sacraments are the same that are the dispēsers of the word so that they execute both the parts of the ministery Otherwise it shold be cōuenient that according to the saying of the apostles act 6 they shoulde apply them-selues to praiers administring doctrine leauing the ministery of the tables Seeing that many mo may be had that can dispense the sacraments than those which can rightly cut sound doctrine in the church By which testimony of Musc by the very order prescribed euen in Geneua It plainly appeareth that not only in these reformed Churches many are admitted to minister the Sacr. that are not able to preach but that also this was the vse of the primitiue Church in the apostles times Which ouerthrows al that our breth haue hereon alleaged Neither helpeth it to say that yet stil this taketh not away but that there should be preaching vsed at the administratiō of the sacramēt thogh the minister of the sacramēt be no preacher For our breth said the administration of the sacramentes ought to be committed to none but vnto such as are preachers of the worde c. pag. 60. But for this that they say here also It is no better then sacriledge to seperate the ministratiō of preaching of the worde from the sacramentes so harde a spéeche following Musculus procéeding with the minister of this Sacrament though hée bée no preacher of the worde yet he requireth in him such a competency as hath a triple respect both to the person that he sustaineth and of the matter that he administreth and of the people to whome he communicateth After he hath shewed for the first part howe he shoulde be no lewd person but sober and vertuous comming to the secōd respect in him he saith Furthermore hee ministreth it competently if hee haue a consideration of those thinges which hee dispenseth and doe worthily frame himselfe vnto them Hee dispenseth the communicating of the bodye and bloude of Christe The breade which wee breake saith the Apostle Is it not the communicating of the body of the Lorde And the Cup of the blessing ouer which wee blesse is it not the communicating of the bloude of the Lorde 1. Cor. 10. Thus therefore shall hee competently administer this sacrament that it may be a communicating not that it shoulde be a holy priuate thing He dispenseth the remembrance of the Lorde or as Augustine in a certaine place speaketh the sacrament of memory This shall he do competently if he shall adioin vnto the mysticall communicating the shewing forth of the L. death according to the worde of the Apostle who sayth so often as ye eate this bread and drink of the Cup yee shewe foorth the Lordes death till he come For so did hee ordaine this custome in the Church of the Corinthians It is not fit that it should be a dumb communicating Either let some thing be read before the people or bee sung concerning the historye of the death of the Lorde as it is begun to be done in very many churches in our age Hee dispenseth the Euchariste he Euchariste is a giuing of thankes and a sacrifice of prayse Let him therefore haue a care that this holy communion may be closed vp with publike giuing of thanks He dispenseth the loue feast that is the banquet of brotherly loue It is meete therfore that a cleare exercise of Christian loue and mutuall communicating shoulde bee adhibited Vnto the which hee ought not onely with exhortations in the act it selfe to enstruct and accustome them but also with constitutions of a certaine order These are the principall thinges of which the dispenser of the Lordes table ought cheefely to haue a care and consideration whereby hee may apply him-selfe competently vnto this sacrament The third respect is of the people communicating which the more simple ruder they are so much the simplier must the minister speake of the mystery of the Lordes supper that he may apply him-selfe to their capacity But he must by all meanes take heede of those two vices that entrap the people to witte superstition and contempt Superstition least the people worship and adore that for the thing it selfe that is the signe thereof contempt least they sticke onely in the breade and Wine not discerning the body and bloude of the Lorde and therefore contemne it vnderstanding nothing beyond the iugdement of the eyes because by sight and taste they perceiue it to bee bread and Wine Such a point did Augustine giue warning of in his booke of Catechizing the rude in the ninth chapter where he saith thus Concerning the sacrament that they shall receiue it sufficeth for those that are more prudent to heare what that thing signifieth but with the duller sort it must with more wordes and similitudes be treated vpon least they contemne that which they see These thinges wrot he To conclude hee must take heede that hee swerue not either to the Corinthians or to the papists in this cause of the Lordes Supper And to the entent that the people not onely with the hande and mouth but with faith and heart may receiue that which is giuen let him declare all thinges that are to bee spoken in the