that it may be done in good order and with the consent of the state we would also that you agrée first amongest your selues to the ende we might knowe what part to maintayne Wherin albeit I cannot but feare that your intent was rather to search matter of triumph without victorie with occasion to sende of your bookes to the nexte fayre of Frankefort than of a zeale purâ— affection to pacifie this afflicted Church toward which God grauÌ„t vs the zeale of his glory And I pray you of what purpose wold it be to vs vpon the disputatioÌ„ to agre with you seing that by such meanes we shuld fal into the euil wil of a gret part of the Princes Protestants of Germanie who abhorre alredy the opinions you haue vttered of the person of Christ to be in the presence of the Supper by the same meane also we shuld make our selues companions and adherents to Yllyricus your Superintendent or author of your confession who is hated of the moste noble Churches and vniuersities of Germanie and chieflye in VVittenberge who hath bin the mother nurse of the first Protestants These things considered I sée neither order to dispute nor reason to come to accord with him his adhereÌ„ts The seconde point wherein I requested Mathias Illyricus and you to take some paynes was in the doctrine of mortification a thing most necessary for this lamentable time wherin we sée so many Epicures so many Libertines so manye Atheists and people abandoned to all filthinesse and dissolution of which so principall a matter you touch not one worde in all your coÌ„fession but rather with your vnbridled order of procéeding shewe to the people great example of immortification By the which those that haue iudgement in spirituall things maye sée that youre doctrine and Scripture is not a doctrine taught by the spirite of God and receyued in his schoole but rather certayne 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 The last part of my request to M. Illiricus was to exhorte you to intertaine a charitable and louing vnitie to the ende al the church might be edified as well by the one as the other which he hath done quite contrarie in your coÌ„fession as witnesseth the words of the xvij article in this sort Quod aduersariorum coena impie celebetur Si quis hactenus dubitauit vtra senâ—entia sit verior in sacramentaria coÌ„trouersia â—lli sanè vel ex solis ipsorum agendis ac formuliâ— sacra communionis ipsa praxi coena statueâ—e haud difficulter poterit Tantis enim corruâ—ptelis sacrilegijs in tam sacrosanctis mysterijs â—assantur vt citra horrorem ac tremorem eas â—ophanationes pia mens cognoscere non possit â—as igitur vastationes ac violationes tanti mysterij hic breuiter exponemus vt sibi pusilli Christi cauere à tantis piaculis ira Dei possâ—nt Multis ergo modis eorum liturgia impiè â—â—ragitur That is to saye If any by the things aforesayde be yet in doubte not knowing whiche is the truest opinion in the matter of the Sacramentes he may easily be certified of a truth in beholding their actions and ceremonies in the celebration of the Communion for there be so many corruptions and sacrileges in so holye mysteries that a Christian mynde cannot behold such prophanations without horror and feare We will then declare briefly in this Epistle the destructions and violations that are committed in so great a mysterie to the ende the little ones of Christ maye stande vpon their gard against such execrable crimes but speciallye againste the ire of god Their ceremonie of the Supper that is to saye of the sacramentaries as you call them is celebrated with impiety 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 receyue it to haue remembrance of Iesus Christ broken offered and sacrificed for our reconciliation to the heauenly father and satisfactioÌ„ of our sinnes with the diuine iustice Thirdly bicause that in this we 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 we forget in the Supper the wordes of consecration Fiftly for that we pronounce not the wordes of consecration to the ende the bread may perceyue our voyce and so vnderstande the worde of God and so be conuerted into the body of Christe Sixtlye you accuse vs bicause we persuade the assistantes not to settle their eyes vpon the consideration of the visible exterior elements but rather raise our minds coÌ„sideratioÌ„ to Iesus Christ the true heauenly bread for the nouriture of our soules who being already immortall is glorified vpon the right hande of the Father The seauenth impietie which you saye we commit is That we tell the assistantes that they take the breade and wine in remeÌ„braunce of Iesus Christ In the eyght you saye we fayle in that we vse the wordes of Christe saying Take and eate and haue remembraunce of Iesus Christe 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 such orders of teaching to your neyghboures and reueale vnto you the modest grauitie whiche he demaundes in those that professe themselues pastors of the shéepe and pronouncers of the Gospell Ninthlye you blame vs in that we doe not counterfeite Iesus Christ as the Priests of the Papists doe as obseruing not point by point and worde by worde the ceremonies that he made and speake not in the same order the wordes which he pronounced Your tenth and last accusation is in that as you saye we rob deceitfully the supper of the wordes of consecration by meane whereof the body of Christ ought to come thither and yet we say to the assistants that they receiue the bodie of Christ Beholde deare brethren one part of the accusatioÌ„s wherwith you haue charged vs touching the matter of the Supper whervnto I will not aunswere as being things so vaine of so small importance that there is none participating with eyther pietie or godlinesse which accouÌ„t not the time lost or at least euill employed in the debate of such things for as the Lord hath made vs once to vnderstand by his grace what it is to receyue Christe and that we haue felt the fruites of his presence so all youre accusations and Argumentes of persuasions to the contrarie are but superfluous And therefore in place to make you aunswere and fall into the faulte whiche I sée in many who doe nothing in all the tyme of their life but dispute and debate I will praye to that good God to giue vs all a grace of participation wyth his
