can not comprehend vet let our faith beleeue For true it is though most miraculous in these sacramental earings of the Ievves who so perceiueâ—h not many miracles to be coÌ„teyned is more then a doâ—t vvere he not if not in vvit a very dolt asse yet surely in diuinitie a very simple one vvho vvould attribute such miraculous excellencie to the ceremonies of Moses lavv vvhich them selues notvvithstanding al their hyperbol cal lâ—ing florishes meane not to be true no not in the gospel And vvhat so euer they meane the vniuersal scope and drift of scripture denieth refuteth it in the old lavv most effectually For although the good men vnder the law which vnderstood their ceremonies and sacraments to be shadowes and darke presignifications of a Messias and by vsing them were kept in an obedience and orderly subiection and expectation of a Sauiour to come by such obedience faith pleased god and were therefore rewarded at his hands yet that those ceremonies and sacraments velded them any such grace as is here declared much lesse the participation of Christs true flesh blud which is the supreme soueraine grace of al that euer was or euer shal be in this world the old testameÌ„t it self and also the new in many places denyeth especially the Apostle S. Paule in whole chapirers of his epistle to the Hebrewes where he most expresly treateth discourseth of their sacraments and state of the old testament in comparison of ours and state of the gospel For to omit sundry textes apperteyning to this purpose in the Prophets Euangelists to rest only vpon S. Paule when he saith that circumcision the principal sacrament of the law was nothing of no effect to conferre grace and that Abraham him self vnto whom singularly circumcision was a sâ—â—â—e of the iustice of faith was not yet iustified in circumcision nor by circumcision but otherwise when he disputeth that no worke no ceremonie no sacrament of the lâ—â— was 〈◊〉 to iustification but only the faith and grace exhibited in the new testament when he calleth al those Iudaical sacraments infirma et egena elementa weake and poore elements or as the English bibles translate it weake and beggerly ordinances when he teacheth the vvhole lavv and al the ceremonies sacraments thereof to haue bene reiected and altered because of their weakenes and vnprofitablenes that those sacrifices baptismes and meates drinkes blud of oxen and goates were only iustices of the flesh sanctified those that vsed them no otherwise then in taking away legal pollutions and so purified men only according to the flesh and therefore were instituted by god not to remayne for euer but only vntil the time of correction or new testament and then other maner sacrifice and Sacrament should succede in their place briefly when he teacheth the law to haue had a shadow of good things to come not the very image of them much lesse the body which is geuen by Christ in the nevv testament that it vvas impossible for the blud of those sacrifices to take away sinne and purifie the comscience for vvhich cause also god foretold by his prophets that he vvold reiect those hostes and oblations sacrifices and that they pleased him not vvhen the Apostle thus vvriteth thus teacheth thus disputeth against those legal sacraments vvhat Christian man vvil say that vvith them vvas exhibited and conioyned the true flesh and diuine blud of our god and Sauiour as before according to Caluins first preaching the same is conioyned vvith the sacraments of the nevv lavv If vnder those elements of bread and wine as novv in the supper the body and blud of Christ were not only figured but also truly deliuered if vvhen they vvere eaten of the Ievves by the omnipotencie of god and miraculous operation of his holy spirite Christ Iesus I meane as Calvin teacheth me the flesh blud of Christ yea the very substance thereof as Beza also with the consent of a whole Caluinian Synode speaketh were receiued vvithal then truly S. Paul in calling such a Sacrament a weake and beggerly ordinance had bene a very vveake Apostle an vnfit instrument to publish Christs name before nations and Princes of the vvorld vvho of Christs diuine person of his pretious flesh and blud the price raâ—â—â—om of the world reconciliation of al things in heauen and earth had had so meane and beggerly aâ— opinion But because most sure it is that b. Paule was â—â—â—nom any such beggerly or rather beastly ethnical â—og 〈◊〉 the Calumâ—â— who in this deteâ—â—able â— aâ— pâ—â—mous conâ—cite â—oloweth Calâ—in know that tâ— hâ—m S. Paule speaketh and he shal once to his eterna payne vnlesse â—e in time repent â—â—ele true that which S. Paule threatneth in eueÌ„ for this particular blasphe â—â—â—s heresie of matching the base Iewish ceremonies with Christs most heauenly and diuine Sacraments A man making frustrate the law of Moyses is adiudged to death therefore by the verdite of 2 or â— witnesseâ— How much more deserueth he more extreme punishmentâ— which thus treadeth the sonne of god vnder foote and esteemeth the blud of the new testament polluted by making it nothing superior to the blud of beasts and so hath done contumelâ—e to the sp rite of grace beyond al measure abased most vily and contemptuously the diuine state and maiestie of the new testament Let the discreete reader know that against this Iudaisme the Christians euer from the begâ—nning of Christianitie haue had touching their sacraments a more excellent faith and diuine perswasion as who vpon warrant of Christs words haue euer beleeued that in the one sacrament was deliuered the body and blud of Christ the same in veritie and truth of substance that was sacrificed on the crosâ—e as before more largely hath bene deduced And for the other sacrament for I mention no more because thâ—se men acknowledge no more the holy scriptures and writings of the Apostles and the church ensuing haue yelded vnto it as to an instrumental cause higher grace vertue then to any sacrament of the Iewes law or al their sacraments and sacrifices ioyned in one For proofe whereof when Christ was baptized the heauens opened and the holy ghost descended to signifie that by baptisme the way to heauen shut before is made open to is the holy ghost powred in to vs as Christ him self by word and deed taught most manifestly except a man be borne of water the spirite he can not enter into the kingdome of god And to testifie that aâ—â—uâ—â—dly and that in baptisme Christians are made partakers of the holy ghost in the begin â—â—â—g of the church the holy ghost â—â—sibly deseended rested on them that were baptized by the Apostles and first preachers of our faith And the gospel Apostolical writings euery where teach that â—â—bert the baptisme of Iohn
the Communion vvas ended and the CoÌ„municants had drunke their parts didst not thow forbid me to powre backe again in to the tankard the wine that remained VVhen the breads appointed for the Eucharist were spent and new were to be taken and deliuered out didst not thow repeate againe the institution of Christ and that in solemne musike VVhen as in the congregationâ— would not willingly permit to thee the administration of the cuppe didst not thow commaund thy colleag that in the face of the congregation he should take the cup from me by force And for that cause did not I hold it fast and with both my hands So bissie vvas this good minister to hold fast the cup lest he should leese his drinke and to omit al the former vvranglings bravlings quarellings by your Diuinitie so bissie was Christ in heauen also to make correspondeÌ„ce as yow cal it concurrence and ioynt effering with him to resemble the action of this minister ¶ Again hovv chaunceth it that yovv forget so soone the forme of ministring your Communion vvhere it is precisely noted that the people not the minister distribute and diuide the bread among themselues and so this your sacramental signification of Christ as bissie as the minister when as the minister sitteth stil and doth nothing is cleane lost and Christ left as quiet and voyd of such bissines in heauen who in deed medleth nothing vvith your communions as he vvas before Thirdly which is the chief I maruel you perceiue not your owne vvrong and false application of your communicating vvhen yovv so