The Account Reckoning and Confession of Faith, Article 8 – Article 11
¶The eyght Article.
EYght, I beleue that in the holy Supper of thākes gyuing the very body of Chriſt is preſent wyth the eye,Of the holy ſupper of the Lorde. contemplacion and beholdyng of fayth: that is, that they whyche gyue thankes to the Lorde for the benefyte gyuen to vsus in hys ſonne, acknowlege hym to hauehave taken to hym very fleſh, in it verely to hauehave ſuffred, and verely to hauehave waſſhed awaye our ſynnes in hys bloude, and ſo al the thynges done by Chriſt to be made to them in the beholdyng of fayth as it were preſent.
But that Chriſtes natural body by ſubſtaunce & really, that is, that hys natural bodye other is preſent in the Supper, or chued in oure mouthes & wyth our teeth, as the Papiſtes and certayne that loke backe vntounto the pottes of Egypte ſhewe and wryte, that truely we do not only denye, but conſtantly affirme to be an errour, whiche is contrary to Goddes worde.
Whych thynge O Emperour, by goddes helpe I ſhal in fewe wordes make as playne and euident to your maieſtie, as is the ſunne. Fyrſt by bryngynge notable and godly authorities of holy ſcripture. Then wyth argumentes taken out of them as it were wyth great peces of ordināce encounteryng in battel againſt our aduerſaries. And fynally, in ſhewing that the olde doctours & diuines were of oure mynde, and ſtande fully wyth vsus.
A prayerIn the meane whyle come O thou holy ſpirite the creatour, be preſent & lyghten the myndes of thyne, fyl with grace and lyght the breaſtes whyche thou haſte made.
Fyrſt Chriſt him ſelfe the mouth and wyſedome of God ſayeth thus:
You ſhall alwaye hauehave poore folke wyth you,Mat. 26. but me ſhall ye not alwaye hauehave. Lo here the only preſence of his body is denyed. For accordyng to his Godhede he is alwaye preſent. For ſo is he alwayes euerye where, according to an other worde of hys: I wyl (ſayeth he) be wt you vntil the worldes ende. That is, touchyng hys Godhed,Mat. 28. power, and goodnes.
Wyth vsus in declaryng thys place agreeth S. Aug,Awſten vponupon Iohns goſſpel the 50 treaty. vponupon Iohns Goſpel the .l. treatye.
Neyther is there cauſe why oure aduerſaries ſhulde alledge: that Chriſtes manhed is, wherſoeuer is hys Godhed, otherwyſe the perſon is diuided. For that allegyng ſhulde take awaye the very manhed of Chriſt. For nothing but God can be eueryevery wher.
And the manhed to be in one place, but the Godhed to be eueryevery where doth not diuide the perſone, no more then the ſonne takynge to hym manhed, diuideth the vnitie of ſubſtance. But marke thys well. It ſhulde ſeme rather to diuide the vnitie of ſubſtāce (but yet it dothe not) whyle one perſone taketh to hym a creature, which the other two perſones take not to thē at all: than is, to diuide the perſone, the manhed to be in one place, but the Godhed to by eueryevery where. For we maye alſo ſe in creatures. That the bodyes are tyed to one place only, but the power and vertue of them ſtrayeth farre abrode. As appereth by two examples folowynge.
The Sūne.The ſunne is bodely placed but in one place: but hys power and vertue worketh in al places of thys worlde.
Mannes mynde alſo ſurmounteth euen the very ſtarres and pearceth the very helles,Mānes mynd. and yet the body is but in one place only.
Iohn. 16.Chriſte alſo ſayeth thus: Agayne I leaue the worlde and go to the father. Lo, here is a worde of forſaking, as before ther was a word of hauing: becauſe our aduerſaries ſhal not be able to ſaye:A Popiſch gloſe. we hauehave him not here viſiblie. For whan he ſpeaketh of the viſible wythdrawynge of hys bodye, he ſayeth thus: A lytle whyle, and ye ſhal not ſe me. &c. It were nothynge but iugglyng yf we ſhuld ſtryue, that his natural body were preſent here,Iohn. 16. but inuiſiblie. For why ſhulde he, whych yet wer here, refuſe to be ſene, which ſo often tyme afters hys reſurreccion ſhewed hymſelfe to hys diſciples moſte manyfeſtly.
