SYRE, we acknowleadge you for oure soue­raigne and naturall lorde, and confesse oure selues to be your most humble and obediente subiectes and seruauntes: And the fidelitie whiche we haue sworne, and solemnely pro­mised vnto your grace, we will neuer gaine go it. After our example then, and accordyng to the doc­trine of God, whiche we announce, all ye that be presente, [...] and all those lykewise that bee vnder your maiesties rule & gouernemente in this mosse christen realme, be ye for the loue of God subiectes to all policie and humaine order, whether it be to the kynge, as to the head and soueraigne: or vnto theim whiche vnder hym supplie the chiefe places nerte his persone, or els vnto other by hym established tho­rough the prouinces, euery one accordynge to his charge, as vnto them whiche be sent by hym, to the punyshyng of euyll doers, and to the praise of them that do well. For such is the will of God, that in doyng well you shall stoppe the mouthe to the ignorant and foolyshe: All this purpose the apostle saint Peter concludeth in these fower words,1. Pet. 1. Feare God, and honor the Kyng, as though he wold saye, Honor the kyng, for that ye ought to scare God. It is he,Pro. [...]. by whom kynges do rule: And they that make lawes, ordeyn iust thin­ges, wherby princis doo commaunde, and the mightie doo iudge the earth, wherof he that will seke thoriginall must nedes confesse, that all power is geuen of our Lorde God, and the vertue & strength cometh from aboue. [...] Ro [...]. It is he (saith Dauid) that geueth saufetie to kinges, and instructeth my handes to fight, & maketh my singers to serue in the warre. To be short, fithens that all superior and hygh power is of God, principally then is the power of kynges ordeined by hym: wher vnto if any maketh resistence, dothe withstande his ordinance, and purchaseth to himselfe damnation: Let vs be therfore to your maiestie faithfull and obediente sub­iectes, not onely for not prouoking your anger, but also for conscience sake. Notwithstanding remembre syre, that you are not onely a minister of God, and of oure Lorde Iesus [Page] Christe,The due­tie of a Kyng toward the churche, & of his authoritee there Esa 49 60 but also of his Chirch, the whiche you norishe and conserue: you are therof a sonne, and not a lorde, a mem­ber, and not a head, as by his prophete long tyme sithens, he warned the chirche whyche shoulds be assembled of the Gentils. For Esaie sayth, The kynges shalbe thy nourses, and shal submitte them selues to do thee honor and seruice. The kynges shall be broughte vnto thee, and shall obeye thee. And the people and realme that shall not serue thee, shall peryshe, and there shall be made suche waste and de­struction, that no habitation there shall bee founde. Which saying our first and moste holy ancient Byshoppes aduentured to proteste before their myghtiest and moste re­doubted Emperors,23 q. 8. cap conuen [...] o [...]. and those Emperoures accepted the same in good parte. Sainct Ambrose speakyng of the Em­perour Valentinian the yonger, and of Iustinian his mo­ther saith thus: What name or title more honorable maye an Emperor attribute to hym selfe, then to bee called the Sonne of the Churche, whiche was spoken withoute of­fence, and the same ryghte thankefully accepted. For the Emperor is within the Churche, and not aboue. The same Saint Ambrose in a request presented to the same Emperor refused his iudgement in his disputation with Aurentius an Arrian byshoppe:Epi 32 Forasmuche (sayth he) as in causes of Faithe and of the Churche, Byshoppes do iudge of the laitie, and not the laitie in their consistories, & assemblies do iudge of Byshops. And this, saith he, none will cal in doubte y^t wil kepe y^e wel ordered course of y^e holy scriptures, or y^t wil folow the good auncient customes and obseruations. Way enge well then these thynges, what is he, that in cause of faithe will denye, that Byshoppes haue not accustomed to iudge of Christian Emperors, and not the Emperours of Byshoppes? In this Consistorie IESVS CHRIST hathe not accustomed to occupye the place of a partie, but rather of a Iudge. If ye treate with hym I haue lear­ned that it oughte to bee in the Churche, whyche my for­fathers haue doone. If it bee to haue conference in mat­ters of Faithe, that conference oughte to bee made with [Page] the priestes.VVhat in g [...]ments in maters of faithe the olde christian Empe­rors ob­serued, and in vvhat estimation they had their Bi­shops & priestes. Ruf. li. 10 ca. 2. Tripar. li. 2, ca, [...] Socr. li. 2. ca. 8 Theo. li. 1 cap 11. Sozom. li. 1. c. 17. Nicep. li. 8. ca. 16. [...] Am­brose in the place befor: alledged. The lyke order was obserued vnder that greate Emperoure Constantine, who withoute any re­straynte dydde permyt to the Ecclesiasticall persones free iudgemente in matters of faithe, and would neuer iudge of priuate complayntes made of any Byshoppes in the councell of Nice. It is GOD (sayth he) that hath consti­tuted you priestes, that hathe geuen you power to iudge of vs, and not power to me to iudge of you. He is onely youre iudge, and you oughte not to bee iudged by men. Whyche holye opinion Valentinian the elder full welle did folowe, sayeng: It becometh me not to iudge amonge the Byshoppes, where any question of the Faithe, or of Ecclesiasticall ordre aryseth: He ought not to iudge that doothe diffre in charge, but he whyche is of lyke voca­tion, that is to saye, priestes oughte to iudge of prestes. In the selfe same tyme, and to lyke effecte, Gregorye Nazianzene dydde preache before the Emperour Valens and tolde hym. The ordynaunce of IESVS CHRIST hathe made you subiecte vnto my power and to my iuris­diction: You are not he onely that ruleth, for we also rule in a greatter and more perfecte Empire, yf we dooe not submytte the spirite to the fleshe and heauenly thyn­ges to earthly. But geue me leaue moste noble Empe­rour more frankelye to vtter my mynde. I knowe that thou arte a sheepe of my flocke, and in that thou dooest reigne and commaunde, thou haste it by the benefyte and grace of IESVS CHRIST. But wherevnto serueth this conference of kyngly or priestlye dignities, namely vnto vs, whyche neuer ne yet oure predecessoures haue at any tyme experimented of oure moste Christian kyn­ges any vnseemely enterprise, and that bee and doo suc­cede in the states of them, who neuer denyed the due obe­dience to their kynges, no not once called the same in que­stion.The effect of his first proposition. Lette then (Sire) the firste discourse of this proposi­tion bee to this ende principally that all menne maye bee wytnesse in what reuerente sort we humble oure selues. And howe muche wee woulde that bothe we and all they [Page] that be vnder our charge, should shewe their faithfull obe­dience. Let it be also a manifest declaration of the authori­tie that God hath left to vs in the guidyng of soules, in the doctrine of our faith, and that vnder your protection: to the ende that leauyng all other thynges aparte, I maye make you vnderstande my charge, and by whom I am therevnto authorised.

