The Second Oration, Oration
¶ The ſecond ORATION OF MAſter Theodore de Beze, Miniſter of the holy Goſpel, made and pronounced at Poyſſy, in the open aſſemblye of ye Prelates of Fraunce, in the preſēce of the Quene, mother, and Princes of the bloud ryal. The .xxvi. day of Septēber. Anno .1561.
¶Imprynted at London, by Ihon Tyſdale, and are to be ſolde at his ſhoppe, in the vpper ende of Lombarde ſtrete, in Alhallowes churchyeard, nere vntounto grace church.
Oration.
MAdame, the laſt tyme that it pleaſed you too geue vsus audience, we made declaration as God gaue vsus grace, of the article, whiche was propounde, as touchinge the churche, the markes, tokens and authorities of theſame: wherein we folowed, ſo the worde of God, that eueryevery man, as we thinke, had occaſion too be content with our aūſwer. But in ſtead of approuing, that whiche we ſpake or reprouing that, which deſerued correction, it was aſked vsus, by what power we did miniſter the worde of God, and the holy ſacraments. And therupon nothinge was ſpared to make oure cauſe more odious. We knowe not to what intent that was moued & ſet forward. For fyrſte we hauehave not preſented oure ſelues heare to miniſter the woorde of God, nor the holy ſacraments, wherfore it neded nothing at al to aſke vsus bi what power or autority we wold do it. If thei ſay vntounto vsus that it is to make vsus render, a reaſon or cauſe of that whiche we hauehave done in tyme paſte, it behoued then too conſyder that the ſtate of oure companye is of two maner of men: the one ſerues for minyſters oute of this realme, and in place where there vocation is receaued. Of thoſe it canne not be aſked whye they are miniſters. There are other that preach in this realme, whome you hauehave not called too geue a reaſon of that is paſt, as concerninge theyr vocation, but onelyonly to conferre of theyr doctrin otherwiſe it ſhuld be a begynninge of theyr proces, wherupon we are aſſured, Madame, that you neuer thoughte nor ment. If it be by a maner of cōference, vnderunder correction it wer to no great purpoſe and could not ſerue but to make vsus enter ſo farre into this matter that we ſhoulde noteaſely come out without offendinge my Lords the prelates, whiche thinge we mente not, neyther wyll we geue occaſion to anye man to interrupte this holye and Chriſtian worke nowe begon. And to thyntente men maye knowe that we ſpeake not without greate reaſon at euerye tyme that two parties come together too enter in to conference if one aſke by what power or autority do you this or that, the other wyll aſke him the like, and ſo it ſhall be a hard thinge if vppon theeſe queſtions there riſe not ſome diſcention.
Nowe leauinge my Lordes the prelates of this realme whom we will not offend: let vsus admit that a biſhop ſhuld aſke vsus, vnderunder what tytle preache and adminiſter you the holy ſacramentes? We woulde aſke him whether he were choſen of the auncientes of the churche to whome he is appoynted for a biſhop, whether he hauehave bene required by the people: If their were anye information before, of his lyfe, maners, and doctrine, he wold ſay, yea, but men know the contrarye: and we remitte it to the conſcience of the hart of thoſe that hear vsus, whiche knowe how the matter goeth. Nowe if he ſayde vntounto vsus. You are no miniſters becauſe ye hauehave not the impoſition of handes we ſhoulde aunſwere them. Ye are not miniſters becauſe that in inſtitutinge you, are lefte out the ſubſtantiall poynts commaunded in the canon lawe which can not be diſpenſed with all. And if the diſputation ſhoulde wax hoter, we would goe further, and mighte vſe ſuche woordes. You hauehave but one of the three poynts requiſite in the inſtitution, whiche is the layinge on of handes. If the lack of that ſame depriue vsus from being miniſters: for the lacke of the other two you ſhal be no more miniſter than we.
