let out his vineyard to others And the kingdome of heauen which is the church Mat. 13. is compared to nettes that gather fyshe of all sortes whiche shall not be seperated or deuided vntill the nette be ful that is to say in the consummacion and ende of the worlde at what tyme the angels shall seuer the euyll from among the iust 2. tim â— And in this great house there be many vessels some appoynted to honor and some to dishonor To be shorte among the xii Apostles Iudas was reproued and of hym it is writen in the actes that the place of his apostleship should be filled Act. â— Psal 10â— as the psalme saithe An other shoulde take his bishoprike And notwithstandyng all these expresse testimonies of the scriptures contrary to this opinion sundry inconueniences haue risen makyng this church to bee vnknowen and fantasticall wherby the state therof shoulde be so vncertaine that neither byshops nor priestes should be certayne no assured baptisme and all the administration of the sacramentes vncertaine For Predestination or reprobation bee among the highest secretes of God the certaine knowledge wherof we can not attain And notwithstandyng this mixture of good and badde together 1. Tim. 3 Ioh 14.16 Mat 16. Mat â—5 Mat. 24 Marc 13 2 The 2 1 Tim 4 1 Tim. 3 2 Pet. 3. Epi 119. â—…p 19. The fame and glorie of the chirche Pro. 40. 2. Re. 22 Ephe. 6. Psal 119. the churche ceaseth not accordyng to the sayeng of S. Paul to be the piller and foundation of the truthe wherin she is throughly instructed by the holy ghost and builded vpon that stone against which hell gates shal neuer preuail with whom IESVS CHRIST her true spouse shall remaine to the worldes ende although she is aduertised by her lorde and by the holye scriptures of the assaultes whiche she shoulde suffer by meanes of false Christes false prophetes false apostles and of the abuses errours and heresies which should inuade her Howbeit as saint Austine answereth very wel to Ianuarius sayeng The Churche beyng sett and placed among so muche chaffe and cockle suffereth many thynges but those thinges that be against the faithe or good life bee not by her in any wise allowed or made wherin she dothe neither howe her peace nor yet dissemble vppon which sence we acknowledge that she can not go out of the waye nor yet erre eyther in the faithe or in good lyfe whiche we confesse and affirme as a thyng that no christian man can denaie and accursed bee he that gothe about to obscure her glorye and fame The firste place and chiefest authoritie belongeth to this shielde whiche is the brandishyng sword of all those that put their trust in God The true light which leadeth and geueth lyghte to our feete 2 Pet. 1 and is the lanterne of our waies and pathes profitable to teache to argue to correcte to instructe a man in iustice that he may be perfect and redy to all the good workes of God and that it is the word of God which abideth and shall abyde for euer 2. Tim. 12 Pet. 10 whiche by the prophetes and apostles hath been preached vnto vs. Moreouer with this we acknowledge his spirite that geueth lyfe and not the dead letter that kylleth 21. Co 3 And to vse saynt Hieromes owne wordes Lett vs not thynke saith he that the Gospell is in the wordes of the Scripture but in the sence thereof It is in the marowe not in the barke or outwarde apparaunce of letters in the roote of truth not in the leaues of wordes And this woorde of God we say is of more antiquitie and before the churche as it appeareth in the creation of the worlde and in the commandementes made to our fyrst father howe be it the churche was long beefore any written woorde For Moyses was the fyrst that dyd put the ordinances of God in writyng And our sauiour CHRIST beyng a long space in the worlde And after his departure in long successe of time his worde was taught and preached by the Apostles after his ascention before they beganne to write whyche gyueth vs to vnderstande that the worde of God is as well to bee receyued and acknowledged of vs which is delyuered vs by the traditions of the Apostles and their successoures vnwritten as that whyche is lefte vnto vs in writyng 8. The. 2 And we ought saithe Saint Paule to bold faste the traditions whiche we haue been taughte eyther by woorde or sent by Epistle In lyke sorte as commandement to obeye and kepe theym is geuen in the Actes of Thapostles Act 15. 