain words of St. Augustine, 
 that such as live ungodly, although they may 
 seem to eat Christ's body, (because they eat 
 the sacrament of his body,) yet indeed they 
 neither be members of his body, nor do eat his 
 body. 
 
 Also upon the Cospel of St. John ' he saith, 
 ** That he that doth not eat his flesh and drink 
 his blood, hath not in him everlasting life. And 
 he that eateth his flesh and drinketh his blood, 
 hath everlasting life. But it is not so in those 
 meats, which we take to sustain our bodies; for 
 although without them we cannot live, yet it is 
 not necessary that whosoever receiveth them 
 
 • In Jolian. tract. 26. 
 
THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 209 
 
 shall live, for they may die by age, sickness, or 
 Other chances. But in this meat and drink of 
 the body and blood of our Lord, it is otherwise ; 
 for both they that eat and drink them not, have 
 not everlasting life : and, contrariwise, whoso- 
 ever eat and drink them, have everlasting life." 
 
 Note and ponder well these words of St. Au- 
 gustine, that the bread and wine and other meats 
 and drinks, which nourish the body, a man may 
 eat, and nevertheless die ; but the very body 
 and blood of Christ no man eateth but that hath 
 everlasting life. So that wicked men cannot eat 
 nor drink them, for then they must needs have 
 by them everlasting life. 
 
 And in the same place St. Augustine saith fur- 
 ther: *• The sacrament of the unity of Christ's 
 body and blood, is taken in the Lord's table of 
 some men to life, and of some men to death ; but 
 the thing itself (whereof it is a sacrament) is 
 taken of all men to life, and of no man to death." 
 And moreover he saith, " This is to eat that 
 meat, and drink that drink, to dwell in Christ, 
 and to have Christ dwelling in him. And for 
 that cause, he that dwelleth not in Christ, and 
 in whom Christ dwelleth not, without doubt he 
 eateth not spiritually his flesh nor drinketh his 
 blood, although carnally and visibly with his 
 teeth he bite the sacrament of his body and 
 blood." 
 
 Thus writetli St. Augustine in the twenty-sixth - 
 p 
 
210 OF THE EATING AND DRINKING 
 
 Ilomily of St. John. And in the next Homily 
 following*, he writeth thus: " This day our 
 sermon is of the body of the Lord, which he said 
 he would give to eat for eternal life. And he 
 declared the manner of his gift and distribution, 
 how he would give his flesh to eat, saying, * He 
 that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, 
 dwelleth in me, and I in him.' This therefore is 
 a token or knowledge, that a man hath eaten and 
 drunken, that is to say, if he dwell in Christ, and 
 have Christ dwelling in him ; if he cleave so to 
 Christ, that he is not severed from him. This 
 therefore Christ taught and admonished by these 
 mystical or figurative words, that we should be 
 in his body under him our head, among his mem- 
 bers, eating his flesh, not forsaking his unity." 
 
 And in his book De Doctrina Christiana'', 
 St. Augustine saith, (as before is at length de- 
 clared,) " That to eat Christ's flesh and to drink 
 his blood, is a figurative speech, signifying the 
 participation of his passion, and the delectable 
 remembrance to our benefit and profit, that his 
 flesh was crucified and wounded for us." 
 
 And in another sermon also, De verbis Apos- 
 ioli", he expoundeth what is the eating of Christ's 
 body, and the drinking of his blood, saying, 
 " The eating is to be refreshed, and the drinking 
 
 ' In Johan. tract. 27. 
 
 " De Doctrina Christiana, lib. 3. cap. 14. 
 
 ' De verbis Apostoli, scrm. 20. 
 
THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 211 
 
 what is it but to live ? Eat life, drink life. And 
 that shall be, when that which is taken visibly 
 in the sacrament, is in very deed eaten spiritually 
 and drunken spiritually." 
 
 By all these sentences of St. Augustine, it is 
 evident and manifest, that all men, good and 
 evil, may with their mouths visibly and sensibly 
 eat the sacrament of Christ's body and blood ; 
 but the very body and blood themselves be not 
 eaten but spiritually, and that of the spiritual 
 members of Christ, which dwell in Christ, and 
 have Christ dwelling in them, by whom they be 
 refreshed and have everlasting life* 
 
 And therefore, saith St. Augustine^, that when 
 the other apostles did eat bread that was the 
 Lord, yet Judas did eat but the bread of the 
 Lord, and not the bread that was the Lord. So 
 that the other apostles, with the sacramentat 
 bread, did eat also Christ himself, whom Judas 
 did not eat. And a great number of places more 
 hath St. Augustine for this purpose, which for 
 eschewing of tediousness I let pass for this time, 
 and will speak something of St. Cyril. 
 
 Cyril, upon St. John's Gospel % saith, " That 
 those which eat manna died, because they re- 
 ceived thereby no strength to live ever, (for it 
 gave no life, but only put away bodily hunger;) 
 but they that receive the bread of life shall be 
 
 ^ In Johan. tract. 59. ' Cyrillus in Johan. lib. 4. caj). 10 1 
 
 V 2 
 
212 
 
 OF THE EATING AND DRINKING 
 
 made immortal, and shall eschew all the evils 
 that pertain to death, living with Christ for 
 ever." And in another place" he saith : " For- 
 asmuch as the flesh of them to Christ doth natu- 
 rally give life, therefore it maketh them to live 
 that be partakers of it. For it putteth death 
 away from them, and utterly driveth destruction 
 out of them." 
 
 And he concludeth the matter shortly in ano- 
 ther place ^ in few words, saying, '* That when 
 we eat the flesh of our Saviour, then have we 
 life in us. For if things that were corrupt were 
 restored by only touching of his clothes, how 
 can it be that we shall not live that eat his 
 flesh?" And further' he saith, " That as two 
 waxes that be molten together, do run every part 
 into other : so he that receiveth Christ's flesh 
 and blood, must needs be joined so with him, 
 that Christ must be in him, and he in Christ." 
 
 Here St. Cyril declareth the dignity of Christ's 
 flesh, being inseparably annexed unto his divi- 
 nity, saying, that it is of such force and power, 
 that it giveth everlasting life. And whatsoever 
 occasion of death it findeth, or let of eternal life, 
 it putteth out and driveth clean away all the 
 same from them that eat that meat and receive 
 that medicine. Other medicines or plasters 
 sometimes heal, and sometimes heal not ; but 
 
 * Cyrillus in Johan. lib. 4. cap. 1 2. " Cap. 1 4. ' Cap. 1 7. 
 
CHAP. 
 V. 
 
 THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 213 
 
 this medicine is of that effect and strength, that 
 it eateth away all rotten and dead flesh, and 
 perfectly healeth all wounds and sores that it is 
 laid unto. 
 
 This is the dignity and excellency of Christ's 
 flesh and blood joined to his divinity; of the 
 which dignity Christ's adversaries, the Papists, 
 deprive and rob him when they affirm, that such 
 men do eat his flesh and receive this plaster as 
 remain still sick and sore, and be not holpen 
 thereby. 
 
 And now for corroboration of Cyril's saying, 
 I would thus reason with the Papists, and de- - 
 mand of them, when an unrepentant sinner re- 
 ceiveth the sacrament, whether he have Christ's 
 body within him or no ? 
 
 If they say no, then have I my purpose, that 
 evil men, although they receive the sacrament 
 of Christ's body, yet receive they not his very 
 body. If they say yea, then I would ask them 
 further, whether they have Christ's spirit within 
 them or no ? 
 
 If they say nay, then do they separate Christ's 
 body from his spirit, and his humanity from his 
 divinity, and be condemned by the Scripture as 
 very Antichrists that divide Christ. 
 
 And if they say yea, that a wicked man hath 
 Christ's spirit in him, then the Scripture also 
 condemneth them, saying, " That as he which 
 hath no spirit of Christ's, is none of his ; so he 
 
214 OF THE EATING AND DRINKING 
 
 that hath Christ in him, liveth, because he is 
 justified. And if his spirit that raised Jesus from 
 death dwell in you, he, that raised Christ from 
 death, shall give life to your mortal bodies for 
 his spirit's sake, which dwelleth in you*^." 
 
 Thus on every side the Scripture condemneth 
 the adversaries of God's word. 
 
 And this wickedness of the Papists is to be 
 wondered at, that they affirm Christ's flesh, 
 blood, soul, holy spirit, and his deity to be a man 
 that is subject to sin, and a limb of the deviL 
 They be wonderful jugglers and conjurers, that 
 with certain words can make God and the devil 
 to dwell together in one man, and make him both 
 the temple of God and the temple of the devil. 
 It appeareth that they be so blind, that they can- 
 not see the light from darkness, Belial from 
 Christ, nor the table of the Lord from the table 
 of devils. 
 
 Thus is confuted this third intolerable error 
 and heresy of the Papists, that they which be 
 the limbs of the devil do eat the very body of 
 Christ, and drink his blood, manifestly and di- 
 rectly contrary to the words of Christ himself, 
 who saith, *' Whosoever eateth my flesh, and 
 drinketh my blood, hath everlasting life." 
 CHAP. But lest they should seem to have nothing to 
 say for themselves, they allege St. Paul, in the 
 
 VI. 
 
 ** Romans viii. 
 
THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 215 
 
 eleventh to the Corinthians, where he saith, ^'Ve'ra-"'' 
 " He that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eat-^'*''" 
 eth and drinketh his own damnation, not dis- 
 cerning the Lord's body V 
 
 But St. Paul in that place speaketh of the eat- 
 ing of the bread, and drinking of the wine, and 
 not of the corporal eating of Christ's flesh and 
 blood, as it is manifest to every man that will 
 read the text : for these be the words of St. Paul, 
 " Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the 
 bread, and drink of the cup ; for he that eateth 
 and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh 
 his own damnation, not discerning the Lord's 
 
 body." 
 
 In these words St. Paul's mind is, that foras- 
 much as the bread and wine in the Lord's Sup- 
 per do represent unto us the very body and blood 
 of our Saviour Christ, by his own institution and 
 ordinance ; therefore, although he sit in heaven 
 at his Father's right hand, yet should we come 
 to this mystical bread and wine with faith, reve- 
 rence, purity, and fear, as we would do if we 
 should come to see and receive Christ himself 
 sensibly present. For unto the faithful Christ is 
 at his own holy table present, with his mighty 
 spirit and grace, and is of them more fruitfully 
 received, than if corporally they should receive 
 him bodily present. And therefore they that 
 
 * 1 Cor. XI. 
 
216 OF THE EATING AND DRINKING 
 
 shall worthily come to this God's board, must, 
 after due trial of themselves, consider first who 
 ordained this table, also what meat and drink 
 they shall have that come thereto, and how they 
 ought to behave themselves thereat. He that 
 prepared the table, is Christ himself. The meat 
 and drink wherewith he feedeth them that come 
 thereto as they ought to do, is his own body, 
 flesh, and blood. They that come thereto must 
 occupy their minds in considering how his body 
 was broken for them, and his blood shed for 
 their redemption. And so ought they to ap- 
 proach to this heavenly table with all humble- 
 ness of heart, and godliness of mind, as to the 
 table wherein Christ himself is given. And they 
 that come otherwise to this holy table, they 
 come unworthily, and do not eat and drink 
 Christ's flesh and blood, but eat and drink their 
 own damnation ; because they do not duly con- 
 sider Christ's very flesh and blood, which be 
 offered there spiritually to be eaten and drunken, 
 but despising Christ's most holy supper do 
 come thereto, as it were to other common meats 
 and drinks, without regard of the Lord's body, 
 which is the spiritual meat of that table. 
 CHAP. But here may not be passed over the answer 
 unto certain places of ancient authors, which at 
 
 VII. 
 