SYRE, in this companie by your commaundement as­sembled we be a great numbre of Archbishops, & Byshops, vpon whom thimposition of handes haue ben layd by their Metropolitanes and other byshops of the same prouince, and through the grace of Iesus Christe, the holy ghost hath ben geuen, nominated by the kinges your predecessoures, who do succede in the right of their people, they referryng themselues to them, and into theyr handes: themselues be­yng discharged of all that is necessarie to their choise or ele­ction: We be receyued vpon the view and consent of our clergies and of our peoples that be vnder vs, after our insti­tution made by our holy fathers the Popes, and the holye see Apostolique, whom we acknowledge for our Superior, and all these signes and markes be accompanyed with one succession from thapostles vnto vs very well continued. There be also a good numbre of priestes sente by the By­shops that bee absent, and by the chapters and Clergie, and also Doctors of Parys (whom I name for honors sake) and of other famous vniuersities, and to theym all I am infe­rior in vnderstandyng, knowledge, and eloquence, and yet neuerthelesse by them all ordeyned to make you vnderstand one thyng:The vnity of the prelates and [...]nce wherin (thankes be vnto God) we be all of one harte & one soule, & of one fayth, vnder one God, & vnder one head, our sauior and redmer Iesus Christ, vnder one onely Catholike churche his spouse: hym we serue in spi­rite, vnto hym with one intention, mynde, and prayer, we bowe the knees of our heartes we worship and adore hym, and by hym we aske the graces and gyftes of the holy ghost and haue no spotte of Idolatrie, howesoeuer some men go about to lay vnto our chargs: Vnderstande therfore Syre, [Page] theffect of my message.

It is nowe eyght dayes passed that by your expresse ordi­naunce a certayne number of persons were broughte into this place, [...] and [...] who of long tyme haue seperated themselues from vs to our great sorow and griefe, makyng a contrary profession of faithe, and woulde not be obedient to our or­ders and obseruations, and yet in wordes shew themselues as though they were desyrous to lerne and to be instructed, reentryng into this their countrey, and into the house and company of their fathers, whom when they will acknow­ledge for fathers, they shall be receyued and embraced for children. Against theym we purpose not to obiecte any re­proche, but beare with their infirmitie: not reiecte theim, but call them agayne, not separate them, but vnite theim, to thende that we maye all with one mouthe geue honor to God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ. To them ther­fore in all charitie and spirite of mekenesse we answer, that we are verye glad of their profession made of tharticles of the Crede, commune to all Christian men, and doo desire with all our hartes, that like as they dooe agree in woor­des, so also they woulde agreee with vs in sence and vn­derstandyng, as it hath appeared vnto vs they haue not doone, by their definition of the catholike churche callyng the same to be the congregation of the chosen. After that they touched summarily diuers pointes cleane contrary to that whiche the Catholike church doth teache and beleue, and in so greate numbre, that beyng well compared vnto our profession, wherof not to speake without lawe, but to proue if accordyng to holy doctrine, euery poynte nedeth a whole day, and so the debatyng of this matter woulde re­quire whole monethes.

This hath ben the cause why at this tyme I haue charged my selfe of two pointes onely, whereof the principall is to separate them, and to make them strangers: thother is the only rule, wherby we may measure our controuersies, and so come to agreement.

This latter is of the Catholike churche, of the authoritie [Page] of the Scripture, of the holy councelles, and interpretations of the fathers:1. Tim. 3 whych point, I will firste entreate of, and the other is of the veritie of the bodye and bloude of IESVS CHRIST in the holy sacrament of the Eucharistia. The one is the piller, the strengthe the staye and establishmente of the truth: The other is the sacrament of our vnitie, be­ynge by hollye communion and participation of the bodye and bloud of our lord vnited and incorporated to our saui­our, & made all members of one body well composed and a­greing, wherof IESVS CHRIST, is the head. It is six score yeares and more before the counsell of Constance, be­fore which counsel there were some did affirm, that the chirche was of the chosen only, and that whosoeuer was a syn­ner coulde not be accompted of the church, and namely that a bishop whom God had reproued, and so consequently whiche was a member of the diuell had no power ouer the faithful: Ther folowed them other which, saide, that the vniuer­sall churche was onely of such as were predestinate.Proffes that the Churche cōsisteth in good and euil Mat. 3. Luc. 3. Mat. 22. Mat. 25. Ioan. 15. Esai. 5 Math 2 Mat. 12 Luc. 2 These errours and the renuers of them were in that councell re­proued and condempned as altogether wholy repugnaunt to the holy scriptures, wherin it is sayd, that in the floure of our lord there shall alwayes be found chaffe with the corne, which shall continue to the ende, at what tyme the same shal be purged and clensed by the fanne of IESVS CHRIST. The flocke of our lord doth conteyne both sheepe and goa­tes, & the same shall not be seperated vntill his return Al the world is bidden to the banket, but vpon the view which god shal make, he that is found euil apparailed, is driuen thens: Among the virgins were founde fiue fooles, against whom the gates were shutte. The vineyarde of our Lord hath not brought foorth good grapes, but also bastarde grapes, whiche was not only tilled by good husbād men, but also by euil whome god will destroy and let out his vineyard to others. And the kingdome of heauen which is the church,Mat. 13. is compa­red to nettes: that gather fyshe of all sortes, whiche shall not be seperated or deuided vntill the nette be ful, that is to say, in the consummacion and ende of the worlde, at what tyme [Page] the angels shall seuer the euyll from among the iust.2. tim. [...] And in this great house there be many vessels, some appoynted to honor, and some to dishonor. To be shorte among the xii. Apostles Iudas was reproued, and of hym it is writen in the actes, that the place of his apostleship should be filled,Act. [...]. Psal. 10 [...] & as the psalme saithe, An other shoulde take his bishoprike: And notwithstandyng all these expresse testimonies of the scriptures contrary to this opinion sundry inconueniences haue risen, makyng this church to bee vnknowen and fan­tasticall, wherby the state therof shoulde be so vncertaine, that neither byshops nor priestes should be certayne, no as­sured baptisme, and all the administration of the sacramen­tes vncertaine. For Predestination or reprobation bee a­mong the highest secretes of God, the certaine knowledge wherof we can not attain. And notwithstandyng this mix­ture of good and badde together,1. Tim. 3 Ioh 14.16. Mat, 16. Mat [...]5. Mat. 24 Marc 13 2 The 2 1 Tim 4 1 Tim. 3 2 Pet. 3. Epi 119. [...]p 19. The fa­me and glorie of the chir­che. Pro. 40. 