Among the Divines who were engaged in the Savoy Conference and the Revision of 1662, was Dr. Heylin; he thus writes when noticing some of the changes in the English Reformed Communion Office :

"In the first Liturgy of King Edward, the Sacrament of the Lord's Body was delivered with this benediction, that is to say, 'the Body of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was given for the preservation of thy body and soul to life everlasting; The Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ,' etc., which, being thought by Calvin and his disciples to give more countenance to the gross and carnal presence of Christ in the sacrament, which passeth by the name of transubstantiation in the schools of Rome, was altered into this form in the second Liturgy, that is to say, 'Take and eat this in remembrance that Christ died for thee; and feed on him in thy heart by faith with thanksgiving. Take and drink this, etc. But the revisers of the book [in 1559] joined both forms together, lest under colour of a carnal, they might be thought also to deny such a real presence as was defended in the writings of the ancient Fathers. Upon which ground they expunged a whole rubric at the end of the Communion service, by which it was declared that kneeling at the participation of the Sacrament was required for no other reason than for a signification of humble and grateful acknowledging of the benefits of Christ given therein unto the worthy receiver, and to avoid that profanation and disorder which otherwise might have ensued, and not for giving any adoration to the Sacramental bread and wine there bodily received, or in regard of any real and essential presence of Christ's body and blood."" -Heylin. Hist. Ref. Vol. II. p. 285. Cambridge,

1849.

Now if Heylin was a consenting party to the changes of 1662 (and there is no reason to suppose that he was not) this passage seems to prove that he did not consider the Declaration, as then re-annexed, to militate against "such a real presence as was defended in the writings of the ancient Fathers" though, apparently, he thought the words "real and essential," in the older form, might seem contrariant: and alleges (erroneously, as I think I have shewn) that the Elizabethan Services "expunged" the Edwardine Declaration as seemingly denying the Patristic Doctrine. No doubt the change of language proposed by Gunning, as Burnet tells us, and adopted by the reviewers, satisfied Heylin by removing any doubt which might attach to the meaning of the Declaration as it originally stood: he must, therefore, be regarded as another witness-that it is now only a protest

against a "gross and carnal" presence of Christ in the Sacrament," whether implied by Transubstantiation or by any other theory of the mode of Presence; even if these pages fail to convince any that it was not designed to be more than this in its earlier form.

*

It is beyond a doubt that Bishop Cosin's Opinions materially influenced the course taken by the Reviewers in 1662: I have already had to consider carefully such of his Notes upon the Common Prayer as bear upon the questions discussed in these pages: his latest opinions upon the Eucharistic question must be considered to be contained in his "History of Popish Transubstantiation;" for that work was written in 1656, six years only before the last revision of the Prayer Book. and he consented to its publication only a few months before his death in Jan. 15, 1572: so that here we have the matured convictions of the last fifteen years of his life-convictions be it remembered which he maintained, and which therefore must have influenced his decisions, while engaged upon the Review of the Prayer Book in 1661-2: it is most natural then to turn to that publication for an explanation of the sense in which he accepted the Declaration when consenting to append it to the Communion Service; and it seems to me that that sense cannot be better stated than by quoting at length the following chapter:

"CHAPTER III.

"WHAT THE PAPISTS DO UNDERSTAND BY CHRIST BEING SPIRITUALLY PRESENT IN THE SACRAMENT. 2. WHAT S. BERNARD UNDERSTOOD BY IT. 3. WHAT THE PROTESTANTS. 4. FAITH DOTH NOT CAUSE, BUT SUPPOSE THE PRESENCE OF CHRIST. 5. THE UNION BETWIXT THE BODY OF CHRIST AND THE BREAD IS SACRAMENTAL.

* Mr. Fisher, like others, seems to have thought (Lit. Pur., p. 382), that it had a further design, for he says-it will be remembered, that, not only was the Romanizing dogma of the "Real Presence" virtually abandoned by our first Reformers, when they undertook to revise the Liturgy for the second time in the reign of Edward; but that the very word' Real' was then deliberately, and with evident design, repudiated by them, as a word of unsound and most perilous import. Notwithstanding their lingering attachment to the refinements of Ratramn upon the meaning of this term, and their occasional use of it in their own writings."

Mr. Fisher's error in this passage seems to lie in supposing (though I am not sure he means as much) that the word Real was eschewed as being equivalent to true; whereas the object was to avoid a term which the Roman party continually employed to denote the Presence implied in Transubstantiation: I think the preceding pages shew that this was the true ground for the avoidance of the term.

