nature is most dul and farre from the true vnderstanding of these mysteries oure Redéemer Iesus Cause of the celebration institution of the Supper is not only content to propounde vnto vs the coniunction which wée ought to haue with him by these similitudes and comparisons of eating and drinking but also hath soughte to shewe vs by some visible Ceremonie the very same thing that hée hath taught vs by worde to the end that not only our eares myght receyue the instruction of his preaching but also oure eyes féede of some visible representation of that which we ought to be in Chryste and Chryste in vs that is to say that wée be members of him nourished with hys proper vertue and that hée hymselfe is our foode 22 Too this ende I beleue that oure soueraine doctour Iesus Chryste after he had supped with his Disciples and celebrated the ceremonie of the Pascal lamb according to the law to shew vnto the people and all the Churche to come a liuely representation of the coniunction whiche hée tooke with his membres by meane of the sacrifice of his death resurrection and glorification He tooke bread and hauing giuen thanks to God his father he brake it and distributed it to his Disciples saying Take eate this is my bodie whiche is deliuered for you And after hée tooke the cuppe and sayd This is the cuppe of the new Testament take and drink you all and doo this in memorie of mée that is as much as if he shoulde say to the end you vnderstand what I am on youre behalfe what remedie I bryng vnto you Interpretation of the wordes of Christe in the Supper what cōiunction it is necessarie you haue with me and I with you knowe ye that I am bread broken offered and sacrifised for the satisfaction of your sinnes whiche bread as I am my selfe so it is néedefull that it be in you and giue you heauenly nouriture euen as the materiall breade giues you corporall reléef And touching the Cup vnderstande you that the same doth shew you the newe Testament and confederation which I practise with you the which testament shal be ratified with my bloud and doo this in memory of me that is to say when you shall breake the breade as I do haue remembraunce that you certifie and assure youre selues that you bée myne and I am youres yea youres in suche sorte as the breade is youres whiche you breake eate and digeste and the Wyne whiche giueth you nouriture 23 Nowe brethren I beséeche you in the name of our redemer Iesus consider without affection if the interpretation of this holy Ceremonie and of these woords be true or not If it bée true to what purpose do we searche so many questions so many subtilties so many vbiquities with other lyke inuentions to entertain the world in blyndenesse To what purpose do we trouble the people with visible ceremonies with persuasiō that by that meane they may receiue Iesus Christe We leaue behind vs alas as it were altogither buried the doctrin of penance Iustification regeneration Sanctification mortification of the old Adam charitie The spirit of god is not linked to outward ceremonies of one to an other things moste important and necessarie and in the meane while we employ and bestow our selues and time in the interpretation of certein ceremonies without the which god is of power to shewe vs that whiche they doe teach vs. We know also that many holy men be deceased very deuoutly hauing receyued Chryst without receyuing the externall signes visible elements of the supper And to what ende would it serue The receuing of the sacraments serue nothing to such as will not receiue Chryst me to eate all the bread which is in Almayne giuen by the hands of the ministers with the words of the supper of Christ if I haue not experienced my renuyng if I haue not tasted my regeneration if I be not certified that God hath reconciled me with him receyued me to his mercy that by suche féeling or taste I do not assure my selfe to haue receyued Iesus Christ 24 This is the doctrine this say I is the preaching which we ought to preach and repreache repeate and remember alwayes to the people restore to the myndes of the ignorant and propounde to those that come to learne of vs not by the subtilties of the right hande of God vbiquities and suche like imaginations This is a thing very miserable in oure tyme that those which speake of the communication of Iesus Christe be suche as least proue such a cōmunication in themselues a thing to bée séene by their writings for they speake of Iesus Chryste either shut within an armorie or enclosed in past within bread vnder the bread or with the breade or from vs by .xiiij. or xv thousand iorneys as though the true Temple of Iesus Chryste is any other thing than the hearte of a faithfull man and he that sercheth it without shal both lose his paines and remayne frustrate of his hope 25 Let vs speake my brethren of Iesus Chryste and his communication as people prouing and féeling in our selues what it is to be nourished in oure consciences and soules with the presence vertue of the same otherwise to what vse will serue vs our subtill interpretatiōs particular declarations whiche wée bryng foorth In the ende the worlde is not so blynde but they can and will vnderstand and fynde that we are rather ledde by a spirit of stomack than of the true zeale of Gods glorie in the ende euery one will sée that those preachers searche no other thing than to mainteyne them selues in the friendship of the world 26 But nowe to returne to the confirmation of the vnderstandyng that wée The vnderstādyng of the wordes of the holy Supper haue giuen to this place of the holy Supper let vs consyder that if in all things that Christe our Lorde hath propounded to manyfest the necessitie that wee haue to be in him and he in vs wée shold serche a presence corporall and fleshly it should bée as who say neuer to come to ende for in the olde Testament Christe hath bin propoūded to vs in diuers creatures as a lamb Manna Water Stone Table meate bread feasts other things as may bée séene by suche as reade the holy Scripture Hée him selfe in his preachings doth cal him a way a doore bread of children a vyne with other like thinges Note the absurditie of the false interpretation of the wordes of the Supper Now if in place where Christ sayd I am the doore who entreth not by mée shall not be saued he had sayd this I am he shewyng with his finger a doore shal we say for al that that Chryst hath transformed or transubstanciate him self into the matter of a doore if our redéemer in place where he sayd I am the vine and you are the brāches had sayd this am I shewing Note the