 Su.epr'^the first shew seem to make for the Papists' 
 
 thols.""' purpose, that evil men do eat and drink the very 
 
 flesh and blood of Christ, But if those places 
 
THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 217 
 
 be truly and thoroughly weighed, it shall appear 
 that not one of them maketh for their error, that 
 evil men do eat Christ's very body. 
 
 The first place is of St. Augustine Conlva 
 Cresconiicm Gramimiticum \ where he saith, "That 
 although Christ himself say, ' He that eateth 
 not my flesh, and drinketh not my blood, shall 
 not have life in him :' yet do not his apostles 
 teach that the same is pernicious to them v/hich 
 use it not well ; for he saith, ' Whosoever eateth 
 the bread and drinketh the cup of the Lord un- 
 worthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood 
 of the Lord.' " 
 
 In which words St. Augustine seemeth to 
 conclude, that as well the evil as the good do eat 
 the body and blood of Christ, although the evil 
 have no benefi.t but hurt thereby. 
 
 But consider the place of St. Augustine dili- 
 gently, and then it shall evidently appear that 
 he meant not of the eating of Christ's body, but 
 of the sacrament thereof. For the intent of St. 
 Augustine there, is to prove that good things 
 avail not to such persons as do evil use them ; 
 and that many things which of themselves be 
 good, and be good to some, yet to other some 
 they be not good. As the light is good for whole 
 eyes, and hurteth sore eyes ; the meat which is 
 good for some, is ill for other some : one medi-. 
 
 ' Augustiuus contra Cresconium, lib. 1. cap. 25. 
 
218 OF THE EATING vVND DRINKING 
 
 cine healeth some, and maketh other sick ; one 
 harness doth arm one, and cumbreth another ; 
 one coat is meet for one, and too straight for 
 another. And after other examples, at the last 
 St. Augustine sheweth the same to be true in 
 the sacraments both of baptism and of the Lord's 
 body, which he saith do profit only them that 
 receive the same worthily. 
 
 And the words of St. Paul, which St. Augus- 
 tine citeth, do speak of the sacramental bread 
 and cup, and not of the body and blood. And 
 yet St. Augustine calleththe bread and the cup, 
 the flesh and blood ; not that they be so indeed, 
 but that they so signify ; as he saith in another 
 place. Contra Maxim'mum^. ** In sacraments," 
 saith he, *' is to be considered not what they 
 be, but what they shew ; for they be signs of 
 other things, being one thing, and signifying 
 another." 
 
 Therefore, as in baptism, those that come 
 fcignedly, and those that come unfeignedly, both 
 be washed with the sacramental water, but both 
 be not washed with the Holy Ghost, and clothed 
 with Christ : so, in the Lord's Supper, both eat 
 and drink the sacramental bread and wine, but 
 both eat not Christ himself, and be fed with his 
 flesh and blood, but those only which worthily 
 receive the sacrament. 
 
 ^ Contra Maximinum, lib. 3. cap. 22. 
 
THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CIIIUST. 219 
 
 And this answer will serve to another place ^ 
 of St. Augustine against the Donatists, where he 
 saith, *' That Judas received the body and blood 
 of the Lord." For as St. Augustine in that place 
 speaketh of the sacrament of baptism, so doth he 
 speak of the sacrament of the body and blood, 
 which nevertheless he calleth the body and 
 blood, because they signify and represent unto 
 us the very body, flesh, and blood. 
 
 And (as before is at length declared) a figure <^"ap. 
 hath the name of the thing that is signified there- '. 
 
 ■, . ,. . Ill I- ■> Fieures be 
 
 by. As a man s image is called a man, a lion s caiiedby 
 
 , . - . , , . 1 • 1 1 the names of 
 
 image, a lion ; a bird s image, a bird ; and an uie things 
 
 iii-ni 1 wliicli they 
 
 image oi a tree and herb, is called a tree or herb, signify. 
 So were we wont to say, our lady of Walsing- 
 ham, our lady of Ipswich, our lady of grace, our 
 lady of pity, St. Peter of Milan, St. John of 
 Amyas, and such like, not meaning the things 
 themselves, but calling their images by the name 
 of the things by them represented. And like- 
 wise we were wont to say, great St. Christopher 
 of York or Lincoln ; our lady smileth, or rocketli 
 her child ; let us go in pilgrimage to St. Peter 
 at Rome, and St. James in Compostella: and a 
 thousand like speeches, which were not under- 
 stood of the very things, but only of the images 
 of them. 
 
 So doth St. John Chrysostome say, that we 
 
 '' De bap. contra Donat. lib. 5. cap. 8. 
 
220 OF THE EATING AND DRINKING 
 
 see Christ with our eyes, touch him, feel him, 
 and grope him with our hands, fix our teeth in 
 his flesh, taste it, break it, eat it, and digest it, 
 make red our tongues and dye them with his 
 blood, and swallow it, and drink it. 
 
 And in a Catechism by me translated, and set 
 forth, I used like manner of speech, saying, that 
 with our bodily mouths we receive the body and 
 blood of Christ. Which my saying divers igno- 
 rant persons (not used to read old ancient au- 
 thors, nor acquainted with their phrase and 
 manner of speech) did carp and reprehend, for 
 lack of good understanding. 
 
 For this speech, and other before rehearsed of 
 Chrysostome, and all other like, be not under- 
 stood of the very flesh and blood of our Saviour 
 Christ, (which in very deed we neither feel nor 
 see,) but that which we do to the bread and wine, 
 by a figurative speech is spoken to be done to 
 the flesh and blood, because they be the very 
 signs, figures, and tokens instituted of Christ, to 
 represent unto us his very flesh and blood. 
 
 And yet as with our corporal eyes, corporal 
 hands and mouths, we do corporally see, feel, 
 taste, and eat the bread, and drink the wine, 
 (being the signs and sacraments of Christ's body,) 
 even so with our spiritual eyes, hands, and 
 mouths, we do spiritually see, feel, taste, and eat 
 his very flesh and drink his very blood. 
 
THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 221 
 
 As Eusebius Emisseniis saith ', " When thou 
 comest to the reverend altar to be filled with 
 spiritual meats, with thy faith look upon the 
 body and blood of him that is thy God, honour 
 him, touch him with thy mind, take him with 
 the hand of thy heart, and drink him with the 
 draught of thine inward man." And these spi- 
 ritual things require no corporal presence of 
 Christ himself, who sitteth continually in hea- 
 ven, at the right hand of his Father. 
 
 And as this is most true, so it is full and suffi- 
 cient to answer all things that the Papists can 
 bring in this matter, that have any appearance 
 for their party. 
 
 Now it is requisite to speak something of the chap. 
 manner and form of worshipping of Christ, by 
 
 IX. 
 
 them that receive this sacrament, lest that intionofUie 
 the stead of Christ himself be worshipped the ^^*''""''" ' 
 sacrament. For as his humanity, joined to his 
 divinity, and exalted to the right hand of his 
 Father, is to be worshipped of all creatures in 
 heaven, earth, and under the earth : even so, if 
 in the stead thereof we worship the signs and 
 sacraments, we commit as great idolatry as ever 
 was, or shall be, to the world's end. 
 
 And yet have the very Antichrists (the sub- Tiie simple 
 
 . . people be 
 
 tlest enemies that Christ hath) by their fine m- deceived. 
 ventions,and crafty scholastical divinity, deluded 
 
 ' Eusebius Emissenus in serm. de Eucharistia. 
 
222 OF THE EATING AND DRINKING 
 
 many simple souls, and brought them to this 
 horrible idolatry, to worship things visible and 
 made with their own hands, persuading them 
 that creatures were their Creator, their God, 
 and their Maker. 
 
 For else what made the people to run from 
 their seats to the altar, and from altar to altar, 
 and from sakering (as they called it) to sakering, 
 peeping, tooting, and gazing at that thing, 
 which the priest held up in his hands, if they 
 thought not to honour that thing which they 
 saw ? What moved the priests to lift up the sa- 
 crament so high over their heads ? or the people 
 to cry to the priest, hold up, hold up, and one 
 man to say to another, stoop down before, or to 
 say, this da,y I have seen my Maker; and, I 
 cannot be quiet except I see my Maker once a 
 day ? What was the cause of all these, and that 
 as well the priests as the people so devoutly did 
 knock and kneel at every sight of the sacrament,- 
 but that they worshipped that visible thing which 
 they saw with their eyes, and took it for very 
 God ? For if they worshipped in spirit only 
 Christ, sitting in heaven with his Father, what 
 needeth they to remove out of their seats to toot 
 and gaze, as the apostles did after Christ when 
 he was gone up into heaven ? If they worship- 
 ped nothing that they saw, why did they rise 
 up to see ? Doubtless many of the simple peo- 
 
THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST. 
 
 pie worshipped that thing which they saw with 
 their eyes. 
 
 And although the subtle Papists do colour 
 and cloak the matter never so finely, saying", that 
 they worship not the sacraments which they see 
 with their eyes, but that thing which they be- 
 lieve with their faith to be really and corporally 
 in the sacraments, yet why do they then run from 
 place to place to gaze at the things which they 
 see, if they worship them not, giving thereby 
 occasion to them that be ignorant to worship 
 that which they see ? Why do they not rather 
 quietly sit still in their seats, and move the peo- 
 ple to do the like, worshipping God in heart and 
 in spirit, than to gad about from place to place, 
 to see that thing- which they confess themselves 
 is not to be worshipped ? 
 
 And yet to eschew one inconvenience (that is 
 to say, the worshipping of the sacrament,) they 
 M\ into another as evil, and worship nothing 
 there at all. For they worship that thing (as 
 they say) which is really and corporally and yet 
 invisibly present under the kinds of bread and 
 wine, which (as before is expressed and proved) 
 is utterly nothing. And so they give unto the 
 ignorant occasion to worship bread and wine, 
 and they themselves worship nothing there at 
 
 all. 
 
 But the Papists (for their own commodity to 
 keep the people still in idolatry) do often allege 
 
 223 
 
224 OF THE EATING AND DRINKING 
 
 a certain place ^ of St. Augustine upon the 
 Psalms, where he saith, " That no man doth eat 
 the flesh of Christ, except he first worship it, 
 and that we do not offend in worshipping there- 
 of, but we should offend if we should not wor- 
 ship it." 
 
 That is true which St. Augustine saith in this 
 place. For who is he that professeth Christ, and 
 is spiritually fed and nourished with his flesh and 
 blood, but he will honour and worship him, sit- 
 ting at the right hand of his Father, and render 
 unto him, from the bottom of his heart, all laud, 
 praise, and thanks, for his merciful redemp- 
 tion ! 
 