Agayne Chriſt ſayeth:Iohn. 16. It is neceſſarie for you that I go away. Marke that he ſayeth: that I go awaye. But yf he were here ſtyl, it were not neceſſarye that we ſhulde not ſe hym, but rather confortable that we myght ſe him. For he (as often as hys diſciples were amaſed and aſtonnyed at the beholdynge of hym) ſhewed hymſelfe playnly and openly to them. And leſt other theyr ſenſes or theyr thoughtes ſhulde ſuffer any ſuſpicion.Luc. 24. He ſayeth vntounto them: Se my handes & my feete: for it is euen I my ſelfe. Touche me, and handle me.
And to Thomas he ſaid: put thyne hande into my ſyde.Iohn. 20. And to Magdalene he ſhewed hymſelfe vyſiblye.
Agayne when he nowe euen goynge awaye ſhulde cōmende hys diſciples vntounto hys father, he ſayd:
Here after I wyl not be in the world. Here is vſed a Verbe ſubſtantiue,Iohn. 17. as well as in theſe wordes: thys is my body, that the aduerſaries maye not here ſaye, that there is a fyguratiue ſpeache, ſeyng they denye that verbes ſubſtantiues receiue any fygure. But the thynge hath no nede of theſe euaſions, For it foloweth in the texte: But they are in the worlde. Whyche collacion teacheth manyfeſtly, that he touchynge hys manhed is not in the world than, whā hys diſciples were. And that we maye knowe whan he went awaye (not as they rather faine than expound:Luc. 24. whā he made hymſelfe inuiſible) ſo ſayeth Luke: And it happened, whā he bleſſed them, he wente awaye from them, and was caryed vp into heauen.
Loo, he ſayeth not: he vanyſhed awaye: or made hymſelfe inuiſible.
Marc. 16.And Marke addeth: The Lorde after he had ſpoken to them was taken vp into heauen, and ſytteth on rhe ryght hande of God. He ſayeth not: He abydeth here ſtyll, but hath made his body inuiſible. In yt Actes: whyle they beheld he was take vp on hye:Act. 1. And a cloud receyued hī out of theyr ſyght. A cloud couered hym, whych had ben no nede, yf he had onelyonly taken awaye the ſyght of him ſelfe, and otherwyſe had ben preſent here ſtyl. Neither neded he then the takyng vp,Act. 1. or lyftyng vp on hye. And it foloweth ther: The ſame Ieſus whyche is taken vp from you into heauen, ſhall ſo come euē as ye hauehave ſene hym go into heauen.
What is clearer than thys? he is taken away from you. Than he was not wyth them nother viſiblie nor inuiſiblie concernyng hys manhed. Wherfore, whan we ſhal ſe hym cōe agayne, lyke as he wente awaye, thā ſhall we knowe that he is preſent. Or els touchynge hys manhed, he ſytteth at the ryght hande of the father, tyll he ſhal come to iudge both the quicke and the deade.
But becauſe ther is ſome that do take away place from Chriſtes body, and ſayeth that it is in no place: Let them take hede howe openly they go agaynſt the truth and ſhut theyr eyes wylfully. For they are not ignorant,Chriſtes body occupieth a place. that hys body was in the Maunger, in the Temple at Ieruſalem whā his parētes were in theyr iorney. It was on the Croſſe, in the Graue, wythout the graue. for the Angel ſayd: he is ryſon, he is not here. Lo the place wher they layed hym. And that they ſhulde not ſay: that hys body is eueryevery wher, let them wel marke the Aungell ſayeng: He is not here. And thys place: Ieſus came whē the gates were ſhut and ſtode in the myddeſt of them.Iohn. 20. What nede he to come, yf hys bodye be eueryevery wher, but inuiſiblie? It had ben enough not to come, but only to ſhewe hym ſelfe, whych was bodelye there preſent before. But away wyth ſo craftely alleged tryfles, which take from vsus the truthe as wel of Chriſtes manhed, as of the holy ſcriptures. Theſe aforeſayd places of ſcripture take awaye the preſence of Chriſtes body eueryevery where, except in heauen, ſpeakyng orderly and ryght after the rule of holye ſcripture, that is, for ſo muche as we are aſſured by the ſcripture touchynge the nature and propertie of the bodye taken to hym.
