at Rome 51. 53. The Communion is better then the Masse by M. Hardinges ovvne confession 60. No Priuate Masse in good tovvnes and Citties 71. Priuate Masse is an Abomination and not an Oblation Lorichius 378. No Priuate Masse in the Primitiue Churche 14. Priuate Masse neuer ordeined in any Councel 22. Priuate Masse grâ—vve of lacke of deuotion 14. Masse abused to vvitchecrafte and poisoninges 2. To heare Masse to see Masse 70. One man may say three Masses in one daie 479. The sale of Masses 481. Errours in the Masse 3. 532. The Prieste receiueth the Sacramente for others as the mouthe of the people 588. The Prieste presumeth to applie the merites of Christe by his Masse 591. M. Hardinges proufes for Priuate Masse 93. Matrimonie honourable 52. Matrimonie misliked of certaine learned Fathers 52. Miracle in Baptisme 355. Fained miracles 515. The first Fathers of idle Monkes 85. Monasteries dennes of Theeues 85. N. In the name of Christe onely 115. Nature is that God vvil 367. Nestorius â—â—â—â— Nobody taken for a â—evve 88. O. Opus Operatum 594. Against Opus Operatum 600. Othe 119. P. Paulinus historicus 133. The people not so il as the Prieste 16. The people compared to svvine and dogges 518. M. Hardinges Iudgemente of the people 527. 534. 550. M. Harding calleth the people Curious buâ—ie bodies of the Vulgare sorte 531. The people better instructed in Religion then the Priestes 619. Poison ministred in the Sacramente 2. Praiers Common and Priuate 215. CommoÌ„ Praiers more effectual then Priuate 215. M. Harding liketh vvel the Praiers in the knovveÌ„ Vulgare tongue 152. 206. Examples of praiers in the Common tongue 156. 158. 168. 169. 175. 176. 196. 219. The people singinge Psalmes togeather 153. 168. Byrdes speake they knovve not vvhat 170. A Popiniaie taught to saie the Creede 170. The Emperour Iustinians Constitution for the CoÌ„mon Praiers to be pronounced alovvde 171. Praiers conceiued vvith the minde 171. Praiers vttered vvith the voice 171. Praiers in an vnknovven tongue vtterly vnprofitable 212. 215. The Prieste and the people in the Common Praiers speake togeather 178. The people ought to ansvveare Amen 172. The Common Praiers in Englande in the English tongue 188. 190. 191. The Common Praiers in Fraunce in the Frenche tongue 184. The VVoordes of S. Paule 1. Corin. 14. make for Praiers in the Common tongue 198. 199. M. Hardinge saithe that vnderstandinge of the vvoordes vvithdravveth the minde 214. Preparation to the Communion 15. Priestes vvicked treen vvoorse then the people VVoulues Diuels 16. Number of Priestes 17. 89. Priestes and Ecclesiastical Iudges often deceiued 118. Real Presence 316. Christes Body not Corporally presente 406. Spiritual presence 357. 358. 404. 430. 449. 471. 585. 607. Christe presente in Baptisme 352. 353. Christe presente by Grace 347. Spiritual Eatinge 320. 322. 324. 335. 389. 391. 392. 401. 430. 601. 627. Carnal vnderstandinge 322. The Fathers of the olde Testamente receiued the Body of Christe 321. The cause of the Capernaites offense 323. 324. The Omnipotente povver of God 324. 35â— Berengarius Recantation 327. 328. Christes Body Deified 331. Christes Fleas he tvvo vvaies taken 330. Iouisible and Inuifibly 335. Christe our Spiritual Breade 389. Very and verily 337. Christe laide on the table In vvhat sense 336. VVee are made one vvith Christe 339. Christe is iâ— vs Corporally Carnally Naturally 339. Christe mingled vvith vs. 340. Christe Corporally in vs by Faithe 344. VVee are Naturally in Christe 344. Christe Corporally and Naturally in vs by Faithe by Raptisme c. 345. 346. VVee are incorporate into Christe 345. Pope The Pope holdeth his authoritie not by the Scriptures but by custome 221. 235. Childis he AllegatioÌ„s of the Scriptures to prooue the Popes Supremacie 221. Vpon this Rocke I vvil builde my Church 221. 233. The Churche builte equally vpon al the Apostles 309. The keies geuen to the reste as vnto Peter 229. Christe Heade of the Churche 256. Christes Vicare 256. 257. Peter vvas not Vniuersal Bishop 227. Peter vvas not Heade of the Churche 261. 262. 311. The places of S. Cyprian fully ansvveared Vnus Episcopus Vniuersa â—raternitas Hinc Schismata oriuntur 228. 229. 230. 231. Anacletus countrâ—â—â—â—ited 223. Anacletus corrupteth the Scriptures 224. The B. of Rome firste of Bishoppes expounded 241. The principalitie of the Citie of Rome The principal Churche 243. 244. 247. The Noblenesse of the Citie of Rome 304. The Chieferie the Heade 249. 306. 307. 309. 310. The Highest Prieste 251. Paule vvente vp to Hierusalem to visite Peter 253. The Supremacie prooued by Aristotle and Homere and by drifte of reason 254. To seeke to Rome for Counsel 259. 294. To take vp and compounde maters 259. Appeales to Rome condemned 265. 266. Appeales from equal to equal 272. Appeales in Ecclesiastical causes to the Prince 272. The Prince calleth Bishops in Ecclesiastical causes before him selfe 268. The Pope had no Iurisdiction ouer the Easte 278. 279. The Pope excommunicated others and vvas excommunicate by others 280. The Pope dâ—posed by the Bishoppes of the Easte 281. The Pope CoÌ„firmeth Bishoppes vvithin his ovvne Prouince 282. The Pope had neither povver nor authoritie to calle Councelles 284. 285. 259. The Pope confirmeth Councelles as also doo others 286. Councelles allovved against the Pope 287. The Emperours confirmed Councelles 286. The Pope coulde not restoare Bishoppes 289. Reconciliation to the Churche of Rome 290. 291. Damasus ruler of the house of God 305. The Pope saluted by the name of Brother 228. 263. No Bishop but Ambrose 241. The Primacie Common to many Bishoppes 245. Paule equal vnto Peter 252. 253. 303. Al Bishoppes rule the Churche togeather 260. Paule Heade of al nations 303. Iohn greatter then Peter 309. The meaning of this name Vniuersal Bishop 220. The Bishoppe of Rome is not the Vniuersal Bishop 298. The Bishop of the Vniuersal Churche 299. The Bishop of Constantinople the Vniuersal Bishop 242. 300. The Pride of the see of Rome 224. 234. 235. 247. 251. 252. The Authoritie of the Pope more then the Authoritie of the Scriptures 107. The visitinge of the Pope 254. The Pope equal vvith Christe 258. Flateringe of the Pope 262. Seruus seruorum Dei 297. The intolerable tyrannie and pride of the See of Rome 314. The Pope cannot erre 274. Many Popes haue erred 275. The Pope Doctour of bothe Lavves by Authoritie not by knovvledge 259. M. Hardinge compareth the Pope vvith Balaam and Caiphas 274. The Pope sometimes no member of the Church 220. The Pope hath his holinesse of his Chaire 276. The Pope a forger 221. The Pope a Cogger a Foister taken in manifeste forgerie 236. The Supremacie of Rome condemned by Councelles 235. 238. 240. 263. The vniuersal Bishoppe is the forerâ—nner of Antichriste 2â—0 S. Gregories ful iudgemente of the name of Vniuersal Bishop 225. S. Gregorie refused to be called Vniuersal 227. The Supremacie of Rome the destruction of the Churche 255. The Bishop of Constantinople enioiâ—th the Pâ—erogatiue of olde Rome 241. Phocas a Traitour
in the behalfe of Christe Benedic haereditati tuae quam per Corporis sanguinis mei Mysterium in ecclesia congregasti Blisse thine inheritance whiche thou hast geathered togeather in the Churche by the Mysterie of my Bodie and Bloude And Dionysius The common and peaceable distribution of one and the same Breade and Cuppe prescribeth a godly concorde vnto them as vnto men fedde togeather with one foode And thus as M. Hardinge hath truely saide Cyrillus and Dionysius agrée in one but bothe togeather against him bothe vtterly condemninge his Priuate Masse M. Hardinge The .14 Diuision And therefore that one may communicate with an other though they be not togeather in one place whiche M. Iuel denieth with as peeuis he an argument of the vse of excommunication as any of al those is that he scoffeth at some Catholike writers for 24 and that it was thought lawful and godly by the Fathers of the auncient Churche neare to the Apostles time it may be wel proued by diuerse good authorities The B. of Sarisburie I vsed the Pulpite as a place of reuerence and not of scoffinge Onely I thought good to laie out the weakenesse of sundrie reasons alleged on your side that the people might sée vpon howe sclender groundes your Religion standeth And thus I did hauinge iuste occasion thereunto of the vniuste reportes moued in corners by you and others whereby you bare the people in hande that al our doctrine was light and childishe and not woorthe the hearinge Therefore that the people hauinge taken some taste of the argumentes on bothe partes might be the better hable to iudge of bothe I shewed foorthe this argument of Pope Innâ—centius The Sunne is greater then the Moone Ergo the Pope is greater then the Emperour and the Elose in the Margine vpon the same The Sunne is seuen and fiftie times greater then the Moone Ergo the Pope is seuen and fiftie times greater then the Emperour And likewise the argument of Pope Bonifacius the eight In principio creauit Deus Coelum terram non in principijs In the beginninge and not in sundrie beginninges God made Heauen and Earth Ergo the Pope hath the soueraintie ouer al Kinges and Princes He that sheweth the weakenesse of these argumentes and suche other deserueth not therefore by and by to be called a scoffer Further touchinge Excommunication I saide thus If the Prieste that saithe Masse in Louaine may communicate with the Prieste that saieth Masse in Calicute whiche is M. Hardinges greatest grounde for his Priuate Masse then hath the Churche so farre foorthe as toucheth the Priestes loste the whole vse of Excommunication For the partie excommunicate beinge a Priest might saye he woulde say Masse and so receiue the Communion euen with the Bishop of whom he were excommunicate whether he woulde or no. This sayinge M. Hardinge hath condemned for péeuishe by his authoritie onely and not by reason In déede the Churche of Rome as it hath lost the whole vse of the holy Communion so hath it also lost the whole vse of Excommunication For these twoo woordes be of contrary natures and the one of them hath his name of the loosinge of the other In the primitiue Churche as al the Godly were fréely receiued to the holy Mysteries so by the authoritie of the Spirite of God the apparent wicked and vngodly were remoued and that with great discretion accordinge to the enormitie qualitie of the faultes as it is specially noted by Gregorius Naeocaesariensis in a Canon touchynge the same The greatest offenders were vtterly excluded from the Congregation as men not méete to be in the company of the godly Others were suffred to enter into the temple and to heare the Sermon but at the beginninge of the praiers they were remoued as men not méete to praie with their bretherne Others were suffred to be present at the praiers but at the beginninge of the Communion were willed to departe The reste were the godly that remained stil and hearde the Sermon and continued in praier and receiued the holy Mysteries altogeather The order hereof is declared by Cassiodorus out of Socrates Stant rei velut in lamentationibus constituti cùm sacra celebratio fuerit adimpleta Communionem non percipiunt They stande wofully and as it were men in lamentation and in heauines and when the holy celebration is ended they receiue not the Communion It followeth Constituto verò tempore velut quoddam debitum exoluentes cum populo Communionem participant At the time appointed as if they had discharged a certaine debte they Communicate togeather with the people Thus the offenders were put from the Communion and al the reste receiued togeather And therefore it is decréed by the Canons of the Apostles That al Faithful that entre into the Churche and heare the Scriptures and doo not continue out the Praiers nor receiue the Communion should be excommunicate as men woorkinge the trouble and disorder of the Churche And the people saide vnto Timotheus beinge a Bishop of the Arrians and neuerthelesse a man of milde and gentle nature and shunninge his companie for the one and yet louinge him for the other Although we Communicate not with thée yet wée loue thée notwithstanding Now if M. Hardinges principle stande for good that the Priest sayeinge his Priuate Masse may receiue the Communion with al others in other places that doo the like then can no Priest be excommunicate For notwithstanding neither any other Priest nor any of the people wil receiue with him yet may he say a Priuate Masse and by M. Hardinges new diuise straight way communicate with them al. But for better declaration of this mater it is commonly taught in Schooles that Priuatio praesupponit habitum that is that the loosinge of a thinge firste presupposeth the hauing of the same for no man can loose that thinge that he hath not Therfore to say there is Excommunication from the Sacramentes where as is no Communion of the Sacramentes Or that he is put from the Lordes Table that neither is at nor comming to the Table Or that he is Excommunicate that is onely forbidden to heare Masse Or that the people doth sufficiently receiue the Sacramentes by the mouthe of the Priest Uerely this kinde of learninge in the Primitiue Churche woulde haue séemed not onely péeuish but also fantastical and méere Frantike Thus the Bishop of Rome as it is saide vseth to Excommunicate Locustes Snakes Caterpillers other like woormes Coniurers vse to Excommunicate their Diuels as though these creatures sauing the force of their authoritie were otherwise méete enough to receiue the CoÌ„munion M. Hardinge The .15 Diuision Irenaeus writing to Victor Bishop of Rome concerning the keeping of Easter as Eusebius Caesariensis reciteth to th'entente Victor shoulde not refraine from their Communion whiche kepte Easter after the custome of the Churches in Asia
I would or no. Here I doubte not but wise men wil regarde more that Luther wrote when his minde was quiet and calme then vvhen it vvas enraged vvith blusteringe stormes of naughty affections The B. of Sarisburie There is nothinge so easie as to speake il There was nothinge further of from Luthers mynde then vpon any determination of any Councel to minister the Sacrament vnder one kinde and so to breake Christes Institution into halfes But he thought it not méete that Goddes truethe immortal should hange of thautoritie of a mortal man and stande for true no further â—hen it shoulde please a man to allowe of it Notwithstandinge suche interest and authoritie the Pope hath claimed to him selfe â—orcinge the worlde to beleue as he him selfe writeth That he hath al right and lawe in the closet of his breaste And one Syluester Prierias gouerâ—our of Pope Leos Palaice was not ashamed nor afraide to write these woordes A Doctrina Romanae Ecclesiae Romani Pontificis sacra Scriptura robur authoritatem trahit The holy Scripture taketh strengthe and authoritie of the Churche and Bishop of Rome This was the thinge that D. Luther misselyked and thought intolerable And therefore he saide he would haue Goddes woorde receiued onely bicause it is Goddes woorde and spoken by him not bicause it is authorized by a Councel and if the Councel woulde allowe the Ministration in one kinde then he said he woulde vse Bothe bicause Christe in his Institution appointed Bothe But if the Bishops in the Councel woulde agree vpon Bothe kindes as a mater standinge wholy in their pleasures as though they had ful power to controlle or to ratifie the wil of God then he saide he woulde haue no regarde vnto the authoritie of suche a Councel that setteth it selfe aboue God but rather woulde vse one kinde onely or none at al. For this cause M. Hardinge reproueth Doctor Luther so bitterly and calleth him arrogante because he woulde not haue Goddes wil subiecte to the wil of man Yet it appeareth that S. Paule in the like case did the like For not withstandinge he had Circumcised Timothée yet when he sawe certaine come in that woulde needes force the same vpon Titus also and so make it necessarie he withstoode them stoutely and would not yelde Thus he writeth Neither was Titus that then was with me compelled to be Circumcised for the cominge in of certaine false Brethren whiche came vpon vs to trie out our libertie that we haue in Christe Iesu to the intent to bringe vs into bondage Vnto whome we gaue no place by yeldinge no not for any time that the trueth of the Gospel might remaine amonge you Eusebius in his storie saieth there was an olde lawe in Rome that no Emperour should consecrate a God onlesse the same God had beene firste allowed by the Councel Tiberius beinge Emperour when he hearde of the wonderful woorkes that were wrought by Christ in Iewrie thought therefore he was a God and promoted a bil vnto the Councel that Christe mighte be proclaimed and taken for a God But the Councel was otherwise bente and woulde allowe him for no God Tertullian laugheth at their folie His woordes be these Apud vos de humano arbitrio diuinitas pensitatur Nisi homini Deus placuerit non erit Deus Homo iam Deo propitius esse debet Emongst you the diuinitie and state of God is weighed by mans iudgement Onlesse God please man God Emongst you shal be no God Nowe therefore man must be good and fauourable vnto his God The like folie seemeth to be in them that thinke Goddes trueth is no trueth onlesse the Consent of a Councel allowe it to be truethe To this same purpose Luther wrote a booke vnto the Knightes of the order of Russia after they had obteined from the Pope a dispensation to marie notwithstandinge their vowe He chargeth them that in any wise they marie not by warrant of that dispensation otherwise he saithe they offende God and be woorse then adulterers as hauinge more regarde vnto man then vnto God and hauinge Goddes owne dispensation as if it were not sufficient woulde seeke further for the dispensation of a man Luther wrote not this in the despite of any godly Councel no more then the prophete Esaie when he saide Inite Concilium dissipabitur Goe geather your CouÌ„cel and it shal be broken But he could not suffer to see Goddes glorie so defaced that a companie of men shoulde presume to allowe or disallowe his trueth as if it were not true in it selfe but must fal or stande onely at thier pleasure The rest that followeth is nothinge els but vnseemely slaunder But God be blissed that hath deliuered that godly man from liynge tongues But Luther saith M. Hardinge was contrary vnto him selfe Euen so Marciâ—n the Heretique charged S. Paule that he spake against the Ceremonies yet him selfe shaued his head at Cenchreae and obserued the Ceremonies that he woulde not circumcise Titus yet had circumcised Timotheus that he would sometime defende the law sometime reproue the lawe so was euermore contrary to him selfe And he that had M. Hardinges sprite perhaps would no more doubte to finde faulte with S. Paule for inconstancie then with Luther If Luther were euer contrary to him self yet might no man worse charge him in that behalfe then M. Hardinge But Luther euermore followed Gods callinge neuer returned backe vnto his vomite neither fought against his owne conscience nor against the manifest knowen trueth And therefore although he were contrary vnto him selfe as passinge from errour vnto trueth yet was he not contrary vnto God M. Hardinge The .7 Diuision Now to put this mater that Luther iudged it a thinge indifferent whither one receiue the Sacrament vnder one kinde or bothe more out of doubte Philip Melanchâ—on his scholar and nearest of his Counsaile writeth Sicut edere suillam aut abstinere a suilla sic alterutra signi parte vti medium esse That as it is a thinge indifferent to eate Swines fleashe or to forbeare Swines fleashe so it is also to vse whiche parte of the signe a man listeth By the woorde Signe he meaneth the Sacrament likinge better that straunge woorde then the accustomed woorde of the Churche least he might perhaps be thought of the bretherne of his secte in some what to ioyne with the Catholikes Bucer also is of the same opinion who in the conference that was had betweene the Catholikes and protestantes for agreement in controuersies of religion at Ratisbone confirmed and allowed this article by his ful consent with these woordes Ad controuersiam quae est de vna aut vtraque specie tollendam cum primis conducturum vt sancta Ecclesia liberam faceret potestatem SacramentuÌ„ hoc in vna vel in vtraque specie sumendi Ea tamen lege vt nulli per hoc detur occasio quem vsum tantopere
not how aptely his owne argument reboundeth vpon him selfe Uerely of this grounde we may in good forme and truely reason thus These Churches of the Weast folowed the order of the Churche of Rome This he him selfe hath taken as an vndoubted trueth But the Churche of Rome had the Seruice in the natural knowen tongue whiche thinge he him selfe also graunteth Ergo These Churches of the Weast had the Seruice in the natural knowen tongue This argument is sounde and perfite and without Fallax Againe he might easely haue séene that of his owne position and principle an other necessary argument might soone growe againste him in this wise Al Churches that receiued their Faith from Rome keapte the orders of the Church of Rome But the Churche of Englande folowed not the orders of the Churche of Rome as it is most manifest by the keepinge of the Easter day and by refusinge of the Bishop there as it is already proued Ergo the Churche of Englande receiued not her Faith from the Churche of Rome If M. Hardinge had better aduised him selfe he woulde not haue builte vpon these groundes M. Hardinge The .12 Diuision M. Iuel alleginge for the hauing of the Praiers and Seruice in a Vulgare tongue as for Englande in the Englishe for Irelande in the Irishe for Douchelande in the Douche tongue c. authorities and examples of the Churches where in the time of the Primitiue Churche the Greeke and Latine tongue was the vsual and Common Tongue of the peopleâ— bringeth nothing for proufe of that which lieth in controuersie Arnobius saithe he called the Latine tongue Sermonem Italum S. Ambrose in Millane S. Augustine in Aphrike S. Gregorie in Rome preached in Latine and the people vnderstoode them What then No man denieth you this S. Basile also speaketh of a sounde vvhiche the Menne VVemen and Children made in their praiers to God like the sounde of a vvhaue strikinge the sea bankes VVhat can you conclude of this necessarily M. Iuel Al this may be vnderstanded of the soundinge that one woorde Amen ánsweared at the prayers ende whiche is doone nowe by the Quier and may be doone by the people also in the lower parte of the Churche For S. Hierome leadeth vs so to thinke VVho commendinge the deuotion of the people of Rome saithe in like manner Vbi sic ad similitudinem coelestis tonitrui Amen reboaâ— vacua idolorum templa quatiuntur VVhere els are the Churches and the Sepulchres of Martyrs with so feruent deuotion and with so greate companie resorted vnto which woordes goe before where dothe Amen geue so lowde a sounde like the thunderclappe out of the ayer so as the Temples emptied of Idoles shake with it as at Rome The people speaketh vvith the Priest at the Mystical prayers saieth Chrysostome alleged by m. Iuel VVhat then So was it longe before euen in the Apostles time as we reade in Clement and likewise in S. Cyprian in Cyrillus Hierosolymitanus and many others So is it nowe For he shal finde in the olde Fathers that to Per omnia soecula soeculorum whiche Chrysostome speaketh of to Dominus vobiscum so light as they make of it to Sursum corda and to Gratias agamus Domino Deo nostro the people answeared 75. as nowe also they answeare Amen cum spiritu â—uo habemus ad Dominum dignum iustum est The B. of Sarisburie Here M. Harding taketh in hande to answeare the authorities by mee alleged that with this special note of remembrance in the Margin M. Iuelles allegation soluted It appeareth his solutions be very shorte For what so euer authoritie be alleged it is sufficient for him to say vvhat then For where as I saide the Common Seruice and Ministration in the Churches of Rome and Millane and other places within Italy was pronounced vnto the people in Latine for that then the Latine tongue was the Common Natural speache of that Countrie that therefore Arnobius calleth the same Latine Tongue Sermonem Italum further saide that longe after that time S. Ambrose in Millane S. Augustine in Aphrica and S. Gregorie in Rome preached vnto the Uulgare People in Latine in the same tongue ministred the Common Praiers al this is soone answeared for M. Hardinge saithe VVhat then I alleged the saieinge of S. Basile That the sounde of Menne Wemen and Children prayeinge in the Church togeather seemed like the sounde of the whaues beatinge against the sea bankes the saieinge of S. Hierome that the noise of the people soundinge out Amen togeather was like the sounde of a thunder Likewise the saying of Chrysostome Communes preces à populo à sacerdote fiunt omnes vnam dicunt orationem Bene precatur Sacerdos populo bene precatur populê° Sacerdoti c. CoÌ„mon petitions be made togeather bothe of the people and of the Priest al togeather saye one praier The Prieste wisheth wel vnto the people and the people vnto the Priest But VVhat then saithe M. Hardinge Why vvhat then Thinketh M. Hardinge that thauthoritie of Arnobius S. Ambrose S. Augustine S. Basile S. Hierome S. Chrysostome and other holy Fathers is so light that he is hable to blowe them al away with these two vaine syllables vvhat then He wil say I graunte you the praiers were vsed in the Greeke and Latine tongue But ye haue not prooued the same of any other tongue that was Barbarous I haue already prooued the same of the Syrian tongue which is neither Greeke nor Latine therfore by M. Hardinges iudgement méere barbarous Hereafter God willinge I shal shewe the like largely at ful of other tongues In the meane season it may stande M. Hardinge in good stéede if it shal please him to shewe these priuileges graunted vnto the Gréeke and Latine tongue and howe they be specially sanctified aboue others that in them onely we may make our Common Petitions vnto God in other tongues we may not make them Touchinge the place of S. Basile and thother of S. Chrysostome M. Harding answeareth so as though he had no great regarde what he saye For he auoutcheth the thinge for true that the simplest of al the people knoweth to be apparent false that is that the people now answeareth the Priest in the time of the holy Mysteries as they did in Chrysostomes time The people saieth he ansvveared then as novve also they ansvveare He taketh no shame to saie The people ansvveareth the Prieste and yet knoweth that the people Answeareth not the Prieste Thus by this Resolution He Answeareth that Answeareth nothinge He Answeareth that knoweth not neither what is demaunded nor what to Answeare to be shorte He Answeareth that holdeth his peace and so Answearinge and not Answearinge in M. Hardinges iudgement is al one thinge But S. Chrysostome saieth Et cum Spiritu tuo nihil aliud est quà m ea quae sunt Eucharistiae communia sunt