 And as this is most true which St. Augustine 
 saith, so is that most false which the Papists 
 would persuade upon St. Augustine's words, that 
 the sacramental bread and wine, or any visible 
 thing, is to be worshipped in the sacrament. 
 For St. Augustine's mind was so far from any 
 such thought, that he forbiddeth utterly to wor- 
 ship Christ's own flesh and blood alone, but in 
 consideration and as they be annexed and joined 
 to his divinity. How much less then could he 
 think or allow that we should worship the sa- 
 cramental bread and wine, or any outward or 
 visible sacrament, which be shadows, figures, 
 and representations of Christ's very flesh and 
 blood ! 
 
 ■^ Autrust. in Psul. xcviii. 
 
THE BODY AjN^D BLOOD OF CHRIST. 225 
 
 AndSt. Auguytine was afraid, lest in worship- 
 ping of Christ's very body we should offend ; 
 and therefore he biddeth us, when we worship 
 Christ, that we should not tarry and fix our 
 minds upon his flesh, which of itself availeth no- 
 thing, but that we should lift up our minds from 
 the flesh to the spirit, which giveth life : and yet 
 the Papists be not afraid, by crafty means, to in- 
 duce us to worship those things, which be signs 
 and sacraments of Christ's body. 
 
 But what will not the shameless Papists allege 
 for their purpose, when they be not ashamed to 
 maintain the adoration of the sacrament by these 
 words of St. Augustine, wherein he speaketh not 
 one word of the adoration of the sacrament, but 
 only of Christ himself? 
 
 And although he say, that Christ gave his 
 flesh to be eaten of us, yet he meant not that his 
 flesh is here corporally present, and corporally 
 eaten, but only spiritually. As his words de- » 
 clare plainly, which follow in the same place, 
 where St. Augustine, as it were, in the person of 
 Christ, speaketh these words : " It is the spirit 
 that giveth life, but the flesh profiteth nothing. 
 The words which I have spoken unto you, be 
 spirit and life. That which I have spoken, un- 
 derstand you spiritually. You shall not eat this 
 body which you see, and drink that blood which 
 they shall shed that shall crucify me. I have 
 commended unto you a sacrament, understand it ' 
 
 Q 
 
226 OF THE EATING AND DRINKING 
 
 spiritually, and it shall give you life. And al- 
 though it must be visibly ministered, yet it must 
 be invisibly understood." 
 
 These words of St. Augustine, M^ith the other 
 before recited, do express his mind plainly, that 
 Christ is not otherwise to be eaten than spiritu- 
 ally, which spiritual eating requireth no corpo- 
 ral presence ; and that he intended not to teach 
 here any adoration either of the visible sacra- 
 ments, or of any thing that is corporally in them. 
 For indeed there is nothing really and corporally 
 in the bread to be worshipped, although the Pa- 
 pists say, that Christ is in every consecrated 
 bread. 
 
 But our Saviour Christ himself hath given us 
 warning before hand, that such false Christians 
 and false teachers should come, and hath bid us 
 to beware of them, saying, " If any man tell you 
 that Christ is here, or Christ is there, believe 
 him not ; for there shall arise false Christs and 
 false prophets, and shall shew many signs and 
 wonders, so that if it were possible, the very elect 
 should be brought into error. Take heed, I 
 have told you beforehand ^" 
 
 Thus our Saviour Christ, like a most lovijig 
 pastor and saviour of our souls, hath given us 
 warning beforehand of the perils and dangers 
 that were to come, and to be wise and ware that 
 
 ' -Matt. xxiv. 
 
THE RODY AND ELOOD OF CHRIST. 227 
 
 we should not give credit unto such teachers as 
 would persuade us to worship a piece of bread, 
 to kneel to it, to knock to it, to creep to it, to 
 follow it in procession, to lift up our hands to it, 
 to offer to it, to light candles to it, to shut it up 
 in a chest or box, to do all other honour unto it, 
 more than we do unto God ; having alway this 
 pretence or excuse for our idolatry. Behold herti 
 is Christ. But our Saviour Christ calleth them 
 false prophets, and saith, ''Take heed, I tell you 
 before, believe them not ; if they say to you, Be- 
 hold Christ is abroad or in the wilderness, go 
 not out ; and if they say that he is kept in close 
 places, believe them not ""." 
 
 And if you will ask me the question, who be chaf. 
 those false prophets and seducers of the people. 
 
 the answer is soon made ; the Romish Antichrists papisis''th-.t 
 and their adherents, the authors of all error, ig- eT^iieTeo- 
 norance, blindness, superstition, hypocrisy, and ^ '^ 
 idolatry. 
 
 For Innocentius the Third, one of the most innooentrns 
 Wicked men that ever was m the see of Rome, 
 did ordain and decree that the host should be 
 diligently kept under lock and key. 
 ** And Honorius the Third not only confirmed Honoii,, 
 the same, but commanded also that the priests 
 should diligently teach the people from time to 
 time, that when they lifted up the bread called 
 
 tcrfius 
 
 M.iU. xxi\-. 
 
 u 2 
 
228 OF THE EATING AND DRINKING, &C. 
 
 the host, the people should then reverently bow 
 clown, and that likewise they should do when 
 the priest carrieth the host unto sick folks. 
 These be the statutes and ordinances of Rome, 
 under pretence of holiness, to lead the people 
 unto all error and idolatry ; not bringing them 
 by bread unto Christ, but from Christ unto 
 bread. 
 CHAP. But all that love and believe Christ himself, 
 let them not think that Christ is corporally in 
 
 XI. 
 
 uo/toThe'* the bread, but let them lift up their hearts unto 
 ing^ofChHrt heaven, and worship him, sitting there at the 
 ment. right hand of his Father. Let them worship 
 him in themselves, whose temples they be, in 
 whom he dwelleth and liveth spiritually : but in 
 no wise let them worship him as being corporally 
 in the bread ; for he is not in it, neither spiritu- 
 ally, as he is in man, nor corporally, as he is in 
 heaven; but only sacramentally, as a thing may 
 be said to be in the figure, whereby it is signi- 
 fied. 
 
 Thus is sufficiently reproved the third princi- 
 pal error of the Papists, concerning the Lord's 
 Supper, which is, that wicked members of the 
 devil do eat Christ's very body, and drink his 
 blood. 
 
 THUS ENDETH THE FOURTH BOOK. 
 
THE FIFTH BOOK 
 
 THE OBLATION AND SACRIFICE 
 
 OF 
 
 OUR SAVIOUR CHRIST. 
 
 The greatest blasphemy and injury that can be chap. 
 
 agamst Christ, and yet universally used through [; 
 
 the Popish kingdom, is this, that the priests JJlf ofTh" 
 make their mass a sacrifice propitiatory, to remit "**'** 
 the sins as well of themselves, as of other both 
 quick and dead, to whom they list to apply the 
 same. Thus, under pretence of holiness, the 
 Papistical priests have taken upon them to be 
 Christ's successors, and to make such an obla- 
 tion and sacrifice, as never creature made but 
 Christ alone, neither he made the same any more 
 times than once, and that was by his death upon 
 the cross. 
 
 For as St. Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrews chap. 
 witnesseth, " Although the high priests of the.. 
 
 n. 
 
230 OF THE OBLATION AND 
 
 ScVbe-"' old law offered many times, (at the least every 
 
 sacrifice of year once,) yet Christ ofFereth not himself many 
 
 ofthepriests times, foT then he should many times have died. 
 
 [aw'r*'^'^ But now he offereth himself but once, to take 
 
 away sin by that offering of himself. And as 
 
 men must die once, so was Christ offered once, 
 
 to take away the sins of many %" 
 
 And furthermore St. Paul saith, " That the 
 sacrifices of the old law, although they were 
 continually offered from year to year, yet could 
 they not take away sin, nor make men perfect. 
 For if they could once have quieted men's con- 
 sciences by taking away sin, they should have 
 ceased, and no more have been offered. But 
 Christ, with once offering, hath made perfect for 
 ever them that be sanctified ; putting their sins 
 clean out of God's remembrance. And where 
 remission of sins is, there is no more offering for 
 sin\" 
 
 And yet further he saith, concerning the Old 
 Testament, " That it was disannulled and taken 
 away, because of the feebleness and unprofita- 
 bleness thereof; for it brought nothing to perfec- 
 tion. And the priests of that law were many, 
 because they lived not long, and so the priest- 
 hood went from one to another; but Christ liveth 
 ever, and hath an everlasting priesthood that 
 passeth not from him to any man else. Where^ 
 
 ^ Heb. ix. * Heb. x. 
 
SACRIFICE OF CHRIST. iJ31 
 
 fore he is able perfectly to save them that come 
 to God by him, forasmuch as he livetli ever to 
 make intercession for us. For it was meet for 
 us to have such an high priest that is holy, in- 
 nocent, w^ithout spot, separated from sinners, 
 and exalted up above heaven ; who needeth not 
 daily to offer up sacrifice, as Aaron's priests did, 
 first for his own sins, and then for the people. 
 For that he did once, when he offered up him- 
 self^" 
 
 Here, in his Epistle to the Hebrews, St. Paul 
 hath plainly and fully described unto us the dif- 
 ference between the priesthood and sacrifices of 
 the Old Testament, and the most high and wor- 
 thy priesthood of Christ, his most perfect and 
 necessary sacrifice, and the benefit that cometh 
 to us thereby. For Christ offered not the blood 
 of calves, sheep, and goats, as the priests of the 
 old law used to do; but he offered his own blood 
 upon the cross. And he went not into an holy 
 place made by man's hand, (as Aaron did,) but 
 he ascended up into heaven, where his Eternal 
 Father dwelleth ; and before Him he maketh con- 
 tinual supplication for the sins of the whole 
 world, presenting his own body, which was torn 
 for us, and his precious blood, which of his most 
 gracious and liberal charity he shed for us upon 
 the cross. 
 
 And that sacrifice was of such force, that it 
 
 ' Heb. vii. 
 
232 OF THE OBLATION AND 
 
 was no need to renew it every year, as the bi- 
 shops did of the Old Testament ; whose sacrifices 
 were many times offered, and yet were of no 
 great effect or profit, because they were sinners 
 themselves that offered them, and offered not 
 their own blood, but the blood of brute beasts ; 
 but Christ's sacrifice, once offered, was sufficient 
 for evermore. 
 
 And that all men may the better understand 
 CHAP, this sacrifice of Christ, which he made for the 
 great benefit of all men, it is necessary to know 
 
 in. 
 
 Jf'Iaorifices. the distinction and diversity of sacrifices. 
 
 One kind of sacrifice there is, which is called 
 a propitiatory or merciful sacrifice, that is to say, 
 such a sacrifice as pacifieth God's wrath and in- 
 dignation, and obtaineth mercy and forgiveness 
 for all our sins, and is the ransom for our redemp- 
 tion from everlasting damnation. 
 
 And although in the Old Testament there were 
 Thesacrifice ccrtaiu sacrificcs called by that name, yet in 
 
 of Christ. ^ '' 
 
 very deed there is but one such sacrifice where- 
 by onr sins be pardoned, and God's mercy and 
 favour obtained, which is the death of the Son of 
 God our Lord Jesu Christ ; nor never was any 
 other sacrifice propitiatory at any time, nor ever 
 shall be. 
 