Howe muche ſo euer contrarye places conſtrayne vsus, (as whan they tell vsus of the myraculous power of God) yet what ſo euer we put forth touchynge the power of God,Contrary places neuer ought to be wrythē of vsus ſo farre that we ſhulde beleue God to do contrary vntounto hys worde, for that were the propertie of febleneſſe & not of power.
That wyth our mouthe ye naturall body of Chriſt is not eaten, hym ſelfe ſhewed, whan he ſayde vntounto ye Iewes ſtryuynge for the bodelye earynge of his fleſhe: The fleſhe profiteth nothīg.Iohn. 6. Namely to eate it naturallye, but to eate it ſpiritually profyteth much, for it gyueth lyfe.
That that is borne of fleaſhe,Iohn. 3. is fleaſhe. And that that is borne of ye ſpirite, is ſpirite.
Yf than the natural body of Chriſt be eaten wyth oure mouthe, what other thynge of fleaſhe naturally eaten can be made but fleaſhe? And leſt it ſhuld be thought of any mā to be but an eaſy argument and a lyght reaſon let hym here, waye and conſyder the other parte. That that is borne of ſpirite, is ſpirite.The only ſpirite geueth ſpirituall thinges.
Yf than the fleaſhe of Chriſt be holſome to the ſoule, it muſte ſpiritually and not carnally be eaten. Thys alſo pertayneth vntounto the matter of Sacramentes, that the ſpirite is begotten by the ſpirite, and not by any bodelye thynge, as we ſhewed before.
Paule admonyſheth,2. Cor. 5 that yf any hauehave knowen Chriſt at any tyme after the fleaſhe, yet nowe he ſhulde not knowe hym after the fleaſhe.
By theſe & ſuche lyke places are we compelled to acknowlege, yt theſe wordes: thys is my body muſte be taken not naturally, but figuratiuely: lyke as theſe are: Thys is the Paſſeouer. For the Lambe whych was yere by yere eaten in that great ſolempnitie of holy dayes was not the natural Paſſeouer or paſſe by, but dyd ſygnifye it in times paſt to be done. To this ende alſo agreeth the ſucceſſion or exchaunge, becauſe the Supper cōmeth in the ſtede of the Lābe, whych thinge putteth vsus in remembraūce, ye Chriſt vſed lyke wordes. For the ſucceſſion kepeth the imitaciō, that is, lyke maner of ſpeache.
The tyme alſo agreeth: for in the ſame ſupper the old paſſeouer is layd aparte and abolyſhed, and the newe thankeſgeuynge is begonne and appointed.
The propertie of all the remembraunces do agree, which chalengeth to them ſelues the name of it, wherof they make mencion and remēbraūce.The Athenienſes.
So the people of Athens called a certayne holy daye that they had: The eaſment of cōmon dette, not for that the dette ſhulde yerly be diſcharged, but becauſe they wyth reuerence perpetually kept that that Solon had ordeyned in tyme paſt, and reuerenced that theyr feaſt, wyth the name of the thynge it ſelfe: So theſe thynges, that is, the bread and wyne of the ſupper, are called the body & bloud of Chriſt, whych are tokens, ſygnes and remē braunces of hys very body & bloude. Nowe folowe the argumentes.
¶Here folowe thre argumentes.