where Ministred in the Uulgare Tongue and that the Priest and the people praied al togeather I haue prooued not onely that the Nations that vnderstoode Greeke or Latine had their Seruice in the Greeke or Latine tongue but by Theodoretus Sozomenus S. Ambrose and S. Hierome that the Syrians had their Seruice in the Syrian tongue by S. Baâ—â—le that the Egyptians had their Seruice in the Egyptian tongue The Lybians the Thâ—banes the Palestines the Arabians the Phenicians eche of them in their owne tongue by Origen that al Barbarous people had their Seruice in their seueral Barbarous tongues by Sulpitius that the people of France then called Gallia had their Seruice in the Frenche tongue S. Hierome saithe Vox quidem dissona sed vna Religio Tot penè psallentium chori quot gentium diuersitates The voice is diuers but the Religion is alone There be welneare so many companies of people singinge as there be diuersities of Nations To be shorte I haue prooued by S. Chrysostome and by Lyra and others that there can no manner profit redounde vnto the people of praiers made in a strange tongue Séeinge therefore M. Hardinges Doctrine standeth vpon so simple groundes as I haue shewed and serueth onely to mainteine ignorance and the kingedome of darkenesse it is now thy parte gentle Reader to iudge indifferently betwéene vs bothe how iustly he hath coloured the same with suche a face of antiquitie and also how truely and substantially he hath answeared my assertion FINIS THE FOVRTH ARTICLE OF THE SVPREMACIE The B. of Sarisburie Or that the Bishop of Rome was then called an vniuersal Bishop or the head of the vniuersal Churche M. Hardinge The .1 Diuision BY what name so euer the Bishop of Rome was called within sixe hundred yeres after Christes Ascension this is cleare that his Primacie that is to say Supreme power and auctoritie ouer and aboue al Bishoppes and chiefe gouernement of al Christes flocke in maters perteininge to Faithe and Christen Religion was then 93 acknowleged and confessed VVhiche thinge beinge so whether then he were called by either of those names that you denie or no it is not of greate importance And yet for the one of them somwhat and for the other an infinite number of good auctorities may be alleged But thereof hereafter The B. of Sarisburie Touchinge these glorious Names and Titles wherewith the Bishop of Rome hath longe sithence fournished and bewtified his estate M. Hardinge séemeth in parte willingly to yéelde claiminge neuerthelesse the Supreme Power and Uniuersal Authoritie vnto the Sée of Rome and that euen from the Apostles time notwithstandinge it was as easie a mater for Christe to geue Peter the power and Title bothe togeather as to geue him the power alone without the Title But to auoide errour that might grow by mistaking of woordes him wée cal the Vniuersal Bishop or the Head of the Vniuersal Churche that hath authoritie aboue al General Councels and fulnesse of power to expounde the Scriptures to whose determinations the whole Churche of God must of necessitie submittâ— it selfe without contradiction whome neither Emperour nor Kinge nor Clergie nor the whole Uniuersal people in any wise may control what so euer he doo vnto whome al Appeales ought to lie from al places of the worlde and who wheresoeuer he happen to be hath the ful Iurisdiction of a Bishop That euer any suche Superioritie or Uniuersal power was geuen by Christe to the Sée of Rome it wil be to muche for M. Hardinge wel to prooue But where as the Bishop there so ambitiousely craueth to be knowen and taken for the Uniuersal Bishop and Head of the Uniuersal Churche happy is he if he doo the dewtie of one particular Bishoppe and be founde but a member of Christes Churche S. Gregorie saith Aduersus quem portae praeualent Inferorum ille néque petra dicendus est supra quam Christus aedificat Eâ—clesiam néque Ecclesia neque pars Ecclesiae He against whom the gates of Hel doo preuaile as they haue often against the Bishop of Rome neither may be called the Rocke wherevpon Christe dooth builde his Churche nor the Churche nor any parte of the Churche Certainely touchinge these vaine Titles the same Auncient Father S. Gregorie saith Ego fidenter dico quisquis se Vniuersalem Sacerdotem vocat vel vocari deâ—iderat in elatione sua Antichristum praecurrit I speake it boldly who so euer either calleth him selfe the Vniuersal Bishop or desireth so to be called in his pride he is the â—orerenner of Antichriste M. Hardinge The .2 Diuision Now concerninge the chiefe pointe of this Article whiche is the Primacie of the Pope Peters successour First it hath beene set vp and ordeined by God so as it standeth in force Iure diuino by Goddes law and not onely by mans law the Scriptures leadinge therto Next commended to the worlde by decrees of Councels and confirmed by edictes of Christen Emperours for auoiding of Schismes Furthermore confessed and witnessed by the holy Fathers Againe founde to be necessary by reason Finally vsed and declared by the euente of thinges and practise of the Churche For proufe of al this so muche might easely be saide as shoulde serue to a whole volume The B. of Sarisburie Here M. Hardinge saith He wil Trippe Daunce lightly ouer this Article And therefore notwithstanding he woulde seeme to holde De Iure diuino that is by the Scriptures yet for haste he allegeth not any one woorde of the Scriptures as of him selfe but onely vpon the reporte and credite of others Howbeit Pope Zosimus in al that longe contention he had with the Bishoppes of Aphrica touchinge these maters neuer alleged any woorde of the Scriptures but onely the Councel of Nice whiche he him selfe had falsified And Meltiades writing hereof to the Bishoppes of Spaine séemeth to claime onely by Custome and not by any right of Goddes Woorde Neuerthelesse sithence that time they haue founde out sundrie places of the Scriptures to auouche their Title and haue forced the same to serue their purpose Christe saithe Al power is geuen to me Hereof Stephanus the Bishop of Patraca concludeth thus Ergo in Papa est omnis potestas supra omnes potestates tam Coeli quà m terrae Therefore in the Pope is al power aboue al powers as wel of Heauen as of earth Some others there be that reason thus Peter entred into the Graue before Iohn Peter drew his Net ful of Fishe vnto Peter Christe saide Confirme thy brethren Ergo The Pope is head of the Churche Bonifacius the eight saith In principio creauit Deus Coelum terram non in principijs God made Heauen and earth in the beginninge and not in the beginninges as in manie And againe Spiritualis omnia dijudicat He that is spiritual iudgeth al thinges Ergo The Bishop of Rome ought to haue an Vniuersal power ouer
the same by these woordes Exemplarium intolerabilis nimiaque differentia deprauatio Againe Gratian him selfe vpon good aduise is driuen to say that al suche Episâ—les ought to haue place rather in debatinge of mater of Iustice in the Consistorie then in determininge and weighing the truthe of the Scriptures Bisides this neither S. Hierome nor Gennadius nor Damasus nor any other olde Father euer alleged these Epistles or made any accompte of them nor the Bishops of Rome them selues no not when suche euidence might haue stande them in best steede namely in their ambitious contention for the Superioritie ouer the Bishops of Aphrica The contentes of them are such as a very childe of any iudgement may soone be hable to discrie them Clemens informeth S. Iames of the order and manner of S. Peters death yet it is certaine and Clement vndoubtedly knew it that Iames was putte to death seuen yeeres bâ—â—ore S. Peter Antherus maketh mention of Eusebius Bishop of Alexandria and of Felix Bishop of Ephesus yet was neither Eusebius nor Felix neither Bishoppe nor borne al the time that Antherus liued Marcellinus saith The Emperour might not attempte to presume any thinge against the Gospel Yet was there then no Emperour aliue that vnderstoode Christe or knew the Gospel Marcellus writeth to the Emperour Maxentius and chargeth him straitely with the authoritie of Clement yet was Maxentius an Infidel a cruel Tyran and a persequutor of the Churche and neither knew nor cared for the name of Clement Zephyrinus saithe Christe commaunded his Apostles to appointe the threescore and twelue Disciples Yet S. Luke saith Christe him selfe appointed them S. Luke saithe Iohn the Baptist gaue this counsel to the Souldiers Be ye contented with your wages c. Yet Meltiades quite altereth the whole storie and nameth Christe in steede of Iohn It woulde be tedious and needlesse to open al these few notes may suffice for a taste Now touchinge this Anacletus whom M. Harding hath fournished with his titles as though it were the very true Anacletus in déede First he saith Clemens was his predecessour Contrary wise Irenaeus that liued immediatly afterwarde and Eusebius saie Anacletus was predecessour vnto Clement Whereby it may appeare that Anacletus wrote this Epistle after that he him selfe was deade He maketh mention of S. Peters Churche yet was there no churche built in the name of Peter within thrée hundred yeeres after Anacletus Againe he allegeth the Decrées and Canons of the olde Fathers His woordes be these Haec ab antiquis Apostolis patribus accepimus These thinges haue we receâ—ued of the Olde Apostles and auncient Fathers as if the Apostles had béene longe before him notwithstanding S. Iohn the Apostle was yet aliue and Anacletus him selfe was one of the oldest Fathers Although by that I haue thus shortly touched the likelyhoode hereof may soone appeare yet I beseeche thee good Christian Reader consider also these and other like phrases and manners of speache whiche in these Epistles are very familiar and may easily be founde Persequutiones patieÌ„ter portare peâ—o vt pro me orare debeas Episcopi obediendi sunt non insidiandi Ab illis omnes Christiani se cauere debent Here is not so muche as the very congruitie and natural sounde of the Latine Tongue And shal wee thinke that for the space of three hundred yeeres and more there was not one â–ª Bishop in Rome that coulde speake true Latine And specially then when al the whole people there bothe wemen and children were hable to speake it naturally without a teacher Uerily the Pope him selfe saith Falsa Latinitas vitiat rescriptum Papae False Latine putteth the Popes owne write out of credite As for the substance and contentes of these Epistles they touche nothing neither of the state of the Churche in that time nor of Doctrine nor of Persequution nor of Heresie nor of the office of the Ministers nor of any other thinge either agreable vnto that age or in any wise greatly worthy to be considered Al their drifte is by salsiâ—ieinge of the Scriptures by al other meanes onely to stablishe the state and Kingdome of the See of Rome Anacletus thus interâ—aceth the woordes of Christe Super hanc Petram id est super Ecclesiam Romanam aedifieabo Ecclesiam meam Vpon this Rocke that is to say vpon the Churche of Rome I wil builde my Churche And againe Romana Ecclesia Cardo Caput est omnium Ecclesiarum Vt enim Cardine ostium regitur ita huius sanctae Sedis authoritate omnes Ecclesiae reguntur The Churche of Rome is the Hooke and the Head of al Churches For as the doore is ruled by the Hooke so al Churches are ruled by th â–ª authoritie of this holy See of Rome Pope Stephanus saith Haeâ— Sacrosancta Domina nostra Romana Ecclesia This holy our Lady the Churche of Rome And what néeded M. Hardinge to allege onely Anacletus beinge so wel stoared of sundrie others For Pope Euaristus Alexander Sixtus Telesâ—horus Higinus Pius Anicetus Soter Eleutherius Uictor and al the reast of the ancient Bishops of Rome whose names haue beene abused to this purpose agrée in one Al they are made to say Wee are the Vniuersal Bishops wee are the headdes of the Vniuersal Churche Al appeales ought of right to lie to vs wee cannot erre wee may not be controlled For it is written The Scholer is not aboue his Maister If these authorities were sufficient then were the case cleare of M. Hardinges side But he saw they were forged ful of vntrueth and therefore he thought it best to trippe so lightly ouer them As for Anacletus him selfe that was Peters Scholar and the reast of the ancient Bishoppes of Rome they were holy men and godly Fathers and liued in continual persecution and were daily taken and put to death and had no leisure to thinke vpon these ambitious and vaine titles M. Hardinge The .4 Diuision S. Gregorie writinge to Mauritius the Emperour against Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople ambitiousely claiminge and vsurpinge the name of an vniuersal Bishop prooueth the Bishop of Rome succeedinge in Peters Chaier to be Primate and to haue charge ouer al the Churche of Christe by Scriptures thus Cunctis Euangelium scientibus liquer c. It is euident to al that know the Gospel that the Cure and charge of the whole Churche hath beene committed by the woorde of our Lorde to the Holy Apostle Peter prince of al the Apostles For to him it is saide Peter louest thou mee Feede my sheepe To him it is saide Beholde Sathan hath desired to sifte you as it were wheate and I haue praied for thee Peter that thy faith faile not And thou beinge once conuerted strengthen thy brethren To him it is saide Thou arte Peter and vpon this Rocke wil I builde my Churche and the Gates of Hel shal
knowledge expoundeth it or if either his woordes or his purpose of writinge may seeme any way to leade to that ende then may M. Hardinge séeme to haue some honest colour for his defence Otherwise wée may iustly say He racketh the Doctours and forceth them to speake what him listeth to sâ—rue his tâ—rne First it is certaine that in al that Epistle S. Cyprian neuer gaue vnto Câ—rnelius any suche ambitious Title but onely calleth him by the name of Brother For thus he saluteth him Cyprian vnto his Brother Cornelius sendeth greetinge And maketh his entrie in this wise Deere Brother I haue readde your letters Thus S. Cyprian beinge Bishop of Carthage claimeth brotherhoode and equalitie with the Pope One special occasion of his writinge vnto Cornelius was this emongst others Cornelius being Bishop of Rome and hauinge Excommunicate certaine notorious wicked men and afterwarde beinge threatened and il vsed at their handes began to fainte and to be weary of his office S. Cyprian hearinge thereof wrote comfortably vnto him willed him in any wise to procéede and to deale boldly not to yéelde consideringe it was Gods cause and not his awâ—e Amonge other woordes he saith thus Christiani non vltrà aut durare aut esse possumus si ad hoc ventum est vt perditorum minas insidias pertimescamus Wee can no lenger continue or be Christian men if wee beinge Bishoppes once beginne to shrinke at the threates and fetches of the â—icked Upon occasion hereof he sheweth what hurte and confusion of Sectes Schismes insueth in any Prouince or Diocesse wâ—ere as the Bishops Authoritie and Ecclesiastical Discipline is despised For euery Bishop saith S. Cyprian within his owne Diocese is the Priest of God and for his time is a Iudge appointed in the place of Christe and as the Churche is one so ought he likewise to be but one And thus he writeth generally of the authoritie of al Bishops not onely of the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome And notwithstandinge he directeth his Epistle onely to Cornelius yet are al his reasons general and touche bothe him selfe beinge Bishop of Carthage and also al other Bishoppes what so euer Now therefore to drawe that thinge by violence to one onely Bishop that is generally spoken of al Bishops it is a guileful fetche to misâ—eade the Reader and no simple or plaine dealinge But M. Hardinge séemeth to grounde his errour vpon the mistakinge of these woordes of S. Cyprian Vnus Sacerdos and Fraternitas vniuersa That is One Bishop and The whole Brotherhoode For where as S. Cyprian saith There must be one Bishop in a Churche he imagineth there must be one Bishop to rule ouer the whole vniuersal Church And where as againe S. Cyprian saith The whole Brotherhoode must obey one Bishop He geathereth that al Christian people throughout the whole worlde which he vntruely calleth The whole Brotherhoode must be obedient vnto one vniuersal Bishop And thus he buildeth one errour vpon an other But mistakinge of the Doctour maketh no sufficient prouâ—e It maye soone appeare S. Cyprian meante that for the auoiding of Schismes and diuisions there ought to be onely one Bishop within one Diocese and not one Bishop to rule ouer al the worlde For thus he expoundeth his owne meaninge Cùm post primum esse non possit quisquam qui post vnum qui solus esse debet factus est iam non secundus ille sed nullus est Seeing that after the first Bishop is chosen there can be none other who so is made Bishop after that one whiche must needes be alone is nowe not the seconde Bishop but in deede is no Bishop So likewise when the Heretique Nouatus had by wicked practise diuided the people of Rome into Sectes and had solemnely sworne them that gaue eare vnto him that they should no more returne vnto Cornelius the Bishop there and so had rent one Bishoprike into twoo and made twoo Bishoppes in one Citie Cornelius complaining thereof vnto Fabius the Bishop of Antioche and informinge him of the same writeth thus vnto him Nouatus nescit vnum Episcopum in Catholica Ecclesia esse debere Nouatus knoweth not that there oughte to be but one Bishop in a Catholique Churche not meaning thereby the whole vniuersal Churche throughout the worlde but onely his owne particular Churche of Rome So when Chrysostome the Bishop of Constantinople sawe Sisinius beare him self as Bishop within the same Citie he saide vnto him One Citie may not haue twoo Bishoppes So likewise S. Hierome saithe that notwithstanding the power of al priestes by the authoritie of Goddes woorde be one and equal yet menne by policie to auoide contention appointed one prieste in euery Citie to order and to directe his brethren Thus was the vnitie of the whole Churche preserued Thus were al Churches as one Churche And all Bishoppes as one Bishop For who so dissented from one dissented from al. So saithe S. Cyprian Ecclesia cohaerentium sibi inuicem Sacerdotum glutino copulatur The churche is coupled and ioined in one by consent of Bishops agreeing togeather Likewise againe he saithe Hanc vnitatem firmiter tenere vendicare debemus maximè Episcopi qui in Ecclesia praesidemus vt Episcopatum quoque ipsum vnum indiuisum probemus This vnitie must we keepe and defende specially that be Bishoppes and beare rule in the Churche that we may declare in deede that our Bishoprike is one and not diuided And therefore S. Hierome saithe Episcopi nouerint in commune debere se Ecclesiam regere Let Bishoppes vnderstande that they ought to gouerne the Church in common â–ª or as al in one In this sense is euery Bishop for his time as S. Cyprian saithe in the steede of Christe to euery suche Christe saithe He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me And therefore Ignatius saithe The Bishop in his Churche is the forme of God the Father of al And so muche as is possible resembleth in his office Christe our God For this cause S. Cyprian saithe Hereof spring Schismes and Heresies for thaâ— the priest of God in euery seueral Diocese is not obeied As likewise againe he saithe to like purpose Qui cum Episcopo non sunt in Ecclesia non sunt They that be not with the Bishop be not in the Churche So likewise Ignatius They that be of Christe are with the Bishop Thus S. Cyprian spake these woordes generally of the authoritie of al Bishops in their seueral dioceses and not of any special authoritie of the Bishop of Rome as â—t is here vntruely affirmed by M. Hardinge But he wil replie S. Cyprian saith Vniuersa fraterniâ—as That is The whole Brotherhoode ought to be obedient to that one Bishop And that whole brotherhoode must needes be the whole companie of al Christian people Notwithstanding this
of Rome in the highest state of the Churche as Athanasius with al the Fathers of that Alexandrine Councel recordeth If this I saye be true then is it easely seene vpon howe good grounde this doctrine standeth whereby it is affirmed that the Bishop of Rome his primacie hath his force by Goddes Lawe and not onely by mans Lawe muche lesse by vniuste vsurpation The Scriptures by whiche as wel these as al other holy and learned Fathers were leadde to acknowlege and confesse the Primacie of Peter and his successours were partely suche as Anacletus and Gregorie here allegeth and Cyprian meaneth as it appeareth by his thirde treatise De simplicitate praelatorum and sundry moe of the Newe Testament as to the learned is knowen of whiche to treate here largely and piâ—hâ—hely as the weight of the matter requireth at this time I haue no leysure neither if I had yet might I conueniently performe it in this treatise whiche othervvise vvil amounte to a sufficient bignesse and that matter throughly handled wil â—il a right great volume VVherefore referringe the readers to the credite of these woorthy Fathers who so vnderstâ—â—de the Scriptures as thereof they were perswaded the primacie to be attributed to Peters successour by â—od him selfe I wil proceede keepinge my prefixed order Where at the preeminence of power and auctoritie whiche to the Bishop of Rome by special and singular priuilege God hath graunted is commended to the worlde by many and sundrie Councelles for auoidinge of tediousnesse I wil rehearse the testimonies of a fewe Amonge the Canons made by three hundred and eightene Bishops at the Nicene Councel which were in number 70 and 96 al burnt by heretikes in the East Churche saue .xx. and yet the whole number 97 was kepte diligently in the Churche of Rome in the original it selfe sent to Syluester the Bishop there from the Councel subscribed with the saide 318. Fathers handes the. 44. Canon whiche is of the power of the Patriarche ouer the Metropolitanes and Bishops and of the Metropolitane ouer Bishops in the ende hath this Decree Vt autem cunctis ditionis suae nationibus c. As the Patriarke beareth rule ouer al Nations of his iurisdiction and geueth lawes to them and as Peter Christes Vicare at the beginninge sette in auctoritie ouer Religion ouer the Churches and ouer al other thinges perteining to Christe was 98 Maister and Ruler of Christian Princes Prouinces and of al Nations so he whose Principalitie or Chieftie is at Rome like vnto Peter and equal in auctoritie obteineth the rule and soueraintie ouer al Patriarkes After a fewe woordes it foloweth there If any man repine againste this Statute or dare resist it by the Decree of the whole Councel he is accursed Iulius that woorthy Bishop of Rome not longe after the Councel of Nice in his epistle that he wrote to the. 90. Arriane Bishops assembled in the Councel at Antioche against Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria reprouinge them for their vniuste treatinge of him saithe of the Canons of the Nicene Councel then freshe in their remembrance that they commaunde Non debere praeter sententiam Romani pontificis vllo modo Concilia celebrari nec Episcopos damnari That without the auctoritie of the Bishop of Rome neither Councelles ought to be keapte nor Bishoppes condemned Againe that nothinge be Decreed without the Bishop of Rome Cui haec maiora Ecclesiarum negotia tam ab ipso Domino quà m ab omnibus vniuersorum Conciliorum Fratribus speciali priuilegio contradita sunt To whom these and other the weightie matters of the Churches be committed by special Priuilege as wel by our Lorde him selfe as by al our Brethern of the whole vniuersal Councelles Amonge other principal pointes whiche he reciteth in that Epistle of the Nicene Councelles Canons this is one Vt omnes Episcopi c. That al Bishoppes who susteine wronge in weightie causes so often as neede shal require make their appeale freely to the See Apostolike and flee to it for succour as to their Mother that from thence they may be charitably susteyned defended and deliuered To the disposition of whiche See the auncient auctoritie of the Apostles and their successours and of the Canons hath reserued al weightie or great Ecclesiastical causes and iudgementes of Bishoppes Athanasius and the whole companie of Bishoppes of Egypte Thebaida and Lybia assembled togeather in Councel at Alexandria complaininge in their Epistle to Felix the Pope of great iniuries and griefes they susteined at the Arrians allegeth the determination of the Nicene Councel touching the Supreme auctoritie and power of that See Apostolike ouer al other Bishoppes Similiter à supradictis Patribus est definitum consonanter c. Likewise say they it hath beene determined by common assent of the foresaide Fathers of Nice that if any of the Bishoppes suspecte the Metropolitane or their felowe Bishoppes of the same Prouince or the Iudges that then they make their appeale to your holy See of Rome to whome by our Lorde himselfe power to binde and louse by special priuilege aboue other hathe been graunted This muche alleged out of the Canons of the Nicene Councel gathered partely out of Iulius Epistle who wrote to them that were present at the makinge of them whiche taketh away al suspicion of vntrueth and partely out of Athanasius and others that were a great parte of the same Councel The B. of Sarisburie A scarcrowe stufte with strawe and set vpright may séeme a farre of to be a man Euen so a forger of lies and fables prickte vp in the apparel of auncient names may séeme to the ignorant an Olde Catholique Father No maruel though this authoritie like M. Hardinge beste aboue al others for it is moste vaine and shameles aboue al others and therefore méetest to helpe vp a shameles Doctrine It is no newe practise in the Churche of Rome to forge euidence in the name of Olde Fathers as God willinge hereafter it shal better appeare But as for this Epistle and certaine others that are carried aboute vnder the name of that Godly Bishop Athanasius I wil onely rippe vp the stuffinge and open some parte of the contentes of them and so wil not refuse M. Hardinge him selfe to be the Iudge First that they were neuer written in Gréeke and therefore not by Athanasius it may appeare by sundrie tokens and namely by the allusion of these two Latine woordes Vertex and Vertuntur Romana Sedes est sacer vertex in quo omnes verâ—untur The Latine is rude and barbarous and many times vtterly voide of sense The manner of vtterance is childishe and bablinge emptie of mater and ful of woordes without measure The substance of the whole is nothinge els but flatteringe and auancinge of the Sée of Rome farced vp and set out with lies without shame The authour hereof speaking of the Churche of Rome saith Inde Ecclesiae sumpsere Praedicationis exordium
wel as Peter What a fable then is this that M. Harding with his Athanasius hath brought in That power to binde and loose is geuen to the holie See of Rome by special priuilege aboue al others Nowe gentle Reader shortely and simply to laie al the effecte hereof before thine eyes M. Hardinges Canons were burnte before they were euer made They were burnte and yet were they falsified They were falsified and yet were they burnte too This Athanasius informeth Marcus the Bishop of Rome of the burninge of them niene yéeres before the fiere was made The Pope is founde in manifest forgerie and that by the witnesse of the Patriarkes of Constantinople and Antioche and of al the Bishopes and the whole Councel of Aphrica S. Augustine him selfe beinge presente M. Hardinge saithe The Pope hath the custodie of these Inuisible Canons The Pope himselfe saieth he hath none of them Theise Canons be plaine contrarie not onely to the olde Catholique fathers but also to other Canons of the same Councel The Bishoppes in the Councel of Aphrica openly mislike the Popes attempt in this behalfe and cal it worldly pride and vaine ambition Suche warrant hath M. Hardinge to auaunce the state of the See of Rome M. Hardinge The .7 Diuision For further declaration of this matter it were easie here to allege the Councel of Sardica the Councel of Chalcedon certaine Councelles of Aphrica yea some Councels also holden by Heretiques and sundrie other but suche store of authorities commonly knowen these may suffice The B. of Sarisburie These Councelles are brought foorthe al in a mummerie saieinge nothinge Therefore I might safely passe them ouer vntil they had learned to speake somewhat Yet for as muche as these menne thinke it good policie to huddle vp their maters in the darke it wil not be amisse to rippe them abroade and to bringe them foorthe into the light In the Councel of Chalcedon it is decréed thus Teneat Aegyptus vt Episcopus Alexandriae omnium habeat potestatem quoniam Romano Episcopo haec est consuetudo Similiter qui in Antiochia constitutus est Let Aegypte holde this order that the Bishop of Alexandria haue the Iurisdiction of al thinges there For the Bishop of Rome holdeth the same order within his Diuision So likewise let the Bishop of Antioche By this Councel euery of these Patriarkes had his power limited within him selfe and none of them to haue dominion ouer other The Fathers in the Councel of Aphrica wherein M. Hardinge would séeme to haue some affiance haue decréed thus Ne primae Sedis Episcopus appelletur Princeps Sacerdotum aut Summus Sacerdos aut aliquid huiusmodi sed tantùm Primae Sedis Episcopus That the Bishop of the First See be not called the chiefe of Priestes or the highest Priest or by any other like title but onely the Bishop of the First See And againe If any shal thinke it good to appeale let them appeale onely to Councelles to be holden within Aphrica or els to the Primates of their owne Prouinces But who so euer shal appeale beyonde the Seas that is to the Bishop of Rome let no man within Aphrica receiue him to his Communion Thus muche onely for a taste I thinke M. Hardinge wil not geather hereof that the Bishop of Rome was called vniuersal Bishop or the Heade of the vniuersal Churche M. Hardinge The .8 Diuision The Christen Princes that ratified and confirmed with their Proclamations and Edictes the Decrees of the Canons concerninge the Popes primacie and gaue not to him firste that auctoritie as the Aduersaries doo vntruly reporte were 99 Iustinian and Phocas the Emperours The woordes of Iustinians edicte be these Sancimus secundum canonum definitiones Sanctissimum senioris Romae Papam primum esse omnium Sacerdotum VVe ordeine accordinge to the determinations of the Canons that the most holy Pope of the elder Rome be formest and chiefe of al Priestes About three scoare and tenne yeeres after Iustinian Phocas the Emperour in the time of Bonifacius to represse the arrogancie of the Bishop of Constantinople as Paulus Diaconus writeth who vainely and as Gregorie saithe contrary to our Lordes teachinges and the Decrees of the Canons and for that wickedly tooke vpon him the name of the Vniuersal or oecumenical Bishop and wrote him selfe chiefe of al Bishoppes made the like Decree and ordinance that the holy See of the Romaine and Apostolike Churche shoulde be holden for the Heade of al Churches The B. of Sarisburie Emperours Princes and others haue béene fauourably inclined sometime to the parties in respect of their places sometime to the places for the admiration and reuerence of the parties Theodosius Themperour saide He neuer saw Bishop that bare him selfe as a Bishop in deede but onely S. Ambrose Constantinus Themperour said of Eusebius the Bishop of Caesaria Dignus est qui sit Episcopus non tantùm vnius Ciuitatis sed etiam propè Vniuersi Orbis He is woorthy to be the Bishop not onely of one Citie but also in a manner of the whole worlde In respecte of places they were moued either for their Antiquitie or for their Authoritie and Ciuile power or for the commoditie of the situation or for some other good consideration and circumstance to fauour them and to graunte them priuileges aboue others Thus the Emperour Iustinian had a special inclination to the Citie of Constantinople for that it was now growen in wealth and puisance and for the state nobilitie thereof called Noua Roma Newe Rome And for that it was as he saithe Mater pietatis nostrae Christianorum Orthodoxae Religionis omnium That is The Mother of his Maiestie and of al Christian menne of the Catholike Faithe For like consideration the Emperour gaue out this special priuilege in fauour of the See of Rome Sancimus secundum Canonum definitiones sanctissimum Senioris Romae Papam primum esse omnium Sacerdotum We Decree accordinge to the determinations of the Canons that the most holy Pope of the Elder Rome be the firste or formest of al Priestes And by the waye leaste any errour happen to growe of this woorde Papa it behooueth thée good Reader to vnderstande that Papa in olde times in the Gréeke tongue signified a Father as appeareth by that Iuppiter the greate Idole that was honoured as God in Bithynia was called Papa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iuppiter Papa And further that in S. Augustines time and before the same name was geuen not onely or specially to the Bishop of Rome but also generally to al Bishoppes The Priestes and Deacons of Rome write thus vnto S. Cyprian the Bishop of Carthage Cypriano Papae Vnto Pope Cyprian And Galerius the Iudge hauinge S. Cyprian in examination for the Christian Faithe saide thus vnto him Tu es quem Christiani Papam suū nominant Art thou he whome the Christians cal their Pope So
