A brief declaration of the Lords Supper with some other determinations and disputations concerning the same argument by the same author / written by Dr. Nicholas Ridley, Bishop of London during his imprisonment ; to which is annexed an extract of several passages to the same purpose out of a book intituled Diallacticon, written by Dr. John Poynet.

The Sixth Argument.

The Circumstances of the Scripture, the Analogy and proportion of the Sacraments, and the Testimony of the faithful Fathers, ought to rule us in taking the meaning of the Holy Scripture touching the Sa∣crament.

But the Words of the Lord's Supper, the Circumstances of the Scripture, the Analogy of the Sacraments, and the Sayings of the Fathers, do most effectually and plainly prove a figurative speech in the words of the Lord's Supper.

Ergo, 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 remembrance of me. As oft as ye shall eat of this Bread, 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.

The Analogy of the Sacraments is necessary; for if the Sacraments had not some similitude, or likeness of the things whereof they be Sa∣craments, they could in no wise be Sacraments. And this similitude in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is taken three manner of ways.

• 1. The first consisteth in nourishing, as you shall read in Rabanus, Cyprian, Austin, Irenaeus, and most plainly in Isidore out of Bertram.
• 2. The second in the uniting and joyning of many into one, as Cy∣prian teacheth.
• 3. 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 Sacra∣ment, 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, Tertullian, Chrysostom in opere imperfecto, Augustin, Ambrose, Basil, Gregory Nazianzen, 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 Proposi∣tion, do quite overthrow Transubstantiation. But of all most evidently and plainly, Irenaeus, Origen, Cyprian, Chrysostom to Caesarius the Monk, Augustine against Adamantus, Gelasius, Cyril, Epiphanius, Chrysostom a∣gain on the 20th of Matth. Rabanus, Damascene and Bertram.

Here, Right Worshipful Mr. Prolocutor, and ye the rest of the Com∣missioners, it may please you to understand, that I do not lean to these things only, which I have written in my former Answers and Con∣firmations, but that I have also for the proof of that I have spoken,

whatsoever Bertram, a man Learned, of sound and upright Judgment, and ever counted a Catholick for these Seven hundred years, until this our age, hath written. His Treatise, whosoever shall read and weigh, considering the time of the Writer, his Learning, Godliness of life, the Allegations of the Ancient Fathers, and his manifold and most grounded Arguments, I cannot (doubtless) but much marvel, if he have any fear of God at all, how he can with good Conscience speak against him in this matter of the Sacrament. This Bertram was the first that pulled me by the Ear, and that first brought me from the common Error of the Romish Church, and caused me to search more diligently and exactly both the Scriptures and the Writings of the old Ecclesiastical Fathers in this matter. And this I protest before the face of God, who knoweth that I lye not in the things I now speak.

Notes

• Da-
• ti-
• si.