The Preface.

between us. Forconcerningthatdoubt about the Lords

Supper, in the thing, audof the thing it felfe, there is
no ftrife, we differ in certaine adjuncts and circumflan-
cesofthe thing. In the thing it felfe, I fay, we agree:
although as the gifts of God are divers, fo fome doe more
plaincly, fome doe not fo plainly, and perhaps not fo fit-
ly, utter that which they thinke. For we all acknowledge
that the holy figns, have not a bare fignification, but that
by the ordinance of God they afTure our confciences that
the things themfelves are as truly and certainly given of
God to all that corae, as the fignes themfelves are given
byGodsMinifter. But this queftion rcmaineth, whe-
ther as the figne, fo alfo the prefent thing it felfe be given
to the body, or rather the prefent figne be given to the
body,but the prefent thing given onely to the minde and
faith: Againe, whether as both be given to all, fo both
be received of all, of fome unto life^ and of other fome
unto death. In like fort, we all beleevc the true Commu-
nication of the true body and the true blood ofour Lord
lefus Chrift. The controverlie ftandeth in the manner
of communicating, but who may therefore ofright thmk,
that the holy unitieof the Churches is to be plucked a-
funder > That they of our fide were alwaies defirous of
peace and agreement, the hiftpry of the conference ac
MarpurgCy and fuch things as were afterward done in the
yeere ijsd. dofufficiently witncfle.
Moreover, fo often as there appeared any hope ofa-
greement,it is cleare, that there was no other caufe, but
ttieimportunitieoffome certain men, why new and fud->
den braules being raifed, the matter could no: come, or
long continue in that agreement which was hoped for.
For that we may let pajGTe very many other things, al-
though in the beginning it were openly knownamong al,
that there was no cotroverfie between us (no not fo much
as the very Papifts excepted ) in the opinion about
worfbipping