expresse eating of Christs flesh and drinking his blud by the ministers action deliuering the bread as though the only instrument of deliueringâ— vvere the minister and the broad and as though vvith the bread it were stil deliuered when as yow make such a ioynt-offering and concurrence as here yovv describe that the signe and thing signified are offered both together one time and in one action say other where that so 〈◊〉 is the body blud of Christ conioyned with that bread 〈…〉 wine that as soone as thou receiuest that bread in to thy mouth if thow be a faithful man or woman so soone thow receiuest the body of Christ in to thy sowle that by faith Know yow not that this doctrine is refuted by every SacrameÌ„tarie Protestant I suppose that ever wrote of the sacraments VVho is there among them al that ever wrote a booke of common places but he hath one railing invectiue against the Papists because they taught that Gratia dei est alligata sacramentis Gods grace his body and his blud remission of synnes is ioyned or annexed to the sacraments For by alligata they meane not tyed or bound as a thief is with ropes but as by gods creation phisical vertue is ioyned to causes natural moral vertues to causes moral and theological graces to sacraments which are like causes efficient and instruments theological by Christ ordayned to such effects and ends Reade vvith a litle more diligence Calvins Institutions whereas yovv vvil haue the body and blud of Christ truly conioyned with your bread and vvine and likevvise grace of regeneration vvith the vvater of baptisme yovv shal synd that Caluin chargeth yovv in any case not to say so nor to thinke that any vertue at al much lesse that fountayne head-spring of al vertues is conioyned with any sacrament Reade his commentaries vpon S. Paule to the Ephesians and yovv shal see him most strongly after the principles of your gospel to beate dovvne al this ioynt offering and ioynt receiving The libertie of gods spirite and grace of god is not tyed to the signes saith he and many receiue the signe that are not partakers of the grace not only through their fault because they refuse it but euen by the very nature of the sacrament and ordinance of God therein For that the signe is common to al good and bad but the spirite which delivereth the thing signified is â—euen only to the elect chosen Reade Zuinglius and he vvil teach yovv that herein yovv erre notably Some there are saith Zuinglius which suppose the sacraments to be such signes as when we vse them that is inwardly done in our harts which outwardly is signified by the sacrament But this is false For so the libertie of gods spirite should be bound if he were driuen to worâ—â— inwardly vpon those whom we marke with the sacraments outwardly Reade Musculus and yovv shal find that be vpon the like ground condemneth your opinion as vnreasonable according to the Protestant theologie VVhen Christians are baptized saith Musculus the things signified by the external sacrament are wrought in the elect as pleased the spirite of Christ ether before or after or in the very act of baptizing And therefore let no man thinke that the spirite is so tyed to the external sacrament that he worketh spiritually and effectually ether in the harts of al that be baptized or ever in the very act of baptisme He is a mad man that so thinketh c. And it is very absurd to tye the operation of the holy ghost which is most free to the external act of baptisme Reade Bullinger and he vvil teach yovv that faithful Christians do not then first receiue gods grace and beauenly gifts when they receiue the sacramental signes But first they haue the things signified after at leasure they take the signes c. So when we baptise children we protest clearely that we do not then first in baptisme geue them the grace of god which before they wanted but by baptisme we seale and confirme that which they had receiued before and in like maneris it in the supper eodem modo fit in caena Finally reade Peter Martyr Bucer Beza Occolampadius any Zuinghan Caluinist or Anabaptist and yovv shal find them to reproue this your opinion as Papistical And vvhat need I to obiect particular doctors vvhereas the vniuersal scope and preaching of al Caluinists and Caluinisme is plaine contrarie So soone saith this man as thow receiuest the bread into thy mouth if thow be faithful thow receiuest the body of Christ by faith in to thy sowle So soone say yovv and no sooner not before VVhen at your supper there be 2 or 3. hundred doth not the last maÌ„ â—ate Christ by faith before his turne come to receiue the bread into his mouth Al the time of the Sermon al the time of the thankes geuing al the time of the communioÌ„ when he seeth the bread brâ—ker and wine powred cut and he by occasion thereof thinketh on Christs passion doth he not spiritually by faith eate Christ Do not yovv defend this to be the proper spiritual eating of your supper It is evident and manifestly declared before VVherefore this is a very iest and plaine mockety to say that so soone as thow
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
in the church VVherefore the ministerie of the word is not coÌ„mon to them al Christians Here vnto he answereth I confesse that it is not permitted to women to speake as nether to men that be dumbe For I beleeue that albeit this right is common to al yet no man can nor ought to practise it but only he who is fitter then other to him other are bound to yeld place that order comlynes may be kept And to speake in publike assembly besides the spirite there is required a good voyce eloquence memorie other natural gifts which who so wanteth he must yeld his right to an other So Paule forbiddeth wemen to speake not altogether but in the church that is to say where are men able to speake that for order honesties sake For a man is more fit then a woman and the spirite doth more inspire men then women this is the meaning of Paules place Otherwise how should Paule alone withstand the holy ghost who saith Ioel 2. your daughters shal prophecie and Act. 21. Philip had 4. daughters that prophecied Out of al vvhich much more to like effect he draweth this conclusion Order therefore honestie requireth that men speaking wemen should hold their peace But where men speake not there it is necessarie that wemen speake By al which we see that the word of god forbiddeth not wemen to prophecie that is in the new gospel to preach no not amongst men much lesse amongst wemen which is the highest office consequently nether to minister the communion baptisme which is a great deale lesse if so be that they haue better learning vtterance then men haue as oft tymes it chaunceth or if the minister through negligence and ignorance be not able to preach the word which perhaps in Scotland England is very common And of this same opinion with Luther are Pèter Martyr and Huldrike Zuinglius Of the same opinion were the first reformers of our English church M. Horne bishop so called of VVinchester others who of this matter write thus There is so much required in a spiritual minister that al men be not meete for the office therefore with good reason wemen be debarred from it Albeit at some time it pleaseth god to vse their Ministerie VVherefore me thinke euen in this point we must vse a certain moderation not absolutely in euery wise to debar them herein as it shal please god to serue Christ I pray yow what more vehemency vseth S. Paule in forbidding wemen to preach then in forbidding them to vncouer their heads And yet yow know in the best reformed churches of al Germanie al the maydes be barehedded which the preachers learned men make no great accompt of As much to say that it is a thing indifferent for wemen to preach minister the Sacraments may wel be suffered no lesse then it is that maydes go with their heads vncouered which S. Paule forbiddeth with like vehemencie as he doth their preaching yet the best reformed churches of al Germanie with the learned men ministers there make no great accompt of it It were very easie to proue this by a number of other Protestant writers authorities especially English where a womaÌ„ being supreme head of the church from whence al ecclesiastical power authoritie is deriued to bishops and