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.

The Aunswere.

* 1.1THE seconde conclusion is manifestly false, directly a∣gainst the word of God, the nature of the Sacramente, and the most euident testimonies of the godly Fathers: and it is the rotten foundation of the other two conclusi∣ons propounded by you,* 1.2 both of the first, and of the third. I will not therefore now tary vpon any further explicati∣on of this aunswere, being contented with that which is already added afore to the aunswer of the first proposition.

¶The first argument for the confirmation of this aunswere.

IT is very playne by the worde of God, that Christ did geue bread vnto his Disciples, and called it his body.

But the substance of bread is another maner of substāce, then is the substance of Christes body God and man:* 1.3

Therefore the conclusion is false.

The second part of mine argument is playne, and the first 〈◊〉〈◊〉 proued thus:

¶The second argument.

Da- That which Christ dyd take, on the which he gaue than••••s, and the which he brake, he gaue to his Dis∣ciples, and called it his body:

ri- But he toke bread, gaue thāks on bread, & brake bread:

si. Ergo, the first part is true. And it is confirmed with the authorities of the Fathers, Irene, Tertullian, Origene, Cyprian, Epipha••ius, Hierome, Augustine, Theodoret, Cirill, Rabanus, and Be••••. Whose places I will take vpon me to shew most manifest in this behalfe, if I may be suf∣fered to haue my bookes, as my request is.

Bread is the body of Christ:

Ergo, it is bread.

* 1.4A tertio adiacente ad secund••m adiacens cum verbi substan∣tiui pura copula.

¶The third Argument.

Ba- As the bread of the Lordes table is Christes naturall body, so is it his mysticall body.

ro- But it is not Christes mysticall body by transubstan∣tiation.

co. Ergo, it is not his naturall body by transubstantiatiō.

The second part of my argument is plaine, and the first is proued thus: As Christ who is the veritie, spake of the bread: This is my body which shall be betrayed for you, spea∣king there of his naturall body: euen so Paul moued with y^e same spirit of truth,* 1.5 said: We though we be many, yet are we all one bread, and one body, which be partakers of one bread.

* 1.6¶The fourth Argument.

We may no more beleeue bread to be transubstantiate into the body of Christ,* 1.7 then the wine into his bloud.

But the wine is not transubstantiate into his bloud:

Ergo, neyther is that bread therefore transubstantiate into his body.

¶The first part of this argument is manifest, & the second part is proued out of the authoritie of Gods word in Ma∣thew & Marke: I will not drinke of the fruite of the vine, &c. Now the fruite of the vine was wine, which Christ dranke and gaue to his disciplis to drinke. With this sentence a∣greeth playnely the place of Chrysostome on the xx. Chap∣ter of Mathew.* 1.8 As Ciprian doth also, affirming that there is no bloud, if wine be not in the cup.

* 1.9¶The fift Argument.

Ba- The words of Christ spoken vpon the cup and vpon the bread, haue like effect and working.

ro- But the wordes spoken vpon the cup haue not vertue to transubstantiate:

co. Ergo, it followeth that the wordes spoken vppon the bread, haue no such vertue.

The second part of the argument is proued because they shuld then transubstantiate the cup, or that which is in the cup into the new Testament: but neither of these thinges can be done, and very absurde it is to confesse the same.

¶The sixt argument.

Da- The circumstances of the scripture, the Analogie and proportion of the sacraments, and the testimony of the faithfull Fathers ought to rule vs in taking the mea∣ning of the holy scripture touching the sacrament.

ti- But the wordes of the Lords supper, y^e circumstances of the scripture, the Analogie of the sacramentes, & the saying of y^e fathers do most effectually & plainely proue a figuratiue speach in the words of the Lordes supper.

si. Ergo, a figuratiue sense and meaning is specially to be receaued in these wordes: This is my body.

