Marginalia1555. Iuly.trine which he taught, I thinke that Christ would haue done as I do: that is, haue alledged that which vpholdeth the Church, euen the veritie, the worde of God taught and beleued, MarginaliaOutward descent of ministers maketh not the true church: but the truth of Gods word maketh true ministers.not by the high Priestes, which of long tyme had persecuted it, but by the Prophetes and other good simple men, which perchaunce were counted for heretickes of the Church: which Church was not tyed to succession, but to the word of God. And this to thinke, S. Peter geueth me occasion, when he sayth that as it went in the Church before Christes commyng, so shall it go in the Church after his comming: but then the pillers of þ^e Church were persecutors of þ^e true Church: therfore the like we must looke for now.

Harps. I can gather and proue succession in Hierusalem of the high Priestes from Aarons time.

Bradford. I graunt, MarginaliaThe true church not tied to succession, but to Gods word.but not such succession as allowed the truth.

Harps. Why? did they not all allow Moses law?

Bradford. Yes, and kept it, as touching the bookes thereof, as you do the Bible, and holy scriptures. MarginaliaThe true succession of priestes, and the succession of true Priestes, are two thinges.But the true interpretation and meaning of it they did corrupt, as you haue done, and do: and therefore the persecution which they sturred vp against the Prophetes and Christ, was not for the law, but for the interpretation of it. MarginaliaThe Iewes corrupt the law, as the Papistes do the scriptures.For they taught as you doe now, that wee must fetch the interpretation of the scriptures at your handes.MarginaliaA cōparison betwen the old pharisies, and our new Papists. But to make an ende, death I looke dayly for, yea hourly, and I thinke my time bee but very shorte. therefore I had neede to spende as much time wyth God as I can whilest I haue it, for his helpe and comfort, and therfore I pray you beare with me that I do not now particularly & in moe wordes aūswere your lōg talke. If I saw death not so nere me as it is, I would then weigh euery peece of your Oration, if you would geue me þ^e summe of it, & I would aunswere accordingly: but because I dare not, nor I will not leaue of lookyng & preparyng for that which is at hand, I shall desire you to hold me excused, because I do as I do, and I hartely thāke you of your gētle good wil. I shall hartely pray God our father to geue you the same light & lyfe I do wysh to my self: & so Bradford began to arise vp.

Harps. But then began Maister Archdeacon to tell him that hee was in a very perilous case, and that hee was sory to see him so setled. As for death, whether it be nigh or farre of I know not, neither forceth it, so that you did dye well.

MarginaliaBold confidence and hope vpon Gods word and promise, seemeth strange among thē which are not exercised in mortification.Bradford. I doubt not in this case, but that I shall dye well: for as I hope and am certaine my death shall please the Lord, so I trust I shall dye chearefully to the comfort of his children.

Harps. But what if you be deceiued?

Brad. What if you shoulde say the Sunne dyd not shine now? (and the Sunne did shine through the window where they sat.)

Harps. Wel, I am sory to see you so secure & careles

Brad. In deede I am more carnally secure and careles then I should bee: God make mee more vigilant. But in this case I can not be to secure, for I am most assured that I am in the truth,

Harps. That are ye not: for you are out of the catholicke church.

Brad. No, though you haue excommunicate me out of your church, yet am I in the catholicke church of Christ, and am, and by Gods grace shalbe a chyld and an obedient childe of it for euer. I hope Christ wyll haue no lesse care for me, then he had for the blind man excommunicated of the Synagoge: and further I am sure that the necessary Articles of the fayth, I meane the twelue articles of the Crede, I confesse and beleue with that which you call the holy church, so that euen your church hath taken something to much vpon her to excommunicate me for that, which by the testimonie of my Lord of Duresme in his booke of the Sacrament lately put forth, was free many an hundred yeare after Christ, to beleue or not beleue.MarginaliaTransubstantiation free to beleue or not to beleue many hundreth yeares after Christ.

Harps. What is that?

Brad. Transubstantiation.