vulgare and vsuall tongue not onely the exhortations but also the wordes of the Lordes institution the Prayers also and the thankesgiuing whereby the people may vnderstand all and in their heart assent thereto according to the Apostles admonition 1. Cor. 14. Thus wée sée how although the Minister be no preacher but beeing a discreete and vertuous man in all these foresaide respectes and obserue these exhortations which are both plentifully set out in Homilies and in the Communion Booke it selfe and the other thinges here noted in such order as the communicantes may vnderstande and beléeue the same although there bee no other sermon preached yet is the Sacrament truely and effectually administred Neyther can these thinges with the residue that he setteth downe bee vnderstood for the onelie action of a Preacher confessing and allowing that manie Ministers not Preachers may minister this Sacrament and yet in euery one that ministreth the same al these thinges are requisite For what is plainer than this argument out of Musculus sayinges Musculus thinketh and prooueth that it is not necessarie that euery one which administreth the Sacraments should be a Preacher and preach at the ministration of them But Musculus thinketh and prooueth it necessarie that all thinges ought to bee done by the minister at the Ministration of them which here he reckoneth vp Therefore Musculus thinketh and prooueth that all these thinges might bee done of one that is no preacher and without a sermon then preached of these matters If our Brethren wil denie the maior for the minor I thinke they wil not I referre them to Musculus and his reason out of Actes 6. and to the reformed Churches that hee meaneth It sufficeth for vs to prooue both by him and by
vnto vs it is altogether one with vs and wee with him c. Héere againe he maketh another kinde of preaching which he saith is the Lorde him-selfe in steede of a moste effectuall exhortation to witte the communicating of his body vnto vs. And this preaching againe God be praysed we haue in the Ministration of this sacrament Nowe héereupon hée commeth to the thirde kinde of preaching at this sacrament sayth Sect. 36. From hence is best of al confirmed that which otherwher I said that the right administration of the sacrament is contained i◠the word For what profite soeuer commeth into vs out of the supper requireth the word Whether we are to bee confirmed in fayth or to be exercised in Confession or to bee stirred vp to our duty there is need of preaching Nothing therefore can be done more preposterous in the Lordes supper then if it be turned into a mute or dumb action the which thing was done vnder the tyranny of the Pope For they wold haue all the force of the consecration to hang vppon the sacerdotall Priestes intention as though this appertayned nothing to the people to whome this mystery ought moste of all to haue bene layde open And heereupon was this error bred that they marked not those promises where-with the consecration is made not to bee directed to the elementes them-selues but vnto those that doe receiue them truely Christ speaketh not vnto the breade that it shoulde be made his body but he biddeth his Disciples eate and to them hee promiseth the communicating of his body and his bloude Neither doth Paule teache another order then that together with the breade and the Cuppe the promises shoulde bee offered to the faithfull Thus certainely it is Here it becommeth not vs to immagine any magicall incantation that it might bee enough to haue murmured vp the wordes as though they were hearde of the elementes but wee shoulde vnderstande those wordes to bee a liuely preaching that edifieth the herers that pierseth into their minds that is imprinted and sitteth in their heartes that may bring foorth an efficacie in the fulfilling of that that it promiseth By these reasons it is euident that the reseruing or laying vp of the sacrament which some vrge to be extraordinarily distributed to the sicke is vnprofitable For eyther they shall receiue it without reciting of the institution of Christ or els the Minister shall ioyne together with the signe the true explication of the mystery In silence is an abuse and vice If the promises bee rehearsed and the mistery declared so that those that are to receiue shal receiue it with fruit there is no doubt but that this is a true consecration Thus saith Caluine of this third kind of preaching Now if this be as hee saith a true consecration where the wordes are not muttered to the element but spoken to the Communicants the mystery laid forth before them and the promises recited and that wee must vnderstande those wordes of Christe to be such a liuely edifying and effectuall kinde of preaching all which are so clearely set forth whensoeuer this sacrament is of any Minister with vs celebrated can our brethren say that here wanteth the ministration of preaching the word so much as is necessary and sufficient to make a true consecration of the sacrament True it is that when Caluin