ministers who hauing in her as writeth my I. Archbishop of Canterbury the supreme gouernemeÌ„t in al causes ouer al persons as she doth exercise the one apperteyning to matters ciuil temporal by the Lord Chauncellor so doth she the other concerning the church religion by the Archbishops what reasonable man can deny or doubt but that a woman in whom is the fulnes of al ecclesiastical gouernement may geue vnto a woman some inferior peece thereof no lesse then she geueth the excercise of many parts vnto the Archbishop who receiueth al his order power from her And whereas king Harry imparted the exercise of his like supreme ecclesiastical regiment to my L. Crumwel Erle of Essex his subhead in the church of England and vicegerent for and concerning al his iurisdiction ecclesiastical who can with any probabilitie of reason yea without incurring manifest treason deny but that as K. Harry a man gaue vnto my Lord of Essex so the Quene a woman may geue vnto my Lady of Essex or any other al her iurisdiction ecclesiastical especially for that it is by supreme authoritie so precisely defined that the Quene may assigne name and authorise whom so euer she shal thinke meete and conuenient and for such so long time such persons being naturally borne subiect as Ladies vvemen are to vse and execute vnder her al maner of iurisdiction spiritual or ecclesiastical And if the pattie thus assigned named authorised be also vvel spoken and learned then not only mans lavv but also gods as Luther and the English doctors haue before taught iustifieth such wemens both preaching al other ministring For if they may haue the greater authoritie to preach and yet to be supreme head of the church is much more then al inferior offices belonging to the edification of the church aâ— baptizing ministring the coÌ„munion binding losing calling Synodes c. may much more be exercised by them as Luther disputeth manifest reason convinceth and our English Iewel together vvith the Qâ—ea ler of this new Divinitie in Cambridge teacheth VVho by authoritie of S. Fabianus an auncient Pope and Martyr 1400 yeres sithence and also of S. Bernard vvil needs proue against D. Harding that in the Primitiue church wemen no lesse then men made the sacrifice of the altar and that of bread wine after the order of Melchisedech VVherefore to returne to our matter of making vp an euangelical communion hereof it appeareth I suppose sufficiently that 3. or 4. Euangelical gossips meeting together and eating and drinking in such â—oâ—t as hath bene said make a very true real perfect and absolute coÌ„munion touching al substance required by the Protestant doctrine And therefore I vvish them selues to iudge vvhether Martin Luther that reuerend Father as M. Fox calleth him vnderstanding throughly their meaning and sense had not some cause to say that Christ had bene very vnwise he vseth a more vvicked terme vvhich I vvil nor English to haue instituted a peculier supper whereas otherwise the world is ful of such suppers quum caenarum huiusmodi totus mundus alioqui plenus sit vvhich after they haue turned and tossed so many vvaies as they can vvil proue nothing but as Luther affirmeth it a poore and vulgar banquet or rather a rustical compotation For if 3. or 4. vvemen so meeting and gossiping make such a coÌ„munion then 3. or 4. men vvemen consequently as many men boyes may serue to do the like so there is no rustical cortage where there is
whereunto is ioyned the thing signified which is the veritie of the same In which kind of veyne and maner of writing he runneth on so lustely that in his last Admonition to Ioachimus VVestphalus the principal minister preacher of Hamburg he boldly auoucheth his doctrine in this point to agree with the Lutheran ConfessioÌ„ of â—uspurge also with Melanchthon penman thereof In which Confession the SacrameÌ„taries no lesse then Anabaptists aâ—e expressely condemned and the I egates of the 4. Sacramentarie Imperial cities then present were en â—oâ—ced to make and put vp to the Emperour Charles a separate Confession of their â—aith because the LutheraÌ„ then called Protestant-princes and Cities for this special opinion reiected them wold in no wise admit them to â—oyne with them in that Confession of thâ—iâ—s commonly called Confessio Auâ—ust ina As also the next yere after when certaine cities of the Suizzers which were then sacrameÌ„taries sued to the Protestants of Germanie to be receiued in to league with them which for some respect the Germanes much desired yet in â—iâ—e the matter being thoroughly debated the Duke of Saxonie chief of the Confession of Auspurg made them answere that for so much as they folowed an other doctrine concerning the Lords supper it was not lawful to enter any league with them And albeit their societie by reason of their power and forces might stand the Germanes in great steed yet he could not so â—â—ch regard that lest gods heauy hand should fal vpon him â— the scripture witnesseth it hath fallen on others who to forâ—â—â—â—â— them silues haue vsed the ayd and succour of such heretikes as they were So that Caluin in saying he agreeth with the Confession of Augusta consequently must needs say that he condemneth the sacramentarie heresie and acknowlegeth Christ truly and really present in the sacrament in such sort and sense as the Confession of Augusta and Protestant princes of that Confession did ¶ And certainly these words and sentences vsed by Caluin and a number of the like are so euident seeme so opposite to al Zuinglian tropes and figures that no man could otherwise imagine but that Caluin thought rightly inough of the real presence Truly in this veyne of writing his hipocrisie is so singular that Ioachimus VVestphalus seemeth to make some doubt whether Caluâ—n in this point of controuersie thought as a Zuinglian or a Lutheran His words are Caluin vseth such art in handling this matter he leaveth his reader so doubtful vncertaine what to iudge of him he shadoweth his speach with such colours that sometime it yeldeth a consession of faith like to our Lutheran churches â—e seemeth to reiect the doctrine of Zuinglius to beleeue that the very body blud of Christ is truly present and geuen in the supper with the bread and wine But yet in fine hauing conferred a number of Caluins words and writings to gether he resolueth the contrarie that he is a â—anke Zuinglian and vseth this crastie â—â—ueyance of darke obscuâ—e speaches only to abuse his readers deceiue them more perniciousty of which speaches hauing recited a nuÌ„ber he thus concludeth of them Hinc â—uilibet fit manifestum saith he Caluinum haerere in eodem caeno c. By vew consideration of â—â—ese places euerie man may see that Caluin sticketh in the same mire in which Zuinglius and other sacramentaries haue walowed and that he is stirred vp with their spirite and that vnder this craftie iugling he singeth the old song of Zuinglius and Oecolampadius iumbleth in his figures and significations taking away the true presence of Christs body blud which as VVestphalus at large very wel proueth by laying downe a number of testimonies out of him so I wil make it manifest by declaring 4. or 5. special meanes degrees besides a sixt which is general vsed by Caluin to that effect The first is by remouing away the true and real flesh of our Sauiour in place thereof allowing vs a true real qualitie and vertue thereof to be sent downe imparted to vs from Christ in heauen by a new kynd of conduit pipe which he hath inuented In desâ—â—â—ption whereof albeit he seeme not wel stayd for in one place of his commentaries vpon S. Iohn when belike he was of that opinion he teacheth that the flesh of Christ is the conduit pipe which traduceth and powreth vpon vs life which is intrinsecally resident in the diuine nature the founteyne of life Ioan. 1. 