 This is the honour and glory of this our High 
 Priest, wherein he admitteth neither partner nor 
 successor. For by his one oblation he satisfied 
 his Father for all men's sins, and reconciled 
 
SACRIFICE OF CHRIST. 233 
 
 mankind unto his grace and favour. And who- 
 soever deprive him of this honour, and go about 
 to take it to themselves, they be very Anti- 
 christs and most arrogant blasphemers against 
 God, and against his Son Jesus Christ whom 
 He hath sent. 
 
 Another kind of sacrifice there is, which doth J^J)fo,-t[,^' 
 not reconcile us to God, but is made of them *"''"''''''• 
 that be reconciled by Christ, to testify our duties 
 unto God, and to shew ourselves thankful unto 
 him; and therefore they be called sacrifices of 
 laud, praise, and thanksgiving. 
 
 The first kind of sacrifice Christ offered to 
 God for us ; the second kind we ourselves offer 
 to God by Christ. 
 
 And by the first kind of sacrifice Christ ofter- 
 ed also us urto his Father ; and by the second 
 we offer ourselves, and all that we have, unto him 
 and his Father. 
 
 And this sacrifice generally is our whole obe- 
 dience unto God, in keeping his laws and com- 
 mandments. Of which manner of sacrifice 
 speaketh the prophet David, saying, " A sacri- 
 fice to God, is a contrite heart '^." And St. Pe- 
 ter saith of all Christian people, *' That they be 
 an holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices, 
 acceptable to God by Jesu Christ %" And St. 
 Paul saith, *' That alway we offer unto God a 
 sacrifice of laud and praise by Jesus Christ V 
 
 ■* PsaL 1. • 1 Pet. ii. ' Heb. xiii. 
 
234 OF THE OBLATION AND 
 
 CHAP. But now to speak somewhat more largely of 
 
 IV. . *" 
 
 the priesthood and sacrifice of Christ, he was 
 
 plain decia- such an high bishop, that he, once offering him- 
 sacrifice of self, was sufficicnt, bv one effusion of his blood, 
 
 Christ. 11,- 1 
 
 to abohsh sm unto the world s end. He was so 
 perfect a priest, that by one oblation he purged 
 an infinite heap of sins, leaving an easy and a 
 ready remedy for all sinners, that his one sacri- 
 fice should suffice for many years unto all men 
 that would not shew themselves unworthy. And 
 he took unto himself not only their sins that 
 many years before were dead, and put their 
 trust in him, but also the sins of those that until 
 his coming again should truly believe in his Gos- 
 pel. So that now we may look for none other 
 priest, nor sacrifice, to take away our sins, but 
 only him and his sacrifice. And as he, dying 
 once, was offered for all, so, as much as pertained 
 to him, he took all men's sins unto himself. So 
 that now there remaineth no more sacrifices for 
 sin, but extreme judgment at the last day, 
 when he shall appear to us again, not as a man 
 to be punished again, and to be made a sacrifice 
 for our sins, as he was before ; but he shall come 
 in his glory, without sin, to the great joy and 
 comfort of them, which be purified and made 
 clean by his death, and continue in godly and 
 innocent living ; and to the great terror and dread 
 of them that be wicked and ungodly ^" 
 
 » Heb. ix. 
 
SACRIFICE OF CHRIST. 235 
 
 Thus the Scripture teacheth, that if Christ 
 had made any oblation for sin more than once, 
 he should have died more than once ; foras- 
 much as there is none oblation and sacrifice for 
 sin, but only his death. And now there is no 
 more oblation for sin, seeing that by him our sins 
 be remitted, and our consciences quieted. 
 
 And although in the Old Testament there cuAr. 
 
 were certain sacrifices, called sacrifices for sin, "^ 
 
 yet they were no such sacrifices that could take ficeVoTthe 
 away our sins in the sight of God ; but they were "^^ ^^'^* 
 ceremonies ordained to this intent, that they 
 should be, as it were, shadows and figures, to 
 signify beforehand the excellent sacrifice of 
 Christ that was to come, which should be the 
 very true and perfect sacrifice for the sins of the 
 whole world. 
 
 And for this signification they had the name 
 of a sacrifice propitiatory, and were called sacri- 
 fices for sins, not because they indeed took away 
 our sins, but because they were images, sha- 
 dows, and figures, whereby godly men were ad- 
 monished of the true sacrifice of Christ then to 
 come, which should truly abolish sin and ever- 
 lasting death. 
 
 And that those sacrifices, which were made by 
 the priests in the old law, could not be able to 
 purchase our pardon, and deserve the remission 
 of our sins, St. Paul doth clearly affirm in his 
 said Epistle to the Hebrews, where he saith, 
 
236 OF THE OBLATION AND 
 
 ** It is impossible that our sins should be taken 
 away by the blood of oxen and goats \" 
 
 Wherefore all godly men, although they did 
 use those sacrifices ordained of God, yet they 
 did not take them as things of that value and 
 estimation, that thereby they should be able to 
 obtain remission of their sins before God. But 
 they took them partly for figures and tokens 
 ordained of God, by the which he declared, that 
 he would send that seed, which he promised to 
 be the very true sacrifice for sin, and that he 
 would receive them that trusted in that promise, 
 and remit their sins for the sacrifice after to 
 come. And partly they used them as certain 
 ceremonies, whereby such persons as had offend- 
 ed against the law of Moses, and were cast 
 out of the congregation, were received again 
 among the people, and declared to be absolved. 
 As for like purposes we use, in the church of 
 Christ, sacraments by him instituted. And this 
 outward casting out from the people of God, 
 and receiving in again, was according to the law 
 and knowledge of man ; but the true reconcilia- 
 tion and forgiveness of sin before God, neither 
 the fathers of the old law had, nor we yet have, 
 but only by the sacrifice of Christ, made in the 
 mount of Calvary. And the sacrifices of the old 
 law were prognostications and figures of the 
 
 '> Heb. ix. 
 
 I 
 
SACRIFICE OF CHRIST. 237 
 
 same then to come, as our sacraments be figures 
 and demonstrations of the same now passed. . 
 
 Now by these foresaid things may every man chap. 
 easily perceive, that the offering of the priest in 
 
 the mass, or the appointing of his ministration at noTa "acri-* 
 his pleasure, to them that be quick or dead, can- ato^^"^"^' '' 
 not merit and deserve,- neither to himself, nor to 
 them for whom he singeth or sayeth, the remis- 
 sion of their sins : but that such Popish doctrine 
 is contrary to the doctrine of the Gospel, and in- 
 jurious to the sacrifice of Christ. 
 
 For if only the death of Christ be the oblation, 
 sacrifice, and price, wherefore our sins be par- 
 doned, then the act or ministration of the priest 
 cannot have the same office. Wherefore it is an 
 abominable blasphemy to give the office or dig- 
 nity to a priest, which pertaineth only to Christ; 
 or to affirm that the church hath need of any 
 such sacrifice ; as who should say, that Christ's 
 sacrifice were not sufficient for the remission of 
 our sins ; or else that his sacrifice- should hang 
 upon the sacrifice of a priest. 
 
 But all such priests as pretend to be Christ's 
 successors, in making a sacrifice of him, they be 
 his most heinous and horrible adversaries. For 
 never no person made a sacrifice of Christ, but 
 he himself only. And therefore St. Paul saith, 
 " That Christ's priesthood cannot pass from him 
 to another. For what needeth any more sacri- 
 fices, if Christ's sacrifice be perfect and suffi- 
 
236 OF THE OBLATION AND 
 
 cient'?" And as St. Paul saith, *' That if the 
 sacrifices and ministration of Aaron, and other 
 priests of that time, had lacked nothing, but had 
 been perfect and sufficient, then should not the 
 sacrifice of Christ have been required, (for it had 
 been but in vain to add any thing to that, which 
 of itself was perfect;) so likewise if Christ's sa- 
 crifice which he had made himself be sufficient, 
 what need we every day to have more and more 
 sacrifices ^ ?" Wherefore all Popish priests that 
 presume to make every day a sacrifice of Christ, 
 either must they needs make Christ's sacrifice 
 vain, imperfect, and unsufficient, or else is their 
 sacrifice in vain, which is added to the sacrifice 
 which is already of itself sufficient and perfect. 
 
 But it is a wonderous thing to see what shifts 
 
 and cautels the Popish Antichrists devise, to 
 
 colour and cloak their wicked errors. And as a 
 
 chain is so joined together, that one link draw- 
 
 eth another after it ; so be vices and errors knit 
 
 together, that every one draweth his fellow with 
 
 him. And so doth it here in this matter. 
 
 CHAP. For the Papists, to excuse themselves, do say, 
 
 ^"' that they make no new sacrifice, nor none other 
 
 LlZnhe sacrifice than Christ made ; for they be not so 
 
 fMhw''' blind, but they see that then they should add 
 
 another sacrifice to Christ's sacrifice, and so 
 
 make his sacrifice imperfect ; but they say, that 
 
 ' Meb. vil. ^ Meb. viii. 
 
SACRIFICE OF CHRIST. 239 
 
 tliey make the self-same sacrifice for sin that 
 Christ himself made. 
 
 And here they run headlong into the foulest 
 and most heinous error that ever was imagined. 
 For if they make every day the same oblation 
 and sacrifice for sin that Christ himself made, 
 and the oblation that he made v^^as his deaths 
 and the effusion of his most precious blood upon 
 the cross, for our redemption and price of our 
 sins : then followeth it of necessity, that they 
 every day slay Christ and shed his blood ; and 
 so be they worse than the wicked Jews and 
 Pharisees, which slew him, and shed his blood 
 but once. 
 
 Almighty God, the Father of light and truth, chap. 
 
 banish all such darkness and error out of his !!l[l_ 
 
 church, with the authors and teachers thereof ; ^'jJfiVeTf'aTi 
 or else convert their hearts unto him, and give pe'„'pfe?" 
 this light of faith to every man, that he may 
 trust to have remission of his sins, and be deli- 
 vered from eternal death and hell, by the merit 
 only of the death and blood of Christ : and that 
 by his own faith every man may apply the same 
 unto himself, and not take it at the appointment 
 of Popish priests, by the merit of their sacrifices 
 and oblations. 
 
 If we be indeed, as we profess, Christian men, 
 we may ascribe this honour and glory to no man, 
 but to Christ alone. Wherefore let us give the 
 whole laud and praise hereof iinto him ; let us . 
 
240 OF THE OBLATION AND 
 
 fly only to him for succour; let us hold him fast, 
 and hang upon him, and give ourselves wholly 
 to him. And forasmuch as he hath given him- 
 self to death for us, to be an oblation and sacri- 
 fice to his Father for our sins, let us give our- 
 selves again unto him, making unto him an obla- 
 tion, not of goats, sheep, kine, and other beasts 
 that have no reason, as was accustomed before 
 Christ's coming ; but of a creature that hath 
 reason, that is to say, of ourselves, not killing 
 our ov^^n bodies, but mortifying the beastly and 
 unreasonable affections that would gladly rule 
 and reign in us. 
 