2. Re. 22 Ephe. 6. Psal. 119. the churche ceaseth not ac­cordyng to the sayeng of S. Paul to be the piller and foun­dation of the truthe, wherin she is throughly instructed by y^e holy ghost, and builded vpon that stone, against which hell gates shal neuer preuail: with whom IESVS CHRIST her true spouse shall remaine to the worldes ende, although she is aduertised by her lorde, and by the holye scriptures of the assaultes whiche she shoulde suffer by meanes of false Christes, false prophetes, false apostles, and of the abuses, errours, and heresies, which should inuade her. Howbeit, as saint Austine answereth very wel to Ianuarius sayeng, The Churche beyng sett and placed among so muche chaffe and cockle suffereth many thynges, but those thinges that be against the faithe or good life bee not by her in any wise allowed or made, wherin she dothe neither howe her peace, nor yet dissemble, vppon which sence we acknowledge that she can not go out of the waye, nor yet erre, eyther in the faithe, or in good lyfe, whiche we confesse and affirme as a thyng that no christian man can denaie, and accursed bee he that gothe about to obscure her glorye and fame. The firste place and chiefest authoritie belongeth to this shielde, whi­che is the brandishyng sword of all those that put their trust [Page] in God. The true light which leadeth and geueth lyghte to our feete,2 Pet. 1 and is the lanterne of our waies and pathes: pro­fitable to teache, to argue, to correcte, to instructe a man in iustice, that he may be perfect and redy to all the good wor­kes of God: and that it is the word of God which abideth, and shall abyde for euer,2. Tim. 12 Pet. 10 whiche by the prophetes and apo­stles hath been preached vnto vs. Moreouer, with this we acknowledge his spirite that geueth lyfe, and not the dead letter that kylleth.21. Co 3 And to vse saynt Hieromes owne wor­des, Lett vs not thynke (saith he) that the Gospell is in the wordes of the Scripture, but in the sence thereof. It is in the marowe, not in the barke or outwarde apparaunce of letters, in the roote of truth, not in the leaues of wordes. And this woorde of God we say, is of more antiquitie, and before the churche, as it appeareth in the creation of the worlde, and in the commandementes made to our fyrst fa­ther, howe be it the churche was long beefore any written woorde. For Moyses was the fyrst that dyd put the ordi­nances of God in writyng. And our sauiour CHRIST, beyng a long space in the worlde. And after his departure in long successe of time his worde was taught and preached by the Apostles, after his ascention, before they beganne to write, whyche gyueth vs to vnderstande that the worde of God is as well to bee receyued and acknowledged of vs which is delyuered vs by the traditions of the Apostles and their successoures vnwritten, as that whyche is lefte vnto vs in writyng.8. The. 2 And we ought (saithe Saint Paule) to bold faste the traditions whiche we haue been taughte eyther by woorde, or sent by Epistle. In lyke sorte as comman­dement to obeye and kepe theym is geuen in the Actes of Thapostles.Act 15. 1. Cor. 11 And agaynste suche holye traditions yf a­ny be founde contentious, lette it be sayde vnto hym for a full aunswere, we nor the Churche of God, haue no suche custome, by aucthoritie whereof, wee knowe, what Scriptures bee Canonicall,Vincēt. Lyrinē sis. and what bee Apocri­phall. The Cannon whereof, althoughe it bee perfecte and sufficiente, yet oughte not the auctoritie of the vn­derstandyng [Page] of the Churche to bee coumpted superfluous, for that the holye and sacred Scripture, by reason of her hyghenesse and maiestie, is not all together receyued in one sence and vnderstandyng, by reason of the diuersitie of opinyons in sundrye sortes of menne. Wherefore, it is very necessarye to addresse the ligne of thinterpretation of the Prophetes and Apostles, accordynge to the trewe rule and exposition of the Catholike Churche,quod v­bique I speake namelye of this churche Catholike, to the ende that ga­therynge the force and meanyng of the woorde, we maye holde that for Catholike and vniuersall, whyche hath ben in all places where the Gospelle hathe been preached,quod sē per. quod ab omnibꝰ be­leued, whiche alwaies and in all tymes, from the tyme of IESVS CHRIST vnto oure tyme of all menne hathe been approued and allowed: whiche ordre wee pour­pose to followe and practise. In Vniuersalitie if we dooe confesse that to bee the trewe faithe, whiche thole churche throughout the worlde dothe confesse. In Antiquitie (mea­nyng that whiche hath been sayde and spoken in all tymes) yf we doo receiue none other sence and interpretation, then that whiche oure honorable forefathers haue approued. In Consente, whiche I speake generally of that antiqui­tie, wherin we doo folowe the definitions and opinions of all the holy Martyrs, Byshops and priests,Aug ep. 118. cap. 1 ad Ianuarium. Act 15. Theffect and de­scription of gene­ral coun­selles. Mat. 18. chryso­logus ser. 132. Nice. li. 15. ca. 19. and all other our auncient masters and instructours.

THIS causeth me to speake of the Councels, especially of those that be generall, the authoritie and vsage whereof hath alwais ben very holsome and profitable in the church. the same beyng instituted by God, frō whō their auctoritie procedeth, & first practised & put in vse by the apostles, as ap­pereth in their actes: Al which being well considered what other thyng is it, thā an assemble of all the pastors & doctors before dispersed in the churche, and a congregation of them in one certaine place in the name of oure Lorde God? And if our Lorde haue assured and promised by his woorde one or two beyng gathered together in his name, to bee in the myddest of them: shoulde he refuse to bee amonge suche then, as are farre better, and in more nombre laufully [Page] assembled & we ought truely then to crie oute with Dauid;Psal. 110 Great are the woorkes of our Lorde in the councell of the iuste, and in their congregation. But it hath ben declared vnto vs, that not onely the prouinciall counsels haue bene corrected by the generall counsels, but also which is a more matter) that one generall counsel hath ben amended by an other.De baptism. 11 2. cap. 3. We knowe this to be saint Augustins sayeng, whi­che we say is to be vnderstand when there is question of cu­stomes and of discipline, which do change accordyng to the tyme, and will be changed accordyng to the qualitie of the places, tymes, and persons, as it is seene by experience, De sanguine & suffocato. But in tharticles of the faith and in thynges necessary to our saluation, the holy ghost is the di­rector, in whom is no contradiction or contrarietie, and so we beleue it. That it is otherwyse it ought to be proued or els no more spoken of. For if it were so, in vaine and with­out profite our ancient fathers haue had thervnto suche re­course, and reposed in them so great affiance in all the my­series and calamities of the churche, and should not therof haue founde by experience the successe so happie. Of which good fathers that are gone before vs, behold what we saye, That euery of them was a man, & so might erre. But that all in one selfe same article, or assemblie, in one selfe same do at diuers times dispersed throughoute the churches haue erred,Godlye counsell and ad­monitiō to knovv the churche. Vincēt Lyrinē ­sis. we denie and mainteine it to bee impossible, groun­dyng the same vpon gods infallible promesse. Very profita­bly therfore one among those fathers for the conclusion of this purpose, dothe geue vs councell, and faith in this wise, What shall we doo (say the catholikes) if any parte of the churche doth separate it self from the cōmunion of the vni­uersall faith: preferre the body beyng yet holle before a cor­rupt and sicke membre. But if the sore haue thupper hande and beginneth to attempt thinfection of the churche, then leane and cleane vnto the antiquitie, and returne to the mothers, whiche are the principall and first churches. Emong whom al the antiquitie hath had recourse vnto the Romain churche, and hath alwaies accompted her to be the first and [Page] principall among the Apostolicall churches, as Ireneus, Tertullian, and S. Austen doo beare witnesse, recountyng the bishops vntill their tymes) who with all other auncient fathers haue alwais, acknowleged that churche as the chief See of all Christendome, callynge the Bishoppe thereof, Primae Sedis Episcopum.