I could wel haue pardoned you the obmyssyon of the subtill questions you vse therin searching curiously the house wherin Chryst dwelleth Item what make we of ascension or the signification of this woord heauen or the right hande of God so that you woulde teach vs the true meane to receiue Iesus Chryste into oure selues séeing it pleaseth him in respect of his goodnesse too make his dwellyng in the hearts of the faithful and regenerate Otherways of what vse is Iesus Chryst to vs being so farre from the hart of man as you make hym B. 4. 42 Touching youre place of iustifying faith I vnderstande not your language where you say that only fayth by meane whereof wée take as of a hande the benefite of Iesus Chryste too obteine iustification regeneration and health and immediatly after you saye that by the Sacramentes are imputed and applied too vs the Iustyce and merite of Iesus Chryste B. 4. 43 In the doctrine of iustification you say it is a moste harde question to knowe what is that true iustice whiche makes vs iuste and agréeable to God with atteinement of eternall lyfe but I had rather that without so many argumentes confutations and subtilties you hadde shewed to the poore and ignorant people what is the christian iustice and by what meane she is giuen to vs. B. 5. 44 Touching the point of good works you say that the works which mē ought to cal good are those which God demaūds in his word and that those which be regenerat and guided by the spirit of God are they which shew the frutes of a good Trée I beléeue it well and conclude vpon youre saying that who hath not zeale loue charitie who suffereth not all thyngs with pacience taketh euery thing in the beste parte couereth the faultes of his neighbour and laboureth not to put peace in place of dissentiō can not haue regeneration And touchyng the rest of your questions whether good woorks concurre in iustification as a cause formall or efficient the simple people hath not to do contenting themselues with this beléef that regeneration faith without good works is a mere hipocrisie and thing dead and that it is necessary that our newe obedience serue as witnesse of oure reconciliation and iustification 45 Nowe deare brethren as I am voyde of intent herein eyther to examin or exaggerate the newnesse of your confession and much lesse to confute it by argumentes so I will leaue to the consideration of the Reader your excuse in cutting off the cōmaundement of the liuing God vnder pretext of certeine gloses and distinctions vnworthy to be vttered for here we do not dispute whether the commaundement not too make any images of veneration be a commandement particular or an appendix of an other whether it be ceremoniall or morall but we will here maynteine that it is an audacitie most cursed to cut off from the law of oure God any one woord séeing specially that that summe and content of cōmaundement is so short and compendious that it conteineth but ten commaundements the which if God woulde haue abridged he knew better how to do it than we and therfore such as vndertake to correct his stile and accuse him of prolixitie giue sufficient proofe of their abhominable temeritie 46 But let vs now come to the principall poynt of your debate and auncient question the which vpon a brauery you séeme to renue vppon euery purpose and place without hauing respect to the gret slaunder of those that bée weake First you vtter the summe of your confession of the Supper in these words The opinion of Mathias Yllyricus and his companions touching the Supper Credimus igitur Christo affirmanti quòd corpus sanguis eius verè ac realiter in sacra Coena adsit deturque externo modo accipiendum cum pane vino non fide tantùm aut spiritualiter idque tam ab indignis quám à dignis sumatur contraria docentes cum Augustana confessione consentiendo damnamus That is to say Wée beléeue in Chryste who assureth vs that his body and bloud be truly and really in the sacred supper and that it is giuen vs in taking it outwardly with the bread and wyne not only with faith and spiritually the which body is eaten as wel of the vnworthy as of those that be woorthy And those that shall teache the contrary wée stickyng to the Confession of Auspurge do condemne them 47 Sée here my brethren your goodly entrie of the article of your Supper which we may not improperly liken to that of the newe inquisitors who condemne anathematize excommunicate and call Heretikes and confounders of the church all those whiche receiue not their confession which me thinke you do also as of purpose to maynteyne youres of Auspurge as though it were a fyfth Gospel or newe Symbole of the Crede What shall wée saye brethren too these matters haue you no shame that men of good iudgement and vnderstandyng shoulde reade suche haultie and rashe woordes Who are they that haue set the authour of the Confession of Auspurge or that of yours in suche authoritie or degrée of the Churche tht they may pronounce Sentence of damnation ageynste suche as wyll not admit theyr interpretation vppon a place or Text of the Scripture What is hée of any iudgement at all who wyll not feare to forsake the tyrannie of the Papistes to enter into an other almost of lyke condition Wée call the Pope Antechryst tyraunt and butcher of mens consciences bycause that without libertie to heare men speake he condemneth and excommunicates them and yet your doings are nothing inferior to his crueltie in pronouncing condemnation not onely ageinst your enimies but also ageinst suche as you receiue for youre brethren and companions in the woorke of the Lorde and who no lesse for the duetie of Christians than to take away the slaunder from the Churche of Chryste do searche by all theyr possible meanes too lyue in loue and friendship with you 48 I could willingly say to the author of your confession as the Apostle sayth my brother my frend what art thou that Rom. 14. condemnes the seruāts of an other Who hath giuen thée such power Art thou his redemer Art thou his iudge Art thou he in the name of whome he hath bin baptised Hath he not a maister who if he fall wil raise him agein and hath the power to do it But of what purpose are these words when we finde our harts so hardned that wée féele not at al the very chastisements which God lets fal vpon our heades 49 Let vs marke and consider what miserable issues our prechings confessions wrytings and commentaries bring forth Let vs also behold what frutes are brought to oure audience by oure words what reformatiō of life in our churches wherin raign still wātōnesse lubricities gluttonies dronkennesse vsurie deceits with a thousād such like vices which we let passe making our selues many tymes by winking companions to
AN EPISTLE or godlie admonition of a learned Minister of the Gospel of our Sauiour CHRIST Sent to the Pastoures of the Flemish Church in Antwerp who name themselues of the Confession of Auspurge exhorting them to concord with the other Ministers of the Gospell Translated out of French by Geffray Fenton Here may the christian Reader lerne to know what is the true participatiō of the body of CHRIST what is the lauful vse of the holy Supper PRINTED AT LONdon by Henry Bynneman ANNO. 1569. CVM PRIVILEGIO To the right worshipfull Iohn Byron Esquier Geffray Fenton wisheth a happy new yeare with a gladsome continuance of many IN obseruing sir this last yere your order condition of doing I founde the custome and course of your vertues nothing inferiour to the cōmon opinion of the same Wherof as I proued peculiarly in my self by many means times but most by a ciuile cōuersation of your companie during the best part of the sommer so I accōpt my selfe no lesse vnworthy of such benefite passed than vnmete eftsoones to vse or participate with the like if such det be not discharged by some thankefull argument of good will compounded with matter of myne own indeuor according to the qualitie of my talēt And albeit I haue at tymes heretofore protested vnto you simply my seruiceable vnfained zeale wherof I hope you doubt not yet me thinkes with the nature of a barren soyle yelding no fruite the same might seeme no lesse vnprofitable vnto you than imperfecte in my selfe if it be not approued with some absolute and vnfayned shewe and that in the publyke eye of the worlde in whiche respect I haue presumed to lay afore you this little Translation a worke neyther improper for the purpose of good doctrine nor impertinent to the profession of a true Christian and for the mater it discouereth a a most perfect Methode or plot to discerne the principall pointes of our Religion with certein speciall places of Scripture toward the ende to induce