Actes and monuments of matters most speciall and memorable, happenyng in the Church. [vol. 2, part 1] with an vniuersall history of the same, wherein is set forth at large the whole race and course of the Church, from the primitiue age to these latter tymes of ours, with the bloudy times, horrible troubles, and great persecutions agaynst the true martyrs of Christ, sought and wrought as well by heathen emperours, as nowe lately practised by Romish prelates, especially in this realme of England and Scotland. Newly reuised and recognised, partly also augmented, and now the fourth time agayne published and recommended to the studious reader, by the author (through the helpe of Christ our Lord) Iohn Foxe, which desireth thee good reader to helpe him with thy prayer.

* 1.1¶The second ground.

Now my second ground agaynst this transubstantia∣tion are the auncient Fathers a thousand yeares past. And so farre of is it that they do confirme this opinion of tran∣substantiation, that playne they seeme vnto me, both to thinke and to teach the contrary.

Dionysius in many places calleth it breade.* 1.2 The pla∣ces are so manifest and playne, that it needeth not to recite them.

Ignatius to the Philadelphians sayth:* 1.3 I beseech you bre∣thren cleaue fast vnto one fayth, and to one kynde of preachyng, vsing together one manner of thankesgeuyng: for the fleshe of the Lord Iesu is one, and hys bloud is one which was shedde for vs: There is also one bread broken for vs, and one cuppe of the whole Church.

Irenaeus writeth thus:* 1.4 Euen as the bread that commeth of the earth receauyng Gods vocation is nowe no more com∣mon breade, but Sacramentall breade, consistyng of two na∣tures, earthly and heauenly: euen so our bodyes receauyng the Eucharist, are now no more corruptible, hauyng hope of the re∣surrection.

Tertullian is very playne,* 1.5 for he calleth it a figure of the body, &c.

Chrysostome writyng to Caesarius the Monke, albeit he be not receyued of dyuers,* 1.6 yet wyll I read the place to fasten it more deepely in your myndes: for it seemeth to shewe playnely the substaunce of bread to remayne. The wordes are these.

Before the bread is sanctified, we name it bread: but by the grace of God sanctifiyng the same thorough the ministery of the Priest, it is deliuered from the name of breade, and is counted worthy to beare the name of the Lordes body, although the ve∣ry substaunce of bread notwithstandyng doe still remayne ther∣in, and now is taken not to be two bodies, but one body of the Sonne, &c.

Cyprian sayth: Bread is made of many graynes. And is that naturall bread, and made of wheate? Yea it is so in deede.* 1.7

The booke of Theodoret in Greeke, was lately printed at Rome, which if it had not bene his, it should not haue bene set forth there, especially seeyng it is directly against transubstantiation: For he sayth plainely, that bread styll remayneth after the sanctification.

Gelasius also is very playne in this manner. The Sacra∣ment (sayth he) which we receyue of the body and bloude of Christ, is a diuine matter:* 1.8 by reason whereof we are made par∣takers by the same of the deuine nature, and yet it ceaseth not s••il to be the substaunce of bread and wyne. And certes, the repre∣sentation and similitude of the body and bloud of Christ be ce∣lebrated in the action of the mysteries, &c.

After this he recited certayne places out of Augustine and Cyrill, which were not noted.

Isichius also confesseth that it is bread.* 1.9

Also the iudgement of Bertram in this matter, is verye playne and manifest. And thus much for the second groūd.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The second ground agaynst transubstantia∣tion.
• * 1.2

  Dionysi•••• Eccle. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.3

  Igna••ius 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Phila∣delph.
• * 1.4

  Irennaeus lib. 4. cap. 34.
• * 1.5

  Tertullia∣nus.
• * 1.6

  Chrisost. Cesariu••
• * 1.7

  Cyprian. Lib. 1. E∣pist. 6. Theodor••••••us.
• * 1.8

  Gelatius Epist. de duabus n••••turis in Christo.
• * 1.9

  ••sych. Lib▪ cap. 8. ••ertrame.