for that his death passion is then called to memorie and thanks are yelded for so great a benefite Thus VVestphalus and much more to this purpose may the learned reader see in the same place Yet one other interpretation Zuinglius geueth of this vvord body vvhich VVestphalus mentioneth not vz. that the body of Christ in the Eucharist signifieth the church His vvords are VVhen as Paule 1. Cor. 10. saith that the bread which we receiue is the coÌ„munication of Christs body here it standeth for the coÌ„munication of the church for that by this meanes euery man approueth him self to the church and ingraffeth him self therein as it were by geuing an othe The same exposition he auoucheth in his Commentarie de vera falsa religione cap. de Eucharistia Thus Zuinglius VVestphalus in the place before noted alleageth one more exposition taken not from Zuinglius but Ioan. a Lasco whom our late king Edward the sixt created Superintendent of the congregation of straungers in London VVhich exposition is so much the more to be regarded because Caluin him self highly esteemeth it vvhereof thus vvriteth VVestphalus Albeit Caluin in his coÌ„mentarie vpon the first epistle to the Corinthians putteth it out of doubt that THIS HOC in Christs supper pointeth the bread yet that notwithstanding here he defen leth the contrarie opiof Ioanne a Lasco who in his booke of the sacraments of the church assureth that it pointeth not the bread but the whole forme and ceremonie the verie external action of the supper This glose of his reuerend brother that HOC doth not demonstrate bread but the external action of the supper Caluin honoreth as an Oracle from heauen VVhere by the vvay VVestphalus geueth vs a good example hovv much vve may esteeme the conference of places of scripture and interpretation there after made by the Zuinglians and Sacramentaries For saith he let this stand for good that the first particle HOC this according to Caluiâ— Ioannes a Lasco signifieth the external action Next vve must by like reason confesse that Est doth stand for Significat vvhich Zuingliê° proueth by a number of textes of scripture as before hath bene shevved and is after likevvise proued by M. B. Thirdly vve may not deny to Occolampadius like grace vvho saith that scripture al Antiquitie expounded the vvord Body corpus by a figure or signe of the body Let vs now in fine conioyne al together and thence wil arise this prodigious proposition Haec formâ— seu actio câ—nae significat figuram corporis Christi This forme ceremonie or action of the supper signifieth a figure of Christs body And if Christs body stand for the Church as the same Zuinglius sometimes affirmeth or his Passion or his Deitie then the sense is This action signifieth a figure signe of the church of Christs passion or Deitie so forth Al vvhich dravveth to this point first that from the sacrament Christs body is quit remoued and no maner of Christs presence least there at al more then in any other common action place or assembly of Christians Next that concerning any vvorke effect vertue or operation vvrought in the elements of bread and vvine by force of Christs vvords there is nothing done at al. Only in the mynd and vnderstanding of the còmunicants if they be vvel instructed somvvhat there may be perhaps For they coÌ„ming to receiue some perchance remember Christ other geue thanks for his death other thinke vpon his Deitie other vpon the church his mystical body and so â—orth ech hath some imagination one or other according as the preacher ether then at that instant warneth them or as euery man by some fore-conceiued opinion directeth him self and so the bread becoÌ„meth to them a symbole a memorie a signe a thankes-geuing c. according as euerie man is affected ¶ For this the discrete reader vvho coveteth to knovv truly the opinion of our aduersaries whereof in a maner al dependeth must diligently note remember that as the auncient Primitiue church bishops thereof which in most plaine and sincere maner confesse the real presence of Christs body and blud in the Sacament attribute that grace operation to the force of Christs vvord so the Zuinglians or Sacramentaries vvho denie that presence ake the contrarie course flatly resolue the vvords of Christ to vvorke nothing but to be as idle and vnprofitable as if they vvere neuer vttered that for any thing added to the supper by them as good it vvere to reade no chapter at al or any chapter of the bible that if ye please of Christs genealogie in the first of S. Matthevv as the 26. vvords of Christs InstitutioÌ„ Concerning the fathers and auncient church their faith is sufficiently knovven by their manifold most plaine confessions For instruction of the simple I vvil recite the sayings of a fevv Iustinus the martyr in his second Apologie for the Christians made to the Romain Emperour Antoninus vvriteth thus As by the word of god our Sauiour Christ Iesus was incarnate and for our saluation toke flesh