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Having now, by what I have said, put it out of doubt that the protestants believe a spiritual and true presence of Christ in the

*

I venture to request the reader's attention to §§ 7, 8, and 9 of the following document, as shewing how much was held on the subject of the Real Presence by certain French Protestants only thirteen years after Bishop Cosin's death. The whole Paper, (which I met with accidentally some five years ago) is so interesting that it seems worth while to re-print it entire: from its allusion to "the persecution" which its authors were "under," it appears to have been elicited by the prospect or the fact of the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes by Louis XIV., on Oct. 12, 1685.

"A True copy of a project for the re-union of both religions in France. "We whose names are here underwritten, Ministers of the Reformed Religion; being desirous to carry our obedience to his Majesties Commands as far as the great interest of our Consciences will give us leave; and hoping, from the great goodness of his Majesty, that in consideration of this our compliance, and the steps we make towards the Religion he professes, he will be pleas'd to command the persecution we are under to cease; do promise to contribute, what lies in our power, to the Religious design which he has of uniting all his Subjects under one Ministery, and do resolve to re-unite ourselves to the Gallican Church, which in its Pastoral letter does likewise say that they will yield some of their right in favour of the publick Peace, and will rectifie those things that want redress, provided the wound of Schism be once heal'd. We do likewise on our side engage ourselves, that if the following Articles are bona fide granted to us, we will with all our hearts give his Majesty that satisfaction which he desires. "1. That there shall be no Obligation upon any body to believe Purgatory, that all disputes on this Article shall cease; every one speaking with great moderation of the state of souls after this life.

"2. That the pictures of the Holy Trinity shall be taken out of the Churches; and those which shall be left shall be only as Ornaments, &c. That the Pastours shall carefully instruct the people to avoid upon this subject the abuses which are but too common among the ignorant.

"3. That such Relicks of Saints as shall be undoubtedly own'd to be true, shall be preserv'd with respect, but shall not make any essential part of the cult of Religion, and that none shall be bound to Worship them.

"4. That it shall be taught that God alone is the true Object of our Adoration, and that the people shall be warn'd not to attribute to any Creature though never so eminent, that which is peculiar and proper to God: But nevertheless since the Saints in Heaven do concern themselves in our miseries we may pray to God to grant that to the Prayers of the Church triumphant, which the indifference and coldness of Ours cannot obtain from Him.

"5. That amongst the Sacraments of Christian Religion Baptism and the Eucharist shall be reputed the chiefest, and that the others shall have the Name of Sacraments in a more large Sense only.

"6. That touching the necessity of Baptism the Canon of the Council of Trent shall be the Rule, and it shall not be intended to any other than the natural sense of these words. Si quis dixerit Baptismum liberorum ad salutem non esse necessarium anathema sit. And therefore there shall be no modification to the tenth Canon of the preceding Chapter; which declares, that it is not lawful for all persons to administer the Sacraments, that power belonging only to the Ministers of the Gospel who have received it from Jesus Christ.

"7. That Jesus Christ is really present in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, though the manner of His presence be incomprehensible to the Wit of man, and therefore none shall be oblig'd to define the manner of His Presence, neither shall there be any dispute about it, since it passes our understanding, and that God has not reveal'd it.

"8. That in receiving the Sacrament One shall be in a posture of adoration, the Communicants at that time paying to Christ those supreme honours which

Sacrament, which is the reason that, according to the example of the fathers, they use so frequently the term spiritual in this subject,it may not be amiss to consider, in the next place, how the Roman Church understands that same word. Now they (Bell., de Euch.,

1. i. c. 2. § 3.) make it to signify, that Christ is not present in the

are only due to God; but no more shall be exacted from any body for the species of the Bread and Wine, than that respect we pay to Sacred things. "9. That none shall be obliged to kneel before the Host, except at the Communion.

"10. That the people shall have the Liberty of reading the Scripture, which shall be read publikly in the Churches, and that the Service shall be perform'd in the Vulgar Tongue: That the Cup shall be given to the people, and that no other Sacrifice shall be own'd, but that upon the Cross, that it shall be taught that Christians have but one victim which was sacrificed once for all, and that the Eucharist is only a Sacrifice of commemoration or the representation, which the true Christian makes to God of the Sacrifice of the Cross.

"11. That before we be oblig'd to receive Auricular confession, all abuses proceeding from it be redressed, and those necessary modifications added, which may contribute to the quiet of our Consciences.

12. That all Fastings and other Mortifications shall be looked upon only as helps to Piety, and to preserve us in a state of Grace: That all the Orders of Religious Men or Women shall be reform'd, particularly the Mendicants. And those only shall be preserv'd that are most Antient, such as the Benedictines, together with the Jesuits and Fathers of the Oratory, all which shall be subject to the inspection and authority of the Bishops alone.

