History of the Church of England, from the Abolition of the Roman Jurisdiction (Volume 2 ) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1881 Excerpt: ... Debate on the Sacrament. 545 Wells, " never has the truth obtained a more brilliant victory among us. Contrary to all expectation, the Archbishop maintained our opinion openly, firmly, and with the greatest learning. The Bishop of Rochester followed, and spoke with so much perspicuity, eloquence, and erudition, that he stopped the mouth of that zealous papist, the Bishop of Worcester. Thus the chief and almost the only supporters of the Lutherans have come over to our side." The critic who could mistake Heath for a papist may easily have mistaken the opinion which Ridley joined with Cranmer in expressing: nor is it likely that the former at least meant to maintain anything contrary to Catholic doctrine. The main argument of Cranmer was according to the same authority, that " the body of Christ was taken up from us into heaven, when He left the world, even as He said, Me ye have not with you always," an argument which might be variously concluded, t The more intelligent, perhaps the more interested Peter Martyr, the head of the Lutheran conclave of Lambeth, reported the matter somewhat differently. The parties, he said, engaged so vehemently that the victory fluctuated between them. Cranmer showed himself a mighty theologian, he whom they were wont to traduce as a mere official. Transubstantiation might be exploded, but the difficulty of the Presence still remained. % However it must be added that Peter Martyr also speaks of " the popish Traheron to Bullinger, Orig. Lett. 322. Bullinger himself was a moderate Lutheran. + I mention this because the same argument appeared afterwards in the celebrated postscript to the Communion in the Second Book of Edward, and still remains in the Prayer-Book. "And as concerning the natural body and blood of our Saviour Chr...