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

Thus far goeth the words of Origen, wherein it is plain, that Origen speaking here of the Lords Supper, doth mean and teach, that the Material substance thereof is received, digested, and avoided as the Material substance of other Bread and Meats is, which could not be, if there were no Material substance of Bread at all, as the Transubstantiators do say.

It is a World to see the Answers of the Papists to this place of Origen. They say that this part of Origen ⟨p. 27⟩was but set forth of late by Erasmus, and therefore it is to be suspected. But thus may all the good old Authors which lay in old Libraries, and are set forth of late, be by this reason rejected: as Clemens Alexandrinus, Theodoretus, Justinus, Ecclesiastica Historia Nicephori, and others such. - Another of their Answers is, that Origen was suspected to have erred in some points, and therefore Faith is not to be given to him in this matter. Indeed we grant that Origen in some points did err, but these Errors are gathered out and noted, both of St. Hierome and Epiphanius, so that his Works, those Errors excepted, are so much the more of Authority. And as concerning this matter of the Lords Supper, neither they, nor yet ever any other ancient Author did ever say that Origen did err.

Now because these two Answers have been of late so confuted and confounded that they will take no place, therefore some which have written since that time have forged two other Answers, even of the same mould. The former whereof is,—That Origen in this place spake not of the Sacramental Bread or Wine of the Lords Table, but of other Mystical Meat, of the which St. Augustin maketh mention to be given to them that were taught the Faith before they were Baptized. But Origens own words in two Sentences before rehearsed, being put together, prove this Answer untrue: For he saith, that he meaneth of that Figurative and Mystical Body which profiteth them that do receive it worthily; alluding so plainly unto St. Pauls words spoken of the Lords Supper, that it is a shame for any Learned Man to open his mouth to the contrary. And that Bread which St. Augustin speaketh of, he cannot prove that any such thing was used in Origens time; yea, and though that could be proved, yet was there never Bread in any time