Nowe if in this antiquitie there be founde any errour ei­ther in any author, or in any particular towne or prouince, then against suche ignorance and temeritie of a fewe per­sons, lay the decrees of ancient and vniuersall counsailes, and if in those counsailes ye fynde nothyng, serche diligent­ly the sentences of all the ancient fathers, approued by the churche writen to that purpose, and gather and collect them together from all tymes, and from all places, as thoughe they were all together present at a Councell: And that whi­che all they haue openly and at sundrye tymes with greate continuance agreed, accorded, written and witnessed with one consent: Knowe ye that without any doubte ye oughte the same to beleue, and therevnto to submitte and subiecte your selues. And aboue all thinges geue place (as they doo) to the expresse worde of God, and to the testimonie of the scripture. This is that we haue intreated concernynge the first point, This is the authoritie that we geue to the holye scriptures, to the determinations of the councells, & to the writinges of the olde and ancient fathers: which order we purpose to obserue, both for the confirmation of our flocks in the faithe, and also to brynge home agayne suche as are gone astraye, whiche can deuise none other waye to haue their doctrine and priuate interpretation to be credited and beleued, but to despise and condemn thautoritie of the hole, who reiectyng thantiquitie go about to bryng in estimation of their owne nouelties and deuises. A thyng truely where­with the Arrians were greatly troubled and dyd very well disclose Nestorius, Samosatenus, and dyuers other,Euse. li. 7. ca. 30. Socrat. lib. 7. capit. 32. and doubtlesse shall reuele all suche as will discerne a strawe in their neighbors eie, and can not see a blocke in their owne. Nowe I come to the last poynte of my oration, whiche al­though [Page] it be last, yet in very dede the principalst. We haue conceyued an extreme grefs and sorowe, suche a one as can not be dissēbled, which is, y^t the most holy & blessed sacramēt of the Eucharistie, which our lorde lefte vnto vs for a band of vnitie and of his peace: by a certaine curiositie (I can not terme it more gently) of searchyng thynges aboue oure ca­pacitie,Eccle 3. which contrary to the counsell of the wise man, is made not onely an argumente of infinite controuersie and altercatiō: but also a right waie wholly to destroy the truth, or at the lest to expel & driue away the same. And in nothing els truly is the comon prouerbe (By to muche disputyng & debatyng the truthe is lost) more ve [...]fied, than in this. For not onely the truthe dooth perishe,The Sa­cramente of the bodye and bloud of Christ. 1. Cor. 10. Math 5. Ioan 6 but the fruite also which we should therby receaue if we vse it wel. which consisteth in foure poyntes. The firste is the vnitie and reconciliation whiche we ought to haue and make one with an other. For it is written, that we beyng many in numbre are al but one body, which do participate of one breade and of one cuppe. And it is commanded, that when one dothe make his obla­tion to the altare, he ought first to reconcile hymselfe to his brother. The secōd is the vnitie with IESVS CHRIST Who sayth, he that eateth my fleshe, & drinketh my bloode dwelleth in me,1. Co. 10 and I in hym. The bread whiche we breake is it not y^e cōmunion of the body of Iesus Christ, and the cup is it not the communion of his blood? The thirde fruite is the forgeuenesse of sinnes. For truly this blood is shed for y^e remission of sinnes. The fowerth & last is the attaynyng of lyfe euerlastyng. For he y^t eateth this bread (saith our lord) shall lyue euerlastyngly. All the contrary wherof cometh by this disputation. Diuision among vs, separation from god, priuation from the remission of sinnes, and from atteinyng of life euerlastyng. For out of the churche there is no sal­uation, and who so is putte oute of the Churche, he ought to bee vnto vs as a heathen or publican. And althoughe that in this poyncte there is but one onely and simple veri­tie, yet good God, howe many sortes doo we see of Sacra­mentaries? That woulde to God you woulde in deede re­ferre them as you seeme by woorde in the .xxviii. article of [Page] youre confession prynted. Howe ofte doo they reproue one an others opinion, and yet howe ofte doo they change their owne? In suche sorte, that in the exposition of the wordes of our Lorde in his supper, they be so among theim selues deuided, that a manne way easily shewe you eighte opini­ons at the least, not onely diuers, but some of theim also cleane contrarye. Howe muche better were it to perseuer in the opinion whiche the Catholike churche delyuered vn­to vs frome the beginnyng, whych in few wordes is this.The opi­nion of the sacrament in the beginning. That the very and lyuinge bodye of oure Lorde IESVS CHRIST, and his very blood is present in this holy sa­crament, and is there receyued. And these be those reasons besides an infinite number of other, that kepeth within the vniuersall churche in this simplicitie of confession and pu­ritie of faith, my reuerend brothers the archebishops and bishops, and al other that befor the religion here assembled. First and formoste, the verye and expresse woordes of oure Lorde, This is my bodye, This is my bloode. Whiche wordes, yf they be not of so great force as they be in word and sounde, why bee the selfe same woordes, and the lyke in all poynctes repeted by the three Euangelistes, and by thapostle Sainct Paule? Wherefore after the sayenge of Saincte Mathewe, the fyrste of the Euangelistes, Sainte Marke, Saint Luke, or saincte Paule doo not write after suche fashion as oure sacramentaries so longe tyme after would make exposition, sithens that it is not a thynge con­trary to the custom of the said Euangelists, that in a matter of farre lesse importance, they themselues sometymes doo make exposition, and sometyme the writyng of the one is made playne by the other. As where the first and the thirde saythe, That it is a harde thynge, yea and impossible for a ryche man to entre into the kyngdome of heauen. The se­conde (as it were) expoundyng the other, calleth hym the ryche man, which putteth his trust in his rychesse. The o­ther .iii. also doo saye, that that thyng which to men is impossible, is possible with God, The like also is to be sene in other places sufficientely, whyche for breuitie I do omyt. [Page] So sayth that holy martyr and philosopher Iustin in his se­conde apologie to the Emperor Antonine that the apostles haue taught vs in their writinges which bee called the gos­pels, that this holy meate which we calle Eucharistia, is the flesh, the body & blood of our sauior IESVS CHRIST. But in this point there is muche more: And because that in these fewe wordes (Hoc est corpus meam) spoken by saint Mathew and saint Marke there should remaine no doubte, Saint Luke hath expressed the same by woordes,The opi­nion of the Euangelistes, makynge therof no maner of doubt or ambiguitie. This is my body (saith he) which is deliuered for you, as though he wold say, not a mysticall bodye, as the churche is called by S. Paule, but the body of the fleshe of Iesus Christ certainly true and conceiued by the workyng of the holy ghoste, of the purest blood of the most blessed and perpetual virgin Mary. This body of fleshe I say, wherwith (the day after he spake these wordes in his supper) he dyd reconcile vs by his deathe vn­to God his father. And here we must note that in these wor­des there be foure things,Fovver thynges to be considered in the sacrament. Psal. 18 An historie written, plain, true, & without doubt, a most clere & euident cōmandement, For y^e cōmandemēt of our Lorde, doth lighten and illuminate our eies. A Testamēt cōfirmed by y^e death of the testator, & ther­fore of strength & force. Which ought not to be so obscure as to cause the heires to bee in controuersie & sute about his will made so plaine and manifest by the wordes of the testa­ment,Rom. 8. whereby we bee heires of God, and the coheires of IESVS CHRIST. It is also a sacrament, whiche ma­keth and exhibiteth that which it doothe figurate. Whiche foure thinges ought not to bee vnderstanded allegorically, or spoken by parable, but the sence thereof to be kept, whi­che we obserue, For nothyng can bee spoken more plaine. And yet notwithstandynge ye wyll not acknowledge this sence, who shalbe iudge of this controuersie or rather who herein shold be more indifferent and iust, then our cōmune mother? The Church I say which went before vs, and hath regenerated vs all in Iesus Christ. And this is the vniuer­sall consent of our old and holy fathers, beyng either assem­bled [Page] in general coūcels, or els writē by them whē they were dispersed throughout y^e churches, & in all tymes. And firste touching the coūcels, forasmuch as y^e first .iiii.Generall councels approue the veri­tie of Christes holy in the sacrament. general Coū ­cels be by ye aproued & acknowleged. This same faith wherof we haue made profession here before is writen in y^e acts of the coūcel of Nice, which was the first, and in the councel of Ephesus which was y^e third. In al other coūcels which haue bene sythens that tyme celebrated, there canne nothing bee found to the contrarie, albeit that alwaies euen before those iiii. great councelles this doctrine hath ben thus preached & so of all men written. And the churche of god during so troublous tymes wanted not false bishops, false ministers, and false christians, louers of dissentions and diuisiōs, who knowing all kinde of Idolatrye had no more power to dissem­ble their faith herein then these holy bishops to abide & suf­fer the same. And thus much touchyng Councelles.

