In prioribus autem adnotationibus omnia ferme, quæ te offenderunt, a me fuerunt adnotata. Exemplum quidem ad te nunc mitterem: sed non habeo ita descriptum, ut illud possis legere. Tantum sum miratus, quomodo præterieris de communione ægrotorum id reprehendere, quod statutum est, si eo die fiat, quo in Dominico habetur coena Domini, tum minister partem ciborum secum deferat. Atque ita communionem in domo ægrotantis administret. Qua in re id me offendit, quod ibi non repetunt, quæ præcipue ad cœnam Domini pertinent: cumque, ut tu quoque sentis, arbitror, verba cœnæ magis ad homines, quam aut ad panem, aut ad vinum pertinere. Monui omnino mihi videri, ut coram ægroto, et simul cum eo communicantibus, omnia, quæ ad cœnam Domini necessario requiruntur, et dicantur, et agantur. Et sane mirandum est, quomodo ea, conspectu ægroti, verba dicere graventur, cui maxime utilia sunt, cum inutiliter eadem repetere velint, quando inter communicandum in templo vinum in poculo deficere contigerit, cum homines qui adsunt, et sacramenta sumunt, illa jam audiverint. Hæc sunt, quæ putavi alicujus momenti, et cur omiseris, non satis intelligo. In omnibus autem, quæ censuisti emendanda, tuæ sententiæ scripsi. Et gratias Deo ago, qui occasionem suppeditavit, ut de his omnibus episcopi per nos admonerentur. Conclusum jam est in hoc eorum colloquio, quemadmodum mihi retulit reverendissimus, ut multa immutentur. Sed quænam illa sint, quæ consenserint emendanda, neque ipse mihi exposuit, neque ego de illo quærere ausus sum. hoc non me parum recreat, quod mihi, D. Checus indicavit ; si noluerint ipsi, ait, efficere, ut quæ mutanda sint mutentur, rex per seipsum id faciet; et cum ad parliamentum ventum fuerit, ipse suæ majestatis authoritatem interponet. Verum De Wintoniensi jam actio quarta in judicio habita est; neque dum respondet, alio spectat, quam ut se a contumacia purget. Verba ejus a papisticis hominibus, ut docta et acuta prædicantur: a veris autem et sanis judicibus, vafra, subdola, aliena a causa, et, ut uno verbo dicam, sophistica. Quod mihi etiam fit verisimile, cum illum in rebus theologicis non aliter agere animadverterim. Verum quicquid sit, causa omnino existimatur casurus. Quæ de Hoppero ad me scribis, non potuerunt non videri mira. Certe illis auditis obstupui. Sed bene habet, quod episcopi meas literas viderunt, unde invidia ego quidem sum liberatus. Et illius causa sic jacet, ut melioribus et pijs nequaquam probetur. Dolet, dolet, inquam, mihi gravissime talia inter Evangelij professores contingere. Ille toto hoc tempore, cum illi sit interdicta concio, non videtur posse quiescere; suæ fidei confessionem edidit qua rursus multorum animos exacerbavit. Deinde queritur de consiliarijs, et fortasse, quod mihi non refertur, de nobis. Deus felicem catastrophen non lætis actibus imponat. Doctor Smithus, quondam Oxonij professor, qui me de votis monasticis præterita jam æstate lacessivit, nunc librum, Anglice scriptum, contra dominum Cantuariensem edidit de re sacramentaria. De quo, cum lingua mihi sit ignota, nequeo judicare. Sed tamen sensum ejus, et ineptias, brevi cognoscam. Nam scribit se etiam sub prelo habere, quæ contra me de eadem re composuit. Quanquam hæc ego vel parum vel nihil moror, cum a Satanæ atque papæ mancipijs nihil nisi mendacia expectem. Peccata nostra me terrent, atque pertenuis Evangelij fructus necnon ex altera parte Cæsaris successus, quem severissimam Dei virgam esse video. Et inter hæc mala nostris peregrinorum ecclesijs vacat nugari. Est enim inter illas de templo a rege concesso exorta magna contentio adeoque sunt animi eorum implacabiles, et eo exarserunt, ut eorum dissidium per concilium regium sit dirimendum. Precor Deum, ut res non male juxta merita cadat. Multo antea voluissem discedere: sed hodie tandem abeundi facultatem impetravi. Scriptum tuum Petro Alexandro tradam, ut id tibi, cum ipsum perlegerit, remittat. Tibi vero interim, et omnibus tuis, cuncta salutaria et felicia precor, una cum Julis, qui vos plurimum salvere jubet. 10 Jan. 1551, Ad Lambeth. Tuus in Christo, Clarissimo et eruditissimo D. D. Martino Bucero, theologiæ professori regio, mihi plurimum observando, Cantabrigiæ. No. LXII. PETRUS MARTYR. The Archbishops Letter to procure Wolf, the Printer, a licence to publish his Book.