The councyle of Calcedone, whiche is one of the foure generalles, ordayneth that: irrita ſit ordinatio: of that prieſt whiche was not appoynted ſpeciallye for the ſeruice of ſome churche, irrita, ſayethe it, in iniuriam ordinantis: By a ſtronger reaſonne we maye ſaye to the byſhoppe that thus woulde dyſpute wyth vsus, whan the twoo eſſentyall poyntes bee awaye agaynſte the ordynaunce of the Apoſtell .1. Timoth .3. … Tit. 1.6. yet here is an other poynt whiche greueth vsus ſore to ſpeake, & yet we are conſtrained to it, to thintent to ſhew vntounto all this companye, that if this diſputinge of vocation were ones opened, it ſhoulde be verye daungerous. If we ſhould of the ſayde biſhoppe, demaunde who gaue him this laying on of hands, he woulde ſay the biſhoppes by the autority that was geuen them. And if we ſhoulde aſke him, for how muche hauehave you boughte this authoritye? He woulde ſaye that he boughte it not, but yet that he gaue ſo manye thouſande crownes, that is to ſaye I boughte not the bread, but I bought the corne. Now this diſputacion, if we would go aboute to decyde it by the concylles, and canons of the churche, woulde make an infinite number of biſhops bluſhe and as many curates. Wherinto, Madame, we wold not enter, becauſe we woulde offende no man. And touchinge the article of the holy ſupper of ye Lord we wold not ſpeake ſhe laſte time anye further, hauinge reſpecte to manye of this companye, which hauehave not ben accoſtomed to hear ſpeake of it ſo far, that they ſhuld not eaſely be offēded whā they hear any thing yt ſemeth new & ſtraūge vntounto thē, And we had rather that they ſhuld vnderſtand the language of the auncient doctours of the church then ours, ſeing ſpeciallye that my Lorde Cardynall of Lorrain was bound by open promeſſe, to inſtructe and teache vsus, namely vponupon this article by the words of the doctors which hauehave written the firſte fiue hundreth years: in ſuche wyſe that we prepared oure ſelues bothe with God and with our ſelues for to receiue the light, if it were ſhewed vsus, that hetherto it hadde bene hydden frome vsus. Nowe for to ſatiſfy our expectation, and of a great part of Chriſtendome they hauehave proponed vntounto vsus the article of the holy ſacramēt, cut & diminiſhed of the moſt principall and neceſſary points and thei hauehave ſayd vntounto vsus, ſigne and ſubſcribe vntounto this, if not, we wil go no further. If we were preſented vntounto you as priſoners, for to hauehave iudgement geuen vponupon vsus, yet you woulde not ſaye, ſigne this, if not we condempe you. Your eſtate my Lords byndeth you to ſpeake otherwiſe and commaundeth you to ſhew vsus our erroures, if their be any in vsus and willeth you to be: Potentes exhortari in doctrina ſana, thoſe that hauehave neede of doctrine whiche are readye too geue a reaſon of theyr fayth by the ſcripture: and if the maner of condempninge vsus be new, the meane whiche men woulde vſe, would ſeme yet more ſtraunge as we wyll declare a none.
Madame▪ We are heare preſented vntoo you, for twoo principall endes and purpoſes: the one is to render a reaſon, both to God, to you and to the worlde, of oure fayth. The other for to ſerue God, the kinge and you, by all meanes to vsus poſſible forto appeaſe the troubles that are rayſed in the matter of religion. If you ſende vsus a waye, and not appoyntinge vsus with whome we may freendly conferre, ther ſhall be nothinge done vntounto vsus but it wyll be publiſhed thorowe out all Chriſtendome: and ſo it ſhould not be a meane to quiet and apeaſe the troubles: and thoſe that woulde it ſo, knowe it well ynoughe. If you hadde not to do with other than with vsus heare preſente, there were no greate daunger too vſe the matter accordinge to the worlde, as a man lyſte: but it ſhall pleaſe you to conſyder that we are heare in the behalfe of a myllion of men whiche are in this realme, in Swyſſerlande, in Polonia, in Germanye, in Englande, and in Scotland, whiche looke all for ſome good reſolution of this aſſemblye, and wyll vnderſtande that in ſteade of conference, as it was promiſed, men geue vsus the tenth parte of an article, and ſay, ſigne this, if not, we wyl wade no further. And if we did ſygne that, what ſhoulde they wynne: They that hauehave ſente vsus hyther will know if we were conſtrained by force or els vainquiſhed by good or certayne argumentes. Wherfore we humblye beſeche you (Madame) not to breake of or interrupt this good worke, but geue vsus men, that wyll not make any conſcience to confer with vsus: other wiſe youre maieſtye mighte iudge of it your ſelf what great occaſion of offence this manner of proceadinge, that they would ſet foreward, wil bringe with it. And yet becauſe they ſhall not remaine without an anſwer to that which hath bene proponed vntounto vsus, we declare and ſhewe, that we approue and allow all that hath ben ſpoken by. M. deſpenſe, in the booke, that he hathe geuen vsus, without anye other conference.
