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
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
it therfore in vs any dutie of obseruation of suche Ceremonies hauing regard only to the authoritie of Peter God defend No let Peter remaine still as Peter and Martine as Martine that is to say as a man that may fayle and let the spirite of God be encreased by the organs instruments which he shall stirre vp to manifest the truth of his gospel whether he be Paul or Zwinglius or Oecolampadius or any other of lesse authoritie than they And for oure partes such organs instruments of God let vs receiue honour and haue in singular cōmendation without persuasion or beléef that they be innocēt or that they can not erre or that they bée not ignoraunt of some things Let vs beléeue that from day to day our Lorde wyll stirre vp such lyke organs and instruments to aduance hys glorie and to augment the lyghte of his holy Truth if our owne vnthankfulnesse bee not a barre to suche liberalitie begon by our GOD. 15 Besydes brethren I consider the lamentable tyme wherein those holy men dydde liue as béeing employed rather to purge and clense the fylthynesse of Papistrie than to studie or consyder of the introduction of the pure Truthe they were rather vsed in the resistaunce of the furie of Antechriste and his suppostes to flée from one coast to an other to make Apologies and defences to aunswer the falsehodes that were layde vpon them by dyuers and to dispute wyth the monstrous Moonkes of their Purgatorie and Rogations than that they had leysure and quiet libertie to searche by meditation the truth of the christian doctrine manyfested in the diuine word By which occasion it came to passe that their writings were stuffed with so many opprobrious and spiteful woords vnworthy of the true seruaunts of God and perfect pronouncers of the gospel of peace which notwithstanding as we support such infirmities as hauing regard to so wicked a time So now that God hath sent vs so many beames of his light let vs leaue to liue remaine so blind as in times past 16 My meaning deare brethren in al this discourse hath not bin to other purpose than to declare the smal occasion we haue aswel one as another to make gods or to say more truly idols of our doctors by their occasiōs to entertein vs in parcialities dissentiōs debates vpon the matter of our doctrine to the great slaunder of the poore weake cōsciences notable resistance of the propagation of the church wherin if the Corinthians haue bin rebuked bycause they made Partialities to maintein the renoume of S. Paule the chosen vessell of GOD Apostle of Iesus Chryste Doctoure of the Gentiles and to speake in one woorde a man indued with most singular and excellent giftes howe may God laye it ageynst vs who contende quarel make continual warre and as a man wold say deuoure one an other as Dogges and Cats breaking alwayes the bonde of charitie whiche Iesus Christ hath left of suche estimation 17 When the Lord would marke his disciples and childrē of his father he willed them not to followe the confession of Auspurge nor the Catechisme of Martin or of Iohn but he sayth In this men shal The marke of the christians Iohn 13. know you are my disciples if ye loue one other Alas moste blinde and myserable that wée are whilest wée dispute of the true or false interpretation of the words of the Sacrament of vnitie wée breake the very vnitie it selfe in contendyng whether the wicked infidell and vnworthy receyue as well the body of Chryste in the Supper as the children of GOD wée disfurnishe oure selues of the very Christ and make our selues of the number of them that receyue him not at all in serching whether Christ come in flesh in Spirite or in Sacramente we do depriue our selues of the true communion of Christ for he that hateth his brother Chryste dwelleth not in him in siftyng curiously whether the body of Christ bee giuen to vs in the bread vnder the bread or with the bread we cut oure selues off from the true body of Christe and make vs members of Sathan the father of dissentions quarelles contentions and debates 18 And for my opinion vpon the matter of the holie Supper I will saye in few woordes good brethren what I vnderstande leauing to euery one his libertie to folow that which God shall teache him Wée know right well that the meaning of our redeemer Iesus comming into this worlde was to manyfest to men the good will of his heauenly Father towardes them and how his Diuine maiestie had prouided to remedie the faulte transgression and disobedience of the first Doctrin of the holy Supper of Christ Adam by the innocencie moste pure iustice and obedience satisfactorie of the seconde and heauenly Adam And that men mighte be deliuered of the ire and iudgement of God putting themselues vnder the wyngs and couerture of thys Souerayne and eternall Sacrificatour And The summe of the doctrine of Chryst for as muche as the Diuine woorde doth shewe vnto vs the malediction of men and transgression ageynste the wyll of GOD by woordes taken of our corporall nouriture saying that as man hath eaten the frute of a tree defended hym by his Creatoure and that by meane of the same eatyng he hath made hymselfe