suche as was thoughte moste â—pte and conuenient for that purpose reâ—pecting their capacities there came in â—lace a foolishe and an apishe imitation â—f the like or to terme it more aptly a â—ery ridiculous counterfayting of the â—ame For the Bishop arayed wyth hys Rontificalibus doth firste binde the childes â—orheade that is to be confirmed or doth â—lindfold hym rather and then giueth hym a blowe on the chéeke to putte hym in mynde that hée departed from vnder hys handes and receyued of hym confirmation the blinde to followe the blynde that waye whyche shoulde leade them to destruction And this abhominable ceremonye they are not ashamed to call a Sacrament of the newe Testament and sette it in lyke place and degrée with those whiche Christe hymselfe had instituted Of lyke presumption and arrogance I perceiued likewise that they had delte in the case of mariage the first institution whereof albeit it did procéede from God yet is it a matter ciuile and politike For it maye bée contracted and solemnized before the ciuil Magistrates aswell as in the face of the congregation forasmuch as it importeth no other thyng but that the people maye vnderstand that the coupling is iuste and lawful their faith and truth being plight on both partes by eche of them to the other and the banes openly asked before that the whole Church be sufficiently aduertised thereof Whereas these good schoolmaisters of ours doe affirme that matrimony is a Sacrament not of any zeale â—hey haue of giuing that honour to that â—oly institution which call maried folks worldly and carnall and imperfect Chriâ—tians but bicause they would raise some â—duantage to themselues of euery thing â—hat they might get any profite by and â—herefore they say it is no lawfull mariâ—ge except the Prieste haue hys share in â—oney And who séeth not moste maniâ—stly these mens arrogaÌ„t and shamelesse â—â—pudency whych contemne disprayse tâ—at honorable estate of holye wedlocke 〈◊〉 the ende that they might aduaunce â—nd bryng in estimation theyr filthy and â—ncleane single life and the abhomiâ—able vowes of theyr counterfaite chaâ—tie verifying in themselues the same â—hyche hathe béene long a goe foretolde â—y the holye Apostle and on the oâ—er syde doe terme it by the name of 〈◊〉 Sacrament that they may make their â—â—ynes the greater Or is there anye â—yng that they wyll bée afrayde and ashamed to attempt that where Christ hath instituted onely two Sacraments haue presumed to make fiue moe and of certain holy ceremonies which the auntient fathers vsed wyth greate deuotion and reuerence and with good discretion they haue made their gaine and set the sacraments to sale promising grace and saluation by such means hauing no one word in scripture for their warrant that the promisse of God is ioyned to anye of these their newe inuented Sacraments Touching the blessed Sacrament of the Lordes supper mercifull God howe many abuses did I manifestly sée broughte into the holy mysterie by the blinde superstition and arrogant presumption of men in the celebration whereof lyke as they vse in baptism al things are said and song in a barbarous and an vnknowen language so that they which had nâ— knowlege in latin could vnderstand nothing but onely sée a fewe gesture lyke iuggling knackes They perswaded thâ— people that the Masse was a sacrifice propiciatory that is to say that the wratâ— and vengeaunce of God was appeased and himselfe reconciled therewyth and by this means solde the graces and blessings of God for mony to men desperate and vnrepentaÌ„t Besids this they made thys medicine serue to satisfye for the sin of all men both for quicke and deade a doctrine no where to be founde in all the holy scriptures And to the ende to perfect their iniquitie and to accomplish it fully they taught vs further that these massemongers and sacrificers had suche power and abilitie committed vnto theÌ„ that immediatelye after the wordes of consecration as they call them or sacramentall wordes and by the vertue therof they were able to fetch Christ from heauen with a trice both fleshe bloude and bone and the same Christe breake in péeces with their handes offer sacrifice eate teare with their téeth and deuoure whereas he is nowe immortall impossible omnipotent and euerlasting and death hath henceforth no power ouer hym Besids this in the administration of this Sacrament the people was defrauded of one parte to wit of the wine the Sacrament of his bloud contrary to the prescript forme and institutioÌ„ of Christ the which albeit the fathers in the late councell of Trent did acknowledge and confesse yet notwithstanding say they for certaine speciall causes the holy mother Churche of Rome hath determined the contrary that it shall not be lawfull for all Christians to receyue the cuppe whyche is the Sacrament of Christes bloude Moreouer I was fore agréeued to behold the abhominations committed ther in the adoration of a péece of breade and that with such kinde of worship and honor as God by his commandement hath specially reserued to himselfe This God of theirs made of breade and dowe was caried I say about in solemne procession through towne and streates with candle and torch light with ioly chaunting and iangling of bells it was caried to the sicke diseased it was a preseruatiue against the plague it was good againste all thunder lightning by land against stormes tempest by sea it was caried about the â—ields to make theÌ„ yéelde the more fruite to driue away caterpillers other suche venemous worms which didde destroy eate vp the corne in the eare to be short I didde sée a horrible and a monstrous manye of abuses Idolatries superstitions buying and selling that the Monkes and Priestes vsed and all for vile lucres sake And thus briefly out of a number of the lyke I haue sorted a fewe moste noble Prince wherewyth I was moued or to saye more truely enforced to forsake youre Realme of Spaine to my great griefe as being my natiue countrey the soile that I was borne bred in wher I had the comfortable presence of my friends kinsfolk being not in very perfect health but hauing a erased bodye disposed to diuers infirmities NotwithstaÌ„ding I shroÌ„k not for al this but tooke this trauaile vpoÌ„ me and was content voluntarily to goe into exile to the end that I might bestow the residue of my lyfe in the declaration exposition of the causes of thys my departure Whereof if I shoulde haue chaunced tâ— haue bene preuented by death yet my dying in a straunge Countrey should be an argumeÌ„t and testimony to them that shoulde remaine behinde me of what affection I was towardes true religion and so shoulde amounte at the leaste to a secrete profession of my faith accompting it better for me to suffer any kinde of aduersitye wyth Gods chosen people than to continue among the flesh pottes of Egipt and there to cherish my body and
