that his glorie as S. August saith hath not takē away the veritie of his bodie but the infirmitie of his bodye If any man herevpon gather that we separate Christ frō the Supper he gathereth amisse For we do bring this honor vnto God that although the body of Iesu Christ be in heauen no where else and we in earth no where else yet notwithstanding we are no lesse partakers of his body bloud by a certaine spirituall maner instrumēt of faith than we truly sée with our eyes the sacramēts touch thē with our hands tast them with our mouthes are nourished sustained in this corporal life with their substance This truely in fewe words is our faith in this point that which we thinke is not repugnant to the words of Christ nor to the Apostle Paule destroyeth not the humane nature of Christ neither the article of the ascention nor the sacramentall institution it giueth no occasion to bring in curious obscure questions it doth by no meanes derogate frō the coniunction which we haue with Christ which is the speciall end of ordaining of sacramēts not to the end that it might be either worshipped laid vp caryed about or to be offered vnto God for a sacrifice to be short excepte we be deceiued it giueth more to the power and to the wordes of the Sonne of God than their opinion which thinke that his body must be really ioyned with signes to the ende we might be partakers of him But concerning the administration of Baptisme we say nothing at all For I beléeue that there is none of you that accounteth vs in the number of Anabaptistes bycause they haue no greater enemies against them thā we As touching certaine other particular questions in this argument of Sacramentes we trust God willing that the speciall articles being brought to some order by this modest and quiet conference the rest shall of themselues easily followe As touching the other fiue Sacraments as ye call them thus wee thinke that vntill we be better taught by the Scriptures they cannot be called by the name of Sacraments but notwithstanding we think that we haue broght in the true cōfirmation which standeth in this that so many as are baptised in their infancie and all others whatsoeuer before they come to the Lordes Supper ▪ maye be instructed in the Cathechisme We teach also true repentance whiche consisteth in the true acknowledging of sinnes and in satisfaction either publiquely or priuately of the parties offended also in absolution whiche we haue in the bloud of Iesus Christ and in amendement of life We do allowe Matrimonie according to S. Paule in all those whiche haue not the gifte of continencie and wée thinke it vnlawfull for any man to bynde himselfe with a perpetual vowe to leade a continent life and neuer to marry and we condemne all fornication lightnesse in word gesture and deede We allowe the degrees of ecclesiasticall offices euen as God hath ordeined them in his house We allowe visitation of sicke persones as the speciall parts of the Ministerie of the Gospell We teach with S. Paule that no man ought to be iudged for choyce in days meats for the kingdome of God doth not consiste in those corruptible and externall thinges The last point to speake of is of external order and gouernement of the ecclesiastical State of the which we think it lawful for vs to say by your leaue that all things are so corrupted that very hardely the notes and printes of that auncient buylding very well ordered appointed by the Apostles can be seene Of the which matter you your selues maye be witnesses whiche toke some paines not long agoe herein But we omitte these matters the whiche we thinke better not to disclose than to vtter And to conclude this Oration we proteste before God and his Angels before your Maiestie moste Christian king and before this honorable assembly that our purpose and meaning is nothing else but to bring the state of the Church to that puritie and perfection in the which it so greatly florished in the Apostles tyme and that so many of those additions as should be found either superstitious or else manifestly against the worde of God might quite be abolished and counted superfluous also that all thinges might be taken awaye whiche experience teaching bring men to superstition But if certaine thinges be founde profitable and necessarie to edification firste consider of them wisely by the auncient Canons and authorities of the Fathers then let them be obserued and kepte as it shall be thought expedient and méete for the times places and persones that so with one consent God maye be worshipped in spirite and truth vnder your obedience O King and the obedience of those whome God hath appointed to your Maiestie to gouerne the Realme For if there be any yet whiche thinke that the doctrine which we professe dothe withdrawe men from their dutifull obedience to Kinges and Magistrates we haue to answere them For this we teach that the firste and principall obedience is due vnto God whiche is King of Kings and Lord of Lordes But if our writings may not suffise to cleare vs of that crime layd to our charge we wil bring forth many examples of principalities of rules and of kingdomes that haue bene reformed by the prescript of our doctrine which may be sufficient witnesses of our innocencie To be short in this point we say with S. Paule Let euery soule submit himself to the authoritie of the higher powers ▪ Yea and Chrisostome writing vpon that place faith Yea let him submit him selfe though he be an Apostle or Euangelist bicause that subiectiō doth not derogate from the glory of God. Wherefore if it shall come to passe hereafter that any man falsely professing oure doctrine shall be found to rebel but against the least of your officers we protest before God and your maiestie O King that such kind of men shall not be of vs neither shal they finde more mortall enimyes against them than we Therfore O king our desire to aduance the glory of God our obediēce loue which we owe to your Maiestie our loue also towards our cuntrey specially to the Church of God haue brought vs into this place trusting that the most mighty God according to his accustomed mercy and goodnesse will blesse you no lesse thā he did the yōg king Iosias that by your most happie gouernmēt O Quéene by your coūsels most honorable Princes coūsellers the ancient memory of the famous Quéene Clotilda shal be renued whose diligence the Lord vsed as a meane to make himself knowne throughout this Realme This is our hope most mightie king for the which we are readie to spende our liues that obeying your maiestie in this so godly a matter we may sée the golden world where oure Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ raigneth with all honour and glory for euer and euer