the church to vnitie and the people to imbrace the league of charitie left vs by Christ as well in the example of himselfe enduryng sundry sortes of villanous reproches as in the president of his Apostles and Prophetes who suffered with greate pacience the barbarous disposition of the enimies to their religion This as I culled out amongst other as a worke resembling your owne vertues so in the often reading it I doute not you shall finde a happie confirmation of iudgement in good things the same as the Apostle sayeth being one chiefe and principall frute of knowledge and therfore moste necessarie that we acquaint our myndes with godly exercises and meditations of Religion praying you lastly to let it receyue youre protection to the ende our countrey and Christian neighboures by youre meane the rather may plentifully participate in the benefite of the same wherin also I accompt my trauaile sufficiently aunswered if this become thankfull to you in sort of an earnest peny or first offer of my good will reseruing notwithstanding to giue a better shewe hereafter as tyme with quiet leysure shall assist me And so God giue you a good new yeare and confirme vs all in his holy feare At my lodging the tenth of Decembre 1569. Your sure frende Geffray Fenton A prayer of the Author for the concorde of doctrine and vnitie in wils in diuine things apperteyning to the aduauncement of the Gospell of CHRIST O Eternall and mercifull Lord who as thou art God of peace loue and concord so dissētions quarels and debates are hatefull vnto thée We sée how with good right thou chastisest oure malice and rebellion ageinst thée by the diuersitie of opinions and strange iudgements raigning at this day amongst men specially in the cause of religion In the beginning Lord thou hast created man to thyne own image and likenesse to the ende that he and his posteritie mighte be one thing with thée hauing one only opinion led according to thy holy worde and manifestation and one wil affected to embrace that which thou deman dest whereupon might folow workes conformable to thy diuine and holy lawe But the serpent enemie of all peace and on the cōtrarie a louer of dissention and discord taught oure first Fathers the lesson of infidelitie distrust presumption and arrogant curiositie Alas our good God and creator that we feele and make dayly experience of miserable effects of that lesson printed by Sathan in our harts for euery one of vs striues to be a god vppon earth euery one pretends to be able by the touche of his owne iudgement to discerne whiche is good or euill what is agreable or inconuenient to thy diuine Maiestie yea euery one thinkes to be the maister that ought to instruct his neighbour Take pitie of vs O Lorde and deface in oure hartes this peruerse lesson full of ambition pride make vs vnderstand in good earnest that thou art hée only to whom belongeth to discerne betwene the good and euill and betwene the truthe and dreames and that it is thou lord who by thy eternall worde Iesus Christe giuest lighte manifestation knowledge of thy secretes to those that feare thée thou art he alone who by thy holy spirit doest direct teach thy disciples which make them of thy schole and worde Withoute thée Lorde wée are lost and confounded without thy truthe wée are liers without thy doctrine we bée falsefiers without thy instruction we bée presumptuous proud Alas wée euen wée miserable creatures to giue oure selues an estimation in the world forsake thy eternall worde whiche is the trée of euerlasting life and go deuouring the frute of knowledge gyuen by Sathan From thence Lorde it comes that our knowledge and wisdome is accompanied with pride and arrogant contention not giuing place one to an other whereby wée shewe that oure wisdome and knowledge is not from aboue for by the same wée faine to searche thy glorie and to blisse and prayse thée as our GOD and Father and in the meane while to mainteyne our opinions wée accurse men fashioned to thyne owne Image and likenesse in suche sorte that out of one only mouth procéedes bothe cursse and blissing a thing whiche might séeme both impossible and incredible if dayly experience did not discouer theyr manifest and absolute effectes For howe is it possible that a fountayne should caste out of one vent or spoute water that is pleasaunt and withall bitter and salte Who can beléeue that a Figge trée can bring forth Olyues or a Vine yeld Figs Truly Lorde such contrarieties are not so contrarie in naturall things as is manifested in things spiritual wherin we deale For how should men beléeue our wordes saying we loue God when by our workes we discouer a certeyne hate ▪ to our neyghbours We saye we search no other thing than the aduauncement of the kingdome of Christ and yet wée afflict and persecute the very members of Christ We crie with open throate
that we are of the Ambassadours of the holy Gospell of peace and yet our attemptes and councels are not but of warres murders and effusions of mans bloud Oh most wretched that we are we rayse and lifte vp our handes to praye and call vpon thée which notwithstanding are all sprinkled and goared with the bloud of those whiche thou haddest made liuely by thy wonderfull prouidence Seing that such is our wisdome sprong of oure belâ—â—fe that is to say earthly sensuall and diuellishe accompanied with enute wrath trouble with all workes of peruersitie giue vs Lorde by thy bountie thy wisedome from an highe whiche may be pure peaceable moderate tractable full of mercie and good frutes and far from debates dissentions and all hipocrisie bring to passe lord that the frutes of iustice may be sowen in peace for those whiche vse make peace and by those which be the true pronouÌ„cers and shewers of the same peace bring to passe Lorde that we shewe our selues wise and well aduised not onely in vaine wordes and bable of Religion but let vs bring forth in our conuersation the frutes of the Gospell wherein we beléeue accompanying our faith with workes of humilitie and celestiall wisdome Take pitie on vs O Lorde by thy bountie and mercie for we confesse to haue offended thée greatly and withoute measure and we confesse that the rebukes whiche thou sendest vppon vs are but the iuste rewardes of our merites Thou Lord sufferest that we haue warre dissentions quarelles and debates and that we committe vnnaturall murder one vppon an other and that more for the cause of our particular opinions than in respect of zeale to thy glorie whereof notwithstanding we vaunte our selues thou sendest to vs the messangers and Heraldes of thy wrathe that is to saye infections of the aire contagious diseases pestilence famine shipwracks with other like arguments of thy heauy displeasure towardes vs and yet we harden our hartes thou sufferest that straunge Nations Barbarous and Idolaters do raise them selues against vs for the ouerthrowe of the Churches and Assemblies where thy name ought to be glorified and wée trusting in our owne forces industries and frayle wisdoms will not haue recourse to thée and therefore with good right oh Lorde thou leauest vs to the mercie of the infidelles and sufferest the superstitious to haue victorie ouer vs. Oh Father of mercie bestowe vpoÌ„ vs thy pitifull eyes reforme our hartes and oure affections engraue in vs the only zeale of thy glorie graffe in our mindes the true trée of life whiche is Iesus Christe our Sauiour and Redéemer the fruts of whom do make vs liuely let vs be filled with true fayth liuely hope mutual and brotherly charitie that we exercising in works of true mortification iustice innocencie and holinesse