The circumstances of the scripture:* 1.10 Do this in the remē∣braunce of me. As oft as ye shall eate of this bread and drynke of this cup, ye shall shewe foorth the Lordes death. Let a man proue himselfe, and so eate of this bread, and drinke of this cup. They came together to breake bread: and they continued in breaking of bread. The bread which we break &c. For we be∣ing many, are all one bread, and one body. &c.

The Analogie of the sacramentes is necessary:* 1.11 For if the sacramentes had not some similitude or likenes of the things wherof they be sacramentes, they could in no wise be sacraments. And this similitude in the sacrament of the Lords supper, is taken three maner of wayes.

1. The first consisteth in nourishing: as ye shall reade in Rabana, Cyprian, Augustine, Irenee,* 1.12 and most plainly in Isodore out of Bertram.

2. The second, in the vniting and ioyning of many into one, as Cyprian teacheth.

3. The third is a similitude of vnlike thinges, where, lyke as the bread is turned into one body: so wee, by the right vse of this sacrament, are turned through fayth into the body of Christ.

The sayinges of the Fathers declare it to be a figura∣tiue speache, as it appeareth in Origen, Tertullian,* 1.13 Chry∣sostome in opere imperfecto, Augustine, Ambrose, Basill, Gregory, Nazianzene, Hilary, and most plainely of all, in Bertram. Moreouer, the sayinges and places of all y^e Fa∣thers, whose names I haue before recited against the as∣sertion of the first propositiō, do quite ouerthrow transub∣stantiation. But of all other, most euidently and playnly, Irenee, Origen, Cyprian, Chrisostome to Cesarius the Monke, Augustine against Adamantus, Gelasius, Cyril, Epiphanius, Chrisostome agayne on the xx. of Mathew, Rabane, Damasene and Bertram.

Here right worshipfull maister Prolocutor, and ye the rest of the Commissioners, it may please you to vnderstād, that I do not leaue to these thinges onely,* 1.14 whiche I haue written in my former answeres and confirmations, but y^t I haue also for the proofe of y^t I haue spoken, whatsoeuer Bertram a man learned, of sound and vpright iudgement, and euer counted a Catholicke for these seuen hundreth yeares vntill this our age, hath written. His treatise who∣soeuer shall read and wey, considering the time of the wri∣ter, his learning, godlines of life, the allegations of y^e an∣cient fathers, and his manifolde and most grounded argu∣mentes, I cannot (doubtles) but much marueile, if he haue any feare of God at all,* 1.15 howe he can with good conscience speake against him in this matter of the Sacrament. This Bertram was the first that pulled me by the eare, and that first brought me from the common errour of the Romishe Church, and caused me to searche more diligently and ex∣actly, both the scriptures and the writinges of the olde ec∣clesiasticall Fathers in this matter. And this I protest be∣fore the face of God, who knoweth I lye not in the things I now speake.

Notes

• * 1.1

  ••••swere to 〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.2

  The ••. pro∣••••sition of transubstan∣tation de∣••ye.
• * 1.3

  Confirm▪ thou 〈◊〉〈◊〉 his answere.
• * 1.4

  The rule of Logicke is this A proposi∣tione de ter∣tio adiacen∣te ad cam 〈◊〉〈◊〉 est de secundo, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 verbo 〈…〉〈…〉▪
• * 1.5

  The Maior 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.6

  •• Cor. 10.
• * 1.7

  The argu∣ment hol∣deth a de∣structione 〈…〉〈…〉. Math. 26. Marke. 14.
• * 1.8

  Chrisostōe. Cyprian.
• * 1.9

  〈◊〉〈◊〉 argu∣ment hol∣••eth after 〈◊〉〈◊〉 same 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as 〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.10

  The circumstan∣ces and wordes of scripture.
• * 1.11

  The Analogie of the sacra∣mentes.
• * 1.12

  Analogie or si∣militude in the sacrament, three maner of waies.
• * 1.13

  The sayinges of the fathers for the figuratiue speach.
• * 1.14

  Commendation of Bertram.
• * 1.15

  D. Ridley first brought to the knowledge of the sacrament by Bertram.