 So long as the law did reign, God suffered 
 dumb beasts to be offered unto him ; but now 
 that we be spiritual, we must offer spiritual ob- 
 lations, in the place of calves, sheep, goats, and 
 doves. We must kill devilish pride, furious an- 
 ger, insatiable covetousness, filthy lucre, stink- 
 ing lechery, deadly hatred and malice, foxy 
 wiliness, wolvish ravening and devouring, and 
 all other unreasonable lusts and desires of the 
 flesh. " And as many as belong to Christ, must 
 crucify and kill these for Christ's sake, as Christ 
 crucified himself for their sakes'." 
 
 These be the sacrifices of Christian men ; these 
 hosts and oblations be acceptable to Christ. 
 And as Christ offered himself for us, so is it our 
 
 ' Galat. V. 
 
SACRIFICE OF CHRIST. 241 
 
 duties after this sort to offer ourselves to him 
 again. And so shall we not have the name of 
 Christian men in vain; but as we pretend to be- 
 long to Christ in word and profession, so shall 
 we indeed be his in life and inward affection. 
 So that within and without we shall be altoge- 
 ther his, clean from all hypocrisy or dissimula- 
 tion. And if we refuse to offer ourselves after 
 this wise unto him, by crucifying our own wills, 
 and committing us wholly to the will of God, 
 we be most unkind people, superstitious hypo- 
 crites, or rather unreasonable beasts, worthy to 
 be excluded utterly from all the benefits of 
 Christ's oblation. 
 
 And if we put the oblation of the priest in the chap. 
 stead of the oblation of Christ, refusing to receive 
 
 IX. 
 
 the sacrament of his body and blood ourselves, Jil'^^s'dS 
 as he ordained ; and trusting to have remission laK^uuSj 
 of our sins by the sacrifice of the priest in theeVfromaii 
 mass, and thereby also to obtain release of the congreg"- 
 pains in purgatory, we do not only injury to 
 Christ, but also commit most detestable idola- 
 try. For these be but false doctrines, without 
 shame devised, and feigned, by wicked Popish 
 priests, idolaters, monks, and friars, which for 
 lucre have altered and corrupted the most holy 
 Supper of the Lord, and turned it into manifest 
 idolatry. Wherefore all godly men ought with 
 all their heart to resist and abhor all such blas- 
 phemy against the Son of God. 
 
 R 
 
242 OF THE OBLATION AND 
 
 And forasmuch as in such masses is manifest 
 wickedness and idolatry, wherein the priest 
 alone maketh oblation satisfactory, and applieth 
 the same for the quick and the dead at his will 
 and pleasure ; all such Popish masses are to be 
 clearly taken away out of Christian churches, 
 and the true use of the Lord's Supper is to be 
 restored again, wherein godly people assembled 
 together may receive the sacrament every man 
 for himself, to testify that he is a member of 
 Christ's body, fed with his flesh, and drinking 
 his blood spiritually. 
 CHAP. Christ did not ordain his sacraments to this 
 use, that one should receive them for another. 
 
 Every man •r-nii 
 
 ought to re- and the priest tor all the lay people ; but he or- 
 sacrament clalncd tlicm for tlils iutcut, that every man 
 
 himself, and '' 
 
 not one for ghouM rcccivc thcm for himself, to ratify, con- 
 
 snother. *' 
 
 firm, and establish his own faith and everlasting 
 salvation. Therefore as one man may not be 
 baptized for another, (and if he be, it availeth 
 nothing ;) so ought not one to receive the holy 
 communion for another. For if a man be dry or 
 hungry, he is never a whit eased, if another man 
 drink or eat for him : or if a man be all befiled, 
 it helpeth him nothing, another man to be wash- 
 ed for him : so availeth it nothing to a man, if 
 another man be baptized for him, or be refreshed 
 for him with the meat and drink at the Lord's 
 table. And therefore, said St. Peter, '* Let 
 every man be baptized in the name of Jesu 
 
SACRIFICE OF CHRIST. 243 
 
 Christ ""." And our Saviour Christ said to the 
 multitude, *' Take, and eat." And further he 
 said, " Drink you all of this." Whosoever there- 
 fore will be spiritually regenerated in Christ, he 
 must be baptized himself. And he that will live 
 himself by Christ, must by himself eat Christ's 
 flesh and drink his blood. 
 
 And briefly to conclude : he that thinketh to 
 come to the kingdom of Christ himself, must 
 also come to his sacraments himself, and keep 
 his commandments himself, and do all things 
 that pertain to a Christian man and to his voca- 
 tion himself ; lest if he refer these things to ano- 
 ther man to do them for him, the other may with 
 as good right claim the kingdom of heaven for 
 him. 
 
 Therefore Christ made no such diflerence be- chap. 
 tween the priest and the layman, that the priest . 
 
 xr. 
 
 should make oblation and sacrifice of Christ for InL^he^^' 
 the layman, and eat the Lord's Supper from him priest and 
 all alone, and distribute and apply it as him liketh. 
 Christ made no such difference; but the difference 
 that is between the priest and the layman in this 
 matter, is only in the ministration ; that the 
 priest, as a common ministerof the church, doth 
 minister and distribute the Lord's Supper unto 
 other, and other receive it at his hands. But 
 the very supper itself was by Christ instituted 
 and given to the whole church, not to be offered 
 
 '" Acts ii. 
 
 k2 
 
244 OF THE OBLATION AND 
 
 and eaten of the priest for other men, but by 
 him to be delivered to all that would duly ask 
 it. 
 
 As in a prince's house the officers and minis- 
 ters prepare the table, and yet other, as well as 
 they, eat the meat and drink the drink : so do 
 the priests and ministers prepare the Lord's 
 Supper, read the Gospel, and rehearse Christ's 
 words; but all the people say thereto. Amen. 
 All remember Christ's death, all give thanks to 
 God, all repent and offer themselves an oblation 
 to Christ, all take him for their Lord and Savi- 
 our, and spiritually feed upon him; and in token 
 thereof, they eat the bread and drink the wine in 
 his mystical supper. 
 
 And this nothing diminislieth the estimation 
 
 and dignity of priesthood and other ministers of 
 
 the church, but advanceth and highly commend- 
 
 eth their ministration. For if they are much to 
 
 be loved, honoured, and esteemed that be the 
 
 king's chancellors, judges, officers, and ministers 
 
 in temporal matters ; how much then are they to 
 
 be esteemed that be ministers of Christ's words 
 
 and sacraments, and have to them committed the 
 
 keys of heaven, to let in and shut out, by the 
 
 ministration of his word and gospel! 
 
 CHAP. Now, forasmuch, as 1 trust that I have plainly 
 
 ^^^' enough set forth the propitiatory sacrifice of our 
 
 totVeTC"^ Saviour Jesu Christ, to the capacity and comfort 
 
 ^" '' X)f all men that have any understanding of Christ ; 
 
SACRIFICE OF CHRIST. 245 
 
 and have declared the hemous abomination and 
 idolatry of the Popish mass, wherein the priests 
 have taken upon them the office of Christ, to 
 make a propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of the 
 people, it is now necessary to make answer to 
 the subtle persuasions and sophistical cavilla- 
 tions of the Papists, whereby they have deceived 
 many a simple man, both learned and un- 
 learned. 
 
 The place of St. Paul unto the Hebrews ", 
 (which they do cite for their purpose,) maketh 
 quite and clean against them. For where St. 
 Paul saith, " That every high priest is ordained 
 to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins," he spake 
 not that of the priests of the New Testament, 
 but of the Old: which (as he saith) offered calves 
 and goats. And yet they were not such priests, 
 that by their offerings and sacrifices they could 
 take away the people's sins, but they were sha- 
 dows and figures of Christ, our everlasting priest, 
 which only by one oblation of himself taketh 
 away the sins of the world." Wherefore the 
 Popish priests that apply this text unto them- 
 selves, do directly contrary to the meaning of 
 St. Paul, to the great injury and prejudice oi' 
 Christ, by whom only, St. Paul saith, " That 
 the sacrifice and oblation for the sin of the whole 
 world was accomplished and fulfilled." 
 
 " Hebrews V. 
 
246 OF THE OBLATION AND 
 
 And as little serveth for the Papists' purpose 
 the text of the prophet Malachi, ** That every 
 where should be offered unto God a pure sacri- 
 fice and oblation"." For the prophet in that 
 place spake no word of the mass, nor of any ob- 
 lation propitiatory to be made by the priests ; 
 but he spake of the oblation of all faithful people 
 (in what place soever they be) which offer unto 
 God, with pure hearts and minds, sacrifices of 
 laud and praise : prophesying of the vocation of 
 the Gentiles, that God would extend his mercy 
 unto them, and not be the God only of the Jews, 
 but of all nations from east to west, that with 
 pure faith call upon him, and glorify his name. 
 CHAP. But the adversaries of Christ gather together 
 
 XIII. 
 
 a great heap of authors, which (as they say) call 
 
 An answer , , ^ . • n -n 
 
 to the au- the mass, or holy communion, a sacrince. J3ut 
 
 thors. 11 1 1 1 • 1 • 
 
 all those authors be answered unto m this one 
 sentence, that they called it not a sacrifice for 
 sin, because that it taketh away our sin, (which 
 was taken away only by the death of Christ,) 
 but because it was ordained of Christ to put us 
 in remembrance of the sacrifice made by him 
 upon the cross. And for that cause it beareth 
 the name of that sacrifice, as St. Augustine de- 
 clare th plainly in his Epistle Ad Bonifacium^, 
 before rehearsed in this book ; and in his book 
 J)e Jide ad Petrum Diacomim, before rehearsed 
 
 ^ Malachi i, ? Augustinus ad Bonifacium. 
 
SACRIFICE OF CHRIST. 247 
 
 also. And in his book De civitate Dei ^ he saith, 
 *' That which men call a sacrifice, is a sign or 
 representation of the true sacrifice." 
 
 And the master of the sentences (of whom all 
 the school authors take their occasion to write) 
 judged truly in this point, saying, ** That which 
 is offered and consecrated of the priest, is called 
 a sacrifice and oblation, because it is a memory 
 and representation of the true sacrifice and holy 
 oblation, made in the altar of the cross '." 
 
 And St. John Chrysostome \ after he hath said 
 that Christ is our bishop which offered that sa- 
 crifice that made us clean, and that we offer the 
 same now, lest any man might be deceived by 
 his manner of speaking, he openeth his meaning 
 more plainly, saying, **That which we do, is 
 done for a remembrance of that which was done 
 by Christ. For Christ saith. Do this in re- 
 membrance of me." Also Chrysostome declar- 
 ing at length, theft the priests of the old law 
 offered ever new sacrifices, and changed them 
 from time to time, and that Christian peopld do 
 not so, but offer ever one sacrifice of Christ ; yet 
 by and by, lest some men might be offended with 
 this speech, he maketh as it were a correction of 
 his words, saying, " But rather we make a re- 
 membrance of Christ's sacrifice." As though 
 
 *> De civitat. lib. 10. cap. 5. "^ Lombardus, lib. \. dist. IIS. 
 
