nor left to be imitated of us.

2. His weapons fight against his own fellows, who allege (as we have
showed elsewhere) the custom of the church(1218) is a sufficient warrant
for certain ceremonies questioned betwixt them and us, which are not
particularly commanded by any precept in the gospel. These the Bishop doth
unwittingly strike at it whilst he holdeth that such customs of the church
are not exemplary, nor left to be imitated of us.

_Sect._ 5. Wherefore we hold still our own rule for sure and certain.
Christ's actions are either _amanda_, as the works of redemption; or
_admiranda_, as his miracles; or _notanda_, as many things done by him for
some particular reason proper to that time and case, and not belonging to
us, which things, notwithstanding, are well worthy of our observation; or
_imitanda_, and such are all his actions which had no such special reason
moving him thereto as do not concern us.

Calvin, upon 1 Cor. xi. 1, saith well, that the Apostle there calls back
both himself and others to Christ, _Tanquam unicum recte agendi exemplar_;
and Polycarpus Lycerus, upon Matt. xvi. 24, under that command of
following Christ, comprehendeth the imitations of Christ's actions.

Most certainly it is inexcusable presumption to leave the example of
Christ, and to do that which seemeth right in our own eyes, as if we were
wiser than he. And now, having laid down this ground, we are to build
certain positions upon it, us follows.

CHAPTER V.

THE FIRST POSITION WHICH WE BUILD UPON THE GROUND CONFIRMED IN THE FORMER
CHAPTER.

_Sect._ 1. From that which hath been said of following Christ, and the
commendable example of his apostles, in all things wherein it is not
evident that they had some such special reason moving them to do that
which they did, as doth not concern us, our first inference is this: That
it is not indifferent for a minister to give the sacramental elements of
bread and wine out of his own hand to every communicant; forasmuch as our
Lord commanded his apostles to divide the cup among them, that is, to
reach it one to another, Luke xxii. 17. Some of the interpreters are of
opinion, that the cup spoken of by the Evangelist in that place is not the
same whereof he speaketh after, ver. 20; but they are greatly mistaken;
for if it were as they think, then Christ did again drink before his death
of that fruit of the vine whereof we read ver. 18, which is manifes