his heauenly father towards vs poore sinfull men And in the fourth yeere after that he was captiued crucified put to death and buried descended into hell and rose againe from the dead the third day and ascended into heauen fortie daies after and set himselfe at the right hand of God the father Almighty from whence he shall returne to iudge the quicke and the dead And therefore we beleeue of Christ that hee is not a bare man Of the person of Christ but that hee is the euerlasting Almighty Sonne of God who at the appointed time tooke the nature of man vpon him and is now together God and man and so shall remaine euerlastingly in one vnseparable person And being thus at present both God and man in one vnseparable person therfore do we beleeue further that all may be said of him that may be said of God and all that may bee said of man yet with this caution that euery thing must bee vnderstood of him to be true the Diuine thing according to the Diuine nature and the humane according to the humane nature For example it may bee said of him that hee is from euerlasting and also hee was first borne in the last times both are true but not both according to both natures For according to the humane nature was hee not from euerlasting Also according to the Diuine nature was hee not borne in the last times But he is from euerlasting according to the Diuine nature and first borne in the last times according to the humane nature According to which then wee doe beleeue that in deed and truth the Sonne of God died for vs but yet not according to the Godhead but only according to the manhood for the Godhead cannot die Also wee beleeue that indeed and truth Christ is present with vs and will so remaine to the end of the world but yet not according to the humanity but the Deity For according to the humane nature is he ascended vp into heauen And the Scripture is manifest which saith That by the offering vp of his body he must enter into the heauenly tabernacles and not remaine vpon the earth else were he not our Priest Heb. the 8.9 and 10. Chapters Of the power of the death of Christ beleeue we that the death of Christ Of the power of the death of Christ whilest hee being not a bare man but the Son of God died is a full and alsufficient payment not onely for our sinnes but also the sinnes of the whole world And that hee by his death hath purchased not onely forgiuenesse of sinnes but also the new birth by the holy Ghost and and lastly euerlasting life But wee beleeue therewithall that no man shall be made partaker of such a benefit but onely he that beleeueth in him For the Scripture is plaine where it saith He that beleeueth not shall be damned Mark 16.16 Also Hee that beleeueth not in the Sonne of God the wrath of God abideth on him Ioh. 3.36 Wee beleeue further that the true sauing faith cannot be without repentance and good workes Of the nature of the sauing faith For such a faith layeth hold on Christ wholly who was made of God not onely righteousnesse to vs but also sanctification 1. Cor. 1.30 We beleeue further that though the true blisse-making faith cannot be without good workes Of the righteousnesse before God yet neuertheles the man before Gods iustice seate that is when he is throughly touched with his sinnes neither can or should beare himselfe vpon his good workes it so being that they are euer vnperfect But that a man shall appeale onely and alone vnto the grace of God before his iudgment seate which grace hee hath prepared for vs in Christ and take hold on the same grace with a beleeuing heart and so will God forgiue him his sinnes and esteeme him iust for the full satisfaction of Iesus Christ And that is our meaning when wee say that man is iustified before God onely by faith without helpe of good workes namely not that good workes should bee abandoned but onely that a man should not put any confidence therein We beleeue further that God hath ordained the preaching of his Gospell to this end Of the Ministery that he would worke in vs faith in Christ therby and that the same preaching of God the Lord is no iest but that it is his earnest will and intent that all people that heare such preaching should beleeue the same should returne to Christ Of the fountaine of faith Wee beleeue further that mankind is so corrupted by the fall of our first Parents that they cannot vnderstand or entertaine the preaching of Christ vnlesse God open their vnderstandings by his holy spirit and turne their hearts to Christ And that therefore the Gospell is not onely a speciall worke oâ— God which God bestoweth not vpon all men but also that the vnderstanding and the receiuing of the Gospell or to speake with one word faith is an especiall worke of God Ephes 2.8 Also 2. Thes 3.5 Which gift no man hath deserued of God It being so that all men are sinners Rom. 3.23 But God giues it by grace to whom he will Rom. 9.18 But those whom he presently will those hath he willed from euerlasting For from the beginning of of the world God knoweth all his workes Act. 15.18 Therefore it is most certaine that no man beleeueth in Christ except God hath chosen him to euerlasting life as Paul saith The election hâ—â—h obtained it the rest haue been hardened Rom. 11.7 Also as Luke saith As many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued Act. 13.48 But therewithall it is also true that we ought not to search into the secret counsell of God whether we be elected or not 2. Tim. 2 19. for such a search is in vaine It being so