likewise S. Hierome intitleth his Epistles vnto S. Augustine being Bishop of Hippo. Hieronymus beatissimo Papae Augustino Hierome vnto Augustine the most holy Pope Thus muche onely by the waye But to returne to the mater M. Hardinge may not of euery thinge that he readeth conclude what he listeth This priuilege graunted vnto the Bishop of Rome to be the firste of al Priestes was not to beare the whole swaye and to ouer rule al the worlde but onely in General méetinges Councelles to sitte in placâ— aboue al others and for auoidinge of confusion to directe and order them in their dooinges Themperours woordes be plaine Praerogatiua in Episcoporum Concilio vel extra Concilium ante alios residendi A prerogatiue in the Councel of Bishoppes or without the Councel to sit in order aboue others This prerogatiue in Gréeke is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the priuilege of the first place And these phrases in that tongue be knowen and common 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Like as also these in the Latine Tongue Obtinere primas secundas tertias That is To haue the preeminence of the First Seconde or Thirde place And that the Emperour Iustinian meante onely thus and none otherwise it is manifest euen by the selfe same place that M. Hardinge hath here alleged His woordes stande thus Sancimus c. Senioris Romae Papam primum esse omnium Sacerdotum Beatissimum autem Archiepiscopum Constantinopoleos Nouae Romae secundum habere locum Wee ordeine that the Pope of the Elder Rome shal be the first of al Priestes and that the most holy Archebyshop of Constantinople whiche is named New Rome haue the Seconde place Hereby it is plaine that this priuilege standeth onely in placinge the Bishop of Rome in the first seate aboue others But I beseeche thée gentle Reader weigh wel the woordes that folow in the same Lawe thou shalt sée bothe that M. Hardinges dealinge herein is not vpright and also that the Bishop of Rome was then excluded by plaine woordes from that Uniuersal power which he now so deepely dreameth of It foloweth immediately Beatissimum Archiepiscopum Primae Iustinianae Patriae nostrae habere semper sub sua Iurisdictione Episcopos ProuinciaruÌ„ Daciae Daniae Dardaniae Mysiae atque Pannoniae Et ab eo hos ordinari ipsum verò a proprio ordinari Concilio in subiectis sibi prouincijs locum obtinere eum Sedis Apostolicae Romae Wee ordeine that the most holy Archebishop of Iustiniana the first whiche is in oure Countrie shal haue for euer vnder his Iurisdiction the Bishoppes of the Prouinces of Dacia Dania Dardania Mysia and Pannonia and that they shal be inuested by him and he onely by his owne Councel and that he in the Prouinces subiecte vnto him shal haue the place of the Apostolique See of Rome Here wée sée The Bishop of Iustiniana set in as high Authoritie and power within his owne Iurisdiction as the Bishop of Rome within his In like sorte the Emperour Iustinian saith Ecclesia vrbis Constantinopolitanae Romae veteris praerogatiua laetatur The Churche of the Citie of Constantinople enioyeth nowe the Prerogatiue of Rome the Elder Now if the Bishop of Iustiniana and the Bishop of Rome in their seueral diuisions haue like authoritie And if the Church of Constantinople in al prerogatiues and priuileges be made equal with the Citie of Rome then is not the Bishop of Romes power Uniuersal neither can he iustly be called the Head of the Uniuersal Churche Uerily Iustinian him selfe writinge vnto Epiphanius the Bishop of Constantinople calleth him the Vniuersal Patriarke whiche thinge he woulde not haue doone if he had thought that title of right had belonged to the Bishop of Rome The argument that M. Hardinge geathereth of Iustinians woordes is this The Bishop of Rome had the first place in General Councels Ergo he was an Uniuersal Bishop Whiche argument what weight it beareth I leaue to M. Hardinge to consider But the Emperour Phocas gaue this special graunte to the Sée of Rome that the Bishop there should be called The Head of al Churches But M. Harding knoweth this graunte was made vnto Bontfacius the thirde whiche was Byshop in Rome in the yeere of our Lorde siâ—e hundred and .viii. euen at the same very time that Mahomet first began to plante his Doctrine in Arabia and therefore maketh nothinge to this purpose as being without the compasse of sixe hundred yeeres Notwithstandinge bothe Platyna and Sabellicus say that Bonifacius hardly and with muche a doo gotte the same then to be graunted How be it for as muche as M. Hardinge woulde séeme to founde his supremacie vpon some godly man it may please thee good Reader to vnderstande that this Phocas being but a Souldeour by treason and conspiracie layed handes vpon his liege Lorde and Maister the Emperour Mauritius in cruel sorte did him to death The manner whereof was this First he commaunded foorthe the Emperours yongest sonne and caused him to be slaine euen in the sight of his Father and so the seconde and then the thirde and afterwarde the wife Mauritius heauily lookinge on and lamentinge and saieinge vnto God O Lorde thou arte iuste and iust is thy iudgement Last of al he vsed the like tyrannie vpon him also and laide the Emperour his wife and his children in a heape togeather Afterwarde duringe the time of his Phocas God séemed vtterly to withdraw his blissing Fraunce Spaine Germanie Lombardie and the greatest parte of the East fel from the Empier for euer such a wrecke to the state as neuer had been séene before After he had thus liued and committed sundrie Murders and other greate mischiefes Post multa homicidia alia malefacta the people tooke him and slew him and threw him into the fier This was he that first proclaimed the Bishop of Rome to be heade of the Uniuersal Churche M. Hardinge The .9 Diuision Of the Doctours what shal I say Verily this mater is so often and so commonly reported of them that their saieinges laied togeather woulde scantly be comprised within a greate volume The recital of a few shal here geue a taste as it were of the whole and so suffice Irâ—naeus hauinge muche praised the Churche of Rome at length vttereth these woordes by which the soueraintie thereof is confessed Ad hanc Ecclesiam propter potentiorem principalitatem necesse est omnem conuenire Ecclesiam hoc est eos qui vndique sunt fideles To this Church of Rome it is necessary al the Churche that is to say al that be faithful any where to repaire and come togeather for the mightier principalitie of the same that is to witte for that it is of mightier power and auctoritie then other Churches and the principallest of al. The B. of Sarisburie Touchinge the Doctours M. Hardinge findeth him selfe much troubled with the number of
M. Hardinge meaneth it is a vile subiection and seruitude it is no vnitie S. Hierome saithe Nomine vnitatis Fidei infidelitas scripâ—a est Nam illo tempore nihil tam pium nihil tam conueniens seruo Dei videbatur quà m vnitatem sequi à totius mundi communione non scindi Infidelitie hath beene written vnder the name of Faithe and Vnitie For at that time nothinge seemed either so godly or so meete for the Seruant of God as to folow vnitie and not to be diuided from the Communion of the whole worlde They séemed saithe S. Hierome to folowe vnitie and yet notwithstandinge they honge in infidelitie So likewise saithe the wise man In tanto viuentes ignorantiae bello â—ot tanta mala pacem appellabant Where as they liued in suche a warre of ignorance so many and so greate mischiefes they called Vnitie M. Hardinge The .20 Diuision But here perhappes some wil say it can not appeare by the euente of thinges and practise of the Churche that the Pope had this supreme power and Auctoritie ouer al Bishoppes and ouer al Christes flocke in matters touchinge Faithe and in causes Ecclesiastical Verily whosoeuer peruseth the Ecclesiastical stories and vie weth the state of the Church of al times and ages can not but confesse this to be most euident And here I might allege first certaine places of the New Testament declaring that Peter practised this preeminence amonge the Disciples at the beginninge and that they yelded the same as of right apperteininge vnto him As when he first and onely moued them to choose one in the steede of Iudas and demeaned him selfe as the chiefe auctour of al that was donne therein when he made answeare for al at what time they were gased and wondered at and of some moâ—kte as being dronken with new wine for that in the .50 day thei spake with tonges of so many Nations when hevsed that dreadful seueritie in punishing the falsehead and hypocrisie of Ananias and Saphira his wife when variance being risen about the obseruation of certaine pointes of Moyses lawe he as chiefe and head of the rest saide his minde before al others Amonge many other places lefte out for breuitie that is not of least weight that Paule beinge returned to Damasco out of Arabia after three yeeres wente to Ierusalem to see Peter and abode with him fiftene dayes 105. But because our aduersaries doo wreathe and wreaste the Scriptures be they neuer so plaine by their Priuate and strange constructions to an vnderstandinge quite contrary to the sense of the Catholike Churche I wil referre the reader for further proufe of this matter to the stories bearinge faithful witnesse of the whole state and condition of the Churche in al ages In whiche stories the practise of the Churche is plainely reported to haue ben suche as thereby the primacie of Peters Successour may seeme to al menne sufficiently declared For perusinge the Ecclesiastical stories with writinges of the Fathers beside many other thinges perteininge hereto we finde these practises for declaration of this special auctoritie and power Firste that Bishops 106 of euery Nation haue made their appeale in their weightie affaires to the Pope and alwaies haue sued to the see Apostolike as wel for succour and healpe against violence iniuries and oppressions as for redresse of other disorders Also that the malice of wicked persons hath beene repressed and chastised of that auctoritie by Excommunication Eiection and Expulsion out of their dignities and roomes and by other censures of the Churche Furthermore that the ordinances and elections of Bishoppes of al Prouinces haue beene confirmed by the Pope Beside this that the approuinge and disallowinge of Councelles haue perteined to him Item that Bishoppes wrongefully condemned and depriued by Councelles by him haue beene assotled and restored to their Churches againe Lastly that Bishoppes and Patriarkes after longe strifes and contentions haue at lengthe vpon better aduise beene reconciled vnto him againe The B. of Sarisburie Here M. Hardinge assaieth to prooue the Possession and Occupation of this Uniuersal Authoritie by the Practise bothe of S. Peter him selfe and also of other Bishoppes in Rome that folowed after him And touchinge S. Peter he thinketh it sufficient to saie thus Peter beinge amonge the rest shewed his aduise firste before al others and at the sounde of his woordes Ananias and Saphira fel downe deade Ergo Peter was the Heade and had an Vniuersal power ouer the whole Churche Here be very weake proufes to mainteine so greate a Title I thinke M. Hardinge him selfe doothe not beleue that who so euer firste vttreth his minde in any Councel or woorketh any strange miracle by the power of God is therefore the Heade of al the worlde For oftentimes in greate Councelles the yongest or lowest beginneth firste and the eldest and Heade of al speaketh laste Certainely in this assemblie of the Apostles after that S. Peter had opened his minde al the reast had donne last of al not S. Peter but S. Iames pronounced the Sentence whiche thinge belonged onely to the Heade and President of that Councel He must be very simple that wil be leadde with suche simple gheasses But who so euer wel and throughly considereth S. Peters whole dealinge at al times emonge his Brethren shal soone see that neither he bare him selfe nor the reast receiued or vsed him as the Heade of the Uniuersal Churche He calleth the reast of the Disciples his Brethren he calleth himselfe Compresbyterum Felowe elder He commaundeth not nor chargeth any man but heareth and intreateth others as his equalles and felowes Beinge sente into Samaria by his brethren he repined not as beinge their Heade gouernour but went his way as their Messenger And beinge reproued for goeinge to Cornelius and dealingâ— with Heathens he excused him selfe and came to his answeare The reast of the Apostles no doubte honoured S. Peter as the special member of Christes Bodie with al reuerence But it appeareth not that any of them euer tooke him or vsed him as their Heade or yelded him this Infinite or Uniuersal power S. Paule compareth him selfe with him in Apostleship and saithe Mihi concreditum est Euangelium Praeputij sicut Petro Circuncisionis â–ª To mee is committed the Gospel amonge the Heathens euen as vnto Peter emonge the Iewes And Iames Peter and Iohn which seemed to be the pillers gaue vnto me and Barnabas the right handes of felowship And afterwarde he saithe I withstoode Peter euen vnto the face for that he was woorthy to be rebuked And againe vnto the Corinthians Arbitror me nihil inferiorem esse eximijs Apostolis I take me selfe to be nothinge inferiour vnto the chiefe Apostles Hereby it plainely appeareth that Paule estéemed and tooke Peter as his Felowe and not as his Heade Where as it liketh M. Hardinge to say that we wreathe and wreast the
Scriptures if it woulde haue pleased him also particularly to shewe how and wherein he might haue had the more credit But it is commonly saide Dolosus versatur in generalibus He that walketh in generalities meaneth not plainely I truste the indifferent Reader séeth the Scriptures are plaine yenough of our side and neede no wreastinge And therefore touchinge this case S. Cyprian saithe as is before alleged Idem erant alij quod Petrus The reast were the same that Peter was And Origen likewise Nos quoque efficimur Petrus nobis dicetur illud quod hunc sermonem sequitur Tues Petrus super hanc Petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam Petra enim est quisquis est Discipulus Christi Euen we are become Peter and vnto vs the same shal be saide that foloweth these woordes Thou arte Peter and vpon this Rocke I vvil builde my Churche For he is the Rocke who so euer is Christes Disciple And so it is written in S. Augustine againste the Donatistes Clarus à Mascula dixit Manifesta est sententia Domini nostri Iesu Christi Apostolos mittentis ipsis solis potestatem à Patre sibi datam permittentis quibus nos successimus eadem potestate Ecclesiam Domini gubernantes The saieinge of oure Lorde Iesus Christe sendinge out his Apostles and geuinge vnto them onely the same power that he had receiued of his Father is plaine into whiche Apostles roomes we haue succeeded gouerninge the Churche with the same power that thei did These be good witnesses that wée wreaste not Goddes woordes but vse them simply as they were spoken Nowe it were a longe labour to shewe at ful howe M. Hardinge with others of that side haue dealte herein The woordes that be specially and onely spoken of God him selfe and of his Christe it is lawful for them to applie the same vnto the Pope without any wreathinge or wreastinge of the Scriptures Cornelius a Bishoppe in the laste Councel of Trident vseth these woordes Papa lux venit in mundum sed dilexerunt homines magis tenebras quà m lucem The Pope beinge the light is come into the worlde but menne loued the darkenes more then the lighte And Stephanus the Archebishop of Patraca in the Councel of Laterane directeth these woordes vnto the Pope Tibi data est omnis potestas in Coelo in terra Vnto thee is al power geuen bothe in Heauen and Earth Likewise saithe Pope Bonifacius Spiritualis à nemine iudicatur The man that is spiritual is iudged of no man Ergo no man may iudge the Pope And againe Quae sunt potestates à Deo ordinatae sunt The powers that be are ordeined of God Ergo The Pope is aboue the Emperour Nowe to passe by other like places whiche are innumerable whether this be wreastinge of the Scriptures or no I leaue it to the discrete Reader to consider Uerily as I haue saide before Camotensis thus reporteth of them Vim faciunt scripturis vt habeant plenitudinem potestatis To thintent thei may haue the fulnes of power they doo violence to the Scriptures and diuise strange constructions contrary to the sense of the Churche of God But for as muche as M. Hardinge vtterly leaueth the Scriptures wherein he séethe he hath so simple holde and referreth the whole right of his cause to the continual practise of the Churche I truste it shal not seeme neither tedious nor vnprofitable vnto the Reader onely for a taste and by the way to touche somewhat concerninge the same nothinge doubtinge but euen thereby it shal wel appeare that within the compasse of sixe hundred yéeres after Christe the Bishop of Rome was neuer neither named nor holden for the Heade of the Uniuersal Churche Firste of al The Bishoppes of other countries writinge to the Bishoppe of Rome cal him not their Heade but their Brother or Felowe S. Cyprian vnto Cornelius writeth thus Cyprianus Cornelio Fratri Cyprian vnto Cornelius my Brother The Bishoppes in the Councel of Carthage vnto Innocentius Honoratissimo Fratri To our most honourable Brother And Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople vnto Hormisda Frater in Christo Charissime My deere Brother in Christe So likewise Dionysius the Bishop of Alexandria calleth Stephanus and Sistus Bishoppes of Rome his louing Brethren So the Bishoppes of Aphrica cal Anastasius Consacerdotem their felow Bishoppe Like as Cyrillus also calleth Coelestinus and Marcellus the Bishoppe of Ancyra calleth Iulius Comministrum his Felowe seruant These woordes Brother and Felowe séeme rather to signifie an Equalitie betwéene Bishoppes then any suche Soueraine Power or Uniuersal Authoritie as the Bishop of Rome nowe claimeth Further toutchinge the order of outwarde gouernement the Councel of Nice limiteth vnto the Bishoppe of Rome not the Iurisdiction of the whole worlde but his owne seueral portion emonge other Patriarkes The Councel of Aphrica straitely forbiddeth any man out of that Countrie to appeale to Rome The foure Patriarkes of Rome of Constantinople of Antioche and Alexandria vsed to write letters of conference betweene them selues thereby to professe their Religion one to an other whiche was a token of Felowship and not of Dominion The Councel of Alexandria committed ful authoritie to Asterius to visite and to redresse al the Churches in the Easte Parte of the worlde and to Eusebius to doo the like in the Weast and so seemed to haue smal regarde to the Bishop of Rome or to acknowledge him as the Uniuersal Bishop And what needeth many woordes Aeneas Syluius beinge him selfe afterwarde Bishop of Rome for certaine proufe hereof writeth thus Ad Episcopos Romanos aliquis sanè sed tamen paruus ante Nicenum Concilium respectus erat Some regarde there was vnto the Bishoppes of Rome before the Councel of Nice although but smal To be shorte I truste it shal appeare euen by M. Hardinges owne proufes that is to say by the order of Appeales by Excommunications by the Allowance of Elections by the Approuinge of Councelles by restoaringe of Bishoppes and by receiuinge of Schismatikes into fauoure that the Bishoppe of Rome was not taken for the Heade of the Churche nor had any suche absolute authoritie as is supposed And so M. Hardinges sixefolde proufe whiche is noted in the Margin in Conclusion wil appeare but single soulde M. Hardinge The .21 Diuision Firste for the appellation of Bishoppes to the see Apostolike beside many other we haue the knowen examples of Athanasius that woorthy Bishoppe of Alexandria and light of the worlde who hauinge susteined greate and sundrie wronges at the Arianes appealed firste to Iulius the Pope and after his deathe to Felix of Chrysostome who appealed to Innocentius against the violence of Theophilus of Theodoretus who appealed to Leo. Neither made Bishoppes onely their appeale to the Pope by their Delegates but also in certaine cases beinge cited appeared before him in their
letters in their behalfe The Emperour Constans wrote vnto his brother Constantius to cal before him the Bishops of the Easte parte to yelde a reckeninge of their dooinges against Athanasius The Emperour Honorius gaue his endeuour that Athanasius might be restoared Constantinus the Emperour vpon Athanasius complainte commaunded the Bishops of the Councel of Tyrus to appeare before him The woords of his Summon be these Quotquot Synodum Tyri habitam compleuistis sine mora ad pietatis nostrae Castra properetis ac re ipsa quà m sincerè ac rectè iudicaueritis ostendatis idque Coram me quem sincerum esse Dei ministrum ne vos quidem ipsi negabitis As many of you as were at the Councel of Tyrus high you vnto our Campe or Courte without delaie and shewe vs howe sincerely and vprightly ye hâ—ue dealt and that euen before me whom you your selues can not denâ—e to be the sincere Seruaunte of God Thus Holie men beinge in distresse sought healpe wheresoeuer they had hope to finde it This seekinge of remedy by waye of Complainte as it declareth their miserie so is it not sufficient to proue an ordinarie Appâ—ale But it is moste certaine and out of al question that Chrysostome Appealed vnto Innocentius for M. Hardinge hath here alleged his owne woordes I graunte M. Hardinge hath here alleged Chrysostome but in suche faithful and trustie sorte as Pope Zosimus sometimes alleged the Councel of Nice Good Christian Reader if thou haue Chrysostome peruse this place and weigh wel his woordes if thou haue him not yet be not ouerhastie of beliefe M. Hardinges dealinge with thée herein is not plaine The very woordes of Chrysostome in Latine stande thus Ne confusio haec omnem quae sub Coelo est nationem inuadat obsecro vt scribas quod haec tam inique facta absentibus nobis non declinantibus iudicium non habeant robur Sicut neque natura sua habent Illi autem qui iniquè egerunt poenae Ecclesiasticarum LeguÌ„ subiaceant Nobis verò qui nec conuicti nec redarguti nec habiti vt rei sumus literis vestris charitate vestra aliorumque omnium quorum anâ—èsocietate fruebamur frui concedite Whiche woordes into Englishe maye truely be translated thus Lest this confusion ouerrenne al nations vnder heauen I pray thee write or signifie vnto them that these thinges so vniustely doone I beinge absent and yet not fleeynge iudgement be of no force as in deede of their owne nature they be of none and write that they that haue doone these thinges so wrongfully be punished by the Lawes of the Churche and graunt you that we that are neither conuicted nor reproued nor founde giltie may inioy your letters and your loue and likewise the letters and loue of al others whose felowship we inioyed before In these fewe woords M. Hardinge hath notably falsified thrée places quite alteringe the woordes that he founde shufflinge in and interlacinge other woordes of his owne For these woordes in M. Hardinges translation that séeme to signifie authoritie in the Bishop of Rome and to importe the Appeale VVrite and determine by your authoritie Put you them vnder the Censure of the Church Geue commaundement that we be restoared to our Churches These woorde I saye are not to be founde in Chrysostome neither in the Gréeke nor in the Latine but onely are pretily conueied in by M. Hardinge the better to furnishe and fashion vp his Appeale He séeth wel this mater wil not stande vpright without the manifest corruption and falsifieinge of the Doctours This therefore is M. Hardinges Appeale and not Chrysostomes For that Chrysostome made no suche Appeale to the Bishop of Rome it may sufficiently appeare bothe by Chrysostomes owne Epistles and by the Bishop of Romes dealinge herein and by the ende and Conclusion of the cause Touching Chrysostome him selfe he maketh no mention of any Appeale nor desireth the parties to be cited to Rome nor taketh Innocentius for the Bishop of the whole Churche or for the vniuersal Iudge of al the worlde but onely saluteth him thus Innocentio Episcopo Romae Iohannes Iohn to Innocentius Bishop of Rome sendeth greetinge And againe in the same Epistle he vtterly auoideth al such foren Iudgementes accordinge to the determinations of the Councelles of Carthage Mileuitum and Aphrica These be his woordes Neque congruum est vt hi qui in Aegypto sunt iudicent eos qui sunt in Thracia It is not meete that they that be in Egypte should be Iudges ouer them that be in Thracia Neither doo the Bishop of Romes owne woordes importe any appeale but rather the contrary for he vseth not his familiar woordes of biddinge or commaundinge but onely in gentle and frendely manner exhorteth them to appeare and that not before him selfe but onely before the Councel of sundrie Bishoppes summoned specially for that purpose For thus Iulius writeth vnto the Bishops of the East Quae est causa offensionis An quia adhortati vos sumus vt ad Synodum occurreretis What is the cause of your displeasure Is it bicause wee exhorted you to come to the Councel Here he exhorteth and intreateth them he commaundeth them not he calleth them to come not before him selfe but before the Councel Againe he saith Legati vestri Macarius Presbyter Hesychius Diaconus Concilium indici postulauerunt Your owne embassadours Macarius beinge a Priest and Hesychius beinge a Deacon required that a Councel might be summoned And againe Vellem vos magis ad iam dictam Canonicam conuenire vocationem vt coram vniuersali Synodo reddatis rationem I woulde you rather to come to this Canonical callinge that ye may yelde your accompte of your dooinges before the General Councel So likewise S. Basile writeth to Athanasius by way of counsel in that heauie time of trouble Viros igitur Ecclesiae tuae potentes ad Occidentales Episcopos mitte qui quibus calamitatibus premamur illis exponant Sende some worthy men of your Churches not vnto the Bishop of Rome but vnto the Bishopppes of the Weaste that may let them vnderstande with what miseries wee are besette Likewise againe he saith Visum mihi est consentaneum vt scribatur Episcopo Romae vt ea quae hic geruntur consideret detque Concilium I thinke it good yee write to the Bishop of Rome that he may consider that is here doone and may appointe vs a Councel Neither did the Bishop of Rome by his owne authoritie summon the Bishops of the East but by the counsel and conference of other Bishoppes For so Athanasius saith Misit omnium Italicorum EpiscoporuÌ„ consilio Iulius ad Episcopos Orientales certum illis Synodi diem denuntians Iulius sent vnto the Bishops of the East by the counsel of al the Bishops of Italie geuing them to vnderstande the certaine day of the Councel Which thinge Iulius also him selfe