and blud euen so by the worde of God with prayer we are taught that of vsu il bread wine is made the flesh blud of the same incarnate Christ Iesus S. Ambrose in a long chapiter by many examples proueth this force and povver of Christs vvord to conuerte the elements of bread and vvine in to his body and blud His vvords are Thou wilt say perhaps how is this the body of Christ whereas my eyes teach me the contrarie He ansvvereth How many examples do we bring to proue that not to be in the Sacrament which nature hath framed but that which benediction hath consecrated And after a number of examples taken out of the old Testament wherein the nature of things hath bene altered of Aarons rod turned in to a serpent of the riuers of Aegipt turned in to blud of the red sea diuided and standing stedfast like a wal of the riuer Iordan turned backe to his fountayne of these he inâ—erreth If then the blessing or prayer made by man were able to chaunge nature what shal we say of the Diuine consecration where the very words not of man but of Christ our lord and Sauiour do worke For the Sacrament which thou receiuest is made by the word of Christ And if Elias speach were of such force that it caused fier to come from heauen shal not Christs speach be of suficient force to alter the nature of these elements bread and wine Thou hast read in the works of al the world He spake the word and they were made he commaunded and they were created Then the word of Christ which was able to make somwhat of nothing can it not change that which already is and hath an essence in to that which it is not c. And this self same reason taken from the creation he vseth
as these men forsooth haue taken it euen at Christs owne hands and that is that 3. or 4. of the bretherne go together take bread blesse it and geue it one to an other without vsing any farther ceremonie or words of Christ or consecration But here arise 3. or 4. great difficulties One whether there must necessarily be other meate and prouision besides the bread of the Eucharist as was at this supper whence these men take the paterne of their coÌ„munion A second how it wil stand with the sinceritie of their gospel to blesse the bread which blessing they so generally detest the English and Scottish coÌ„munion bookes refuse a late English Doctor in a large treatise hath condemned as superstitious wicked magical which words truly must needs proceede from a very prophane and Paganical hart mouth considering that Christ our Sauiour him self vsed it as here these martyrs tel vs. Thirdly which perhaps is greatest of al how they can frame their coÌ„munion by this paterne where is no mention of drinke And very probable coniecture there is that Christ vsed none for that as here the storie is rehearsed after Christ had deliuered them the bread their eyes were opened Christ forthwith vanished out of their sight And ioyne for a fourth that if the breaking of this bread were but breaking of common bread as our M. Iewel wil haue it an act of hospitalitie then foloweth it that the paterne whereby they frame out their communion teacheth them a coÌ„munion of such common bread as is vsed at euerie hosterie at euerie Inne and ale-house therefore they can not with reason blame Catholikes if they make no more esteeme of it But how soeuer this â—al out M. Fox with his Martyrs proceedeth oh wil needs proue that as Christ in the place before noted so his Apostles had no other communion nor ministred it in any otherwise For it foloweth Here also it seemeth to me the Apostles to folow their maister Christ to take the right vse of the Sacrament also to teach it to those that were converted to Christ as mention is made in the Acts of the Apostles where it is said They continued in the Apostles doctrine felowship in breaking of bread and prayer they did breake bread in euerie howse c. By al which he laboreth to perswade that the Institution of Christ as it is described by the Euangelists Matth. 26. Marc. 14. Luc. 22. should quit be remoued from the administration of the supper and only bread broken by the minister VVhich if he do and withal tel pronounce to the coÌ„municants the Lords death he maketh vnto them a persite and absolute supper according as these men haue receiued it at the Lords owne hands And the verie same ministration of the supper I fynd practised by the Scottish martyrs as writeth their friend and patâ—â—â—â— Bucâ—aâ—an About the yere 1545. one George Seâ—â—â—carde was aâ— S. Andrewes to be burnt VVhen the day of execution came the keeper of the castle and his seruants ready to go to breakfast asked George whether it would please him to take part with them He answered he would with a very good wil. But first quoth he I request yow to sitte downe here at the table with me and geue me leaue to make yow a short collation that I may pray vpon the bread which as brethren in Christ 〈◊〉 to eate so bid yow farewel In the meane season the table was couered bread