comes to the ful conclusion of this treatise he reckons vp a fourth kind of preaching sect 70. Concluding thus So farre as pertaineth to the holy supper it mought thus moste decently be administred if that most often and at the leaste euery weeke it were set forth vnto the Church But the beginning should be made with publike prayers after which a sermon should be had than the Minister the bread wine being set forth on the table shoulde reherce the institution of the supper Then should he declare the promises which are left vnto vs in the same And withal he should excommunicate all those that by the Lordes forbidding are put backe Afterwarde prayer should be made that with what benignity the Lorde hath giuen vnto vs this holy nourishment he woulde also enstruct and frame vs with faith thankfulnes of mind to receiue the same And sith that we be not of our selues he wold of his mercy make vs worthy of such a banquet But here either the psalmes should be song or somewhat read and the faithfull shoulde communicate of this holy foode in such order as is seemely the ministers breaking the breade and deliuering it vnto the people The Lordes supper being done an exhortation shoulde be had for sincere faith c. Thus doth Caluin write of al the order that he wold haue obserued in the administration of the Lords supper Nowbeit he prescribeth it not to any Church but onely saith it mought be thus administred moste decently And although hee mention that a sermon should be had before it and an exhortation after it séeming to make some difference betwéene them yet whether such a sermon or exhortation may be had as if a preacher want may be of the Minister red vnto the people of anothers making that he doth not expresse Nor yet whether the preacher or reader of the same must alwayes be the partie that ministreth the sacrament So heere is also nothing set down but that we already haue in vse his wordes being thus vnderstood except the excommunicating of all those that by the Lordes forbidding are put back Neither doe wee thinke it necessary that either excommunication should be then vsed or that all those should be excommunicated that by the Lords forbidding are put back from this supper For so euery one that is not in charity with his neighbors shold forthwith be excommunicate But sith Caluin so modestly in these things onely telleth what he thinketh mought be a most comely manner of the administratiō preiudicating no other reformed churches let Geneua with good leaue of vs follow this order And let vs in Gods name follow our Communion Booke which me thinkes both conteineth the most and chéefest of all these things and in a farre more decent order for our state Yea the booke of the orders of Geneua maketh the Deacons also ministers of the cup and why not aswell of the Breade and of all both partes as well as of one and yet they wil not permit them to be Preachers Musc. in his cōmon places De coena domini vpon this title by whome the Supper of the L. shold be administred with the like modestly that Caluin saith on this wise I know that this is the custome in some churches that the ministers of the word exercise the place of the prophets doctors in the mean time they leaue the administration of the sacraments to the parish preests curates of the people as they tearm them with the deacons Notwithstanding that custome ought not to preiudicate other churches in which the dispensers of the
is to say by the commining betweene of the worde the thing otherwise by his nature appointed to a coÌ„mon vse is made a Sacrament This therfore we wil haue to be vnderstood by the tearm of consecration Otherwise euen as Aug. saith of the water of Bapt. take the word from the baptisme what is the water but water So if thou takest away the word from the bread the wine it shal be nothing but bread and wine Now therfore we must search out what what maner a word that word is For some take this word to strictly some more at large than is meet They take it strictly which ouerpassing as wel the former as the later words of the institution haue deliuered that in these 4. words This is my body again this is my bloud the coÌ„secration is made as though by a certaine diuine vertue ingrafted in those words the substance of bread wine were changed striking out the other words to wit Take ye eat ye drink ye al of you as superfluous so far as to the force of transubstantiation doth pertain which they doe to this purpose that they might not be compelled to confes that the supper is common vnto all moreouer that they might not subscribe vnto this rule that nothing hath a reason of a sacrament without the vse by God instituted Howbeit other do ioyne the thankesgiuing and the prayers as though they also with the worde of the institution did make the sacrament that is did profite the consecration And indeede this is true that all this rite or ceremony is furnished with a solemne thankes-giuing and prayers especially concerning the sending of the sonne and of the purging of our sinnes made