that God hath sealed the booke of life and will not permit any creature to peepe therein But we ought to keepe our selues to the reuealed word of God which saith that God hath chosen vs in Christ that is to that end he might make vs saued through Christ and no otherwise Ephes 1.3 And there accordingly hee commandeth vs to repent beleeue in Christ and so seeke saluation in him This commandement of Christ should wee endeauour to hold so farre as God giueth vs power and continually pray that God will bee pleased more and more to encrease our faith When wee doe so then need wee not search further whether wee be elected to euerlasting life or not For this is sure and out of all doubt that all those that repent them without hypocrisie and beleeue in Christ are elected to euerlasting saluation But for this cause will not God reueale our election any otherwise then through such testifications that we might not fall into fleshly security But work out our saluation with feare trembling Phil. 2.2 Which feare wheresoeuer it is certainly it is accompanied
he not therefore dispaire in the grace and mercy of God but looke backe and consider the obligement which hee promised God in Baptisme and according to the same contract repent that is be hartily sory for al the euils he hath committed and entreate God that he will pardon the same for Christ his sake and after neuer doe so againe Then will God also consider his couenant and forgiue him his sinnes and giue him more strength to encounter the diuell as hee hath promised in Baptisme And so hath Baptisme his profit power and working so long as a man liueth vpon the earth though not at the very present when a man receiues it For all the promises of God are sealed vnto the beleeuers by Baptisme Ezech. 33 11. vnder which promises this is one where God saith So true as I liue saith the Lord God I desire not the death of the wicked but that hee returne from his way and liue And so is also this promise sealed to vs in Baptisme And therefore wee shall not follow the diuell Ioh. 8.44 who prouokes vs to dispaire Hee is a liar and a murtherer from the beginning But God is a faithfull God Psal 25.3 and neuer deceiued any man who hath put trust in his promises With this may and shall euery poore troubled sinner constantly comfort himselfe And the better to strengthen himselfe in such a comfort Of the holy Supper amongst other meanes he ought often to vse the holy Supper which is the second Sacrament of the new Testament ordained of Christ principally and instituted for that end to set his death before our eyes most cleerly and often times and to assure vs daily more and more of the partaking thereof or the fellowship of his crucified body and shead blood For this is the meaning where he tooke the bread and brake it and said This is my body which is broken for you take and eate c. as if hee spake to euery man in perticular behold heere beloued man I know well that thou art in sorrow for thy sinnes But be of good cheere for as sure as the bread is there broken before thine eyes and the wine is seuered from the bread so certainly was my body broken or put to death for thee vpon the Crosse and my blood was seuered and spilt from my holy body for the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes Also so surely as I giue thee the holy tokens of my body and blood to eate and drinke and thou hast part and fellowship therein as well as others euen so assuredly shalt thou haue part and fellowship in my true body and blood which I deliuered to the death of the Crosse the same was also performed for thy welfare Also thou shalt bee thereby deliuered from the euerlasting hunger and thirst which else thou must haue suffered in hell Lay hold then theron by true faith and as thou there takest eatest and drinkest the holy tokens of my body blood with thy mouth euen so shut vp my crucified body and shead blood into thy heart and then thou shalt neuer hunger and thirst For whosoeuer eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood Ioh 6.35 54 55 56 57. hath euerlasting life and I will raise him vp at the last day yea also in this life will dwell in him and he in me and will continually gouerne and comfort him with my spirit Therefore bee of good comfort beloued man though thou beest but weak No meÌ„ shal pluck thee out of my hand Ioh. 10.28.29 The father who hath giuen thee to me is stronger then all c. This is the first and principall benefit and vse of the holy Supper that wee namely as is aforesaid may bee assured in our hearts daily more and more thereby of the death of Christ and his blessed fellowship or of the couenant of the grace of God which is founded vpon the death of Christ as Christ saith This is the new couenant in my blood as if hee had said that shall be a token and seale or assurance and confirmation of the new couenant which I haue purchased for you with my blood The other benefit is that wee with this honourable ceremony shall publish honour and praise the death of Christ before the whole world as Christ againe said 1. Cor. 11.26 Doe it in remembrance of me And Paul As often as ye shall eate this bread and drinke this cup yee shall shew the Lords death till he come The third benefit is that thereby wee may demonstrate our selues openly to belong to the Communion of Christ and his Church and as the same fellowship requireth to liue holily and to loue one another as members of one body and to say more to reioyce in each other as Paul saith The cup