Some historical considerations relating to the declaration on kneeling, appended to the communion office of the English Book of common prayer

CONTENTS.

Occasion of The Letter; viz. contemplated Synod in reference to the

Bp. of Brechin's Charge

Questions likely to be discussed, probably affected by the Declaration

on Kneeling in English P. Book

Form of Declaration in 1552 and 1662 compared

History shews that both Forms had the same object

from:-

Bp. Shaxton's recantation Articles, 1546

Stat. 1 Edw. VI. c. i. A.D. 1547

Conversation beween Abp. Cranmer and Bp. Bonner 1549

Prayer Book of 1549 designed to secure Ancient Doctrine, proved by :-

Letter from Duke of Somerset to Cardinal Pole, June 4, 1549

A CARNAL Presence the main dread of the Reforming party, exemplified

in:-

Peter Martyr's Disputation at Oxford, June 1549

Three Disputations at Cambridge, June 1549

Bp. Ridley's "Determinations" on the Disputations

Abp. Cranmer's "Answer to Gardiner "

Bp. Gardiner's opinion of the P. Book of 1549

Articles exhibited by Gardiner, Jan. 21, 1550-1

Deposition of John White, Warden of Winchester, Feb. 3,

1550-1

Dr. Redman's Statements to Wilkes, Nowel, and Young, Nov.

1551

28-30

Bp. Hooper's Visitation Book, 1551-2

Articles ministered to W. Phelps by Bp. Hooper, Ap. 1551

Profession of John Wynter in Gloucester Cathedral, Nov. 1551

Art. xxix. of 1552-3 represented the then authoritative belief of the

Church of England as to a Carnal Presence

Second Bk. of Edw. vi. not designed to teach a lower Eucharistic Doc-

trine than the First Book, proved by :-

Act of Uniformity 5 and 6 Edw. VI. 1552

Testimony of Bp. Latimer, 1554

Contemporary belief and probable acceptance by the Pope
when re-produced in Elizabeth's Book

The Declaration on Kneeling first appeared in P. Book of 1552

Apparent cause of it, viz. the new Rub. ordering Kneeling at reception

Probability that some thought the Rubric favoured Transubstantiation,

inferred from :-

Bucer's complaint of the 1st Book

Articles against Bishop Ferrar, Jan. 1553-4

Continued fear of a revival of the Doctrine of a Carnal Presence and

PAGE.

ib.

therewith of Transubstantiation, shewn in: -

Disputation in Convocation House, Oct. 1553

Conference between Bp. Ridley and Secretary Bourn, 1553

Disputation at Oxford between Latimer and others, Ap. 18,

1554

Examination of John Bradford, Jan. 29, 1554-5

Second Examination of John Rogers, Jan. 29, 1554-5

Conferences between Ridley and Latimer

Ridley's "Brief Declaration of the Lord's Supper," 1555

Cranmer's Disputation at Oxford, Ap. 16, 1555

Disputation at Oxford, Dr. Smith and others v Bp. Ridley, 1555

Summary of preceding Writings, Disputations, Conversations, and

Documents

Comparison of Terms allowed and disallowed therein

These Considerations the safest guide to the meaning of the Declaration

Absence of the Declaration from the P. Book of Elizabeth-probable

cause of it

Previous question (to Bp. Guest) " Whether the Sacrament were to be

received standing or Kneeling ?"

The Puritans (now so-called) proposed standing or prostration instead of

kneeling

Parker and Grindal wished to secure Reverence-ordered Wafer Bread

Grindal's view of the Real as distinct from a Carnal Presence

Parker's view not likely to have been lower: but no Writings of his on

the subject

ib.

66-8

Incidental proof of the Doctrine then held, found in Elfric's Ang. Sax.
Hom. re-published by Parker and other Bishops in 1556

Omission of the Paragraph the Declaration, in Art. xxix. 1571

The Declaration restored to the P. Book in 1662, though thought un-

necessary by the Bishops

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Probable co-operation of Gauden and Gunning to clear it of words

which were seemingly not actually against the Real Presence

Presumable concurrence of the other Bishops

TRANSUBSTANTIATION the only opinion of the Real Presence excluded

by the Declaration

High language on the subject sanctioned by Cranmer, Ridley, and others

Near approach to agreement between Cranmer and Gardiner, in 1550

Importance of this illustration from the Sun - used also by Ridley.

ib.