auoucheth by these woordes Tametsi solus sim qui scripsi tamen non meam solius sententiam sed omnium Italorum omnium in his regionibus Episcoporum scripsi Not withstandinge I alone wrote yet it was not mine owne minde onely that I wrote but also the minde of the Bishoppes of Italie and of al other Bishoppes of these Countries So likewise Innocentius the Bishop of Rome being very desirous to restoare Chrysostome and to recouer the vnitie of the Churche not of him selfe or by his owne authoritie but by the Decrée and consent of a Councel holden in Italie sente Messingers into the East And sittinge with others in the Councel he tooke not vpon him that Uniuersal power that is now imagined but had his voice equal with his brethren as it appeareth by Meltiades Bishop of Rome that satte with three Bishoppes of Gallia and fourtéene other Bishoppes of Italie to determine the controuersie betwéene Caecilianus and Donatus a casis nigris Now to come to the prosecution of the mater M. Hardinge knoweth that the Bishoppes of the East vnderstoode not this singular Authoritie or Prerogatiue of the Bishop of Rome and therefore beinge called obeied not the summon nor had any regarde vnto his sentence as it is many waies easy to be séene Therefore they returned vnto Iulius this answeare Si nostris placitis assentiri volueritis pacem vobiscum Communionem habere volumus Sin verò aliter egeritis eis amplius quà m nobis assentiri iudicaueritis contraria celebrabimus deinceps nec vobiscum congregari nec vobis obedire nec vobis vestrisue fauere volumus If you wil agree vnto oure orders wee wil haue peace and communion with you But if you wil otherwise doo and rather agree vnto our aduersaries then vnto vs then wil we publishe the contrary and hencefoorthe neither wil wee â—itte in Councel with you nor obey you nor beare good wil either to you or to any of yours This imperfection and weakenesse of their owne dooinges the Bishoppes of Rome them selues vnderstoode and confessed For thus Innocentius writeth vnto S. Augustine Alypius and others in Aphrica touchinge Pelagius Si adhuc taliter sentit cvm sciat se damnandum esse quibus acceptis literis aut quandose nostro iudicio committet Quòd si accersendus esset id ab illis melius fieret qui magis proximi non Iongo terrarum spatio videntur esse disiuncti If he continue stil in one minde knowing that I wil pronounce against him at what request of letters or when wil he commit him selfe to our iudgement If it be good he were called to make answeare it were better some others called him that are neare at hande c. And therfore Iulius the Bishop of Rome findinge his owne infirmitie herein wrote vnto the Emperour Constans and opened vnto him the whole mater and besought him to write vnto his brother Constantius that it might please him to sende the Bishops of the East to make answeare to that they had doone against Athanasius Euen so the Cleargie of the Citie of Antioche in the like case of trouble and spoile wrote vnto Iohn the Patriarke of Constantinople to intreate the Emperour in their behalfe It appeareth hereby that this Infinite Authoritie and Prerogatiue power ouer al the worlde in those daies was not knowen I thinke it hereby plainely and sufficiently prooued first that the Bishop of Rome had no authoritie to receiue appeales from al partes of the worlde and that by the Councelles of Nice of Tele of Mileuitum and of Aphrica by S. Cyprian and by the Emperours Martian and Iustinian Nexte that M. Hardinge the better to furnishe his mater hath notoriousely falsified Chrysostomes woordes thrée times in one place Thirdely that Chrysostomes letter vnto Innocentius conteined mater of complainte but no appeale whiche thinge is also prooued by the very woordes and tenour of the letter by the Bishoppes of Romes owne confession and by the imperfection and weakenesse of their dooinges For the lawe saith Iurisdictio sine modica coerctione nulla est Iurisdiction without some compussion is no Iurisdiction In déede by way of compromisse and agréement of the parties maters were sometimes brought to be hearde and ended by the Bishoppe of Rome as also by other Bishoppes but not by any ordinarie processe or course of Lawe And so it appeareth this mater betwéene Athanasius and the Arians was first brought vnto Iulius for that the Arians willingely desired him for trial therof to cal a Councel For thus Iulius him selfe writeth vnto the Bishoppes of the East as it is before alleged Si Macario Hesychio nullam Synodum postulantibus adhortator fuissem vt ad Synodum qui ad me scripsissent conuocarentur idque in gratiam fiatrum qui se iniuriam pati conquerebantur etiam ita iusta fuisset mea cohortatio I am verò vbi iâ—dem illi qui a vobis pro grauibus viris fidedignis habiti sunt authores mihi fuerint vt vos conuocarem certâ— id a vobis aegrè ferri non debuit If I had geuen aduise vnto your messingers Macarius and Hesychius that they that had written vnto me might be called â—o a Councel and that in consideration of our Brethren whiche complained they suffred wronge although neither of them had desired the same yet had mine aduise benne voyde of iniurie But now seeinge the same men whom you tooke to be graue and woorthy of credite haue made suite vnto mee that I should cal you verily ye should not take it in il parte Hereby it is plaine that Iulius tooke vpon him to cal these parties not by any suche Uniuersal Iurisdiction as M. Hardinge fansieth but onely by the consent and request of bothe parties And therefore Iulius saith He caused Athanasius to be cited Regulariter that is according to order for the order of iudgement is that a man be first called and then accused and last of al condemned but he meaneth not thereby the order of the Canons as M. Hardinge expoundeth it For touchinge appeales to Rome there was no Canon yet prouided The counterfeite Epistle of Athanasius to Felix is answeared before Theodoretus was deposed and bannished and cruelly intreated as it appeareth by his letters vnto Renatus and therfore the woordes that he vseth are rather tokens of his miseries and wante of healpe then certaine testimonies of his iudgement For euery man is naturally inclined to extolle him and to auance his power at whose hande he seeketh healpe But if it were graunted it was lawful then for the Bishoppe of Rome to receiue al manner appeales in such order as it is pretended yet cannot M. Harding thereof necessarily conclude that the Bishop of Rome was the Head of the Uniuersal Churche For Ostiensis saith Appeales may be made not onely from the lower Iudge vnto the higher but also from equal to equal And in this order as it
ruleth ouer them And Pope Nicolas hath straitely commaunded vpon paine of Excommunication that no man shoulde be present to heare Masse saide by a Priest that he knoweth vndoubtedly to liue in aduoutrie How be it in déede it is not their life onely that the Churche of God is offended withal but also and specially the filthe and corruption of their Religion the oppressinge of Gods Woorde the open deceiuinge of the people and the manifest maintenance of Idolatrie And what if the Syluer of Rome be turned into Drosse What if the Citie that was Faithful be become an Harlot What if they can abide no sounde Doctrine What i◠they haue made the House of God a Caue of Theeues What if Rome be become the greate Babylon the Mother of Fornication imbrewed and dronken with the Bloud of the Sainctes of God And what if Abomination sit in the holy Place euen in the Temple of God Yet may wee not departe from thence Yet must that be the Rule and Standarde of Gods Religion Truely Christe saithe Take heede of the leauen of the Scribes and Phariseis And God him selfe saith Exite de illa populus meus ne participes sitis delictorum eius de plagis eius ne accipiatis O my people come away from her least yee be partakers of her sinnes and so receiue parte of her plagues Irenaeus saith Presbyteris illis qui sunt in Ecclesia obaudire oporter qui successionem habentab Apostolis qui cum Episcopatus successione charisma Veritatis certum secundum placitum Patris acceperunt Wee ought to obey the Bishoppes in the Churche that haue their Succession from the Apostles which togeather with the Succession of the Bishoprike haue receiued the certaine gifte of the Truthe accordinge to the wil of the Father This holy Father saith Bishops must be heard and obeied with a limitation that is not al what so euer they be or what so euer they say but that haue the vndoubted gifte of Goddes Truthe And for that M. Hardinge séemeth to claime by the Authoritie of the Scribes and Phariseis sayeinge They sit in Moses Chayre and that therefore wee ought to doo that they say S. Augustine expoundeth the same place in this sorte Sedendo in Cathedra Legem Dei docent Ergo per illos Deus docet Sua verò si illi docere velint nolite audire nolite facere By sittinge in the Chayre is meante they teache the law of God Therefore it is God that teacheth by them But if they wil teache any thinge of their owne as the Churche of Rome hath doone and yet doothe aboue number then saith S. Augustine heare it not then doo it not M. Hardinge The .23 Diuision Now that the Bishop of Rome had alwaies cure and rule ouer al other Bishops 109. speacially of them of the East for touchinge them of the weast Churche it is generally confessed beside a hundred other euident argumentes this is one very sufficient that he had in the East to doo his steede three Delegates or Vicares now commonly they be named Legates And this for the commoditie of the Bishoppes there whose Churches were farre distant from Rome The one was the Bishop of Constantinople as wee finde it mentioned In Epistola Simplicij ad Achatium Constantinopolitanum The Seconde was the Bishop of Alexandria as the Epistle of Bonifacius the Seconde to Eulalius recordeth The thirde was the Bishop of Thessalonica as it is at large declared in the 82. Epistle of Leo ad Anastasium Thessalonicensem By perusinge these Epistles euery man may see that al the Bishoppes of Grece Asia Syria Egypte and to be shorte of al the Orient rendred and exhibited their humble obedience to the Bishop of Rome and to his arbitrement referred their doubtes complaintes and causes and to him onely made their appellations The B. of Sarisburie What wée may thinke of the other Hundred proufes whiche M. Hardinge as he saith hath leafte vntouched it may the sooner appeare for that this one proufe that is here brought foorth in stéede of al is not onely vntrue but also vtterly without any shadow or coloure of truthe These authorities of Leo Symmachus and Bonifacius for as muche as they are alleged without woordes may likewise be past ouer without answeare Howbeit this Bonifacius the seconde in defence of this quarel is forced to saye that S. Augustine that Godly Father and al other the Bishops of Aphrica Numidia Pentapolis and other countreis adioyninge that withstoode the proude attempte of the Bishops of Rome and founde out their open forgerie in falsifieinge the Nicene Councel were altogeather inflamed and leadde by the Diuel But howe doothe this appeare to M. Hardinge that the Bishop of Rome had al the Bishops of the East in Subiection to vse and commaunde them as his Seruantes In what Councel was it euer Decréed it shoulde be so who subscribed it who recorded it who euer sawe suche Canons The best Plea that Pope Nicolas can make in this behalfe is that Peter was firste Bishop of Antioche and after of Rome and S. Marke his Scholar Bishop of Alexandria Hereof he thinketh it may verie wel and substantially be geathered that the Bishops of Rome ought to haue al the worlde in Subiection In déede in the counterfaite Chartar ▪ or Donation of the Emperour Constantine authoritie is geuen to the Bishop of Rome ouer the other foure Patriarkes of Antioche of Alexandria of Constantinople and of Hierusalem But the Bishops of Rome them selues and of them selues diuised and forged this Chartar and that so fondely that a verie Childe maye easily espie the folie For biside a greate number of other vntruethes at that very time when it is imagined that Chartar was drawen there was neither Patriarke nor Bishop nor Priest nor Churche in Constantinople nor the Citie it selfe yet builte nor knowen to the worlde by that name This notwithstandinge the Bishop of Rome vpon this simple title hathe besette his Miter with thrée Crownes in token that he hath the Uniuersal power ouer the thrée Diuisions of the worlde Europa Asia and Aphrica And so as the Kinge of Persia in olde tymes intitled him selfe Frater Solis Lunae euen so Pope Nicolas calleth him selfe The Prince of al Landes and Countreis But what dutie the Bishops of the East partes owed to the Bishops of Rome whosoeuer hath read and considered the storie and practise of the times may soone perceiue Firste the Councel of Nice appointed euery of the thrée Patriarkes to his seueral charge none of them to interrupte or trouble other and willed the Bishoppe of Rome as Rufinus reporteth the storie to ouersee Ecclesias Suburbanas which were the Churches within his Prouince and therefore Athanasius calleth Rome the Chiefe or Mother Citie of the Romaine Iurisdiction And for that cause the Bishops of the East in their Epistle vnto Iulius calle him their Felowe Seruante and
Cyrillus the Bishop of Alexandria writinge vnto Coelestinus calleth him his Brother Felowes and Brothers be titles of Equalitie and not of Subiection Certaine it is that sundrie of the Bishops of Rome beganne verie rathe to séeke this Preeminence euen with manifest forgerie and corruption of Councels as is alreadie proued But the Bishops of other countreis neuer yelded vnto them nor vnderstoode these vaine titles The Bishops of the East writinge vnto Iulius allege that the Faithe that then was in Rome came firste from them and that their Churches as Sozomenus writeth ought not to be accompted inferiour to the Churche of Rome And as Socrates further reporteth That they ought not to be ordred by the Romaine Bishop Gennadius the Bishop of Constantinople togeather with the Councel there thus writeth vnto the Bishop of Rome Curet sanctitas tua vniuersas tuas custodias tibique subiectos Episcopos Let thy Holines see vnto thine owne charge and vnto the Bishops appointed vnto thee The Councel of Alexandria committed the Uisitation and Reforminge of al the Churches in the East vnto Asterius and of al the Churches in the Weast vnto Eusebius the Bishop of Uercellae By Authoritie of whiche Commission Eusebius togeather with Hilarius Uisited corrected al the Churches of Illyricum Fraunce and Italie A man might saye where was then the Uniuersal power of the Bishop of Rome S. Basile saith The state and safetie of the Churche of Antioche dependeth of Athanasius the Bishop of Alexandria and not as M. Hardinge here saith of the Bishop of Rome And therefore he desireth Athanasius to sée vnto it The Emperours Honorius and Theodosius appointed ouer al maters of doubte arisinge within the Countrie of Illyricum to be hearde and ended before the Bishop of Constantinople and not before the Bishop of Rome And the very Close vpon the Decrées expoundinge that same Lawe of Honorius Theodosius hath these woordes Imperator dicit quòd Patriarcha Constantinopolitanus habet idem in suis subditis quod Papa habet in suis. The Emperour saith the Patriarke of Constantinople hath the same authoritie ouer the people of his Prouince that the Pope hath ouer his The Emperours woordes be these Constantinopolitana Ecclesia Romae veteris praerogatiua laetatur The Churche of Constantinople enioyeth nowe the Prerogatiue of olde Rome And therefore for more proufe hereof whensoeuer any Patriarke in any of these foure principal Sees was newely chosen he wrote letters of Conference and Freendship vnto the other Patriarkes wherein euery of them declared vnto other their Religion consent of Faith Thus did the Bishop of Rome vnto others and thus did others vnto him This is an vnfallible tokeÌ„ that their authoritie was equal and none of them had power and gouernement ouer his fellowes And therefore when Eulogius the Bishop of Alexandria had written thus vnto Gregorie beinge then Bishop of Rome Sicut iussistis as ye commaunded Gregorie vtterly shunned and refused that kinde of writinge for thus he answereth him Hoc verbum Iussionis quaeso à meo auditu remouete Scio enim quis sim qui sitis Loco mihi Fratres estis Moribus patres Non ergo Iussi sed quae vtilia visa sunt indicare curaui I pray you haue awaye this woorde of Commaundinge from my hearinge For I know bothe what I am and also what you are Touchinge your place you are my Bretherne touchinge manners you are my Fathers Therefore I Commaunded you not but onely shewed you what I thought good Finally for that Michael Palaeologus the Emperour of the East partes in the Councel holden at Lions aboute the yéere of our Lorde 1442. after greate intreatie made vnto him by the Bishop of Rome had acknowleged the Bishops of the Easte to be subiecte vnto him after he returned home againe into his Empire and was deade his Cleregie woulde not suffer him to be buried Yet saith M. Hardinge Al the Bishops of Graecia Asia Syria Aegypte and to be shorte al the Orient rendred and exhibited their humble obedience to the Bishop of Rome M. Hardinge The .24 Diuision Of the Bishop of Rome his punishinge of offenders by Censures of the Churche and otherwise as by Excommunication Eiection Deposition and enioyninge penance for transgressions we haue more examples then I thinke good to recite here They that haue knowlege of the Ecclesiastical stories maye remember howe Timotheus Bishop of Alexandria was Excommunicated with Peter his Deacon by Simplicius the Pope Nestorius Bishop of Constantinople by Coelestinus Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria with Arcadius the Emperour and Eudoxia the Empresse by Innocentius for their wicked demeanour towarde Chrysostome Howe Dioscorus Bishop of Alexandria was deposed though the whole 2. Ephesine Councel stoode in his defence Howe Peter Bishop of Antioche was not onely put out of his Bishoprike but also of al Priestly honour Howe Photius was put out of the Patriarkeship of Constantinople into whiche he was intruded by fauour of Michael the Emperour at the sute of his wicked vnkle by Nicolas the first For proufe of this authoritie the Epistle of Cyprian whiche he wrote to Stephanus Pope in his time against Martianus the Bishop of Arelate in Gallia maketh an euident argument For that this Martianus became a mainteiner of the Heresie of Nouatianus and therewith seduced the faithful people Cyprian hauinge intelligence of it by Faustinus from Lions aduertised Stephanus of it and moued him earnestly to directe his letters to the people of Arle by auctoritie of whiche Martianus shoulde be deposed and an other put in his roome to the intent saith he there the flocke of Christe whiche hitherto by him scattered abroade and wounded is contemned maye be gathered togeather Whiche S. Cyprian woulde not haue written had the Bishop of Rome had no suche auctoritie The B. of Sarisburie This reason maketh no greate proufe For it was euer lawful not onely to the Bishop of Rome but also to al other Bishops bothe to rebuke and also to Excommunicate wicked dooers Anthymus with his felowes was Excommunicate by euery of the Patriarkal Sees Paulus Samosatenus as Nicephorus saithe by al the Bishops vnder Heauen Auxentius and Iouinianus by S. Ambrose Dioscorus and Eutyches by the Councel of Constantinople Cyrillus albeit he were a Catholique a Godly Bishop by al the Bishops of the East Yet were none of these that thus vsed the right of Excommunication either Bishops of Rome or Heades of the Uniuersal Churche And whereas M. Hardinge saith we may remember by the Ecclesiastical stories that Innocentius the Bishop of Rome Excommunicated Arcadius the Emperour it maye please him also to remember by the same Ecclesiastical stories that S. Ambrose Excommunicated the Emperour Theodosâ—us and Anastasius the Bishop of Antioche bothe by Priuate letters reproued the Emperour Iustinian for his Heresie and also oftentimes saide of him openly in the Churche Whosoeuer
ordinatos à nobis Episcopos c. If you wil allowe the Bishoppes that we haue ordred we wil be at peace and Communicate with you If not we wil proclaime the contrary And the Emperour Gratian made Nectarius Bishop of Constantinople contrarie to the mindes of the most parte of the Bishoppes Therefor M. Hardinges argument might better haue benne framed thus The Bishop of Rome Confirmed the Bishoppes withein his owne Prouince and had no other special authoritie to coÌ„firme al other Bishoppes in the worlde no more then others had to Confirme him Therefor he was not then taken for the Heade of the Churche nor was thought to haue this Vniuersal Power M. Hardinge The .26 Diuision That the Bishoppes of Rome by accustomed practise of the Churche had auctoritie to approue or disproue Councelles I nede to saie nothinge for proufe of it seeinge that the Ecclesiastical rule as we reade in the Tripartite storie commaundeth 111 that no Councel be celebrate and keapte without the aduise and auctoritie of the Pope Verily the Councelles holden at Ariminum at Seleucia at Syrmium at Antiochia and the seconde time at Ephesus for that they were 112. not summoned nor approued by the auctoritie of the Bishop of Rome haue not ben accoumpted for lawful Councelles but as wel for that reiected as also for their Heretical determinations The Fathers assembled in the Councel of Nice sente their Epistle to Syluester the Pope beseechinge him with his consent to ratifie and confirme what so euer they had ordeined Isidorus witnesseth that the Nicene Councel had set forth rules the whiche saithe he the Curche of Rome receiued and confirmed The seconde general Councel holden at Constantinople was likewise allowed and approued by Damasus specially requested by the fathers of the same thereto So was the thirde Councel holden at Ephesus ratified and confirmed by Coelestinus who had there for his Vicares or deputes Cyrillus the famouse Bishop of Alexandria and one Arcadius a Bishop out of Italie As for the fourthe Councel kepte at Chalcedon the fathers thereof also in their Epistle to Leo the Pope subscribed with the handes of .44 Bishoppes made humble request vnto him to establishe fortifie and allowe the Decrees and ordinances of the same This beinge founde true for the fower first chief Councelles we nede not to saie any thinge of the rest that folowed But for the suer proofe of al this that chiefly is to be alleaged that Constantius the Arian Emperour made so importune and so earnest sute to Liberius the Pope to confirme the Actes of the Councel holden at Antioche by the .90 Arian Bishoppes wherein Athanasius was depriued and put out of his Bishoprike For he beleued as Ammianus Marcellinus writeth that what had ben done in that Councel sholde not stande and take effecte onlesse it had ben approued and Confirmed by the Authoritie of the Bishop of Rome whiche he termeth the Eternal Citie The B. of Sarisburie Here M. Hardinge hathe auouched two greate vntruethes the one in his Translation in the Englishe the other in the allegation of the storie Touching the first Cassiodorus in his Latine Translation writeth thus Canones iubent extra Romanum nihil decerni Pontificem Socrates in the Greeke out of whiche the Latine was taken writeth thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Englishe hereof is this It is prouided by the Canons that rules to binde the Churche be not made without the consent of the Bishop of Rome Wherein M. Harding hath purposely corrupted falsified altogeather both the Greeke the Latine not reporting one woorde that he founde in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Decernere he Englisheth to Keepe or as he termeth it to Celebrate a Councel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is Praeter senteÌ„tiaÌ„ or as Cassiodorus turneth it Extra he Englisheth without the aduise Authoritie No he would not suffer no not him in whose quarel he thus fighteth to passe without a venewe for where he sawe him named in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in the Latine Romanum Pontificem The Romaine Bishop he thought it beste to leaue bothe the Greeke and the Latine and to cal him the Pope And thus to increase the Popes authoritie he hath altered and corrupted the whole place and not translated one woorde as he founde it Touchinge the storie he saith The Arians Councelles were not allowed for that they were not Summoned by the Pope And yet he knoweth right wel it was no parte of the Popes office in those daies to Summon Councelles For it is euident euen by the policie and practise of that time that CoÌ„stantinus the Emperour Summoned the Councel of Nice Theodosius the first the Councel of Constantinople Theodosius the .2 the Councel of Ephesus and Martianus the Councel of Chalcedon And Socrates in his storie saithe thus Idâ—irco Imperatores in historia complexus sum quia ex quo tempore coeperunt esse Christiani Ecclesiastica negotia pendent ab illis maxima Concilia de illorum sententia facta sunt fiunt Therefor I haue comprised the Emperours within my Storie for that sithence they beganne to be Christened the state of the Churche dependethe of them and the greatest Councelles haue benne keapte and be stil keapte by theire aduise And the Bishoppes in the Councel of Constantinople witnes that they were summoned to come to the Romaine Counsel by Damasus the Bishop of Rome but they adde withal by warrant of the Emperours letters not by any his owne authoritie And likewise in their Epistle to the Emperour Theodosius thei write thus Literis quibus nos coÌ„uocasti EcclesiaÌ„ honore prosecutus es Your Maiestie hath honoured the Churche by the letters wherewith ye Summoned vs togeather As for the Bishop of Rome he was not yet of Authoritie hable to cal a general Councel For the worlde as yet had no skil of his Uniuersal power ouer al others neither woulde they haue appeared vpon his Summon Gregorius beinge Bishop of Rome coulde not cause the Bishop of Salonae beinge but one man to come before him Thus he writeth by waie of complainte vnto the Empresse Constantia Contempto me atque despecto ad me venire secundum iussionem Dominorum noluit He despised me and set me at naught and wolde not come vnto me accordinge to my lordes the Emperours commaundement Therefore Leo findinge this weakenes in him self wrote vnto the Cleregie and people of Constantinople and willed them to craue a general Councel at the Emperours hande Exposcite vt petitioni nostrae qua plenariam indici Synodum postulamus Clementissimus Imperator dignetur annuere Make your request that the Emperours Maiestie wolde voutchsaue to graunte my humble petition wherein I besought him to Summone a general Councel Liberatus saithe that Leo the Bishop of Rome with other moe Bishoppes of Italie fel vpon their knees and desired the Emperoure Ualentinian and