of blessing which wee blesse is it not the Communion of the blood of Christ 1. Cor. 10.16.17 for wee that are many are one bread and one body because we are all partakers of one bread therefore fly from Idolatry 1. Cor. 10.14 and haue no fellowship with the diuels 1. Cor. 10.20.21 c. Also we are all baptised into one body by one spirit namely in Baptisme and haue been all made to drinke into one spirit namely in the holy Supper therefore shall wee as members of one body take care for each other and one member haue patience and compassion with another 1. Cor. 12 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27. And we beleeue lastly that for the most part God holdeth his Church vnder the Crosse and will first make it fully perfect and glorious hereafter in the life to come according to the patterne of his Sonne who entred into glory by affliction and sufferings CHAP. III. That we haue not founded and learnt such our faith from blind reason much lesse from the reuelation of Satan as some calumniate vs nor from the weake writings of men But onely and alone out of the infallible word of God through the gratious inlightening of his holy spirit THis is our faith which wee haue not founded learnt from blind reason as some accuse vs much lesse from Satans inspiration as some calumniate vs for causes which shall bee shewen in the fifth Chapter also not from the weake writings of men but onely and alone out of the vnfallible word of God through the enlightening of his spirit We reade indeed also the writings of men especially those whom God hath stirred vp in these last daies against the idolatrous Popedome such as were of Luther Melancton Zwinglius Oecalampadius Bucer Brentius Caluin Beza c. And confesse to the glory of God that we haue receiued information from them and do daily receiue the better how to vnderstand a â—ight the holy Scriptures and to vse the same to our profit But wee doe not found our selues in matters of faith vpon the same or any mans writings else but we found our selues in matters of
that in the same point also we differ not so much as many people imagine WHich whilest wee doe and seauer as befitteth that which he taught with wel considered counsell from those vnconsiderate speeches which sometimes fell from him in the heate of contention then appeares it plainely that he both beleeued and taught of all and euery necessary point euen as we beleeue and teach that one point of the holy Supper excepted And yet differ we not in the same point so much from each other as many men take it For it so being that in all Sacraments two things are to be considered first the tokens and then the betokened riches whereon out of all doubt more dependeth many thousand times then on the outward tokens then are wee agreeable in all things with Doctor Luther in the betokened treasures of the holy Supper For euen as Doctor Luther taught that the betokened treasures in the holy Supper or the same to which the holy Supper pointeth which maketh a man right and blessed before God is not the bodily but the spirituall eating and drinking of the body and blood of Christ a In the Sermon vpon Sacraments â—ay â—rinted in quarto 1523 in the 55.56.57 deafe Alsâ— in the Church Postil prâ— at Strasburg 1529. in the 2. part 102. Also in another Sermon of the Sacrament in the Church Postil pr. at Wittenberge anno 1540. in the first part 129. euen so teach wee also Also euen as Doctor Luther teacheth That the bodily eating and drinking of the body and blood of Christ is nothing else then to beleeue that Christ hath giuen his body to death for vs and his blood to bee spilt for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes b In the former places Also in the expounding the Epistle on Septuagessimae Sunday pr. in Wittenberge Post 275. B. Euen so teach we also Also euen as Doctor Luther teacheth That all they who doe eate and and drinke spiritually the naturall body and blood of Christ that is that doe beleeue that Christ gaue himselfe to death for them are by such a faith one bread and one spirituall body with Christ and themselues and therefore they can in Christ lay hold on all things and on the contrary they are again indebted to aduenture all in the behalfe of Christ and his members c Jn the former places also in Tom. 3. Ion. 235.206.207 Euen so teach we also Onely heere lies the difference what the outward tokens bee by which bodily eatings from which the vngodly are not exempted the spirituall feeding vpon the body and blood of Christ which belongeth to the children of God is betokened confirmed and sealed We say the same outward tok ns are bread and wine Doctor Luther vnderstands they are not onely bread and wine but also the body of Christ in bread and the blood of Christ in wine And so the difference betwixt our doctrine in the Supper and Doctor Luther lieth not in the ground of saluation but onely in the tokens which should shew vs to the ground of saluation It may please the reader rightly to consider Doctor Luther contendeth very hoâ—ly for the bodily presence and mouthly feeding vpon the body and blood of Christ in the holy supper But for all that he doth not estimate the sâ—m bodily presence and mouthly feeding for to be the true treasure and kernell of the holy Supper but onely to be the tokens or for a part of the tokens whereby the true treasure and kernell of the holâ— Supper namely the spirituall and alone blisse-making feeding of the body and blood of Christ which only is performed