may be in the ende possessors of the eternal life for the obteyning whereof we haue bin chosen predestinate to the prayse of thée oh father of mercy and of thy Christ our only sauiour to whome with thy holy Spirit be glorie prayse for euer Amen A prayer to Iesus Christ for peace and vnitie in the Church by Geffray Fenton O Soueraigne Lorde who beyng the eternall worde and true GOD with God thy father didst take our nature to visite in forme of man the poore children of Adam lost by their infidelitie distruste and peruerse opinion against their Creator And also by thy meane and remedie hast eftesones restablissed the confederation betwene GOD and vs approuing the same most painfully in the mortall martyrdome of thy most innocent body bléeding on the crosse for the expiacion of our sinnes we beseche thée oh Sauiour of the world that euen as thou arte come to consuÌ„mate and confirme our recoÌ„ciliation thou wouldest also reconcile our hartes knitte oure wils and sende thy spirit of truth amongst vs to the ende that we all concurring in one iudgement and opinion may remember that we are called to bée members of one body whereof Lord we acknowledge thée to be the chiefe and supreame head and so detesting inciuill partialities we may be of one opinion agrée in one minde and vse one mutuall and charitable direction touching the matter of oure Religion Thou hast left vnto vs O Lorde the celebration of thy holly Supper as a memortal of oure communion and spirituall vnitie with thée and also to instructe vs in suche lawes of charitie as ought to be of familiar conuersation amongest vs all And yet we such is the nature of our fragilitie and condition of our vnworthinesse as we abuse the excellent benefite of that most high fauour séeing that in place to tye and conioyne our selues with thée we doe more estraunge vs from thée and that by reason of our quarelles and questions of contention In place to consider that we are one bodie one churche and one bread made of sundrie graines we shewe our selues proude and giue sundrie proues of our ambition in séeking to establishe a speciall estimation of our peculiar and priuat opinions in handling very often thy presence in thy holly Supper by subtill disputation we become farre from thy true and liuely presence in contending whether the sinners vnfaithfull may communicate thy body we make our selues sinners and incapable to receyue and enioye thy benefites lastly and in effect oh Lord our zeale is so indiscrete that in stryuing to enterteyne the puritie of the doctrine of fayth we breake the league and lawe of charitie yea in persecuting with rebuke such as we accompt to be heretikes in the doctrine of fayth our malice with want of discretion makes vs séeme transnatured into heretikes of charitie corrupting the meanes of coÌ„munication and brotherly vnitie I beseche thée therfore oh sonne of God let thy gracious pitie fall vppon vs and so open the eyes of our vnderstanding as we may discerne the true frute of thy holy institutioÌ„ and ordinance take from amongest vs all sectes and varieties of opinions and reduce vs at last to the obedience of thy holy and only worde reueale vnto vs thy holy spirite with this priuilege of grace that by hys vertue he may drawe vs all into one corporation and bodye whereof thou O Lord mayest be heade and lette him breath into vs strengthe and power to perseuer in workes of true Iustice innocencie and holynesse duryng oure course in this tragical and miserable pilgrimage and in the ende let we beséeche thee the same holy spirite translate vs into the eternall life purchased to our vses by the sacrifice and oblation of thy most precious death wherin thou raignest now gloriously with the Father and holy Ghoste and there shall remayne infinitely AMEN To my most dearely beloued in our Lorde Iesus Christ the only Redéemer and aduocate of men towards the heauenly Father my brother Ministers and Pastors in the church of Antwerp namyng them selues of the Churche of Auspurge Grace and peace from God and his Sonne IESV CHRIST to the ende that by the bond of
his holy spirite we may al be knit in the vnitie and Confession of the Gospel of Christ AT my firste cōming to this town of Antwerpe ryght honorable in Christ and that at the request of certeine the Faithfull there I found cause of singular comforte in the view of the wonderfull woork raised vp by the Lorde by meane of his seruants and that in so shorte tyme as sauing to suche as haue assisted it it maye séeme no lesse impossible than incredible For if we wonder in certeine Trées and Fruits who sometimes yeld encrease aboue custome or against the cōmon course of Nature as though the Lorde were of purpose to releue and restore some countrey afflicted with hūger what may we say of these spirituall plantes whiche the Father of mercy so sodeinly and ageynst al hope of man hath set and planted in these Low countreys specially in this citie of Antwerpe Truly we are bound to acknowledge it as a worke of strange maruell of our God and to say with the prophet this incredible encrease hath bin made by the Lord whom we find worthy of admiration in our eyes it is the right hand of God which hath reueled his vertue it is the right hand of God that hath exalted vs it is the right hād of God that hath manifested his power we shall not die at al but we shal liue to declare the doings of the Lord wherin as I entred more déeply into the view cōsideration of these things so I thought it also an office and duetie in mée to crie with the sayde Prophet Confirme Lord and aduaunce the woorke thou haste begon in vs buyld vp ageyne the walles of thy holy temple restore the ruines of thy Heauenly Ierusalem to the end that the Kings and Princes of the earth may come to doo thée homage and offer presentes gather together agein O God the dispersed of Israel 2 This was the cause wherin I reioyced for certeyn dayes with glad continuance till vpon further viewe of the matters of estate within the citie I found occasion to conuert my cōtentmēt intoo cōceites of sorowe as séeing on euery syde with what diligence Sathan laboured to hinder the aduauncement of this church not only by means of open enemies but also by the indiscretion want of regard in such as name themselues maister Masons in the house of God for such as feared God and wished a publication of his glory cried out exclamed that the chair of truth was becom the chaire of dissentiō seruing no more as a pulpit to preach Iesus Christ the appeasor of troubled cōsciences to pronoūce an vnitie a brotherly charity nor the mortificatiō of the old Adam with the wicked motions of concupiscence but rather it was vsed as a place of inuectiues iniuries with wordes of malice In the Pulpit oughte not be preached other words than of God to know serue Christ tending to a mutual hate of one towards another dissention of doctrine wherin vpon inquirie of such fault with the circumstance authors of the same I fynd your syde not least giltie as being suche amongest you who in open assemblie with woords and libels of malice are not ashamed to cal the other Ministers of the Gospel Heretikes Sacramentaries rebels ageynst the state people vnwoorthy of place in the common wealth with other words improper for the maiesty of such a place which is cōsecrated purposely to teach the word and will of our God 3 Now brethren if such or such lyke matter of reproche should be pronounced in the Pulpit of certein Moonks or monstrous Friers the very organs of the Romaine Antechrist sent of their suppostes to trouble the church of Christ to darken his glory and resist the