controuersies of oure aduersaries concerning this matter of the which there are eight in number It is better to abide in the approued opinion and iudgemente of the Catholike Church which is that the very body of God of our Lord Iesus Christ his very bloude also is present and receiued in this Sacrament according as it is sayd This is my bodie The which wordes excepte they be in déede of as great force as they sounde and séeme to be why are they so diligently repeated in like wordes of all the Euangelistes and of the Apostle Paule also Why did not the other three Euangelistes the Apostle Paule which wrote after Mathew writ after that maner that our Sacramentaries would write specially seyng in a matter of lesse waight they doe one of them expounde another and that which one of them setteth forth obscurely another plainely declareth This is the mynde of the Testator which by no maner of meanes ought to be disalowed or violated This is also the iudgement and doctrine of all the ancient writers that not onely the breade is giuen by the Priest but also the very body of Christ really Therefore I imbrace this stable hole some opinion and I doe abhorre with all my hearte the curious opinions and sayings of these newe men which seme so to represent Christe as if they shoulde bring him forthe in a Tragedie or Comedie As thoughe it were not better to retaine and kepe the simple wordes of our Lorde and saâ—…iour than the false imaginations of men seyng that this is most firme and certaine that we are not onely ioyned to Christe by faithe but also by the force and efficacie of the Euchariste beyng rightlye worthily and really receyued yea and to speake more playnelye Substantially Naturally and Corporally And here he alledged many things out of the ancient fathers and plainely reprehended Beza bicause he vsed the words of Austen in his epistle to Dardanus in this matter of the Sacramentes seyng in that epistle he intreated nothing at all of the Sacramentes also bicause he had condemned the opinion of certaine Germaines concerning Consubstantiation contrarye to his owne opinion And then he concluded his oration with these wordes I come yelde sayth he to your opinion of the Sacramente excepte ye thinke that Iesus Christe as touching his fleshe is in this world from the time of his ascention and that more nowe than he was before he toke vpon him our fleshe excepte ye thinke that Christ hath some other bodye than that whiche is visible excepte ye thinke that he is otherwise in the Sacrament than in the preaching of the worde if ye thinke it to be all one to put on Christ in Baptisme and to eate his body and bloude and to be shorte if ye thinkâ—… that he is so in heauen that he is not in earth also and that he is no otherwise in the Supper than he is in the Myer we which are taughte that the Supper is not in heauen but celebrated in earth and which are not so curious that we woulde by ingenius and wise speculations bryng and separate Christe from the Supper â–ª to answere you fullye affirme that we are so far from your opinion as the heauen is hyer from the lowest parte of the earth Let them therefore sée and consider which iudge and examine oure Religion not by Philosophie but by Diuinitie which of vs two doe attribute more to the power of God and to Iesus christ And so praying to God to roote out these daungerous and deadly opinions and not to suffer these controuersies to be in his Churche he exhorted the king and the Quéene that they woulde take vpon them the patrocinie and defence of thys matter and protested in the name of the Prelates of the French Churche that he would liue and die in the defence of this doctrine which he had set forth After this all the Prelates which were present rose vp and came néere vnto the king and in their name the Cardinal of Turnon protested that this was the confessioÌ„ of their faith which they woulde seale with their owne bloude being the vndoubted truth of the holy mother the Church The which the king oughte to imbrace and followe according to the manner and example of his elders But if they whiche had separated themselues from the Churche of Rome would subscribe to that confession then they shoulde be receyued and be heard more fully in other articles in the which they sayde they woulde be satisfyed otherwyse they oughte not to be hearde at all And it is the Kinges parte to banishe them oute of his Realme the which he must earnestly desired him to doe Then Beza vehementlye desired of the King by and by leaue to make answere oute of hande to the oration of the Cardinall of Loraine For the ministers feared that they shoulde haue no more leaue to come together againe fame reporting euery where that the prelates had determined from that day forward to deale with them no more but by excommunications Notwithstanding thoughe the Ministers that day could obtaine no leaue to answere yet obtained they another day the which neuerthelesse by reason of diuers rumors was deferred vntill the day following Bicause of these detractions of times the ministers fearing that the disputation shoulde be ended they determined to offer vnto the King a supplication praying him that for so much as at his commaundement they were come thether from so far countreys quietly to confer with the Prelates for the rooting out of errors which so manye yeares had oppressed the Church they mighte haue leaue to confer together and to declare their cause that he him selfe woulde take vpon him the defence of Religion whiche they sayde was the meane and way to raygne and rule himself and to preserue his kingdome in peace and tranquillitie When they had offered this Supplication oftentymes to the King at the last they obtayned leaue to haue the conference continued not in publique but in priuate place Therefore at the length the assembly was renewed agayne which a long time was broken off a small number of men the King and Quéene the king of Nauarre the Prelates and twelue chosen Ministers and a few others being only present Then the Cardinall of Loraine began to shew that this assembly was gathered togyther that the Ministers might be heard what answere they would make to those things which he had lately expounded Beza therfore in the name of his fellowes began thus saying When we haue called vpon the name of God that he woulde aide and assist vs in a matter of so great waight and would bring to passe that this assemblie might be gathered together to the glory of his name to your dignitie and specially to the peace and tranquillitie of the king and Quéene of the whole Christian common wealth and kingdome we will briefelye answere to that which was lately propounded by the Lorde Cardinall of Loraine concerning