73-5

Reference to unpublished Letter of Cranmer to the Privy Council, "de-
fending the practice of Kneeling at the Sacrament," Oct. 7, 1552

POSTSCRIPT. No. 2.

I. The Letter of Cranmer, referred to in P.S. No. 1

It confirms the suggestions of p. 36

Cranmer's reasons for Kneeling, no proof that he did not hold the Real

Presence

Politic nature of his argument

The Letter no proof of his alleged disbelief (in 1552) in Consecration

His belief on that subject shewn in :-

PAGE.

P.S. 76

77-9

80-2

82-4

Rubric in the P. Book of 1552 as to the unconsecrated Elements

-Mr. Cheyne's error as to it

Note

Foxe's "Life, State, and Story of Thomas Cranmer," 1553

Cranmer's "Defence of the True and Catholic Doctrine of the

Proceedings at Trent and difficulty of agreement with Calvin and others
might have induced Cranmer to publish Art. xxix., 1552, in part as a
protest and defence

Moderation of the Article-Vehemence of the Trent Decree

JOHN KNOX probably the actual complainant of the Rubric on Kneeling,

though representing others; gathered from :-

90-1

Strype's notice of his appointment (as one of the Six Chaplains)

to revise the Articles-1552.

Letter of John Utenhovius to Hen. Bullinger, Lond. Oct. 12,
1552

ib.

Duke of Northumberland's Letter to Cecil, Oct. 28, 1552

Knox's “Admonition to the professors of God's truth in Eng-
land," 1554.

ib.

Duke of Northumberland's 2nd Letter to Cecil, Dec. 7, 1552.

"Memoranda of matters to be brought before the Council,"

Oct. 20, 1552

Entry in Council Book, Feb. 2, 1552-3

Letter from Knox, Ap. 14, 1553-Laing's life of Knox

The Chancellor (Goodrick Bishop of Ely) not likely to have been opposed

to the Doctrine of the Real Presence, shewn from :-

ib.

Further proof of Knox being the objector to the Rubric, in Weston's
language to Latimer, Disputation at Oxford, Ap. 18, 1554 .

Probable error of Townsend, Wordsworth, and Strype in supposing

that Weston referred to Aless and not to Knox

Incidental proof from Foxe's Note on Weston, that the Doctrine of the

Real Presence was recognized in 1554

Knox probably did not object to Kneeling at Sacrament as being an act,

of Adoration

Nor on account of his opinions on Eucharistic Presence

But from his antipathy to Transubstantiation and dread of a Carnal

Presence

Knox approved and signed Articles of 1552 at the time he objected to

Kneeling at the Sacrament

Eucharistic Article of 1552 opposed Transubstantiation, Ubiquitarian-
ism, and Zwinglianism: not the Real Presence

Knox's objection to Kneeling probably not Doctrinal but Ecclesiastical .
Cranmer felt it necessary to meet, not yield to, the objection
This done by the explanation in the Declaration

PAGE.

104-5

105-8

Apparent policy of Cranmer in framing the Declaration upon the
language of the Eucharistic Article which he probably knew Knox,
and the King's other five Chaplains, to have approved

Comparison of Art. xxix. and the Declaration

114

114-18

The well-considered terms of that Article (especially as compared with
Hooper's 10th Art.) favorable to the Real Presence
Conclusion from these considerations-That the Original Declaration
was only designed to deny the Presence commonly held to be in-
volved in Transubstantiation

Cranmer's Letter corrects Dr. Cardwell's supposed Royal Authority of

the Declaration

Dr. Cardwell's mistake as to the Editions in which the Declaration ap-

peared, and as to the Order in Council giving evidence of alarm about

the Real Presence

Cranmer's Letter seems to shew that "reverently" in the Rubric of
1662, as to Consumption of the remains of the Sacrament, means
Kneeling

No direction on the point needed in the Books of 1549, 1552, and 1559,
owing to the existing custom

But a Rubric touching it was put in Scotch P. B. of 1636-7
The Rubric of 1662 probably traceable to this

Cranmer would probably have used the Rubrical term "reverently"
for, though he held that the Presence is in the Ministration, he must
also have considered the consumption of the remains of the Sacra-
ment as part of the Ministration

Therefore he would have required from all the same posture at Com-
munion and Consumption

121-22

ib.

126-7

Standing, the proper and reverent posture of the Celebrant: Kneeling

that of all others