by him And the very wordes also of the institution are so to be rehearsed that both they should begin at thanksgiuing praier and also should end in the same euen as Christ the Lord hauing giuen thanks sayd this is my body and the supper being ended an himme being sung he went forth Moreouer we haue shewed that the sanctification should be made with thanks-giuing In the mean time we must know that the only wordes of the Institution and those entire do perfite the consecration Which being whole recited in the lawfull vse in which thankes beeing giuen and prayers being recited all things are done of the elemeÌ„t is made the sacrameÌ„t For of this word said Irenaeus when the Cup mixt the bread broken receiueth the word of God the Eucharist of the body and bloud of our Lord is made But that he vnderstandeth the only wordes of the Institution appeareth by that which he setteth vnder it that the earthly breade taketh the calling of God For it is the calling of God when God calleth the bread his body After the same manner Theodoretus in Atrepo that is in his Dialogue called immutable hee teacheth that our sauiour did honour or commend â—he visible signes with the appellatioÌ„ or calling of his body and bloudâ— â—ot that they haâ— the same appellation or calling of nature but allonely of grace For so hee sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not chaunging the nature but adding grace vnto nature Nowe we vnderstande which and what manner wordes are the words of the Consecration to witte those same that are the wordes of the Institution But they againe are of two partes For some of them are the wordes of the Euangelistes of which sort are these Our lorde Iesus Christe in the same night that heâ— was betrayed tooke breade and sayde likewise he tooke the Cuppe after supper But some of the wordes are Christes owne words as are This is â—y body that is giuen for you take yee eate yee this is my bloud c Drinke yee all of this doe this in remembraunce of mee Those words to witte the Euaungelistes as Ambrose witnesseth lib. 4. cap. 5. De sacramentâ— are not onely recited as historicall but doe admonish as well the Ministers as the Communicantes what Christe did what agayne hee bad both of them to doe But these wordes serue to the consecration Now howsoeuer this alone doe throughly accomplish the consecration notwithstanding if the other to witte the Euangelistes wordes before rehearsed bee eyther omitted yea or indeede recited hystorically albeit the thinges are in very deede done which Christe did would haue to be doone the consecration is not made at all but eyther it is an historicall explication of the Mystery or rather it is a play and iest And thus farre concerning the consecration Which words of Hellopaeus if we shal well consider wee shall sée withall moste apparantly that howsoeuer the preaching of a sermon may do much good for the further opening of these mysteries and moouing of the hearers and participantes yet is it not anyâ— substaÌ„tial part of the sacrament or inseperable accident absolutely necessary thereunto and as it is thus of the Lordes supper so for the materiall and formall partes which are the Element and Worde of Baptizme To the same effect saith Beza in his Conf. cap. 4. Arti. 41. This change dependeth not of the recitall of any words as the sophisters and deceiuers deliuer foorth but of the ordinaunce of God comprehended in his word The word therefore that is the very institution of Christe as it is of the Euangelistes and Paul expounded is as it were the very life of the sacramentall signes because as in the word is declared vnto vs the water the Breade the Wine are made sacraments that is true signes and seales of those thinges which in the Worde are promised to vs and are truely signified by the same And againe We call the signe of baptisme sayth Beza cap. 4. artic 47. first of all Water then the substanciall ceremonies prescribed in the worde To the which we thinke it wickednesse to adde any thing or to take froÌ„ it that is to say the sprinkling of the water the stay vnder the water and the comming foorth out of the water c. We call the worde in baptisme the ordinance of Iesu Christ ioyned with the promise of eternall life whereof this is the forme Baptize yee in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy Ghost whosoeuer shall beleeue and be baptized shall be saued If then in these 2. partes the whole substance of baptisme consist how are not they baptized where these 2. partes are although no sermon be preached at the action Albeit I know not how to reconcile Beza his wordes for this materiall part for ioyning all these thrée actions together with the element of water sprinkling of the water an abode or stay vnder the water the comming forth out of the water and that in none of these ought must be added nor diminished but that he will thinke it wickednesse For we rather thinke be the childe dipped in the water and that without any aboade or stay therein and much lesse to be helde any while vnder