enimie of the Lorde In lyke maner Iesus Christe oure Redéemer declareth to vs by similitude of eating and drinkyng the Reconciliation towardes GOD that his obedience hath brought vs as if he woulde cléerely say that Man hauing eaten of a forbidden Fruite hathe purchased malediction where as in eatyng nowe of a fruite giuen him by the hande of GOD bée hath woonne benediction The fruite and Trée of life whiche wee oughte to eate is euen very hée whiche Chryst is the Frute of the Tree of life bryngeth vs suche happie newes who wyth hys vertue and power iudicible is so tyed and ioyned wyth vs by the meane of Faithe and bonde of his holy Spirite that he entertaineth our soules in spirituall and heauenly lyfe euen as the bread and wyne nourisheth our bodies in corporall lyfe 20 Vsyng this similitude the Lorde sayeth in the sixth of Saint Iohn that he hym selfe is the breade of lyfe and gyuing lyfe which is descended from Heauen and that who eateth of this breade shall liue eternally That is to say hee shall escape the Cursse gotten by eatyng of the Fruite defended Hée sayeth also that hys flesh is the true meate and hys bloud the true drinke And hée that eateth his fleshe and drynketh his bloud dwelleth in Chryste and Chryste in hym who is oure seconde and Heauenly The trew vnderstanding of the words of Chryst Iohn 6. Adam within whose bodie it is necessarie wée bée incorporated or that hée incorporate hym selfe in vs to the ende that wée maye be able to appeare before GOD couered with the mantell of his moste innocente fleshe full of all Iustice 21 And bycause our
those that commit them swallowing as oure Sauiour Chryst sayth the Camels and after passing by the cloutes the litle gnats which meaneth that we pronounce condemnation ageinst such who pierce not the subtilties of oure interpretations in Chrystes Supper making small reckening of the crimes and dissolutiōs which are committed dayly afore oure eyes I pray you what may meane so many sorts of cōmunications of Christ the one physicall Yllyricus in the text of his admonition maketh 4. sorts of communications of Chryst and an other mystical an other spirituall and an other sacramentall togyther also with those whyche you put in your confession the one common both to the good to the euil when they say this is my body and the other when they say Do this in remembraunce of me Those with such like cōmunications of Christe wée neuer learned in the woorde of God but of the contrary wée knowe for truth that there is but one mean to receiue Iesus Chryste and haue communication with him that is to say liuely faith and that accompanied with repentaunce and Meane to receiue Chryst by only faith penance of our sinnes passed newnesse of life to come I would to God we were wel taught and exercised in this manner of communicatiō of Chryst for touching the rest what assuraunce may wée take of the doctrine of youre article whiche is not drayned out of the word of God but rather of the interpretations of men I praye you shewe mée where it is that Chryste affirmeth that his bodye and bloud be truely and really in the bread vnder the bread or within the breade of the Supper and that he giueth hymselfe to bée eaten exteriorly with the breade and wine the same being not doone not onely by Fayth or spiritually but that he is eaten as well of the vnworthy as those that be worthy 50 Me thinks deare brethren that seing you wil be estéemed so diligent in the obseruatiō of the words of the scripture as preferring nothing which is not drawen out of the same it is necessary you know that in al your article there is not one word of the words of Christ but we What cōiunction betwene Christ and Behall knowe that both he himselfe and his apostle teacheth vs the contrary saying that the vnbeléeuing and vnwoorthy can not 2. Cor. 6. possesse Christe nor be membres of him seing they haue not a mouth of fayth to receiue him 51 Besides I sée that your very confession doth not accorde at all with that of Auspurge wherof you make so greate a buckler no lesse to maynteyne you in the good opynion of the worlde than to bryng your selues in vnder the protection of princes and potentates who at the beginning vsed very wisely and christianlye the presentation of this Confession For the woordes of the Authour bée these Article 10. De Coena Domina docent quòd cum pane vino verè exhibeantur corpus et sanguis Christi vescentibus in coena domini that is to say Touching the Supper of the Lorde they teache that with the bread and wine be exhibited the body and bloud of Chryste to those that eate the Supper of the Lorde 52 In these woordes the Confession of Auspurge make no mention to receyue the body of Christe really and exteriorly as you say in youres neither make they mention at all that the worthie and vnworthie do receiue it 53 But herevnto you say that we haue not the true and incorrupte confession of Auspurge but that you haue certein Copies and exemplaries thereof best corrected whiche you follow in your doctrine is it possible brethren you shoulde be so negligent in the correction of your confession wherof you make so great value I am not of opiniō that the princes Protestāts wold suffer to be printed