1. Cor. 11 And agaynste suche holye traditions yf any be founde contentious lette it be sayde vnto hym for a full aunswere we nor the Churche of God haue no suche custome by aucthoritie whereof wee knowe what Scriptures bee Canonicall VinceÌ„t LyrineÌ„sis and what bee Apocriphall The Cannon whereof althoughe it bee perfecte and sufficiente yet oughte not the auctoritie of the vnderstandyng of the Churche to bee coumpted superfluous for that the holye and sacred Scripture by reason of her hyghenesse and maiestie is not all together receyued in one sence and vnderstandyng by reason of the diuersitie of opinyons in sundrye sortes of menne Wherefore it is very necessarye to addresse the ligne of thinterpretation of the Prophetes and Apostles accordynge to the trewe rule and exposition of the Catholike Churche quod vbique I speake namelye of this churche Catholike to the ende that gatherynge the force and meanyng of the woorde we maye holde that for Catholike and vniuersall whyche hath ben in all places where the Gospelle hathe been preached quod seÌ„per quod ab omnibê° beleued whiche alwaies and in all tymes from the tyme of IESVS CHRIST vnto oure tyme of all menne hathe been approued and allowed whiche ordre wee pourpose to followe and practise In Vniuersalitie if we dooe confesse that to bee the trewe faithe whiche thole churche throughout the worlde dothe confesse In Antiquitie meanyng that whiche hath been sayde and spoken in all tymes yf we doo receiue none other sence and interpretation then that whiche oure honorable forefathers haue approued In Consente whiche I speake generally of that antiquitie wherin we doo folowe the definitions and opinions of all the holy Martyrs Byshops and priests Aug ep 118. cap. 1 ad Ianuarium Act 15. Theffect and description of general counselles Mat. 18. chrysologus ser 132. Nice li. 15. ca. 19. and all other our auncient masters and instructours THIS causeth me to speake of the Councels especially of those that be generall the authoritie and vsage whereof hath alwais ben very holsome and profitable in the church the same beyng instituted by God froÌ„ whoÌ„ their auctoritie procedeth first practised put in vse by the apostles as appereth in their actes Al which being well considered what other thyng is it thaÌ„ an assemble of all the pastors doctors before
thou dooest reigne and commaunde thou haste it by the benefyte and grace of IESVS CHRIST But wherevnto serueth this conference of kyngly or priestlye dignities namely vnto vs whyche neuer ne yet oure predecessoures haue at any tyme experimented of oure moste Christian kynges any vnseemely enterprise and that bee and doo succede in the states of them who neuer denyed the due obedience to their kynges no not once called the same in question The effect of his first proposition Lette then Sire the firste discourse of this proposition bee to this ende principally that all menne maye bee wytnesse in what reuerente sort we humble oure selues And howe muche wee woulde that bothe we and all they that be vnder our charge should shewe their faithfull obedience Let it be also a manifest declaration of the authoritie that God hath left to vs in the guidyng of soules in the doctrine of our faith and that vnder your protection to the ende that leauyng all other thynges aparte I maye make you vnderstande my charge and by whom I am therevnto authorised SYRE in this companie by your commaundement assembled we be a great numbre of Archbishops Byshops vpon whom thimposition of handes haue ben layd by their Metropolitanes and other byshops of the same prouince and through the grace of Iesus Christe the holy ghost hath ben geuen nominated by the kinges your predecessoures who do succede in the right of their people they referryng themselues to them and into theyr handes themselues beyng discharged of all that is necessarie to their choise or election We be receyued vpon the view and consent of our clergies and of our peoples that be vnder vs after our institution made by our holy fathers the Popes and the holye see Apostolique whom we acknowledge for our Superior and all these signes and markes be accompanyed with one succession from thapostles vnto vs very well continued There be also a good numbre of priestes sente by the Byshops that bee absent and by the chapters and Clergie and also Doctors of Parys whom I name for honors sake and of other famous vniuersities and to theym all I am inferior in vnderstandyng knowledge and eloquence and yet neuerthelesse by them all ordeyned to make you vnderstand one thyng The vnity of the prelates and 〈…〉 nce wherin thankes be vnto God we be all of one harte one soule of one fayth vnder one God vnder one head our sauior and redmer Iesus Christ vnder one onely Catholike churche his spouse hym we serue in spirite vnto hym with one intention mynde and prayer we bowe the knees of our heartes we worship and adore hym and by hym we aske the graces and gyftes of the holy ghost and haue no spotte of Idolatrie howesoeuer some men go about to lay vnto our chargs Vnderstande therfore Syre theffect of my message It is nowe eyght dayes passed that by your expresse ordinaunce a certayne number of persons were broughte into this place 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 who of long tyme haue seperated themselues from vs to our great sorow and griefe makyng a contrary profession of faithe and woulde not be obedient to our orders and obseruations and yet in wordes shew themselues as though