4. but in his Harmonie as also in his Institutions when belike he thought that opinion somwhat to true and to much sauouring of a real presence for if the flesh of Christ were the conduit pipe and brought to vs the life which is resideÌ„t in the deitie then must the flesh be communicated really vnto vs for otherwise it can no more serue for a conduit-pipe to conuey in to vs such life then a conduit-pipe distant a mile or 2. from a howse serueth to conuey water to the howse vnto which it approcheth nothing nigh he resolueth othervvise that the holy spirite is the conduit-pipe and the flesh of Christ geueth life vnto vs for that the holy spirite causeth to flow downe and to be powred on vs life which is resident in the flesh remayning in heauen yet in fine he seemeth to choose rather this later sense so not novv ioyning the flesh and blud of Christ vvith the signe by the omnipotent power of god but separating the one from the other as far as heauen is from earth of Christs body communicated to vs in the supper thus he vvriteth I conclude graunt that the body of Christ is geuen vs in the supper really as they commonly speake that is to say truly to the end it may be wholesome foode for our sowles I speake after the common fashion but I meane that our sowles are fedde with the substance of Christs body to the entent we may be made one with him or which is al one that a certaine quickening vertue is peured on vs cut of the flesh of Christ by the holy ghost although the flesh be far distaÌ„t froÌ„ vs. Is not here a straunge kind of meaning a straunge declaratioÌ„ so to declare his meaning that his meaning cleane ouerthroweth his words whereof he pretendeth to geue vs the meaning For how match those words immediatly going before with this meaning The body of Christ is geuen vs in the supper really I meane the substance of his body or which is al one a vertue proceeding out of his body Is this al one to say the body and a vertue of the body a substance or which is al one no substance but an accident a qualitie Doth not the scripture most euidently according to coÌ„mon sense and reason distinguish betwene Christ or the body of Christ and vertue proceeding from him which at some
beneuolence Againe in the same booke and chapiter Circumcision geuen to Abraham the Iewish purifications and washings the sacrifices and such other rites of Moses law were then the Iewes sacraments in place whereof haue succeded in the gospel baptisme and the supper Both theirs and ours were referred to the same end and scope that is to direct men to Christ or rather as images to represent him and make him knowen c. The only difference betwene them is this that the Iewish figured Christ as yet to come ours notifie him already come and exhibited The like he hath in many other places and it is the general sense commentarie of al or most Caluinists sacramentaries writing vpon the first epistle to the Corinthians cap. 10. VVhich equalitie Musculus very exactly better to the vnderstanding of the reader explicateth in particular â—unning thorough al cases and points wherein these sacraments may be compared one to the other the summe of whose comparison in his owne words is this 1. If we regard that which is more principal in the sacramental signes of the old and new testament so there is no difference betwene them one and the selfe same god Christ Iesus the mediator of grace was author of both 2. Both the one and the other were geuen to be signes of grace 3. As in the old so in the new the signe and the thing signified differ For one thing is signified an other vnderstood 4. Touching the thing signified it was al one in both Circumcision was a sacrament of our nature to be regenerate and purified in Christ so is baptisme Circumcision was a sealing of the iustice of faith Râ—m 4. so is baptisme Circumcision was a signe of gods couenant so is baptisme The paschal lamb was a sacrament of Christ the immaculate lamb by whose blud we were to be redeemed so our bread and wine is a sacrament of the same VVe haue the same meate drinke which they had 1 Cor 10. So hetherto there is no differeÌ„ce betwene our sacrameÌ„ts and theirs But now cometh the greatest difficultie the efficacie or effectual working and conferring of grace whether in this also those sacrameÌ„ts were match vvith ours vvhich equality the whole course of scripture and state of the old and new testament seemeth to improue Concerning this question thus proceedeth this Euangelist I confesse that the auncient fathers he might and should haue added and with them the Apostles and namely S. Paul as out of him shal hereafter â—e declared in this point attribute more to our sacraments then to those other and far extol ours as though they did not only signifie but also geue and conserre grace and iustice euen to them that are in mortal synne and lacke faith where in he grossely belieth the auncient fathers as also al other Catholiks but this is an error vtterly to be reiected of al faythful For it fighteth directly with the doctrine of iustifying faith which is so necessarily required is that without it the sacrameÌ„ts are not only vnprofitable to the receiuers but also hurtful For sacraments as they are signes of grace so they signifie grace geue none as wel in the new testament as the old As they are seales of iustice of fayth so seale they and confirme it not only in the new testament but also in the old and they confirme it not as the spirite sealeth but as signes do seale As they are figures so by the external shape similitude they figure and represent the things signified as in the old testament so in they new In that they are memorials so in the mynds of the faithful renew they the benefites of heauenly grace no lesse in the old testameÌ„t then in the new If besides this we attribute any force to our sacraments that they worke grace iustice health in those that vse them we geue to them that which only is the worke of the holy ghost For our sacraments wash from synnes iustifie and sanctifie no otherwise then those did of the old testament c. and therefore in this respect we ought to put no difference betwene them Out of al which so diligent and exact comparison he dravveth this conclusion That sentence belike of Luther vvhom there he citeth for proof of this doctrine is verâ—e true that not the sacrameÌ„t but faith of the sacrament iustifieth that as wel in the old sacrameÌ„ts as in ours VVherefore there is no other vertue or efficacie in our sacraments then was in theirs and it was rasâ—y said by Austin in psal 73. that the sacrameÌ„ts Iewish Christian were not al one because other are the sacrameÌ„ts which geue health or saluatioÌ„ other that promise a sauiour The sacrameÌ„ts of the new Testament geue saluation those of the old promised a Sauiour This is very aâ—surdiâ— spoken c. VVherefore this being put dovvne as a â—aâ—e ground that the sacraments of Moyses and Christ of the law and the Gospel agreed were al one sauing that they pointed to Christ as afterwards to be incarnate ouâ—s point to him as being novv incarnate already hereof the reader meanely skilled in diuinitie ether Catholike of Protestant may quickly gather conclude that al these first thetorical gloses of Caluin touching the vvonderful supernatural incomprehensible inexplicable vvorthines of the Eucharist of Christs flesh truly ioyned with the bread of his blud truly and really deliuered vvith the cuppe beyond al reason and capacitie of man by the only omnipotent operation of the holy ghost c are nothing els but so many wonderful sensible palpable and impudent lyes and mockeries For both Protestant must graunt and Catholike doth conâ—eâ—â—e and the scripture convinceth that Christ vvas in no such vvise conioyned vvith the bread or vvine or oyle or vvaâ—â—ings and purifications or asâ—hes of a heifer or flesh of a calle in the old lavv For is there any Christian yea Caluinist or Anabaptist so meanely instructed in Christian saith that vvhen the Ievves did eate some such bread or a peece of calues flesh vvil say that vnder those signes of bread or calues flesh was deliuered to the Iewes the body and blud of Christ that the veritie of Christs flesh was conioyned with those signes that Christ truly gaue them his flesh blud to the end they might grow in to one body with him that Christ descended vnto them aâ— wel by the external signe aâ— by the spirite that his flesh did penetrate vnto them which thing albeit it seeme vncrelibâ—e in sâ— greaâ— distance of plaâ—es as is heauen from earth especially Christ being then not incarnate and so hauing nether flesh nor blud nether in heauen nor earthâ— yet by the holy ghost omnipotent power of god this was truly done this flesh and â—lâ—d was truly and â—eâ—ly exhibited as truly and really as the holy ghost vvas in the do eat Christs baptisme VVhich thing although our mynd and reason