séene and the eating of breade in déede euen as if a man shoulde not receyue that wholsom medicine giuen vnto him for his health but should cause it verie sumptuously to be caryed vp and down the chamber They saye also that Paule sayd not Carie this bread about the stretes but VVhosoeuer eateth of this bread and drinketh of this wine Furthermore they say that Christe is in heauen and that therfore there is onely required a spirituall worship Wherevpon they say that great iniâ—…rie is done to him by those corporal and externall worships seing he exalted 〈◊〉 from earth to heauen to the end he might be worshipped and adored with true and spirituall honor And last of all they say that this rite of carying the Lords bodie vp and down was brought in and by little litle established not by any authoritie of Scripture but by the deuotion of some singular man Also that neither Clement nor Gregorie bishops of Rome whiche appointed the same to be a solemne feasâ—…e haue not spoken one worde of that deambulation and that therefore our sacrifiâ—…ing Priests do erre and offende against their will and institution seing that no other day hath such fréedome and libertie to commit all kinde of wickednesse as that hath the whiche truly is not the waye to knowledge and worshippe Christ seeing that he requireth of his disciples purenesse and newnesse of lyfe and in his holy worde vtterly detesteth all sinfull libertie The which things séeme hurtfull not onely to those whiche haue separated themselues from our felowship but also to those which will not leaue the same They doe perceyue that herevpon many things are done amisâ—…e as the pollutiâ—…n of the Sacrament against the word of God and the approued customes of the Church Also that by the occasion of this day many men are aâ—…used and led to commit wicked and horâ—…ible things and that the same day is a verâ—…e prâ—…uocation of most 〈◊〉 sedition as we hitherto to our great griefe haue felt Therefore except this thing be foreseene and a remeâ—… prouiâ—…d for the same at the length experience will shewe that it is better to séeke a more deuoute way to worship God withall than to refeyne kepe this ryte to the hurt and offence of many The Masse also is an other greate cause of offence All men crie out that the Masse is a great offence slumbling block to the Church the same being sold of ignorant dissolute and most vngodly Priests and yet no man seeketh to reforme and amende the same This thing truly hath of late diminished the deuotion of the people very muche yea and many of our felowship do proceed further also â—…o doubt of the Masse both touching the substance and also touching the forme In the subsâ—…aÌ„ce they doe note that the Churchemen afâ—…irme that the priestes do offer Christe and do more esteeme of their owne sacrifice than they dâ—…e of the sacrifice of Christe And that certaine of the Doctours doe saye that the same sacrifiice whiche the Priests offer is onely a monument and signe of the true sacrifice whiche Christe offered for vs once for all but the ignoraÌ„t people are taught by ignorant priests that he ought to be counted for an heretik which thinketh otherwise The which truly seeing it seemeth to be most absurd it giueth great occasion to the aduersarie to speak euil But in the forme of the Masse they note foure principall things First that all things are done in the same in a strange an vnknowne tong the which in déed is vnprofitable and dangerous séeing no fruite commeth thereof vnto the people but are onely fed with certaine outward shewes Wheras on the contrarie part say they it is necessarie that the confession of the faith shoulde be plainly and euidently vnderstode of all men and séeing the Latine tongue muste needes be vsed let the same yet be expounded into the mother tong that it may of all men be vnderstode And seing the prayers which are there made appertaine to the common profit of all the hearers who vnderstanding not what is spoken shall aunswere Amen Furthermore they saye that the consciences of the Clergie doe accuse them and tel them that they doe amisse séeing no part of the vse of their Masse is declared without the which notwithstanding the administration of the Sacramente seemeth to be but vaine Thirdly séeing those things which are spoken in the Masse doe belong to the whole congregation and not to the Priesâ—…es alone and specially those things whiche concerne the Communion and yet neuerthelesse one Priest only communica 〈◊〉 the people sâ—…anding by and looking on it séemeth iusâ—…ly to be verâ—…e farre out oâ—… order and not agréeing to the truthe Wherfore they thiâ—…ke it 〈◊〉 that it shoulde be reduced and brought to the ancient maner of the church agréeing to the first institution â–ª Fourthly they misâ—…yke the order of the diuine seruice In the which is to be coâ—…idered what great profiâ—… the singing of Psalmes and the maâ—…ing of Prayers in the vulgar tong hath brought in tyme paste And truly our aduersaries of late days vsing these meanes haue allured and drawne many vnto them Wherefore let the holy Father consider if it shall not be best to giue libertie to haue the Psalmes soong and Prayâ—…rs also made in the vulgar toung that they maye be 〈◊〉 of all the people These are the principall poyntes whiche they saâ—…e are needfull to be amended â—…en they which haue separated themselues from our felowship which they 〈◊〉 to haue taken in good part seeing they goâ—… not about to violate the Apostoliâ—…ie authoritie of the holy father and 〈◊〉 perâ—…ct in these two things namely that nothing be altered â—…n dâ—…ctrine And also that if the Minisâ—…ers of the Churche doÌ„ offende in any thing the Ministeâ—…e therefore shoulde nâ—…t be taken away but the authoritie thereof alwayes to remain preserued and safe These two things being firmely holden they thinke it no absurditie if diligente inquiâ—…ition be made of other matters which haue neede of reâ—…ormation Therefore she dothe humbly beséeche the holye Father that he woulde prouide for these thinges for that greater inconueniences no dout woulde folowe if so be that there were not remedie prouided in tyme As for other thinges the Quéene promiseth that she hir selfe with the counsell of good men and with hir diligence and iâ—…deuour will looke vnto so muche as she maye both for the peace and quietnesse of the Church and also for the dignitie of the Popes holynesse These thinges haue ben by vs faithfully gathered out of the Copie of hir owne letters ¶ The thirde Booke of Commentaries concerning the state of Religion and or the common vvealth of Fraunce IN the meane season the Prelaâ—…es and Clergée came from all partes of the realme to a towne called 〈◊〉 néere to Sangeiman at the â—…ay appointed in the moneth of August to reason and fréely to
