← Back to the beginning of 2. Prefaces to the Reader

with the wine. For the natural cause wherefore two bodies

cannot be together in one place (as the philosophers say) is 1

their accidents, their bigness, and thickness, and not their substances. And then by the very order of nature it repugneth more, that the body of Christ should be present with the accidents of bread, and his blood with the accidents of wine

than with the substances either of bread

or wine. This shall suffice for the

admonition to the reader, joining -

thereto the preface in my

first book, which is this:

[Prefixed to the original edition of the Defence of the True and Catholick Doctrine M of the Sacrament,” 1550.] — Own Saviour Christ Jesus, according to the will of his eternal Father, when the 4 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 darkness 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 D people, and to confirm their faith and hope of eternal salvation in the same, he 1 hath ordained a perpetual memory of his said sacrifice, daily to be used in the - ehurch to his perpetual 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 that his sacrifice upon the cross is ποὺ sufficient hereunto, without any other sacrifice devised by him, and made by the priest, or — else without indulgences, beads, pardons, pilgrimages, and such other pelfray, to ΕἾ supply Christ’s imperfection: and that christian people cannot apply to themselves — 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 remission, 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 1 E pon 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 —exalüng his seat and power above the throne of God! For he that taketh upon him to supply that thing which he pretendeth to be unperfect 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 in contempt, as one that either for ἃ k of charity would not, or for lack of power he could not, with all his blood- hed ding and death, clearly deliver his faithful, and give them full remission of their ^s ns, but that the full perfection thereof must be had at the hands of antichrist A f Rome and his ministers? What man of knowledge and zeal to God’s honour The Lam with dry eyes see this injury to Christ, and look upon the estate of religion Betihtinvy ought in by the papists, perceiving the true sense of God’s words subverted by I ise glosses of man’s devising, the true christian religion turned into certain hypo-

[3 1 [’ hath taught. Ed. 1551.] [^ another, 1531.]]

critical and superstitious 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 the 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 daily read and hear God’s heavenly word, and pray in their own language which they understand, so that their hearts and mouths may go together, and be none of those people whom Christ complained, — saying: “These people honour 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, pardons, pilgrimages, and such other like popery, so long as two chief roots remain unpulled up? whereof, so long as they remain, will spring again all former impediments of the Lord’s harvest, 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 transubstantiation, of the real presence of Christs 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 overspread all the ground again with the old errors and superstitions. These injuries to Christ mov- be so intolerable, that no christian heart can willingly 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 hea-. venly Father never planted, but were grafted and sown in his vineyard by his adver- — sary the devil, and antichrist his minister. The Lord grant, that this my travail and — labour in his vineyard be not in vain, but that Jt may prosper and bring forth good i fruits to his honour and glory! For when I see his vineyard overgrown with thorns, » brambles and weeds, I know that everlasting woe appertaineth 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 bottom, E that I take this labour for none other consideration, but for the glory of his name,. and the discharge of my duty, and the zeal that I bear toward the flock of Chhrist. a I know in what office God hath placed me, and to what purpose; that is to say, al to set forth his word truly unto his people, to the uttermost of my power, without pl respect of person, or regard of thing in the world, but of him alone. I know what ἡ account I shall make to him hereof at the last day, when every man shall answer ” for his vocation, and receive for the same good or ill, according as he hath done. I - know how antichrist hath obscured the glory of God, and the true knowledge of his 1 word, overcasting the same with mists and clouds of error and ignorance through ἢ false glosses and interpretations. It pitieth me to see the simple and hungry flock ἢ of Christ led into corrupt pastures, to be carried blindfold they know not whither, and ΕἾ to be fed with poison in the stead of wholesome meats. And moved by the duty, i

[[’ of whom, 1551.] J]

office, and place, whereunto it hath pleased God to call me, I give warning in “name unto all that profess Christ, that they flee far from Babylon, if they will their souls, and to beware of that great harlot, that is to say, the pestiferous. Rome, that she make you not drunk with her pleasant wine. Trust not her - promises, nor banquet not with her; for instead of wine she will give you sour. and for meat she will feed you with rank poison. But come to our Redeemer Saviour Christ, who refresheth all that truly come unto him, be their anguish. heaviness never so great. Give credit unto him, in whose mouth was never. guile nor untruth. By him you shall be clearly delivered from all your diseases, P him you shall have full remission a pena et a culpa. He it is that feedeth i continually all that belong unto him, with his own flesh that hanged upon p the cross, and giveth them drink of the blood flowing out of his own: Lo side, and maketh to spring within them water that floweth unto x everlasting life. Listen not to the false incantations, sweet whisperings, and crafty juggling of the subtle papists,

wherewith they have this many years deluded and

bewitched the world; but hearken to Christi give ear unto his words, which lead you 1 the right way unto everlasting life, T there with him to live ever as v heirs of his kingdom.

It is the spirit that giveth life, the flesh profiteth nothing

[2 [‘jugglings 1551] 6, [^ shall lead, 1551.]]

S RU RE RE Pues b des νῶν ed osi DU de 519 aa erontiaq: sf. ona, Scot qal qoid, big, dir ἔν oco fe ΒΒ NN B Sat il JOR, jon deb n lili: dreads MR Wo edad To: dt ve ih e S k pee ἡ d de e. ἐν ” ds «i FA ” Riz ” Tz ek Bn v iecur “hào P ER ehm MES mu VEN M Tart aga Hr Yr P Te s ἘΝ ΓΝ va baie τον. cod dew don Nope Wg S το: Dus c ois deugan wel ab πὰ σῆς sei EE bsc Ha lerne odor. id ON lad RON ER wm exse abi aut; desi, we, Rare odis filial st c daos civem ites E en Lo ua RE el ae ἈΦΗ͂Ι s à rh ὁ πὰ γιὰ LOS. es ud Y r - rg - 1 x gl 1 [ON mA f i LN EN LN Wh a” y Tot, Quem tibi Cranmerus scripserat ante rogos. E Hic docta sanctam tractat ratione synaxin, s Insistens, Patres quas docuere, viis. o Hie, Gardnere, tuas phaleratas detegit artes, ΕΝ Detrahit et larvam, save tyranne, tuam: E i Atque tuo ipsius jugulum transverberat ense, EC. Ut jaceas veluti sensibus absque fera. EN - τ ] n

Denique rixosis hic obstruit ora Papistis, E. Rixandi posset si tamen esse modus. A Solvitur in cineres corpus, mens scandit ad astra; M Fama superstes erit tempus in omne memor. ne [ These verses are only in the edition of 1530. ] ^ ες


← 1. Life, State, and Story of Thomas Cranmer · Contents · 3. Book I. Of the Sacrament, Part 1 →

← Back to the beginning of 2. Prefaces to the Reader