by like reason any baptisme vsed in the law were but â—gâ—â—â—â—ue in waâ—er alone yet the baptisme of Christ brought with it the holy ghost it gaue remission of synneâ— and therefore to there that were otherwiâ—e faithful beleeuing beâ—â—â—â—s their faith and beleef baptisme was neâ—eâ—â—aâ—â— for remission of their sâ—nnes eternal life For which cause it is called the holy ghosts lauer or font of regeneration and râ—â—â—uation By iâ— the word of life we aâ—â—cle â—nâ—ed from synne and siued as 〈…〉 â—â—uly as Neâ— and his â—aâ—â—â—lâ—e was sauâ—â— by the Arke and water supporting it in the time of the vniuersal deluge Al which promises and testimonies so plaine and preguant other to 〈…〉 as Calâ—â—â— Zuinghus Musculus and others do with flat denyal that by vertue of baptisme any such matter as grace remission is bestowed on vs or to elude by interpreting al thâ—â— to be spoken only for that baptisme is a signe or marke to â—estife the Lords wil vnto vs is to make a â—est of al scâ—â—pture nothing being so cleare but in this â—ort and with this audacitie may be shifted of or els to expound al these teâ—ts so that nothing be leaft singular to the new testament aboue the old this is plainly to disgrace and deface Christ with his new testament This is to match Moyses with Christ the servaÌ„t with his maâ—ster quit to destroy this new testameÌ„t whose essence coÌ„â—isteth in this differeth from that for that the old law coÌ„teyned shodowes signes prefigurations the grace veritie whereof was fulfilled in Christ Iesus That was a law of secuitude because it found meÌ„ sinners left the in then sinne occasionally encreased heaped synne vpon synne by no meanes of the lavy deliuered men from the burden of synne and therefore is called a TestameÌ„t in the letter which killeth not in the spirite which geueth â—â—fe the ministerie of death damnation because for the â—â—â—son a sore said it was a greater cause of death damâ—â—ion where as this is the law of freedom lâ—l ertie especialy for that it setteth men free from their sinnes hath old naâ—â—e meanes to abolish sinnes when they are committed and to pouregrace into men whereby they may absteyne from committing sinne and therefore is called a nevv Testament in the spirite which geueth life not in the letter which killeth the ministerie of the Spirite and iustice because it maketh men iust holy by conferring grace in her sacrifice and sacraments vvhereas in those other of the lavv was nothing els but a perpetual commemeratioÌ„ of synne once committed without forgeuing putting away or abolishing the same Al which difference the Apostle sammatilie compriseth when as comparing these two Testaments together he coÌ„cludeth that the nevv Testament standeth and is grounded on better promises then the old which out of the prophete Ieremie he noteth to be these In the new testament I wil geue my lawes into theirs mynds and in their hart wil I write them and not in tables of stone as before and I wil be mercyful to their iniquities and their synnes I wil not new remember which in the old testament vvere neuer forgotten but by the very sorme of then seruice remembred perpetually ¶ But to dravv to a conclusion of that vvhich I purpose that is to make plaine and manifest the true nature of the Eucharist after Caluins faith and the faith of such congregations as are erected grounded vpon his Apostolical ministerie and vvithal to demonstrate where to this gospel tendeth that is to a very abnegation of Christianisme establishing in place thereof Iudaisme or some worser thing let vs in this principal mysterie coÌ„sider wel hovv they forsaking Christ and his Apostles forsaking the Apostolical primitiue church of al fathers martyrs the beleef vse of this SacrameÌ„t practised amongest them haue taken their Supper from the Ievves from a Iewish ceremonie vsed amongest the Ievves before Christs coming It is recorded by good historiographers that Berengarius was thought to haue bene instructed in this point of his insidelitiâ— â—y a certain Iew and that al his argument vvhich he made against the truth of Christs presence in the sacrament vvere borowed and taken from Iosephus Albo a Iew a capital enemie of Christian name and religion For that Iew chap. 2â— of his 3 oration which he wrote concerning the points of Moyses law vâ—â—ereâ—h the self same arguments against the Eucharist which afterwards Berengarius his sectaries cast forth Eadem omnino dicit que BereÌ„garius se tatores eâ—uâ— pâ—stea vomueruÌ„t Beza out of Emanuel Tremell us the Ievv telleth that among the Iewes it vvas a custome yerely vvhen they did â—ate their paschal lamb vvithal to ioyne a ceremonial eating of bread and drinking of vvine in this sort The good maÌ„n of the house in the beginning of supper taketh an vnleauened loaf which he diuiâ—eth in two parts and blesseth the one with these words Blessed art thow O lord our god king of al things which out of the earth doest bring forth bread The other part of the loaf â—e â—â—uereth with a napkin and reserueth Then â—al they to their supper merily which being ended the good man taketh out that part of bread which was couered and sitting downe eateth so much as is the quantitie of an oliue distributeth the like to al that sit with him in memorie of their passe ouer Then sitting stil in like order he drinketh and saith the ordinarie grace c. This Ievvish ceremonie I make choise of to compare vvith the Caluinian Supper principally for that both in matter and forme al circumstances it resembleth the Calâ—inian deuise most aptly but partly also that vvithal I may shevv to the reader the incredible â—rovvardnes and peruersitie of Caluin and Beza vvho vvhen they haue equalled al sacraments and ceremonies of the lavv vvith those of the gospel yet forsooth for honour of their ovvne inuention can not abide to haue their peeuish supper called a Ievvish ceremouie or coÌ„pared vvith any such vvhereaâ— Caluin stoâ—meth maruelously Beza in the place before quoted vvheÌ„ he hath likened the one to the other very diligently in fine as though he bare some special reuerence to his ovvne supper addeth by vvay of correction Longe â—amen aliter iudicandum est de hac sancta solemni c. yet must we iudge fâ—â— other wise of this holy and solemne institution of the supper as it is set forth by Ihon Caluin and the church of Geneua whereby we are put in possession of Christ then of thâ—â— external rite humane traditioÌ„ Thus Beza most foÌ„dly frovvardly For what more peevish frovvardnes can be imagined then that they vvho against Christ his Apostles and al scripture haue altogether made equal our Testament with the Ievvish our sacraments vvith theirs ouâ— Eucharist with
the 〈◊〉 also thereof both which the Iewes vâ—â—d nâ—their solemne paschal ceremonie And this bread and drink without any consecration or sanctification or alteration other then vvas vseâ— among the Ievves saue only that it should eâ—â—e for a signe of a thing novv passed as before it signified the same to come he made according to these mens doctrine the sacramental bread of the nevv testament So that if no â—vve can orderly as hath bene declared procced by legrecâ— first to remoue from the sacrament the true body and blud of Christ and leaue yet a real qualitie vertue derived thenge then to take avvay that real qualitie descend to a spiritual eating only by faith and make no other presence of Christ in the supper then in hearing a sermon or reading a chapiter of some good booke after to take aâ—â—aâ— that also make the supper to serue only for a seale and testimonie that vve haue receiued Christ by faith in the next place to make the supper a bare signe of Christs body and finally a mere â—â—vviâ—h ceremonie causing vs to remember the Messias â—ovv fistene hundred yeres since incarnate â—â— the Ievves communion put them in mind of the same Messias who was to be incarnate many yeres after it besides specially and principally we haue a singular rega◠〈◊〉 vvith the Scholemen Catholikes we imagine not any secrete vertue to be hid or annexed to this 〈…〉 bread no more then vvas in that breaâ— of the Ievves or is novv in other common bread vseâ— at the vulgar suppers of religious Caluinists vvho in their suppers and dinners thinke of Christs death then come vve nigh to haue a right apprehension and concene of 〈…〉 communion And to this very conclusion as the vvhole doctrine of Calâ—m and the right sacramentaties tendeth so Z 〈…〉 us Prince of the sacramentaries vvhich excellent mans doctrine vvas ever agreable to Caluins concerning the sacraments expresseth the same in most plain and â—lat termes For speaking of the first sacrament of baptisme vvhich â—e calâ—â—tâ— the chief and principal signe of the new testament VVhaâ— is â—aith heâ— the condition and vertue thereof Iohn declareth Matth. 