wée detest and abhorrâ— all those names and surnames of Partialities that is to saye Martinistes Zwinglians and Caluinists with other â—ke knowing very well that GOD is â—reately displeased wyth suche separatiâ—ns and partialities in the doctrine of reâ—gion And I wish with al my heart that â—he doctours whiche haue taught here beâ—re and suche as at this day doe preache â—e Gospell were of more modestie and â—isedom and purely consecrated to search â—he glorie of the Lorde and not theyr â—wne proper praise then should the people bee in more lybertye of conscience â—nd the worshippers of one onely God â—nd not of mortall men ignoraunte and â—ynde who makyng themselues as Idolles doe desire to bée followed and â—olden in greate admiration I woulde 〈◊〉 God that euery one woulde saye with Sainct Iohn the Baptist it is méete that Iesus Christe be exalted and magnified â—nd that I be diminished and vnknown â—t is to Iesus Christ to whome we ought â—o send the poore soules desirous to finde â—nowledge and iustice and not to youre confessions institutions catechismes or commentaries For the reste brethren you séemâ— to complayne of the greate diuersitie 〈◊〉 interpretations that many haue pronouÌ„ced vpon the words of the Supper whâ—che partly I can not denie bicause man desirous to make their churche apart do raise their value or estimation of them selues among their audience wyth prâ—tence to celebrate their owne names frâ— whence it procedes that hauyng but onâ— truth and one simple intelligence in thâ— wordes of Christe all suche as digrefâ— from the same to vse some strange an newe order do euery one bryng into thâ— Churche his innouation But I beséech you coÌ„sider whether amongst those that receiue the tenth Artâ—cle of the Confession of Auspurge ther bâ— any diuersitie of interpretatioÌ„ to the enâ— that if you wil haue all the worlde for 〈◊〉 eschuing of the condeÌ„nation of your sentence to folow your confession you firâ— labor to establish an accord amoÌ„gst youâ— selues and then euery one wil deliberatâ— vpon that he hath to doe For you beinâ— deuided amongst your selues of diuers â—pinions we are ignoraÌ„t in the part we â—ught to folow to escape your coÌ„deÌ„natioÌ„ First you know well that Mathias Ylâ—â—ricus whome I thinke to be the author â—f your confession is not of opinion with â—hose that haue composed and presented â—he confession of Auspurge and you and â—e are not ignorant of the conteÌ„tions deâ—ates and dissentions which be euen till â—his day betwene him others Al which I will not here repeate bycause my inâ—ente is not to kindle the coales of dissenâ—ion but rather to quenche them I will â—ot bring to lighte the faultes of others â—ut rather couer hide them albeit it is â—asie for euery man to sée both how thinges haue passed and how they are now vâ—ed and that by Bookes that are printed Touching the breaking and brusing of breade you sée I am sure that in thys â—owne of Antwerpe the Ministers be not of accorde I leaue aparte the truthe of the Question which you call indifferent notwithstanding that the institution 〈◊〉 the Lorde beareth by manifest wordes the breaking of the bread S. Paule caâ—leth that holy Supper the breking of bread whych also all the auncient church do approue And for my part I am of opinioâ— that in the ceremonie of the holye Supper the breaking of breade oughte to bâ— obserued as signifying and assuring tâ— vs that Iesus Christ was offered broken for vs for the reste as when Chrisâ— celebrated the supper whether the bread he had then betwene his haÌ„ds was greaâ— or little I leaue the decision of that question to Monsieur Mathias Yllyricus whâ— saith that Iesus Christe in the Supper brake the breade bycause the cakes werâ— too great and hée had not made prouision of little waffernes as we vse so that necessitye forced hym to breake the breade without hauing intent to teache vs anyâ— thing by the breaking of the bread The Churches of the moste noble Prince elector and Countie Palatine receiue the confession of Aâ—spurge and yet in youre Catechisme you teache that the vnfaithfull and vnworthye doe not eatâ— the bodye of Christe in the Sacrament the which is against your article and coÌ„seâ—â—â—tly against the confession of Auspurge The Diuines of the renoumed prince of Hessâ— haue receyued the confession of Auspurge and yet Andreas Hyperius doctour of the vniuersitie of Marpurgeâ— belonging to the sayde Prince receâ—yued the Confession presented by the Straungers out of the towne of VVesell against which confession Heshussius his companions and yours haue raised many debates to banish from the countrey such as folowed the said confession the same arguing manifestly that you and your companions be not of accorde with the churches of the sayde Prince Ioannes Pimeerus a man learned and no lesse deuoute as you knowe albeit be receyued the confession of Auspurge writ notwithstanding a booke against the said Heshussius refuting the opinions of the Supper and other things the whiche Heshussius nameth himselfe to be of the confession of Auspurge and your adherent and confederate to maintayne this dissention In the yeare 1565. the righte noble Prince elect of Saxon presented to the vniuersitie of VVittemberge the writings of Ireneius and Iames Andreas as vpon meaning to examine theÌ„ touching their opinion of the supper where vnto the vniuersitie aunswered that the saiâ— â—enrius and Andreas vsed in this matter diâ—â—â—s and sundrie orders of speache both now dangerous altogither vnknown to the auncient Church that is to saye that the humanity of Christ was dispersed into euery place â–ª that the humanity of Christe was Creatour of all things that Iames Andreas confounded the communication of languages or properties in the person of Christe and that they shared that the vniuersitie of Tubinga the church of VVitteÌ„bergh were troubled with these innouatioÌ„s of doctrine exhorting them to cease from such disputations with contentment onely to beléeue that the wordes of Christ be true when he sayth this is my body Now my brethren what part I pray you shoulde we follow séeing both the one and the other be of the confession of Auspurge Paule Eberus denyeth expresly that the vnworthy eate the fleshe of Christ who being of the confession of Auspurge doth neither agrée with you nor yet with Brentius who maintaineth that Iudas in the Supper did as well receyue the body of Christ as S. Iohn or S. Peter The eyght article of the confession of Auspurge doth teache that the vnfaythfull are not members of the church and therefore receyue not but the outwarde signes of the Supper So that when you lay that the vnworthie receyue the body of Christ you are there contrary to your own proper confession I pray you what coniunction is there betwéene light and darknesse What acquaintance betwene Iesus Christ and Beliall No let vs rather remember and retayne that whiche the Prophet sayth that God loueth not the
