An account of a disputation at Oxford, anno dom. 1554 with A treatise of…

But here, before we go any farther to search in this matter, and to wade to search and try out, as we may, the truth thereof in the Scripture, it shall do well by the way—Whether they that thus make answer and solution unto the former principal Question, do take away simply and absolutely the presence of Christs Body and Blood from the Sacrament, ordained by Christ, and duly ministered, according to his holy Ordinance and Institution of the same. Undoubtedly they do deny That utterly, either so to say or to mean the same: and hereof, if any man do, or will doubt, the Books which are written already in this matter of them that thus do answer will make the matter plain.

But here, before we go any farther to search in this matter, and to wade to search and try out, as we may, the truth thereof in the Scripture, it shall do well by the way—Whether they that thus make answer and solution unto the former principal Question, do take away simply and absolutely the presence of Christs Body and Blood from the Sacrament, ordained by Christ, and duely ministred, according to his holy Ordinance and Institution of the same. Undoubtedly they do deny That utterly, either so to say or to mean the same: and hereof, if any man do, or will doubt, the Books which are written already in this matter of them that thus do answer will make the matter plain.

Now then, will ye say, what kind of presence will they grant, and what do they deny? Briefly they deny the presence of Christs Body in the natural substance of his human, and assumpt nature, and grant the presence of the same by Grace, that is: They affirm and say that the substance of the natural body and blood of Christ is only remaining in Heaven, and so shall be until the latter day, when he shall come again in glory accompanied with the angels of Heaven ⟨p. 11⟩to judge both the quick and the dead. And the same natural substance of the very Body and Blood of Christ, because it is united to the divine nature in Christ the second person in the Trinity, therefore it hath not only Life in it self, but is also able, and doth give life unto so many as be, or shall be partakers thereof; that is to all that do believe in his name, which are not born of blood, (as John saith) or of the will of flesh, or of the will of man, but are born of God, tho the self same substance abide still in Heaven, and they, for the time of their Pilgrimage, dwell here upon Earth. By Grace I said, that is by the gift of this life mentioned in John, and the properties for the same, meet for a Pilgrimage here upon Earth, the same body of Christ is here present with us. As for example; we say the Sun which in substance never removeth his place out of the Heavens, is yet present here by his Beams, Light, and natural Influence where it shineth upon the Earth: for Gods word, and his Sacraments be as it were the Beams of Christ, who is Sol Justitiae.