3. I baptise yow in water to repentance Iohn taught them to amend their liues and to repent And whâ—â—râ—â—eâ—ued his preaching these he marked with the external element of water nec tamen iâ—circo aliqua ex parte melâ—â—res eraÌ„â—â— and yet for their baptisme they were neuer a whit the better For what let was there but that they might haue repented as wel without baptisme Therefore baptisme is only a ceremonie and signe c. And in the next leaâ—e The baptisme of the Apostles was al one with that of Iohn For they also as wel as Ihon gaue nothing elsâ—buâ— the external signe of baptisme â—uapropter illorum quoque baptismis non â—â— uâ—fuit quam signaâ— purâ—daÌ„ initta e externâ—â—remonia VVherefore their baptisme also waâ— nothing els but a certain entring signe and external ceremonie And a litle after It was a great error of the old Doctors that they supposed the external water of baptisme to be of any valew towards the purging of sinne For it is most assured that the external baptisme in water is of no force or vâ—eâ— to the cleansing of our sowles And therefore this veâ—â— baptisme vvhereof the Doctors make â—o great a matter is nothing els but a ceremonie I meane an external signe whereby a man professeth that he wil now folow Christ Al which in his ansvvere to Luthers confession he applieth in like maner indifferently to the Eucharist and to the sacraments of the old lavv For this saith he is the office of every sacrameÌ„t that it signifieth only c. So did circuÌ„cifioÌ„ so â—â—â— the paâ—châ—l lamb So baptisme maketh not men the sonnes of god but these which before were the sonnes of god receiue by baptisme a testimonie a signe or badge thereof the like iâ— dâ—ne in â—he supper of Christ Yea this he reckeneth for so suâ—e a principle that of the two he thinketh the sacrameÌ„ts of Christs gospel more voyd of al spiritual grace and vertue to sanctifie then those of the old lavv For so he disputeth Iâ— in the old Testament the carnal and external sacrament could not bring any puritie or cleanesse to sinâ—ul and deâ—iled consciences how much lesse can such sacraments do vâ— any like profite in Christ in the new testament where only the spirite geueth life and worketh al ¶ Against al which if perhaps the good reader thinke that in Bezaes words before cited there is some secrete force and pith to aduaunce his supper aboue those other because his â—upper he termeth a solemne holy institution whereby we are put in possession of Christ or els in Caluins obiection taken from the Apostle let the reader be warned that this of Beza is nothing els but a solemne kind oâ— lying hipocritical feyning vsual to him the rest of his bretherne as before bath bene sayd For he meaneth nothing more but that by their holy and solemne bread our faith is stirred vp to beleeue Christ by which faith we feed on Christ and so apprehend and possesse him euen as did the Iewes in their communion And the very self same holy and solemne apprehension and possession Beza in like maner attributeth to the Iewish ceremonies thereby discovereth his couÌ„terfeit solemne hipocrisie vsed here For expounding that word of S. Paule where he calleth circumcision signaculum iustitiae Beza falleth out in to a wondering exclamatioÌ„ Quid magnificentius de vllo sacramento dici possit VVhat can be spoken more highly or amply of any sacrament what so euer ether old or new Before the Apostle called it a signe which is the common nature of al sacraments for that they are external signes and ceremonies Nâ—â— he expresseth the substance and effect thereof that it is ordeyned not only to signifie but also to sâ—ale the iustice of faith by which we are put in possession of Christ him selfe quatenus sâ—ilicet spiritus sanctuâ— reipsa id intuâ—â—raeâ—â—aâ— quod externa câ—remonia praelicationi verbi coniuncta oculis repraesentat I meane so far forth as the holy ghost â—â—th performe that within which the external ceremonie ioyned to the preaching outwardly representeth to the eyes This is the precise and true forme by which he meaneth that we are put in possession of Christ by his holy and solemne supper for that by the breaking of bread and preaching of the minister our external senses if we wel atteÌ„d the breaking and preaching are moued and consequently by meanes thereof our faith and mynd erected to beleeue so the holy ghost working in our harts we possesse Christ which possession as he graunteth was in like sort and as largely geuen in the Iewish sacraments as in the Christian As for the obiection taken from the Apostle
Gospel sundry times vve reade And this is no derogation to Christ but rather glorie as S. Ambrose verie vvel teacheth For our Lords wil is that his servants haue great power His wil is that they sâ—â—uld in his name do such things as him self did when he was here on earth Yea in S. Ioan. 14. he saith that they shal â—â— greater things then he did Act. 9. when he could haue restored to Saul his sight yet he sent him to Aâ—anias And to be short having with sundry scriptures iustified this in fine he opposeth his adversaries the Novatian heretikes as I do M. B VVhy presume yow to deliuer and clense any from the fowle and stinking service of the devil Cur baptizatis si per honimem peccata dimitti non licet VVhy baptize yow if by man sinnes can not be forgeuen For in baptisme is forgeuenes of al sinnes Et quid interest vtrum per paenitentiam an per la vacrum hoc ius sibi datum sacerdotes vendicent And what skilleth it whether in Baptisme or Penance Priests exercise this right which by Christ is geuen to them Thus S. Ambrose And therefore if this be al the difficultie why a man may not in the sacrament geue Christs body we see the case is not so hard As for that M. B. obiecteth of S. Iohn Baptist proceedeth first of ignorance then of heresie Of ignorance for that from S. Iohns ministerie baptisme which apperteyning to the old lavv and so vvithout question not being of force to remit sinne he draweth his argument to proue that the ministerie baptisme of Christs gospel can not remit sinne VVhich argumeÌ„t holdeth as blindly ignorantly as if he said Moyses could not forgete sinne ergo Christ can not whereof hath bene spoken before And for his better instructioÌ„ herein he may must learne that not S. Iohn Baptist but Christ is the malâ—â— and ordeyner of the nevv testament and al sacraments apperteyning thereto as the prophete Esay the Apostle Paule and vvhole frame of the nevv testament declareth VVherefore if he wil proue that the ministerie of the nevv testament consisteth only in the external element let him shevv it in some one sacrament of this state and so he speaketh to the purpose Of heresie his reason proceedeth because he assumeth as certain that our baptisme is not in the fier and spirite but in water only as that of S. Iohn Baptist was VVhich doctrine stinketh of heresie as being not only coÌ„demned for such by the late general Councel of Trent but also earnestly reproued by al the auncient fathers vvho by occasioÌ„ wrote of those two baptismes vvere they Greeke or latin as Origen in epist ad Romanos ca. 6. Athanas quaest 133. ad Antioch Basil lib. 1. de Baptismo ca. 2. Nazianz. orat 39. in lumina S. Chrysest hâ—m 10. 12. in Matth. 