wicked nor their wickednes neither shall the vngodly dwell with him Philip Melancthon author of the confession of Auspurge in the Apologie of the same confession doth teache that the participation of the body of Christ is receyued of the faythfull by the meditation of his benefits then to receyue Christ it is not néedefull to gnawe him or breake him with our téeth Besides the wicked which haue no meditation nor godly recordation of the benefites of Christ although they chaw the bread yet can they not receyue Christe by the saying of the same Author to whome your doctrine is contrarie in this poynt Martine Luther hath ben estemed a good interpreter and vnderstander of the confession of Auspurge and yet he fayth that the very iuice and mary of the holy Supper is to receiue an assurance of the remission of oure sinnes by the sacrifice of Christ Those then that say that the vnfaithfull and vnworthy receiue the bodye of Christ which is the iuice and marow of the sacrament be contrary to the said doctor and by consequent to the confession of Auspurge the which you do in youâ— Article The Duke of VVittembergh willeth and meaneth that his confession agrée with that of Auspurge and yet the article of the Supper in his confession is interpreted by the wordes of Ezechiell saying this Quarey or tyle is the towne of Ierusalem c. That is to say doth signifie or meane the towne of Ierusalem c. Who then will not receiue this place in the interpretation of the Supper disagréeth with the confession of the sayde Prince and by consequent with that of Auspurge amongst whom is Kemnitius who reiects wholy this place in the matter of the Sacraments Touching this worde vnworthye and who ought to be called so you be not of accorde for Heshussius your companion with large argumentes goeth about to proue that the faythful caÌ„not any way be called vnworthy Kemmitius in the coÌ„trary maintayneth that the place of S. Paule treating of the vnworthinesse of such as receyue the Supper ought to be â—â—â—erstanded and interpreted by the other place of the Gospell where the Cerâ—â—urioÌ„ saith that he is not worthy that Iâ—sus Christ enter into his house as the aâ—cient doctors haue interpreted it Whicâ— of these shall we beléeue séeing they be 〈◊〉 contrarie opinion and yet both the oâ— and other followers of the confession oâ— Auspurge The xiij Article of the Confession oâ— Auspurge teacheth that the lawfull vsâ— of the Sacrament demaundeth necessarâ—ly Faith without which vse the Sacrament is no SacrameÌ„t Those then whicâ— haue not fayth in the administration oâ— your Supper haue not also neither Sacrament nor body of Christ and therforâ— the Communion that the vnworthie doâ— make resistes your owne confession The xxj Article of the confession 〈◊〉 Auspurge sayth that for the difference 〈◊〉 ceremonies and traditions of men a mâ— ought not to accuse the other Churches and much lesse condemne them of erroâ— nor call them aduersaries who are of contrarie opinion And yet you my brâ—thren call the other Ministers of thy Church aduersaries enimies and people cut off from your companie bicause they do not blesse at the aultar the bread â—efore they doe distribute it with obseruation of other ceremonies that are of â—ustome in your Supper Touching this worde with when you saye the bodye of Christ is receyued with the breade you are not of accorde for certain of your coÌ„fession affirme that Christ is enclosed within the bred others vpon the bread others as the fire within the hote water others as the fire within the burning iron others as the graÌ„ge or house within the letters or wordes of contract in effect who woulde recite all the similitudes interpretations which they of the confession of Auspurge haue made vpon the words of the supper and all to maintaine the doctrine of the presence of Christ linked with the exterior â—lements should find the discourse long and the matter of small purpose In the ende Iohn Alasco superintendent of the Church of London being in the Church oâ— Frankefort and séeing such dissentions tending rather to dissolue the vnitie 〈◊〉 the Church than to redresse it is of opiâ—nion that that worde of the Confession of Auspurge where Christe is receyued with the breade signifieth that when thâ— faythfull eate the breade in the Supper with their corporall mouth their spirite with the mouth of Faith receyues Iesus Christe whiche is on the righte handâ— of god And suche interpretation oâ— this worde with was receyued of thâ— Senate of the towne of Frankefort as a declaration agréeing with the confession of Auspurge whereby the poore straungers which are withdrawne thither liueâ— in peace and quiet vntill by reason of other quarelles this Question was eftsoones renued by whiche meane they became in effect the cause of the dissipatioâ— of so flourishing a Church There be also amongst you that say that the body oâ— Christ is present in the Supper as Iesuâ— crucified was present to the eyes of thâ— Galathians and as the day of Christ waâ— present to Abraham and yet are they receyued into the company of these which maintaine the Confession of Auspurge And bicause Heshussius being at the vniuersitie of Hidelbergh made himselfe enimie to this interpretation and troubled the Church with debates and questions it is sayde he was banished from the said vniuersitie like as diuers haue alreadye put in wryting many things belonging to this dissention and others whiche we haue mentioned Beholde brethren one chiefe occasion much hindring manye men to embrace the true religion and to bring themselues into your assemblye as séeing amongest you so great diuersitie of opinions And for your partes touching the matter of the Sacraments you pursue them so egerly so sharply and with such bitternes and stomacke that the very blinde themselues discerne in you more desire to obteyn victorie than zeale of God to instructe your ignoraunt brother For when we haue a direct will towardes our neyghbour with a liuelye touche of compassion of his ignoraunce and haue a Christian desire to manifeste vnto him the truth we do not procéede by iniuries excoÌ„munications nor condemnations the same being in déede the very effects and motions of a contentious and arrogant spirite with a minde full of felonie But of the contrarie we vse swéete and softe words of inducement with persuasions of modestie as knowing assuredly that man is a kynde of creature so fierce of stomacke as he is not to be qualified otherwise than by gentle admonishment and specially in the case and question of his religion which hauing hir true fouÌ„dation in the bottom of his hart it is impossible to plant persuasions of religion afore we haue ouercome gayned that place with gentle allurements and then with frute to plant there the doctrine of fayth Besides also you labor vs greatly to enter into disputation in this Church vpon the poynt of the supper which we will not refuse so