by faith is betokened and sealed vnto vs. As is to bee collected by these his words where he saith Christ hath not instituted the two kinds namely bread and wine barely and nakedly but his true naturall flesh in bread hath he giuen and his true naturall blood in the wine that so he might giue a perfect compleat Sacrament Tom. 1. Ien. 205. Also it is not enough to seed vpon the body and blood of Christ outwardly as it is not enough that a man paint oates before a horse to seede him withall Hee must haue true oates a In the Church Post il de Anno 1529. part 2. fo 102. B. Also the flesh is not profitable The words that I speake are spirit and life saith Christ With which words he will shew that the fleshly eating of the flesh is not pr fitable But to beleeue that Gods Sonne is flesh and came from heauen and shead his blood for mee that that is profit and life Therefore to eate the flesh of the Sonne of God and to drinke his blood is nothing else then that I doe beleeue that his flesh is giuen for mee and his blood is spilâ— for me and that hee hath ouercome for mee death diuell hell and all mishaps Out of which faith floweth a powerfull confidence in him and a stout and bold spirit against all mischance so that hereafter I haue no cause to feare whether it bee â—inne death diuell or Hell whilest I am assured that my Lord hath cast them vnder my feet and ouercome them for me That is caused by the spirituall eating and not by the bodily The spirituall and inward eating in the heart doth it not the outward which is effected in the Sacrament b Euen in the same place Behold Reader those our Doctor Luthers owne very words whereby hee manifestly teacheth and witnesseth that the bodily eating and drinking of the body of Christ which he vnderstands to bee acted in the holy Supper not to bee the right blisse-making eating drinking of the children of God but onely that it is a token which the wicked can as well receiue as the godly as he saith in other places Iudas receiues it euen as well as Peter Therefore the difference betwixt vs and Doctor Luther consists not in the foundation of saluation in cause of the holy Sacrament for whether Iudas receiued it as well as Peter that cannot be the foundation of saluation Else were our foundation very barely grounded But the difference consists onely in the tokens which shew vs onely to the foundation of saluation and shall giue vs assurance in our hearts Whilest we now agree in the true ground of saluation that is that the spirituall and alone blisse-making eating and drinking of the body and blood of Christ which is acted by faith as we God bee thanked therein agree in all things together is it not then most lamentable that wee should separate our selues so shamefully one from another about the tokens which the wicked can receiue as well as the godly CHAP. V. Wherefore we cannot agree in all things with Doctor Luther in the point of the holy Supper YEa wherefore doe you it then might some man say Wherefore doe you not giue Doctor Luther and his followers right and so were the contention ceased Answere That is not the way to exclude discord
zeale of truth and peace set forth their Faithfull Admonition wherein they cleared their doctrineâ— from many slanderous imputations â—â—d ofterâ—d the hand of fellowship and brotherhood to then â—ouersaries notwithstandiag their disagreement in some points and laboured also to winne them to peace by all louing and kind protestations yet diuers of a more turbulent nature amongst them haue not spared to exagitate that booke and accuse the writers thereof of fraudulent dealing both in deliuering some and concealing other of their doctrines and in a word to condemne them more then euer they did before for which cause those godly men of the Prince Electors Church were constrained to write this second booke called A full Declaration of their faith and ceremonies that they might stop the mouthes of their malicious aduersaries and shew to the world that they hold no such damnable errours as they impute vnto them My purpose is not commend this small vollume vnto thee for it will commend it selfe if thou please to peruse it with an indifferent eie my intent is onely to shew thee how vsefull it may be to the Church of God The ends of the first writing of it were these first that the world might know what they hold concerning the matter of religion and how sound their faith is in all fundamentall points thereof Secondly that the mouthes of their aduersaries the rigid Lutherans might be stopped who cease not maliciously to lay vnto their charges strange and blasphemous doctrines which they neuer thought nor taught And thirdly that all men might perceiue how those that falsely call themselues Luthers disciples doe swarue more from Luthers opinion then these doe except in one thing onelie which is the doctrine of the sacrament for albeit Luther spake many things in the beat of contention which might seeme to afford some ground to their opinions yet when that heate was cooled and his speeches proceeded from better aduisement hee is so farre from patronizing such paradoxes that none is more contrary vnto them then himselfe is these were ends of the first writing this booke And as for the translating it wanteth not lawful and commendable vses for first we may here see what cause we haue to blesse God for the religeous care of our dread soueraigne in matching his only daughter a princesse peerelesse with a Prince of that soundnesse in