accomplished those whom we call the Deacons giue a parte of the bread and of the cuppe alayed vnto euery one of them that are present ouer whome the thankes giuing was made and they suffer them also to carrie it to those that were absent And this foode is among vs called the Eucharist to the which none is admitted but he that beleeueth the doctrine to be true being washed with the washing for the remission of sinnes and liuing according as Christ hath taught For we receaue not these thinges as a common bread and a common cuppe but euen as by the worde of God being made fleshe Iesus Christ our Sauiour had flesh and bloud for our saluation so also by the woorde of prayer and the thanks giuing we haue learned the food being of him sanctified which being changed nourisheth our flesh and bloud to be the flesh bloud of the same Iesus Christ that was incarnate For the Apostles in their writinges that are called the Gospels haue deliuered foorth that Iesus thus commaunded them hauing taken bread and thanks being giuen he sayde doe this in the memorie of me This is my body Likewise hauing taken the cup and hauing giuen thanks he said This is my bloud and did communicate it only vnto them In these woordes wee plainely sée all the manner of the primitiue Church in the dayes of Iustine the Martyr about the hundred yeare after Christes ascention Concerning the administration of the Lordes supper without any sermon preached thereat But it followeth euen anon after of the administration also of the same with a Sermon or an Exhortation made at the participation thereof saying On the sunday are made assemblies of those that are of the Citie and of those that are of the Countrie where the writinges of the Apostles and Prophets are read before the reader then ceasing he that is placed our them maketh an exhortation prouoking them to the imitation of the thinges that are honest After this we all arise and offer vp prayers which being finished there is brought as I sayde bread wine and water Then he that is placed ouer thē so much as he is able offreth vp prayers thanksgiuings but the people singeth Amen Thereupon those things that are consecrated are distributed vnto euery one and sent vnto the absent by the Deacons The rich if it please them contribute euery one according to his will The collections are layde vp with him that is placed ouer them he succoureth the fatherlesse and widdowes and those that want by reason of sickenesse or other necessitie those also that are prisoners and trauelling strangers and in summe he is made the prouider of all the needie But these assemblies we make vpon the sunday c. Thus doe we sée at large the order of the primitiue Churche for the celebration of the Lordes supper both with-out and also with a Sermon or an Exhortation at the same If our Brethren reiect their orders because of some additions that they vsed or that the wordes of Iustine might sée me suspitious to sauour of the Popish errour of transubstantiation not onely the Magdeburgenses doe cleare the wordes of Iustine from that errour but Iustine cleareth him selfe both from that and from the errour of consubstantiation or carnall presence in the Sacrament For the former say the Magdeburgenses who not withstanding maintayne the latter The deuise of transubstantiation was also vnknowen vnto the Church of this age For although Iustine saye VVhich being changed nourisheth our flesh and bloud notwithstanding he onely looketh vnto and driueth it to that that hee may discerne or seuer this bread and this cuppe vnto the which commeth this worde of Christe from other vsuall meates and drinkes with which our bodies are nourished And as for consubstantiation this his sentence maketh lesse referring al the consecration to the spirituall and thankefull remēbrance of the death of Christ as he also doth disputing with Tripho the Iew saying this also ye know that the solemne oblation of the two goates in the time of the fast was not suffered to be done otherwhere thē at Ierusalem As neither the oblation of the meale or floure which was wont after the custome to be offered for thē that were clensed from the leprosie signifying figuratiuely the bread of the Eucharist which for the memory of his passion cleansing the soules of men from all sinne our L. Iesus Christ hath deliuered to thē that come after to the intent that in the meane time wee should giue thanks vnto God both for the world created for man with other thinges that are conteyned therein and also for the redemption wherewith he deliuered vs from sins the principalities and powers being vniuersally vanquished according to the diuine counsell Thus doth Iustine acquit himselfe sufficiently of those errors As for the water mingled with the wine and the sending these sacramentall signes vnto the absent whereof afterward came great corruption and superstitions we say as Aretius doth thereon Concerning the reason of the mingling wine and water it seemeth vnto me probable because that making the supper of the Lord