they were desyrous to lerne and to be instructed reentryng into this their countrey and into the house and company of their fathers whom when they will acknowledge for fathers they shall be receyued and embraced for children Against theym we purpose not to obiecte any reproche but beare with their infirmitie not reiecte theim but call them agayne not separate them but vnite theim to th ende that we maye all with one mouthe geue honor to God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ To them therfore in all charitie and spirite of mekenesse we answer that we are verye glad of their profession made of tharticles of the Crede commune to all Christian men and doo desire with all our hartes that like as they dooe agree in woordes so also they woulde agreee with vs in sence and vnderstandyng as it hath appeared vnto vs they haue not doone by their definition of the catholike churche callyng the same to be the congregation of the chosen After that they touched summarily diuers pointes cleane contrary to that whiche the Catholike church doth teache and beleue and in so greate numbre that beyng well compared vnto our profession wherof not to speake without lawe but to proue if accordyng to holy doctrine euery poynte nedeth a whole day and so the debatyng of this matter woulde require whole monethes This hath ben the cause why at this tyme I haue charged my selfe of two pointes onely whereof the principall is to separate them and to make them strangers thother is the only rule wherby we may measure our controuersies and so come to agreement This latter is of the Catholike churche of the authoritie of the Scripture of the holy councelles and interpretations of the fathers 1. Tim. 3 whych point I will firste entreate of and the other is of the veritie of the bodye and bloude of IESVS CHRIST in the holy sacrament of the Eucharistia The one is the piller the strengthe the staye and establishmente of the truth The other is the sacrament of our vnitie beynge by hollye communion and participation of the bodye and bloud of our lord vnited and incorporated to our sauiour made all members of one body well composed and agreing wherof IESVS CHRIST is the head It is six score yeares and more before the counsell of Constance before which counsel there were some did affirm that the chirche was of the chosen only and that whosoeuer was a synner coulde not be accompted of the church and namely that a bishop whom God had reproued and so consequently whiche was a member of the diuell had no power ouer the faithful Ther folowed them other which saide that the vniuersall churche was onely of such as were predestinate Proffes that the Churche cōsisteth in good and euil Mat. 3. Luc. 3. Mat. 22. Mat. 25. Ioan. 15. Esai 5 Math 2 Mat. 12 Luc. 2 These errours and the renuers of them were in that councell reproued and condempned as altogether wholy repugnaunt to the holy scriptures wherin it is sayd that in the floure of our lord there shall alwayes be found chaffe with the corne which shall continue to the ende at what tyme the same shal be purged and clensed by the fanne of IESVS CHRIST The flocke of our lord doth conteyne both sheepe and goates the same shall not be seperated vntill his return Al the world is bidden to the banket but vpon the view which god shal make he that is found euil apparailed is driuen thens Among the virgins were founde fiue fooles against whom the gates were shutte The vineyarde of our Lord hath not brought foorth good grapes but also bastarde grapes whiche was not only tilled by good husbād men but also by euil whome god will destroy and
dispersed in the churche and a congregation of them in one certaine place in the name of oure Lorde God And if our Lorde haue assured and promised by his woorde one or two beyng gathered together in his name to bee in the myddest of them shoulde he refuse to bee amonge suche then as are farre better and in more nombre laufully assembled we ought truely then to crie oute with Dauid Psal 110 Great are the woorkes of our Lorde in the councell of the iuste and in their congregation But it hath ben declared vnto vs that not onely the prouinciall counsels haue bene corrected by the generall counsels but also which is a more matter that one generall counsel hath ben amended by an other De baptism 11 2. cap. 3. We knowe this to be saint Augustins sayeng whiche we say is to be vnderstand when there is question of customes and of discipline which do change accordyng to the tyme and will be changed accordyng to the qualitie of the places tymes and persons as it is seene by experience De sanguine suffocato But in tharticles of the faith and in thynges necessary to our saluation the holy ghost is the director in whom is no contradiction or contrarietie and so we beleue it That it is otherwyse it ought to be proued or els no more spoken of For if it were so in vaine and without profite our ancient fathers haue had