being set on George began to entreate shortly plainely of Christs supper his paynes and death about halfe an hower Then he exhorted them especially to mutual loue that they wold become perfite members of Christ who continually prayeth to his father for vs that our sacrifice may with him be auayleable to life euerlasting VVhen he had thus spoken and yelded thanks to god he brake a lâ—fe of bread reached to euerie one a peece of it and likewise wine after him self had drunke a litle prayed them al that now with him in this Sacrament they would remember the death of Christ Afterward saying grace he retyred him self in to his chamber By these examples we learne how the communion is rightly ministred namely without al words of Christs Institution only that bread be divided among the bretherne and sisterne they willed to loue one an other and remember the Lords death VVhich seemeth generally to be the forme of the coÌ„munion among the Zuinglians in Suizzerland For as Zuinglius him selfe and Bullinger his successor rehearse the maner of it The people â—it al a long in order vpon formes and geue â—are to one who readeth to them the 13. chapter of S. Iohns gospel In the meane season is bread caried about in baâ—keâ—s or paâ—iaâ—s and wine in glasses One man geueth bread to an other likewise of the wine Thus endeth this coÌ„munion or Sacrament of the supper as Zuinglius termeth it And Musculus earnestly disputing against S. Chrysostom for that he attributed great force to the words of Christ by vvhich there is made in the Sacrament a sanctification alteration far surpassing the power of man as S. Chrysostom thought among other things thus reproueth him It is not needful that Christ should now againe sanctifie by a second repetition that which once for al he hath sanctified by the deed word of his Institution For that Institution once done hath sanctified the Sacramental signes for the churches vse euen to the end of the world And that being once done by him is of force through al churches to the worlds end without any other repetition or iteratâ—on thereof Once for al he said This is my body This cuppe is the new testameÌ„t in my blud Do this in remembrance of me and by these words once for al he instituted sanctified this ceremonie turned the bread from a natural vse to a Sacramental By which words especially conferred vvith those of Bullinger and Zuingliê° before rehearsed the practise of that church a man may perceiue that al these English Scottish Geneuian and Suizzer Protestantes agree in remouing Christs vvords from the supper and accompt the supper very sufficiently gospellike administred if the brethern diuide bread drinke amoÌ„ng them selues in memory of Christ without any nevv mentioning of his institution vvhich being once done by him selfe serueth for al without any more a do or new repetition of the same And this is the very exact forme of the Scottish coÌ„munion or supper now in practise as hereafter shal be declared ¶ Here before I end this chapiter I thinke it good to informe the reader of the resolution of the church of Geneua about the matter of this Sacrament for that of the forme we haue sufficient knowledge by this which hath bene said hitherto Concerning the matter this is the determination of that
I vvil take as sure certainâ— vz. that Christ not only gaue thankes to his father but also blessed sanctified and consecrated the bread because vve are taught so to beleeue both by the plain vvords of the Evangelists by S. Paule by consent of al fathers oâ— al auncient I â—â—uâ—gies or soâ—mes of Masse in al churches of Christendome vvhereof some example shal be geuen hereafter also by vâ—â—â—â—t of M. Ievvel Caluin Eâ—â— a vvho so effectually by innumerable places of cripture pâ—oue it and refel Musculus and consequently M. B. in thâ—â— point vvâ—o against al scripture wil haue blessing of these elements to be al one vvith geuing thanks to God VVherefore according to this most sufficient authoritie as Musculus truly telleth vs that Christ at tvvo seueral times first ouer the bread next ouer the cup gaue thanks to God so must vve also assure our selues the scripture these Protestans leading vs therevnto that Christ at tvvo seueral times blessed sanctified and consecrated those 2. seueral elements of bread and vvine vvhich he tooke in his hands Concerning the breaking and deliverie of the bread Musculus vvords are Christ brake it with his owne hands gaue it to his disciples He gaue not the bread whole to them which they afterwards should breake but him self brake it He gaue it not them to distribute but him self did distribute it willed them to take and eate it He deliuered with his owne hands this sacrament of grace signifying withal that it was not possible for any man to haue participation of his grace except himself gaue it by the vertue of his spirite Of which point I warne the reader not without cause Thus much saith Musculus concerning the external