Marginalia1555. March.MarginaliaThe Lords supper how many wayes it is abused.Christ made it a Communion: MarginaliaThe secōd abuse.for hee gaue it not to one alone, but to all the Apostles in the name of the whole church.

MarginaliaThe thyrd abuse.Thirdly, in that it is made a Sacrifice for the quicke and the dead, where as Christ ordayned it for a remembrance of the euerlasting Sacrifice, which was his own body offered vpon the altar of the crosse once for all, as the holy Apostle saith: euen the full and perfect price of our redemption: and where there is remission of sinne (sayth he) there is no more Sacrifice for sinne.

MarginaliaThe fourth abuse.Fourthly, in that it is woorshipped contrary to the commaundement, saying: thou shalt worship nothyng that is made with handes.

MarginaliaThe fifte abuse.Fiftly, in that it is giuen in an vnknowen tongue, wherby the people are ignoraunt of the right vse therof, how Christ died for our sinnes and rose agayne for our iustification, by whom we be set at peace with God, and receyued to his fauour and mercy by his promise, wherof this sacrament is a sure seale and witnes.

MarginaliaThe sixt abuse.Besydes this, it is hanged vp and shut in a boxe: yea many tymes so long, that wormes breedeth in it, and so it putrifieth: Whereby the rude people haue an occasion to speake vnreuerently thereof, which otherwyse would speake reuerently.

Thereof they that thus abuse it, bryng vp the sclaunder and not we, whych pray dayly to God to restore it to the ryght vse, according to Christes institution.

Now, concerning Christes wordes: this is my body, MarginaliaChristes wordes: Hoc est corpus meum, not denied, but expoūded.we deny them not, but wee say that the mynd of Christ in them must bee searched out by other open Scriptures, whereby we may come to the spirituall vnderstanding of them which shall bee most to the glory of God. For as the holy Apostle sayth: There is no scripture that hath any priuate interpretation. Besydes this, the scriptures are full of the lyke figuratiue speeches: as for example, Christ sayth: MarginaliaThe phrase of scripture expounded by other phrases.This cup is the new Testament of my bloud. The rocke is Christ, sayth S. Paule. Whosoeuer receaueth a child in my name (saith our Sauiour Iesus Christ) receaueth me. Which sētences must not be vnderstanded after the letter, lest we do erre as þ^e Capernaites did, which thought that Christes body should haue bene eaten with theyr teeth, when he spake of the eating thereof. Vnto whom Christ said: such a fleshly eating of my body profiteth nothing: it is the spirite (sayth our Sauiour Iesus Christ) that quickneth: the flesh profiteth nothing: For my wordes are spirite and lyfe.

Thus we see that Christes wordes must bee vnderstanded MarginaliaThe wordes of the sacrament ought to be taken spiritually, and not literally.spiritually, and not literally. Therefore he that cōmeth to thys worthy supper of the Lorde, must not prepare his iaw, but hys hart: neither tooth nor bellye: but beleue (sayth S. Augustine) and thou hast eaten it: so that we must bring wyth vs a spirituall hunger.MarginaliaChrist is to be eaten spiritually. And as the Apostle sayth: try & examine our selues, whether our conscience do testify vnto vs, that we do truly beleue in Christ, according to the scriptures: whereof if we be truly certified, being new borne from our old conuersation in hart, minde, wil, and dede, then may we boldly wyth this mariage garment of faith come to the feast.

In consideration whereof wee haue inuicible Scriptures, as of Christ him selfe: This do in the remembraunce of me. And S. Paule: As often (saith he) as ye eate of this bread, and drinke of this cup, ye shall remember the Lordes death vntyll he come. MarginaliaThe substance of bread not chaunged.Here is no chaunge, but bread styll. And S. Luke affirmeth the same. Also Christ hath made a iust promise, saying: Me you shall not haue alway with you. I leaue the world, & go to my father: for if I should not depart, the cōforter which I will send, cā not come vnto you. So according to his promise he is ascended: as the Euangelistes testify. Also S. Peter saith, that heauen shal kepe hym vntil the last day.

Now, as touching his omnipotēt power, we confesse and say with S. Augustine, that Christ is both God and mā. In that he is God, he is euery where: but in that he is man, MarginaliaChristes body but in one place at once.he is in heauen, and can occupye but one place: whereunto the scriptures doth agree. For his body was not in all places at once, when he was here: for it was not in the graue when the women sought it, as the Aungell sayth: neither was it at Bethania where Lazarus died, by Christes own wordes, saying: I am glad I was not there. And thus we conclude with the Scriptures, that Christ is in his holy supper sacramentally and spiritually in all them that worthely receiue it, and corporally in heauen, both God and man.