thervnto suche recourse and reposed in them so great affiance in all the myseries and calamities of the churche and should not therof haue founde by experience the successe so happie Of which good fathers that are gone before vs behold what we saye That euery of them was a man so might erre But that all in one selfe same article or assemblie in one selfe same do at diuers times dispersed throughoute the churches haue erred Godlye counsell and admonitioÌ„ to knovv the churche VinceÌ„t LyrineÌ„sis we denie and mainteine it to bee impossible groundyng the same vpon gods infallible promesse Very profitably therfore one among those fathers for the conclusion of this purpose dothe geue vs councell and faith in this wise What shall we doo say the catholikes if any parte of the churche doth separate it self from the coÌ„munion of the vniuersall faith preferre the body beyng yet holle before a corrupt and sicke membre But if the sore haue thupper hande and beginneth to attempt thinfection of the churche then leane and cleane vnto the antiquitie and returne to the mothers whiche are the principall and first churches Emong whom al the antiquitie hath had recourse vnto the Romain churche and hath alwaies accompted her to be the first and principall among the Apostolicall churches as Ireneus Tertullian and S. Austen doo beare witnesse recountyng the bishops vntill their tymes who with all other auncient fathers haue alwais acknowleged that churche as the chief See of all Christendome callynge the Bishoppe thereof Primae Sedis Episcopum Nowe if in this antiquitie there be founde any errour either in any author or in any particular towne or prouince then against suche ignorance and temeritie of a fewe persons lay the decrees of ancient and vniuersall counsailes and if in those counsailes ye fynde nothyng serche diligently the sentences of all the ancient fathers approued by the churche writen to that purpose and gather and collect them together from all tymes and from all places as thoughe they were all together present at a Councell And that whiche all they haue openly and at sundrye tymes with greate continuance agreed accorded written and witnessed with one consent Knowe ye that without any doubte ye oughte the same to beleue and therevnto to submitte and subiecte your selues And aboue all thinges geue place as they doo to the expresse worde of God and to the testimonie of the scripture This is that we haue intreated concernynge the first point This is the authoritie that we geue to the holye scriptures to the determinations of the councells to the writinges of the olde and ancient fathers which order we purpose to obserue both for the confirmation of our flocks in the faithe and also to brynge home agayne suche as are gone astraye whiche can deuise none other waye to haue their doctrine and priuate interpretation to be credited and beleued but to despise and condemn thautoritie of the hole who reiectyng thantiquitie go about to bryng in estimation of their owne nouelties and deuises A thyng truely wherewith the Arrians were greatly troubled and dyd very well disclose Nestorius Samosatenus and dyuers other Euse li. 7. ca. 30. Socrat. lib. 7. capit 32. and doubtlesse shall reuele all suche as will discerne a strawe in their neighbors eie and can not see a blocke in their owne Nowe I come to the last poynte of my oration whiche although it be last yet in very dede the principalst We haue conceyued an extreme grefs and sorowe suche a one as can not be disseÌ„bled which is that the most holy blessed sacrameÌ„t of the Eucharistie which our lorde lefte vnto vs for a band of vnitie and of his peace by a certaine curiositie I can not terme it more gently of searchyng thynges aboue oure capacitie Eccle 3. which contrary to the counsell of the wise man is made not onely an argumente of infinite controuersie and altercatioÌ„ but also a right waie wholly to destroy the truth or at the lest to expel driue away the same And in nothing els truly is the comon prouerbe By to muche disputyng debatyng the truthe is lost more veâ—fied than in this For not onely the truthe dooth perishe The Sacramente of the bodye and bloud of Christ 1. Cor. 10. Math 5. Ioan 6 but the fruite also which we should therby receaue if we vse it wel which consisteth in foure poyntes The firste is the vnitie and reconciliation whiche we ought to haue and make one with an other For it is written that we beyng many in numbre are al but one body which do participate of one breade and of one cuppe And it is commanded that when one dothe make his oblation to the altare he ought first to reconcile hymselfe to his brother The secoÌ„d is the vnitie with IESVS CHRIST Who sayth he that eateth my fleshe drinketh my bloode dwelleth in me 1. Co. 10 and I in hym The bread whiche we breake is it not the coÌ„munion of the body of Iesus Christ and the cup is it not the communion of his blood The thirde fruite is the forgeuenesse of sinnes For truly this blood is shed for the remission of sinnes The fowerth last is the attaynyng of lyfe euerlastyng For he that eateth this bread saith our lord shall lyue euerlastyngly All the contrary wherof cometh by this disputation Diuision among vs separation from god priuation from the remission of sinnes and from atteinyng of life euerlastyng For out of the churche there is no saluation and who so