And as concerning the article that my Lord Cardinall hath geuen vsus, it is but an extracte & declaration of the confeſſiō of Auſpurge, wherin there are manye things to conſider and way: that is that he ſhould hauehave geuen vsus the whole cōnfeſſiō. For it is no reaſon to geue vsus one line of an article and leaue oute all the reſte. Moreouer, we ſhould hauehave knowen if my Lord Cardinall did preſente it of him ſelfe (whiche neuertheleſſe we do not preſume: but deſire to knowe it) or if it be by the autoritye of My Lords the prelates that menne laye before vsus the confeſſion Auſpurge, and to aſſure vsus ſo thereof that we maye freelye conferre togeyther, for that waye at the leaſte (whereof wee thanke God) my Lord Cardinall of Lorrayn and the others wyll paſſe and alowe the condemnation of tranſubſtantiation, whiche is reproued and reiected by the comon aſſent of all the reformed churches as well in Germanye as elles where. And if they wyll that we ſhall ſygne anye thinge, it is reaſon that my Lorde Cardinall of Lorrayne ſygne alſo that whiche he geueth vsus in the name of the companye, to the entent that our churches and congregations whiche hauehave ſente vsus hether, maye ſee and knowe, that we conferre not in vayne. But if my Lorde Cardinall of Lorrayne continue in this mynde to come neere vntounto the confeſſion of the Allemayns, I truſt that God wil bring vsus nere and Ioyne vsus together to ſo good a poynte and effect that you ſhall therewyth be content and that his name ſhall thereby be gloryfied throughoute all the worlde. And in the meane whyle Madame, we ſaye that oure Lorde Ieſus Chriſt, is in the holy ſupper wherin he preſenteth, geueth and exhibiteth vntounto vsus trulye his bodye and bloud by the working of his holy ſpirit. We receaue and eate ſpirituallye and by faythe, that verye bloude which was ſhedde for vsus, for to make vsus bones of his bones and fleſh of his fleſh, to the end to be quickend therby and to receiue all that which is requiſite for oure ſaluation. And if thys content you not, Madame, but nedeth a greater declaration (as in deede it is daungerouſe and harde too ſpeake of ſo greate a myſterye wyth fewe wordes) if it pleaſe my Lorde Cardinall of Lorrayn to performe that he hath promyſſed, which is that we ſerche together the holye ſcriptures, and the aunciente doctours of the churche, ſo farre as they be conformable vntounto Goddes worde. And alſo if it pleaſe youre maieſtye to eſtabliſhe (as you maye doe) a good forme and manner of conference, and certayne deputies, diſputinge in order, hauinge the bookes in preſence with Secretaryes to collecte and write all in a good and auctentike forme. We wyll geue you to vnderſtand and know that we are not come hyther for to trouthe worlde: But for to agree vppon a ſounde doctrine, for hauinge firſt clothed agayne this holye ſacrament with that of the whiche it was ſpoyled, and hauinge taken frome it ſo many things as were added vntounto it, we pretende no other thinge, nor deſire any more effectuouſlye than that it may be eſtabliſhed agayne in his owne perfe…ion. And to come to this ende, Madame, we geue and offer, in all humilitye to God, and to youre maieſty, and to the reſt & quietnes of Chriſtendome, and namely of this realme, our ſoules and our own liues. Prayſed be God.
¶The thurſday laſt of ſeptember.
WE do beleue that in the holye ſupper oure ſauioure Ieſus Chriſt doeth geue, preſente, and offer vntounto vsus the ſubſtaunce of his body & bloud by the operation and workinge of the holy ghoſt, that we eat and receaue, ſacramentallye, and ſpirituallye by fayth, the ſame bodye which is deadde for vsus, for to be a bone of hys bones, and fleſhe of hys fleſhe, too the ende that we maye be viuified and receyue all that is requiſit to our ſaluation. And becauſe that the word of God, wherupon our fayth is ſtayed doth preſent and ſet foorth vntounto vsus his true and naturall body by the holy ghoſt. In this reſpecte, we do rekogniſe and acknowledge, that the bodye and bloude of our ſauioure Ieſu Chriſt is the ſupper. By theſe words (beyng taken in this ſenſe) being in the ende of ye ſaid article we do vnderſtād yt we do aprehend this great & excellent miſtery by faith, which is of ſuch, vertu & efficacy, that it maketh the things that are abſent preſent vntounto vsus.
FINIS.
End of the text · Theodore Beza, The Second Oration (1562)