The Communion Service of the first Liturgy contained a prayer for the 'descent of the Holy Spirit upon the bread and wine, and a following prayer of oblation, which, together with the form of words addressed to the communicants, were designed to represent a sacrifice, and appeared to undiscriminating minds to denote the sacrifice of the mass. Numerous, therefore, and urgent were the objections against this portion of the service. Combined with a large class of objectors, whose theology con

year 1547. "In this place of Paul it cannot be taken actively, as men say that the minister doth exhibit, and give by hand the corporal body of our most blessed Saviour Jesus Christ. These words shew plainly that Paul meant nothing of giving or distributing of Christ's body; but taught the Corinthians that such as did eat of this holy sacrament according to the institution of Christ, were partakers of the spiritual graces and communion of Christ's body and blood, represented by the bread and as Christ was not really nor corporally present in those sacraments and sacrifices of the Israelites that signified Christ to come, but by faith in effect they received the thing meant and represented by the sacrifices; so likewise we, though that glorious body of Christ be in heaven, that this holy and most honourable sacrament representeth, yet when with true penitence we receive the external sacrament, faith receiveth the effect of that precious body represented by the sacrament."

"

f In these words, Hear us, O merciful Father, we beseech thee; and with thy Holy Spirit and word vouchsafe to bless and sanctify these thy gifts and creatures of bread and wine, that they may be unto us the body and blood of thy most dearly beloved Son Jesus Christ." And afterwards, Wherefore, O Lord and heavenly Father . . . . . . we thy humble servants do celebrate and make here before thy divine Majesty, with these thy holy gifts, the memorial which thy Son hath willed us to make, having in remembrance his blessed passion," &c.

g Gardiner himself, in his controversy with Cranmer, said that the words of the Liturgy, in connection with the eucharist, accorded with his own opinions: "This holy mystery in the Book of Common Prayer is well termed, not distant from the catholic faith, in my judgment." Cran. Works, vol. III. p. 171. Heylin, Hist. Ref. p. 99. Compare Cranmer's distinction, in his answer to Gardiner. Works, vol. III. p. 417.

sisted merely in an undefined dread of Romanism, were all those, however differing among themselves, who believed the holy communion to be a feast and not a sacrifice, and that larger class of persons, who, placing the solemn duty upon its proper religious basis, were contented to worship without waiting to refine.

It is stated by Heylin, and repeated by Collier, that the alterations made in these and other portions of the Liturgy were owing to the remonstrances of Calvin and the active cooperation of Martyr and Bucer. But this is probably an exaggeration. It does not appear, however anxious he was to offer his assistance, that the peculiar opinions of Calvin were approved, or his advice either sought or rejected, by the primate and the other commissioners; and it is clear on examination, that the i faults discovered by Martyr and Bucer, of which they

Hist. Ref. p. 107. Collier, Hist. vol. II. p. 309. The opposite opinion is maintained by Archbishop Laurence. Bamp. Lect. p. 253. 2nd edit.

i For instance. In Bucer's Censura, in the Scripta Anglic. p. 467. In the prayer for the church militant was a prayer for the dead: he recommends the omission of it, and proposes other words in its place. [The prayer for the dead was omitted, but Bucer's proposition was not adopted.] P. 468. He wishes the oblatory clause to be altered, and proposes a form for the purpose. [The clause was omitted, and Bucer's form was not adopted.] P. 472. In the prayer, “O Lord and heavenly Father," &c. was a clause that our prayers should be offered by the ministry of angels: Bucer proposes another clause in lieu of it. [The clause was omitted, without any substitution.] P. 475. He says, "Formam hujus confessionis [de corpore et sanguine Domini] in libro sacrorum positam, esse omnino comprobandam et retinendam ;" and earnestly entreats that no concession should be made in this matter. [A great concession was made by changing the words addressed to communicants.] P. 479. In the service of Baptism he wishes the words "didst sanctify the flood Jordan," &c. to be omitted. [They were retained.] P. 479. On making the sign of the cross, the infant was addressed in a form of words: Bucer recom

k

drew up a report at the request of Cranmer, were neither all that were admitted to exist by the English divines, nor were themselves corrected, in most instances, in the way that Martyr and Bucer recommended. On the contrary, it was stated to Martyr, when he gave in the account of his objections, that the bishops had already agreed on many alterations. It cannot indeed be doubted that the many learned foreigners, who were at this time settled and actively employed in England, and were almost without exception in favour of more extensive changes, exerted an important influence on public opinion; but it is also certain that many of the English reformers, and the most active and considerable among the commissioners themselves, were desirous of a greater degree of simplicity both in faith and worship. m Cox and Taylor, who were probably the working members of the commission, appear to have looked upon the oblation of the Eucharist as consisting merely of prayer,

n

mends in lieu of it a form of prayer. [It was changed into a declaration, not a prayer.] It is clear therefore that Strype is not quite correct in saying, (Cran. vol. I. p. 301.) " Most of the things that he excepted against were corrected accordingly." Compare Collier, Hist. vol. II. p. 296.

k Strype, Cran. vol. I. pp. 301. and 362. II. p. 899.