16. in Ioan. S. Cyril lib. 2. in Ioan. ca. 57. where he of purpose handeleth this matter saith that the holy ghost foresaw that afterwards would rise ignorant felowes who would not distinguish Christs baptisme from Iohns and that therefore the holy ghost moued Iohn baptist him self to speake most plainly that it baptized in water only Of the latin doctors Tertul. in liâ— de baptismo S. Cyprian in his sermon de baptismo Christâ— â— Optatus lib. 5 S. Hilarie in Matth. ca. 3. S. Ambros lib. 2. cap. â— in Luc. praeâ—â—â—io in psal 37. S. Leo epistola 4. ca. 6. S. Gregâ—r Homil. 20. in Euangel S. Austin and S. Hierom in a numbeâ— of places S. Hierom. epist 83. ad Occanum in 2. cap. â—oelis iâ— dialogo contra Luciferianos S. Austin epist 48 prope finem 163. Enchirid. ca. 19. 49. Lib. 2. contra literas Peâ—iliani ca. 37. lib. 3. ca 76. lib. 4. de baptis coÌ„tra Donatist ca. 26. lib. 5. cap. 9. 10. 11. 12. 14. 15. de vnico baptismo ca. 7. de vnitâ—r ecclesiae ca. 18. Of which two fathers S. Hierom earnestly reproveth them vvho vvith M. B. and the Caluinists thinke that Christs baptisme Iohns was al one and saith that they mainteyne a froward opinion by yelding to much to the baptisme of the seruant destroy the baptisme of his our maister S. Austin that they defend a wicked sacrilegious opinion And what need I to alleage auncient fathers to this purpose vvhereas Caluin confesseth it as a cleere and knowen case that they in deed thus taught much laboured to distinguish the baptisme of Christ and Iohn whose authoritie yet most arrogantly he contemneth But therefore to breake his insolent spirite supporte the fathers authoritie let it be added that this sacrilegious opinion of Caluin and the Caluinists was long before these fathers liued condemned by the Gospel it self in which we find the ministerie of Christs baptisme to haue bene done not in water only but in water and the spirit or as it is expressed sometimes in fier and the spirit that is in the spirite of god who as he descended visibly vpon the Apostles in forme of fier in the day of Pentecost so oft times visibly in the primitiue church he powred his grace on the nevv Christians especially vvhen they received the sacrament of baptisme confirmation thereby to testifie that his presence grace was euer infallibly geuen in al the baptismes which vvere ministred in Christs name and by his order since the first institution thereof as S. Iohn Baptist him self in the place quoted by M. B. plainly told distinguishing most euidently as betwene his person and the person of Christ so betvvene his ministerie and baptisme vvhich was in water that vvhich Christ vvas to ordeyne in water and the spirite as it is noted in euery of the Euangelists and in the Apostles vvhich spake thereof afterwards ¶ And novv this blocke being remoued which lay so in M. B. his way that he could not allovv a man to deliuer Christs body blud no more then a maÌ„ could geue remission of sinnes vve may vvith so much the more facilitie conclude the answere to his first question whether one person or tvvo deliuer the sacrament And alb eit his answere be that there are twa propiners twa perons which offer and geue the sacrament Christ and the minister of which twa the minister geueth the signe Christ the thing signifiedâ— the minister the earthly matter that is bread Christ the heauenly matter that is his body coÌ„paring these two ministeries together he so abaseth the one that he saith he wil not geue a straa for it so that by this description their coÌ„munion so far furth as by their ministers it is geuen is nothing els but an earthly signe a coÌ„mon peece of bread not worth a straa al vvhich I graunt in such sort as hath bene said before yet referring this to the sacrameÌ„t of the church
primitiue church yea consequently the Apostles them selves for that he condemneth that church of idolatrie vvhich nether in this point nor in any other had departed from the Apostles doctrine but stil reteyned most constaÌ„tly that vvhich by Christs Apostles vvas delivered vnto them as Ievvel Ridley Calvin to their ovvne eternal condemnation according to S. Paules most true sentence confesse If M. B. thinke any great force to be in these his words that vvhereas vve should take the sacrament from the hands of Christ we contrariwise offer it to him which Luther counteth vnansvvereable and in his rayling libel against king Henry the 8. calleth it his principal strength and capital argument let him knovv that in vulgar Theologie it is so childish as nothing can be more For if vve may not offer to god that vvhich god mercifully geveth to vs vve must offer to him nothing at al not the sacrifice of thankes-geuing not of praise not of an humble spirite not of speaking a good vvord or thinking a good thought for every good thought proceedeth from him and is raised in vs by his holy spinte and then doubtles the English communion is very idolatrous in vvhich the minister in the behalfe of al the bretherne doth offer and present vnto the lord him self his and their sowles and bodies to be a reasonable holy and lively sacrifice which can no ways stand for Evangelical Theologie if that we have taken from the hand of god we may not geve to him And perhaps for feare of such idolatrie the Scottish coÌ„munion taketh so diligent heede that it doth not so much as mention any such offering But if this be most peevish sensles if the prophet David speake far more divinely Tua sunt omnia quae de manu tua accepimus dedimus tibi al things are thine o lord and that we haue receiued of thy hand that render we and offer to thee in sacrifice if it be most true that vvhich hath bene sufficiently declared that this is not only a sacrament for the vse of men but also a sacrifice to the honour of God if this have bene alvvayes the faith of Christs Catholike church then to vse the sacrament as a sacrifice vvhich Christ at the first made a sacrifice and Christians ever vsed as a sacrifice this is no idolatrie on the churches part but rather atheisme impietie blockishnes on the heretikes part to suppose that that vvhich vve take from the hand of God in Christ may not be geueÌ„ to god againe seing that vvhich vve receiued from god in our first creation that is tight and povver over al beastes and creatures of the earth vvas yet rendered backe to god in sacrifice in the vvhole course of the old testament both in the lavv of nature and also in the lavv of Moyses Of the ends for vvhich the sacrament vvas ordeyned The Argument The 4. ends appointed by M. B. why this sacrament was first instituted are for the most part false The sacrameÌ„t was not ordeyned for mutual bene volence among men much lesse to testifie to the Pagans in what sort we worship god VVhich conceit is against the general practise of the primitiue church which kept this sacrament secret and hid from the knowlege of Pagans The chief end of the sacrament is not to figure or represent our spiritual nurriture which we haue in Christ The Scottish â—â— Geneus signe signifieth vnperfitly such nurriture the scripture yeldeth many other signes as good and effectual to signifie as that and therefore as good sacraments It is in the power of man to institute signes as good as this and every vulgar repast vsed among Christians is as good a sacrament M. B. his preaching ioyneth Christs body as nighly effectually sacramentally to every meate and drinke vsed in coÌ„mon howses as to the bread and wine vsed in their communions His resolution how long the holines such as it is of their communion bread endureth CHAP. 13. This hetherto conteyning those few appellations of the sacrament M. B. calleth the first head general of this his second sermoÌ„ The next head general is why the sacraments were appointed VVhich endes he maketh to be 4. The first vvhich is the principal he declâ—reth thus This sacrament was instituted in the signes of bread and wine and was appointed chiefly for this end to represent our spiritual nurriture the ful and perfit nurriture of our sowle That as he who hath bread and wine lacks nothing to the ful nurriture of his body so he who hath the participation of the body and blud of Christ lacks nothing to the ful and perfite nurriture of his sowle To represent this ful and perfite nurriture the signes of bread and wine in the sacrament were set downe and instituted Thus much for the first The second end wherefore this sacrameÌ„t was instituted is that to the world to the princes of the world who are enemies of our profession we might testifie our religion