in a common banquet they also dranke more largely not sipping as at this day it is the manner And therefore that the wine by it selfe being strong should the lesse hinder them water was put vnto it Which we see also at this day to be done in common banquetes that the noble wines are mingled The place 1. Cor. 11. makes mee thus to thinke where manifestly hee teacheth that the abuse of the Lordes house beganne euen then to take holde insomuch that manie were drunke in that loue feast Thus sayeth Aretius for the originall of the water mingled with the wine And as for the sending to the absent hee sayeth Fourthly a portion of the supper was also sent to them that were absent the which was doone without superstition a token of friendshippe and of vnion in doctrine and in their whole profession euen as wee haue rehearsed before out of Eusebius that it was done at Rome neither is here any mention made of any merite or of any passeport exhibited to those that were about to die To conclude sayth Aretius on this practise of the primitiue Churche next after the Apostles hereunto came mutuall exhortations to cōcord and constancie in faith and profession that this might be a certain stipulation and obligation that they should be constant in Christianitie whatsoeuer fortune at the length should happē vnto them These things in our action may almost all of them be declared First in the publike assembly which is a shewe of a publike banquet Then the like oblation is of vs obserued the wordes of the institution are recited and to God the father is pronounced prayse and glorie The mingling of wine and water we haue not for it is no part of the institution neyther haue our wines neede of mingling as the orientall wines haue neyther doe wee drinke
it They therefore that saide the Masse was a gentle beast and did byte no man if they were no fauorites of the Masse did not perhaps meane it simply and in al respects but as Christ sayd Luc. 11.21.22 VVhen a stroÌ„g man armed keepeth his pallaice the things that he possessed are in peace But when a stronger than he coÌ„meth vppon him and ouercommeth him-he taketh from hâ—m all his armonâ— wherein he trusted and deuideth his spoyles The Dragon was quiet inough and the beast also to them that worshipped him and had the marke of the beasts Image but Apoc. 13. ver 7. it was giuen him to make warre with the Sainctes and to ouercome them and ver 15. And it was permitted to him that is to an other false beast representing these false Priestes these Monkes these Friers these Iesuites to giue a spirit to the image of the beaste so that the Image of the beast should speake and should cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed So that these beastes were but gentle in a counterset sort For to them that withstood them they were beastes indéed or rather flends and furies of Hell That they were gentle therefore it was not of their nature but of their hypocrisâ—e For seeing that gentlenesse is good and that men lyke it better than austerity the Diuel that was a murtherer from the beginning tooke vpon him the shape of the lowly poore woorme and golden skinned subtile serpent to speake faire and wish wisedome and not to sâ—ing or hisse or byte our firste and innocent parents when his purpose was to destroy theÌ„ and all their progenie The like practise hath he often vsed since by his diuelish Ministers and instruments and so did he by the Masse Which is of some called well the Horse of Troy that had so many fierse and bloudy Capteines euen within it and the Helene that was the cause of all the Cities and so many peoples destruction or as we may more rightly call her the very Iesabel of the Romish Achab that painted her face and trimmed her heade vsing her whoredomes witchcraftes with the murdering of so many saintes and Prophetes of God and yet forsooth she did bite no man and can our brethren now rightly say that this may rightly be verefied of our ordinarye seruice that was wont to be saide of the Masse Missa non mordet it was a gentle beast and did byte no man being a cruell beast and did byte so many men though it so falsly deceaued them with whome our brethren say it was so well beloued that being bewitched in loue with it they felt not the sting and biting of it As for our ordinary forme of publike seruice and prayers vnto the Lord that it is â—ylde and gentle procéeding from the vnfained and true gentlenesse and mildenesse that is in our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ and the sweete comfort of his holy Gospell If therefore it be well or better of many or any of vs beloued it is all the better nor any blemish to vs that loue it or to it that deserueth to be loued Neyther may this rigtly be vpbrayded as a fault that it byteth no man if it helpe and heale al men that are bitten which come for comfort thereunto For in our ordinarye seruice consisting most part of publike prayers made by the Minister the congregation to the Lord our God though we humbly acknowledge as those that are bitten