And further, wee make here MarginaliaTheir protestation.our protestation before God (whom we call to recorde in this matter) that this which we haue said, is neyther of stubburnes, nor wilfull mynd) as some iudge of vs: but euen of very conscience, truly (we trust) grounded in Gods holy worde.

For before we tooke this matter in hand, we besought God from the bottom of our harts, that we might do no thing contrary to hys holye and blessed word. And in that he hath thus shewed his power in our weakenes, we can not worthely prayse him: vnto whom wee geue harty thankes, through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

When he had thus deliuered and read their confession, the Bishop still persisting sometime in fayre promises, sometime threatning to pronounce iudgement, asked them whether they would stand to this their confession and other aunswers. MarginaliaM. Causton and Maister Higbed constant to death in their confession.To whom Causton said: yea, we wyll stand to our aunswers wrytten wyth our handes, and to our beliefe therein contayned. After which aunswere the Bishop began to pronounce sentence agaynst hym.

Then he sayd, that it was much rashnes, and wythout all loue and mercy, to geue iudgement, without aunswering to their confession by the truth of Gods word, whereunto they submitted them selues most willingly. And therefore I, quoth Causton (because I can not haue iustice at your hand, but that ye wyll thus rashly condemne me) MarginaliaM. Causton appealeth to the Cardinall.do appeale from you to my Lord Cardinall.

Then D. Smith sayd, that he would aunswere theyr confession. MarginaliaD. Smith ready to aunswere their cōfession, but could not be suffred.But the bishop (not suffring him to speake) wylled Hardesfield to say his mynde for the stay of the people:  

Commentary     Close

It is interesting that Bishop Bonner preferred to have John Harpsfield rather than Richard Smith answer Causton and Higbed; it suggests that Bonner considered Harpsfield the more effective debater.

Which done, the Bishop pronounced sentence, first agaynst the sayd Thomas Causton, and then callyng Thomas Higbed,MarginaliaSentence pronounced against Maister Causton, and M. Higbed. caused hys articles and aunsweres likewyse to be read. In the reading whereof Hygbed sayd: ye speake blaspemy against Christes passion, and ye go about to trap vs with your subtilties and snares. And though my father and mother, and other my kinsfolke did beleue as you say, yet they were deceyued in so beleuing. And further, where you say that my lord, named Cranmer (late Archbyshop of Caunterbury) and others specified in the sayd articles, be heretickes: I do wish that I were such an hereticke as they were and be. Then the bishop asked him agayne, whether he would turne from his errour, and come to the vnity of their church? To whom hee sayd: no, I would ye should recant, for I am in the truth, and you in errour.

Well, quoth the Bishop, if ye wyll returne, I wyll gladly receiue you.

No, sayd Hygbed, I wyll not returne as you wyll haue me, to beleue in the sacrament of the aultar your God.

Whereupon the bishop proceeded, and gaue iudgement vpon him, as he had done before vpon Tho. Causton. MarginaliaM. Causton and Maister Higbed condemned & sent to Newgate.When all this was thus ended, they were both deliuered to the Shiriffes, and so by thē sent to Newgate, where they remayned by the space of. xiiij. dayes, praysed bee God, not so much in afflictions, as in consolations.

For the encrease whereof, they earnestly desired all their good brethren and sistern in Christ to pray, that God for hys sōnes sake would go forth with that great mercy, which alredy he had begon in them, so that they might perseuer vnto the ende, to the prayse of the eternall God, and comfort of all their brethren.

These. xiiij. dayes (after their condemnation) once expired, they were þ^e. xxiij. day of this moneth of March fetched MarginaliaM. Causton and Maister Higbed brought from Newgate into Essex.from Newgate at foure of the clocke in the mornyng, and so lead through the Citie vnto Algate, where they were deliuered vnto the Shieriffe of Essex, and there being fast bound in a cart, were shortly after brought to their seuerall appointed places of burning: that is to say, Thomas Higbed to Hornden on the hil, and Thomas Causton to Kayly (both in the countrey of Essex) MarginaliaMarch. 26.
The constant Martyrdome of M. Tho. Causton, and Maister Tho. Higbed, Martyrs.where they dyd most constantly, the. xxvj. day of the same moneth, seale this their faith with sheedyng of their bloud by most cruell fire, to the glory of God, and great reioysing of the godly.