religion as the Prince Elector is thereby discouering his singular loue to the truth and his vpright heart to God when as neither masses of treasure nor height of honour did so much preponder at in his royall heart as did true religion and the aduancement of the Gospel and the glory of God What is to marry in the Lord if this be not and what can be a truer token of a religious heart then this is policie councelleth to strengthen states and kingdomes by conioyning them together by marriages And in this respect not only religion is often not regarded but euen natures law contemned as experience sheweth in many places of Christendome and especially in the house of Austria But our religeous Soueraigne esteeming it no policie but vanitie which is not grounded vpon the feare of God the roote of true wisdome hath preferred true religion aboue all and laboured to strengthen himselfe rather in the Lord then in the world Albeit there be neuer the lesse no disparagement in that happie match either in honour he being descended from Kings and Emperours and the principall Elector Emperiall Or in wealth and power his dominion being both great and large able to answere his stoutest enemie in the face if need should require or in gifts of nature of which this whole land and especially Cambridge graced by his highnesse presence are eye and eare and heart witnesses notwithstanding religion was his Maiesties chiefe motiue and so being it giueth vs all his subiects that feare God cause both to praise God for his Maiesties happy raign ouer vs and to lay downe our liues and goods at his feet to giue him contentment and to pray to God with earnest deuotion for the continuing of his life and raigne As also to hope that as his Maiesty hath begun this first happy mariage of his royall issue in the Lord so hee will not swarue from the said rule in the second of him who is the breath of our nostrels and the only radiant starre of our horrison Secondly this Treatise may serue to aduertise vs that we are not alone in the profession of our faith nor doe separate our selues from other reformed Churches but ioyne the hands of fellowship and friendship with the Churches of Germany yea of France the Low-Countries Denmark and all other reformed Churches of the world which howsoeuer they differ from vs in some ceremonies yet in substance of faith we runne all one way and mind one thing And touching Ceremonies being nothing but externall accidents and ornaments of religion that they are not so obstinately maintained by any of vs as if the life of religion should consist therein or that we are not ready to alter and change the fashion of them if necessitie either in respect of charitie or scandall should so require And as for the difference betwixt the Lutherans and Caluinists that they are not so great nor so many as our aduersaries would make them and as the world take them to bee excepting onely a few strange positions broched defended by some of a more rough and bitter spirit of that sect who as they swarne from the standert of their Captaine Luther so are condemned of their owne pewfellowes to whom God hath vouchsafed a more mild and peaceable heart This is plainely discouered in this booke and not onely this but also with what spirit of meekenesse these good men the Authors of this booke are inspired who being reuiled scorned and contumeliously railed vpon by those rough and rigid false disciples of Luther reuiled not againe but after the example of Christ referre the righting of their wrongs to him that is the rightfull Iudge of heauen and earth and by all gentle and louing perswasions labour to winne them to the truth Lastly it may stand vp as a bulwarke against the malicious slanders of our rancored aduersaries the Iesuites and other of the Romish crew and this as in many pointes so especially in these two that the Protestant Church for want of a vissible Iudge indued with infallibillety of iudgement and impossibilitie of erring is rent and torne in peeces into so many sectes as there are particular Churches and almost persons And that we if not professedly yet by consequents hold this damnable doctrine that God is the author of sinne both which slanders are so clearely dispelled in this tract that none can choose but subscribe to the same who is not either mufled with ignorance or blinded with mallice For touching the first here they may see how though we be disioyned by distance of peace yet we accord together in the vnitie of
aforenamed that Christ had himselfe cast away the bodily eating of his flesh Ioh. 6. and that hee were not at present any more bodily on earth but in the heauens according to the article of Christian faith For all which whilest some weake ones were brought into a mamuring by this allegation touching parables the Councell held it for good that the next day they should come together again and should well consider the matter as it behoued And Zwinglius was very well content therewith and in the meane time hee thought further on the same And whilest hee perceiued that it depended principally vpon this that hee should produce examples wherein there were no parables and yet neuerthelesse the word Is was taken for betokeneth hee was very much troubled in himselfe where hee might find such an example And when hee found none before night and went to bed with such a troubled mind in the night that he had this dreame which we now following not with our owne but with his owne words will make manifest Tom. 