1 Froschover, comparing the English divines with those of Germany, in a letter to Gualter in May 1551, says, Anglis præclariora quam Germanis ingenia; sed illi nimis otio dediti. Hess, Catal. vol. II. p. 44.

m Burnet, Hist. Ref. vol. II. pt. ii. pp. 198. and 201. Collier, Hist. vol. II. p. 243. Cox's letter to Bullinger, in Strype's Mem. vol. II. part i. p. 532. and II. part ii. p. 20. Cox was at that time dean of Westminster and Christ Church, chancellor of the university of Oxford, and almoner to the king. In 1559 he became bishop of Ely.

n Taylor was dean of Lincoln and prolocutor of the first convocation in Edward's reign. Strype, Cran. vol. I. p. 220. In 1552 he was rewarded with the bishopric of Lincoln.

thanksgiving, and the remembrance of our Saviour's passion; Ridley, who entertained higher conceptions of its nature, had yet been the first, even before the order of council had been issued, to remove the ancient altars, and to place tables in their stead; and P Cranmer, with

• Life of Ridley, p. 325. Ridley agreed with Hooper at the time of the dispute, in thinking that there was more pomp than was convenient. Life, p. 324. Comp. Burnet, Hist. Ref. vol. III. p. 386.

P See Cranmer's opinion as quoted above. Comp. Strype, Cran. vol. I. p. 377. and Cranmer's Works, vol. II. pp. 398. 400. III. pp. 38. 50. Cranmer's matured opinions on the nature of the sacraments, as he expressed them in his two treatises, appear to have coincided with those of the church of Zurich, as contained in the Helvetic Confession, adopted at Basil in the year 1536. Take the following as a specimen. Cranmer: "The bread and wine be not Christ's very body and blood, but they be figures, which by Christ's institution be unto the godly receivers thereof sacraments, tokens, significations, and representations of his very flesh and blood; instructing their faith, that as the bread and wine feed them corporally, and continue this temporal life, so the very flesh and blood of Christ feedeth them spiritually, and giveth them everlasting life." (Works, vol. II. p. 398.) Helvetic Confession, Art. 22: "Non quod pani et vino corpus Domini et sanguis naturaliter uniantur, sed quod panis et vinum ex institutione Domini symbola sint, quibus ab ipso Domino per ecclesiæ ministerium vera corporis et sanguinis ejus communicatio non in periturum ventris cibum sed in æternæ vitæ alimoniam exhibeatur." (Sylloge Confess. p. 107.) Or compare him with Zuingle. Cranmer: "The oblation and sacrifice of Christ in the mass is not so called because Christ is indeed there offered... ... but because it is a memory and representation of that very true sacrifice," &c. (Works, vol. IV. p. 97.) Zuingle: "Consequitur missam sacrificium haudquaquam esse, sed commemorationem aut rememorationem sacrificii." (Opera, vol. I. ff. 32. 35.) Or with Bullinger. Cranmer: "Our Saviour Christ bodily and corporally is in heaven, sitting at the right hand of his Father, although spiritually he hath promised to be present with us unto the world's end. And whensoever two or three be gathered together in his name, he is there in the midst among them, by whose supernal grace all godly men.. ... increase and grow to their spiritual perfection in God; spiritually by faith eating his flesh and drinking his blood...... I say that Christ is spiritually and by grace in his supper, as he is when two or three be

the convictions he expressed in his Defence of the Sacrament, and his Answer to Gardiner, could not have wished to retain the prayers of consecration and oblation, or to convey the impression, which they were intended to make, of a real unbloody sacrifice.

This difference there is, that with

gathered together in his name. the one he is sacramentally, and with the other not sacramentally." (Works, vol. III. pp. 165. 170.) Bullinger: "Hæc dicimus expresse spiritualiter fieri per fidem, etiam extra communionem cœnæ, quoties fidelis recolit vera fide passionem et incarnationem Servatoris Christi : pariter autem et in ipsa cœna sancta et mystica, ubi jam etiam accedit insignis illa Christi institutio et solennis actio, quam appellant sacramentalem. Ac diserte hic monemus, cum spiritualiter dicimus, non sentire nos carnem Christi mutari in spiritum. Credimus enim carnem manere in sua essentia atque natura, ipsamque communicari nobis non carnaliter...... sed modo et ratione spirituali, sic ut caro ipsa residens aut manens. ... in cælo vitam totam carne tradita partam spiritu suo vivifico effundat in corda fidelium." (Apolog. Expos. p. 18.) When a Lasco presented to Cranmer Bullinger's treatise De Sacramentis, the archbishop desired that it might be printed immediately; observing, that nothing of Bullinger's required to be read and examined previously. See Miscell. Groning. vol. IV. p. 471.

¶ One remarkable change was made in this revision of the Liturgy, which may be quoted as shewing a strong leaning in favour of the sacramentaries, and as almost decisive with respect to the views of the commissioners. In the first Liturgy the words addressed to the communicants on delivering the bread (and mutatis mutandis on delivering the wine) were, "The body of our Lord Jesus Christ, which was given for thee, preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life." In the second Liturgy the words were, " Take and eat this, in remembrance that Christ died for thee, and feed on him in thy heart by faith with thanksgiving." Now the words adopted in the Liturgy of Strasburg, as used probably by Bucer, and certainly as published by Pollanus in the year 1551, were "Panis quem frangimus communicatio est corporis Christi." The same words also appear to have been used by Calvin (Epist. p. 206. ed. Amst.), till, owing to the great number of communicants, he found it desirable to discontinue the practice. In the churches of Zurich it appears that no words were addressed to the communicants singly, but only a portion of scripture read whilst the elements were distributed. (Gerdesius, Introd. in Histor. Evang. p. 327,