"Catholic Christians all of them": Richard Field on Lutherans and Zwinglians

From Richard Field's Of the Church (1606/10), a refutation of the allegation by a Tridentine apologist that the differences "between the followers of Luther and Zuinglius" were in matters of faith, producing a fundamental division between the two traditions. Mindful that Field was a leading divine in the Jacobean Church of England - described by Paul Avis as "one of the most stupendously learned of Anglican theologians in an age when Anglican clerical scholarship was the wonder of the world" - his insistence (following Jewel and Hooker) that the differences between Lutheran and Swiss Reformed eucharistic theologies were not fundamental is a significant insight into an important and influential stream of thought in the Jacobean Church.

What is more, note his defence of the 'Zwinglians'. (While Field does also use the term 'Calvinist' for the Swiss, it is clear throughout that he regards Zwingli as the figure who chiefly shaped the Swiss Reformed churches.) It is no less significant that Field - a Hookerian defender of Conformity - regards the Swiss Reformed churches, with their eucharistic theology, non-episcopal government, and Helvetian Confession, as no less "Catholic Christians" than the Lutherans. Indeed, it is Luther who he implicitly blames for the contention over eucharistic theology, not least because - and this follows Hooker - there has been "some misconstruction of the opinion of Zuinglius".

By this which hath been said, it is evident that there have been as great and hot contentions in former times amongst right believers, as are now between the professors of the reformed religion; and that those divisions were not about matters of circumstance, or personal only .. but of whole Churches, disliking, condemning, and refusing to communicate one with another upon supposed differences in matters of faith and religion ... 

We deny not but that Luther, and some other adhering to him, upon some misconstruction of the opinion of Zuinglius and the rest, were carried too far with the violence of their ill-guided zeal; but we say also, that there were as fiery conflicts in former times between Cyril and Theodoret, between Cyril and John of Antioch, between Chrysostom and Epiphanius; who yet were Catholic Christians all of them, as I take it, notwithstanding the unkindnesses that passed between them; and as John of Antioch and Theodoret were reconciled to Cyril, and those of that side, upon a more full explication of their positions formerly disliked, so it is reported by Melancthon, that Luther, a little before his death, confessed unto him that he had exceeded and gone too far in the controversies between him and his opposites about the sacrament; and that thereupon being wished to publish some qualification of his former writings that were too violent and bitter, he said he had thought upon that matter and would so do, but that he feared the scandal that might grow upon such his retractation, and that therefore he was resolved to refer all to God, and to leave the matter to Melancthon, who might do something in it after his death. This conference between Luther and him, Melancthon made known to many, and ever constantly shewed himself a most godly, peaceable, and religious man, careful to hold the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace ...

But, saith [the Tridentine apologist], the Lutherans seek to predominate, and the Calvinists will not obey; therefore there must be an umpire between them, and, consequently, the pope must end the quarrel. Whereunto I answer in a word, that howsoever the violent humours of some men make a rent in the Church, yet there is no difference in judgment amongst those whom he calleth Lutherans and Calvinists in any matter of faith; and therefore the mediation of moderate men interposing themselves, or the authority of princes professing the reformed religion, may, in that good time that God shall think fit, easily make an end of these contentions, without seeking to the Romish Babylonical monarch ... 

For I say confidently, as before, that the matters wherein the followers of Luther, and the rest professing the reformed religion, seem to differ, are neither many in number, real in evidence, nor substantial in weight ... the differences between those whom the papists' malice, and other men's passion, calleth Lutherans and Sacramentaries, are either not real, or not so material, but that they may be of one church, faith, and religion.