churches any diuisions for this matter Then Beza proceeding with his former purpose sayd Beza Concerning the seconde we doe not saye that the mâ—…rites of the death and passion of Christ are onely signified by the outward signes of bread and wine but also that the verie bodie of Christe which was cruâ—…ified for vs his bloud which was shed for vs is by them represented Also that Iesus Christ very God and perfect man is offered vnto vs by visible signes that our myndes being lifted vp by faith to heauen wher Christ now is may spiritually behold him receiue enioy all his graces to euerlasting life and that so certainly and truely as we sée and receyue and eate and drinke the corporall and visible signes To this the Cardinall of Loraine agreed affirming that he was glad to heare those wordes for so muche as he perceiued that the doctrine of the Faithfull was otherwise than he thought it to bée Beza Concerning the thirde there is greate difference betwéene common water and that with the which we are washed in baptisme betwéene the bread and wine whiche we dayly vse and that whiche is vsed in the Supper For the water of Baptisme the breade and wyne of the Supper are Sacramentes that is to saye visible sygnes and Testimonies of the bodie and bloud of the Lorde But we denie saith he that there is any such mutatioÌ„ in the substaÌ„ce of the Elements but we affirme that the change is in this that they are applyed to an other vse than that which is naturall bycause they seruing of themselues by their owne nature for the nutriment of the body being Sacraments they signifie that thing whiche doth feede our seules Furthermore we doe not assigne the cause of this mutation to the words or to the mynd and purpose of him that pronouÌ„ceth them but to the vertue and power of God whose will is reuealed in his word Therfore bycause the thing signified is offred vnto vs and so truly giuen vnto vs as the signe it selfe we muste also acknowledge by the same reason the coniunction of signes with the thing signifyed And by this meanes the body and bloude of Iesus Chryste in that they are truely giuen vnto vs are in the administration of the Supper and not with vnder or in the breade or in any other place than in heauen where as he is â—…an he is contained vntill he shall come to iudge both the quicke and dead The Cardinal also agréed to the same and affirmed that he did not allow Transubstantiation but thought rather that Chryste shoulde be sought in heauen Notwithstanding as one in dout he added other sayings of certayne Germanes to the end he might therby séeme not to haue greatly trauelled in this matter excusing himselfe to be let from the same by other businesse Then sayde Beza I graunte that we and certaine Germanes doe disagrée in this thyrde Article but in this notwithstanding we agree that we altogyther ioyntly with one consent denie your Transubstantiation Card. Lor. Doe ye confesse that we are truely and substancially partakers of the body and bloud of Chryst Beza This is the fourthe principall poynt whiche before I noted and resteth to be declared In suÌ„me therefore we do affirme that the visible signes whiche are naturally eaten and dronken are touched with the handes that the matter of the Sacrament that is to say the body bloud of Chryst Iesus is offered truely and without deceyte to all men that the same is receyued by faythe and not by naturall reason but yet that the same is so truely giuen vnto vs by faythe as if we were naturally ioyned with Chryst. Then the Cardinall affirmed that Beza hadde satisfyed him in this poynte and very friendly and louingly desired Bâ—…za that he might haue conference with him Notwithstanding it was reported that the Cardinall had confuted Bâ—…za by these firste small tryalles and assayes And so they fully persuaded themselues to haue the victorie But when they which were the chosen meÌ„ of the Churches to dispute lawe that new delayes were founde out day by day they vrged that their petitions whereof we spake before might be graunted vnto them and they desired also to vnderstande the Kings mynde in writing At the length they receyued this answere of the Queene that the Prelates shoulde not be their Iudges but that there shoulde be graunted vnto them certayne of the Kings Secretaries that the matter should be ruled wholy by the word of God and that the King with the Princes his kinsmen woulde be at the disputation And herewith she admonished them to behaue themselues modestly and to seeke onely the glorie of GOD whiche she thought she sayde they greatly desired But to graunt them any thing in writing she thought it not expedient séeing their wordes might serue well inough When the chosen men of the Churches hadde receyued this answere and were departed there came strayght way vnto the Queene certaine Papistes beseeching hir that she woulde not heare these men of the newe religion and if she were mynded to heare them that she would at the least beware and sée that the yong king came not to their disputations bycause it was daungerous least hée in his yong and tender yeares shoulde be taken and snared therewith For say they it is not meete that they shoulde be hearde which not long agoe were conuicted of heresie To whome the Quéene onely answered that she woulde doe nothing without due Counsell and aduise and that they shoulde well vnderstande that the matter shoulde not be handled after the wil and pleasure of those men of the new doctrine as they termed them The next daye after which was the ninth day of September was the time appoynted to begin the disputation Therefore the King and the Quéene his mother the Duke Aurelian the Kings brother Margareâ—… his Sister the King and Queene of Nauarre the Prince of Conde with the reste of the Princes the Kings kinsmeÌ„ and the Priuie Counsel and a greate number also of Noble men and Gentlemen were assembled together in a verye large hall which men commonlye call the Hâ—…ll of the holye Virgins of Posiac Hyther came also the Popes chiefe Prelates the Cardinals the Archebyshoppes and Bishoppes to the number of fiftie beside a great many substitutes and deputies in the places of those that were absent a great many diuines and men of learning counted standing about them In the highest place sat the King and harde beside him according to custome the Princes his kinsmen the Bishops sitting all a long on both sides the hall vpon gréeces one aboue another Then were brought in the chosen men for disputation of the reformed Churches which were twelue Ministers and twentie others which were sent also of the same Churches whom the Kings Gard at the commaundement of the king had brought from Sangerman thyther least there should be some tumult raised against them When euery man