in baptisme and to eate his bodye and drynke his bloode at his holy table To be shorte if you or any other do so fasten and lodge Christe onely in heauen that in no wise you wyll haue hym founde vppon earthe and so no more In caena quam in scena Imo quam in coeno Whiche wordes be not requisite to be translated for feare of such as be weake we contrarywise beyng taughte that the supper is celebrated here benethe in this world and not aboue in heauen and beyng not so quicke witted subtill or wise that we can comprehend a thyng verily and in substance absent from the sayd supper to be not withstandyng veryly and substancially exhibited and receaued and for a conclusion to bee there and not to bee there for feare to dispoyle and euacuate the holy signes of thynges onely figured and represented and not presented or to be presented to separate absent and seuer theym as farre as heauen is frome the earth Whereunto we answere you with like wordes That we be as farre of from your opinioÌ„ in this case as the highest parte of the heauens is from the lowest parte of the earthe Or lette them all see and iudge whiche measureth the pointes of our religion as they ought to be measured by Theologie and not by philosophie whether of vs dothe attribute more to Iesus Christ our lorde god whether ye or any other among you whiche doo mainteine that there is a place so prescript in heueÌ„ whervnto he is ascended wherin onely he is according to the body els where he cannot be or we who although we beleue him to be in heauen do not for all that ceasse to beleue that he is in all places where his holye mysteries are celebrated and not otherwise making no further inquirie of the maner than as his omnipotent worde dothe teache Graunt most puissant mightie god August in psalm â—in de coÌ„sec di â— can prima heresis Ioan. 6. that as the first heresie among the disciples of his sonne our sauior toke the like occasion of his worde Durus est hic sermo which was so difficulte that diuers of them murmuryng wente backe and folowed him no more so also that this new and last controuersie This Sacramentarie warre I say which so often dothe renew take not away from vs thoccasion of commune accord consent of reducyng and appeasing thinges to a better quietnesse of our bodies soules and to a more tranquillitie to the realme and aboue all things that it maye not trouble or let our reformation presently in hand which we haue begon in such sort as it is most necessarie bothe for vs and our flockes But principally that it will please hym to preserue vs that in these latter days and moste perillous tymes that prediction doo not chaunce whyche a manne of great name and estimation among our aduersaries MelaÌ„ch ad Oecolam an 1525. dissuading a companion of his in the beginnyng to remoue from him this filthie tragedie foretelling him almoste prophecieng that it threatned an horrible mutation not onely to kyngdoms empires but also to the hole church To Beza and his coÌ„panie the protestantes Me think I haue beÌ„ more troublesom vnto you by reson of my loÌ„g processe thaÌ„ I wold haue ben yet not so much persuaded you as I was desirous to haue done which if you wil wtout auctoritie or reson coÌ„tinue beleue no tyme of yeres passed euen froÌ„ the death of our sauior from the primitiue church vntil your owne separation we wil coÌ„mit you to your own choise And if without cause for mainteining a quarel so iust you haue vs in such hatrede and that so by open confession you will deuide your selues from vs that we seme not worthie in your sighte to liue or remaine with you nor in the selfe same temples I tremble at the speakyng of it to pray and make sacrifice to God and to administer the SacrameÌ„tes yet at the least refuse not the Greke churche for iudge in this controuersie if you so much abhorre the Latin that is to say the Romaine churche takyng recourse to a particular churche seyng the vniuersall churche doothe myslike you What doo I speake of the Greke church Nay beleue the confession of Ausbrough and the churches that hath receiued the same and you shal fynde your selues vanquished of them all But if you can not fynde place with them whiche be deuided from vs and that you agreyng with them almoste in all other poyntes and in this poynte of this moste precious sacrament you can not agree what other hope of agreement with vs but onely by wordes can we conceue whiche differ from you bothe in this in many other pointes And if you be so sore addicted to your solitarie