But which way shal I begin to enter in the testimonies of our fathers? shal I begyn frō this yere vntil y^e apostels time, folowing the order and succession of our bishops and the na­mes of the churches, wherein God hath bene called vppon? Shall I speake of this laste fiue hundred yeares, or of the o­ther fiue hundred yeres to a thousand? Which no doubte be great in number, & sufficient to prescribe against an Innouatour. But you desire an other thing. Let vs speake then if ye wil stand thervnto, of the first fiue hundred yeres, which immediatly folowed y^e doth of our Lord IESVS CHRIST. Lette vs all make I saye of that most pure and holly tyme a councell, where the writinges of al our bishops doctors and pastours of all the churches (whether they were in Asia, in Europa or Africa) be pervsed & sene, let vs folow the pluralitie of voices of al their opinions, not onely in the cōtrouersy which we haue in this holy sacrament, but in al other, wherin oure payne and trauayle shall not bee greate,Doctors and lear­ned men of sundry ages because we shall fynde theym all to agree. In the firste hundred yeares let vs appeale and calle for the apostelles and their succes­sours, as S. Clement, s. Ignatius, and s. Denis. In the se­cond hundred, Alexander the firste, Iustine, Ireneus, Ter­tullian, [Page] Origene, and Cyprian. In the thirde hundred yea­res, Arnobius, Lactantius, Eusebius, Athanasius, sainct Hyllarie, Emissene, Isichius, Nazianzene, S. Ambrose, S. Hierom, S. Augustin, & S. Iohn Chrysostom. In the fourth hundreth, Leo the great, Prosper, Theodorite, and Cyrill. And in the .v. hundred let vs come to S. Gregorie: & further more if ye will, let vs call Damascene, and long after hym S. Bernard. These shalbe the iudges of our controuersies, which be not to be suspected: and of those which be most no­table and ancient, ye shal haue a brefe repetitiō or recital, to thintent ye may acknowledge, y^t by the cōmune & vniuersal agreement of the holie Fathers, there is no place or occasiō lefte vnto vs herein,Hilla. li. [...]. de tri­nitate. to doubte of the veritie of this body & blood. For by y^e words of our lord, & by our faith, It is veri­ly flesh & verily blood, which beyng receiued (Accepta ait & hausta, doo so worke and make, that we be in hym, and he in vs. Is not this tho truthe? But this can not be true to them (which wholly deny Iesus Christ to be very God) and to be the same which hath alwaies been in the churche of God so generally in all mens mouthes, that amonge the sacramen­tes of the cōmune faith, the veritie of the body and blood of IESVS CHRIST, was not had in silence, no not by the mouthes of infantes,Leo e­pi [...]. 13 vnto whom, as to all other (for other­wise we shold not beleue it, & much lesse vnderstand y^e same) it was and is daiely saied, and shall be vttered by the moste graue authoritie of the Churche, that the same which is ta­ken of the fruites of the earth, and in the celebration of this sacrament, placed vpon thaltare, receiued after the custome of religion, consecrated by mysticall praier, offred, and ge­uen, and after the celebration finished, as it appertayneth, receiued to spirituall saluation, vsed or consumed in the re­membrance of the passion, is the body and bloode of Iesus Christ? whiche we perfectely beleue, hath appeared in the kynde of humaine fleshe, and that this likour or drinke did runne downe and distill from the side of him that was per­ced vpon the crosse.Augu. li. 3. de trinite 4. &. 10 These good Fathers (I say) did teache their Auditorie to doubte nothyng at all before they should [Page] communicate at this holie table of the veritie of the body and blood of IESVS CHRIST. Iohn. 19 Leo ser­mo. 6. de Ieiu. 7. mens. Chrys. hom. 7. operis impfect 1. Cor. 1. Isychius Leui. 22 For that is by the mouthe receyued, whyche by the harte is beleued. And in vaine they answer Amen, which disputeth against that whi­che they receaue. They made no difficultie to saie, that by the hande of the priest there is geuen and receaued, not one­ly that which is seen, and sanctified by him that gaue it: but also that whiche there is vnderstanded, is that sanctificati­on, whiche sanctifieth the receauour, euen the bodye with­out doubt of our Lorde, whiche as Sainct Paule writeth, was made a sanctification for vs by the Father. Contrary wise doo they affirme, that he which ignorantly or through ignorance receaueth this holy misterie there, not withstan­dyng he knoweth not the vertue thereof, yet the same is the true bodye and bloode of our Lorde IESVS CHRIST. In this wise & thus plainly did the holy doctors both Greke and Latine speake touching this matter now long sithens. Whose words, specially of som of them, we haue repeted so faithfully as we coulde. So plainly (I say) haue our ancient fathers writen, that one of them beyng the first,Berēga­rius a­pud Gu. Maling­berien. lib. 3 de gestis Anglo. which long time after thē did otherwise teach (that is to say) y^t the body & blood of Iesus Christ, was none otherwise in this sacramēt, but as a token or signe. And after he had therof wel aduised himselfe, disputed, & reasoned, did not only in his lyfe time, chāge his opinion, but also at the point of deth, which is the time to confesse y^e truth, or neuer, in his last words affirmīg, & stedfastly spake as foloweth. Truly we beleue these misteries after the benedictiō, or ecclesiastical cōsecration, to be y^e very body & blood of our sauior, being induced and perswa­ded to beleue y^e same, by thauctoritie of thancient churche. We thā beleue & cōfesse acording to y^e saying of y^e scripture, and of y^e holy fathers y^t the body & blood of Iesus Christ, by thunspeakable operation of y^e grace of god & y^e power of his holy spirite, is in these holy misteries present, geuen, & receiued, we passe ouer to speake of the greatnes therof.Chrysoh [...] i. 8 [...] in Mat. Wher­by we shold seme to make our lord to be here outwardly vi­sible, sensible, or perceptible. Nothing saieth a holy father, is here geuen vnto vs sensible: but vnder visible sygnes, [Page] inuisible thinges are there deliuered vnto vs.Ho. 60 ad popu antioch We absteine also from such maner of speache, whereby contrary wise we might here seme onely to represent oure said sauiour, being absent as in a tragedy or comedy. Truely the maner and fa­cion wherby he doth here present him selfe to vs, wherby he geueth himself,The maner of Christhi being in the sacrament. Iohn. 1. Cy. li. 4. in l 3. ca 1, 14. Cy. Lu. 22 citāte Tho. 3 parte que. 25 articu. 1. Ioan. 6 where by he is receiued and participated, is secret, not humaine or natural, and yet not therfore the lesse true. We comprehend it not by sence, reason or nature, but by faith. By which as the holy counsel of Nice the first of the foure chiefest dooth teache vs not to basely respectinge the visible elementes, but lifting vppe the spirit, we consider by faith the lābe of god to be there set in this holy table, taking away the sinne of the world: and truly we there receaue his precious body and bloud. Better it is to follow the councell of the auncientes firmely to beleue the wordes of oure lorde god leauing vnto god of this his worke the meane, the way and knowledge: then in so highe a matter to thinke or vtter this Iewish word Quamodo, a worde (I saye) of increduli­tie & perdition to the Iewes, & such as follow them. Beleue saith the holy fathers vpō these words so often repeted, Hoc est corpus meum. Make no doubte thereat, whether they bee true, but receaue by faith the saying of our sauiour. For se­ing that he is the truth,Bernat ser. 2 de caena. he cannot lye. Greate meruelies (my brethern) and thinges to be wondered at, are saide of this sa­cramēt, faith is there necessary, Reason superfluous, know­ledge doth builde her foundation vpon reason, but faith vp­pon autority. Let faith therfore beleue, and serche not thun­derstandyng. These things (my brethern) do require necessa­rily faith, and doth not admit reason. They require a simple beleuer, and reproue a curious questioner. We muste ther­fore beleue simply that whiche cannot profitably be serched out. It is nto I sure (I say) thus humbly to think and speake. But seynge there be some that so highly do thinke, and more thā behaueth as we suppose, questioning so much, and pres­sing vs so neere of the manner of his presence, we are con­tented freely to folowe their desires, sithens so muche against our myndes they thus force vs.