 =" Chrysost. ad Heb. Horn. 17. 
 
248 OF THE OBLATION AND 
 
 he should say : Although in a certam kind of 
 speech we may say, that every day we make a 
 sacrifice of Christ ; yet in very deed, to speak 
 properly, we make no sacrifice of him, but only 
 a commemoration and remembrance of that sa- 
 crifice, which he alone made, and never none but 
 he. Nor Christ never gave this honour to any 
 creature, that he should make a sacrifice of him, 
 nor did not ordain the sacrament of his holy sup- 
 per, to the intent that either the people should 
 sacrifice Christ again, or that the priests should 
 make a sacrifice of him for the people: but his 
 holy supper was ordained for this purpose, that 
 every man eating and drinking thereof should 
 remember that Christ died for him, and so should 
 exercise his faith, and comfort himself by the 
 remembrance of Christ's benefits ; and so give 
 unto Christ most hearty thanks, and give him- 
 self also clearly unto him. 
 
 Wherefore the ordinance of Christ ought to 
 be followed ; the priest to minister the sacrament 
 to the people, and they to use it to their conso- 
 lation. And in this eating, drinking, and using 
 of the Lord's Supper, we make not of Christ a 
 new sacrifice propitiatory for remission of sin. 
 CHAP. But the humble confession of all penitent 
 hearts, their acknowledging of Christ's benefits. 
 
 XIV. 
 
 sons make a tlicir tlianksgiviug for the same, their faith and 
 
 sacrifice as . , . . 
 
 well as the cousolation in Christ, their humble submission 
 
 priest, 
 
 and obedience to God's will and commandments, 
 
SACRIFICE OF CHRIST. 249 
 
 is a sacrifice of laud and praise, accepted and 
 allowed of God no less than the sacrifice of the 
 priest. For Almighty God, without respect of 
 person, accepteth the oblation and sacrifice of 
 priest and lay person, of king and subject, of 
 master and servant, of man and woman, of young 
 and old, yea of English, French, Scot, Greek, 
 Latin, Jew, and Gentile ; of every man according 
 to his faithful and obedient heart unto Him; and 
 that through the sacrifice propitiatory of Jesu 
 
 Christ. 
 
 And as for the saying or singing of mass by chap. 
 the priest, as it was in time passed used, it is '— 
 
 A -^ . ThePapis- 
 
 neither a sacrifice propitiatory, nor yet a sacri- ticaima^sis 
 
 i ■■■ •' *^ neither a sa- 
 
 fice of laud and praise, nor in any wise allowed •^rJJ^jyj^^"- 
 before God, but abominable and detestable, and ^"^^"'^g/. 
 thereof may well be verified the saying of Christ, ^"s- 
 *' Xhat thing which seemeth an high thing be- 
 fore men, is abomination before God *." 
 
 They therefore which gather of the doctors, 
 that the mass is a sacrifice for remission of sin, 
 and that it is applied by the priest to them for 
 whom he saith or singeth ; they which so gather 
 of the doctors, do to them most grievous injury 
 and wrong, most falsely belying them. 
 
 For these monstrous things were never se^n chap. 
 nor known of the old and primitive church, nor 1, 
 
 There wero 
 
 there were not then in one church many masses no Papisti- 
 
 ' Luke Avi. 
 
250 OF THE OBLATION AND 
 
 h* tiir Hmi- Gvery day, but upon certain days there was a 
 tive church, commou table of the Lord's Supper, where a 
 number of people did together receive the body 
 and blood of the Lord : but there were then no 
 daily private masses, where every priest received 
 alone, like as until this day there is none in the 
 Greek churches but one common mass in a day. 
 Nor the holy fathers of the old church would not 
 have suffered such ungodly and wicked abuses 
 of the Lord's Supper. 
 
 But these private masses sprang up of late 
 years partly through the ignorance and supersti- 
 tion of unlearned monks and friars, which knew 
 not what a sacrifice was, but made of the mass a 
 sacrifice propitiatory, to remit both sin and the 
 pain due for the same ; but chiefly they sprang 
 of lucre and gain, when priests found the means 
 to sell masses to the people, which caused masses 
 so much to increase, that every day was said an 
 infinite number, and that no priest would receive 
 the communion at another priest's hand, but 
 every one would receive it alone ; neither re- 
 garding the godly decree of the most famous and 
 holy council of Nice", which appointeth in what 
 order priests should be placed above deacons at 
 the communion ; nor yet the canons of the apos- 
 tles % which command that when any commu- 
 
 " Concilium Nicenum, cap. 14. 
 ' Canones Apostolorum, cap. 8, 
 
SACRIFICE OF CHRIST. 
 
 nion is ministered, all the priests together should 
 receive the same, or else be excommunicated. 
 So much the old fathers misliked, that any priest 
 should receive the sacrament alone. 
 
 Therefore when the old fathers called the mass, 
 or supper of the Lord, a sacrifice, they meant 
 that it was a sacrifice of lauds and thanksgiving, 
 (and so as well the people as the priest do sacri- 
 fice,) or else that it was a remembrance of the 
 very true sacrifice propitiatory of Christ: but 
 they meant in no wise that it is a very true sacri- 
 fice for sin, and applicable by the priest to the 
 quick and dead. 
 
 For the priest may well minister Christ's 
 words and sacraments to all men both good and 
 bad, but he can apply the benefit of Christ's 
 passion to no man of age and discretion, but 
 only to such as by their own faith do apply the 
 same unto themselves. So that every man of 
 age and discretion taketh to himself the benefits 
 of Christ, or refuseth them himself, by his own 
 faith, quick or dead ; that is to say, by his true 
 and lively faith, that worketh by charity, he re- 
 ceiveth them, or else by his ungodliness or 
 feigned faith rejecteth them. 
 
 And this doctrine of the Scripture clearly con- 
 demneth the wicked inventions of the Papists in 
 these latter days, which have devised a purga- 
 tory to torment souls after this life, and oblations 
 of masses said by the priests to deliver them . 
 
 251 
 
252 
 
 OF THE OBLATION AND 
 
 CHAP. 
 XVII. 
 
 from the said torments; and a great number of 
 other commodities do they promise to the sim- 
 ple ignorant people by their masses. 
 
 Now the nature of man being ever prone to 
 idolatry from the beginning of the world, and 
 
 The causes •> -n • • 
 
 hot pTTs Papists bemg ready by all means and policy 
 
 ticai masses to defcud aud cxtol thc mass for their estima- 
 
 entered into v^iji-ixiiti, 
 
 the church, tion and profit; and the people being superstiti- 
 ously enamoured and doted upon the mass, be- 
 cause they take it for a present remedy against 
 all manner of evils ; and part of the princes being 
 blinded by Papistical doctrine, part loving quiet- 
 ness, and loth to offend their clergy and sub- 
 jects, and all being captive and subject to the 
 Antichrist of Rome; the state of the world re- 
 maining in this case, it is no wonder that abuses 
 grew and increased in the church, that super- 
 stition with idolatry were taken for godliness 
 and true religion, and that many things were 
 brought in without the authority of Christ: 
 J/1L'pS-As purgatory, the oblation and sacrificing of 
 ucai masses. Qj^j.j^^ by tlic priest alone, the application and 
 appointing of the same to such persons as the 
 priest would sing or say mass for, and to such 
 abuses as they could devise, to deliver some from 
 purgatory, and some from hell, if they were not 
 there finally by God determined to abide, as 
 they termed the matter; to make rain or fair 
 weather, to put away the plague and other sick- 
 nesses both from man and beast, to hallow and 
 
SACRIFICE OF CHRIST. 
 
 253 
 
 preserve them that went to Jerusalem, to Rome, 
 to St. James in Compostella, and to other places 
 in pilgrimage ; for a preservative against tempest 
 and thunder, against perils and dangers of the sea ; 
 for a remedy against murrain of cattle, against 
 pensiveness of the heart, and against all manner 
 of affliction and tribulation. 
 
 And, finally, they extol their masses far above 
 Christ's passion ; promising many things there- 
 by, which were never promised us by Christ's 
 passion : As that if a man hear mass, he shall 
 lack no bodily sustenance that day, nor nothing 
 necessary for him, nor shall be letted in his jour- 
 ney ; he shall not lose his sight that day, nor die 
 no sudden death ; he shall not wax old in the 
 time that he heareth mass, nor no wicked spirits 
 shall have power of him, be he never so wicked 
 a man, so long as he looketh upon the sacrament. 
 All these foolish and devilish superstitions the 
 Papists of their own idle brain have devised of 
 late years, which devices were never known in 
 the old church. 
 
 And yet they cry out against them that pro- chap. 
 fess the Gospel, and say that they dissent from ^^".^' 
 the church, and would have them to follow thedmlxi'isto 
 example of their church. And so would they 
 gladly do, if the Papists would follow the first 
 church of the apostles, which was most pure and 
 incorrupt ; but the Papists have clearly varied 
 from the usage and example of that church, and - 
 
254 OF THE OBLATION AND 
 
 have invented new devices of their own brains, 
 and will in no wise content to follow the primi- 
 tive church ; and yet they would have other to 
 follow their church, utterly varying and dissent- 
 ing from the first most godly church. 
 
 But thanks be to the Eternal God, the manner 
 of the holy communion, which is now set forth 
 within this realm^ is agreeable with the institu- 
 tion of Christ, with St. Paul and the old pri- 
 mitive and apostolick church, with the right 
 faith of the sacrifice of Christ upon the cross for 
 our redemption, and with the true doctrine of 
 our salvation, justification, and remission of all 
 our sins by that only sacrifice. 
 
 A short in- Now rcstcth uothiug but that all faithful sub- 
 struction to ^ , 
 theboiy jects will 2'ladlv receive and embrace the same, 
 
 being sorry for their former ignorance ; and every 
 man repenting himself of his off'ences against 
 God, and amending the same, may yield himself 
 wholly to God, to serve and obey Him all the 
 days of his life, and often to come to the holy 
 supper, which our Lord and Saviour Christ hath 
 prepared ; and as he there corporally eateth the 
 very bread, and drinketh the very wine ; so spi- 
 ritually he may feed of the very flesh and blood 
 of Jesu Christ his Saviour and Redeemer, re- 
 membering his death, thanking him for his bene- 
 fits, and looking for none other sacrifice at no 
 priest's hands for remission of his sins, but only 
 trusting to his sacrifice, which being both the 
 
 communion. 
 
SACRIFICE OF CHRIST. 
 
 255 
 
 high priest, and also the Lamb of God, prepared 
 from the beginning to take away the sins of the 
 world, offered up himself once for ever in a sa- 
 crifice of sweet smell unto his Father, and by 
 the same paid the ransom for the sins of the 
 whole world; who is before us entered into 
 heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of his Fa- 
 ther, as patron, mediator, and intercessor for us ; 
 and there hath prepared places for all them 
 that be lively members of his body, to reign 
 with him for ever, in the glory of his Father ; to 
 Whom with Him, and the Holy Ghost, be glory, 
 honour, and praise, for ever and ever. Amen. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 No. I. 
 
