I remit the reader for the rest of this letter to Winchester's ninth letter in Foxe's Actsa: this former part of the letter, which is now exposed to view, having been by him omitted.

[NUMBER XXXVI*.

QUESTIONS PUT CONCERNING SOME ABUSES OF THE MASS,

WITH THE ANSWERS THAT WERE MADE BY MANY BISHOPS
AND DIVINES TO THEM.

MSS. Lam

I. WHETHER the sacrament of the altar was instituted to be Stillingfleet received of one man for another, or to be received of every beth Libr. man for himself?

The sacrament of the altar was not instituted to received of one man for another, but to be received every man for himself.

1108. fol. 6. Original.

be Burnet's

by

Reformat. vol. ii. App.

B. 1. No.

2. Whether the receiving of the said sacrament of one man doth 25. pp. 192 avail and profit any other?

-210. ed. Oxon.

The receiving of the said sacrament by one man doth 1829. avail and profit only him that receiveth the same.

3. What is the oblation and sacrifice of Christ in the mass?
The oblation and sacrifice of Christ in the mass is not
so called, because Christ indeed is there offered and
sacrificed by the priest and the people, (for that was done
but once by himself upon the cross); but it is so called,
because it is a memory and representation of that very
true sacrifice and immolation which before was made upon
the cross.

4. Wherein consisteth the mass by Christ's institution?

The mass, by Christ's institution, consisteth in those things which be set forth in the evangelists: Matt. xxvi. Mark xiv. Luke xxii. 1 Cor. x. and xi.

a [See Foxe's Acts and Monuments, vol. vi. pp. 42-46. ed. Lond. 1843-48.]

5. What time the accustomed order began first in the church, that the priest alone should receive the sacrament?

I think the use, that the priest alone did receive the sacrament without the people, began not within six or seven hundred years after Christ.

6. Whether it be convenient that the same custom continue still within this realm ?

I think it more agreeable to the Scripture and primitive church, that the first usage should be restored again, that the people should receive the sacrament with the priest.

7. Whether it be convenient that masses satisfactory should continue, that is to say, priests hired to sing for souls departed.

I think it not convenient that satisfactory masses should continue.

8. Whether the gospel ought to be taught at the time of the mass, to the understanding of the people being present?

I think it very convenient, that the gospel, concerning the death of Christ and our redemption, should be taught to the people in the mass.

9. Whether in the mass it were convenient to use such speech as the people may understand?

I think it convenient to use the vulgar tongue in the mass, except in certain secret mysteries, whereof I doubt. 10. When the reservation of the sacrament and the hanging up of the same first began?

The reservation of the sacrament began, I think, six or seven hundred years after Christ: the hanging up, I think, began of late time.

SOME QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS MADE TO THEM BY THE
BISHOPS OF WORCESTER, CHICHESTER, AND HEREFord.

Stillingfleet Quest. What or wherein John's fasting, giving alms, being baptized, or receiving the sacrament of thanks in England, doth

MSS. Lam

beth Libr.

Hist. of

profit and avail Thomas dwelling in Italy, and not knowing 1108. fol. 40. Origiwhat John in England doth ? nal. Ans. The distance of place doth not let nor hinder the Burnet's spiritual communion which is between one and another; Reformat. so that John and Thomas, wheresoever they be, far and vol. ii. App. sundry, or near together, being both lively members of 25. pp. 210 Christ, receive either of other's goodness some com- Oxon. modity; although to limit what or wherein, is unsearchable, and only pertaineth to the knowledge of God.

Quest. Whether the said acts in John do profit them that be in heaven, and wherein ?

Ans. "Gaudium est in cœlo super uno peccatore pœnitentiam agente," &c.

B. i. No.

-212. ed.

1829.

Chichester.

Quest. Whether it lieth in the said John to defraud any mem- Worcester. ber of Christ's body of the benefit of his fasting, alms-deeds, Hereford. baptism, or receiving of the sacrament, and to apply the same benefit to one person more than to another?

Ans. Charity defraudeth no man of any such benefit that
might come to him; and it lieth in God only to apply
the same, and not in any man, otherwise than by desire
and prayer; but the better the man is, the more avail-
able his prayer is to them for whom he especially
prayeth.

Quest. What thing is the presentation of the body and blood of
Christ in the mass, which you call the oblation and sacrifice of
Christ? and wherein standeth it, in act, gesture, or words?
and in what act, gesture, or words?

Ans. The presentation, &c. standeth in such words,
prayers, supplications, and actions, as the priest useth
at the mass, having the body and blood of Christ there
present in the sacrament.

Quest. Is there any rite or prayer not expressed in the Scripture which Christ used, or commanded at the first institution of

the mass, which we be now bound to use; and what the same be?

:

Ans. That Christ used rites and prayers at the institution and distribution of the sacrament, the Scripture declareth but what rites and prayers they were, we know not; but I think that we ought to use such rites and prayers as the catholic church hath, and doth uniformly observe.

Quest. Whether in the primitive church there were any priests

that lived by saying of mass, matins, and even-song, and praying for souls only? And whether any such state of priesthood be allowed in the Scripture, or be meet to be allowed now?

Ans. There were priests in the primitive church which preached not, but exercised themselves in prayer for the quick and the dead, and other spiritual ministrations in the church, and accustomably used common prayers both morning and evening; and such state of priesthood is not against the Scripture.

Quest. For what cause it were not expedient nor convenient to have the whole mass in English?

Ans. This question is answered by Dionyse and Basil "De Spiritu Sancto;" and also an uniformity of all churches in that thing is to be kept.

Stillingfleet
MSS. Lam-

1108. fol.

FURTHER QUESTIONS IN REPLY TO THE ABOVE ANSWERS.

If you cannot tell what or wherein the acts of John can beth Libr. profit Thomas, being so far distant from him, that he can never hear of him; why do you then affirm that to be true, which you cannot tell how, nor wherein it can be true?

44. Original.

Burnet's Hist. of Reformat. vol. iii. pt. ii. App.

Whether our prayers for all the souls departed do profit the apostles, prophets, and martyrs ?

correc

Whether they know all the acts of every man here in (Strype's earth; and if not, how do they rejoice of those good acts tions,) pp. which they know not?

549-50. ed. Oxon.

Whether our evil deeds do them hurt, as our good 1829. deeds profit them?

Whether the presentation of the body and blood of Christ in the mass do stand in all the words and actions that the priest useth in the mass? And if not, then in which of them it standeth?

the

Whether we may change those rites and ceremonies of mass, which now we do use?

Whereby is it known that in the primitive church were priests which preached not?

Why may we not as well alter the mass into the English tongue, or alter the ceremonies of the same, as we alter the communion to be under both kinds, which in other churches is uniformly ministered to the people under one kind, seeing that the uniformity of all churches requireth not more the uniformity in one than in the other?]

NUMBER XXXVII.

ROGER ASCHAM TO MR. CECYL, GIVING HIM AN ACCOUNT OF
A DISPUTATION IN ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE WHETHER THE
MASS AND THE LORD'S SUPPER BE ALL ONE.

W.

S. P. in Christo Jesu. Ornatissime vir. Ante men- MSS. Sr. sem, aut plus eo, disputatum fuit in hoc collegio more H[icke's]. nostro de missa, ipsane cœna Dominica fuerit, necne. Magna sane eruditione hæc questio tractata fuit a Thoma Levero, et Rog. Hutchinsono, quos opinor nosti. Sunt profecto docti viri. Quidam in academia hanc rem ægre tulerunt. Huc tandem res perducta est, vel ego potius