in their townes articles of their confession contaminated and imperfect truly you trouble greatly the world for if those which folow not your confession be condemned by your sentence and you onely haue the true copie of this confession wée muste thē necessarily come to you as to a spring or fountain of truth and helth some may say as in derision of those things that wée must come on pilgrimage to searche your registers and bookeshops as in tymes past they went to Ierusale Rome or S. Iames Oh good God what mockerie what presumption of people But to preuent you of cause of complainte ageynst vs and that your incōsideration be more manyfestly discouered we will recite the article of your incorrupt cōfession which as you say to be reserued with you so you shall fynde it beareth not a worde of that which you haue vttered 54 Youre wordes be these Sequimur igitur in hac controuersia sententiam decimi articuli Augustanae confessionis porrò articulus See the confession H. 2. ille decimus ita habet in incorrupta confessione quam sequimur De coena Domini docent quod corpus sanguis Christi verè adsint distribuantur vescentibus in Coena domini improbant secus docentes That is to say Wée followe in this question and debate the aduise and sentence of the tenth Article of the Confession of Auspurge which tenth article is writen in this sorte in the confession whiche we followe whiche is not corrupted It is taught touching the supper of the Lorde that the body and bloud of Chryst be truly present and bée distributed to suche as eate in the Supper of the Lorde neyther are they approued whiche teache other wayes 55 Nowe brethren I pray you shew mée where it is that you finde here your realities and vbiquities or that the vnworthy do eate the body of Chryst with other sorts of doctrines whiche you haue preferred and wold authorise them with the confession of Auspurge whyche notwithstanding wée wyll not receiue as a rule of our Christianitie and muche lesse the Confession of any other man that is vppon earth 56 We wil be christians and so be called we wil follow the confession of faith whiche oure GOD the father and Iesus Chryste his Sonne haue lefte vntoo vs that is too saye the dyuyne woorde in the olde and new Testament as the summe of oure Religion Wée receiue the simbols of fayth receiued of olde time in the Churche we haue not bin baptized in the names of Martine Zwinglius or Caluyn but in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghoste by whiche meanes wée deteste and abhorre all those names and surnames of Partialities that is to saye Martinistes Zwinglians and Caluinists with other like knowing very well that GOD is greately displeased with suche separations and partialities in the doctrine of religion And I wish with al my hart that the doctours whiche haue taught here before and suche as at this day doe preache the Gospell were of more modestie and wisdom and purely consecrated to search the glorie of the Lorde and not theyr owne proper prayse then should the people
bée in more lybertie of conscience and the worshippers of one onely God and not of mortall men ignoraunt and blynde who makyng them selues as Idolls doe desire to bée followed and holden in greate admyration I would in God that euery one would say with Sainct Iohn the Baptist it is méete that Iesus Christe be exalted and magnified and that I be diminished and vnknown it is to Iesus Chryst to whom we ought to send the poore soules desirous to fynde knowledge and iustice and not to youre confessions institutions catechismes or commentaries 57 For the reste brethren you séeme to complaine of the greate diuersitie of interpretation that many haue pronounced vpon the words of the Supper which partely I can not denie bycause many desirous to make their church apart doe raise a value or estimation of them selues among their audience with pretence to celebrate theyr owne names from whence it procéeds that hauing but one truth and one simple intelligence in the words of Chryst all such as digresse from the same to vse some strange and new order do euery one bring into the churche his innouation 58 But I besech you consider whether amongst those that receiue the tenth article of the confession of Auspurge there be any diuersitie of interpretatiō to the end that if you will haue all the worlde for the eschuing of the condemnation of your sentence to followe your confession you first labour to establish an accord amongest your selues and then euery one will deliberate vppon that he hath to doe For you being deuided amongst youre selues and of diuers opinions we are ignorant in the part we ought to follow to escape your condemnation They of the Confession of Auspurge agree not amongst themselues vpō the words of the Supper Reade the boke named Antithese of the true and false exposition of the tenth Article of the Confession of Auspurge the Author of the same is Sybran Andreas 59 First you know well that Mathias Yllyricus whom I thinke to be the author of your confession is not of opinion with those that haue composed and presented the confession of Auspurge and you and he are not ignorant of the contentions debates and discentions which be euen till this day