11. Zwing fol. 249 in subsidio de Eucharistia which truly translated are as followeth It was amongst others not the least trouble namely that I should bring examples in which there were no parables Then thought I heere and there and searched euery where but could find no other example besides those which I had already published in my booke or if I found any then were the same parables But when the 13. day of Aprill approched I tell the truth and it is so certainly true that I tell that my conscience enforceth mee also that I must declare it though I had rather not vtter it But I must vtter what the Lord hath imparted vnto mee though I know very well what iests and mocks will be made of me for it when as now the 13. of Aprill approched I thought in my sleepe as if I were againe disputing with the contradicting Scribe in great heauinesse and that I was so put to silence that I could not stirre my tongue to deliuer that truth which I neuerthelesse well vnderstood in my selfe Which perplexity troubled me very sore as is very vsuall in dreames for I make not relation of any higher then a dreame for so much as concerneth my selfe howbeit it was no small thing which I learned out of the same dreame God bee praised whom onely to honour I make this manifest to the world with this there comes vnexpectedly who hee was I say not for I tell a dreame who put into my mind and said thou sluggard wherefore doest thou not answere him by that which is written in the second booke of Moses in the 12. Chapter for it is the Lords Passeouer So soone as that apparition came before mee I awaked and sprang out of the bed and turned to the specified sentence first in the Greeke Bible and after that I made relation thereof in the best order I possibly could to the whole congregation Which Oration of mine being gladly and willingly heard by them as shall be by and by declared all they that were studious in the holy Scripture and were before brought to doubt by the mentioning of parables were now by this fully freed of all doubtings And they celebrated vpon the same three daies one after the other namely on holy-thursday good friday and Easter day the Supper of Christ in such multitudes the the like thereunto I neuer beheld in all the daies of my life Behold Reader these are the words of Zwinglius of his dreame which words are so euilly construed in diâ—ers places as if he had therby acknowledged that the diuell did reueale vnto him his doctrine of the Lords Supper where he yet for all that twice testifieth the cleane contrary Note Doct. Luther writes indeed the diuell disputed with himselfe and proued vnto him that the hedg Masse was false Tom. 6. Jen. fol 81. But in Zwiglius cannot the like be found and saith that God reuealed vnto him what he learnt in the dreame and his conscience inforced him that hee must tell it to the praise and honour of him Also he maketh no mention in any speech that a spirit appeared vnto him But hee saith onely that one came before him who put in his mind which can also well haue been a man For it befals often that in dreames by night the cogitation of this or that man comes before ones sight as Ananias came in the sight of Paul Act. 9.12 more then that Zwinglius doth not say that he learned his opinion of the holy Supper namely that the word This is my body is in effect as much as this betokeneth my body first of all in a dreame which also he could not say it so being that hee had publikely preached the same oftentimes and had twice maintained it before the Councell But onely this saith Zwinglius that a befitting or example then formerly he could finde was made knowne vnto him in this dreame to make his opinion to bee beleeued the better And so there are three falshoods in this Calumnie The first is that Zwinglius learned his opinion of the Communion first in a dreame The second is that a spirit did reueale such a doctrine vnto him The third is that he confesseth he knew not whether it were a good or wicked spirit The colour the defamers haue for it is this for that Zwinglius saith of the same that hee see in his dreame in Latine Ater an albus fuerit nihil memini this construe they so vpon him as if hee had said whether it was a blacke or white spirit know not I. But first of all Zwinglius maketh no mention of any such matter that it should bee a spirit as is formerly mentioned Secondly the words also white and blacke affoord it not Yea indeed the words affoord the cleane contrary For not of spirits but of men whom one either knowes not or will not know or nominate is it vsuall to say in this manner in Latine Albus an ater fit nescio and it hath no other manner of construction then when a man saith I know not who he is As the truth may bee seene to the desirous Reader in the Adagijs Erasmi Hieron aduersus Heluidium ego ipse qui contra â—escribo cum in eadem vrbe tecum coâ—sistam quâ— balbatis crubâ—scis albus vt aiunt an ater fiâ—nesciâ— Tom 2. fol. 247. Chil. 1. Cent. 6. Adag 99. And Zwinglius also vseth euen the very same forme of speech of the aforenamed Clerke who had so stifly repugned him and saith Whether hee were blacke or white is not necessary to bee spoken in this place For euery honest man seeth plainely that hee would not otherwise say then that hee would not nominate who the same Clerke was which so to doe hee might haue seuerall motiues to occasion him Euen in the like manner would hee not also specifie whom he was that appeared to him in his dreame that none should taxe him