CAt715, 37. Iteyelatioft,AfthtaAp:calypfe. . 99 Truly an infinit numberofal ranks,whofeRandard-bearers wereJohn,,, 7rentios Iaeobua, c./ ndrea, Selncccersu,Kirchnerur,Chemnitiva,and o- await thus like to thefe,whohavefo increafed that monfter ofv6iquity,that Sardis. was - horrible enough by it felfe, with fuch anheape of notorious er- rours,that there hathbeen fcarce atany time,amore hideous and per nicious thing extant. Lamentable truly was the cafe of thofe worthy men,whofe labour had been once verydoughty, and no Idle profita- ble againíí the common enemies: And what a Crown of victory had they gotten at Taft, if they had ftood out to the end in the fame war- fare,andhad not like to maddifh Elephants, turned themfelves from their enemies to batter down their friends ? But it is my part to in- terpret,not to make complaints. Therfore I furceafe thefe.This death did not only.come upon force particular men , but alfo upon many whole Cities andProvinces, as may be manifelf out of the Book of Concord, fet forth in the veer i 580. Whichdoth not fo forcibly fia- blifh this errour by the confent of many, as it doth ferve to tetifie this miferable calamity ofthe brethren. Now to this crrour about the Supper ofthe Lord, and theperfon of Chrif, other errours alfo were added,as ,about Originals fin,Free-will,Inflification,goodworks, the Lath and Goipel,things indifferent,and about Predeflination: Ther- foredeath here did violently affaile men with many darts. How great a multitude mull: weeds be here flain,when as it overthrew great Troops wig:, one only.: For Ihave notfoand thy Worksperfea.Thefe words contain a reafon why fo manj dyed.TheCiurca ofSardis as it feemeth,did notadmit of the wholeentire truth,but retained muchof the heathenifhfuperfli- tien. TheChurch of Germany raft away many of the popifb errours; yet as.touching the Sacrament of the Supper, fhe ftuck as it were in the mireof the corporalsprefence ; not -like toRome, dreaming that the fubf}ance of the bread and wine was changed into the true and reall fiefh and blood but no leffe ftrangely from the truth, holding that the true flefh and bloodwas joyned with the outward figns, and was prefent hereupon the earth. This levenLuther never calf out, but contended eagerly.withZuingliva andOecolampadius to defend,and retain it fill. Neither would God (who did fo grievoully aff3ift the Corinth,, for the profaning of this molt holy myflerie, fothat many Were weak anndfickT, andmany fleet, a Cor.i i. 3o.) fuller the neglecf of refor- mation hercin to go unpunifhed. A taff of which punifhment ro come, was then laid upon them, when Luther was compelled for the P pa"
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