* AFTER my veray hertie commendations. Thies be to signify unto you, that Rayner Wolf, at my desire, hath fully fynyshed the printing of my book, for answer to the late bishop of Winchesters, written against myn of the Doctrine of the Sacrament. And forasmuche as both printing and selling of any matiers in thenglishe tounge is prohibited by a proclamation set furthe, onles the same matier be first allowed by the kings majestie, or vi. of his majesties privey counsail, as you shal more plainly perceyve by the proclamation, which herewith I send unto you: therfor I hertily pray you to be a sutor to the kings majestie, or to the privye counsail, that Mr. Rayner may have licence for the printing and selling of my said book accordingly. And the same so obtained to send me with convenient spede. For in the begynning of the terme I thinck it wer veray necessary to be set furthe, for the contentation of many, which have had long expectation of the same. Assone as I shal receyve advertisement, whan the kings majestie wil be at Hampton Courte, I wil come thither to see his grace, and do my duty towards the same. Thus fare ye hertily wel. From my mannour at Croydon, the xxix. of September, 1551. To my veray lovynge freendes, Mr. Cecill, one of the kings majesties two principal secretaries. Or to Mr. Cheeke. Your lovynge Frende, * Sir W. H[icke's] MSS. T. CANT. No. LXIII. Articles, wherunto Wylliam Phelps, Pastor and Curate of Cirencester, upon good advisement and deliberation, after better knowledg geven by God's grace and goodnes unto him, hath subscribed, consented and aggreed, willingly without force, compulsion, and all maner of impul sion, and is willing and desirous to set forth the same to his parishioners, for the better edifying of them, and declaration of his new aggreement to God's verite and holy word.* FIRST, that the holy word of God doth acknowledg, confess, maintaine, avouch, hold and defend, that in the holy sacrament and communion of Christs precious body and bloud, the very substance, matter, nature and. condition of bread and wine, do remain after the words, (as they be commonly called), of consecration, as verily and truly as they were in substance and matter bread and wine before: although that the use of the bread and wine in the sacrament be changed. For whereas before it was common bread and common wine, now by the virtue of Gods word it is made the sacrament of the precious body and bloud of Christ, and a seal, confirmation, and augmentation of Gods mercy and gracious promise to al men, that receive it in the faith of Christ Jesu, with hatred of sin, and intent, purpose and mind, to live always a vertuous life. And that is the very transubstantiation and change, that God delighteth in, in the use of the sacraments, most, that we should earnestly and from the bottome of our hearts, be converted into Christ, and Christ's holy commandments, to live a Christen life, and to dy from sin, as he gave us example, both by His life and doctrin; and meaneth not, that the bread and wine should in substance be turned or converted into the substance of His body and bloud, or that the substance of the bread should be taken away, and in the place therof to be the substance, matter, and corporal presence of Christs corporal, holy, humane and natural body. Item, That the same holy word of God doth confess, hold, defend, acknowledg and maintain, that the very natural, substantial, real and corporal body of Christ, concerning His humanity, is only and solely in heaven, and not in the sacrament and communion of His precious body and bloud. But whosoever worthily, with true repentance, and lively faith in the promise of God, receiveth that holy sacrament, receiveth sacramentally by faith al the mercies, riches, merits and deservings, that Christ hath deserved and paid for, in His holy bloud and passion. And that is to eat Christ and to drink Christ in the holy sacrament, to confirm and seal sacramentally, in our souls, Gods promises of eternal salvation: that Christ deserved for us, not in, nor by, His body eaten, but by, and for, His body slain and killed upon the cross for our sinns as S. Paul saith Col. i. Eph. i. 3. Heb. 2, 7, 8, 9, 10. As for eating of His flesh, and drinking of His bloud, really, corporally, materially and substantially, it is but a carnal and gross opinion of man, besides and contrary to the word of God, and the articles of our faith, and Christen religion: that affirmeth His corporal departure VOL. II. * Foxii MSS. [Harl. MSS. ccccxxv. 71.] from the earth, placeth it in heaven above at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty, and keepeth, retaineth, holdeth and preserveth the same corporal body of Christ there, til the general day of judgment, as the word declareth: "From thence He shal come to judge the quick and the dead." And that heretofore I have been in the contrary opinion, and believed my self, and also have taught other to believe the same, that there remained no substance of bread and wine in the sacrament, but the very self same body and bloud of Christ Jesu, that was born of the blessed Virgin Mary, and hanged upon the cross, I am with al my heart sorry for mine error, and false opinion, detesting and forsaking the same from the bottome of my heart, and desire God most heartily in, and for, the merits of His dear Son's