fact doing of Chrisi so far furth as agreeth to the institutioÌ„ of the mystical Supper After al vvhich finally for declaration that they might vnderstand vvhat he meant by the premisses he addeth This is my body which is geuen and broken for yow Do this in commemoration of me Again This cup is the new Testament in my blud which is shed for yow and for many to remission of sinnes Do this so oft as ye shal drinke it in commemoration of me This is the summe of that which Christ did vvhich he spake about the sacrament vvhich as the same author vvitnesseth Christ first of al did in the eyes of his disciples both that they afterwards should do the same them selues and also deliuer the same order to his church ¶ And this being agreed vpon according to the manifest storie of the Gospel exposition of the purest Protestants that Christ thus did as hath bene novv in particular described and thus spake item that thus he did spake as things apperteyning to the Sacrament and which he would not haue omitted by his Apostles disciples and aftercomeâ—â— to returne to M. B vvho affirmeth al the actionâ— and speeches which Christ did and vttered to be so essential to the Supper that if any one yea any iote be omitted the whole Supper is marred and peruerted let vs conserre these doings of Christ vvith the Scottish Supper ministred after their order vvhich is this Commonly once in a moneth the minister vvhen the supper is to be ministred first of al out of the pulpit reherseth briefly to the people a peece of the 11. chapiter of S. Paule touching the Institution of this sacrament Afterwards he maketh some Sermon against ether the Pope and Catholike religion vvhich is their common argument or in praise of their owne which is more seldom or as seemeth good to the minister The Sermon or exhortation ended the minister cometh downe from the pulpit and sitteth at the table now beginneth the communion euery man and woman likewise taking their place as occasion best serueth Then he taketh bread and geueth thanks ether in these words folowing or like in effect The thankes-geuing set downe for a paterne for al ministers to folow as in sevv vvords it rendereth thanks to God for his benefites of creation sanctification and redemptioÌ„ by Christ as is ordinarie in many good prayers so it maketh no mention of the Supper or any thing vvhich Christ spake or did therein saue that in one place they mention a table and remembrance of Christs death in these vvords Although we be sinners neuertheles at the commaundemeÌ„t of Iesus Christ our lord we present our selues to this his table which he hath left to be vsed in remembrance of his death vntil his coming again to declare and witnesse before the world that by him alone we haue receiued libertie and life c. and that by him alone we are possessed in our spiritual kingdom to eate and drinke at his table with whom we haue our conuersation presently in heauen This is al that approcheth any thing nigh to the vvords and Institution of Christ Immediatly after this thankes-geuing the ministâ—r breaketh the bread and deliuereth iâ— to the poeple who distribute and diuide the same amonge them selues according to our Sauiour Christ commaundement Likewise he geueth the â—â—p Here is the entier forme and essence of the Scottish communion For that during the time of eating and drinking some place of the scripture concerning Christs death is read this is a sequele and fashion folowing after and not included in the nature substance of the communion vvhich al goeth before Let vs novv seuerally confer Christs supper vvith this communion and consider how many the same most substantial and essential points after their ovvne graunt vsed there are wanting here Christ first of al tooke bread in to his hands and afterwards gaue thanks and blessed vvhich albeit it may seeme vsual and ordinarie yet saith Musculus it is not so and the very vvords of scripture shevve that it apperteyned to the order and institution of a sacrament Here the minister cleane contrariwise inuerting the order of Christ first geueth at large a thanks after taketh the bread the vvhich vvithout any thanks or any vvord at al he deliuereth to the people Secondarily Christ made a special and seueral thankes-giuing blessing and sanctification or consecration first of the bread and next of the cup and this also he did as a thing perteyning to the verie order and institution of his sacrament Here is no such matter but a confuse thankes-geuing vvithout relation to ether and vvhich conteyneth a blessing sanctification or consecration of nether Christ did not only breake the bread once and afterwards bid them breake and distribute it amonge them selues but him selfe brake and distributed and deliuered it to them ech one with his owne hand signifying thereby that it was not possible for them to haue any participation of grace except he gaue it them by the vertue of his spirite Of vvhich point Musculus geueth the reader a special warning and prouiso Here the minister loth belike to take so much paynes