vsque contradicat tamen quod a Synodo firmatum est Imperatorio patrocinio permanet When Anatolius by consent of the Councel had obteined the primacie and the Bishoppe of Romes Legates stoode against it their gaine saieinge of the Iudges and Bishoppes there was not receiued And al be it the Apostolique See of Rome euen hitherto stande â—gainst it yet the Decree of the Councel by the maintenance of the Emperour standeth stil in force Whiche thinge séemeth agreeable to that S. Hierome writeth Maior est authoritas orbis quà m vrbis The authoritie of the worlde is greater then the authoritie of one Citie meaninge thereby the Citie of Rome It may appeare by that I haue thus shortly touched that the Bishop of Rome had authoritie neither to Summone Councelles nor to be President or chiefe in Councelles nor to ratifie and Confirme the Decrées of Councelles more then any other of the foure Patriarkes and last of al that Councelles may stand in force although the Pope mislike them allow them not I thinke it wil be harde hereof togeather M. Hardinges Conclusion That the Bishop of Rome was Heade of the Vniuersal Churche M. Hardinge The .27 Diuision Now what auctoritie the Bishoppes of Rome haue euer had and exercised in the assoilinge of Bishoppes vniustly condemned and in restoringe of them againe to their Churches of which they were wrongefully thrust out by Heretiques or other disorder it is a thinge so wel knowen of al that reade the stories in whiche the auncient state of the Churche is described that I neede not but rehearse the names onely Athanasius of Alexandria and Paulus of Constantinople depriued and thrust out of their Bishoprikes by the violence of the Arians assisted with the Emperour Constantius appealed to Rome to Iulius the Pope and Bishop there and by his 113 auctoritie were restoared to their roomes againe So Leo assoiled Flauianus the Bishop of Constantinople excommunicated by Dioscorus So Nicolaus the firste restoared Ignatius to the See of Constantinople though Michael the Emperour wrought al that he coulde against it Many other Bishoppes haue been in al ages assoiled and restoared to their Churches by the auctoritie of the See Apostolike who haue been without deserte excommunicated depriued and put from al their dignities But to haue rehearsed these fewe it may suffice The B. of Sarisburie Athanasius and Paulus saithe M. Hardinge beinge deposed by the Arians assisted with the Emperour Constantius appealed to the Pope and by the Popes authoritie were restoared Here I Appeale vnto the iudgement and discretion of the Reader that canne consider the state of that time how likely it may seeme either that Athanasius shoulde Appeale from the Emperour to the Pope or that the Popes commaundement should be of sufficient force authoritie against the Emperour For neither was Pope Bonifacius the. 8. yet borne yâ— determined That the Emperour should be inferiour to the Pope nor Pope Innocentius ye. 3. or his Glose that rated the mater by good Geometrical proportion pronounced that the Pope is fiftie and seuen degrees aboue the Emperour euen iuste as muche as the Sunne is aboue the Moone Nor Pope Alexander the thirde that sette his foote in the Emperours necke Uerily the Pope then by his authoritie was hable neither to depose nor to restoare nor to cal before him any Bishop as appeareth by that I haue already alleged of Pope Innocentius and Pope Gregorie by their owne Confessions No Pope Leo him selfe confesseth that he was not hable to remoue a poore Monke Abbate Eutyches from his Abbie but was faine to desire the Empresse Pulcheria to sée him remoued As touchinge Athanasius it was the Emperour Constantinus the great that by his authoritie remoued and bannished him as it appeareth by Socrates and therefore the Emperour Iustinian saithe If any Bishop offende herein let him be depriued by force of this Lawe And as he was bannished by the Emperour Constantinus the Father so by his Sonne Constantinus the Emperour and not by the Pope he was restoared whiche thinge is testified not onely by Socrates that wrote the storie but also by sundrie Epistles and letters taken out of the Emperours Recordes concerninge the same Firste it is knowen that the Emperour Constans that ruled the Weast parte of the worlde vnto whom Athanasius beinge deposed flead for ayde wrote in his behalfe vnto his Brother Constantius that then was the Emperour of the East besought him to sée Athanasius restoared vnto his roome Otherwise he threatened that he him selfe woulde come with his power to Alexandria restoare him Upon the sight of whiche letters the Emperour Constantius wrote vnto Athanasius and willed him to repaire with speede vnto his Courte that he might be restoared vnto his Countrie and at his comminge he directed out his letters vnto the Cleregie and people of Alexandria commaundinge them to receiue him with fauour and to abolishe al suche Actes as they had before made against him To reporte the whole letters at large it woulde be tedious Emonge other woordes the Emperour Constantius writeth thus Recipiat voluntate Dei nostroque indicio PatriaÌ„ suum pariter Ecclesiam And againe Omnes EpiscopuÌ„ superno iudicio nostraque sententia destinatum libenter pie suscipite Let him bothe by Goddes appointement and by our Decree recouer both his CouÌ„trie and his Churche c. Further saith Cassiodorus His literis coÌ„fidens Athanasius redijt in OrieÌ„tem Athanasius vpon trust of these letters returned againe into the East Likewise the Bishopes in the Councel of Hierusalem wrote abroade letters of gratulation vpon his returne in this forme Debetis ergo etiaÌ„ c. You ought also continually to praie for the Emperours Maiesties for that vnderstanding your desires they haue restoared Athanasius againe vnto you And Theodoretus touchinge the same writeth thus ProceruÌ„ Senatorumque Coniuges c. The Lordes and Counsellours wiues be sought their husbandes to intreate the Emperours Maiestie that he woulde restoare Athanasius vnto his flocke and saide further onlesse they woulde so doo they woulde forsake them and goe to him So likewise the Bishoppes that the Arians had deposed with Flauianus were restoared againe by the Emperour and not by the Pope For Pope Leo him selfe thereof writeth thus vnto the Empresse Pulcheria Vos Sacerdotes Catholicos qui de Ecclesijs suis iniusta fuerunt eiecti sententia reduxistis Your Maiesties haue restoared home againe the Catholike Bishoppes whiche by wrongeful sentence were thrust from their Churches Pope Nicolas as vpon occasion I saide before was the second Bishop in Rome after Pope Iohane the Woman whiche was almoste 900. yéeres after Christe Wherefore his authoritie might wel haue beene spared It is wel knowen that as the Popes power increased so the Empire abated Therefore was Platyna forced to say Perijt potestas Imperatorum virtus Pontificum Nowe
the Emperours haue lost their Ciuile power and the Popes haue lost their holines In olde times the Emperour confirmed the Pope Now the Pope confirmeth the Emperour In olde times the Emperour called the Pope to the Councel now contrarywise the Pope calleth the Emperour As touching the restoaring of Athanasius Pope Iulius intreated Themperour in his behalfe whiche as it appeareth was his greatest request For thus he writeth vnto Liberius Precamur vt vestris exhortationibus tam per vos quà m per Apocrisiarios vestros adiuuemur We beseche you that through your good exhortations bothe by your selfe and by other your agentes we may be holpen More ouer for that he was a Patriarke he summoned a particular Councel and laboured the Bishoppes For the Arians saide There was on Ecclesiastical Canon That noman beinge once deposed should be restoared againe onlesse he had first cleared him selfe before a Councel and that the Bishoppes that woulde restoare him ought to be moe in number then were they that had deposed him And therfore Chrysostome was muche blamed of his aduersaries for that he beinge once deposed had recouered his roome without a Councel of other Bishoppes And therefore Flauianus beinge wrongefully put from his Bishoprike offred vp his Bille of Appeale not vnto the Bishop of Rome alone but vnto him with other Bishoppes The trueth hereof may wel appeare by these woordes of Leo Bishop of Rome vnto the Emperour Theodosius Omnes partium nostrarum Ecclesiae omnes mansueâ—udini vestrae cum gemitibus lachrymis supplicant Sacerdotes vt quia eisdem Libellum Appellationis Flauianus Episcopus dedit generalem Synodum iubeatis intra Italiam celebrari Al the Churches of these our countries and al the Priestes with sighes and teares beleeche your highnes that for as muche as Flauianus hath offred vp his Bille of Appeale vnto them it may please you to commaunde a General Councel to be keapte in Italie In suche Councelles the Bishop of Rome beinge sometimes the chiefe pronounced the partie woorthy either to be restoared or to be deposed But that Sentence was not alwaies put in Execution The Councel of Antioche deposed Pope Iulius yet was not Iulius therfore deposed The Councel of Basile deposed Pope Eugenius yet Eugenius continued Pope stil. The Decree of Bishoppes in suche cases without the Emperours authoritie was then of smal force And therfore Athanasius him selfe reporteth that the Emperour gaue his consent to the determination of the Councel of Sardica and so commaunded him to be sente for home But M. Harding wil saie The woordes be plaine that Iulius restoared Athanasius It is true and not denied But the meaninge of these woordes is that Iulius pronounced him cleare in that he was accused of and therefore woorthy to be restored For it is certaine and M. Hardinge wel knoweth that Athanasius vpon Pope Iulius letters was not restoared The like is also written of others Cassiodorus saith Maximus quoque restituit beato Athanasio Communionem dignitatem Maximus also restoared vnto Athanasius bothe his Communion and also his dignitie That is to say pronounced him worthy to be restored For Maximus was not the Bishop of Rome These thinges considered M. Hardinge may make vp his reason thus The Pope had no authoritie to restore them that were deposed Ergo The Pope was not Head of the Churche Or thus The Emperour restoared suche as were deposed Ergo The Emperour was Head of the Churche M. Hardinge The .28 Diuision Concerninge the Reconciliation of the Prelates of the Churche bothe Bishoppes and Patriarkes to the Bishop of Rome 114 whereby his Primacie is acknowledged and confessed I neede not say much the mater beinge so euident After that the whole Churche of Aphrica had continued in Schisme and withdrawen them selues from the obedience of the See Apostolike through the entisement of Aurelius Archebishop of Carthago for the space of one hundred yeeres during which time by Goddes punishement they came into captiuitie of the Barbarous and cruel Vandales who were Arians at the length when it pleased God of his goodnesse to haue pitie on his people of that Prouince sending them Bellisarius the valiant Captaine that vanquished and destroied the Vandales and likewise Eulalius that godly Archebishop of Carthago that brought the Churche home againe and ioined the diuided members vnto the whole body the Catholike Churche a publike instrument conteininge the forme of their repentance and of their humble submission was offred and exhibited solemnely to Bonifacius the seconde then Pope by Eulalius in the name of that whole Prouince whiche was ioifully receiued and he therevpon foorthwith reconciled Of this reconciliation and restoaringe of the Aphricane Churches to the Catholike Churche the mystical body of Christe Bonifacius writeth his letters to Eulalius Bishop of Thessalonica requiringe him with the Churches there aboute to geue almightie God thankes for it But here if I woulde shew what Bishoppes diuidinge themselues through Heresie Schisme or other enormitie from the obedience of the See of Rome haue vpon better aduise submitted them selues to the same againe and therevpon haue beene reconciled I had a large fielde to walke in As inferiour Bishops of sundrie prouinces haue doone it so haue the greate Patriarkes doone likewise Amonge them that to satisfie the malicious minde of Eudoxia the Empresse practised their wicked conspiracie against Chrysostome through whiche he was deposed and caried away into bannishement Alexander Bishop of Antioche and Primate of the Orient was one 115 who at lengthe stroken with repentance for that he had beene bothe a consenter and a promotour of that wicked acte submitted him selfe humbly to Innocentius the Pope and by al meanes sought to be assoiled and reconciled And therefore sent his Legates to Rome to exhibite to Innocentius a solemne instrument of his repentance and lowly submission and to accepte what should be enioyned By whiche his humblenesse Innocentius mooued graunted to his petitions receiued him into the lappe of the Catholike Churche againe and thus was he reconciled Sundrie the like reconciliations of the Patriarkes of Alexandria and Hierusalem to the See the Rome in like cases might easely be recited whiche for auoidinge of tediousnesse I passe ouer as likewise of the Patriarkes of Constantinople whiche as wee reade in auncient stories haue forsaken the Churche of Rome twelue times and haue been reconciled to the same againe The B. of Sarisburie First M. Hardinge supposeth that this Latine woorde Reconciliatio can in no wise stande emongst equalles and bisides that touching the Reconciliation of the Churche of Antioche as it shal appeare he misreporteth the whole storie Upon suche groundes these proufes be builded For M. Harding knoweth that as Submission is made by the subiecte towardes his Prince so Reconciliation in proper manner of speache is made bitwéene equal frendes Concerning that is here touched of Eulalius the mater néedeth no longe
the way of peece Here Innocentius calleth Alexander his Schoolefelowe not his Subiecte or Underlinge And therefore he calleth him his Schoolefelowe of the Apostolique See for that S. Peter sate first at Antioche and after that in Rome and for that cause bothe these Sees of Peter the Apostle were called Apostolique Againe in an other Epistle vnto the same Alexander he writeth thus Voluit Compresbyter noster Cassianus hanc amicitiarum nostrarum paginulam quasi primitias pacis nostrae conscribi c. Cassianus our felowepriest woulde haue this instrument of our frendship to be written as the firste fruites of our peace Therefore I greete wel your brotherhoode and al others of that Churche that are of your minde Here Innocentius him selfe calleth this Composition an Instrument of Frendship or felowship not of Repentance or Humble Submission as it pleaseth M. Hardinge vntruely to translate it Neither dooth this woorde Reconciliation necessarily importe a Superioritie or a Maâ—stership but also and that moste commonly a Felowship or Equalitie as it is saide before So saithe S Paule Christe hathe reconciled bothe the Iewe and the Gentile in one Bodie And what is meante by that Reconciliation he expoundeth thus Omnes vnum sumus in Christo Iesu We are al one in Christe Iesu. So saithe Plinie the yonger Principis est reconciliate aemulas Ciuitates It is a Princes parte to reconcile Citties that contende for the Soueraintie Not that the one may be brought into Subiection to the other but that they may be made frendes and liue in peace So likewise saith Christe Vade Reconcilieris Fratri tuo Goe and be reconciled vnto thy Brother Thus therefore was the Patriarke of Antioche reconciled to the Bishoppe of Rome not as a Subiecte vnto his Prince but as in a Bodie one member vnto an other and for as muche as Innocentius him selfe vseth this woorde Condiscipuli as in a Schoole one Scholar vnto his felowe So where as there was mater of dissension betwéene the Churche of Rome and the Churche of Alexandria it séemed good to the Fathers in the Councel of Aphrica to intreate bitwéene them not that the Churche of Alexandria shoulde submitte her selfe as vnto her Heade and liue in Subiection but that they might be reconciled and liue in peace togeather So Liberatus saithe Petrus Moggus was reconciled vnto Asatius not as vnto his Superiour but as vnto his Brother In this sense writeth Hormisda Bishop of Rome vnto Epiphanius the Bishop of Constantinople A equale studium aequalem curam susâ—ipiamâ—s quibus vna est in Communione fide amicitia Seeinge we haue one frendship in Communion and in faithe let vs therefore take like studie and like care This manner of Reconciliation is largely set foorthe by Socrates in his storie and maye be abbridged in this sorte The Macedonian Heretiques hauinge forsaken their Heresies sent their messingers Eustathius Syluanus and Theophilus vnto Liberius the Bishop of Rome and to other the Bishoppes of the Weast Liberius vnderstandinge that their Faithe agreed fully with the Councel of Nice and with the Faithe that he him selfe and al the other Bishoppes of the Weaste Churche professed receiued them vnto the Communion and wrote fauourably vnto the Bishoppes of the East in their behalfe These Messingers departinge thence went into Sicilie and in a Councel of the Bishoppes there likewise Reconciled them selues vnto them and beinge returned home they sent abroade into al the Churches of those countries and willed them to consider the letters sent from Liberius the Bishop of Rome and from other Bishops of Italie Aphrica France Sicilie and al the Weast and to agrée and to Communicate togeather with them An other like example of Reconciliation we haue made by one Arsenius the Bishop of Hipsilitae vnto Athanasius the Bishop of Alexandria The woordes of the Reconciliation are these Nos volentes Ecclesiastico Canoni c. We desiringe to be subiecte to the Ecclesiastical Canon accordinge to the auncient order dooe write these vnto you Dilecte Papa beloued Pope and like wise doo promise in the name of our Lorde that wee hencefoorthe wil not Communicate with any Schismatikes or with any that haue not peace with the Catholique Churche whether they be Bishops Priestes or Deacons This Submission or Reconciliation was made vnto Athanasius yet was not Athanasius the Bishop of Rome This then was the manner of Reconciliation of Churches without any suche Humble Subiection as M. Hardinge fansieth or knowlege or token of Supremacie or any manner Uniuersal Power M. Hardinge The .29 Diuision Thus hauinge declared the Supreme auctoritie and Primacie of the Pope by the Common practise of the Churche I neede not to shewe further howe in 116 al questions doubtes and controuersies touchinge Faithe and Religion the See of Rome hath alwaies beene consulted howe the decision of al doubtful cases hathe beene referred to the iudgement of that See and to be shorte 117 howe al the worlde hath euer fetched light from thence For proufe whereof bicause it cannot be here declared briefely I remitte the learned reader to the Ecclesiastical stories where he shal finde this mater amply treated The B. of Sarisburie As Rome hauinge atchieued the Empier of the whole worlde bothe for renoume honoure and also for wisedome learninge which commonly folowe the Empier was the noblest and most famouse of al other Citties so for commoditie of accesse out of al Kingdomes and Countries bothe of the East of the Weast and also out of Aphrica and Aegypte and other countries of the Sowthe and also for receiuinge of Questions and Resolution of doubtes it seemed to be planted in the fittest place of al the worlde For as Thucydides calleth the Cittie of Athens Graecia of al Graecia so some called the Cittie of Rome in those daies of hir honoure Epitome orbis terrarum The abbridgemeÌ„t of the whole worlde The Admiration of this glorie drewe such resorte of people thither that Beda a learned man of this Countrie beinge there and seeinge the multitude of strangiers that came onely ot gase and to see newes expounded these foure solemne letters S. P. Q. R. in this wise Stultus populus quaerit Romam Foolishe Folke Flee to Rome Therefore for opportunitie of the place and expedition of answeare many maters of question and doubtful cases were brought thither Many I say but not al. For menne that wanted Councel wrote and sought vnto them that had the fame of learninge and were thought best hable to make them answeare So Marcellinus Dulcitius Bonifacius Euodius and others sent their questions to S. Augustine and desired his Counsel S. Ambrose saithe as it is before alleged that many that had beene with the B. of Rome woulde afterwarde for their better satisfaction sende to him And Leo him selfe beinge B. of Rome therefore as M. Hardinge thinketh the Oracle of al the worlde thouht it
of the Catholique or Uniuersal Churche like as also euery Godly man is a member of the same Thus writeth Calixtus Calixtus Archiepiscopus Ecclesiae Catholicae Vâ—bis Romae Thus Marcellus Marcellus Episcopus Sanctae Apostolicae Catholicae Vrbis Romae In these places Rome is called â–ª a Catholique that is to saye an Vniuesal Cittie partely to exclude the Churches of Heretiques whiche were méere Particular and partely also to signifie that the Churche there was then a Churche of the Catholique and Uniuersal Doctrine So likewise it is written in the Councel of Constantinople Clerici Monachi Apostolici Throni Antiochenae magnae Ciuitatis Catholicae Sanctae Ecclesiae Dei The Clerkes and Monkes of the Apostolique Throne of the greate Cittie of Antioche of the Catholique or Uniuersal Holy Churche of God Againe euery Bishop maye be called the Bishop of the Uniuersal Churche for that it is his duetie to care not onely for his owne flocke but also for al others of the whole Churche of God So saithe Origen Qui vocatur ad Episcoparum vocatur ad Seruitutem totius Ecclesiae Who so is called to a Bishoprike is called to the seruice of the whole Churche So Chrysostome exhortinge the whole people togeather saithe vnto them Vniâ—ersae Ecclesiae curam geramus Let euery one of vs take the care of the Vniâ—ersal Churche So likewise Pope Eleutherius writeth vnto the Bishops of Fraunce Huius rei gratia Vniuersalis vobis a Christo commissa est Ecclesia vt pro omnibus laboretis cunctis opem ferre non negligatis For that cause the whole Vniuersal Churche is committed vnto you that you shoulde trauayle for al and not be negligent to healpe al. Thus many wayes the Bishops both of Rome and of Antioche and of France were called the Bishops of the Uniuersal Churche But the Uniuersal Bishop none of them al was euer called Of Iohn of Constantinople that firste began to vsurpe that name Gregorie the Bishop of Rome writeth thus Despectis omnibus solus conatur appellari Episcopus Despisinge al other Bishoppes he woulde onely be called a Bishop So likewise saithe Pope Pelagius If the chiefe Patriarke be called Vniuersal then the reast haue lost the name of Patriarkes This is the meaninge of an Uniuersal Bishop and the very selfe same Infinite and Immoderate Power that M. Hardinge claimeth for the Bishop of Rome For so he hath already saide That the other three Patriarkes are no Patriarkes in deede but onely his Delegates and Seruauntes to doo that shal please him to commaunde them In stéede hereof M. Hardinge hath founde out a Bishop of the Uniuersal Churche and so leauinge the thinge that is demaunded he answeareth to that is not in question and priuily confesseth by his silence that hitherto he hathe not founde nor can finde his Uniuersal Bishop This answeare maye serue to that is here alleged of the Councel of Aphrica and the Epistle of Athanasius sauing that the Epistle bearinge that holy Fathers name as it is already prooued is nothinge elles but apparante forgerie The Bishoppes in the Councel of Aphrica bisides that they vtterly denied the Popes Uniuersal Power forbiddinge their Clerkes vpon payne of Excommunication to appeale to him sundrie times in the same Councel writinge vnto him they vse the name of Familiaritie and equalitie and cal him their Brother Now for a surplussage for as much as M. Harding with al his studie and conference with his frendes cannot yet â—inde out his Uniuersal Bishop in the Churche of Rome let vs see whether we may finde him in some other place and that not by the witnesse of a simple Priest or a Deacon but by the authoritie of Catholique Emperours and Councels and of the Bishop of Rome him selfe and that not by shiftinge of termes one for an other as M. Hardinge is driuen for wante in stéede of an Uniuersal Bishop to bringe in a Bishop of the Uniuersal Churche but in plaine manifest expresse woordes and such as in no wise may be denied In the Councel of Constantinople the Bishop there is scarcely saluted or intitled by other name For this is his common stile Oecumenico Patriarchae Iohanni To Iohn the Vniuersal Patriarke To Iohn the Father of Fathers and Vniuersal Bishop The holy Vniuersal Archebishop and Patriarke Mennas Nicephorus saithe The Bishoppe of Alexandria was intitled Iudex vniuersi orbis The Iudge of the whole worlde Clement vnto S. Iames the Bishop of Hierusalem writeth thus Clemens Iacobo Fratri Domini Episcopo Episcoporum regenti Hebraeorum Sanctam Ecclesiam Hierosolymis sed omnes Ecclesias quae vbique Die prouidentia fundatae sunt Clement vnto Imaes the Brother of our Lorde the Bishop of Bishops gouerning the holy Churche of the Iewes at Hierusalem and bisides that al the Churches that be founded euerywhere by Gods prouidence The Emperour Iustinian writeth thus Vnto Epiphanius the Archebishop of this Emperial Cittie Constantinople and Vniuersal Patriarke To conclude The Bishop of Rome him selfe thus saluteth the Bishop of Constantinople Therasio Generali Patriarchae Adrianus Seruus Seruorum Dei Vnto Therasius the General Patriarke Adrian the Seruant of Gods Seruantes And in the last Councel holden at Florence Ioseph the Bishop of Constantinople beinge there vsed the same title and wrote him selfe The Archebishop of New Rome and the Vniuersal Patriarke If M. Hardinge had so good euidence for the Bishoppe of Rome I beléeue he woulde not thus passe it away in silence M. Hardinge The .31 Diuision Concerninge the other name Heade of the Churche I meruaile not a litle that M. Iuel denieth that the Bishop of Rome was then so called Either he dooth contrary to his owne knowledge wherein he must needes be condemned in his owne iudgement and of his owne conscience or he is not so wel learned as of that side he is thought to be For who so euer trauaileth in the Readinge of the auncient Fathers findeth that name almost euery where attributed to Peter the firste Bishop of Rome 121 and consequently to the Successoure of Peter that name I saye either in termes equiualent or expressely Firste the Scripture calleth Peter Primum The first amonge the Apostles The names of the twelue Apostles saithe Matthewe are these Primus Simon qui dicitur Petrus First Simon who is called Peter And yet was not Peter first called of Christe but his brother Androwe before him as is before saide Dionysius that auncient writer calleth Peter sometyme Supremum decus The highest honoure for that he was most honourable of al the Apostles sometime Summum Sometime verticalem the chiefest and the highest apostle Origen vpon the beginninge of Iohn saith Let no man thinke that we set Iohn before Peter VVho maie so doo for who shoulde be higher of the Apostles then he who is and is called the toppe of them Cyprian calleth the Churche of
Rome in consideration of that Bishoppes supreme authoritie Ecclesiam principalem vnde vnitas Sacerdotalis exorta est The principal or chief Churche from whence the vnitie of Priestes is spronge Eusebius Caesariensis speakinge of Peter sent to Rome by Goddes prouidence to vanquis he Simon Magus calleth him Potentissimum maximum Apostolorum reliquoruÌ„ omnium principeÌ„ The mightiest of power and greatest of the Apostles and Prince of al the reaste Augustine commonly calleth Peter Primum Apostolorum First or chief of the Apostles Hierome Ambrose Leo and other doctours Prince of the Apostles Chrysostome vpon the place of Iohn cap. 21. Sequere me Folowe me amonge other thinges sayth thus If any woulde demaunde of me howe Iames tooke the See of Hierusalem that is to saie howe he became Bishop there I woulde answeare that this he meaneth Peter maister of the whole worlde made him gouernoure there And in an other place bringinge in that God saide to Hieremie I haue sette thee like an yron Piller and like a brasen walle But the father saith he made him ouer one nation but Christe made this man meaninge Peter ruler ouer the whole worlde c. And leaste these places shoulde seme to attribute this supreme Auctoritie to Peter onely and not also to his Successours it is to be remembred that Irenaeus and Cyprian acknowledge and cal the Churche of Rome chief and principale And Theodoretus in an Epistle to Leo calleth the same in consideration of the Bishop of that See his primacie Orbi terrarum praesidentem President or 122 bearinge rule ouer the worlde Ambrose vpon that place of Paule 1. Timoth. 3. where the Churche is called the pilloure and staie of the trueth saith thus CuÌ„ totus mundus Dei sit Ecclesia tamen domus eius dicitur cuius hodie rector est Damasus VVhere as the whole worlde is Gods yet the Churche is called his howse the ruler whereof at these daies is Damasus I woulde not werie and trouble the Reader with such a number of allegations were it not that M. Iuel beareth the worlde in hande we haue not one sentence or clause for vs to proue either this or any other of al his Articles But perhappes some one wil say yet I heare not the Bishop of Rome called Heade of the Vniuersal Churche what forceth it whether that very terme be founde in any auncient writer or no Other termes of the same vertue and power be oftentimes founde Is it not one to saye Heade of the vniuersal Church and to saie Ruler of Gods howse which Ambrose saith whereof this argument maie be made The Churche yea the Vniuersal Churche is the howse of God But Damasus Bishop of Rome is ruler of the howse of God after Ambrose Ergo Damasus is ruler of the Vniuersal Churche And by like right and title is the Pope who is Bishop of Rome nowe also ruler of the same VVhat other is it to cal the Churche of Rome the principal Churche respecte had to the Bishop there and not otherwise wherein a figure of speache is vsed as Irenaus and Cyprian doo and President or 123 sette in auctoritie ouer the whole worlde as Leo dothe then to cal the Bishop of Rome Heade of the Vniuersal Churche VVhat meaneth Chrysostome callinge Peter totius orbis magistrum The Maister and teacher of al the worlde and saieinge in an other place that Christ made Peter not ruler â—uer one nation as the father made Ieremie ouer the Iewes but ouer the whole worlde VVhat other I saye meaneth he thereby then that he is heade of the whole worlde and therefore of the Vniuersal Churche The 〈◊〉 of Sarisburie Touchinge the name of the Uniuersal Bishop M. Hardinge hath but one authoritie and yet the same can not be founde Touchinge the other name of Heade of the Churche he commeth in onely with ioyly bragges and great vauntes as if he were plaieinge at poste and shoulde winne al by vicinge He saithe If M. Iuel know this then he speaketh againste his conscience If he know it not then is he not learned To contende for learninge it were a childishe folie He is sufficiently learned that saith the trueth But if M. Hardinge with al his learninge be hable to finde out his Heade of the Churche he shal haue his request I wil graunt him to be learned He saithe The Bishop of Rome is so named either in termes equiualent or expressely Thus he doubteth at the mater and stammereth and faltereth at the beginninge But if the Bishop of Rome were the Heade of the Churche in déede and so allowed and taken in the worlde why was he neuer expressely and plainely named so Was there no man then in the worlde for the space of sixe hundred yéeres hable to expresse his name His termes of like force and meaninge whiche he calleth equiualent must néedes importe thus muche That the Bishop of Rome is aboue al General Councelles that he onely hath power to expounde the Scriptures and cannot erre nor be iudged of any man and that without him there is no health and that al the worlde ought to know him for the Uniuersal Heade vpon paine of damnation Thus muche the Pope him selfe claimeth by that name If M. Hardinges termes sounde not thus they are not equiualent It had beene the simpler and plainer dealinge for M. Hardinge to haue saide This name can not yet be founde and so to haue taken a longer daie As for the mater the question is moued of the Bishop of Rome the answeare is made of S. Peter as if S. Peter continued there Bishop stil vntil this daie But it is presumed that what so euer priuilege was in Peter the same muste néedes be in the B. of Rome by Succession yea although he haue not one sparke of Peter S. Peter in the Olde Fathers is diuersely called the First the Chiefe the Toppe the Highe Honour of the Apostles and in Eusebius and S. Augustine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Princeps Apostolorum In which last woordes of S. Augustine Eusebius I muste doo thée good Reader to vnderstande that Princeps is not alwaies takeÌ„ for a Prince or a Gouernour indewed with power but oftentimes for the first man or best of a companie So we reade in the Scriptures Princeps Familiae princeps legationis princeps Coquorum that is The Chiefe of the house or stocke The chiefe of the embassage the chiefe of the Cookes In this sense Cicero saithe Seruius Princeps in iure ciuili Philosophorum Princeps Aristippus Seruius the Chiefe in the Ciuile Lawe Aristippus the Chiefe of Philosophers So is S. Peter called Princeps Apostolorum And therefore S. Augustine calleth him Primum Praecipuum that is The First and the Chiefe of the Apostles We may not imagine as M. Hardinge seemeth to doo that Peter was made a Lorde or Prince and had Power and Dominion ouer his brethren