betwéene him others All which I will not here repete bicause my intente is not to kindle the coales of dissention but rather to quenche them I will not bryng to lyght the faultes of others but rather couer and hyde them albéeit it is easye for euery man to sée bothe howe thyngs haue passed and how they are nowe vsed and that by Bookes that are printed Touchyng the dissention of M. Yllyricus with Ph. Melancthon and those of the Confession of Auspurge reade the Epistles of Melancthon in many places but chiefly the page 452. Also the Actes Synodals imprinted in the yeare 1559. Also the answeres giuen to the Legate of Saxon by Ph. Melancthon 60 Touching the breaking brusing of breade you sée I am sure that in thys towne of Antwerpe the Ministers be not of accorde I leaue aparte the truthe of the Question which you call indifferent notwithstandyng that the institution of the Lorde beareth by manyfest wordes the breaking of the bread S. Paule calleth the holy Supper the breking of bread which also all the auncient church do approue And for my part I am of opinion that in the ceremonie of the holie Supper the breaking of breade oughte to bée obserued as signifying and assuring to vs that Iesus Chryste was offered broken for vs for the rest as when Christ celebrated the supper whether the bread he had then betwene his hāds was great Seeke the confession K. 10. 11. or little I leaue the decision of that question to Monsieur Mathias Yllyricus who sayth that Iesus Christe in the Supper brake the bread bycause the cakes were too great and hée had not made prouision of litle waffernes as we vse so that necessitie forced him to breake the breade without hauing intent to teach vs any thing by the breaking of the bread 61 The Churches of the moste noble prince elector and Countie Palatyne receiue the confession of Auspurge and yet in youre Catechisme you teache that the vnfaithful and vnworthy do not eate the body of Chryste in the Sacrament the which is ageinst youre article and consequētly ageinst the confession of Auspurge 62 The diuins of the renoumed prince of Hesse haue receiued the confession of Auspurge and yet Andreas Hyperius doctour of the vniuersitie of Marpurge belongyng to the sayde Prince receyued the Confession presented by the Straungers out of the towne of Weasell against which cōfession Heshussius his companions and yours haue raised many debates to banish from the countrey such as folowed the sayd confession the same arguing manifestly that you and your companions be not of accorde with the churches of the sayd prince 63 Iohannes Pincerus a man lerned no lesse deuoute as you knowe albeit he receiued the confession of Auspurge writ notwithstanding a boke against the sayd Heshussius refuting the opinions of the Supper and other thyngs the whiche Heshussius nameth him selfe to be of the confession of Auspurge and youre adherent and confederate to maynteyne this dissention 64 In the yeare 1565. The right noble prince elect of Saxon presented to the vniuersitie of Wittemberge the writings of Brentius Iames Andreas as vpon meaning to examin them touching their opinion of the Supper wherevnto the vniuersitie answered that the sayd Brentius and Andreas vsed in this matter diuers and sundry orders of speche bothe newe daungerous and altogither vnknowne to the auncient Churche that is to say that the humanitie of Christ was dispersed into euery place that the humaniti-of Christe was Creatour of all things that Iames Andreas confounded the communication of languages or propreties in the person of Christ and that they feared that the vniuersitie of Tubinga and the church of Wittenburgh were troubled with these innouations of doctrin exhorting them to ceasse from suche disputations with contentment onely to beléeue that the words of Chryste be true when he sayeth this is my body Nowe my brethren what part I pray you should wee followe seing both the one and the other be of the confession of Auspurge 65 Paule Eberus denyeth expresly that the vnworthy eate the fleshe of Christe who being of the confession of Auspurge doth neither agrée with you nor yet with Brentius who mainteyneth that Iudas in the Supper did as well receiue the body of Chryst as S. Iohn or S. Peter 66 The eight article of the confession of Auspurge doth teach that the vnfaithfull are not members of the churche and therefore receiue not but the outeward signes of the Supper So that when you say that the vnworthie receyue the body of Christ you are there contrary to your owne proper confession I pray you what coniunction is there betwene lighte and darknesse What aquaintance betwene Iesus Chryste and Belyal No
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