aduancement of his kingdome we woulde endure them with pacience as knowyng well inough that such sort of Prophetes be the disciples of Balaam who sell theyr tongs to curse the people of God yea somtimes agaynst the sense of their propre conscience wée assure our selues that the mouth of suche hypocrites cānot bring foorth other than woordes of infection and full of tast of all euill for they as they are painted sepulchres so canne they not vomit vp other Description of the false Prophets and prechers of the Papistes matter than suche as is couertly couched within that is to say all infection and filthynesse And we are most certeine that those kinde of people bequeathed to Baall and contentement of theyr bellie séeing the fal of their Marmit by litle and litle will enforce them selues to exclaime agaynst them that discouer theyr abuses hypocrisies and villanous trumperies wee beléeue also that suche suppostes of Sathan who from the begynnyng hath bin the Authour of dissention a louer of murder with desire of effusion of bloud wil labor in the imitation of their father and maister and that vnder the pretence of the Gospell they will proclaime sedition trouble and as the Prophet sayth vomite furious matter agaynst suche as stuffe not their bellies according to their fansies and fashions of custome of suche sorte of railers wée receyue no greate care séeing wée are not ignoraunt with what iudgement and punishement God will visite them though hée be long for they be of that sorte of whome the Apostle Iude speaketh in his Epistle catholicke as vpon whom euill shall happen Reade the Epistle of S. Iudas the Apostle for they followe the trayn of Cain they abāden them selues into the error of the hyer of Baalam they shall perishe according to the contradiction of Corus They are stained at the Banket of the charitable and Faythfull feedyng them selues without feare they are cloudes without water caried away with euery wynde they be trées whose fruite is rotten corrupted and of no commoditie twice dead once by the vniuersall corruption of Adam wherewith all men be stained and the other by the death of theyr Monkery with the whiche they haue dedicated to Baal their bodies and theyr seruices they be ragyng waues of the sea skumming their villanies errant starres for whom is prepared the shaddowes of the euerlastyng darkenesse They are murmurers quarellers walkyng accordyng to theyr couetousnesse theyr mouthes pronoūcing words of venomous substance and louing men onely for their profite They incense diuisyons and are people of sensualitie impartyng nothyng with the Spirite They are the very paynter and portraite whiche the Apostle speaketh of in suche sorte of Preachers And therefore doe wée estéeme of them as they deserue not fearyng any harm they can do to the troupe or felowship electe of God for they discouer sufficiently their poyson and the leuyn of the Phariseys 4 But touchyng you deare and honourable brethren one woorde procéeding from your mouth pierceth the heart and giueth vs cause of singular sorrow with feare least the same stirre vp slaunder to the flocke of Iesus Christe And wo be to hym that shall bée the cause of suche slaunder ageynst one of the least
it were better that such a one had fastned to his necke a great Mylnstone and cast into the bottom of the sea than to be suffered to offende and put dissention in the church which the Lord begins to norish in this towne and who now being in hir cradle is in more necessitie to be fed with the true woord of god releued in hir afflictions and comforted in hir persecutiōs than to be disquieted with subtil and curious questions diuisions and debates vpon the matter of our confession wherin as we both féele and sée the wonderful benefits which the Lord hath layde both vpon you and vs hauing drawne vs out of the miserable quagmier and marish of superstition and idolatrie amongest the Papists so let vs wish that as true Ministers of God we may employ our selues with one accord to set foorth the glorie A mean to accorde questiōs cōcernyng the doctrine of him who of prisoners of darknesse hathe made vs happie members of his moste cléere lyght If there be any thing which you iudge not well vnderstanded of vs were it not better to come to conference with vs or vse brotherly admonition than to exclaime in the Pulpit and fill the Bookebinders shoppes with Inuectiues and Apologies of spite were it not better with inuocatiō of the name of the Lord to entertaine quietly the affaires of the aduauncement of his glorie than to leuie warre against oure selues with the shot of the pen whose wounds are farre more daungerous and incurable than the smitings eyther of the bow or crosbowe bicause the one offends but Warre of learned men most slaunderous the body and flesh and the other pierceth both depely and bloudily the renoume of the person whiche euery one holdeth in value more deare and precious than eyther golde or siluer with all the riches in the worlde 5 Alas miserable and wretched that we are what cōdemnation what iudgement do we heape vpon our heads when we preach to the Souldiers to lay away their armes and forbeare to offend common wealths and wée euen we our selues doo carie in our Inkhorns weapons most sharpe with arrowes of poyson to thunder vpon such as doo not offer themselues wholly to our aduise and opiniōs and refuse to hazarde theyr Faythe in the interpretations whiche wee make of Gods woorde 6 Thys arrogante ouerwéenyng is Whereof it cōmeth that the audience in the reformed church bee deformed in lyuing the cause why the Lorde suffereth that the frute of oure preachyngs is eyther none at all or at least of so little effect that oure Audience in theyr lyfe and conuersation doo declare what slender knowledge and feare of GOD they learne by oure Exhortations God suffereth also to fall vppon vs Inquisitours and Persecutoures in the verye same sorte that wée presume to bee the Censors of the Faythe of others And bycause wée wyll rule all the worlde by the touche of the Sentence and aduise of this or that man the Lorde incenseth the very Children them selues to calle vs Parciall Sectatoures and Admiratours of the opynions of men namyng some Martinistes some Caluinistes some Ozeandrines some Melancthonystes and some Brentiens wyth diuers other like names and that with good ryghte bycause wée haue not oure eyes fixed on the onely aduauncemente of the glorie of Iesus Chryste and his Churche whyche is Catholike and vniuersall But euery one wyll deale aparte euery one entice and drawe hys audience aparte euery one maynteyne the renoume of his institutour and that which woorse is euery one as supreame Iudge giues sentence of condemnation without appeale ageynst others 7 Of thys myserable cause it commeth to passe that this Churche béeing at this day deliuered from the insupportable inquisition and tyranny of the Papistes and that by the grace of GOD and goodnesse of oure Kyng and Soueraigne Magistrate wée haue notwithstanding amongest oure selues supreme inquisitors who with an arrogancie aboue the Pharisies call the other doggs and worldlings not considering belike such is their arrogancie that this word worldlyng or of the worlde carryeth wyth it an vnreuerent spyte to the body of Christe according to that he hymself doth say that the world is his enimie and that he wil not pray for it Al which condemnation is founded vpon that that the worldlings as they call them will not accommodate themselues to the administration of the Sacraments in their fashion nor florish in imaginations and questions of subtiltie but are contented in