The fyrſt. As the bodye can not be fedde wyth a ſpirituall thynge, ſo neyther ye ſoule wyth a bodely thing. And yf the natural body of Chriſte be eaten. I aſke? whether dothe it fede the bodye or the ſoule? But it fedeth not the body, thā of force it fedeth the ſoule. Yf it fede the ſoule, thā the ſoule eateth fleaſhe, and that were not true (which is moſte true) that the ſpirite only is borne of the ſpirite.
Secondarely I aſke thys: what doth the natural body of Chriſt eaten make perfecte? Yf the forgeueneſſe of ſynnes (as one ſorte affirme) than the diſciples had forgeuenes of theyr ſinnes by the recept of the ſupper, and ſo Chriſt dyed in vayne. Agayne, yf that that is eaten miniſtred the vertue of Chriſtes paſſion and death (as ye ſame ſorte ſhewe) then the vertue of his paſſion, death and redempcion was deſtributed before it was begonne. And yf it fede the body vntounto the reſurreccion (as one certayne man very vnlearnedly affirmeth) than muche more it ſhulde heale the body & diſcharge it of ſyckneſſe.Ireneus But Ireneus loueth otherwyſe to be vnderſtanded, whan he wryteth: that our bodyes are nurryſhed vntounto the reſurreccion by the bodye of Chriſt. For he ſheweth: that the hope of oure reſurreccion is eſtablyſhed by the reſurreccion of Chriſt. Loo, thys is a pleaſaunt figuratiue ſpeache.
Thyrdlye, yf the natural bodye of Chriſte in the ſupper is gyuen to the diſciples to eate, than it foloweth of neceſſitie, that they hauehave eaten it as it was. But than it was paſſible (for it was not yet glorifyed) therfore they hauehave eaten hys paſſible bodye.The obiection of the aduerſairies is preuēted.
But they wyl ſaye: They dyd eate the ſame body, but not as it was paſſible, but the ſame after the maner and qualities that it had after hys reſurreccion. And we ſaye agayne: that thā other he hadde two bodyes, one that was not yet glorifyed, and the other that was glorifyed: Or els that one & the ſame bodye was al at ones in the ſame tyme paſſible and impaſſible. And ſo by thys meanes foraſmuche as he ſo greatly abhorred death, Doutleſſe heretikes wold gather that he ſuffred not ye paynes of death, but that he vſed thys gyft of the glorifyed body, wherby he was lackyng paine, and therfore wyll they ſaye: that he dyd not truly dye, but by diſſimulacion. And thus by theſe blynd buſardes the trade of Marcions hereſie might be newly reuiued. Sex hundreth argumentes O Emperour, myght be brought, but we wyl now be content wyth theſe. But that the olde wryters are of our opinion (whych ſhalbe the laſte parte of thys article) I wyll proue by two wytneſſes, whyche are of the chefe.
By Ambroſe whych vponupon the fyrſt epiſtle to the Corinthes,Ambroſe. vponupon theſe wordes: Shewe the Lordes death tyl he come &c. ſayeth thus.
Seyng that by the death of ye Lord we are delyuered, beynge myndfull of thys thynge, in eatynge and drynkynge we ſignifye the fleaſh & bloud, whych are offred for vsus. &c. Ambroſe ſpeaketh of the meate and drynke of the ſupper, & ſheweth, that we ſignifie theſe very thynges, whyche were offred for vsus.
By Awſten alſo, whych in the thyrtie treatie vponupon Iohns Goſpel affirmeth:Awſten in the 30 treatie vponupon Iohns Goſpell.. that Chriſtes bodye that roſe from the dead muſt by but in one place. Wher the printed exemplares hauehave (may) for (muſt) but coruptlye. For both in the Maſter of ſentence and in the Decrees (wherinto this ſentence of Awſten is trāſlated) it is red muſt. Wherby we maye openly ſee, that what ſo euer the olde writters ſpake honorably of the ſupper, they dyd vtterly vnderſtand it, not of the natural eatyng of the body of Chriſt, but of the ſpirituall.