wholy the true exercise and vnderstanding of the holye ceremonies wherin we may be confirmed by the procéedings and degrées of the doctrine whiche wée doe sée in the bookes of the said holy men For who can deny that Martine Luther was ignoraunte in manye things at his beginning to preach which the Lorde reuealed vnto hym after affyrmyng in the wordes of hys owne mouth that GOD hadde sente him not so muche to edifye and reestablishe the Churche of Christe as to ruinate and batter the kingdome of Antichrist wherin he founde dayly such change of abuses vnworthy to be supported in the ChristiaÌ„ Religion that in the ende hée protested that the Masse deserued to be abolished whiche Melancthon in the ende of the confession of Auspurge maintained contrarilye professing the Masse to bée yet retayned in their Churches All this notwithstandyng you my brethren of thys tyme will not as farre as I fynde agrée that the Masse is yet retayned in youre churches no not in the sorte that the confession of Auspurge propoundeth it The wordes of Melancthon bée these Falsò accusantur ecclesiae nostrae quòd Missam aboleant Retinetur enim Missa apud nos summa Reuerentia celebratur seruantur ei vsitatae Ceremoniae ferè omnes preter quam quod latinis concionibus admiscentur alicubi Germanicae quae additae sunt ad docendum populuÌ„ that is to say Our Churches be falsly accused in that they abolishe the Masse for the Masse is reteyned with vs and is celebrated with great reuerence with an vse obseruatioÌ„ of almost al the accustomed ceremonies sauing that in some places there bée certain Canticles in the Dutche intermedled with those that are soÌ„g in the Latine and that to teach the people Sée brethren howe you would now aduow so goodly a reformation of Masse being assured that suche institution is the true heape of vanities inuented by men and tending to the prophanation and abolition of the holy Supper of the Lorde but if others in the verye tyme of Luther and Melancthon haue bene moued wyth the spirit of God and wyth a zeale of S. Paule haue resisted such simulation wel affected notwithstanding to the glorie of God proueth it therfore in vs any duety of obseruation of suche Ceremonies hauing regard only to the authoritie of Peter God defende No let Peter remaine still as Peter and Martine as Martine that is to saye as a man that may fayle and let the spirite of God be encreased by the organs and instrumentes whyche hée shall stirre vp to manifest the truth of his gospell whether he be Paul or Zwinglius or Oecolampadius or anye other of lesse aucthoritie than they And for oure partes suche organs and instruments of God let vs receiue honour and haue in singular respecte without perswasion or belief that they be innoceÌ„t or that they can not erre or that they bée not ignoraunte of some things Let vs béeléeue that from day to daye our Lorde will stirre vp such lyke organs and instruments to aduance hys glorie and to augment the lighte of hys holy Truth if our own vnthankfulnesse be not a barre to such liberality begon by our GOD. Béesides brethren I consider the lamentable tyme wherein those holy men didde lyue as béeyng employed rather to purge and clense the filthinesse of Papistrye than to study or consider of the introduction of the pure Truthe they were rather vsed in the resistaunce of the furye of Antichriste and hys supposts to flée from one coaste to an other to make Apologies and defences to aunswere the falsehoodes that were laide vpon them by dyuers and to dispute wyth the Monkes of their Purgatorie and Bulles than that they hadde leysure and quiet libertie to searche by meditation the truth of the Christian doctrine manifested in the diuine worde By which occasion it came to passe that their writings were stuffed wyth so many opprobrious and spitefull wordes vnworthy of the true seruauntes of God and perfecte pronouncers of the Gospel of peace whiche notwithstanding as we supporte such infirmities as hauing regarde to so wicked a time So now that god hath sent vs so many beames of his light let vs leaue to liue and remaine so blind as in times paste when we hadde but a glimmering as it were by suddaine lightning My meaning deare brethren in al this discourse hath not ben to other purpose than to declare the smal occasion we haue aswell one as another to make Gods or to say more truly idols of our doctours and for their occasions to maintaine parrialities dissentions and debates vppon the matter of our doctrine to the greate slaunder of the poore and weake consciences and notable hinderaunce of the propagation of the churche wherein if the Corinthians haue béene rebuked bycause they made Partialities to maintaine the renoume of Saint Paule the chosen vessell of GOD Apostle of Iesus Christ doctour of the Gentiles and to speake in one word a man indued wyth moste singular and excellent giftes how may God laye it againste vs who contende quarrell make continuall warre and as a man woulde saye deuoure one another as Dogs and Cattes breaking alwaies the bonde of charitie which Iesus Christ hath lefte of suche estimation When the Lorde woulde marke hys disciples and children of hys father hée willed them not to folowe the confession of Auspurge nor the Catechisme of Martine or of Iohn but he saith In this meâ— shal know you are my disciples if ye louâ— one another Alas most blind and miserable that we are whilest wée dispute of thâ— true and false interpretation of the wordâ— of the Sacrament of vnitie wée breakâ— the verye vnitie it selfe in contendyng whether the wicked infidel and vnworthy receiue as well the bodye of Chryste in the Supper as the children of GOD wée robbe our selues of the very Christ and make oure selues of the number oâ— them that receiue him not at all in searchyng whether Christe come in fleshe iâ— Spirite or in Sacramente wée doe depriue oure selues of the true communion of Christe for he that hateth his brother Christe dwelleth not in him in siftyng curiously whether the body of Christe bâ— giuen to vs in the bread vndere the bread or with the bread wée cut our selues ofâ— froÌ„ the true body of Christ and make vs members of sathan the father of dissentions quarells contentions and debates And for my opinion vpon the matter of the holy Supper I wyll say in fewâ— words good brethren what I vnderstaÌ„d leauing to euery one his libertie to folow that which God shall teache hym Wée â—now right wel that the meaning of our redéemer Iesus coÌ„ming into this world was to manifest to men the good wyll of hys heauenly Father towards them and â—ow his diuine Maiestye had prouided to remedy the fault transgression and disobedience of the first Adam by the innoceÌ„cie most pure iustice and obedience satisfactory of the second and heauenly Adam And that