and stoong with sinne and lay open before thâ— L. our wounds and guilt which are gréeuous vnto vs and euer against vs yet alwaies we so flee to the trone of grace that reposing our truste in the riche mercies and swéet promises of our heauenly father in his sonne our Sauiour Christ through the pledge and earnest of his spirite we cast the anchor of hope on the rock of Faith which shall neuer confounde vs but worke a strong and assured consolation and help vnto us And in this respect héere is no byting And yet in respect of other necessary parts in our ordinarye seruice of the Lord there is a byting too in a sort but a good byting if it may be so called As Christ likened the Gospel vnto the mustardseede that hath a kynde of byting as we terme it but such a byting as drawes no bloud And as the mercifull Samaritane powred in the sharp wine into the bloudy woundes of the man that was fallen into the theeues handes thoughe it were smart and byting the better to clense them euen so well as the swéet oyle to comfort and close them Of which nipping rather than byting tartnesse and muche more than any beastlye byting with the téethe though there may be some fitter resemblance and more profitable vse yet doth this byting in what sort soeuer it be more properly belong to the respect of the Law than directly it doeth to the office and consideration of the Gospell And as we like not of the false brethren called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the aduersaries of the Lawe as repugnant to the Gospell So our ordinary seruice is not without this part also of the Law For both among the Psalmes whereof a portion euery day is read diuerse dreadfull threates and imprecations to impenitent sinners are pronounced beside the terrible exaÌ„ples and warnings of Gods iudgementes conteyned in the Lessons both of the olde and new Testament besides sundrye other admonitions and reprehensions of vices so well as exhortations vnto repentaunce newnesse of life with prohibitions of the vnworthy to participate and receaue the holy Communion with Comminations and denouncing the curses against the trespassers of the Law All whiche things are apparantly conteyned in the prescribed forme of our ordinary seruice of the Lord. Now though the bestiall Masse had none of those true comforts nor any of these seuere iudgements of God sincerely set foorth yet we God be praysed for it haue them in our ordinary seruice of God This therefore is a very vncharitable and vntrue resemblance of the Masse and our ordinary seruice being in all these thinges as wee haue plainelye séene the one so plaine contrary to the other Vpon this most wrongfull resemblance our brethren conclude For therefore a great nuÌ„ber can so wel away with it because it doth not sharply reproue them of their sins nor disclose the secrets of their harts but that they may continue still in all kynde of voluptuousnesse al other kynd of wickednesse To away well with a good thing it is well done and the greater nuÌ„ber that so do the greater cause we haue to praise God for it Contrariwise to take away or to kéepe themselues away or not to away well with a good thing it is an ill thing and the greater number that do so augmenteth the euill and the gréefe of it If any away the better with our ordinary seruice
were with the whiche his Chilyde that was borne was slayne His conscience misgaue this guiltinesse of his crimes long agoe For this cause hee made sure reckoning that hee shoulde not onelye bee called oute of the Presbyterye but also excommunicated and the Brethren vrging it the Daye of his triall approched in the which before as his cause should be handled if that the persecution had not come before it Which hee taking holde of with a certaine kinde of vowe that hee might escape and saue his condemnation committed and intermixed all these thinges as hee which was to bee cast out of the Church and excluded preuented the iudgement of the preestes by his voluntary departing as though to haue preuented the sentence were to haue escaped the punishment By this inuectiue of Cyprian it is not onely moste apparant that this Elder Nouatus was a Minister of the word and sacraments but that also these consistories or colleges of Elders in such great cities as Rome Carthage that with the Bishops were assistants in the gouernmēt of the Ecclesiasticall Discipline were not of such Elders as medled not with the worde but were of such Presbyters Preestes or Elders as were also called sacerdotes Which in the Epistle before this that Beza next citeth is called of Cyprian the corpse of the Preestes Lib. 3. epist. 