nede of interpretatiō but rather of proofe and examination wherein let euery man sounde and proue his heart whether these woordes be with hym or ageynst him Thou shalte not sée the Oxe or shéepe of Deut. 22. thy brother strayed out of the way hide thée from them but thou shalt bring them ageyn to thy brother And if thy brother be not thy neyghboure and thou knowe hym not then shalt thou leade them within thy house and suffer them to remain with thée vntill thy brother demaund them and then thou shalt restore them to hym thou shalt doo in lyke manner to his Asse to his garments and al the lost things of thy brother which he hath lost and thou founde neither must thou hyde them thou shalt not sée the Asse or Ox of thy brother falne in the way and hide thée from them but thou shalte helpe to lift them vp with him If the Lord commaunde that our charitie be shewed in the lifting vp of beasts let vs consider with stronger reason that his maiestie woulde that we haue care of the soules of our brethren neighbors whom if we sée strayed from the way of truth let vs labour to reduce them if they be falne into the pit of error let vs offer them our hands rather than to pronounce sentence of condemnatiō and pursue them euen vnto death Texts of the diuine worde exhorting vs to loue oure enimies and pray for such as persecute vs. Thou shalt not walke as a detractour amongest Leui. 19. the people thou shalte not dresse thy selfe ageynst the bloud of thy neyghbor for I am the Lord Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart correct thy neighbour and suffer no synne vpon him Thou shalt not reuenge nor kéepe malice ageynst the children of thy people but thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy self for Iam the Lord. You haue heard that it hath bin said thou Math. 5. shalt loue thy neyghbour and hate thy enimie But I say vntoo you Loue youre enimies blisse those which curse you do good to suche as hate you and pray for those that runne vppon you to persecute you to the ende you be the children of your father that is in heauen for hée maketh his Sun shyne vppon the good and euill and sendes rayne vppon the iust and iniust For if yée loue those that loue you what reward haue you therefore The Paganes doe not they the like also And if you imbrace onely youre brethren what do you more Do not the pagans also the like Be you perfect as youre father is perfect that is in heauen Do not render to any euill for euil procure Rom. 12. honest things afore all men And if it may be at least as muche as is in you haue peace with al men Do not reuenge welbeloued but giue place to anger for it is writen To me belongeth vengeance sayth the Lord and I will giue it if then thy enimy bée hungrie giue him too eate if hée haue thirst giue him to drinke for in this doing thou shalte assemble coales of fier vpon his head Be not ouercome with euill but surmount the euill by the good Owe nothing to any man if not that you Rom. 13. loue one an other for who loueth an other hath accomplished the lawe whiche sayth Thou shalt not cōmit adultery thou shalt not kil thou shalt beare no false witnesse thou shalt not couet c. And if there be any other commaundement it is in effect comprehended in this word Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Truly if we had this stone of foundation of brotherly charitie in the buildings of oure life trafficks and contracts with oure neighbours all the partes of this spirituall house which God hath giuen vs incharge should be wel ordred and couched After the Lord hadde washed their féete Iohn 13. and taken ageine his garment and that he was set ageine at the table hée sayed vntoo them Know you what I haue done vntoo you you cal me Lord and maister and you say wel for so I am if then I that am Lord and maister haue washed youre féete you ought also to wash one an others féet For I haue gyuen you example that euen as I haue done you may also do Why haue not wée remembraunce of this holy ceremonie when wée celebrate the Supper of Chryste séeing that hée himselfe hathe prepared the harts of his disciples with this admonition afore he shewed or did institute the sacrament of their coniunction with him giuing them to vnderstande that he is not worthy to receiue Iesus Chryst which doth not applye his hart too washe the féete of his brethren I speake truth in Chryste I lye not my conscience bearing me witnesse by the holy Rom. 9. spirit that I haue greate sorow and continuall torment in my heart for I did desire to be separated with Christ for my brethrē which be my parents according to the flesh When we shal féele our hearts so wel touched with the spirit of god as S. Paul was let vs set vpon hardly to correct the errours and opinions of others and so long as wée are fleshely and guided rather by stomacke than spirituall zele let vs employ our tyme to pray to God for the ignorant Let vs be then as chosen vessels of God Coloss ◠holy and welbeloued clad in the intrails of mercy humilitie gētlenesse and of a mynd of pacience supporting one an other and pardoning one an other if we haue quarel as Iesus Christ hath pardoned you euen so forgiue you others and besides all this bée attired with charitie the very bond of perfection And let the peace of God gouerne in your harts whereunto you are all called in one body and bée gracious The word of God dwell frutefully in you in all wisdom teaching and warning one an other in Psalmes songs and spiritual praises with grace singyng with youre hart to the Lorde whereby we shall sée how farre from these rules of charitie be they that in place to edifie the Church of Chryste doe rather procure hir confusion with their Debates and questiōs FINIS