Dilucida explicatio sanae doctrinae de vera participatione carnis & sanguinis Christi in sacra coena, ad discutiendas Heshusii nebulas

DE VERA PARTICIP.

Certainly, both our frugality, our constant labors for the Church, our steadfastness in dangers, our diligence in performing our duties, our indefatigable zeal in propagating the kingdom of Christ, our integrity in asserting the doctrine of piety, and finally our earnest exercise in the meditation of the heavenly life, will testify that we are very far from a profane contempt of God: of which I wish this braggart original: "Thraso", a reference to the boastful soldier character in Terence's comedy "Eunuchus" were not conscious in himself. But more about that man than I had intended.

Leaving him aside, therefore, it is my intention to briefly examine the case, since it would be superfluous to dispute with him more carefully. For although he carries about an air of display, he ventilates nothing other than the old trifles of Westphal Joachim Westphal, a Lutheran theologian and opponent of Calvin and the rubbish of his likes, with his grandiloquence. Regarding the omnipotence of God, regarding the faith to be held simply in His Word, and regarding the subjection of human reason, he preaches excellently, as he learned from better men, among whose number I also consider myself to be. Nor do I doubt, as he is childishly foolish in his own glory, that he thinks he represents Melanchthon along with Luther: because from the former he ineptly borrows flowers, and he substitutes thunders and crashes for the vehemence of the latter, because he cannot be a better rival. Yet the dispute is not about the immense power of God for us, and all my writings declare that I do not measure the mystery of the Supper by human reason, but follow it with admiration. Whoever struggles strenuously today for the ingenuous defense of truth will willingly admit me into their fellowship. In treating the mystery of the holy Supper, I have proven by the thing itself that I do not abrogate faith in the Word of God: just as, on the contrary, Heshusius Tilemann Heshusius, a controversialist theologian makes all good men witnesses of his malice and ingratitude by shouting, not without grave offense. But if the matter had been brought down from these vague and, as it were, mocking skirmishes,

to a few points, everything could be resolved without any obstacle. A pious Synod, if there were one, would not hide the path to concord. But this discussion, which his pertinacity produces, is not equally apparent to the benevolent, and to those who are joined among themselves by love, and who desire to defend that confession of truth more than their own vanity, even though they may dissent stubbornly in many things, and not to the same extent. Whatever he alleges, he brings it to this one point for himself, so that they might learn that the perfect consensus in this mystery is that which we teach: but we think otherwise. We read, he says, that Paul speaks of those wondrous things which we only perform, he says, the body of Christ is not formed: which is read in the sacred scriptures. These are not modes, neither so gross, nor such vain modes, which we assert.