The Apologie, Cap. 2. Diuision. 4.
That wee be accursed Creatures, & like the Gyauntes doo warre against God him selfe, and liue cleane without any regarde or Woor∣shippinge of God.
M. Hardinge.
VVhat ye bee, God knoweth, and your owne Conscience shoulde knowe. Our Lorde amende bothe you and vs. But to saye some what to that your giltie minde imagineth the VVorlde to reporte of you, if they which take away and abhorre the external Sacrifice, wherein Christe accordinge to his owne institution,* 1.1 is offered to his Father, make no warre against God: if they whiche make Christe a Mi∣nister of Shadowes, Signes, Tokens, and Figures: they, whiche feare not to breake their solemne Vowes made to God, and defende the same as wel done: they, whiche assure them selues of their Saluation, and therefore liue dissolutely without due care and feare of God: If (I saye) they be not cursed Crea∣tures, and like Gyantes that warre against God, then are ye cleare of this charge.
The B. of Sarisburie.
To answeare Ifs with Ifs, and Woordes with Woordes, it were greate folie. Therefore leauinge the answeare of Vowes, & assurance of Saluation to theire se∣ueral places, first wee denie not ye Sacrifice of Christe. Christe onely vpon his Crosse is our whole and onely Sacrifice for sinne, & biside him wée haue none other. How be it,* 1.2 I haue spoken hereof more at large in my Former Replie to M. Hardinge.
Neither make wée Christe, as it liketh M. Hardinge to saye, a Minister of Signes & Figures.* 1.3 Wée knowe, that Christe is the Fulfillinge & Perfection of the Lawe, and that Grace, and Truthe are wrought by him. Yet neuerthelesse wée saye, that the Sacramentes of the Newe Testamente are Signes, and Figures. The olde Father Tertullian expoundeth Christes Woordes in this sorte, Hoc est Corpus meum,* 1.4 Hoc est, Figura Corporis mei: This is my Body, that is to saye, This is a Fi∣gure of my Body. S. Augustine saithe, Christus adhibuit Iudam ad conuiuium, in quo Corporis & Sanguinis sui Figuram Discipulis suis commendauit, & tradidit: Christe receiue Iudas vnto his Banket, whereat he deliuered to his Disciples the Figure of his Body, and Bloude. And againe, Non dubitauit Dominus dicere, Hoc est Corpus meum, cùm daret Signum Corporis sui: Christe doubted not to saye, This is my Body, whereas he gaue a Token of his Body.
I leaue other Holy Fathers of like Woordes and sense welneare innumerable. Yet were they neither Giantes, nor Rebelles against God, nor accursed Creatures. If they had neuer vsed these Woordes, nor called the Sacramente the Figure, or Token of Christes Body, then might M. Hardinge haue ••enne bolde to saye some∣what, and to leade awate his Reader with a Tragical exclamation of Signes, and Figures. How be it, he him selfe, as I haue shewed in my Former Answeare, in the exposition of these woordes of Christe,* 1.5 This is my Body, and other like Phrases incident vnto the same, to auoide one vsual and common Figure, is forc••d to shifte him selfe into thirtie other vnnecessarie & childishe Figures: as knowinge that not so mutche as his open Untruthes can wel stande without Figures.