est Christianum hominem non esse qui non eadem fidei certitudine credit Dominum Iesum esse filium Dei se per eum esse percepturum vitam aeternam VVe professe â—aith Bucer Brentius Georgius Maior vvith other Lutheran Divines disputers against the Catholikes in that conference that he is not to be taken for a Christian man who beleeveth not with the same certitude or assurance of faith both that Christ our lord is the sonne of God and that him self in particular by Christ shal possesse life eternal This is that vvhich M. B. meaneth vvhen he saith that the applying of Christ eating of Christ by faith is to beleeue that he hath shed his blud for me that he hath purchased remission of sinnes to me VVhich iustification and remission of sinnes being in particular beleeved of the Protestant in such sort as is any article of his â—aith thereby geveth a spiritual manducation to him vvhich the Catholike hath not Thus writeth M. B. afterwardes vvhere he spendeth many pages in magnifying this â—aith This faith â—aith he workes a wonderful assurance and persuasion that God loves me that he wil saue me that meâ—â—â— life saluation at perteynes to me This works the seeling of mercy in our hart a particular application whereby we claime Christ and God as proper to vs as if no man bâ—â— title to him and his promises but we Again This particular application is 〈…〉 difference the chief marke and note whereby our â—â—ith who are iustified in the blud of Christ is discerned 〈…〉 faith of the Papists c. For the Papist 〈…〉 promise of mercy to his ownesowle He countes it preâ—â—â—tion as in truth it is and for presumption counted and coâ—demned by the Apostle Rom. 11. 20. 21. â—â— Corint 9. â—7 Philip. 3. 11. 12. Hebr. 4. 1. 2. c. to say I am an elect I â—â— saueâ— iustified This is the vvonderful faith of the Protestants vvhich to them is al in al. This M. B. calleth their iustifying faith By this thy eate Christ so as no man doth 〈…〉 theâ—â— By this they are sure of heaven in heaueÌ„ to be felowes equal vvith S. Peter S. Paule yea vvith the blessed virgin mother of God For so Luther foundeâ— and first inventor of this faith writeth expressely Quâ—â— hac side renati sumus pares sumus in dignitate honore D. Paulo Petro S. Deiparae virgini ac divis omnibus VVâ—â— now that at last vvâ— know exactly vvhat faith it is vvhich geveth the Protestants so deep holdfast in their spiritual maÌ„â—ucatioÌ„ let vs retouâ—â—â— to our principal purpose And as by this vvhich hath bene said of this special Protestant faith I confesse M. B. hath a sufficient ground to chalenge such kind of eating by this faith I meane to him self and his companions Protestants and to exclude out al Catholikes be they as holy as S. Peâ—er or S. Paule vvho never had such a special faith and therefore could never thus â—aâ—e Christ so yet the blocke lyeth stil in M. B. vvay and the rest of his consâ—aternitie that by this saith evil Protestants receive Christ no lesse then good For among the Protestants the most detestable and most blasphemous heretikes have this assurance of their iustification and remission of sinnes no lesse then M. B. or Iohn Calvin or Luther him self vvho by the helpe of an old man whose name Luther expresseth not saith M. Fox but belike it vvas the same man vvho in an other forme frequeÌ„ted Carolostadâ—ê° instructed him first of al inveÌ„ted this special iustifying faith For as after Luther al Lutherans have it most assuredly and after Zuinglius al Zuinglians and after Calâ—in al Calvinists so the Anabaptists more then any of those former sects and Libertines Familie of love by vvord and deed by life and death most confidently chalenge to them selves this assurance that they in Christ have remission of their sinnes that Christ died for them that he shed his blud for them that they are spiritually vnited to Christ they are inwardly so fed by him and outwardly so clothed vvith him that as it is testified by sundry stories many such Protestants both men vvemen and maydens long sithence in Bohemia and of late in Holland at none dayes in the sight of thousands vvould vvalke naked thorough the streetes preaching the vvord of the Lord and could not be vvithdrawen from that furious vnnatural madnes by the terror of present death continually even to death and in death some crying Praise the Lord others Open your eyes ye blind Papists others Revenge O Lord the blud of thy servants and thus not by vvords as M. B. doth but by deeds and facts by patient suffering of death approved they their confidence and assurance of such special faith as M. B. teacheth and Luther the Calvinists describe If then the Anabaptists to make stay and exeÌ„plifie this matter by them vvhom Calvin condemneth for heretikes and vvhose martyrs though in shew marvelous holy and in number never so many he accounteth and calleth martyres diaboli the devils