maner of worshipping god and that we might also testifie our love towards our bretherne Because I meane not to make any great stay vpon these in several I vvil therefore ioyne them al together after in fevv vvords shevv vvhat is amisse in any of them The third end is to serue for our special comfort and consolation to serve as a souerain medicine for al our spiritual diseases And when we find our selues ready to fal or that we haue fallen by the world the flesh or devil and wold fayne flee away from god god of his infinite mercy hath set vp this sacrament as a signe on a high hil to cal them again that haue run shamefully away The fourth and last end is that we might render him thankes for his benefites These are the endes for which M. B. teacheth vs this sacrameÌ„t was ordeyned vvhich as they conteyne some truth so yet are they very vnperfite and omit that vvhich in this sacrament and every sacrament of the nevv testament is principal Of the fourth end hath bene spoken before in the name of the Eucharist and therefore I vvil passe it ouer here The second is in part true in part false but no vvay proper or peculiar to this sacrament as he affirmeth True it is as S. Austin writeth that men can not be gathered together in to any fashion of religion ether true or false except they be vnited with some societie of visible signes or sacraments And therefore both among the faithful faithles Iewes and Pagans as likevvise Ievves and Christians the sacraments are some signes of mutual love and benevolence and by them we testifie our religion as Christians towards the true god so infidels to the false But as this is a proprietie or qualitie incident to sacraments of al sortes be they Pagan or Ievvish or Christian so to make it one special end why this sacrameÌ„t was ordeyned is cleane wrong
as the Apostle describes it is no substantial ground no evidence or demonstration and it vvas no offence of the Catholikes to cal it an vncertain opinioÌ„ fleeting in the brayne vvhich now your self confesse to be the very nature of your Genevian faith saying that ever it hes be it wil be and man be doubting X. Faith is the gift of the holy spirit And this gift is not geueÌ„ to al men and women Al hes not faith This gift is not geven vnto al but it is only geven to the elect that is to so many as the Lord hes appointed to life everlasting Contra. VVho soever hath a desire to pray to crave mercy for his sinnes suppose the greatest part of thy hart repine and would draw thee froÌ„ prayer yet assuredly that desire which thow hast in any measure to pray is the true effect of the right faith Prayer is a certain argument of a iustifying faith Ergo al that pray to God have faith Item If thow be content to forgave thy neighbour as freely as God forgave thee assuredly that is the effect of the right spirite Item A third effect of faith is compassion Thow man bow thy hart and extend thy pitie vpon the pure members of Christ For except ye have compassion ye have no faith Examine your selves by these 3. effects prayer forgeving wrongs and compassion and if ye find them in any measure be it never so smal yow have the right faith in your hart yow have the true and lively faith and assuredly god wil be merciful vnto yow Ergo al that pray though neuer so litle or forgeve iniuries and vvrongs done to them freely though never so seldom or be pitifully affected towards a Christian in miserie and geve an almes though never so smale one denier al his life time assuredly al these men have the right faith Fourthly if thy conuersation be good it is a sure token that thow art at one with god No doubt that hart that breakes forth in to good fruites of doing wel and speaking wel is coupled with god And consequently it is sure and there is no doubt but in such a person is faith For no man is coupled with god but by the band of faith Item VVhen thy conuersation thy hart and mouth sais al one thing then no question thow hast the worke of faith wrought by the holy spirit in thy hart Ergo al that live honestly that do vvel and speake vvel doubtles have faith as likewise al that are not dissemblers but speake as they meane and meane as they speake without question have faith vvrought in them by the holy spirit Sixtly ye men also try whether ye be in love charitie with your neighbour Loue is the only marke whereby the children of Christ and members of his body are knowen from the rest of the world And the more we grow in love the more god by his spirit dwels in vs. Alwaies this love flowes from the roote of faith Ergo al men that live quietly in love and peace vvith their neighbours have faith Seventhly and last to talke and coÌ„sider this faith more properly and specially in it self by her more intrinsecal effect and operation by faith we have peace with god To try whether ye have faith or not ye must try whether ye beleeve in the blud of Christ or not whether ye beleeve to get mercy by his merites sanctification by his blud For if ye have no measure of this faith ye haue no measure of peace with God This is the faith which purgeth the hart and purisieth the sowle Ergo al kind of Christians al I say vvithout exception save only perhaps Calvin some Calvinists vvho deny the merite of Christs passion and can not abide to heare of any merite in Christians or Christ him selfe vvhich beleeve that Christ by his passioÌ„ merited our redemption sanctification and salvation have faith VVherefore to conclude this vvith his owne vvords The whole weight saith he of our trial stands chiefly vpon this point to see whether we be in faith or nâ—t to examine whether Christ dwels in vs by faith or not For without faith there can be no coupling nor conioyning betwixt vs and Christ without faith our hart can not be sanctified without faith we can not worke by charitie So al depends on this only For vvhich trial and examination he geveth vs so many sure certain doubtles markes markes vvhereby without question vve may know vvhere this faith is found and these maâ—kes are praier at some time though but coldly forgevenes of iniuries and compassion of the poore though once in ten yeare honest conversation plain dealing love of our neighbour to vvhich by like right and reason he may adde al other civil moral vertues beleef in Christs death and passion VVhere these markes be found he putteth it for sure and certaine vvithout doubt and question that al such men have the right true iustifying faith VVhereof I conclude that according to this his doctrine not only al Christians good bad excepting the Calvinists have faith but also many Turkes and Ethnikes vvho in number of the foresaid vertues far surpasse many kind of Protestants For as S. Austin and S. Prosper vvrite and vve find it true by al learning plain reason and certain experience sine quibusdam operibus bonis difficillime vita cuiuslibet pessimi hominis inuâ—nitur The most wicked man vnder the Sunne be he Iew or Gentile hardly passeth the course of his life without some good workes And therefore ether al these are elect vvhich is vnpossible or al vvhich he putteth downe for such are not sure and certain markes of faith vvhich is true or true it is not that only the elect have faith vvhich to affirme is most false absurd and execrable as vvhich everteth al Christianitie and al sense and meaning of scriptures And these few so palpable contradictions found in so smale a compasse may suffice to declare vvith vvhat substance of diuinitie and constancie of doctrine these men feed their miserable auditors I omit many other as fond and contrarie assertions of vvhich these last two sermoÌ„s seeme in maner vvholy patched vp as a beggers cloke of divers peeces and colours especially if I should compare them also vvith his former sermons as for example in his third sermon faith is the gift of God and only iewel of the sowle in his fift sermoÌ„ prayer is a iewel of the sowle as vvel as faith yea better then faith as being the best iewel and gift that ever God gave man in the fourth Sermon love is a iewel of the sowle to and that better then ether faith or prayer as by which vve best of al grip Christ and applie him to our sowles better then by faith c. These and many more must be omitted both for brevities sake and also because in this