Harps. Why? ye are not condemned therfore onely.

Brad. For that, and because I deny that wicked men do receyue Christes body.

Harps. You agree not with vs in the presence, nor in any thing els.

Brad. How you beleue you know: for my part I confesse a presence of whole Christ God and man, to the fayth of the receyuer.

Harps. Nay, you must beleue a reall presence in the Sacrament.

Brad. In the Sacrament? MarginaliaChrist not included really in the Sacrament.Nay, I wyll not shutte him in, nor tye him to it, otherwyse then fayth seeth and perceyueth. If I should include Christ really present in þ^e Sacrament, or tye him to it otherwyse then to þ^e fayth of þ^e receyuer, then þ^e wicked men should receiue him, which I do not, nor will by Gods grace, beleue.

Harps. More pity: but a man may easely perceyue, you make no presence at all, and therfore you agree not therein with vs.

Brad. I confesse a presence, and a true presence, MarginaliaChristes body present to the fayth of the receauer.but to the fayth of the receyuer.

What (quoth one that stode by) of Christs very body which dyed for vs?

Brad. Yea euen of whole Christ God and man, to fede the fayth of him that receyueth it.

Harps. Why? this is nothing els but to exclude the omnipotencie of God, and all kynde of myracle in the Sacrament.

Brad. I do not exclude his omnipotencie, MarginaliaNone denyeth omnipotency more then the Papists, which say, that Christes body can not be in the sacrament vnlesse the substance of bread be away.but you do it rather: for I beleue that Christ can accomplishe hys promise, the substaunce of bread and wine being there, as well as the accidentes, which you beleue not. When we come to the sacrament, we come not to feede our bodyes, and therfore we haue but a litle peece of bread, but wee come to feede our soules with Christ by fayth, which the wicked do want, and MarginaliaArgument. Who so receaue the body of Christ, do receiue the fruite and grace of life. No wicked do receaue fruite and grace of life: Ergo, no wicked men receaue the body of Christ.therefore they receiue nothing but Panem domini as Iudas did, and not Panem dominum, as the other Apostels dyd.

Harps. The wicked doe receiue the very body of Christ, but not the grace of his body.

Brad. They receiue not the body. For Christes body is no dead carcase: he that receiueth it receaueth the spirit, which is not without grace I trow.

Harps. Well, you haue very many errours. You count the Masse for abomination, and yet MarginaliaMasse in S. Ambrose time.S. Ambrose said Masse: and so he read out of a booke written a sentence of S. Ambrose to proue it.

Brad. Why Syr, the Masse as it is now, was nothing so in S. Ambrose time. Was not the most part of the Canō made sithen by Gregory and Scholasticus?

Harps. In deede a great peece of it was made, as ye say, by Gregory: but Scholasticus was before Saint Ambrose tyme.MarginaliaThat is false, for Scolasticus was not before S. Ambrose time.

Brad. I weene not: howbeit I will not contend. S. Gregory saith, that the Apostels sayd Masse wythout the Canon, only with the Lords prayer.

Harps. You say true: for the Canon is not the greatest part of the Masse, MarginaliaThe chiefe partes of the Popish Masse.the greatest part is the sacrifice, eleuation, transubstantiation, and adoration.

Brad. I can away with none of those.

Harps. No, I thinke the same: but yet Hoc facite, telleth plainly the sacrifice of the church.

Brad. You confound Sacrifices, not discerning betwixt the sacrifice of the church, and for þ^e church. MarginaliaSacrifice of the church: Sacrifice for the church.The sacrifice of the church is no propiciatory sacrifice, but a gratulatory sacrifice. And as for Hoc facite, is not referred to any sacrifising, but to the whole action of taking, eating. &c.

Harps. You speake not learnedly now: MarginaliaNote this doctrine, good reader.for Christ made his supper onely to the twelue Apostels, not admitting his mother or any of the seuenty Disciples to it. Now the Apostels do signifie the Priests.

Brad. I thinke that you speake as you would men should vnderstand it: for els you would not keepe the