martyrs by vvhich name likewise the Lutherans cal the martyrs of Calvins sect have this sure faith that Christ dyed for them in special and that Christ shed his blud for them in particular and they in this sort spiritually eate Christ how vvith vvhat prohabilitie can M. B. deny such eating to al Protestants of his owne sect though evil livers vvho much more certainly have this faith and therefore much more spiritually eate Christ If an heretike can have a constant persuasion in the death of Christ and then al goes wel and he therefore truly receives Christ by faith according to M. B. definition how much more may a vvicked Calvinist vvhom M. B. accounteth no heretike reteyne this constant persuasion Hath an Anabaptist a â—â—â—th of the sowle apt for such receiving hath not a Calvinist Is evil life a greater bar to such receiving then naughty faith vvhereas this receiving is vvrought only by faith not by life And vvhat need I to rest exemplifie this by Libertines or Anabaptists vvhereas the best surest ground to refute M. B. in this point is the general doctrine of Calvin and Calvinists and the same preached at large by M. B. him self in these Sermons For as M. B. is sure that he is iustified he is elect he is saved he hath this special faith vvhich applieth Christ to him so properly and peculiarly as though no man had interest in Christ but him self alone so this faith vvhich is the right perfit iustifying faith and proper to the elect being once obteyned is never after lost nor never can possibly depart from them commit thy sinnes never so greavous and horible Thus teacheth Beza in the Confession of his Christian Geneva faith most plainly This Calvin in his Institutions
Paule and cited by M. B. is examined and by it is cleerly proved that the Protestant faith which they cal so is no faith such as S. Paule meaneth but mere fansie and imagination Christ in this world did esteeme of carnal cognation which M. B. wickedly denieth His wicked corruption of Christs words that Christs flesh is vnprofitable is directly against Christs owne preaching and our faith of the incarnation He in taking from the body al real coniunction with Christ infinuateth a denyal of the resurrection of the body as Luther and the Lutherans prove plainly against the Calvinists M. B. his obiection taken out of the Gospel that corporal tuitching of Christ is vnprofitable VVhy Christ required faith what maner of faith in them whom he cured from diseases The place of scripture which M. B. obiecteth as likewise many other proveth the cleane contrarie of thâ—t for which be pretendeth it vz that corporal tuitching was a â—â—re immediat cause of health then tuitching by only faith May had benefite of Christ by only corporal tuitching of hiâ— much more by both corporal also spiritual receiving him in the B. Sacrament CHAP. 16. HEnce forward the principal argument concerning the sacrameÌ„t newly entreated of for here is much tedious repetition of old things of the vvord sacrament vvhat word is necessarily required to make the sacrament the doctrine of seales and confirmation of mens right and title by seales c. vvhich being already drawen in to their several places and answered before I vvil therefore omit here coÌ„sisteth ether in refelling the Catholike doctrine tâ—â—ching Christs real presence or in confirming a vulgar opinion that Christ is eaten by faith vvherein he bestoweth many vvords vvhich of them selves are not amisse but that they are applied to an evil end as that the spirit of God vniteth Christians to Christ that Christ is conioyned to vs with a spiritual band that this is wrought by the power and vertue of the holy spirite as the Apostle saith 1. Cor 12. 13. that al faithful men and women are baptized in â—ne body of Christ that is are conioyned and fastned with Christ by the moyen of one spirite c. that faith is a spiritual thing that it is the gift of God powred downe in to the â—â—â— of men and women wrought in the sowle of every one and â—â—â— by the mighty operation of the holy spirite that we â—â—â— Christ spiritually by remembring his bitter death and pa 〈…〉 c. These and a number such other sentences in which he spendeth many pages of this sermon are in them selves good true Christian and Catholike But vvhen â—e applieth al this coniunction of the spirite to exclude the coniunction vvhich is wrought by Gods spirite to but yet not only spiritually but also corporally vvhen he acknowlegeth no other receiuing of Christ in the sacrament then that vvhich is vvrought as vvel vvithout the sacrament vvhen soever vve remember his death and passion vvhen he so advaunceth this manducation by faith as though there vvere not only no manducation so profitable but also besides that no true manducation of Christs body at al in this he plaieth the sophister in vndermining one veritie by commending an other he plaieth the part of a craftie enemie vvho sheweth bread in the one hand and vvhile we