to be The like words also he hath in his 112. Epistle Also in 37. cha of his second booke against Crescon In like maner S. Cyprian sayth VVe must not haue regarde what this or that man doth before vs but what Christe Iesus hath done who is before all Like vnto this is the rule whiche S. Augustine gaue to Hierome And in an other place also when hée disputeth againste those which woulde vse the Councell of Ariminum Neyther will I saith he alleage the Councell of Nice against you nor shall you alleage the Councell of Ariminum againste me By the authoritie of Scripture lette vs weye matter with matter cause with cause and reason with reason Chrysostome was of the same opynion as may appeare in his 49. Homely vpon Mathew For the Church is founded vpon the foundation of the Prophetes Apostles Therefore to conclude this matter we embrace the holy Scripture for the fâ—…l and perfect declaration of al things which appertayne to our saluation But as touching that which appertaineth to generall councels and to the bookes of the fathers we meane to vse them and we forbid not you to vse them so farre foorth as that which ye shall bring from them be not disagreeing with the worde of god But for Gods sake bring not in their bare authoritie vntill al thinges are examined by the Scriptures For we saye with S. Augustine in his seconde booke De doctrina Christiana the. 6. chapter If there bee any difficultie in the interpretation of Scriptures the holy Ghoste hath so tempered the Scriptures that what soeuer in one place is obscurely spoken in another place is more playnely and euidently reuealed And thus far concerning that Article the whiche I haue prosecuted the more largely to the endâ—… all men maye knowe that we are enimies neither to generall Councels nor yet to the auncienâ—… Fathers There remayne yet to speake of two articles namely concerning the Sacraments and Ecclesiasticall discipline The first truely deserueth a copious and long tractation by reason of the often and great controuersies euen at this day concerning the same but bycause it is not our purpose to dispute but onely to declare the speciaâ—…l pointes of our confession it seemeth enough to me to eâ—…plicate the summe of our faithe We agree as I thinke in the description of the name of the Sacrament namely that Sacramenteâ—… are visible signes by the meanes and helpe whereof the coniunction which we haue with our Lord Iesus Chryst is not only simply signified or figured but is also truely offered vnto God and is confirmed sealed and as it were grauen by the power of the holy Ghost in their mynds which with a true faith apprehend that which is so signified and offered vnto them I vse this word Signified not to weaken or abolishe the Sacramentes but to the ende I might distinguishe the signe from the thing signified Herevpon we confesse that it is alwayes necessarie in Sacramentes that there be a heauenly and supernaturall change for we say not that the water in Baptisme is simply water but a true Sacrament of our regeneration and of the washing of our soules by the bloude of Christe Neither do we say that the breade in the holy Supper of our Lorde Iesus Christe is simply breade but a Sacramente of the precious body of Christe Iesus whiche was giuen for vs and that the wine is not simply wine but a Sacrament of his precious bloud which he hath shed for vs Neuerthelesse we deny that there is any change made in substance of the signes but in the ende and vse for the which they are instituted We denie also that the same mutation is made by the efficacie of certaine wordes pronounced neyther by the intention of him that pronounceth them but by his wil only which hath ordeined this heaueÌ„ly and diuine action the institution also wherof ought euidently and playnly to be expounded in the vulgar tongue that all men might vnderstand and receiue the same Thus muche concerning externall signes Nowe to come to that which is shewed and exhibited by those signes We say not that which many do who not well vnderstaÌ„ding our myndes haue supposed that we haue taught namely that in the Lords supper ther is only a coÌ„memoration of the death of our Lord Iesus Christe Neither do we say that we are partakers of the frutes of his death passion onely in that thing but do ioyne the ground it self with the frutes whiche do come fro him to vs affirming with S. Paul â–ª The bread which we breake according to the Lords instiâ—…tion is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say the participatioÌ„ of the bodie of Christ which was crucified for vs The cup which we drinke is the participation of his very bloud which was shed for vs yea â—…ueÌ„ in the verie same substance which he toke in the wombe of the virgin which he caried vp into heauen Behold I pray you can ye fynd any thing in this Sacrament which we séeke find not But me thinks I heare some body make answer For many wold haue vs to confesse the the bread the wine are changed not into the sacraments of the body bloud of our Sauior Iesus Christ but into the very bodie bloud of our lord Other some peradueÌ„ture wil not so vrge vs but wil haue vs coÌ„fesse that the body bloud is really corporally in with or vnder the bread wine But here my Lordes I pray you heare me paciently a little for a time suspend your iudgements If either of these opinions shall be proued vnto vs out of the worde of God to be true we are redy to imbrace it and wholly to reteine it But it séemeth vnto vs according to the measure of oure faith that this Transubstantiation cannot be reuoked or brought to the analogie substance of faith and to sounde doctrine bicause it is wholly repugnant to the nature of Sacramentes in which it is necessarie that there remaine substaÌ„tial signes that they may be true signes of the body blod of Iesu Christ. Furthermore it doth euert and confound the veritie of the humane nature in Christ of his ascentioÌ„ And as my opinioÌ„ is of TraÌ„substantiatioÌ„ eueÌ„ so is it also of ConsubstaÌ„tiatioÌ„ which hath no grouÌ„d in the words of Christe neither is it necessary to this that we be partakers of the Sacraments But if any man demaund of vs if we make Christ to be absent froÌ„ the supper we answer that we do not separate him from the supper But if we haue respect vnto the distaÌ„ce of places as we must of necessitie wheÌ„ we speake of his corporal presence of his humanitie distinctly considered wee affirme that his body is so far absent from the bread wine as the heauen is absent from the earth fâ—…r so much as we the sacraments are in earth but he is so glorified in heaueÌ„