men might bée deliuered of the ire and iudgement of God putting themselues vnder the wings and couerture of this Soueraigne and eternall Sacrificatour And forasmuch as the diuine worde doth shew vnto vs the malediction of meÌ„ and transgression agaynste the wyll of GOD by words taken of oure corporall nouriture saying that as man hathe eaten the fruite of a trée forbidden hym by hys Creatoure and that by meane of the same eatyng hée hath made himselfe mimy of the Lorde In like maner Iesus Christe our Redéemer declareth to vs by similitude of eating and drinking the Reconciliation towardes GOD that hys obedience hath brought vs as hée would clearely say that Man hauynâ— eaten of a forbidden Fruite hathe puâ—chased malediction whereas in eatinâ— nowe of a fruite giuen hym by the hand of GOD hée hathe wonne benedictioâ— The fruite and Trée of life whyche wâ— oughte to eate is euen verye hée whych bringeth vs suche happye newes whâ— with his vertue power vnspeakable iâ— so tyed and ioyned with vs by the meanâ— of Faithe and bonde of hys holye spiritâ— that he maintaineth our soules in spirituall and Heauenly life euen as the breaâ— and wine nourisheth oure bodies in coâ—porall lyfe Vsyng this similitude the Lord sayetâ— in the sixth of Sainct Iohn that hée him selfe is the breade of lyfe and gyuinâ— life which is descended from heauen anâ— that who eateth of this breade shall lyuâ—â— eternallye That is to say he shal escapâ— the Curse procured by eating of the fruiâ— defended He saith also that his flesh is thâ— true meat and hys bloud the true drink â—nd hée that eateth hys fleshe and drinâ—eth hys bloude dwelleth in Christe and Christ in hym who is our seconde and â—eauenlye Adam within whose bodye 〈◊〉 is necessary that wée bée incorporated 〈◊〉 that he incorporate hymselfe in vs to â—e ende that wée maye bée able to apâ—eare béefore GOD couered wyth the â—antell of hys moste innocente fleshe ful â—f all Iustice And bycause our nature is moste dull â—nâ— farre from the true vnderstandyng â—f these misteries oure Redéemer Iesus â—s not only content to propounde vnto vs â—â—e coniunction which wée ought to haue â—ith hym by these similitudes and comâ—arisons of eating and drinking but also â—â—th soughte to shewe vs by some visible â—eremonie the very same thing that hée â—â—the taught vs by worde to the end that â—â—t onely our eares might receiue the inâ—truction of hys preaching but also oure â—â—es féede of some visible representation â—f that whyche we ought to be in Christ â—nd Christe in vs that is to say that wée be members of him nourished wyth hâ—â— proper vertue and that hée hemselfe 〈◊〉 oure foode To this ende I beléeue thâ— our soueraigne doctor Iesus Christ aftâ—â— he had supped with his Disciples and câ—lebrated the ceremonie of the Pascal laÌ„â— according to the law to shew vnto the peâ—ple and all the Churche to come a liueâ— representation of the coniunction which hée tooke with his membres by meane 〈◊〉 the sacrifice of his death resurrection anâ— glorification He tooke bread and hauynâ— giuen thanks to God his father he braâ—â— it and distributed it to his Disciples saying Take eate this is my body which 〈◊〉 deliuered for you And after he tooke thâ— cuppe and saide This is the cuppe of thâ— new Testament take and drink you all do this in memorie of mée that is aâ— much as if he shoulde say to the end yoâ— vnderstand what I am to you whaâ— remedy I bring vnto you what coniunction it is necessary you haue wyth mée and I wyth you knowe yée that I am bread brokeÌ„ offered sacrifised for the satisfaction of your sins which bread as I 〈◊〉 my selfe so it is néedful that it be in you â—â—d giue you heauenly nouriture euen as â—â—e material bread giues you corporal reâ—â—ef And touching the Cup vnderstande 〈◊〉 that the same doth shew you the new â—estament and confederation whiche I â—actise with you the whych Testament â—albe ratified with my bloud and do this 〈◊〉 memory of me that is to say when you â—all breake the bread as I doe haue reâ—embraunce that you certifie and assure our selues that you bée mine and I am â—ures yea youres in suche sorte as the â—eade is youres whiche you breake eate â—â—d digeste and the Wine whiche giueth 〈◊〉 nouriture Nowe brethren I beséeche you in â—â—e name of our redéemer Iesus consider â—ithout affection if the interpretation of â—is hole Ceremonie and of these words â—e true or not If it bée true to what purâ—ue doe we searche so many questions so â—anye subtilties so manye vbiquities â—ith other like inuentions to entertayne â—â—e worlde in blyndenesse To what purâ—â—se doe we trouble the people with visible ceremonies with perswasion that 〈◊〉 the mean they may receiue Iesus Christ â–ª We leaue behind vs alas and as it we altogither buried the doctrine of penancâ— Iustification regeneration Sanctificaâ—on mortification of the olde Adam aâ—â— charitie of one to an other thinges mâ—â— important and necessary and in the meâ—â— while we employ and bestowe our seluâ— and tyme in the interpretation of certaâ— ceremonies without the which god is 〈◊〉 power to shewe vs that whiche they dâ—â— teache vs We know also that many hâ—ly meÌ„ be deceassed very deuoutly hauinâ— receyued Christe wythout receiuing thâ— eternall signes and visible Elements 〈◊〉 the supper And to what end wold it seruâ— me to eate all the bread whych is in Aâ—maine giuen by the handes of the Minsters wyth the wordes of the Supper 〈◊〉 Christ if I haue not experienced my râ—nuing if I haue not tasted my regeneration if I be not certified that God hath reconciled me with him and receiued mâ— to hys mercy and that by suche féeling oâ— taste I doe not assure my selfe to haue receyued Christ This is the doctrine this say I is the â—â—eaching whiche we ought to preache â—nd repreach repeate and remember alâ—ayes to the people restore to the â—yndes of the ignorant and propounde 〈◊〉 those that come to learne of vs not by â—e subtilties of the right hande of God â—biquities and such like imaginations Thys is a thing verye miserable in oure â—â—me that those which speake of the comâ—unication of Iesus Christ be such as â—â—ast proue such a coÌ„munication in themâ—â—lues a thing to be séene by their wryâ—â—ngs for they speake of Iesus Chryste â—yther shut within an armorie or encloâ—d in past within bread vnder the bread 〈◊〉 with the breade or from vs by xiiij or â—v thousand iourneys as though the true Temple of Iesus Christe is any other â—hing than the heart of a faythfull man â—nd he that sercheth it without shal both â—se his paines and remaine frustrate of â—is hope Let vs speake my brethren of Iesus Christ and his communication as people prouing and féeling in our selueâ— what is to be nourished in our consciences and soules with the preseÌ„ce vertue