 From bishop Ridley's Replies in the Dispttfation with 
 the Papists, held at Cambridge, June 20, 1549. First 
 printed in Fox's Acts and Monuments,- reprinted in 
 1 688 by Dr. Gilbert Ironside, as some assert ,- by the 
 learned and reverend Henry lVharfo?i, according to 
 others. 
 
 I GRANT that the old ancient fathers do record, and wit- 
 ness, a certain honour and adoration to be due unto 
 Christ's body ; but they speak not of it in the sacrament, 
 but of it in heaven, at the right hand of the Father ; as 
 holy Chrysostome saith, Hotwur thou it, and then eat it. 
 But that honour may not be given to the outward sign, 
 but to the body of Christ itself in heaven. For that body 
 is » there only in a sign virtually, by grace, in the exhi- 
 bition of it in spirit, effect, and faith, to the worthy 
 receiver of it. For we receive, virtually only, Christ's 
 body in the sacrament. 
 
 Also I grant, that there is a mutation of the common 
 bread and wine spiritually into the Lord's bread and wine, 
 by the sanctifying of them in the Lord's word. But I 
 deny that there is any mutation of the substances ; for 
 there is no change either of the substances, or of 
 the accidents ; but in very deed there do come unto the 
 
 . ill I lie Snorainciit. 
 
 S 
 
258 APPENDIX. 
 
 bread other accidents, insomuch that whereas the bread 
 and wine were not sanctified before, nor holy, yet after- 
 wards they are sanctified, and so do receive then another 
 sort or kind of virtue which they had not before. 
 
 Christ dwelleth in us by faith, and by faith we receive 
 Christ both God and man, both in spirit and flesh ; that 
 is, this sacramental eating is the mean, and way, whereby 
 we attain to the spiritual eating ; and indeed for the 
 strengthening of us to the eating of this spiritual food 
 was this sacrament ordained. And these words. This is 
 my body, are meant thus : by grace it is my true body, 
 but not my fleshly body, as some of you suppose. — '' The 
 circumstances of the Scripture, the analogy and propor- 
 tion of the sacraments, and the testimony of the faith- 
 ful Fathers, ought to rule us in taking the meaning of 
 the Holy Scripture touching the sacrament [of the Lord's 
 Supper.] But the words of the Lord's Supper, the 
 circumstances of the Scripture, the analogy of the sa- 
 craments, and the sayings of the Fathers, do most effec- 
 tually and plainly prove a figurative speech in the words 
 of the Lord's Supper. Therefore, a figurative sense 
 and meaning is specially to be received in these words. 
 This is my body. 
 
 The circumstances of the Scripture : Do this in re- 
 membrance of me. As oft as ye shall eat of this breads 
 and drink of this cup, ye shall shew forth the Lord's 
 death. Let a man prove himself, and so eat of this 
 bread and drink of this cup. They came together to 
 break bread ; and they continued in breaking of bread* 
 The bread which we break, %c. For we, being many, 
 are all one bread and one body, %c, 
 
 ^ From the bishop's Answers to the Propositions of the Papists, ia 
 the Disputation at Oxford, in April, 1534. First printed in Fox's Acts 
 and Monuments i reprinted in 168S. 
 
APPENDIX. 259 
 
 The analogy of the sacraments is necessary ; for if the 
 sacraments had not some similitude or likeness of the 
 things whereof they be sacraments, they could in no wise 
 be sacraments. And this similitude, in the sacrament of 
 the Lord's Supper, is taken three manner of ways. The 
 first consisteth in nourishing ; as you shall read in Raba- 
 mis, Cyprian, Austin, Irenceus, and most plainly in Isi- 
 dore out of Bertram, The second, in the uniting and 
 joining of many into one, as Cyprian teacheth. The 
 third is a similitude of unlike things ; where, like as the 
 bread is turned into one body, so we by the right use of 
 this sacrament are turned, through faith, into the body 
 of Christ. 
 
 The sayings of the Fathers declare it to be a figurative 
 speech ; as it appeareth in Origen, TertulUan, Chrysos- 
 tome in opere imperfecto, Augustine, Basil, Gregory 
 Na%ian%en, Hilary, and most plainly of all, in Bertram. 
 Moreover the sayings and places of all the fathers, whose 
 names I have *= before recited against the assertion of the 
 first proposition, do quite overthrow TransuMstantiation. 
 But of all, most evidently and plainly, Irenceus, Origen, 
 Cyprian, Chrysostome to Caesarius the monk, Augustine 
 against Adamantius, Gelasius, Cyril, Epiphanius, Chry- 
 sostome again on the 20th of Matthew, Rabanus, Da- 
 mascene, and Bertram. — Finally, with Bertram, I con- 
 fess that Christ's body is in the sacrament in this respect ; 
 namely, as he writeth : because there is in it the spirit of 
 Christ ; that is, the power of the Word of God, which 
 
 « Namely, against the assertion, that in the sacrament of the altar, 
 by the virtue of God's Word spoken of the priest, the natural body of 
 Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, and his natural blood, is really pre- 
 sent under the forms of bread and wine. Against this assertion, the 
 fathers, whom Ridley adduces, besides those named in the preceding 
 and subsequent sentences above, are, Justin, Irenceus, Eusebius Emis- 
 sen us, Athanasius, Jerome, Vigilius, and Fulyentius, 
 
 S2 
 
260 APPENDIX. 
 
 not only feedeth the soul, but also cleanseth it. — I sup- 
 pose it may [now] appear unto all men how far we are 
 from that opinion, whereof some go about falsely to 
 slander us to the world, saying, we teach that the godly 
 and faithful should receive nothing else at the Lord's 
 Table but a figure of the body of Christ. 
 
 '' I answer also to this proposition, [that in the mass 
 
 IS THE LIVELY SACRIFICE OF THE ChURCH, PROPITIABLE 
 AND AVAILABLE FOR THE SINS AS WELL OF THE QUICK AS 
 
 OF THE DEAD,] that being taken in such sense as the 
 words seem to import, it is not only erroneous, but withal 
 so much to the derogation and defacing of the death and 
 passion of Christ, that I judge it may and ought most 
 worthily to be counted wicked and blasphemous against 
 the most precious blood of our Saviour Christ. 
 
 ARGUMENTS CONFIRMING THIS ANSWER. 
 
 No sacrifice ought to be done, but where the priest is 
 meet to offer the same. 
 
 All other ^priests are unmeet to offer sacrifice propi- 
 tiatory for si^i, save only Christ. 
 
 Therefore, no other priests ought to sacrifice for sin, 
 but Christ alone. 
 
 The second part of my argument is thus proved. 
 
 No honour in God's Church ought to be taken, where- 
 imto a man is not called as Aaron. 
 
 It is a great honour in God's Church to sacrifice for 
 sin. 
 
 Therefore, no man ought to sacrifice for sin, but only 
 they which are called. 
 
 But only Christ is called to that honour. 
 
 Therefore, no other priest but Christ ought to sacri- 
 fice for mi. 
 
 •' From tltc bishop's Answers, &c. as b< loit' 
 
AiM'ENDlX. 261 
 
 That no man is called to this degree of honour but 
 Christ alone, it is evident ; for there are but two only 
 orders of priesthood allowed in the Word of God; 
 namely, the order of Aaron and the order of Melchise- 
 dech. But now the order of Aaron is come to an end, 
 by reason that it was unprofitable and weak ; and of the 
 order of Melchisedech there is but one priest alone, even 
 Christ the Lord, who hath a priesthood that cannot pass 
 to any other. 
 
 ANOTHER ARGUMENT. 
 
 That thing is vain, and to no effect, where no necessity 
 is wherefore it is done. 
 
 To offer up any more sacrifice propiatory for the quick 
 and the dead there is no necessity ; for Christ our Sa- 
 viour did that fully and perfectly, once for all. 
 
 Therefore, to do the same in the mass, it is in vain. 
 
 ANOTHER ARGUMENT. 
 
 After that eternal redemption is found and obtained, 
 there needeth no more daily offering for the same. 
 
 But Christ, coming an high bishop, &c. found and ob- 
 tained for us eternal redemption. 
 
 Therefore, there needeth now no more daily oblation 
 for the sins of the quick and the dead. 
 
 ANOTHER ARGUMENT. 
 
 All remission of sins cometh only by shedding of 
 blood. 
 
 In the mass there is no shedding of blood. 
 
 Therefore, in the mass there is no remission of sins ; 
 and so it followeth also that there is no propitiatory sacri- 
 fice. 
 
 ANOTHER ARGUMENT. 
 
 In the mass the passion of Christ is not in verity, but 
 in a mystery, representing the same; yea even there, 
 where the Lord's Supper is duly ministered. 
 
262 APPENDIX. 
 
 But where Christ sufFereth not, there is he not offered ^ 
 in verity : for the Apostle saith, Not that he might offer 
 up himself oftentimes ; for then must he have suffered 
 oftentimes since the beginning of the world. Now where 
 Christ is not offered, there is no propitiatory sacrifice. 
 
 Therefore, in the mass there is no propitiatory sacri- 
 fice. For Christ appeared once in the latter end of the 
 world, to put sin to flight by the offering up of himself. 
 And as it is appointed to all men that they shall once die, 
 and then cometh the judgment ; even so Christ was once 
 offered to take away the sins of many. And unto them 
 that look for him shall he appear again without sin tmto 
 salvatio7i. 
 
 ANOTHER ARGUMENT. 
 
 Where there is any sacrifice that can make the comers 
 thereunto perfect, there ought men to cease from offer- 
 ing any more expiatory and propitiatory sacrifices. 
 
 But in the New Testament there is one only sacrifice 
 now already long since offered, which is able to make the 
 -comers thereunto perfect for ever. 
 
 Therefore, in the New Testament they ought to cease 
 from offering any more propitiatory sacrifice. 
 
 SENTENCES OF THE SCRIPTURE TENDING TO THE SAME 
 END AND PURPOSE, OUT OF WHICH ALSO MAY BE GA- 
 THERED OTHER MANIFEST ARGUMENTS FOR MORE CON- 
 FIRMATION THEREOF. 
 
 By the ivhich will, saith the Apostle, we are sanctified 
 by the offering up of the body of Jesus Christ, once for 
 all. And in the same place. But this man, after that he 
 had offered one sacrifice for sin, sitteth for ever at the 
 right hand of God, Sfc. For with one offering hath he 
 made perfect for ever them that are sanctified, and by 
 himself hath he purged our sins. I beseech you to mark 
 
APPENDIX. 263 
 
 these words, hy himself; the which, well weighed, will, 
 without doubt, cease all controversy. The Apostle 
 plainly denieth any other sacrifice to remain for him that 
 treadeth under his feet the blood of the Testament by 
 the which he was made holy. Christ will not be crucified 
 again ; he will not his death to be had in derision. He 
 hath reco7iciled us in the body of his flesh. Mark, I be- 
 seech you, he saith not in the mystery of his body, but 
 in the body of his flesh. If any man sin, ive have an ad- 
 vocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and 
 lie is the propitiation for our sins ; not for ours only, but 
 for the sins of the whole world. 
 