behold that striketh vs on the head with a stone which he holdeth in the other in one vvord he plaieth the very heretike vvho ether thinketh him self or would his audience to thinke that one part of Catholike faith gaynsaith an other that the spirite of God vniting Christians vvith Christ their head spiritually excludeth al corporal participatioÌ„ which most of al confirmeth increaseth that spiritual coÌ„iunction that spiritual eating by faith or remembring Christs death passion is an enemy opposite to the real coniunction of his body vvhich Christ him self appointed for that special end amonges other that it might streÌ„ghthen our faith spiritual maÌ„ducation both in the sacrament out of the sacrament and make vs perpetually more mindful of his death passion Vnto vvhich mindfulnes careful meditatioÌ„ we are a thousaÌ„d times more stirred by one thought vvhen vve conceive the same his most pretious body here truly and really present and though glorious eternal invisible and indivisible in it â—ell yet visible divided and broken in the sacrament for our benefite and nurriture vve are I say more stirred to remembrance of Christs death and passion by one such cogitation then by al the bread broken and al the â—â—nkardes of wine that are in a vvhole yere filled out and empâ—ied by the bretherne and sisterne in al the suppers communions of Scotland and England ¶ Before M. B. come to extol his spiritual manduâ—â—tion by â—aith he frameth an obiection as made by the Catholikes and by answering the same maketh way as it vvere and entrance to that matter His obiection is this If say they Christs flesh blud be not received but by faith in the spirite then we receive him but by an imaginatioÌ„ by a conceit and fantasie This is the obiection as he frameth it vvhich albeit it be none of ours if it be taken generally as though al manducation of Christ out of the sacrament vvere imaginarie or fantastical which is wicked to speake or think yet being applied to the Protestants receiving by their â—aith it is good and for such I acknowlege it For their receiving by their â—aith is mere imaginarie and fantastical to speake the best And let vs see how M. B. can answere this obiection So saith he they count faith an imagination of the mind a fantasie and opinion But if they had tasted and felt in their sowles what â—aith bringes with it alas they would not cal that spiritual iewel only iewel of the sowle an imagination That we account faith an imagination or fansie is â—alse though one of the founders of your faith that is Zuinglius and his Tigurine church cal it so Howbeit we cal it not so nor thinke of it so but esteeme it as a verie iewel of the sowle though not the only iewel as yow falsely terme it For that besides the cardinal vertues which also an iewels of the sowle and a number of graces of the hoâ— ghost reckened vp by the Apostle every man that haâ—â— a litle skil in his Christian Catechisme knoweth that among the 3. Theological vertues hope is a iewel of the sowle as wel as faith and charitie a iewel of the sowle more pretious and better then â—aith as the Apostle expressely teacheth â— Cor. 13. 13. and by the one and the other is engendred in good Christian Catholike men a great confidence ioy and consolation of mind and by the one and the other they feele in their harts the holy ghost making them to crye Abba pater they hope confidently by the testimonie of that spirite that
which shal be deliuered for yow is this An exposition much like to that vvhich Musculus mentioneth geuen by certain his bretherne in these vvords Corpus meum quod pro vobis dabitur in ordine rerum spiritualium est hoc c. my body which shal be geueÌ„ for yow in order of spiritual things is this to vvit a mysterie of spiritual foode this bread of life After this and certain other of like qualitie râ—hersed by Luther he addeth that besides those six vt septenarius numerus compleatur sunt qui dicunt non esse articulos fidei c. to fil vp the number of seuen other there are which say this is no article of faith and therefore men should not striue for it but euerie man be left to his owne opinion to iudge what he listeth These men treade vnder their feete and destroy al. And yet saith he the holy ghost is in euery one of these and none wil be reproued of his error in these so diuers contrarie expositions whereas the text can beare but one direct true sense So grossly the deuil moâ—keth vs. Hovvbeit al those diuersities and contrarieties obiected by Luther Zuinglius taketh for no absurdities but vvith great facilitie as he thinketh econcileth and iustifieth al as very good Euangelical specially that of Carolostadius vvhom the Sacramentaries acknovvledge for one of their first principal Doctors Zuingliê° vvords are Carolostadius that good and godly man doth expound the words of the supper as though Christ had directed them not to the bread but to him self Take eate for I must yeld vp this my body for yow And