in the same opinion in the whiche they concluded with the Ministers of the reformed Churches that they had made a compacte and agréemente with the Ministers and therefore they were not suffered to conferre or dispute any more after that Therfore the ministers hauing occasion offered sente this explication of that article vnto the chosen men that disputed for the Prelates VVe affirme that no distance of places can let the communicating which wee haue with the body and bloud of Christ bycause the Supper of the Lorde is a heauenly thing And althoughe we receiue in earthe with oure mouthe the breade and wine beyng true signes of his body and bloud yet notwithstanding by faithe and by the operation of the holye Ghost our myndes of which this is oure speciall meate being lyfted vp to heauen doe receine there his bodye and bloude And in this respecte wee saye that the bodye doth truely ioyne it selfe to the breade and the bloude to the wyne and yet notwithstanding no otherwyse than after a Sacramentall manner that is to saye neyther locally nor naturally but bycause they effectually signifie and declare that God doth giue them faithfully and without all doubt to the communicants who do truly and certainely receiue them by faith This therefore is the plaine opinion and iudgement of the reformed Churches concerning the presence of the bodie and bloud of Christ Iesus in the sacrament of the Supper But there were nowe come certaine ministers oute of Germanie by the meanes of Baâ—…duinus as we sayde before But they bewraying the councell and purpose of the Cardinall of Loraine by whose practise these things were spedely brought to passe returned home again with losse of their labour and their expectation being deceiued The purpose and practise of the Cardinall was to bring these ministers and the other into one disputation and contention and so contending and striuing together he might cause the conference to cease and make them to be a laughing stocke to all men The Prelates doubting of the fayth and trust of their men which they had chosen to dispute for them as we said before woulde haue no conference after this with the ministers wherevpon the conference brake vp the â–ª xxv day of Nouember And this was the ende of the Conference of Possiac manye being gathered together for the same the space of thrée monethes â—…fter the whiche there ensued not onely no profyte but also great trouble and motions of warres Thus the conference being ended withoute fruite there was no waye founde for peace and concorde but rather the mindes of both parts beyng exasperated there insued great quarels and discentiens So that great discorde rose dayly betwéene the Papists and the Protestants more and more some complayning and finding fault with the Prelates for their disordered departing from the conference the which in deede sufficiently declared the weakenesse of their cause and other some misliking of the authoritie of the Generall Councell shortly alter to come and of the Churche of Rome Neither were these dissentiâ—…ns onely among the common people but also among the Peeres Nobles of the realme mens mindes being distracted and drawne into manifest factions whiche foreshewed not onely bare contentions of wordes but also greate and mortall warres at hande For the compactes and manifest practises of the Guises of the Constable and of the Marshall of Santandra were well ynough sene Yet notwithstanding their purpose and indeuour was very muche let and hindered at that time by the authoritie of the King of Nauarre whome they thought good to assay by all meanes possible to the entent they myghte drawe him from taking part with the Protestantes In the which matter the Cardinal of Ferrer of whom we spake before being the Popes Legate in Fraunce take verye muche paines promising vnto the king of Nauarre in the Popes name the full possession of the kingdome of Nauarre affyrming that the Pope should easily obtaine this thing of king Phillip for that he already promised to doe the same for the Catholique Churches sake Moreouer the Cardinall of Towers the Bishop of Ansseren and Escarsius also certaine of his houshoulde confirmed him in this matter and vsed dayly persuasions being wicked men and set on for money by the Cardinall of Loraine Among whom also was that Frances Balduine of whome mention was made before as diligent and busie as the best to bring the matter about whereby he thought he shoulde reape no small gaine This man forging a new Gospell caused the king of Nauarre to hate both the doctrine and also the men of the reformed Churches So that now he began to hang betwene diuers opinions to forsake the loue of Religion openlye to shew himselfe an enimie to the reformed Churches to bée more coâ—…uersant and familiar with the Guises to giue him selfe to lightnesse filthy pleasure also to go to the Masse and to the Popishe Churches When the Duke of Guise had deliberated and consulted of the matter with the Constable and the Marshall of Santandre and willing them to gathered vnto them forthwith so great power as they could he departed from them leauing them in Fraunce and came to Imuilla in the moneth of Nouember and after he had taryed there certayne dayes he wente to the Cittie Tabernas whiche bordereâ—…h vpon Germanie to prouide for his businesse and to consult with many of the Princes of Germanie about this matter Notwithstanding the number of the faythfull dayly more and more encreased and was wonderfully confyrmed a great part of the Nobles comming to the reformed Churches Therefore there were assemblies and congregations in great number almost in all the noble Cities of the Realme in the whiche the worde of God was openly preached and the Sacramentes ministred notwithstanding the Edict of Iuly of whiche we spake before Wherevpon notwithstanding there arose oftentymes greate discâ—…ntions and of those seditions ensued great perils For they whiche were grieued and offended at these assemblies of the faythfull made exclamation that Edictes were broken and did so prepare themselues to trouble the faythfull that there séemed to be present occasions of great mischief whiche brake foorthe in many places but specially at Paris For the faithful being gathered togither the. 26. day of December to heare the word of God in Paris in the suburbes of Sanmarcellus a place specially appointed vnto them by the King for the same purpose the Priestes of the Temple of Sanmedardus hard by in the time of the Sermon caused such a noyse to be made with ringing of bels that the voyce of the Preacher coulde by no meanes be vnderstoode Whervpon two of the Congregation men vnarmed and without weapon came to these Popishe Priestes and beséeched them that they woulde not make suche a dynne with ringing their Belles that so greate a companie of menne shoulde be lette from hearing the woorde of God. The Priestes hauing with them diuers other men began to abuse them and