of the same otherwise to what vse w◠serue vs our subtill interpretations an◠particular declarations which we brin◠forth In the ende the worlde is not s◠blynd but they can and will vnderstan◠and finde that we are rather ledde by 〈◊〉 spirite of stomacke than of the true zeal◠of Gods glory in the end euery one wil◠sée that those preachers searche no othe◠thing than to maintaine themselues i◠the friendship of the worlde But nowe to returne to the confirmation of the interpretation that wé◠haue giuen to this place of the holy supper let vs consider that if in all thing◠that Christ our Lorde hath propounde◠to manifest the necessitie that we hau◠to be in him be in vs we should searc◠a presence corporall and fleshly it shoul◠be as who say neuer to come to ende 〈◊〉 for in the olde Testament Christe hat◠bin propoūded to vs in diuers creatures as a lambe Manna Water Stone Table meate bread feasts other things as may be séene by such as reade the holye Scripture He himselfe in his preachings doth cal him a way a doore bread of children a vyne with other like thinges Now if in place where Christ said I am the doore who entreth not by mée shal not be saued he had said this I am he shewing with his finger a doore shall we say for al that the Christ hath transformed or transubstantiate himself into the matter of a doore if our redemer in place where he saide I am the vine you are the brāches had said this am I shewing the vine and that are you handling the branches could we say for all that that Iesus Christ would cōmunicate his substance into a grape that the Apostles should be transnatured into braunches sure who were of such opiniō discouered sufficiently his ignorance infirmitie Notwithstanding you others my brethren make your principal piller vppon such maner of speakings and all to make the poore ignorant people beléeue that Christe hath made promise to giue himselfe with the bread bicause that hauing taken bread and breaking it he said this is my body which wordes simplye vnderstanded are as much as to say my body which is broken offered deliuered and sacrificed for you is bread or like to this breade which you breake eate and digest for the nouriture of your body In like sort I being the heuenly bread shal be broken for you to the ende you maye haue spirituall and eternall life therefore doe and celebrate this that is to say this breaking and receyte of bread in remembrance of me To make conclusion of this matter I vnderstande that our redéemer Iesus is the fruite of lyfe who hauing put himself on the trée of the Crosse hath defaced the sinne and transgression which the fruite of the trée forbidden brought to vs And euen as Adam hauing eaten of suche a fruite did make himself enimie of God in contrarie manner when we participate with Iesus Christ crucified we are receiued into the good fauour and loue of oure heauenlye Father and that by the onely bountie merite and intercession of the self hée who on the trée of the crosse did constitute himselfe the fruite of lyfe for vs being assured that the participation of that precious Fruite is not done either by water wyne breade or any other creature whatsoeuer but by the vnspeakeable worke and operation of the holye spirite who hauing called the chosen and predestinate of God dothe teach them their sinnes and abhominable transgressions by meane of the presentation of the holy Lawe he sheweth vnto them their damnation and sentence of eternall death the whiche they féele so in their heartes that by experience they may well assure themselues that the ire and wrathe of God hath bene so manifested to them that they haue swallowed pangs of death and haue séene before their eyes the throte of hel confound and deuour them there they finde the fruite of the trée of knowledge of good and euil they sorowe and wéepe with a penaunce most bitter the miserable bankets or repastes whiche they haue taken of such a meate and fruite not only in the person of their father Adam but also with their proper mouth After that by such meanes the holye spirit hath abased the arogancie of man his pryde and presumption and shewed him by experience the definitiue sentēce arest irreuocable of the eternal against sinners he beginneth to comfort giue him good hope shewing him as a far off the Trée of life and the viuifying fruite hanging vpon it the which by little and little degrée and degrée fayth and fayth and vertue and vertue makes him eate swallow and digest the heauenly breade Iesus Christ yea with such experience féeling that no meat in the world of how great nouriture soeuer it be is so sēsible in the bodye as the fruite of life Iesus Christ is in the soules of the faythfull with such manifestation by good workes outwardly that others may sée knowe with what meate they be fed For when wée eate of euerye other meate the bodie of him that eateth proueth only the presence of the meate But in suche as eate Christ the true fruite of the trée of life is discerned such an example in their persons such ioy and paciēce in afflictions such care to mortify the old Adam such a renunciation of the things of the world with affection to the life eternal that their neighbours and frends accompanying them maye sée that they eate other meate than the deuourers of ceremonies doe When they haue truely essentiallye and really participated of the bodye and bloude of Christ by fayth as is sayde of Iesus Christ all entier true God and true man they assure themselues of such a coniunction with him that they haue no néede to go to searche him eyther in the armorie of Priestes or betwene the hands of mē to receiue him eyther with the breade or with the water as being fully assured that Iesus Christ dwelleth in them and that they be fleshe of his flesh and bones of his bones And yet for all this they forbeare not to approche the holy table of the Lorde to celebrate the holye supper with their brethren and children of the same heauenly father Neyther go they thither to receyue Christe of newe in breade or in wyne neither his fauour or merite but their firste cause of going thither is to certifie to all the Church that they are of the number of those that receyue Iesus Christ for their onely redéemer and sauiour for their eternall sacrificator their Captaine their King Lord Soueraigne Prophet and Doctor to teach them in all truth Secondly they take the holye supper as a gage and assurance of the good will of the heauenly father towards them the same being so constant and firme that it will neuer chaunge For euen as GOD hath promised by othe that the sacrificator shall be eternall