 I know that all these places of the Scripture are 
 avoided by two manner of subtil shifts. The one is by 
 the distinction of the bloody and unbloody sacrifice ; as 
 though our unbloody sacrifice of the Church were any 
 other than the sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving, than 
 a commemoration, a showing forth, and a sacramental 
 representation of that one only bloody sacrifice offered 
 up once for all. The other is by depraving and wresting 
 the sayings of the ancient Fathers unto a strange kind of 
 sense, as the Fathers themselves, indeed, never meant. 
 For what the meaning of the Fathers was, is evident by 
 that which St. Augustin writeth in his Epistle to Boni- 
 face, and in the 83d chapter of his ninth book against 
 Faustus, the Manichee ; besides many other places : 
 likewise by Eusebius Emissene, Cyprian, Chrysostome, 
 Fulgentius, Bertram, and others ; which do wholly con- 
 cord and agree together in this vmity in the Lord ; that 
 the redemption, once made in verity for the salvation of 
 man, continueth in full effect for ever, and worketh with- 
 out ceasing unto the end of the world ; that the sacrifice, 
 once offered, cannnot be consumed; that the Lord's 
 death and passion is as effectual, the virtue of that blood 
 
264 APPENDIX. 
 
 once shed, as fresh at this day for the washing away of 
 sins, as it was even the same day that it flowed out of the 
 side of our blessed Saviour ; and finally, that the whole 
 substance of our sacrifice, which is frequented of the 
 Church in the Lord's Supper, consisteth in prayers, 
 praise, and giving of thanks, and in remembering and 
 showing forth of that sacrifice once oflfered upon the 
 altar of the cross ; that the same might continually be had 
 in reverence by mystery, which once only, and no more, 
 was offered for the price of our redemption. 
 
APPKNJHX. 265 
 
 No. II. 
 
 From bishop Hooper's Brief and Clear Confession of 
 the Christian Faith, first j^rinted in 1 550, again in 
 1581, and in 1584. 
 
 I believe that the holy sacrament of the Supper Is a 
 holy and outward ceremony, instituted by Jesus Christ in 
 the Gospel, a day before his death, in the nature and 
 substance of bread and wine, in remembrance and for a 
 memorial of his death and passion, having and contain- 
 ing in it a promise of the remission of sins. By this 
 sacrament we are indeed made partakers of the body 
 and blood of Jesus Christ, and are therewith nourished 
 and fed in the house of the Lord, which is his Church, 
 and after that into the same M'e are entered through 
 Baptism. The same ought to be given and ministered 
 unto all under both the kinds, according to the ordinance 
 and commandment of Christ; for the altei'ing whereof 
 none ought to be so hardy as to attempt any thing. 
 
 I believe that in the holy sacrament these signs and 
 badges are not changed in any point, but the same do 
 remain wholly in their nature ; that is to say, the bread 
 is not changed and transubstantiated (as the fond Papists 
 and false doctors do teach, deceiving the poor,) into the 
 body of Jesus Christ, neither the wine transubstantiated 
 into his blood ; but the bread remaineth still bread, and 
 the wine remaineth still wine, every one in its proper and 
 first nature. For the words that Christ spake to his dis- 
 ciples in giving them the bread, saying, This is my body, 
 I understand and believe to be spoken by a figurative 
 
266 APPENDIX. 
 
 manner of speech, called metonymia, which is a manner 
 of speaking very common in the Scriptures ; as the same 
 was understood and also declared by the writing of the 
 holy fathers and doctors of the Church, Irenceus, Cy- 
 prian, Tertullian, Ambrose, Augustine, Chrysostome, 
 and other like, who lived before the Council of Lateran ; 
 when it was concluded that the bread was transubstan- 
 tiated into the body of Christ, and the wine into his 
 blood ; and then was it given forth as an article of faith, 
 to the great dishonour of God, and to the great slander 
 of all the Church. 
 
 I believe that all this sacrament consisteth in the use 
 thereof; so that without the right use the bread and 
 wine in nothing differ from other common bread and wine 
 that are commonly used ; and therefore do not believe 
 that the body of Christ can be contained, hid, or en- 
 closed, in the bread, under the bread, or with the 
 bread ; neither the blood in the wine, under the wine, or 
 with the wine. But I believe and confess the very body 
 of Christ to be in heaven, on the right hand of the Fa- 
 ther ; and that always and as often as we use this bread 
 and wine, according to the ordinance and institution of 
 Christ, we do verily and indeed receive his body and 
 blood. 
 
 I believe that this receiving is not done carnally or 
 bodily, but spiritually, through a true and lively faith ; 
 this is to say, the body and blood of Christ are not given 
 to the mouth and belly for the nourishing of the body, 
 but imto our faith for the nourishing of the spirit, and 
 inward man, unto eternal life. And for that cause we 
 have no need that Christ should come from heaven to us, 
 but that we should ascend unto him, lifting up our hearts 
 through a lively faith on high unto the right hand of the 
 Father, where Christ sitteth, from whence we wait for 
 
APPENDIX. 267 
 
 our redemption ; and we must not seek for Christ in these 
 bodily elements. 
 
 I believe that Jesus Christ, by the sacrifice of his body 
 which he offered upon the tree of the cross, hath de- 
 faced and destroyed sin, death, and the devil, with all his 
 kingdom ; and hath wholly performed the work of our 
 salvation ; and hath abolished and made an end of all 
 other sacrifices. So that from thenceforth there is none 
 other propitiatory sacrifice, either for the living or the 
 dead, to be looked for, or sought for, than the same. 
 For by this one only oblation hath he consecrated for ever 
 all those that are sanctified. 
 
 I believe that the Holy Supper of the Lord is not a 
 sacrifice, but only a remembrance and commemoration of 
 this holy sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Therefore, it ought 
 not to be worshipped as God, neither as Christ therein 
 contained, who must be worshipped in faith only, without 
 all corruptible elements. 
 
 Likewise, I believe and confess that the Popish mass 
 is the invention and ordinance of man, a sacrifice of anti- 
 christ, and a forsaking of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, 
 that is to say, of his death and passion ; and that it is a 
 foul and infected sepulchre, which hidetli and covereth 
 the merit of the blood of Christ ; and therefore ought 
 the mass to be abolished, and the Holy Supper of the 
 Lord to be restored and set in its perfection again. 
 
268 APPEXDIX. 
 
 No. III. 
 
 From bishop Jeremy Taylor's Dlssaasivc from Popery, 
 chap. 2. sect. 12. 
 
 If their [the Papists'] doctrines, as they are expK- 
 cated by their practice and the commentaries of their 
 greatest doctors, do make their disciples guilty of 
 IDOLATRY ; there is not any thing greater to deter men 
 from them, than that danger to their souls, which is 
 imminent over them, upon that account. 
 
 Their worshipping of images we have already re- 
 proved upon the account of its novelty, and innovation, 
 in Christian religion. But that it is against good life ; a 
 direct breach of the second commandment; an act of 
 idolatry, as much as the heathens themselves were 
 guilty of, in relation to the second commandment ; is but 
 too evident by the doctrines of their own leaders. 
 
 The same also is the case in their worshipping the 
 CONSECRATED BREAD AND WINE. Of wliich how far they 
 will be excused before God by their ignorant pretensions 
 and suppositions, we know not ; but they hope to save 
 themselves harmless by saying, that they believe the 
 BREAD TO BE THEIR Saviour, and that if they did not 
 believe so, they would not do so. We believe that they 
 say true ; but we are afraid that this will no more excuse 
 them, than it will excuse those who worship the sun, 
 and moon, and the queen of heaven, whom they would 
 
APPENDIX. "269 
 
 not worship, if they did not beUeve to have divinity in 
 them. And it may be observed, that they are very fond 
 of that persuasion, by which they are led into this wor- 
 ship. The error might be some excuse, if it were pro- 
 bable, or if there were much temptation to it ; but when 
 they choose this persuasion, and have nothing for it but 
 a tropical expression of Scripture, which rather than not 
 believe in the natural, useless, and impossible sense, they 
 will defy all their own reason, and four of the five ope- 
 rations of their soul, seeing, smelling, tasting, and feel- 
 ing ; and contradict the plain doctrine of the ancient 
 Church, before they can consent to believe this error, 
 
 THAT BREAD IS CHANGED INTO GoD, AND THE PRIEST CAN 
 
 MAKE HIS Maker; — we have too much cause to fear, 
 that the error is too gross to admit an excuse. And it 
 is hard to suppose it invincible and involuntary, because 
 it is so hard, and so vmtempting, and so unnatural, to 
 admit the error. We do desire that God may find an 
 excuse for it, and that they would not. But this we are 
 most sure of, that they might, if they pleased, find many 
 excuses, or rather just causes, for not giving divine ho- 
 nour to the consecrated elements ; because there are so 
 many contingencies in the whole conduct of this affair, 
 and we are so uncertain of the priest's intention, and we 
 can never be made certain, that there is not in the whole 
 order of causes any invalidity in the consecration ; and it 
 is so impossible that any man should be sure that here^ 
 and now, and this bread is transubstantiated, and is really 
 the natural body of Christ ; that it were fit to omit the 
 giving God's due to that which they do not know to be 
 any thing but a piece of bread ; and it cannot consist 
 with holiness, and our duty to Cod, certainly to give 
 
270 APPENDIX. 
 
 divine worship to that thing, which, though their doc- 
 trine were true, they cannot know certainly to have a 
 divine being. 
 
 '"We hope it may be sufficient to say, that what the 
 Church of Rome teaches of Transubstantiation, is 
 absolutely impossible, and implies contradictions 
 
 VERY many, to the BELIEF OF WHICH NO FAITH CAN 
 
 OBLIGE US, AND NO REASON CAN ENDURE. For Christ's 
 body being in heaven, glorious, spiritual, and impassible, 
 cannot be broken. And since, by the Roman doctrine, 
 nothing is broken but that which cannot be broken, that 
 is, the colour, the taste, and other accidents of the ele- 
 ments ; yet if they could be broken, since the accidents 
 of bread and wine are not the substance of Christ's 
 body and blood, it is certain that on the altar Christ's 
 body naturally, and properly, cannot be broken. And 
 since they say that every consecrated wafer is Christ's 
 whole body, and yet this wafer is not that wafer ; there- 
 fore either this, or that, is not Christ's body ; or else 
 Christ hath two bodies, for there are two wafers. But 
 when Christ instituted the sacrament, and said, This is 
 my body which is broken ; because at that time Christ's 
 body was not broken naturally and properly, the very 
 words of institution do force us to understand the sacra- 
 ment in a sense not natural^ but spiritual, that is, truly 
 sacramental. And all this is besides the plain demon- 
 strations of sense, which tells us it is bread and it is 
 wine naturally as much after as before consecration. And 
 after all, the natural sense is such as our Blessed Saviour 
 reproved in the men of Capernaum, and called them to a 
 spiritual understanding; the natural sense being not 
 
 * From the Dissuasive, chap. i. sect, 5. 
 
ATPEXDIX. 271 
 
 only unreasonable and impossible, but also to no purpose 
 of the spirit, or any ways perfective of the soul ; as 
 hath been clearly demonstrated by many learned men 
 against the fond hypothesis of the Church of Rome in 
 this article. 
 
 THE END. 
 
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