13. Where after againe he hath inueighed against this Nouatus whome there hee calleth Nouatian he saith for therefore moste deere Brother the corpse of the Preestes is aboundant coupled together with the glue of mutuall concord and bonde of vnity that if any of our college shall attempt to make an heresie and to rende and waste the flocke of Christe the other shoulde helpe and as profitable and mercifull pastors shoulde gather together into the folde the Lordes sheepe And thus by the occasion of this one Scismaticall Elder wee finde not onely a profitable warning for vs all to take héede of making schisme in the Church vnder pretence of greater purity and innouating newe orders of more seuere Discipline but also which is the point we now relie vpon that these Colleges of Elders whose counselles the Bishops vsed in the Gouernment of the churches discipline were colleges of pastorall Elders But to search it yet further with Beza let vs procéede vnto his next quotation Epist. 14. euen the next Epistle to that we last cited although wée haue partly séene the same already for the superiority of Bishops ouer pastorall Elders Wherein Cyprian writeth to the Elders and Deacons as before The occasion was because they admitted some to the supper of the Lord and to the peace of the Church who had fallen in the time of persecution and had not before their receiuing publikely confessed their offence and declared their vnfeyned repentaunce Whereupon sayth Cyprian I haue long helde my patience most deare Bre. as though our shamefaste silence should gaine quietnes But when the immoderate and cutted presumption of some endeuoreth by their rashnes to disturbe both the honour of the Martyrs and the shamefastnesse of the confessors and the tranquillitie of the whole people I must not holde my peace anie longer least too much silence growe to the daunger both of the people together and of our selues For what daunger of offending the Lord ought we not to feare when as some of the Elders neither mindefull of the Gospell nor of their place neither thinking of the iudgment of the Lorde to come nor of the Bishop that now is placed ouer them claime all to themselues with the contumely and contempt of their gouernor Which thing was neuer done at all vnder our auncestors Yea would to God they claimed not all thinges to them with the ouerthrowe of our Brethrens saluation I can winke at and beare the contumely of our Bishopricke as I haue alwayes winked at it and throughly borne it But there is now no place of winking at it when as our Bretherhood is beguiled by certaine of you who while without the reason of restoring them to saluation are desirous to be plausible they doe rather hinder such as are fallen For that it is a most hainous offence which persecution compelled to be committed euen they also doe knowe that haue committed it when as the Lorde and our iudge hath sayde He that shall confesse me before men I will acknowledge him also before my father which is in heauen But he that shall denie me I will also denie him And againe All sinnes shal be forgiuen to the sonnes of men yea blasphemie but he that shall blaspheme against the holy Ghost shall haue no forgiuenesse but is guiltie of aeternall sinne Againe the blessed Apostle sayde ye can not drinke the cup of the Lorde and the cup of Diuels ye can not communicate at the table of the Lord and at the table of Diuels Hee that concealeth these thinges from our Brethren beguileth the misers as though that they which truely repenting them might satisfie vnto God the father for mercie by their praiers workes shold be seduced that they might perish the more And those that might erect themselues might the more fall For when in lesser sinnes the sinners declare themselues penitent at a iust time and come to the confession of their sinnes according to the order of discipline and by the laying on of the Bishops and the Clergies handes they receaue the right of communicating they are now in the rawe time of the persecution yet continuing the peace of the Church it selfe being not yet restored admitted to the communicating and their name is offered vp and hauing not done their penitence their confession of their sinnes being not yet finished nor the hand either of the Bishop or of the Clergie being as yet layde vpon them the sacrament of thankesgiuing is giuen vnto them When as it is written He that shal eate the bread or drinke the cup of the Lord vnworthily shal be guiltie of the bodie and bloud of the Lorde But now are not they guiltie that knowe not the lawe of the Scripture but they are guiltie that are the Gouernours and doe not declare these thinges vnto their Bretheren that they beeing instructed of their Gouernours might doe all thinges with the feare of God and with the obseruation giuen and prescribed of him Moreouer they cause the blessed Martyrs to be enuied and set at strife the glorious seruauntes of God with the Prieste of God that when as they that are mindefull of our lawe shall haue directed their letters to me and shall haue requested that the desires of euerie one may be examined and the peace to bee giuen when as our mother her selfe shall haue first by the Lordes mercie receiued peace and that the diuine protection shall haue brought you againe vnto the Churche these men taking awaye the honour which the blessed Martyrs which the Confessors keepe vnto vs contemning the lawe and obseruation of the