confesse that I was not the first that toke the sweard in hand and when I did take it after them whych put them selues in Armor againste the King and Quéenes willes I had good occasion so to do For by the Lawe of Nature being a Prince and one of the Kings kinsmen I ought and am bound of duety to defend and maintain the dignity of the King and the peace and tranquillitye of the Realme So soone as I put on Armoure I protested that I woulde put of the same againe vppon suche reasonable conditions as shoulde appertaine to the libertye of the King and Quéene and to the peace and concorde of the Realme Whervpon it must néedes follow that they are the causes authours of troubles which haue refused those conditions and which when they could not abyde the peaceable gouernement of the Quéene and that shée should be the head ouer the Kings subiectes and disdayning at her for that shée looked so straytly vnto theÌ„ least they should defraude the kings creditors of any of their debt put themselues in armour came with a bande of soldiours to the King and beset him about with armed men that hauing the king and Quéene in their owne power they might gouerne the Realme as thei list theÌ„selues they committed horrible murthers vppon the kings subiectes liuing peaceably according to the kings lawes and thus haue brought vpon the whole Realme of France these stormy tempestes of trouble beginning euen a litle before to enioy peace and tranquillitie both partes being contented to liue peaceably so that they might enioye their Religion But and if leauing the present state of things wée will call to mind and consider euery mans actes in time past in good sooth wée shall finde these same men which at this day stirre vp these troubles haue ben also aforetyme the causes of great inconueniences to the Crown and dignitie séeking by the perturbation of this realme to enrich themselues whereas by peace and tranquility they decay And to omit that which king Fraunces a maÌ„ of excellent wisdome and Iudgement sayd of them and to omit also many of their bold and presumptuouse enterprises who knoweth not that they hating publique peace concord were the onely causes and authours of the truce and league breaking betwene king Henry and king Philip of Spaynâ—… to the great dammage and hurte of Fraunce In so much that they brought the same by warres in great perilles and all to haue their will and pleasure by one meanes or other Beside this after S. Laurence slaughter when thei had gotten vnto them the Treasurers office which thei had before gréedily gayed for what detriment or hurt did they not bring vnto the kingdome What did they also to King Henâ—…y who disâ—…king being weary of their violent and cruel dispositioÌ„ mynded to haue sent them away froÌ„ the Court to their howse had he not ben preuented by death But afterward in the dayes of king Fraunces the second being but yong these Straungers and violent Carters agaynstâ—… law and equitie and against the auncient constitutious of the realme of Fraunce vsurped the mere impery and gouernement of the kingdome during which time was the realme voyd of troubles Did they not in the sighte of all men go about to set that yong king being by nature very gentle and full of clemency agaynst his subiects and to haue made him infamouse with the note of cruelty for euer Did they not cause him to be a mortall enemie against his subiectes euen in the middest of his raigne in so much that except GOD in his mercy haâ—… turned away so great calamities and miseries lyke too haue ensewed we all should haue rued the same to remember â—…he which it would cause any Christian harte to tremble And to make an end of so lamentable a Tragedie When kinge Fraunces was dead these boysterouse stormes were blowen ouer the sky was more cleare the gouernement of the Realm being committed to the Quéene and to the king of Nauar vntill such tyme as their ambition hating peace and tranquillitie styred them vp and their fellowes to set heauen and earth togyther and to cause the state to be troublesome as to my great gréefe is to be séene Therefore I leaue the Iudgement of these to all indifferent men to discerne who are the authours of troubles whether they which haue sought peace and concord by all meanes possible or they which haue so mayntayned dissensions always that thei dare at this time to the great hurt of the whole Realme proclayme open warres Besides this there is so little cause for any man to marueile why I should be so busie to deale and so ware and circumspecte in the matter that I shuld be in great falte if I did otherwise For their actes in time paste againste me haue taught me sufficiently to beware how I put my selfe into their handes And it is playne enough to be séene that their purpose is to destroy the greatest part of the Nobilitie and of all estates of men which imbrace the truth of the gospell specially those that attende vpoÌ„ mée The which their meaning may easely be gathered by the talk which the Duke of Guise and the Constable had togyther of late in the Senate of Paris before a great assembly But what obedience they shewe towardes the Quéene it may appeare hereby that contrary to the Quéenes wil which she oftentimes declared they dyd frustrate the kings Edict of Ianuary adding this new exception Let not the Religion be vsed at Paris Who seeth not that they intend nothing else but euen to banish the Gospell out of all partes of the Realme when as also of late proclamation was made at Paris to banish al the new Christians To what purpose shoulde I say that by no other meanes the Inhabitants of Paris can be kept in quiet For we haue séene that the Prince of Rochesuryon and Martial Momorentius hauing about them only twelue soldiers haue kept the people of Paris in quiet without any maner of tumult the space of thrée monethes togyther The which continewed euen vntill that daye on the which the Duke of Guise entred into Paris But this is worthy the remembrance that when the same Martiall Memorency had somewhat increased the number of soldiers to kéepe the ordinary watch wherby the confederacies of certeyne factious persons might be preueÌ„ ted the Marchant maister and certeyne of the Citizens sayd that the people might be kept in peace and quyet with lesse ado a great deale Notwithstanding after the comming of the Guises into the Citie the mindes of the people were so altered that to kéepe them in quiet they were fayne to haue a band of men which they appointed without the knowledge and wil of the Quéene But I knowe it came to passe by the singular prouidence of God that the Duke of Guise and the Constable should disclose the secrets of their harts before so great a multitude that their toong