ansvvering some vvho obiected this diuersitie of opinions vvhich vvere amoÌ„g his felovves comparteners he vvriteth thus Apud nos de Eucharistia nihil vere est dissidij c. Amongst vs concerning the Eucharist truly there is no discord One thinketh there is an Apostrophe turning away of the word Hoc This. An other maketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it that is thinketh that to be put in the first place which should be in the last Againe an other supposeth and auoucheth that a trope and figure is in the worde est is an other wil place the figure in the words body and blud Al which haue one meaning and their diuersitie ought not to offend any man As when captaines entend to ouerthrow some aduersarie fortresse they caÌ„ not be said to disagree albeyt one be of mynd to batter it with gunnes an other wold vndermyne it a third wold get it by scaling for they al agree in one that is to ouerthrow the fortresse By vvhich conclusion vve may learne one good and sure rule to vnderstand the true mynd and meaning of the Sacramentaries as they novv are commonly called or Caluinists or Zuinglians or BerengariaÌ„s for these vvords must I needs vse not only to expresse the difference betvvene them the Catholikes but also betvvene them the Protestants of Germanie commonly named Lutherans and vvho is rightly to be accounted of their side The rule is that any sectarie if he so vvrite or preach or beleeue in this matter that he gainsay the Catholike faith deny the real presence of Christ he is a true gospeller of the Sacramentarie side hath the right sense of their gospelling faith vvhich laboureth only or principally to abolish that former Catholike faith of Christs real presence in place thereof to establish a real absence And so vvriteth Musculus very expresly Omnes vt a me vel inter se in hac causa dissideant c Al men â—ith he how soeuer they disagree from me or among theÌ„ selues in this matter of the sacrament so they mainteyne not the Papistical impietie embrace them as my louing brethern in the lord The reason is for that they al be they Berengarians old or nevv or Petrobrusians or Albigenses or Anabaptists or Trinitarians they entend the ouerthrovv and destruction of the Catholike faith of Christs presence and labour to bring in the Zuinglian absence vvhich is the matter that these men principally desire And therefore so as they agree in this al other errors are venial and pardonable vvhat so euer they teach and hovv so euer they erre and if they may be said at al to erre yet at last they erre in the letter not in the spirite in a circumstance not in the substance as Zuinglius vvriteth in the place last quoted And in an other place vvhen Luther obiected to him that there were among his folovvers diuers sectes he ansvvereth It is starke false There are no sectes no diuisions amongest vs. VVe al both I and Oecolampadius and Carolostadius and the rest agree in this that there is in the sacrament only a figure and symbole Mary we shift the words of Christ diuers wayes as we can Asserimus symbola tantum esse sed verba diuersimode expedimus VVhereof him selfe yeldeth a number of examples vvorth the noting of vvhich many are gathered together out of diuers his books by loachimus VVestphalus a great gospeller but of an other stampe Out of the heape I vvil here recite 4. or 5. Thus are his vvords Zuinglius in his second treatise of the supper of the Lord saith that in these words This is my body the word body must be taken for the passion death which Christ susteyned in his body The like he hath in his answere to a frend touching the words of Christ The bread which I wil geue is my flesh Here saith Zuinglius by the word flesh is meant death as likewise when he saith This is my body which is delivered for vow by the word body he vnderstandeth his death passion How beit in an other treatise of the supper he saith the bread and flesh-which Christ here mentioneth is nothing els but faith And yet in an other booke he is of an other iudgement that the word flesh is to be taken for the deitie For saith Zuinglius Christ vsing the word flesh vnderstandeth the diuine nature which toke flesh so by a certain figure speaking of his mortal nature whereas he meaneth his nature immortal he vseth the word flesh but meaneth the spirite that is his diuinite which geueth life to the flesh In his epistle to Luther he taketh it for the memorie of Christ It is called the body saith he not for that this solemne meeting or the bread which then is broken is in deede Christs body but for that the memorie of his body death is then recorded In his second answere to Luthers Confession he taketh it for a thankesgeuing in these words The Sacrament is nothing els but a certaine diuine and very manerly holy assembly of the people and congregation of god when they meete together to the body of Christ that is to the Eucharist or thankesgeuing for Christs death which is therefore called Christs body