The ſame Awſten agaynſt Adimantus. Awſten againſt Adimantus, .12. chap.12 chap. teacheth: that theſe thre ſentences: the bloud is the ſowle: thys is my body: and, the ſtone was Chriſt: are ſpoken ſacramentally, that is, as he ſpeaketh in a ſigne, and figuratiuely. And amonge many other thinges at lengthe he commeth to theſe wordes: I maye alſo interprete thys commaundemente to be put in a ſygne. For the Lord dowted not to ſaye: Thys is my body, whan he gaue a ſygne of hys body. Thus ſayth Awſten.
Loo,A keye. here we hauehave a keye wherwith we maye open all the ſaynges of the olde wrytters towchyng thys article of the ſupper: that that whych only is the ſigne of the body, he ſayth is called the body.
Let them go nowe that wyll, and condempne vsus of hereſye, ſo that they knowe therby alſo them ſelues agaynſt the Decrees of Byſſhoppes to condempne the chefe pyllare and ſtaye of diuines.
Of theſe thinges it is made moſt manifeſt,The olde writters ſpake ſacramētally, whan they reaſoned of the frute of eatīg Chriſtes body. that the olde wrytters al waye ſpake ſacramentally, whē they gaue ſo much to the eatinge of Chriſtes body in the ſupper, namly, that the ſacramentall eatinge of Chriſtes body could not clenſe the ſowle, but fayth in God through Ieſus Chriſte, which is the ſpirituall eatinge, wherof this outwarde eatinge, is a token and ſhadowe. For lyke as bread ſuſtayneth the body, and wyne comforteth, nurryſſheth, quyckeneth, refreſheth, and maketh a man mery: Euen ſo it ſtrengthneth and ſuſteyneth the ſycke ſoule, and aſſureth it of the mercy of God, becauſe he hath geuen to vsus his ſōne: & ſo lykewyſe it refreſſheth, and maketh mery ye mynd, that our ſinnes (wherwith it was vexed) are quenched in his bleſſed bloud.
At thys tyme we wyl holde vsus cō tent wyth theſe, albeit one myght make hole bokes to declare & proue that the olde wryters are of oure opinion in thys matter. Neyther let the lytle boke of Eccius latly put forth touchīg the opinion of the olde wrytters diſcorage any man, for ſhortly, by the grace of God, we ſhall ſe the confutacion of it, by the great learned mā our brother Ecolampadius, whoſe laboure hath bene frō the begynnyng of thys controuerſye to enſerche and gather out the myndes of the olde wryters touchynge the ſame. But in thys matter theſe thynges that maye be requyred for the more fuller declaracion herof, or confutacion of our aduerſaries, we whyche are of thys opinion hauehave (as I thynke) abundantly perfourmed by many bokes written vntounto dyuers men.
¶The .ix. Article.
Nynth. I beleue that the Ceremonies,Ceremonies. whych by ſuperſticiō are nother contrarie to fayth, nor to the word of God, (albeit I knowe not whether any ſuche maye be foūde) may thrughe charitie be ſuffred, til ye lyght of knowlege more and more ſhyne vponupon vsus. But I beleue alſo (the ſame charitie beynge maſtres) that the ſayd ceremonies (whan wythout great offence it maye be done) are to be abolyſhed, although the vnfaythful crye out neuer ſo muche agaynſt it.Images owght to be atken awaye yf ther be any peryll of worſhippī ge them.
But I thynke that ymages, which are ſet vp to be worſhipped are not to be accompted amonge ceremonies, but are of the nombre of thoſe thynges whyche are vtterly contrarye to Goddes word. But thoſe that are not ſet vp to be worſhipped, or wher ther is no daunger of worſhippyng them here after, it is ſo farre of that I wyll condemne them, that I acknowlege both the paynters and caruers crafte to be ye gyftes of God.
¶The .x. Article.