"13. That the Ministers shall be preserved in the state Ecclesiastick, and shall have in the Church a particular Rank; except only those who have been twice married, who shall be consider'd some other way.

"14. That Jesus Christ having bestowed on his Ministers the power of administering the Sacraments gratis, that they shall likewise dispense them gratis, and without selling them as is now practic'd.

15. That the people shall be dispens'd from that great number of Holy Days which now so burthen them, and shall be oblig❜d to celebrate only the Mysteries of the Nativity and Resurrection; with those of the Apostles and Saints of the first century.

"16. That the limits which the last Assembly of the Clergy of France have set to the Pope's authority shall be inviolable, and that as to the Rank he is to have amongst the Bishops, he be look'd upon only, as Primus inter pares.

"17. That those Observations and Ceremonies, which are beneath the Majesty of the Christian Religion, and of which there is no foot-steps in Antiquity, shall be abolish'd; such as Torches at Burials, Canonizations, Processions, Pilgrimages, and the postures of the Priests at the Altar.

"18. That upon all questions of the merit of good Works, and the power of grace, the opinion of St. Austin shall be followed, and the exposition of the Bishop of Meaux.

"19. That the gaining of Pardons and Indulgences shall be reform'd, & that the people shall be instructed as much as possible, that they are to hope for the remission of their sins by the blood of Jesus Christ.

"May the Lord send down His Spirit upon men, that they be all one heart, and one soul, and that we may in our days see this blessed Reunion. It is the Vows and Prayers of all good people of both Communions, and to which all ought to contribute aocording to their talent both by word and writing. Amen fiat.

Signed by

Dubourdieu

La Coste.

And above sixty more.

London, Printed by Randal Taylor, 1685."

Sacrament, either after that manner which is natural to corporal things, or that wherein His own Body subsists in Heaven, but according to the manner of existence proper to spirits whole and entire, in each part of the host; and, though by Himself He be be neither seen, touched, nor moved, yet in respect of the species or accidents joined with them, He may be said to be seen, touched, and moved;" "and so (part I.), the accidents being moved, the Body of Christ is truly moved accidentally, as the soul truly changeth place with the body; so that we truly and properly say, that the Body of Christ is removed, lifted up, and set down, put on the paten, or on the altar, and carried from hand to mouth, and from the mouth to the stomach :" as Berengarius (§ 5) was forced to acknowledge in the Roman council under Pope Nicholas, that the Body of Christ was sensually touched by the hands, and broken and chewed by the teeth of the priest.' But all this, and much more to the same effect, was never delivered to us either by Holy Scripture or the Ancient Fathers. And, if souls or spirits could be present, as here Bellarmine teacheth, yet it would be absurd to say, that bodies could be so likewise, it being inconsistent with their nature.

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"2. Indeed, Bellarmine confesseth with S. Bernard, that 'Christ in the sacrament is not given to us carnally, but spiritually:' and would to God he had rested here, and not outgone the Holy Scriptures and the doctrine of the Fathers. For endeavouring, with Pope Innocent III. and the Council of Trent, to determine the manner of the presence and manducation of Christ's Body with more nicety than was fitting, he thereby foolishly overthrew all that he had wisely said before, denied what he had affirmed, and opposed his own opinion. His fear was, lest his adversaries should apply that word spiritually, not so much to express the manner of presence, as to exclude the very substance of the Body and Blood of Christ: therefore, saith he, upon that account it is not safe to use too much that of S. Bernard, the Body of Christ is not corporally in the Sacrament,' without adding presently the above mentioned explanation. How much do we comply with human pride and curiosity, which would

This alleged consequence of the Presence to which Bishop Cosin here objects may perhaps help to explain his meaning in the passage referred to, p. 138. With his objection may be compared the language of the Bishop of Brechin,"....Either Christ is present, or He is not. If He is, He ought to be adored; if He is not, cadit questio.

"And yet this does not involve those extreme results of the doctrine mentioned before. It is quite compatible to hold this, and yet not to be able to accept the ceremonies of the festival of Corpus Christi, or of the Forty hours' Adoration. One may distinctly believe all this, and yet accept the words of the Article that "the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper was not by Christ's ordinance.. worshipped.' Our Lord ordained the Sacrament to be the perpetual application of His Sacrifice, and to be the means of our union with Him. He did not ordain it to be a Palladium to confine His Presence to certain local bounds. Historically, we find evidence of the reservation of the Sacrament in the very earliest times, for the purpose of communicating the sick. The reservation for the purpose of adoration was much later."— Charge, p. 29, 2nd Ed.