opinion become in effecte solitarie If you wille come no nerer to our faith to our actions get you also further of from vs and trouble not the flockes wherof you haue no charge nor yet any laufull administration For the same to vs appertaineth according to the authoritie which we receaue from God And geuyng leysure to youre newe opinions to waxe old so long if God permitte it as our doctrine traditions haue done For we lay vnto you the prescriptioÌ„ of the sens of the scripturs with more reason than was done in Tertulians tyme whiche shal be a cause to restore peace to so many troubled consciences and to leaue your countrey in quietnesse and reste To the kyng Wherein Sire we all doo moste humbly beseche you in the name of God by whom you are called to this estate to holde your hande and that it will please you to continue in this holy profession of Faith whiche we haue here presently declared vnto you accordyng to that whiche the Vniuersall churche hath ealwayes taughte whiche is agreable to the woorde ordinance of God And in this so doyng you shal resuscitate and in you plentuously reuiue the graces whiche god hath placed in holy religion not only in your graÌ„dmother Quene Claude Quene Claude Quene Katharine Kynge Fraunces the first Kynge Henry the seconde Fraunces the second and in youre mother Quene Katherine our soueraigne lady not onely I say in that mightie and wise kyng Francis the firste your grandfather in that good and so welbeloued Henrye your father in that well condicioned kyng Francis your brother but also in as many kynges all your predecessors and all our soueraigne lordes froÌ„ that firste kyng Clouis euen vnto you of whom neuer was there one that strayed from this holy Catholike faith no not one euer founde to forsake the religion of his ancesters and they all haue by succession left and transmitted vnto you this name of moste christian kyng and fyrste sonne of the churche God almightie graunt that your successors maye receaue the same frome you in like integritie and perfection and that our God vpon you our soueraigne lorde nor vpon your subiectes do exercise his mighty hand and the punishementes of his iuste iudgementes And you madam seyng the whole realme hathe geuen vnto you all maner of administration and gouernement during the minoritie of oure kyng and soueraigne LORDE keepe vs well this iewell soo precious and rendre hym agayne vnto vs when he shall haue accomplished his full yeares of the selfe same religion and fayth wherin he is deliuered vnto you and wherein hytherto you haue so carefullye instructed hym And herein you shall doo an acte so greate as that holy quene Clotide dyd whiche is set before your eies to folowe who by her holye instructions was the meane and cause of bryngyng of Clowis her husband to the christian religion And you madame herein shall kepe the kyng your sonne well instructed To the quenes mother accordynge to the intente and will of that good kyng Henry your husbande Wherfore madame in the name of your saide beloued husbande we moste humbly beseche you that lyke as we haue nothynge that next after God more deere vnto your grace than your commune and euer pardurable and indissoluble loue euen so therfore aswell in this poinct as in all others ye wyll folowe and execute his sacred wille and not to suffer his memory to be condemned nor yet the remeÌ„brance of that mightye kyng Frauncis your father in lawe which called you to the great and happy mariage of his son to the intente their good expectatioÌ„ in you for the bringing vp of their childreÌ„ should not be altogether frustrate and deceaued To the king of Nauarre and princes of the bloud We doubt not but in this doing you shall be well asisted by the king of Nauarre by our lordes the princes of the bloud who will not degenerat from their most christian progenitours The self same counsail wil those noble meÌ„ geue vnto you which ar called to the honorable state of the kings couÌ„cel The same also the Peres and officers of France all which haue bene nourished and aduanced by these good kinges and therfore will call to remembraunce their will and pleasure And ye most noble and christian assembly present in this thing shal shew your selues not onely true christians and faithful seruauntes to god but also most louing and harty subiectes to your king wherby we al trust by gods help that this whole realme shall bee sounde in one vnitie And to make an ende Sire we all with one heart with one voice and in the name of al the french church do vow vnto god solemnly promise vnto your grace neuer to departe from this holy true and catholike doctrine Which we will take payne to publish in our churches and for the maintenaunce therof we wil not spare to spende our hole bloud and liues as in like manner we wil shew our selues alwais both redy and mindful touching any affaires that shal concerne your maiesties seruice and the maintenance of your croune FINIS