Thus far Beza procéeded in his oration who with his fellowes fell on their knées and standing vp straight way againe offred vnto the king the confession of the Churches of Fraunce and then he spake thus vnto him We beséeche your Maiestie not to regarde oure rude and barbarous speache but our well wishing mindes wholy consecrated to obedience But bicause the principall pointes of oure doctrine are more plainly and copiously contained in this confession of our faith we beséech your Maiestie to receiue the the same and we trust by the leaue of God it will come to passe that when we haue conferred together with all sobrietie and reuerence we shall come to some agréement But if our iniquities be the cause that we may not obtaine so greate a blessing we doubte not but your Maiestye will consyder of all thinges and prouide for them accordingly without preiudice of any partie And here wée thinke it not good to let one thing passe namely that when Beza intreated of the Lords supper and spake these wordes As touching the distance of places the bodie of Christ is so far from the bread and wine as the heauen is higher than the earth the Prelates were so moued that by and by they began to make disturbance and to murmur but this being somewhat quieted Beza made an ende of his oration After whom the Cardinall of Turnon hauing great indignation and shaking and trembling for very anger began in the name of the Popishe Prelacie of which he was chiefe to declare vnto the king that the Cardinall Bishoppes and the reste of their fellowship by reason of the kings commaundemente gaue their consente that the newe Euangelistes for so he termed the menne of the refourmed Churches shoulde be hearde what they coulde saye but notwithstanding not withoute some offence of their consciences bycause they perceyued that they myghte speake manye things not méete for a Christian Prince to heare which might also and that not withoute cause offende the mindes of many good men â–ª Therfore he sayd that the Prelates suspecting that it woulde so come to passe had giuen hym commaundement to intreate the King that if any suche matters fell oute he woulde not in any wyse beléeue their wordes And that therefore he would reiect both the wordes and sentence of that fellowe that had spoken in the name of those of the new Religion staying and suspending his iudgement vntill the Prelates hadde otherwyse opened the matter the which if it might please him he trusted that both the king and the whole assembly shoulde vnderstand see â–ª what diffenreÌ„ce there was between the truth and a lye He required also that he might haue a daye giuen him to answere Adding that had it not beene for the regarde they hadde vnto the King and to his commaundementes they would not at the hearing of those horrible and abheminable wordes which that other fellowe vttered haue suffered him to haue procéeded any further At the length he beseeched the King that he would follow the faith and footesteps of his auncestors the whiche he prayed all the Saintes in heauen and the Uirgin Mary to graunt To this the Quéene answered that nothing was doone in this matter without due aduice and counsell by the deliberation of the Princes and the priuie Councell and by the iudgement and consent of the Senate of Paris The whiche she sayd was not done to alter any thing in Religion but to quiet the troubles that were rysen through the diueâ—…sitie of opinions in Religion and by these means to bring those that were gone astraye into the way againe Which sayth she you and your fellowes ought to séeke specially at this time by vsing good and strong argumentes Thus the mynds of the Popishe Prelates being galled and very much grieued at the first méeting with the words of Theodore Bâ—…za the daye following he writ vnto the Quéene saying bycause he feared that she was not fully satisfied by reason of certen words wherat the Prelats were offended therfore he earnestly desired of hir that he might haue libertie more plainly largely to discourse that matter which then he could not copiously declare The occasion therfore saith he of those words by me vttered was the opinion of certaine men which not wel vnderstanding our mindes thought that we went about to exclude Christ froÌ„ the Supper the which to doe were manifestly wicked seing we haue the contrary to be found in the word of God namely that that precious Sacrament was therefore ordayned by the sonne of God that he might make vs more and more partakers of the substance of his verye body and bloude whereby we might more straightly be vnited vnto him and mighte growe to euerlasting life And vnlesse it should be so it were not the Supper of Iesu Christ. And therefore it is so far from vs that we should say that Christ is absent from the Supper that none of all others more resiste that blasphemie than we But we saye that there is great difference betwéene these to say that Iesus Christ is in the Supper in that he gyueth truely vnto vs his bodye and bloude and to say and affirme that his bodye bloude is ioyned to the bread That first I haue affirmed bicause it is the principall chiefe the seconde I haue denyed bicause I thinke it to be repugnant to the truth of Christ his nature and to the article of the ascention as it is in Scripture and as the ancient fathers expounde the same This sentence and opinion gyueth more dignitie and authoritie to the worde of God thaÌ„ that which teacheth that Christe is really and corporally ioyned to signes This therefore is the declaration meaning of that which we spake which I desyre may satisfie you being ready to be taught if better be shewed To this also he added certaine testimonies of the Fathers As of S. Augustine writing vpon the. 5. Chapter of S. Iohn where he saith VVhen our Sauiour Christ saide ye shall not haue me alwayes with you he spake of the presence of his bodie For according to his Maiestie prouidence and inuisible grace that which he promised in another place is fulfilled I will be with you to the ende of the world But according to his humane nature which he toke according to that that he was borne of the virgin Mary that he was crucifyed buried and rose againe it is said Me ye shall not haue alwayes VVherfore Bicause according to his body he was conuersant with his disciples fortie dayes and as they wentâ—… wyth him ascended from them into heauen neither is heere any more Also the same Saint Augustine saith writing to Dardanus As he is God he is euery where As he is man he is in heauen And Vigilius whiche wrote againste Eâ—…yches in the yeare of our Lorde God. 500. sayth The sonne of God in respecte of his humanitie is departed from vs but in respect of his diuinitie he saith I am with