not of necessitie any rule or gouernement ouer others He might better haue turned it Ecclesiam orbis terrarum primariam The most notable or chief Churche of the worlde And so wolde his translation haue wel agreede with the Constitutions of the Emperour Iustinian wherein the preeminence of sittinge in the first place in al Councelles and Assemblies is by special Priuilege graunted to the Bishop of Rome Likewise it wil be replied That Cyprian calleth the Churche of Rome Ecclesiam Principalem The principal Churche whereof it were muche for M. Harding to reason thus The Churche of Rome is a Principal Churche Ergo The Bishop of Rome is Heade of the Vniuersal Churche For Cyprian him self in the same Epistle in plaine expresse woordes saith The authoritie of the Bishoppes of Aphrica is as good as the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome Cicero to blase the nobilitie of that Cittie calleth it Lucem orbis terrarum atque Arcem omnium Gentium The light of the Worlde and the Castle of al Nations Frontinus likewise Roma Vibs indiges terrarumque Dea. Rome is a wantles Cittie and the Goddesse of the worlde And S. Hierome of the same in his time saith Romanum Imperium nunc Vniuersas Gentes tenet The Empiâ—â—e of Rome nâ—we possesseth al Nations And therefore in the Councel of Chalcedon the Emperour of Rome is called Dominus Omnis Terrae Dominus Vniuersi Mundi The Lorde of al the Earth and the Lorde of the Whole Worlde In consideration as wel of this worldly state Maiestie as also of the number and constancie of Martyrs of the place of Peters trauaile of the Antiquitie of the Churche and of the puritie of Dâ—â—ctrine the Churche of Rome was called the Principal Churche of al others But he addeth further Vnde vnitas Sacerdotalis exâ—rta est From whence the Vnitie of the Priesthoode first beganne For that theise woordes seeme to weigh muche I thinke it good herein to heare the iudgemeÌ„t of some other man that maie seeme indiffereÌ„t Polydorus Uergilius expoundinge the same woordes of Cyprian writeth thus Ne quis erret nulla alia ratione Sacerdotalis ordo à Romano Episcopo profectus esse dici potest nisi apud Italos duntaxat id factum esse intelligatur cum perdiu ante aduentum Petri in vrbem Romam apud Hierosolymos Sacerdotium ritè institutum fuisse liquidâ— liqueat Least any man hereby deceiue him selfe it cannot in any other wise be saide that the order of Priesthoode grewe first from the Bishop of Rome onlesse we vnderstande it onely within Italie For it is cleare and out of question that priesthoode was orderly appointed at Hierusalem a good while before peter euer came to Rome This commendation therefor by the iudgement of Polydore was geuen by S. Cyprian to the Churche of Rome in respecte of Italie and not in respecte of the whole worlde And therefore S. Augustine sayth Ciuitas quasi Mater Caput est Caeterarum vnde etiam Metropolis appellatur The Cittie is as the Mother and the Heade of other townes and thereof in respecte of suche townes it is called the Mother Cittie And in this sense Chrysostome calleth the Cittie of Antioche Metropolim Fide The Mother of the Faithe M. Hardinge saith further The Churche is called the House of God the ruler whereof saith S. Aâ—â—rose in theise daies is Damasus Here is narrowe seekinge to finde out somewhat yet the same somewhat wil be worthe nothinge First what opinion S. Ambrose had herein it is easy els where of other his woordes to be seene In his Epistle vnto the Emperoure Ualentinian he calleth Damasus not Prince of the people nor Heade of the Churche nor Uniuersal Bishop but onely Bishop of the Churche of Rome And writinge vnto Siricius the Bishop of Rome he calleth him his Brother But he calleth Damasus by expresse woordes the Ruler of Goddes Churche He might haue had the like witnes of S. Hierome Damasus virgo Ecclesiae Virginis Doctor est Damasus beinge a Virgin is the teacher of the Churche that is a Virgin And what wil M. Hardinge geather hereof Or what thinketh he of Ambrose him self and of other Bishoppes was not euery of them the Ruler of the Churche of God Uerily S. Paule thus exhorteth the Cleregie of Ephesus at his departinge thence Take heede to youre selues and to the whole flocke wherein the Holy Ghost hath made you Oâ—erseers to rule the Churche of God whiche he hath gotten with his Bloâ—de There appeareth no other difference bytweene thiese woordes of S. Paule and the other of S. Ambrose sauinge onely that S. Ambrose saith Rector Ecclesiae and S. Paule saith Regere Ecclesiam Yet did not S. Paule by his woordes appointe the Ministers of Ephesus to rule ouer the whole Churche of God Thus S. Hierome calleth Origen Magistrum Ecclesiarum The Maister or teacher of the Churches Thus Theodoretus calleth Chrysostome Doctorem Orbis terrarum The teâ—cher of al the worlde Thus Nazianzene calleth S. Basile The Pillour and Butresse of the Churche But marke wel gentle Reader and thou shalt see that M. Hardinge hath pretily wreasted vp this place of S. Ambrose quite out of tune and of an Indefinite or a Particular Proposition coÌ„trary to his rules of Logique wil needes conclude an Uniuersal the better to mainteine the Popes Uniuersal power For that S. Ambrose speaketh indefinitely of a Churche without limitation of one or other that M. Hardinge streatcheth forceth to the whole Uniuersal Churche as if the whole Churche of God had benne at Rome The like kinde of erroure leadde Boniâ—acius the .8 to reason thus Dominus dixit generaliter Pasce oues meas non singulariter has aut illas Ergo commisisse intelligitur Vniuersas The Lorde saide generally vnto Peter Feede my sheepe he saide not specially Feede theise or them Therefore we must vnderstande that he committed them vnto Peter altogeather If M. Hardinge had not taken S. Ambrose vp so shorte by the woordes that immediatly folowe he might wel haue knowen his meaninge For thus he openeth what he meante by the House of God Ibi necesse est dicatur esse Domus Dei veritas vbi secundum voluntatem suam timetur There we must needes saie Goddes House and Trueth is wheresoeuer God is feared accordinge to his wil. This house was in al places where God was knowen and serued and not onely in the Churche of Rome Yet wil M. Hardinge saie Theise be euasions For S. Ambrose seemeth to acknowlege a special Rule and Gouernement in Damasus that was not common vnto others Certainely his woordes importe not so And howe canne we knowe his meaninge but by his woordes But to put the mater out of doubte let vs consider whether the self same forme of speache haue benne applied vnto any others in like sorte Arsenius in his submission writeth thus vnto Athanasius
to the people calleth him heade of the Churche saieinge Totius corporis membrum in ipso capite curat Ecclesiae in ipso vertice componit omnium membrorum Sanitatem He healeth the member of the whole Bodie in the heade it self of the Churche and in the toppe it self he ordereth the healthe of al the members And in an other place Saluator quando pro se Petro exolui iubet pro omnibus exoluisse videtur Quia sicut in Saluatore erant omnes causa Magisterij ita post Saluatorem in Petro omnes continentur ipsum enim constituit Caput 124 omnium Our Sauiour saith Augustine when as he commandeth paiment for the Emperour to be made for himself and for Peter he seemeth to haue paide for al. Bicause as al were in our Sauiour for cause of teachinge so after our Sauiour al are conteined in Peter for he ordeined him Heade of al. Here haue these men the plaine and expresse terme Heade of the reast Heade of the Churche Heade of al and therefore of the Vniuersal Churche VVhat wil they haue more Neither here can they saye that although this auctoritie and title of the Heade be geuen to Peter yet it is not deriued and transferred from him to his Successours For this is manifest that Christe instituted his Churche so as it shoulde continewe to the worldes ende accordinge to the saieinge of Esaie the Prophete Super solium Dauid c. Vpon the seate of Dauid and vpon his Kingedome shal Messias sitte to strengthen it and to esâ—ablis he it in iudgement and rightuousenes from this day for euermore And thereof it is euident that he ordeined those who then were in ministerie so as their auctoritie and power shoulde be deriued vnto their aftercommers for the vtilitie of the Churche for euer specially where as he saide Beholde I am with you vntil the ende of the worlde And therefore as Victor writeth in his storie of persecution of the Vandales Eugenius Bishop of Carthago conuented of Obadus a great Capitaine of Hunerike kinge of the Vandales about a Councel to â—e kepte in Aphrica for matters of the Faith betwixt the Arians supported by the Kinge and the Catholikes saide in this wise Sâ—nostram fidem c. If the kinges power desire to know our Faithe whiche is one and the true let him sende to his freendes I wil write also to my brethren that my Felowbishoppes come who may declare the faithe that is common to you and vs there he hath these woordes Et praecipuè Ecclesia Romana quae Caput est omniuÌ„ EcclesiaruÌ„ And specially the Churche of Rome which is the Heade of al the Churches Naminge the Churche of Rome he meaneth the Bishop there or his legates to be sente in his steede Thus it is prooued by good and ancient auctorities that the name and title of the Heade Ruler President chiefe and principal gouernour of the Churche is of the Fathers attributed not onely to Peter but also to his successours Bishoppes of the See Apostolike And therefore M. Iuel may thinke himselfe by this charitably admonished to remember his promise of yeeldinge and subscribinge The B. of Sarisburie I might wel passe al these authorities ouer without answeare as beinge no parte of this question For I trust the indifferent Reader of him selfe wil soone beléeue we séeke no quarel against S. Peter nor goe aboute to scanne his titles or to abbridge him of his right It is knowen that S. Peter by these Fathers here alleged Augustine Hierome Chrysostome and Cyril is called the Toppe Heade of the Apostles And if néede so required the same might be auoutched by authorities many moe For who is he that knoweth not this But M. Hardinge knoweth the case is moued not of S. Peter but specially namely of the Bishoppes of Rome And of them he knoweth he shoulde haue answeared if his minde had béene to deale plainely as he saithe fully to satisfie his Reader Within the space of the first sixe hundred yéeres there were in Rome .68 Bishoppes for their Constancie in the Faithe for their Uertue learninge farre excéedinge the reast that haue béene sithence The number of them beinge so great their learninge so notable their life so holy it is maruel M. Hardinge shoulde not be able to shewe that any one of them al in so longe a time was once called the Heade of the Churche therefore should thus reast onely vpon S. Peter who when he receiued these Titles was not Bishop of Rome of whom there is no question moued Wherefore M. Hardinge may better consider his note in the Margin where as he hath written thus Peter and his Successours called the Heade of the Churche expressely He may rather amende it and make it thus Onely Peter and not one of his successours called Heade of the Churche expressely So shoulde his note and his texte agrée togeather and so shoulde he not deceiue his Reader Here by the way I must put M. Hardinge in remembrance notwithstandinge for his estimations sake he would faine haue his foorth in these maters yet should he not therfore thus beguile the eies of the Simple thus misreporte falsifie the woordes of the Ancient Fathers For alleging S. Hierome he leaueth out woords and altogeather dissembleth the whole meaninge In S. Augustine he hath shifted placed one woorde for an other S. Hierome in that place with great contention of woordes commendeth S. Iohn aboue S. Peter namely for that S. Peter was a Maried man and S. Iohn a Uirgin In the heate of his talke he laieth this obiection against him selfe At dices Super PetruÌ„ fundatur Ecclesia licet id ipsum in alio loco super omnes Apostolos fiat cuncti Claues Regni Coelorum accipiant ex aequo super eos Ecclesiae fortitudo solidetur But thou wilt say The Churche was builte vpon Peter and not vpon Iohn Al be it in an other place the same is donne that is the Churche is builte vpon al the Apostles and al receiue the Keies of the Kingedome of Heauen and the strength of the Churche is builte equally vpon them al. M. Hardinge thought it good to skippe dissemble these woordes not withstandinge they be ioyned altogeather in one sentence with the reast It foloweth Tamen proptereà inter duodeâ—im vnus eligitur vt Capite constituto Schismatis tollatur occasio Sed cur non Iohannes electus est virgo Aetati delatum est quia Petrus Senior erat ne adhuc Adolescens pene Puer progressae aetatis hominibus praeferretur Notwithstandinge the Disciples were al equal yet therfore one is chosen amonge the twelue that a Heade being appointed occasion of Schisme might be taken away Thou wilt say againe And why was not Iohn being a virgin chosen to be this Heade He answeareth Christ gaue the preeminence vnto age For Peter was an aged man least that
goinge against this wil withdrawe them selues from the auctoritie of the Bishop of Rome Lo this is one chief inuincible reason that maketh me to be vnder the Bishop of Rome and compelleth me to confesse his primacie This farre Luther Thus I haue briefely touched some deale of the Scriptures of the Canons and Councelles of the Edictes of Emperours of the Fathers saieinges of the reasons and of the manifolde practises of the Churche whiche are wonte to be alleaged for the Popes primacie and supreme auctoritie VVith al I haue proued that whiche M. Iuel denteth 125 that the Bishop of Rome Withein sixe hundred yeeres after Christ hath beene called the Vniuersal Bishop of no smal number of menne of greate credite and verie ostentimes heade of the Vniuersal Churche both in termes equiualent and also expressely Nowe to the nexte article The B. of Sarisburie The case goeth somewhat hardely of M. Hardinges side when he is thus driuen for wante of other authorities to craue aide at Luthers hande Touchinge alteration in religion whiche it pleaseth him to name lightnes if he woulde soberly remember his owne often chaunges and the light occasions of the same he shoulde finde smal cause to condemne others Certainely D. Luther after God had once called him to be a minister of his Trueth neuer lookte backewarde from the plough nor refused the Grace that God had offred him notwithstandinge he sawe al the powers of the worlde were against him His argument is taken of the effectes or tokens of Goddes wil. The Pope saide he is auanced vnto a Monarchie or Emperial state of a Kingedome But he coulde neuer be so auanced without Goddes wil Ergo it was Goddes wil it shoulde be so Argumentes that be taken of Goddes permission or of the tokens of his wil make no necessary proufe either that the thinges in them selues be good or that God is pleased with them For God suffred Nabucodonozor Sennacherib Pharao and others and their very estates procéedinges were euident tokens of Goddes wil. For if his wil had béene otherwise they coulde not haue reigned Yet neither were they good men nor was God pleased with their dooinges So shal God suffer Antichriste to sitte euen in the holy place Daniel saithe Faciet prosperabitur He shal take his pleasure and shal prosper And againe Roborabitur fortitudo eius non in viribus suis. His power shal be confirmed but not through his owne strength but through the strength of God Yet shal not God therefore loue or fauour Antichriste or delite in his wickednes For S. Paule saith The Lorde shal kil him with the sprite of his mouth and shal destroy him with the brightnes and glorie of his comminge Now for as muche as it hath pleased M. Harding for the Conclusion hereof to touche the Effects of Godes wil I trust it shal not be paineful to thée gentle Reader likewise shortely to consider the effectes and sequeles of this Uniuersal power It is graunted that the Churche of Rome for sundrie causes before alleged was euermore from the beginninge the chiefe and moste notable aboue al others Notwithstandinge Eneas Syluius beinge him selfe a Bishop of Rome saith Ad Romanos pontifices ante Nicenum Concilium aliquis sanè si non magnus respectus fuit Verily there was some respecte had to the Bishoppes of Rome before the Councel of Nice although it were not great S. Cyprian in his time complained That Pride and Ambition seemed to lodge in priestes bosomes Origen in his time complained that the Ministers of Christe seemed euen then to passe the outrage of worldly Princes Yet was the Churche of God in those daies euerywhere vnder cruel and vehement persecution Therefore to abate this ambitious courrage order was afterwarde taken in the Councel of Carthage that no man shoulde be intitled the Highest Bishop or the Prince of Bishoppes or by any other like name The Greeke Bishoppes in the Councel of Antioche and the Bishoppes of Aphrica beinge in number twoo hundred and seuentéene in the Councel there founde them selues greeued with the Pride and Arrogancie of the Sée of Rome For that Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople tooke vpon him to be called the Uniuersal Bishop therefore Gregorie the Bishop of Rome called him Lucifer and the Messenger of Antichrist and saide He had chosen vnto him a proude and arrogant a pompous and a blasphemous name But after that by great sute made vnto the Emperour Phocas the Bishoppes of Rome them selues had once obteined the same title and had possessed enioied the same a longe while in the ende their pride was suche that it seemed intolerable Then they beganne to decrée and determine That euery mortal man is bounde to be subiecte to the Sée of Rome that vpon paine of damnation and that without the Obedience of that Sée noman is saued That the Bishop of Rome is an Uniuersal Iudge ouer al men and that he him selfe may be iudged by noman neither by Emperour nor by Kinge nor by al the Cleregie nor by the whole people For that it is written by the Prophets Esaie The Axe shal not glorie against him that heweth with it That what so euer he doo noman may presume to say vnto him Domine cur ita facis Sir why doo you thus That he hath al manner Lawe and Right in Scrinio pectoris sui in the Closet of his breaste That al other Bishoppes receiue of his fulnes That no Councelles can make lawes for the Churche of Rome and that the Bishop of Romes authoritie is plainely excepted out of al Councelles That notwithstandinge the Pope drawe innumerable companies of people after him into Helle yet no mortal man may dare to reâ—roue him That the Popes wil or pleasure standeth as a lawe In illis quae vult est ei pro ratione voluÌ„tas And that there is none other reason to be yéelded of his dooinges but onely this Quia ipse voluit For he woulde For of that that is nothinge he is hable to make some thinge Quia deâ—eo quod nihil est potest facere aliquid That he hath the right of bothe sweardes as wel of the Temporal as of the Spiritual That the Temporal Prince may not drawe his swearde but onely at his becke and sufferance ad nutum Patientiam Ecclesiae That he is Haeres Imperij the Heire apparent of the Empier and is seuen and fiftie degrees greater then the Emperour and that bicause in suche proportion the Sunne is greater then the Moone That it is lawful for him to depose kinges and Emperours as he did the Emperoure Henry the sixthe and Chilpericus the Frenche Kinge Then he made the Emperour of Christendome to lie downe flatte before him and spared not to sette his foote vpon his necke addinge withal theise woordes of the prophete Dauid Thou
Basile cal it the Communion not withstandinge it were priuately receiued whiche is cleane contrary to M. Iuelles sense But neither S. Hierome nor S. Basile euer called it the Masse that litle furthereth M. Hardinge sense They cal it a Communion not for that he that receiued it communicated with others in other places as M. Hardinge gheasseth but for that it was a portion of the holy Communion ministred and diuided openly in the Congregation to be receiued of the faithful The reason that M. Hardinge hereof geathereth muste néedes be this The husbande and his wife receiued the Sacramente at home Ergo the Prieste saide Priuate Masse He muste néedes be very simple that wil be ledde by suche single proufes S. Hieromes plaine woordes necessarily importe the contrary For if this were the custome in Rome for the space of foure hundred yéeres that the people shoulde communicate euery day Then must it néedes follow that duringe that time there was no custome there of priuate Masse M. Hardinge The .20 Diuision Damasus Bishoppe of Rome in S. Hieromes times writeth in libro pontificali that Milciades Pope and Martyr ordeined that the Sacrament in sundry portions consecrated by a Bishop should be sent abroade amonge the Churches for cause of Heretiques that the Catholike people of the Churches whiche woorde here signifieth as the Greeke woorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dothe so as it is not necessary to vnderstande that the Sacrament was directed onely to the material Churches but to the people of the Parishes mighte receiue the Catholike Communion and not communicate with Heretikes VVhiche doubtles must be vnderstanded of this priuate and single Communion in eache Catholike mans house and that where Heretikes bare the sway and Priestes might not be suffered to consecrate after the Catholike vsage Els if the Priestes might without let or disturbance haue so doone then what neede had it bene for Milciades to haue made such a prouision for sendinge abroade hostes sanctified for that purpose by the Consecration of a Bishop The place of Damasus hath thus Milciades fecit vt oblationes consecratae per Ecclesias ex consecratu Episcopi propter Haereticos dirigerentur Milciades ordeined that consecrated hostes shoulde be sente abroade amongst the Churches prepared by the consecration of a Bishop The two woordes propter haereticos for Heretikes added by Ado the writer of Martyrs liues openeth the meaninge and purporte of that Decree The B. of Sarisburie This gheasse is one of the weakest of al the reste and therefore M. Hardinge hath staied it vp on euery side with other gheasses that one gheasse mighte healpe an other The firste gheasse is what Damasus shoulde meane by these woordes propter Haereticos The next gheasse is that this order was taken by Milciades againste certaine Heretikes that in the holy Ministration keapte not the Catholike vsage The thirde gheasse is that this woorde Ecclesia muste néedes signifie the people of the parishes and not the material Churche The fourthe gheasse is that the Sacrament was then Consecrate in litle rounde Cakes as of late hath bene vsed The fifthe gheasse is that the Sacrament was sente to euery seueral house whiche must haue bene an infinite labour to the Deacon that caried it and wounderous paineful The sirt gheasse is that first euery husbande receiued the Sacrament in his house alone so the wife and so the seruantes so likewise the children euery one seuerally by him selfe alone Whiche thinge I recken M. Hardinge him selfe thinketh not very likely So many gheasses are here in a thronge heaped togeather Which if I denie altogeather M. Hardinge is hardely hable to proue If I graunte him altogeather without exception yet al are not hable to proue his priuate Masse Firste in this place of Damasus neither is there mention of any Masse nor any perfite sense or reason in the woordes For thus it is written Milciades fecit vt oblationes consecratae per Ecclesias ex consecratu Episcopi dirigerentur quod declaratur fermentum Milciades caused that th' oblations consecrate by the Churches by the Consecration of the Bishop shoulde be directed whiche is declared leauen Neither is there any kinde of thinge either goinge before or followinge after whereby we may gheasse the meaninge It is muche to sée so learned a man as M. Hardinge is so scanted of authorities that he is thus driuen to proue his Masse by suche places as be vtterly voide of sense reason But a man must vse such weapons as may be gotten The twoo woordes propter Haereticos that are patched in by Ado a man of late yeeres as they doo nothinge healpe the sense so haue they no healpe of the storie of that time For a man may wel demaunde of Ado this newe Doctour what were these straunge vnknowen Heretikes without name that you at the laste for a shifte haue espied out where beganne they where dwelte they what taught they howe longe continued they who mainteined them who confuted them what Councel condemned them For it séemeth somewhat straunge that there should be companies routes of Heretikes in the worlde that noman euer knew but Doctour Ado. And where as M. Hardinge putteth in of his owne bisides his booke for Damasus hath no suche thinge nor any other thinge like that these newe founde Heretikes in the Ministration keapte not the Catholique vsage he shoulde haue shewed for his credites sake what other vsage they keapte that was not Catholique for his woorde is not yet Canonized The worlde wil beleue neither him nor Ado without some proufe Further to increase absurdities he saithe by these woordes per Ecclesias is meante not the material Churche but the people of the Church that is to saie in plainer termes Ecclesia is not a Churche but a priuate house I graunte the Gréeke woorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of whiche our Englishe woorde Parishe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 séemeth to haue bene taken signifieth a Congregation or méetinge of neighbours or a companie dwellinge within some space togeather whether it be in compasse more or lesse So saithe Eusebius Dionysius writeth vnto Basilides the Bishop of the diuisions of Pentapolis Athanasius saithe that Demetrius tooke vpon him the Bishoprike of Alexandria and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the diuisions in Egypte In these places and certaine others that might be alleged out of Basile Nazianzene and other Gréeke fathers this woorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 séemeth to signifie a Bishoprike or a Diocese and not a seueral parishe And therefore Irenaeus thus writeth vnto Uictor Bishop of Rome The Priestes of Rome meaninge thereby the Bishoppes there sent the Sacrament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to them that came out of other dioceses or diuisions And Eusebius thus writeth of Hippolytus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He beyng Bishop of an other diuision Thus much touchinge this woorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beyng moued therto by the