[Page]They cannot dissemble but they & theirs be greuously of­fended with this worde Corporaliter, in this matter. But I take them to be men to muche exercised in the auncient wri­ters, whereby they can excuse theim selues, but that they haue founde that woorde expressed in their writynges.Cy. lib. [...]o. cap 13 in Ioan. H [...] 8. de Trinita de Chrysostome [...] Hom. 15 in Io­an. 83. Hom. in Math. 60. ho. ad popu antioch For the same and suche like be eft soones amonges them founde and repeted. Wherfore better it is with modestie to inter­prete them, then to take them in so euyll parte. The fathers therfore both Grekes and Latins do denie, that the christen men haue vnitie of beyng or coniunction, onely by lyuely faithe and pure charitie, or, that (which is to one effecte) we be onely by faithe, hope, and loue, by religion, obedience and will, spiritually ioyned and vnited to him. But they with a more efficacie doo protest, that by the speciall vertue and effect of this sacrament duely and woorthily receiued, Iesus Christ dothe really and in dede communicate himself to vs by true receiuyng and participation of the nature and substance of his body and bloode, and that verily he is, and dwelleth in vs: as we haue already sayd, that these thynges taken and perceiued, maketh that we bee in Iesus Christ, & IESVS CHRIST in vs, accordyng as he saith,Ioan. 6 [...] he that eateth my fleshe, dwelleth in me, and I in hym. For the bet­ter exposition (and the same also to recommend vnto vs) of the said dwellyng vnitie and coniunccion of hym with vs, and of vs with hym, they dyd not abhorre these aduerbes, Substantialiter, naturaliter, corporaliter, especially S. Hilla­rie vseth to this purpose this worde carnaliter, that is to say, accordyng to the veritie of the substance and nature of the fleshe of the bodie and blood of our Lorde Iesus Christ: In suche sort, that in no other place somuch or more then here, hath place, and is true and accomplished that whiche saincte Paule saithe. Quod sumus Christi comparticipes, Ep. 3 5 [...] Cy. Hic [...]soli­ [...]. 4. antioch. corpora­ler (addo, (vt ita loquar) consanguine [...]) quia membra sumus corporis eius, de carne eius, de ossibus eius, That we bee of the selfe same fleshe and bloode with hym, membres of his body, of his fleshe, and of his bones. And we vsyng someti­mes after, and with them these termes, we meane not ther­fore, [Page] or saye, that the maner of this so familiar and inwarde dwelling, vnitie and coniunction of oure sauiour wyth vs, and of vs with him, shoulde bee therby naturall, substanti­all, corporall, or carnall: but cleane contrarye we confesse it to be, & more if it may be spoken then supernaturall, super­stantial, spiritual, inuisible, vnspeakeable, speciall, & proper to this Sacrament: not withstanding true, & not only figuratiue, or significatiue. And as touching y^e presence, as little or rather lesse we say it to be locall, circūscriptiue, diffinitiue, and subiectiue, or of any other physique, or naturall maner. To be short in this matter we receaue no maner of Esse in, whiche Aristotle or anye other philosopher hath. For as we haue already sayde, we doo not comprehende it by sence or vnderstanding, by reason or nature, that this true precious bodye, and glorious bloud is here present, or exhibited vnto vs: but by the onely faythe grounded vpon the aucthority of the worde of God, which faith beyng so, is as Saint Paule sayth it,Hebr. 11 of thynges inuisible, and not apparent, we beleue also that oure sauiour geueth vs here his diuinitie, his hu­manitie, wyth all his goddes, tresoures, graces, and meri­tes, inuisibly, or by an inuisible manner, true notwithstan­ding, as we haue always sayde: beyng assured, that euen as if we beleued it not, we shall neuer vnderstande it, as the prophete doth threaten: so also if we humblye doo beeleue, we shall vnderstand it,Esa. 7. Psal. 83. and see it aboue, when we shall see the God of Goddes (as Dauid sayeth) in Syon. Which bee­ynge contrarye to iudgement, and speculation of vnderstandyng, and contrarye to the capacitye of mannes witte, and inward spirite, we must alwayes oppose and set the forma­litie of these worees. Hoc est corpus meum, which shalbe fi­er and lightnyng to all consciences, in leauyng the proprie­tie as the fathers doth teache vs, preachynge these wordes, Let vs beleue in our lord, & obey him in al, & through al. Let vs not speake against him,Chr. ho 60 ad po. 83 in Math. although that which he shall say vnto vs, shal seme very absurd, not agreable, & cleancōtrary to our sences & vnderstandings. That his worde surmoun­teth al thing, & is to vs (as in dede it is) more worthy then al other things. Which thing is mete for vs to do in al things [Page] but specially in y^e holy misteries. Let vs not regard so much the things only which we see, but let vs kepe oure selues to his wordes. For his word is infallible, and cannot be false, or deceauable: Cōtrarywise the sence is easy to be begiled, and oftentimes is deceaued. Seyng then he hath said, This is my bodye, lette vs not doubte, but beleue and obeye: and wyth the eyes of our vnderstandyng, beholde him.Ma. 18 28 The proprietie (I say) of these words, and consequently the presence of hys body here, dothe agree with the other places of the scripture, which speke of his presence with vs, and repugne not with any article of our fayth, especially wyth that arti­cle of the Ascention of our lorde aboue all the heauens, and of his setting at the right hande of God his father:The arti­cle of the crede not repugnāt against the pre­sence of Christ in the sacra­ment. Chr. ho. 2. ad po. Concer­ning which articles ye ar the first (to my knowledge) in the remembraunce of manne, that euer obiected them, or made them to be repugnant, against the presence of oure sauiour in his supper. The holy fathers wer not so subtil, craftie, or curious: but simply, and humbly preached, that the sonne of god together had his fleshe when he ascended vp to heauen, and also lefte it vnto vs in these holy misteries. To be here, to be there, Sursum helias, Deorsum helias, saith one of them & much better then Helias, who being rauished into y^e aire, did leaue & cast his cloke to his disciple. They praied thus in the celebratiō of this sacramēt, Thou, which sittest aboue w^t the father, & art here conuersant inuisibly w^t vs, vouche safe frō thy mighty hād,Notable places of tha old fathers to proue Christ to be in heauen and here also in the sa­crament. 