the simplicitie of the woorde of God with direction of the holy Spirite to instruct their consciences 8 Other there be who of their confessions Catechismes Commentaries and traditiōs make as it were a fifth gospel giuing no lesse authoritie to their particular interpretations than if they were of the Articles of Faith not refusyng to call all them heretikes who poynte by poynt doo not folow their imaginations whiche although were good and substanciall to edifie yet are they none other thā the breath of men and therefore vnwoorthy of cōparison with the eternall woord 9 These things Brethren with the consideration of them mouyng no small sorow in my mind foreseing as it were the breach whiche Sathan myght make in the house and troupe of God by such a mean procured me to attempt familiarly one of your brethren and companions in the woork of God who as he séemed of some superintendence and authoritie amongst you so I imparted with him the M. Yllyryc great slaunder growyng to the neighbor churches thereabout by suche differences and dissentions manifestly published not only by bookes of infamie but also in iniurious inuectiues in open assemblies whome I requested in the name of the Lorde to exhorte his companions to forbeare their further procéedings in suche sort with discontinuance of their slaunderous order of dooings altogether vnworthy of the ministerie of Chryst 10 His answer hereuntoo argued his sufficient forwardnesse complaining albeit ageynst others and saying that the best meane for accorde were to bryng in disputation and to hādle chiefly the question vpon the Lordes Supper vpon the diuers and sundry construction whereof sprong bothe the disorder and dissention I sayd there was slender hope of present accorde this way if bothe the one and other would not disclaime their stout and straunge order in proponing their opinions and interpretations For sayde I if they obserue no more modestie in their woordes than they haue vsed temperance in their bookes and wrytyngs neyther can the cause bée determined nor the erroure reduced for whiche respecte I accoūt it not out of purpose to take a Confession of Fayth and imparte with the people those Articles wherein wée all agrée leauing the reste that maye bring likelyhood of dissention or slaunder to the Church 11 Herein hée séemed to aprpoue my aduise with persuasion that to take the Confession of Auspurge were most necessarye to enforce thys accorde subsignyng suche Articles as with good conscience wée myghte receyue and interprete the
other accordyng to oure vnderstanding which wée haue already doone with meaning to bring them to light to the edification of the Church to the ende euery one may sée that the controuersy is not so greate as is giuen oute to the people who being bothe troubled and amazed with suche diuersities knoweth not what pathe to treade hearyng some preache that Christe is here and other saye hée is not there but here The Churche of Chryste is not suche one but oures is the right Churche wée are of Paule and they bée of Cephas and others of Apollo Alas are wee baptised eyther in the name of Paule Iohn or Martine Is not onely Iesus Chryst our Redéemer Is it not in hys name that wée are baptized and broughte into the Churche Is not hee the souerayne Doctoure graduated not at Paris but in Paradyse whome our Heauenly Father hath ordeyned for our chief schoolemaster with expresse commaundement to heare him Why then doo wée seeke so many maysters and forgers of Doctrine To conclude I desired the sayde Minister to absteyne from iniurious inuectiues and words of quarel in bookes with exhortation to his companions to modestie and séemely temperance in their prechyngs also to persuade the people to faith mortification and brotherly charitie whiche albeit they haue not obserued but rather in the contrary haue vsed words of slaunder in the very Pulpit teaching by that mean their audience to imitate their disorders And which woorse is you other my brethren euen of late haue caused to be imprinted certein Libels wherin you haue reuersed the names of persons ▪ and by conuersion and change of letters haue most iniuriously handled a certeyn minister of the Gospel calling him a brand of hell or such lyke name of reproch a subtiltie farre vnworthy your vocation 12 If these matters growe to continuance it is not to be douted good brethren that the iudgement of God wil not thunder vpon our heads when beléeue mée the liuing God will know how where to finde vs though we be vnder the protection of greate Princes for the Lorde will not leaue vnpunished suche insolencis and mistakings of his deare Church the whiche as hée hath boughte with his bloud and deliuered from the tirannie of Antechrist so now such people would eftsoones suppeditate and persecute hir vnder colour of pietie and instruction of certein persons whom the Lord hath stirred vp to minister and serue in his temple And to speake more cléerely in this matter knowe yée good brethren that touchyng Martine Luther Phillip Melancthon The authoriti◠of Luther and other Doctors of the gospell with other like men wée estéeme thē true seruants of god to whom as the holy spirit hath plentyfully imparted his giftes and graces so haue they laboured with an ernest care both to impugne the abuses crept into our christian religion and also to manifest the truth of the Gospell of Chryst albeit we must and do acknowledge them to be no more than mē and so by consequence subiect to be ignorant in many things for so God vseth to bestow his giftes and graces vpon men as the condition of their ignorant nature may shew that they bée not Gods vppon earth 13 Besides that it hapneth many tymes that the seruants of God do obserue a certein special wisdom as not willing to reueale all they do vnderstande fearyng theyr audience not to bée as yet capable of suche Doctryne the same happenyng The wisdome of S. Peter euen to Saincte Peter the Apostle of Chryste who albéeit hadde receyued visybly the holy Spirite yet hée estéemed the tyme not yet conuenyent to manyfest to the Iewes the abolition of the Lawe fearyng leaste by suche a meane the Preachynge of the Gospell shoulde be broughte in contempte and the publication of the same hyndered On the contrarie Saincte Paule was of opynion that in a matter of so greate The zeale of S. Paule importaunce oughte to bee no dreade of daunger but to make open and publyke manyfestation of the lybertie whiche Galath 2. the Lorde hadde broughte vnto hys Churche In lyke sorte wée haue reason to presume that these good seruants of GOD Luther and Melancthon séeyng the greate resystaunce of the worlde ageynst the preachyng of the pure doctryne and the abolition of the Papistes abuses iudged it an acte of wisedome to gyue a little place too suche furie of the tyme and to gayne the heartes of the people gently wythoute makynge them Straungers to the Doctrine of the Sacramentes wyth expectation from daye too daye of more proper and fytte Reade the Epistles of Melancthon to Luther but chiefly the second occasyon to restore and bryng in wholly the true exercyse and vnderstanding of the holy Ceremonyes wherein wée maye bee confyrmed by the procéedings and degrées of the Doctryne whych wée doe see in the Bookes of the sayde holye Reade the beginning of Sleidans historye men For who can denye that Martine Luther was ignoraunte in many thynges at hys begynning to preache which the Lorde reuealed vnto hym after affyrmynge in the woordes of his owne mouth that GOD hadde sent hym not so muche to edifie and reestablyshe the Churche of Christe as to ruinate and batter the kingdom