denied that is that the Sacramente vvas euer Ministred vnto the people in one Kinde Openly in any Congregation or in the open order and vsage of any Churche Yet were there Churches then erected yet were there Priestes and people then yet was the holy Ministration then openly vsed in forme and order and learned men to recorde the same Al this not withstandinge M. Hardinge hath hitherto founde nothinge in the open Ministration in the Congregation and assemblie of the people whereby to prooue his Halfe Communion Wherfore there is no cause yet shewed to the contrary but M. Iuel may say nowe as he truly before saide in his Sermon The vvhole Communion vvas vsed throughout the vvhole Catholique Churche vnder Bothe Kindes sixe hundred yeeres after Christes Ascension in al Congregations and Churches vvithout exception But Christe hathe leaâ—te these maters to the discretion and determination of the Churche By what recorde may that appeare M. Hardinges woorde is no Charter Or if it be true where did the Churche euer so determine of it within the compasse of sixe hundred yeeres S. Augustine in this case is very reasonable his woordes be these Vbi authoritas deficit ibi consuetudo Maiorum pro lege tenenda est Where authoritie faileth there the Custome of our Elders muste holde for a Lawe But hauinge Goddes Woorde and Christes Institution we wante no authoritie The authoritie of the Church is greate I graunte but the causes that moued the Church of Rome to breake Christes Institution as the keapinge of the VVine Beardes and Palsies and suche like are not greate Not withstandinge M. Hardinge enlarge them muche and cal them Importante and vveightie causes The two Councels of Basile and Constance where this mater was firste concluded as they were at the leaste fourtene hundred yéeres after Christe and therefore not to be alleged in this case againste may assertion so the authoritie of them bothe â—angeth yet in question For the Thomistes say the Councel of Basile came vnlawfully togeather and that therefore al their determinations were in vaine And Pigghius saithe the other Councel of Constance concluded againste Nature againste the Scriptures againste Antiquitie and againste the Faithe of the Churche These be the twoo Councels that M. Hardinge woulde haue vs yeelde vnto VVe are bounde to heare the Churche saith M. Hardinge But much more are we bounde to heare God This saieing of S. Cyprian is woorthy déepely to be noted Non iungitur Ecclesiae qui ab Euangelio separatur He hath no felowship with the Churche that is diuided from the Gospel And likewise writinge against certaine that abused the Cuppe of Christe Ministringe therein Water in stéede of Wine he geueth this lesson to al Bishoppes and others toutchinge the Reformation of the Churche Religioni nostrae coÌ„gruit timori ipsi loco officio Sacerdotij nostri custodire Traditionis Dominicae veritatem quod prius apud quosdam videtur erratum Domino monente corrigere vt cùm in claritate sua Maiestate Coelesti venire coeperit inueniat nos tenere quod monuit obseruare quod docuit facere quod fecit It behoueth the Religion that we professe and our reuerence towardes God and the very place and office of our Priesthoode to keepe the trueth of the Lordes Tradition and by the Lordes aduertisement to correcte that thinge that by certaine hath beene amisse that when he shal come in his glorie and Maiestie he may finde vs to holde that he warned vs to keepe that he taught vs to doo that he did M. Hardinge The .29 Diuision Nowe for answeare to M. Iuelles place alleged out of Gelasius whiche is the chiefe that he and al other the aduersaries of the Churche haue to bringe for their purpose in this pointe this muche may be saide Firste that he allegeth Gelasius vntruely makinge him to sounde in Englishe otherwise then he doothe in Latine M. Iuels woordes be theâ—e Gelasius an olde Father of the Churche and a Bishop of Rome saithe that to Minister the Communion vnder one Kinde is open Sacrilege But where saithe Gelasius so This is no syncere handlinge of the mater And bicause he knewe the woordes of that Father imported not so muche guilefully he reciteth them in Latine and dothe not Englishe them whiche he woulde not haue omitted if they had so plainely made for his purpose The woordes of Gelasius be these Diuisio vnius eâ—usdemque Mysterij sine grandi sacrilegio non potest peruenire The Diuision of one and the same Mysterie can not come without great sacrilege Of these woordes he cannot conclude Gelasius to say that to minister the Communion vnder one kinde is open sacrilege Gelasius rebuketh and abhorreth the diuision of that highe Mysterie whiche vnder one forme and vnder bothe is vnum idemque One and the same not one vnder the forme of Breade and another vnder the forme of VVine not one in respecte of the Bodie and an other in respecte of the Bloude but vnum idemque one and the selfe same The woordes afore recited be taken out of a fragment of a Canon of Gelasius whiche is thus as we finde in Gratian. Comperimus autem quod quidam sumpta tantum Corporis sacri portione a calice sacrati cruoris abstineant Qui procul dubio quoniam nescio qua superstitione docentur adstringi aut integra sacramenta percipiant aut ab integris arceantur quia diuisio vnius eiusdemque Mysterij sine grandi sacrilegio non potest peruenire VVhiche may thus be Englished But we haue founde that some hauinge receiued onely the portion VVherein is the holy bodie absâ—eine from the Cuppe of the sacred Bloude who without doubte for as muche as I know not with what supersitition they be taught to be tied either let them receiue the whole Sacramentes or let them be keapte from the whole bicause the diuision of one and the same Mysterie can not come without greate sacrilege Here mighte be saide to M. Iuel â–ª she we vs the whole Epistle of Gelasius from whence this fragment is taken that we may weigh the circumstance and the causes why he wrote it conferringe that goeth before and that followeth and we wil frame you a reasonable answeare But it is not extant and therefore your argument in that respecte is of lesse force â—he B. of Sarisburie Neither are we the aduersaries of the Churche nor Gelasius the chiefest that we bringe for our purpose We follow Christe as he hath commaunded vs whome it became Gelasius also to followe But it is a worlde to sée into howe many faces and fashions M. Harding is faine to turne him selfe to auoide this authoritie of Gelasius He leaueth the whole route of his owne companie and is gladde to renne alone He expoundeth Gelasius by Leo as though they wrote bothe of one thinge And yet others of his owne side say that Leo wrote of Heretiques and Gelasius of Catholikes Leo
people without consent of a General Councel It appeareth wel God is not bounde to suche orders He hath oftentimes restoared his Churche and reformed Abuses and Heresies by particular conference within seueral Realmes and Countries as wée sée by these Priuate Councels holden at Carthage vnder S. Cyprian at Neocesaria in Pontus at Ancyra in Galatia at Gangra in Paphlagonia and by other like without any consent of a General Councel So likewise saith S. Ambrose against Secundus and Palladius The Bishoppes of the East parte and so the Bishoppes of the weast haue euer vsed seuerally to assemble them selues togeather as occasion was offered and to reforme their Churches by them selues without troublinge the whole worlde But saith M. Hardinge Christe him selfe hath by special vvoordes commended the authoritie of Councels Qui vos audit me audit He that heareth you heareth mee and he that despiseth you despiseth mee Wée denie not the truthe of these woordes notwithstanding it is plaine Christe spake there no more of a Councel then of any one priuate man hauinge Commission from him and dooinge his commaundement wherevnto the whole Councel is bounde to yeelde no lesse then others and without whiche the Councel be it neuer so General is no Councel But where did euer Christe geue commaundement that the Seruice should be saide in a strange vnknowen tongue Or where did any General Councel euer decrée it Once againe I aske M. Harding and gently desier his answeare where did any General Councel from the beginning of the worlde euer decrée that the people shoulde heare their Seruice in a strange vnknowen tongue If there be any suche Councel why dooth he not shewe it If there be none nor neuer were any why doth he thus mocke the worlde with the name of a Councel Cicero saithe very wel of him selfe Nihil nobis opus erat Lege de quibus nihil esset actum Legibus To restoare me from exile I needed no lawe against whome there was nothinge donne by Lawe So may we likewise say Wee neede no Councel to restoare Goddes Truthe that was taken away from vs without a Councel Euery Prince is bounde in the whole to see the Reformation of his owne Churche and Countrie Neither wil God holde him excused if he say I wil tarie til al other Princes and the whole worlde doo the like Iosue that noble Prince when he had assembled al the Tribes of Israel before him thus he spake vnto them Si malum vobis videtur vt seruiatis Domino optio vobis datur Ego autem Domus mea seruiemus Domino If ye thinke it il to serue the Lorde ye shal haue your choise but I and my house wil serue the Lorde It pleased God to plante this Church in this Realme three hundred yeeres before the first General Councel was holden at Nice The Lordes hande is not shortened He is likewise hable nowe to reforme the same by his holy Woorde without tarrieinge for a General Councel How be it the worlde may see these be but pretertes and vaine shiftes without any simple meaninge They haue now had a Councel of longe continuanâ—e They haue hearde the great complaintes of al Christian Kingdomes and Countries namely touchinge their Common Seruice M. Hardinge him selfe confâ—sseth It vvere good the people vnderstoode it Yet not withstandinge the Councel saithe No it were il it were not good and can in no wise abide it And so either the Councel condemneth M. Hardinge or els M. Hardinge condemneth his Councel But Christe saithe vnto vs Let the deade burie their deade come thou and followe me M. Hardinge The .32 Diuision Yet al standeth not in vnderstandinge S Augustine saithe notably Turbam non intelligendi viuacitas sed credendi simplicitas tutissimam facit That as for the common people it is not the quickenesse of vnderstandinge but the simplicitie of beleuinge that maketh them safest of al. And in another place Si propter eos solos Christus mortuus est qui certa intelligentâ—a possunt ista disceinere penè frustra in Ecclesia laboramus If Christe saithe he died onely for them whiche canne with certaine or sure vnderstandinge discerne these thinges concerninge God then is the laboure we take in the Churche in maner in vaine God requireth not so muche of vs how muche we vnderstande as howe muche we beleeue and through belefe howe muche we loue And when we shal al appeare before Christ in that dreadeful daie of Iudgemente 84 we shal not be required to geue an accompte of our vnderstandinge but faithe presupposed of our Charitie The B. of Sarisburie Where as M. Hardinge saithe Al standeth not in vnderstandinge If he meane thereby profounde knowledge and deepe conceiuinge of Mysteries as S. Augustine also meante it may wel be graunted Otherwise as touchinge the publique Seruice as Chrysostome saithe Onles the vnlearned vnderstande what thou praiest he is not edified neither canne he geue consent vnto thy prâ—ier thou throwest thy woordes into the winde and speakest in vaine And therfore the very substance of the Publique praier reasteth in the vnderstandinge of the hearer No man may iustly presume of that M. Hardinge saithe we shal not render accoumpte of our knowledge For at that terrible daie of the Lorde we shal assuredly render accoumpte of our wilful Ignorance Christe him selfe vnto whome God hath geuen al iudgement saithe If the blinde leade the blinde bothe shal fal into the pitte And againe This is the Condemnation of the worlde light is come into the worlde and men loue the darkenesse more then the light This saithe Christe is the Condemnation of the worlde And the wise man saith The wicked at that terrible time shal make their moane on this sorte Aberrauimus à via veritaris Iustitiae lumen non fulsit nobis Sol intelligentiae non exortus est nobis We straied from the way of the Trueth and the light of Iustice shined not before vs neither did the Sonne of vnderstandinge arise vnto vs. Chrysostome oftentimes complaineth of the peoples negligence in this behalfe Non sum inquis Monachus Vxorem habeo filios curam Domus Hoc illud est quod omnia quasi vna quadam peste corrumpit quòd Lectionem diuinaruÌ„ Scripturarum ad solos puâ—atis Monachos pertinere c. Thou wilt saie I am no Monke I haue wife and Children and charge of householde This is it that as it were with a Pestilence infecteth al togeather that ye thinke the readinge of the Holy Scriptures belongeth onely vnto Monkes He addeth further Multò est grauius atque deterius superfluam esse putare Legem Dei quà m illam omninò nescire Haec enim verba sunt quae de Diabolica prorsus meditatione promuntur The faulte is greater and more greeuous to thinke Goddes Lawe is superfluous and not needeful for thee then to be ignorant
haue the worlde beléeue that S. Gregorie woulde euer take these names and titles from Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople to the intent to lay them vpon his owne Sée of Rome Or is it likely that M. Harding knoweth S. Gregories minde better then euer S. Gregorie knew it him selfe Uâ—rily S. Gregorie not onely misliketh these titles in others but also disclaimeth the same from him selfe and from his Sée of Rome for euer For thus he writeth and his woordes be plaine Nullus Romanorum Pontificum hoc Singularitatis nomen assumpsit None of the Bishoppes of Rome â—uer receiued this name of singularitie Nullus decessorum meorum hoc tam profano vocabulo vti consensit None of my predicessours euer consented to vse this vngodly name Nos hunc honorem nolumus oblatum sucipere Wee beinge Bishoppes of Rome wil not take this honour beinge offered Vnto Vs. And the reason that he forceth against the Bishoppe of Constantinople may serue as wel against the Bishop of Rome For thus he saith Quid tu Christo Vniuersalis Ecclesiae Capiti in extremi Iudiâ—ij dicturus es examine qui cuncta eius membraâ—â—bimet conaris Vniuersalis appellatione supponere what answeare wilt thou make vnto Christe that in deede is the Head of the Vniuersal Church at the trial of the last Iudgement that thus goest about vnder the name of Vniuersal Bishop to subdue al his members vnto thee This is the very definition of an Uniuersal Bishop Thus the Bishop of Rome attempteth to subdue the whole Churche of God al the members of Christ vnto him selfe Therefore by S. Gregories iudgement he is the Forerenner of Antichriste And writing vnto Eulogius the Patriake of Alexandria he vseth these woordes Sanctitas vestra mihi sic loquitur Sicut iussistis Quod verbum Iussionis Peâ—o a meo auditu remouete Quia scio quis sim qui sitis Loco mihi fratres estis moribus patres Your holinesse writeth thus vnto me As you commaunded This woorde of Commaunding I beseeche you take away from my hearing For I know bothe what I am and also what you are In place or dignitie ye are my brethren in life and manners ye are my Fathers Againe he saith Ecce in praefatione Epistolae c. Beholde euen in the very preface of the Epistle that you sent vnto me you haue written the name of that Presumptuous title calling me the vniuersal Pope notwithstandinge I haue forbidden it I beseche your holinesse to doo it no more For you doo defraude your selfe when you geue an other more then reason woulde The selfe same meaninge M. Hardinge might haue founde twise written euen in the same place of S. Gregorie that he here allegeth if it had pleased him to consider either what went before or els what folowed immediatly after Before he writeth thus Non mea causa sed Dei est Nec solus ego sed toâ—a turbatur Ecclesia Quia piae Leges quia venerandae Synodi quia ipsa Domini nostri Iesu Christi mandaâ—a Superbi atque Pompatici cuiusdam sermonis inuentione turbantur It is Gods cause it is not mine Neither onely I but also the whole Churche is troubled For both the godly Lawes and the Reuerende Councels and the very coÌ„mâ—undementes of our Lorde Iesus Christe are comâ—red with the diuise of this proude pompous Title Immediatly after it foloweth thus Nunquid ego in hac re pijssime Domine propriaÌ„ cauâ—am defendo O my most Gratious Souâ—raine doo I herein defende mine owne right By these it may appeare that S. Gregorie being Bishop of Rome woulde not suffer the name of vniuersal Bishop to be geuen neither to any other Bishop nor to him selfe And where as S. Gregorie saithe The charge and chieftie of the whole Churche is committed vnto Peter in the sense it is spoken in wée denie it not S. Paule likewise saith of him selfe in like sense Incumbit mihi quotidiana cura omniuÌ„ EcclesiaruÌ„ There lieth vpon me the daily charge of al Churches And further saith I recken me selfe to be nothing inferiour in trauaile to the highest Apostles And wil M. Harding hereof reason thus Peter had the charge of the whole Churche Ergo The Pope is an vniuersal Bishop Certainely S. Gregorie saith Peter him selfe notwithstandinge he receiued the whole charge yet is he not called the vniuersal Apostle And can the Pope be that thinge that S. Peter him sâ—lfe coulde not be S. Gregorie driueth his reason thus If this title of vniuersalitie might belonge to any man it should chiefely belonge vnto S. Peter But it belongeth not vnto S. Peter Therefore it can belonge to no man Hereby it is plaine that the Bishop of Rome challengeth this day a title that S. Peter neuer had that no holy nor godly man woulde euer take vpon him that S. Gregorie vtterly refused and detested and called blasphemie And yet wil he séeme to mainteine his estate by the authoritie of this holy Father If S. Gregorie werâ— now aliue he woulde crie out as he did to the Emperour Mauritius O tempora O Mores O what a time is this O what manners are these Thus muche is M. Hardinge furthered by the authoritie of S. Gregorie M. Hardinge The .5 Diuision S. Cyprian declaringe the contempte of the 93 High Priest Christes Vicar in earthe to be cause of Schiâ—mes and Heresies writeth thus to Cornelius Pope and Martyr Neque enim aliunde Haereses obortae sunt c. Neither haue Haeresies or Schismes risen of any other occasion then of that the Prieste of God is not obeied and that one Priest for the time in the Churche and one Iudge for the time in steede of Christe is not thought vpon To whom if the whole brotherhead 95 that is the whole number of Christian people whiche be brethren togeather and were so called in the Primitiue Churche woulde be obedient accordinge to Goddes teachinges then no man woulde make a doo against the Colledge of Priesâ—es no man woulde make him selfe Iudge not of the Bishop nowe but of God after Goddes iudgement after the fauour of the people declared by their voices at the election after the consent of his felow bishoppes No man through breache of vnitie and strife woulde diuide the Churche of Christe No man standinge in his owne conceite and swelling with pride woulde set vp by him selfe abroade without the Churche a new Heresie The B. of Sarisburie Iâ— M. Hardinges cause were true he woulde not auouche it with suche vntrueth and so often corruption of the holy fathers If S. Cyprian writing this Epistle to Cornelius the Bishop of Rome once name him either the Highe Priâ—ste Or Christes Vicar General in earth Or Vniuersal Bishop Or Head of the Vniuersal Churche Or say that the vvhole Brotherhoode of al Christian people ought to be obedient vnto him As M. Hardinge vntruely and contrary to his ownâ—
exposition seeme very large yet if S. Cyprian him selfe had not opened his owne meaninge otherwise perhaps some man either of simplicitie or of ignorance might so take it But S. Cyprian that doubtles best knewe his owne minde vnderstandeth these woordes Fraternitas vniuersa not of al the vniuersal companie of al Christian people throughtout al the world as M. Harding doothe but of the vvhole brotherhoode within euery Seueral and Particular Diocese For thus he writeth in the nexte Epistle folowinge Ferè per prouincias vniuersas tenetur vt ad ordinationes ritè celebrandas ad eam plebem cui praepositus ordinatur Episcopi â—iusdem prouinciae proximi quique conueniant Episcopus deligatur plebe praesente c. Quod apud nos factum vidimus in Sabini Collegae nostri ordinatione vt de vniuersae fraterniâ—atis suffragio Episcopatus ei deferretur This order is in maÌ„ner keapte in al Prouinces that vnto the dewe orderinge or installinge of a Bishop the Bishoppes of the same prouince that dwel nearest come togeather to the people of that Citie vnto whiche a newe Bishop is appointed and that the Bishop be chosen in the presence of the people Whiche thinge we sawe donne in the Election and orderinge of our felow Bishop Sabinus that the Bishoprike was bestowed vpon him by the consent and voices of the vvhole brotherhoode Here vniuersa fraternitas vndoubtedly is vsed for the whole faithful companie of one Citie In like manner he writeth vnto Cornelius of certaine that were returned from Schismes and Errours vnto the vnitie of the Churche Meritò illos reuerâ—entes summo gaudio Clerus plebis fraternitas omnis excepit When they came againe bothe the Clergie and the vvhole brotherhoode of the people woorthily receiued them with great ioye So likewise the Emperour Honorius writeth vnto Bonifacius If twoo Bishoppes through ambition and contention happen to be chosen we wil that neither of them be allowed as Bishop But that he onely remaine in the Apostolique See whome out of the number of the Clergie godly discretion and the consent of the vvhole brotherhoode shal choose by a newe Election In these places M. Hardinge cannot denie but these woordes Vniuersa fraternitas Omnis fraternitas and Vniuersitatis consensus muste néedes be taken for one whole particular Brotherhoode within one Prouince or Diocese In the same sense Origen saithe Qui vocatur ad Episcopatum vocatur ad seruitutem Totius Ecclesiae He that is called vnto a Bishoprike is called vnto the seruice of the VVhole Churche Likewise againe he saithe Plus à me exigitur quà m à Diacono plus à Diacono quà m à Laico Qui verò Totius Ecclesiae arcem obtiner pro Omni Ecclesia reddet rationem There is more required of me beinge a Priest then of a Deacon more of a Deacon then of one of the people But he that keepeth the watche or Castel of the vvhole Churche whiche is euery Bishop in his Diocese shal yeelde a reckeninge for the whole In these places euery particular Churche is called the vvhole Churche And therefore Ignatius saithe Quid aliud est Episcopus quà m quidam obtinens principaâ—um potestatem suprà omnes What is a Bishop but one hauinge al rule and power ouer al These thinges wel weighed bisides the manifest corruption and falsifieinge of S. Cyprians bothe woordes and minde I doubte not but the weakenes also of M. Hardinges reason may soone appeare For vpon this place of S. Cyprian vntruely reported he woulde seeme to reason thus There must be one Bishop in one Churche or Diocese Ergo there must be one Bishop ouer al the worlde Or thus The whole Brotherhoode in euery Diocese ought to herken onely to one Bishop Ergo al Christian people throughâ—ut the worlde ought to be in subiection to the Bishop of Rome These argumentes bewraie themselues and therefore néede no further openinge Al this notwithstandinge if M. Hardinge wil saie S. Cyprians woordes must néedes importe one Uniuersal Bishop the same of necessitie muste be the Bishop of Rome let him then voutchesafe to reade the Epistle that the same S. Cyprian wrote vnto Florentius Pupianus There shal he finde that S. Cyprian euen in like forme and order speaketh these selfe same woordes of him selfe beinge as M. Hardinge knoweth the Bishop of Carthage in Aphrica and not the Bishop of Rome His woordes be these Vnde Schismaâ—a haereses obortae sunt oriuntur nisi dum Episcopus qui vnus est Ecclesiae praeest superba quorundam praesumptione contemnitur homo dignatione Dei honoraâ—us ab hominibus indignis iudicatur Wherehence haue Schismes and Heresies spronge heretofore and whereof springe they nowe but that the Bishop vvhiche is one and gouerneth the Churche by the presumptuous disdaine of certaine is despised and a man prefeâ—red by Goddes allowance is examined and iudged by vnwoorthy menne Al this S. Cyprian speaketh plainely and namely of him selfe beinge B. of Carthage Therefore it is greate ouersight to force the same onely to the B. of Rome and stoutely to say It can be applied vnto none other M. Hardinge The .6 Diuision Of al other authorities that of Athanasius and of the Bisshoppes of Egypte and Libya gathered togeather in a Synode at Alexandria is to be regarded Who makinge humble sute to Felix then Bishop of Rome for ayde and succoure againste the Arrians throughâ— the whole Epistle confessinge the supreme auctoritie of that Apostolike See vtter these very woordes Vestrae Apostolicae sedis imploramus auxilium c. We humbly beseeche you of the healpe of your Apostolike See Bicause as verily we beleeue God hath not despised the praiers of his seruauntes offered vp to him with teares but hath constituted and placed you and your predecessours who were Apostolike Prelates in the highest tower or supreme state and commaunded them to haue cure and charge of al Churches to thintent you helpe and succour vs and that defendinge vs as to whome iudgement of Bishoppes is committed you forslowe not through negligence to deliuer vs from our enemies Now if the Apostolike Churche of Rome hath obteined the primacie and preeminence of power ouer al Churches and ouer the whole flocke of Christen people of our Lorde Sauiour himselfe as Anacletus saithe if it be euident to al that knowe the Ghospel that the cure and charge of the whole Churche hath beene committed to the holy Apostle Peter Prince of al the Apostles by the woordâ— of our Lorde as Gregorie witnesseth if the whole Brotherhed that is to saye al Christen folke ought to obeye the one highe Priest or Bishop of God and the one Iudge that is Christes Vicar or in steede of Christe for the time accordinge to the preceptes and teachinges of God as Cyprian writeth if it be God that hath placed and ordeined the Bishop
vnto them aboue al others Noli altum sapere sed time Be not highe minded but stande in awe Wherefore it is the lesse to be marueled if they haue so ambitiousely at al times attempted dominion ouer others But M. Hardinge saithe the preeminence of power and authoritie of the Bishop of Rome is commended to the worlde by many and sundrie Councelles Wherein I maruel he allegeth not the Councel of Carthage of Hippo Regius and of Aphrica in whiche it was decreed thus Vt primae sedis Episcopus non appelletur Princeps sacerdoâ—um aut Summus sacerdos aut aliquid huiusmodi sed tantùm primae Sedis Episcopus That the Bishop of the firste See be not called the chiefe of Priestes or the highest Prieste or by any other like name but onely the Bishop of the firste See Or the Councel of Aphrica where toutchinge appeale to Rome it was specially prouided thus Si prouocandum putauerint non prouocent nisi ad Aphricana Concilia vel ad primates prouinciarum suarum Ad transmarina qui putauerit appellandum à nullo intra Aphricam in CoÌ„munionem suscipiatur If they thinke it needeful to appeale from their owne Bishoppes let them not appeale but onely vnto Councelles to be holden within the countrie of Aphrica But who so euer shal thinke it needeful to appeale to the iudgement of any beyonde the Sea that is to the Bishop of Rome let no man within Aphrica receiue him to his Communion Why doothe M. Hardinge so warily leaue these Councelles that be ertant and to be séene the authoritie whereof was neuer doubted of and allege onely a patche of the Councel of Nice whiche he him selfe confesseth was burnte and al the Bishoppes of the East parte who are supposed to haue made it protest openly vnder their handes and seales it was neuer made But M. Hardinge herein doothe muche like vnto the Arrians that accused Athanastus who were not ashamed to bringe in the names of certaine menne as beinge aliue to witnesse againste him and yet not withstandinge charged Athanasius with the same menne that he had slaine them Neither doo I sée wherefore M. Hardinge shoulde néede in this case to leane to the authoritie of any Councel For his Anacletus thought it better to make men beleeue he had his superioritie Not from the Apostles but from Christe him selfe And Faustinus Episcopus Potentinus claiminge for the Bishop of Rome in the Councel of Carthage and findinge him selfe to haue smal holde in this Canon of the Nicene Councel alleged rather Custome and prescription These be his woordes Tractandum est cum vestra beatitudine de Nicenis Canonibus vt conseruentur constituta eoruÌ„ Consuetudo Quia aliqua ordine Canone tenentur aliqua Consuetudine firmata sunt â–ª We must deale with your holines of the Canons of the Councel of Nice that thei maie be keapte both the Constitutions thereof and also the Custome For certaine thinges are holden by order and by Canon and certaine thinges are made good by Custome But Pope Nicolas the first vtterly refuseth not onely the Councel of Nice and al other Councelles in this behalfe but also the authoritie of Prescription and Custome For thus he saithe Animaduertendum est quia non Nicena non denique vlla Synodus quicquam Romanae contulit Ecclesiae priuâ—legij quae in Petro nouerat eam totius iura potestatis pleniter meruisse cunctarum Christi ouium regimen accepisse Ye muste consider that neither the Councel of Nice nor any other Councel euer gaue any priuilege to this Churche of Rome For this Churche knoweth that in Peter she hath fully deserued the right of al power and hath atteined the gouernement of al the sheepe of Christe But touchinge the forgerie of this Councel of Nice the very beginninge of the quarel and the whole storie standeth thus One Apiarius a Priest of the Churche of Sicca in Aphrica as it appeareth a very il man beinge iustly excommunicate bothe by his owne Bishop and also by a great number of other Bishoppes togeather in the Councel there appealed from them al vnto Zosimus then Bishop of Rome Zosimus without further knowlege of the cause neuer hearinge the other partie pronounced Apiarius to be innocent restoared him to the CoÌ„munion And vnderstandinge there was a Councel geathered in Aphrica touchinge the same sent thither Faustinus the Bishop of Potentia with twoo other priestes of Rome Philippus Asellus not onely to sée that the saide Apâ—arius without any further trial might be restoared vnto his right but also to make plea in the open Councel that it should be lawful for any prieste to appeale from his owne ordinarie or Metropolitane or Councel vnto the Apostolique See of Rome The Bishoppes of Aphrica answeared there was no law it shoulde be so Faustinus laide foorth this Canon of the Councel of Nice not made by the authoritie of the Bishops there but onely diuised by the Bishop of Rome The Bishops there emonge whome was S. Augustine that famous learned Father thought it was a forged mater therfore saide they woulde sende vnto Alexandria Antioche Constantinople for the very Original copies of the saide Councel and desired the Bishop of Rome to doo the same and saide that in the meane while they woulde doo as they had done before Upon this Message and returne of the answeare with the true Authentique copies from Cyrillus the Bishop of Alexandria Atticus the Bishop of Constantinople it appeared plainely vnto the worlde that the Canons were corrupted that the Pope had falsified the holy Councel and to thintent to auaunce his Apostolique Sée of Rome had diuised Priuileges and Prerogatiues of his owne Here mightâ— M. Hardinge wel bestowe his termes Here mighte he truely say The Pope coggeth and foisteth the die The Pope bombasteth the Canons of Councelles and the Decrees of holy Fathers vvith his counterfeite stuffinge The Bishoppes in the Councel of Aphrica hauinge thus throughly examined the trueth hereof wrote vnto Coelestinus beinge then Bishop of Rome in this wise Decreta Nicena c. The Decrees of the Councel of Nice haue committed both the inferior Clerkes and also the Bishopes vnto their Metropolitanes For it was discreetely and rightly considered that al maters are to be determined in the places where they began and that no Prouince canne lacke the Holy Goste whereby the Bishoppes of Christe may be hable bothe wisely to see and also constantely to mainteine the right and specially for that it is lawful for euery man that shal mislike the discretioÌ„ of his Iudges to appeale either to a Particular Councel within the same Realme or elles to the vniuersal Councel of the whole worlde Onles perchaunce some man wil saie God is hable to inspire the trial of Iustice into one man alone bicause he is Bishop of Rome and vvil not inspire the same into a