passion, to forgive me, and al them that have erred in the same false opinion by and through my means, praying them in the tender compassion and great mercies of God, now to follow me in truth, verite and singleness of Gods most true word, as they were contented to follow me in error, superstition and blindness, and be no more ashamed to return to the truth, then they were ready to be corrupted by falshood. If the holy apostle S. Paul, and the great clerk, St. Augustine, with many more noble and vertuous members of Christ's church, were not ashamed to returne, acknowledge and confess, their error and evil opinions; what am I, miserable creature of the world, inferior unto them both in knowledg, holines and learning, that should be ashamed to do the same? Nay, I do in this part thank God, and rejoyce from the bottome of my heart, that God hath revealed unto me the truth of His word, and geven me leave to live so long to acknowledg my fault, and error: and do here before you protest, that from henceforth I will, with al diligence and labor, study to set forth this mine amended knowledg, and reconciled truth, as long as I live, by the help of God in the Holy Ghost, through the merits of Jesus Christ, our only Mediator and Advocate. To whom be al honor for ever and ever, Amen. Subscribed and confirmed 29 of April 1551, in the presence of John, bishop of Glou cester, and divers other there present. No. LXIV. The Archbishop to the Lords of the Councel concerning the Book of Articles of Religion.* AFTER my veray humble recommendations unto your good lordeships : I have sent unto the same the boke of Articles, which yesterday I receyved from your lordeshipps. I have sent also a cedule inclosed, declarynge briefly my minde upon the said boke: besechynge your lordeshipps to be means unto the kyngs majestie, that al the bushops may have authority from hym, to cause all their prechers, archdecons, deans, prebendaries, parsons, vicars, curates, with al their clergie, to * Sir W. H[icke's] MSS. subscribe to the said articles. And than I trust, that such a concorde and quyetness in religion shal shortely follow therof, as ells is not to be loked for many years. God shal therby be glorified, his truth shal be avaunced, and your lordeships shal be rewarded of Hym, as the setters forward of his true word and Gospel. Unto whom is my dayly prayer, without ceasynge, to preserve the kynges majestie, with al your honorable lordeships. From my house at Forde the 24 of this present month of November. Your lordeshipps ever to commaunde, To my veray good lordes of the kinges majestie his most honorable Councel. No. LXV. T. CANT. The Archbishop nominates certain persons for an Irish Archbishoprick.* To my veray lovinge friende Sir William Cecyl Knight, one of the kinges majesties principal secretaries. THOUGH in England there be many meete men for the archbushopricks of Ireland, yet I knowe veraye fewe, that wil gladlie be perswaded to go thither. Nevertheless I have sent unto you the names of iiij. Viz. Mr. Whiteheade of Hadley, Mr. Tourner of Caunturbury, Sir Thomas Rosse, and Sir Robert Wisdome. Which being ordinarily called, I thincke for conscience sake, wil not refuse to bestowe the talent committed unto theim, wheresoever it shal please the kinges majestie to appoincte theim. Among whom I take Mr. Whiteheade for his good knowledge, special honestie, fervent zeale, and politick wisdome, to be most meete. And next him Mr. Tourner, who, besides that hee is merry and witty withal, nihil appetit, nihil ardet, nihil somniat, nisi Jesum Christum; and in the lively preaching of him and his wourde declareth such diligence, faithfulness and wisdom, as for the same deservithe much commendation. There is also one Mr. Whitacre a man both wise and wel learned, chaplain to the bushopp of Winchester, veray meet for that office, if he might be perswaded to take it upon him. I pray you commend me unto Mr. Cheke, and declare unto him, that myn ague, whither it were a quotidian, or a double tertian_(wherof my physitions doubted) hath left me these two dayes, and so I trust I am quite thereof: notwithstanding my water keapithe stil an high colour. Now the most daunger is, that if it come againe this night, it is like to tourne to a quartane. However the matter chaunce, the most grief to me is, that I cannot proceade in such matters as I have in hande, according to my wil and desire. This terrenum domicilium is such an obstacle to all good purposes. Forasmuche as I perceave that the kings majesties progress is altered, I pray you send me the gests of the latter end of his progress, from this time unto the end, that I may from time to time know where his majestie shal bee; whom I beseeche Almighty God to preserve and prosper in al his affairs, with his most *Sir W. H[icke's] MSS. |