103. de sacerdo to geue vs thine immaculate body & precious bloud. O what a miracle is this (they cried) O y^e great goodnesse of God. He whiche on highe sitteth with the fa­ther, in the selfe same instant, is betwene our hands, be ge­ueth himself to all, which wil receiue him, & doth this in y^e o­pen sight of al y^e assistāts w^tout any deceit) or illusiō. Wher­fore I se not but ther shold be here a faut, if the things there represented, wer not also present. They said, Our lord hath lifted vp into y^e diuine throne that, which he giueth vs to eat, & y^e erth to be our heuē, whē as yet we ar here remainīg. this roial bodi in heuē, which ther is wortht of souerain honor, is set bifore vs in erth, & shewed to vs to see, to touch, & to rate. [Page] They introduced,Sermo debre­uitate vite. ho. 55. ad popu. 15. [...] 1. ad Timoth. IESVS CHRIST, speakyng in thys wise of this holy table to them, which camthither to receue, Eate me, drinke me, I haue lefte the in heauen aboue, and here in earthe beneath: I am ioyned and vnited vnto thee: not simply, or in suche sorte as I am receiued of the, but I am distributed vnto thee, eaten and drunke of thee, in suche sorte, that there is so great an vnitie and coniunction made betwene vs, that beyng so vnited and ioined, we are not se­perated one from an other by any meane or distance, but as of two made one. In this wise they dyd comfort the chirch, wandring here in earth like a most amiable spouse, sayeng: Thou haste here in earth thy husbande in the Sacramente, whom thou shalte haue in heauen withoute couer or vaille, and yet here verily, but vnder cloke and vaille, but there manifest. They were bolde thus also to speake to the hus­bande.Bernardus 2. sermons de caeo­domin. How chanceth this swete Iesus, that we little wor­mes craulyng on the earth, we I say, duste and ashes, haue thee before our handes and eyes, and in the meane whyle, thou art all wholly sittyng at the right hande of the Father, who in one moment of an houre, from the east to the weste, from the north to the southe art present, and assistant to all men, one in many, thy selfe in diuers places, whence com­meth this?Amb. 1 precari. ad missi Truely not by our meanes or desert, but of thy will and good pleasure, and of thy goodnesse. They prepa­red the priest, before he should celebrate, to adresse hymselfe in this wise to our Lord, with what contricion of hart, abundance of teares, reuerence, chastitie of harte, and puritie of spirite, ought we to celebrate this celestiall and diuine sacri­fice, wherin thy fleshe is verily receiued, wherein thy blood is verily drunke, wherin the highest thynges are ioyned to the lowest, & the diuine thyngs to the humain? Truely they that teache & preache thus, douteth not, but that the body of our Lord, so many hundreth yeres passed beyng receaued a­boue in heauen, is there, and here also together to bee vnto vs in this sacrament present, presented, and exhibited. If thou require the maner (so often to repete it,Da [...]. li. 4. ca. 14. and neuer to attaine the knowledge? how this is done: let it be sufficient [Page] for the to vnderstand that it is the worke of the holy ghost. And we knowe nothyng more, than that the worde of God is true, of great efficacie, and almightie, but the maner ther of is inscrutable. They thought nothing lesse than affirme, that the said body of our Lord came downe from heauen, or dyd remoue or depart, or that it was drawen out, as one of them sayde very welle, Non quod ipsum corpus assumptū, ex coelo descendat. &c. With whome we agree, and mynde with thē nothing lesse thā to make him com down, to pluck him from his fathers righte hande, or to assent to all other suche vnfitte and vnseemely termes. For contrarywise, more than euery day in this holy misterie, we make profes­sion of the faith which we beleue of those articles, singyng, Qui sedes ad dexterā patris, miserere nobis. Et, Sursū corda. Habemꝰ ad Dominū. And yet not withstanding, they lay to our charges suche, and so vnworthy absurdities, as though in this Sacrament, Nos Christum Dominum coelo vel di­moueremus, vel eliceremus, vel etiam descendere faceremus. Thom. 3. part. quest. [...] artic. 3. Epist. 25. For euen oure schoole menne dooe teache the contrarie. With like true meaning our aduersaries woulde make S. Augustine of their part, alleagyng hym Ad Dardanum, al­though they can not be ignorant if they reade the whole e­pistle (as I doubte not but they doo) that there is no menci­on at all made in that place of this holye Sacrament. And forasmuche as so often tymes this holie man,Leuit. 13 hath in other places, bothe preached & written, we ought to draw out his meanyng touchyng this point, rather from al his other pla­ces, then out of this epistle: the meaning wherof, we haue presently answered, not wātyng other solucions in that be­halfe. Of like simplicitie and true dealing be our aduersa­ries here present, that is to say, being farre from Almaigne, and as one would say, contrary to the lawe, slaunderynge the deaffe, doo impugne that, whiche we doe not defende, that is to say, the Consubstantiation, whyche for that it is not receyued in our frenche churche, we will leaue it to the princis and preachers of the holye Empire, which be called Protestantes to mainteyne, who at the least in this poynte [Page] doo agree with vs against them whome Germany together with vs calleth Sacramentaries.Pref. 4. centur. Magde­burgen. And those Germains ac­cordingly folowing the most plain, most true, & most mighty words of our sauior, do at this day constātly hold and mainteyn the presence, & cōmunication of y^e body & blood of our Lorde IESVS CHRIST to be in this Sacrament.