Tenth. I beleue that the office of prophecie and of preachynge Goddes worde is an holy thyng, and that amonge al offices it is moſte neceſſarie. For to ſpeake directly after the rule of ſcripture, we ſe amōge al people that the outwarde preachynge of the Apoſtles, Euangeliſtes, Byſhoppes & Paſtours went before fayth, whyche fayth neuertheleſſe we attribute vntounto the ſpirite only. For (alaſſe) we ſe very many which heare the outward preaching of the Goſpel, but they beleue not, which happeneth for lack of the ſpirite. Whither ſo euer therfore Prophetes or Preachers of Goddes word are ſent, it is a ſingler token of Goddes fauore, that he wyl vntounto hys electe open the knowledge of hym ſelfe. And contrary wyſe, to whom true preachers are denyed, it is a token that Goddes wrath hangeth ouer them. As we maye gather of the Prophetes and of the example of S. Paule, whyche ſomtyme was forbyddē to go to certein, and ſometyme called vntounto other. And truth it is, that both the lawes them ſelues & the Magiſtrates can by nothynge more preſently be furthered toward the defēce of publike iuſtice, than by the ſincere preachynge of Goddes worde. For in vayne is ryght and equitie cōmaunded, excepte it be to them, that both regarde it and louelove it. And thervnto the preachers as miniſters prepare the mindes, but the ſpirite is the worker, as author both of the preacher and of the hearer. We alſo acknowlege that kynde of miniſters, namely, whyche teacheth, cōforteth, affrayeth, careth for, and faythfully loketh to the ſauegarde of the people of Chriſt. And alſo that, that baptiſeth, that in the holy ſupper miniſtreth the body & bloude of the Lorde (for ſo we alſo figuratiuelye cal the holy bread and wyne of the ſupper.) And further we acknowlege that ſorte of miniſters, that viſiteth the ſycke: that miniſtreth to the poore wyth the almes and in the name of the cōgregaciō:
And finally ye, that in ſcholes teacheth, openly readeth and interpreteth, that other themſelues or other may be inſtructed that hereafter they maye hauehave rule of congregacions.
But that monſtrouſe mitred and croſyard kynd of Papiſticall byſhoppes we beleue to be lordly loyterers, baſtardes and vnlawful chyldren. And yt it is a nōbre borne to conſume vytayles, an vnprofytable burthen of the earthe, and fynally to be vtterlye that thyng in the body of the church, that byles, botches, wēnes and impoſtumes are in mannes body.
¶The .xi. Article.
ELeuenth. I knowe that the Magiſtrate ryghtly choſen & admitted is Goddes lieutenaunt aſwel as the preacher. For as the preacher is the miniſter of the heauenly wyſedome and goodnes, as he that faythfullye teacheth and rebuketh ſinne and errour: ſo the Magiſtrate is the miniſter of goodnes and ryghteouſnes. Of goodnes, that wyth faythfulnes and temperancie lyke vntounto God he may both heare and ſe vntounto the cauſes, matters and buſyneſſes of his people. Of righteouſnes, that he may repreſſe, holde downe, breake and punyſhe the boldnes of the wycked: and ſupport maintayne and defende the innocentes. Yf a Prince hauehave theſe gyftes, I beleue that hys ſubiectes nede not be afrayed of his conſcience. Yf he lacke them, and yet for al that wyll ſhewe hymſelfe terrible and to be feared, I beleue that his cōſciēce by no meanes cā be diſcharged therfor, becauſe he is ryghtly choſen and admytted. But yet alſo I beleue that a chriſten man ought to obey ſuche a tyraunt, vntounto ſuche an occaſion as Paule ſpeaketh of: Yf thou mayſt be fre, rather vſe it. Whyche occaſion neuertheleſſe I beleue to be ſhewed of God onelyonly,1. Cor. …. & not of mā, and that not obſcurely, but as openly as Saule was abiecte, and Dauid taken to be his ſucceſſour. And as touchynge payeng of tribute and cuſtome for our defece, I vtterly thinke as Paule doth. Rom. 13.