Who hath giuen thée such power Art thou his redéemer 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 will raise him again and hath the power to do it But of what purpose are these words wheÌ„ we find our harts so hardned that wée féele not at all the very chastisemeÌ„ts which God lets fal vpon our heads Lette vs marke and consider what miserable issues our preachings confessions writings and commentaries bring forth Let vs also behold what fruits are broughte to our audience by our words what reformatioÌ„ of life in our churches wherein raigne still wantonnesse lubricities gluttonies drunkennesse vsurie deceites with a thousand such like vices whiche we lette passe making our selues many times by winking companions to those that commit them swallowing as our Sauiour Christ saith the Camels streigning the little Gnats whiche meaneth that we pronounce condemnation against suche who pierce not the subtilties of oure interpretations in Christes Supper making smal reckning of the crimes and dissolutions whyche are committed dayly afore our eies I praye you what may meane so many sortes of communications of Christe the one phisicall and the other mysticall an other spirituall and an other sacramentall togither also with those which you putte in your confession the one common bothe to the good and to the euil when they say This is my body the other wheÌ„ they say Do thys in remembraunce of mée Those wyth suche lyke communications of Chryste wée neuer learned in the worde of God but of the contrarye wée knowe for truth that there is but one meane to receiue Iesus Christe and haue communication wyth hym that is to saye liuely faith and that accompanied with repentance penance for our sins passed newnesse of life to come I would to God we were well taught and exercised in this maner of excommunication of Christe for touching the rest what assurance may we take of the doctrin of your article whyche is not drawne oute of the word of god but rather of the interpretations of men I pray you shew me where it is that Christe affyrmeth that hys bodye and bloud be truely and really in the bread vnder the bread or within the bread of the Supper and that hée giueth hymselfe to be eaten exteriorly with the bread and Wine the same béeing done not only by faith or spiritually but that hée is eaten as well of the vnworthy as those that be worthy Mée thinke deare brethren that séeing you will be estéemed so diligent in the obseruatioÌ„ of the wordes of the scripture as preferring nothing whiche is not drawen out of the same it is necessarye you know that in all your article there is not one word of the words of Christ but wée know that both he himselfe and his Apostle teacheth vs the contrary saying that the vnbeléeuing and vnworthye can not possesse Christe nor be members of hym séeing they haue not a mouth of fayth to receiue hym Besides I sée that your very confession doth not accorde at all wyth that of Auspurge wherof you make so greate a buckler no lesse to mayntayne you in the good opinion of the worlde than to bring youre selues in vnder the proteâ—tion of Princes and potentates who at the beginning vsed very wisely and christianlye the presentation of thys Confession For the wordes of the Authour bée these Article 10. De Coena Domini docent quòd cum pane vino verè exhibeantur corpus sanguis Christi vescentibus in coenae domini that is to say Touching the Supper of the Lorde they teache that wyth the bread and wine be exhibited the body and bloud of Christe to those that eate the Supper of the Lorde In these wordes 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 doe receiue it But herevnto you saye that we hauâ— not the true and incorrupte confession oâ— Auspurge but that you haue certayn Copies and exemplaries thereof beste corrected whyche you folow in your doctrine is it possible brethren you shoulde bée so negligent in the correction of youre confession wherof you make so great value â–ª I am not of opinion that the princes protestants wold suffer to be printed in theiâ— townes Articles of their confession contaminated and imperfect truly you trouble greatly the world for if those whicâ— follow not your confession be condemneâ— by your sentence and you onely haue thâ— true copie of this confession wée must 〈◊〉 theÌ„ necessarily come to you as to a spring or fountatne of truth and helth some maâ— saye as in derision of those things thaâ— wée muste come on pilgrimage to searcâ— youre Registers and Libraries as in tymes past they went to Ierusalem Rome oâ— S. Iames. Oh good God what mockerie what presumption of people But to preuent you of cause of complainte againste vs and that your inconsideratioÌ„ be more manifestly discouered we wil receiue the article of your incorrupt confession whiche as you say to bée reserued with you so you shall fynde it beareth not a worde of that which you haue vttered You re wordes bée these Sequimur igitur in hac controuersia sententiam decimi articuli Augustanae confessionis poâ—rò articulus ille decimus ita habet in incorruptae confessione quà m sequimur De Coena domini docent quòd corpus sanguis Christi verè adsint distribuantur vescentibus in Coenae domini improbant secus docentes That is to say Wée followe in this question and debate the aduice and sentence of the tenth Article of the Confession of Auspurge which tenth article is written in this sorte in the confession whiche wée followe whiche is not corrupted It is taught touching the supper of the Lord that the body and bloud of Christ be truly presente and bée distributed to suche as eate in the Supper of the Lorde neyther are they approued which teache other wayes Nowe brethren I praye you shewâ— mée where it is that you finde here youâ— realities and vbiquities or that the vnworthy doe eate the body of Christe witâ— other sortes of doctrines which you hauâ— preferred and wold authorise them witâ— the confession of Auspurge whyche notwithstanding wée will not receyue as 〈◊〉 rule of oure Christianitie and much lessâ— the Confession of anye other man that iâ— vpon earth Wée will be Christians and so be called we will folow the confession of faith whyche oure GOD the father and Iesus Chryste hys Sonne haue lefte vntâ— vs that is to saye the dyuyne wordâ— in the olde and newe Testamente thâ— summe of oure Religion Wée receyuâ— the simbols of fayth receiued of olde timâ— in the Churche we haue not bin baptised in the names of Martine Zwinglius or Caluin but in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holye Ghoste by whyche meanes