But nowe I come to that point which you haue both here and els where written of this Sacrament, ouer and besides that whiche is conteined in the confession presented by you in the name of you all. If you doo not esteme Iesus Christ, to be in this worlde touchyng the fleshe since his ascention, more than he was before his incarnation: If you do not be­leue no other body then visible,De consecr. dis 2. can. Nos aū [...] cā. Hoc est. Gala. 3. albeit S. Austen whom you would to be of your syde, calleth it so often inuisible if you thinke it not to be otherwise, although more effectual in the vsage of y^e Sacramentes, thā in the preaching of his word, or if you esteme theym thynges alyke, to put on IESVS CHRIST in baptisme, and to eate his bodye and drynke his bloode at his holy table: To be shorte, if you or any o­ther, do so fasten and lodge Christe onely in heauen, that in no wise you wyll haue hym founde vppon earthe, and so no more. In caena, quam in scena, Imo quam in coeno. Whi­che wordes be not requisite to be translated, for feare of such as be weake. we contrarywise, beyng taughte that the sup­per is celebrated here benethe in this world, and not aboue in heauen: and beyng not so quicke witted, subtill, or wise, that we can comprehend a thyng verily, and in substance absent from the sayd supper, to be not withstandyng veryly, and substancially exhibited and receaued: and for a conclu­sion, to bee there, and not to bee there, for feare to dispoyle and euacuate the holy signes of thynges onely figured and represented: and not presented or to be presented, to sepa­rate, absent, and seuer theym, as farre as heauen is frome the earth. Whereunto we answere you with like wordes, That we be as farre of from your opiniō in this case, as the highest parte of the heauens is from the lowest parte of the earthe. Or lette them all see and iudge whiche measureth [Page] the pointes of our religion as they ought to be measured by Theologie, and not by philosophie: whether of vs dothe at­tribute more to Iesus Christ our lorde & god, whether ye or any other among you whiche doo mainteine that there is a place so prescript in heuē, whervnto he is ascended, wherin onely he is according to y^e body, & els where he cannot be: or we, who although we beleue him to be in heauen, do not for all that ceasse to beleue y^t he is in all places where his holye mysteries are celebrated: and not otherwise, making no fur­ther inquirie of the maner, than as his omnipotent worde dothe teache. Graunt most puissant & mightie god,August. in psalm. [...]in. de cōsec di. [...] can. prima here­sis Ioan. 6. y^t as the first heresie among y^e disciples of his sonne our sauior toke y^e like occasion of his worde, Durus est hic sermo, which was so difficulte, that diuers of them murmuryng wente backe and folowed him no more, so also that this new and last con­trouersie, This Sacramentarie warre (I say) which so of­ten dothe renew) take not away from vs thoccasion of com­mune accord & consent, of reducyng and appeasing thinges to a better quietnesse of our bodies & soules, and to a more tranquillitie to y^e realme, and aboue all things that it maye not trouble or let our reformation presently in hand, which we haue begon in such sort, as it is most necessarie bothe for vs and our flockes. But principally that it will please hym to preserue vs, that in these latter days and moste perillous tymes that prediction doo not chaunce, whyche a manne of great name and estimation among our aduersaries,Melāch. ad Oecolam. an. 1525. dissua­ding a companion of his in the beginnyng, to remoue from him this filthie tragedie, foretelling him, & almoste prophe­cieng, that it threatned an horrible mutation, not onely to kyngdoms & empires, but also to y^e hole church.To Beza and his cōpanie the pro­testantes Me think I haue bē more troublesom vnto you, by reson of my lōg pro­cesse thā I wold haue ben: & yet not so much persuaded you, as I was desirous to haue done, which if you wil w^tout auc­toritie or reson cōtinue, & beleue no tyme of yeres passed, e­uen frō the death of our sauior, & from the primitiue church, vntil your owne separation, we wil cōmit you to your own choise. And if without cause for mainteining a quarel so iust [Page] you haue vs in such hatrede, and that so by open confession, you will deuide your selues from vs, that we seme not wor­thie in your sighte to liue, or remaine with you, nor in the selfe same temples (I tremble at the speakyng of it) to pray and make sacrifice to God, and to administer the Sacramē ­tes: yet at the least refuse not the Greke churche for iudge, in this controuersie, if you so much abhorre the Latin, that is to say, the Romaine churche, takyng recourse to a parti­cular churche, seyng the vniuersall churche doothe myslike you. What doo I speake of the Greke church? Nay beleue the confession of Ausbrough, and the churches that hath re­ceiued the same, and you shal fynde your selues vanquished of them all. But if you can not fynde place with them whi­che be deuided from vs: and that you agreyng with them al­moste in all other poyntes, and in this poynte of this moste precious sacrament you can not agree, what other hope of agreement with vs (but onely by wordes) can we conceue, whiche differ from you bothe in this, & in many other poin­tes? And if you be so sore addicted to your solitarie opinion, become in effecte solitarie: If you wille come no nerer to our faith, & to our actions, get you also further of from vs, and trouble not the flockes wherof you haue no charge, nor yet any laufull administration. (For the same to vs apper­taineth) according to the authoritie which we receaue from God. And geuyng leysure to youre newe opinions to waxe old so long if God permitte it, as our doctrine & traditions haue done: For we lay vnto you the prescriptiō of the sens of the scripturs, with more reason than was done in Tertu­lians tyme, whiche shalbe a cause to restore peace to so ma­ny troubled consciences, and to leaue your countrey in qui­etnesse and reste.

To the kyng.Wherein Sire, we all doo moste humbly beseche you in the name of God, by whom you are called to this estate, to holde your hande, and that it will please you to continue in this holy profession of Faith, whiche we haue here present­ly declared vnto you, accordyng to that whiche the Vniuer­sall churche hath ealwayes taughte, whiche is agreable to [Page] the woorde & ordinance of God. And in this so doyng, you shal resuscitate and in you plentuously reuiue y^e graces whiche god hath placed in holy religion, not only in your grād­mother, Quene Claude,Quene Claude Quene Katha­rine. Kynge Fraun­ces the first. Kynge Henry the se­conde. Fraun­ces the second. and in youre mother Quene Ka­therine our soueraigne lady, not onely I say) in that migh­tie and wise kyng Francis the firste your grandfather, in that good and so welbeloued Henrye your father, in that well condicioned kyng Francis your brother: but also in as many kynges, all your predecessors, and all our soueraigne lordes, frō that firste kyng Clouis euen vnto you, of whom neuer was there one that strayed from this holy Catholike faith, no not one euer founde to forsake the religion of his ancesters, and they all haue by succession left and transmit­ted vnto you this name of moste christian kyng, and fyrste sonne of the churche. God almightie graunt, that your suc­cessors maye receaue the same frome you in like integritie and perfection, and that our God vpon you our soueraigne lorde, nor vpon your subiectes, do exercise his mighty hand and the punishementes of his iuste iudgementes. And you madam, seyng the whole realme hathe geuen vnto you all maner of administration and gouernement, during the mi­noritie of oure kyng and soueraigne LORDE, keepe vs well this iewell soo precious, and rendre hym agayne vnto vs, when he shall haue accomplished his full yeares, of the selfe same religion and fayth, wherin he is deliuered vnto you, and wherein hytherto you haue so carefullye in­structed hym. And herein you shall doo an acte so greate as that holy quene Clotide dyd, whiche is set before your eies to folowe, who by her holye instructions, was the meane and cause of bryngyng of Clowis her husband to the chri­stian religion. And you madame herein shall kepe the kyng your sonne well instructed,To the quenes mother accordynge to the intente and will, of that good kyng Henry your husbande. Wherfore madame, in the name of your saide beloued husbande, we moste humbly beseche you, that lyke as we haue nothynge, that next after God more deere vnto your grace, than your commune, and euer pardurable and indissoluble loue, euen [Page] so therfore aswell in this poinct, as in all others, ye wyll fo­lowe and execute his sacred wille, and not to suffer his me­mory to be condemned, nor yet the remēbrance of that mightye kyng Frauncis your father in lawe which called you to the great and happy mariage of his son, to the intente their good expectatiō in you, for the bringing vp of their childrē, should not be altogether frustrate and deceaued.To the king of Nauar­re, and princes of the bloud. We doubt not but in this doing you shall be well asisted by the king of Nauarre, & by our lordes the princes of the bloud, who will not degenerat from their most christian progenitours. The self same counsail, wil those noble mē geue vnto you, which ar called to the honorable state of y^e kings coūcel. The same also the Peres and officers of France, all which haue bene nourished and aduanced by these good kinges, and therfore will call to remembraunce their will and pleasure. And ye most noble and christian assembly present, in this thing shal shew your selues not onely true christians and faithful ser­uauntes to god, but also most louing and harty subiectes to your king, wherby we al trust by gods help that this whole realme shall bee sounde in one vnitie. And to make an ende Sire we all with one heart, with one voice, and in the name of al the french church do vow vnto god, & solemnly promise vnto your grace neuer to departe from this holy, true, and catholike doctrine. Which we will take payne to publish in our churches, and for the maintenaunce therof, we wil not spare to spende our hole bloud and liues, as in like manner we wil shew our selues alwais both redy and mindful tou­ching any affaires that shal concerne your maiesties seruice and the maintenance of your croune.