of Antechrist wherin he found dayly such chaunge of abuses vnworthy to be supported in the christiā Religion that in the ende hée protested that the Masse deserued to be abolished whiche Melancthon in the ende of the confession of Auspurge mainteyned contrarily professing the Masse to be yet reteyned in their Churches All this notwithstanding you my brethren of this time will not as farre as I fynde agrée that the Masse is yet reteyned in youre churches no not in the sort that the confession of Auspurge propoundeth it The words of Melancthon be these Falsò accusantur ecclesiae nostrae quòd Missam aboleant Retinetur enim Missa apud nos summa Reuerentia celebratur seruantur et vsitatae Ceremoniae ferè omnes praeterquam quod latinis cancionibus admiscentur alicubi Germanicae quae additae sunt ad docendū populum that is to say Our churches be falsly accused in that they abolishe the Masse for the Masse is reteined with vs and is celebrated with greate reuerence with an vse and obseruation of almost al What Supper the Protestants had in the beginning the accustomed ceremonies sauing that in some places there be certen Canticles in the Dutche entermedled with those that are soong in the Latine and that to teache the people 14 Sée brethren how you wold now aduow so goodly a reformation of Masse being assured that such institution is the true heape of vanities inuented by men and tending to the prophanation and abolition of the holy Supper of the Lord but if others in the very time of Luther and Melancthon haue bin moued wyth the spirite of God and with a zeale of S. Paule haue resisted such simulation wel affected notwithstanding to the glorie of God proueth
let vs rather remembre and reteyne that which the Prophet sayeth that God loueth not the wicked nor their wickednesse neither shall the vngodly dwell with him 67 Phillip Melancthon author of the confession of Auspurge in the apologie of the same confession doth teach that the participation of the body of Chryst is receiued of the faithfull by the meditation of his benefits then to receiue Chryst it is not nedefull too gnawe hym or breake him with our téeth Besides the wicked which haue no meditation nor godly recordation of the benefites of Chryste although they chaw the bread yet can they not receiue Chryste by the saying of the same Author to whome your doctrine is contrarie in this poynt 68 Martine Luther hath bin estemed a good interpreter vnderstander of the cōfession of Auspurge and yet he saith that the very iuyce and mary of the holy Supper is to receiue an assuraunce of the remission of oure sinnes by the sacrifice of Chryst Those then that say that the vnfaithfull and vnworthy receiue the bodye of Chryst which is the iuyce and marow of the sacrament be contrary to the said doctor and by consequent to the confession of Auspurge the which you do in your Article 69 The Duke of Wittenburgh wylleth and meaneth that his cōfession agrée with that of Auspurge and yet the article of the Supper in his confession is interpreted by the words of Ezechiell saying this Quarey or tyle is the towne of Ezech. 4. Ierusalem c. That is to say doth signifie or meane the town of Ierusalem c. Who then will not receiue this place in the interpretation of the Supper disagréeth with the confession of the said prince and by consequent with that of Auspurge amongst whom is Kemnitius who reiects wholly this place in the matter of the sacraments 70 Touching this woord vnworthy and who ought to be called so you be not of accorde for Heshussius your companion with large arguments goeth aboute to proue that the faithful cānot any way be called vnworthy Kemnitius in the cōtrary mainteineth that the place of S. Paule treating of the vnworthynesse of suche as receiue the Supper ought to be vnderstanded and interpreted by the other place of the Gospell where the Centuriō saith that he is not worthy that Iesus Chryst enter intoo his house as the aūcient doctors haue interpreted it Which of these shall we beléeue séeing they bée of contrary opinyon and yet bothe the one and other folowers of the cōfession of Auspurge 71 The .xiij. Article of the confession of Auspurge teacheth that the lauful vse of the Sacrament demaundeth necessaryly Fayth without whiche vse the Sacrament is no Sacramēt Those then which haue not faythe in the administration of your Supper haue not also neither sacrament nor body of Christ and therfore the Communion that the vnworthy doe make resistes your owne confession 72 The .xxj. article of the confession of Auspurge sayth that for the difference of ceremonies traditions of men a man oughte not to accuse the other churches and much lesse condemne them of error nor call them aduersaries who are of a contrary opinion And yet you my brethren call the other Ministers of thys churche aduersaries enimies and people cut off from your companie bicause they do not blysse at the aulter the bread afore they do distribute it with obseruation of other ceremonies that are of custome in your Supper 73 Touching this word with when you say the bodye of Chryste is receiued with the breade you are not of accorde for certeine of your confession affirm that Christ is enclosed within the bread others vppon the bread others as the fire within the hoat water others as the fire with in the burning iron others as the grange or house within the letters or wordes of contract in effect who woulde recite all the similituds and interpretations which they of the confession of Auspurge haue made vpon the wordes of the supper and all to maynteine the doctrine of the presence of Chryst linked with the exterior elements should finde the discourse long and the matter of small purpose In the ende Iohn Alasco superintendent of the Church of London being in the Church of Franckefort and seing such dissentions tending rather too dissolue the vnitie of the Churche than to redresse it is of opinion that that woorde of the confession of Auspurge where Chryste is receiued with the bread signifieth that when the faythefull eate the breade in the Supper with their corporall mouth their spirite with the mouth of Faith receiues Iesus Chryste whiche is on the ryghte hande of GOD. And suche interpretation of this woorde with was receiued of the Senate of the towne of Franckefort as a declaration agréeing with the confession of Auspurge whereby the poore straungers whiche are withdrawne thither lyued in peace and quyet vntill by reason of other quarels this Question was eftsoones renued by whyche meane they became in effecte the cause of the dissipation of so flourishing a Church There bée also amongest you that saye that the bodie of Chryste is presente in the Supper as Iesus crucified was present to the eyes of the Galathians and as the daye of Chryste was present too Abraham and yet are they receiued intoo the companye of those whiche maynteyne the Confession of Auspurge And bycause Heshusius being at the vniuersitie of Hidelbergh made himself enimie to this interpretation troubled the church with debates and questions it is sayd he was banished from the sayd vniuersitie like as diuers haue already put in writing many things belongyng to this dissention and others which we haue mentioned 74 Beholde brethren one chiefe occasion muche hindring many men to embrace the true religion and to bring thē selues into youre assemblie as seing amongest you so great diuersitie of opinions And for youre partes touching the matter of the Sacramentes you pursue them so eigerly so sharply and with such animositie and stomacke that the very blynde themselues discerne in you more desire to obteine victorie than zeale of God to instruct youre ignorant brother For when we haue a direct wil towards our neyghboure with a liuely touche of compassion of his ignorance and haue a christian desire to manyfest vnto him the truth we do not procéede by iniuries excomunications nor condemnations the same being in déede the very effectes and motions of a contentious and arrogant spirite with a minde full of felonie But of the contrary we vse swéete and softe woordes of inducemēt with persuasions of modestie as knowing assuredly that man is a kynde of creature so fierce of stomacke as hée is not to be qualified otherwise than by gentle admonishment and specially in the case and question of his religion which hauing hir true foundation in the bottom of his hart it is impossible to plant persuasions of Religion afore we haue ouercome and gained that place with gentle allurements and then with frute to plant there the
