Note 296 — Chapter XIV

In one of the ablest and most liberal papers which was drawn up at this time, a paper so liberal indeed as to argue from the etymology of the word presbyter that “lay seniors, or antient men, might to some intents be called priests,” I find this passage upon the eucharist: “As concerning the grace of consecration of the body of our Lord in form of bread and wine, we beseech your Grace that it may be prohibited to all men to persuade any manner of person to think that these words of our Master Christ, when He ‘took bread and blest it and brake it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, Take, and eat ye, this is my body that shall be betrayed for you,’ ought to be understood figuratively. For since He that spake those words is of power to perform them literally, though no man’s reason may know how that may be, yet they must believe it. And surely they that believe that God was of power to make all the world of nought, may lightly believe he was of power to make of bread his very body.”—Theological MSS. Rolls House.