doctrine of faith Besides also you labor vs greatly to enter into disputation in this churche vpon the poynt of the Supper which we will not refuse so that it may be done in good order and with the consent of the state we would also that you agrée first amongest youre selues too the ende wée might knowe what part to mainteyne Wherin albéeit I can not but feare that your intent was rather to search matter of triumph without victorie with occasion to sende of youre bookes to the nexte fayre of Frankefort than of a zeale pure affectiō to pacifie this afflicted church toward which God graunt vs the zeale of his glory And I pray you of what purpose wold it be to vs vpō the disputation to agrée with you seing that by such meanes we shold fal into the euil wil of a great parte of the princes Protestantes of Germanie who abhorre already the opinions you haue vttered of the person of Chryste too bée in the presence of the Supper by the same mean also we should make our selues companions and adherents to Yllyricus youre Superintendent or author of youre confession who is hated of the moste noble Churches and Vniuersities of Germanie and chiefly in Wittenburgh who hath bin the mother nourse of the first Protestants These things considered I sée neither order to dispute nor reason to come to accord with him his adherēts 75 The seconde poynt wherein I requested Mathias Yllyricus and you too take some paynes was in the doctryne of mortyfication a thing moste necessarie for this lamentable tyme wherein wée sée so manye Epycures so manye Libertines so many Atheystes and people abandoned to all fylthynesse and dissolution of which so principall a matter you touch not one word in all youre confession but rather with youre vnbridled order of proceding shewe to the people greate example of immortification By the whiche those that haue iudgemente in spirituall things may see that youre doctrine and Scripture is not a doctrine taught by the Spirite of GOD and receyued in his schoole but rather certeine textes and propositions gathered oute of the papers and Bookes of others who peraduenture haue proued better than wée that whiche they haue taughte and left in writing 76 The last part of my request to M. Yllyricus was to exhort you to enterteyn a charitable and louing vnitie to the end al the church might bée edified as wel by the one as the other which he hath done quite cōtrary in your confession as witnesseth the words of the .xvij. article in this sort Quòd aduersariorum coena impiè celebretur Si quis hactenus dubitauit vtra sentētia sit verior in sacramētaria controuersia ille sanè vel ex solis ipsorū agendis ac formulis sacrae communionis ipsa praxi coenae statuere haud difficulter poterit Tantis enim corruptelis sacrilegijs in tā sacrosanctis mysterijs grassantur vt citra horrorem ac tremorem eas prophanationes pia mens cognoscere non possit Eas igitur vastationes ac violationes tanti mysterij hic breuiter exponemus vt sibi pusilli Christi cauere à tantis piaculis ira Dei possint Multis ergo modis eorum liturgia impiè peragitur That is to say If any by the things aforesayd be yet in doute not knowing whiche is the truest opinion in the matter of the sacramentes he may easily bée certified of a truth in beholding their actions and ceremonies A sharp poynt of M. Yllyricus in his confession in the celebration of the communion for there be so many corruptions and sacrileges in so holy mysteries that a Christian mynde can not beholde such prophanations withoute horror and feare Wée wyll then declare briefly in this Epistle the distructions and violations that ar cōmitted in so gret a mysterie to the end the litle ones of Chryst may stand vppon their garde ageinst such execrable crimes but specially ageinst theire of God Their ceremonie of the Supper The preachers of the confession of Auspurge accuse the other ministers that is to say of the sacramentaries as you call them is celebrated with impietie in many sorts First you say that we make no benediction vpon the bread Secondly in that that when we giue the breade we exhort those that receiue it to haue remembrance of Iesus Chryst broken offred and sacrificed for oure reconciliation to the heuenly father and satisfaction of our sinnes with the diuine iustice Thirdly bicause that in this wée séeke to be folowers of Iesus Christ who celebrating the Supper sayd to his disciples Take and eate c. Fourthly you accuse vs in that wée forget in the Supper the words of consecration Fifthly for that wée pronounce not the woordes of consecration to the ende the breade may perceiue our voice with vnderstanding of the word of God conuersion into the body of Chryste Sixtely you accuse vs bycause wée persuade the assistantes not to settle their eyes vpon the consideration of the visible exterior elements but rather raise our myndes and consideration to Iesus Christ the true heauenly bread for the nouriture of our soules who being alredy immortall is glorified vpon the right hande of the Father The seuenth impietie which you say we committe is That wée tell the assistauntes that they take the breade and Wine in remembraunce of Iesus Chryste In the eyght you say wée fayle in that wée vse the woordes of Chryste saying Take and eate and haue remembrance of Iesus Chryste employed for you wherein according to your scoffes of custome and poeticall sleightes you make vs like to the Beguiars and Beguines when they féede in their repastes The Lorde pardon you suche orders of teaching to your neighboures and reueale vnto you the modest grauitie which he demaundes in those that professe themselues pastors of the shéepe and pronouncers of the gospel Ninthly you blame vs in that we do not counterfet Iesus Christ as the priests of the Papists do as obseruing not point by poynt and worde by worde the ceremonies that he made and speake not in the same order the words which he pronoūced Your tenth and laste accusation is in that as you say we rob deceitfully the supper of the wordes of consecration by mean wherof the body of Christ ought to come thither and yet we say to the assistāts that they receiue the body of Christ 77 Behold deare brethren one part of the accusatiōs wherwith you haue charged vs touching the matter of the Supper whervnto I will not answere as being things so vayn of so small importance that there is none participating with either pietie or godlinesse which accōpt not the time lost or at least euil employed in the debate of such things for as the Lord hath made vs once to vnderstande by his grace what it is to receiue Christe and that wée haue felte the frutes of his presence so all youre accusations and Argumentes of persuasions to the