them yet can he not finde any one of them al that calleth the Bishop of Rome the Uniuersal Byshoppe or Head of the Uniuersal Churche Ireneaeus speaketh neither of Supremacie nor of Headship of the Churche nor of any other Uniuersal power Therefore M. Hardinge mistelleth his authours tale and auoucheth that he neuer meante For Irenaeus in that place writeth onely against Ualentinus Cerdon and Marcion which contrary to the Doctrine of the Apostles had diuised sundrie strange Heresies Fantasies of their owne For trial whereof he biddeth them to beholde the Churches whiche the Apostles had planted The Churche of Ephesus saith he first instructed by S. Paule and afterwarde continued by S. Iohn is a sufficient witnesse of the Apostles learninge Polycarpus beinge conuerted and taught by the Apostles instructed the Churche of Smyrna and al the Churches of Asia folow it Yet none of al these Churches euer allowed or receiued your strange doctrine yea the very wilde Barbarous nations that haue receiued the faithe of Christe at the Apostles handes onely by hearinge without any booke or letter if they should heare of these Heresies they would stoppe their eares Thus Irenaeus calleth foorth these Heretiques as wée doo now our Aduersaries to be tried by the Doctrine and Churches of the Apostles But he saith Valde longum est in hoc tali volumine omnium Ecclesiarum enumerare successiones It woulde be very longe in suche a booke as this is to recken vp the successions of al Churches Therefore he reasteth specially vpon the example of the Churche of Rome whiche he calleth Maximam antiquissimam omnibus cognitam The greatest most auncient and knowen to al men And saith By the example of this Churche wee confounde al peruerse Doctrine And addeth further Ad hanc Ecclesiam propter potentiorem principalitatem necesse est omnem Ecclesiam conuenire quia in hac semper conseruata est ea quae est ab Apostolis Traditio Vnto this Churche of Rome euery other Churche must agree The reason is For that in this Churche the Tradition of the Aposâ—les hath euer been keapte So the Emperours Gratian Ualentinian and Theodosius Commaunded al them to be called Catholiques that folow the Faithe that S. Peter deliuered to the See of Rome For the Apostles Doctrine is the trial and rule of Faithe This Doctrine at the beginninge was exactly obserued in Rome without corruption and therefore was that Churche in reuerence and estimation aboue others But they wil replie Irenaeus saith Propter potentiorem principalitateÌ„ Of these woordes groweth their errour They dreame of a Kingdome and Principalitie But Christe saith to his Disciples The kinges of Nations rule ouer them Vos auteÌ„ non sic But you may not so And Origen saith Qui vocatur ad Episcopatum non vocatur ad principatum sed ad seruitutem totius Ecclesiae He that is called to be a Bishop is not called to a principalitie but vnto the Seruice of the whole Churche The Principalitie that Irenaeus meante was the Ciuile Dominion and temporal state of the Citie of Rome in whiche God had then planted the Empier of the worlde and made al Nations subiecte vnto it And therefore the Churche of God beinge once inkendled there was more notable and better knowen vnto al Nations As for the Bishops of Rome that then were they had neither landes nor rentes but liued stil vnder the swearde in continual persecution as S. Paule saithe The ofshauinge of the worlde and the vilest of al people Farre from any shew or colour of Principalitie Yet that notwithstandinge the Churche there was called a principal and a chiefe Churche aboue others bicause of the Dominion and Principalitie of the Citie And in this sense Ecclesia principalis Is sometime vsed in the Olde Fathers In the Councel of Carthage it is written thus Placuit vt nemini sit facultas relicta principali Cathedra ad aliquam Ecclesiam in Dioecesi constitutam se conferre Wee thinke it good it be lawful for no man leauinge the principal Cheyre or Churche to goe to any other Churche within the Diocese Likewise Paulinus vnto Alypius Dominus in suis te ciuibus principalem cum principibus populi sui sede Apostolica meritò collocauit The Lorde hath woorthily placed thee in the See Apostolique a principal one emonge his Citizens with the Princes of his people Thus the Principalitie that Irenaeus meaneth stoode not in the preachinge of the Gospel but in the Ciuile estate and worldly Dominion not in the Bishop that professed Christe but in the Emperour that was an Heathen not in the Churche but in the persecutors and enimies of the Churche Therefore M. Hardinge reasoninge thus Rome had the power and Princehoode of the worlde Ergo The Bishop there was Head of the Vniuersal Churche séemeth not wel to weighe his owne Conclusion For of the same grouÌ„des wée might wel reason thus Rome now hath loste that power and Princehoode of the worlde Ergo The Bishop there is not now the Head of the Vniuersal Churche To be shorte If the Churche of Rome woulde now faithfully kéepe the Traditions and Doctrine of the Apostles wée would frankely yelde her al that honour that Iraeneus geueth her But she hath shaken of the yoke of Christe and wilfully breaketh Gods commaundementes to thintent to vpholde her owne Traditions For proufe wherof to passe ouer an infinite number of other disorders the Bishop there presumeth now to intitle him selfe The Vniuersal Bishop But S. Gregorie saith Nemo decessorum meorum hoc tam profano vocabulo vti consensit None of my predecessours euer consented to vse this vngodly name Therefore like as Irenaeus saithe of his time The Churche of Rome hath euer hitherto keapte the Tradition and Doctrine of the Apostles Ergo al Churches ought to take her for an example and to agree vnto her So may wée in contrary wise say of our time The Churche of Rome hath now broken the Traditions and Doctrine of the Apostles Ergo No Churche ought to folow her example and to agrée vnto her M. Hardinge The .10 Diuision Androw folowed our Sauiour before that Peter did Et tamen primatum non accepit Andreas sed Petrus And yet Androw receiued not the Primacie but Peter saith Ambrose The B. of Sarisburie This errour holdeth onely of the missevnderstandinge of this woorde Primatus which by M. Hardinges â—â—dgement must néedes signifie an Uniuersal power ouer the whole worlde Bâ—t it is easy to be shewed that Primatus emonge the Olde Fathers is farre 〈…〉 I meane for any superioritie or preferrement before others And first to beginne with S. Ambrose thus he writeth Esau pe◠〈…〉 Primatus amisit 〈…〉 of Rise potage lost the honâ—â—â— of 〈…〉 In like sorte writeth S. Augustine Esau Primatus suos non propâ—â—◠〈◊〉 sed 〈…〉 perdidit Likewise the Councel of Chalcedoâ— in the condemnation
the Councel of Carthage and gaue his consente That the Bishop of the first See should not be called neither the Prince or Chiefe of Priestes nor the Highest Priest nor by any other like title He knoweth also that S. Augustine afterward confirmed the same in a Councel holden at Hippo Regius in his owne Diocesse Likewise he knoweth that the same S. Augustine Decréed amonge other Bishoppes to the number of 217. in the Councel of Aphrica that it shoulde not be lawful for any man of those countreis to seeke for ayde ouer the Seas and to appeale to the Bishop of Rome and that whosoeuer so appealed shoulde stande Excommunicate and so vtterly condemned that Infinite Dominion and Uniuersal Power that so many haue sithence dreamed of Againe writinge vpon the Gospel of S. Iohn he saith Petrus erat oculus in Capite Peter was an eye in the Heade He saith not Peter was the Heade In these woordes appeareth plainely S. Augustines certaine and vndoubted iudgemente touchinge this mater The reast that is here brought in standeth onely vpon M. Hardinges geatheringe It is true that as wel S. Augustine as also other Godly Fathers rightly and wel in olde times yelded greate reuerence to the See of Rome bothe for the Antiquitie of the Churche and for the honour and memorie of S Peter and for the constancie of the Holie Martyrs that there had suffred and also for the puritie of Religion whiche was preserued there a longe tyme without spotte and might be a standerde vnto others But the greatest increase of outwarde estimation in the worlde vnto that See was the Imperial Seate and Presence of the Prince as notably appeareth by the firste Councel of Constantinople For these causes S. Augustine saith The See of Rome had the highest place and chiefe preeminence aboue others Perhaps M. Hardinge wil presse me further with this woorde Principatus whiche he expoundeth The Principalitie Howbeit I beleue he wil not saye Pâ—incipatus signifieth an Uniuersal power or Supreme gouernement and so his aduauntage of this woorde is not so greate Uerily Princeps in the Latine tongue is often vsed for a man that for his vertue or roome or any singular qualitie is to be had in estimation aboue others So Cicero saith Socrates princeps Philosophorum Grauitate dicendi princeps Plato princeps orbis terrarum Pompeius Like as also Chrysostome saithe Caput Prophetarum Elias Elias the Heade of the Prophetes In these places Princeps is taken not for a Prince or Gouernour but onely for a man that for his qualities is to be estéemed aboue the reaste And in this sense S. Augustine calleth the See of Rome as it was in his time Principatum Sedis Apostolicae and not in respecte of any Supreme gouernement for that he himselfe in the Councel of Aphrica as it is alreadie prooued vtterly denied him I graunte as S. Augustine saith The Bishop of Rome truely and diligently dooinge the parte of a Bishop he that then woulde haue denied him the chiefe preeminence for the respectes aboue touched had béene wicked or arrogant But the same Bishop of Rome nowe claiming to him selfe the title of Uniuersal Bishop as S. Gregorie saithe Is the Forerenner of Antichriste and the consenting to the same as the same Gregorie saithe Is the renouncinge and forsaking of the faithe I coulde further saye that M. Hardinge in these authorities of S. Augustine hath leafte out and transposed what he thought good and so hath shewed no simple dealinge In the first place S. Augustines woordes be these Episcopus videbat se Romanae Ecclesiae in qua semper Apostolicae Cathedrae viguit principatus per Communicatorias literas esse coniunctum He sawe him selfe by Letters of Conference to be ioyned with the Churche of Rome in which Churche the chiefe preeminence of the Apostolique See had euer flourished S. Augustine saith The Bishop there was ioyned with the Churche of Rome not by waye of Obedience or Subiection but by Letters of CoÌ„ference wherin is implied an equalitie or a felowship And afterwarde in the same Epistle S. Augustine saith That Meltiades the Bishop of Rome with certaine other Bishops hearde the mater betwéen Caecilianus and Donatus A casis nigris not by any his Uniuersal or Supreme Power as M. Harding imagineth but by special Commission from the Emperour And so was the Bishop of Rome the Emperours Delegate and that not in any Soueraine Authoritie but felowlike and equally ioyned with other Bishops and That afterwarde the same cause vpon complainte and mislikinge of Donatus was by the Emperour taken out of the Bishop of Romes handes and by a new Commission was put ouer to the hearing of the Bishop of Arle in Fraunce But where was then the Bishop of Romes supreme gouernement In the seconde place M. Hardinge hath notably falsified bothe S. Augustines woordes in the Latine and also his owne Translation in the Englishe S. Augustines woordes be these CoÌ„munis est nobis omnibus qui fungimur Episcopatus officio quamuis ipse in eo praeemineas celsiore fastigio Specula pastoralis Which woordes M. Hardinge by wilful deprauation hath altered thus Celsiore fastigio speculae pastoralis And so hath leafte the Adiectiue Communis without a Substantiue and the principal Uerbe Est without a Nominatiue Case And to serue his turne hath caused S. Augustine to speake false Latine This place of S. Augustine may be Englished thus The pastoral Watche Tower is common to vs al that beare the office of Bishops albeit thy preeminence is greater as sittinge in the higher roome M. Hardinges Translation is thus Thou thy selfe hast the preeminence ouer al being in the toppe of the pastoral Tower Wherein these woordes Ouer al are not sounde in S. Augustine but onely diuised at pleasure by M. Hardinge In the thirde place bisides other corruption he dissembleth the woordes that S. Augustine in the very same place allegeth out of S. Cyprian very wel seruing to this purpose The woords be these Nec Petrus vindicauit sibi aliquid aut arroganter assumpsit vt diceret se primatum tenere obtemperari sibi a nouellis posteris potius debere Neither did Peter chalenge any thinge or proudely presume of him selfe to say that he had the primacie and that therefore others as Nouices and vnderlinges should be obedient vnto him Al these thinges M. Harding dissembleth and so to fournishe out his mater and to smouthe his Reader he leaueth out what he listeth M. Hardinge The .15 Diuision The notable saieing of S. Hierome may not be let passe Ecclesiae salus a summi Sacerdotis dignitate pendet cui si non exors quaedam ab omnibus eminens detur potestas tot in Ecclesiis efficientur schismata quot Sacerdotes The safetie of the Churche hangeth of the worship of the high Priest 103 he meaneth the Pope Peters successour
visite Peter Ergo The Bishop of Rome is Head of the Churche Suche weake geare M. Harding hath brought foorthe And yet with his furniture of woordes it séemeth somewhat By the same reason he may prooue that S. Iames also was Heade of the Churche as wel as Peter for Paule saithe he visited him as wel as Peter And S. Hierome saithe of 〈◊〉 selfe That he purposely went to Alexandria to see Didymus yet was not Didymus therefore Heade of the Churche In déede Hugo Cardinalis saithe Hereof it first began that Bishoppes and Archebishops made a vowe to visite the Pope 〈◊〉 Paule wâ—nt to Hierusâ—lem to see Peter And saith further that Custome hath added to the same this CommandemeÌ„t written in the Deuteronomie Non appaâ—ebis in conspectu Domini vacâ—â—s Thou shalt not appeare in the presence of the Lorde without some what M. Hardinge trippinge as he saithe so nicely ouer the Doctours hath not yet once touched that thinge that was lookte for and that â—e hath onely with suche affiance taken in hande For not withstandingâ— a great pompe of â—oordes and the names of many holy Fathers yet hath he not hithâ—rto shewed that the Bishop of Rome within the space of sixe hundred yéeres after Christe was euer called the Uniuersal Bishop or the Heade of the Uniuersal Churche Whiche thinge if he coulde haue shewed I beleeue he woulde not sâ— lightly haue tripte it ouer M. Hardinge The .17 Diuision Now let vs see whether this chiefe auctoritie may be fâ—â—nde necessary by 〈◊〉 That a multitude whiche is in it selfe one cannot continue one onlesse it be 〈◊〉 and holden in by one bothe learned philosophers haue declared and the common nature of thinâ—es 〈◊〉 For euery multitude of their owne naâ—ure goeth a sunder into many and from an other it commâ—â—h that it is one and that it continueth one And that whereof it is one and is keapte in vnion or 〈◊〉 it is necessarie that it be one elles that selfe also shal neede the helpe of an other that it be 〈◊〉 For whiche cause that saieinge of Homere was alleged by Aristotle as most notable It is not good to haue many rulers let one be ruler Whereby is meante that pluralitie of soueraine rulers is not fitte to conteine and keepe vnitie of a multitude of subiectes Therefore sithe that the Churche of Christe is one â–ª for as there is one Faithe one Baptisme one callinge so there is one â–ª Churâ—he â–ª yea al we are one Bodie and members one of an other as S. Paule saithe and in our Crede we al profâ—sse to beleeue one holie Catholike and Apostolike Churche therefore I say it hath neede of one Prince and ruler to be keapte and holden in If iâ— be otherwise vnitie mustneedes foorth with be sparkled and broken a sunder And therefore it behoued that the rule and gouernement of the Churche shoulde be committed to one The B. of Sarisburie Al this is prooued by Aristotle the Philosopher by one verse of the Poete Homere and by M. Hardinges drifte of reason and none otherwise Aristoteles and Homeres authoritie in this case cannot be greate And yet they speake onely of one Captaine General in one fielde and of one Kinge in one Realme where as number or felowship must of necessitie breede confusion But neither of them euer dreamed this newe fantasie that one Kinge shoulde rule ouer the whole worlde M. Hardinges reasons woulde weigh the more if either Christe or Peter or Paule or any olde Doctour or Catholique Father had euer vsed the same Otherwise S. Augustine speakinge of discourse of Reason in the vnderstandinge of the Scripturâ—s saithe thus Haec consuetudo periculosa est Per Scripturas enim diuinas multò tutiùs ambulatur This manner of expoundinge is very dangerous The safâ—r way is to walke by the Scriptures The force of M. Hardinges reason caused Alexander the ambitious Kinge of Macedonie to say As the Heauens can hâ—ue but one Sunne so may the whole worlde haue but one Kinge And likewise Pope Bonifacâ—us the eighth to say as is before In principio creauit Deus coelum terram non in principijs In the beâ—inninge as in one God made Heauen and Earth and not in the beginninges as in mâ—ny Ergo the Pope is heade of the Churche But saithe M. Hardinge euery multitude naturally goeth a sunder and the thinge that keepeth it togeather mâ—st needes be 〈◊〉 That is to say It is the Pope onely that preserueth the vnitiâ— of the 〈◊〉 and makâ—th it one And therefore the Pope him selfe must needes be one otherwise beinge twoo or moe saith M. Hardinge they shoulde néede some other thinge to make them 〈◊〉 And yet he remâ—mbreth that the Councel of Syrmium â–ª to take vp the contention betwéene Felix and Liberius that ambitiâ—usely stroue togeather for the Sâ—â— of Rome willed them to be Bishoppes there bothe togeather â–ª whiche thinge notwithstandinge they meante not therefore neither to dissolue the vnitie of the Churche nor to make the Churche a Monster with twoo Heades And so Roffensis saithe The Churche is one not bicause of Christe but bicause of the Pope that keepeth it in one This reason that M. Hardinge vseth is newly diuised and was neuer râ—membred of any of the Olde Fathers S. Gregorie saithe None of â—y predecessoâ—â—s woulde euer take vpon him to vse this vngodly name â–ª 〈◊〉 be 〈◊〉 â–ª the Vâ—iuersal Bishop And yet it appeareth not but the Churche was then 〈◊〉 in vnitie Neither â—â—nne 〈◊〉 infiniâ—e power that is imagined stande without infinite great dangers And for as muche as it pleaseth M. Hardinge to auoutche the gouernement of Christes Churche by Philosophers and Poetes that neuer knew Christe it may also please him to remember that his Poetes likewise saie That when Phaeton an vndiscrete and a fonde younge man woulde néedes leape into Phebus his fathers Charet â–ª to carrie the Sunne Beames aboute the Heauens for lacke of skil he soone set a â—ier the whole worlde It may not muche displease M. Harding that I compare the Bishop of Rome with Phaeton a rashe yoâ—nge man For S. Gregorie for the same attempte and enterprise as it plainely appeareth by his woordes compareth him with Lucifer and with Antichriste And further saithe Si hanc causam acquanimiâ—er portamus vniuersae Ecclesiae Fidem corrumpimus â–ª If we take this mater quietly we destroy the faithe of the whole Churche This reason standeth thus The Churche of Christe is one Ergo the Pope is an Uniuersal Bishop If any man denie this sequele I maruel by what Logique M. Hardinge wil euer be hable to make it good M. Hardinge The .18 Diuision And where as these Gospellers say that Christe is the gouernour of the Churche and that he beinge one keepeth the Churche in Vnitie we answeare that although the Churche be firste and principally gouerned by Christe as al other thinges are
Spayne ordeined thus Presbyteri Clerici ne appellent nisi ad Aphricana Concilia Let it not be lawful for Priestes or Clerkes to Appeale to Rome but onely to the Councelles holden in Aphrica So in the Mileuitane Councel Si ab Episcopis appellandum putauerint non prouocent nisi ad Aphricana Concilia vel ad Primates Prouinciarum suarum Ad transmarina autem qui putauerint appellandum à nullo intra Aphricam in Communionem recipiantur If they thinke it meete to Appeale from their Bishops let them not Appeale but onely to the Councelles of Aphrica or vnto the Primates of their owne Prouinces But if they shal make their Appeale beyonde the Seas that is to Rome let no man in Aphrica receiue them to the Communion So likewise in the Councel of Aphrica Si fuerit prouocatum eligat is qui prouocauerit Iudices cum eo ille contra quem prouocauerit vt ab ipsis deinceps nulli liceat prouocare If Appeale be made let him that shal Appeale choose other Iudges of his side and likewise letthe other doo the same against whom he Appealeth that from them afterwarde it be lawful for neither of them to Appeale And agayne in the same Councel Non prouoceÌ„t nisi ad Aphricana Concilia Let them not appeale but onely vnto the Councelles holden within Aphrica and so foorthe woorde by woorde as is alleged out of the Councel of Mileuita But here I may not wel passe ouer Gratians Glose touchinge this mater For where as the Councel hath determined that if any man appeale beyonde the Seas he stande Excommunicate Gratian hath expounded salued it with this preatie exception Nisi forte Romanam Sedem appellauerint Onlesse they appeale to the See of Rome And so by his construction he excepteth that onely thinge out of the lawe for whiche onely thing the whole lawe was made For it is plaine and without al question that the Councel of Aphrica specially and namely meante to cut of al appeales to the See of Rome And yet those onely appeales Gratian by his Construction woulde haue to be saued But what can be so plaine as the Epistle of the twoo hundred seuentéene Bishoppes in the Councel of Aphrica sent vnto Coelestinus Bishop of Rome declaringe at length bothe the state and conueyance of the cause and also their griefe and misâ—iking of the whole mater The woordes lie thus Decreta Nicena siue inferioris gradus Clericos c. The Decrees of the Councel of Nice haue euidently committed bothe the Clerkes of inferiour roumes and also the Bishoppes them selues vnto their Metropolitanes For bothe iustly and discretely they prouided that al manner actions should be determined in the same places where they beganne and likewise thought that no Prouince should wante the Grace of the Holy Ghoste whereby Christian Bishops might be hable bothe wisely to consider and also constantly to mainteine the right And specially seeinge that libertie is geuen that if either partie mislike his Iudges order he may lawfully appeale either to a Conuocation of Bishoppes within the same Countrie or els to a General Councel Onlesse any man wil thinke that God is hable to inspire the Iustice of trial into one man alone meaning thereby the Bishop of Rome and wil denie the same to a greate number of Bishoppes beinge in Councel altogeather And how can your beyonde sea iudgement appeare good seeinge that the witnesses whiche be parties necessarie either for that they be wemen or for that they be aged and weake or for many other incident impedimentes cannot come vnto it As for any Delegates that should be sent as from your side wee finde no suche mater determined in any Councel And touchinge that you sent vs of late by Faustinus our felowbishop as parte of the Nicene Councel in the very true Councelles of Nice whiche wee haue receiued from holy Cyrillus the Bishop of Alexandria and from Atticus the Bishop of Constantinople c. wee finde no suche mater Neither sende yee nor graunte yee your Clerkes to execute causes at any mannes request least wee seeme to bringe a smokie puffe of worldly pride into the Churche of Christe whiche vnto them that desire to see God sheweth the light of simplicitie and humilitie c. The Byshoppes of the East parte of the worlde beinge Arians writinge vnto Iulius the Bishop of Rome tooke it gréeuousely that he woulde presume to ouer rule them and shewed him It was not lawful for him by any sleight or colour of appeale to vndoo that thinge that they had doone S. Cyprian findinge faulte with suche renninge to Rome and defeatinge of Iustice writeth vnto Cornelius the Bishop there in this sorte Cum aequum iustumque sit vt vniuscuiusque causa illic audiatur vbi crimen est admissum singulis pastoribus portio gregis sit adscripta quam regat vnusquisque gubernet rationem sui actus Domino redditurus oporteâ— vtique cos quibus praesumus non circumcursare nec EpiscoporuÌ„ concordiam cohaerentem sua subdola fallaci temeritate collidere sed agere illic causam suam vbi accusatores habere testes sui criminis possint nisi paucis desperatis perditis minor videtur esse authoritas Episcoporum in Aphrica constitutorum qui iam de illis iudicauerunt c. Seeinge it is meete and right that euery mans cause be hearde there where the faulte was committed and seeinge that euery Bishop hath a portion of the flocke allotted vnto him whiche he must rule and gouerne and yelde accompte vnto the Lorde for the same therfore it is not meete that they whom wee are appointed to ouersee doo thus ren aboute with their appeales and so with their suttle and deceiteful rashenesse breake that concorde and consent of Bishoppes But there ought they to pleade their cause where they may haue bothe accusers and witnesses of the faulte Onlesse perhaps a few desperate and lewde fellowes thinke the authoritie of the Bishoppes of Aphrica whiche haue already iudged and condemned them to be lesse then is the authoritie of other Byshoppes Hereby it is cleare that the godly Fathers and Bishoppes in olde times misliked muche this shiftinge of maters to Rome for that they saw it was the hinderance of right the increase of ambition the open breache of the holy Canons And therefore the Emperour Iustinian foreséeinge the disorders that hereof might grow to bridle this ambitious oultrage thought it necessary for his subâ—â—â—â—es to prouide a straite Law in this wise to the contrary Si quis Sanctissimorum Episcoporum eiusdem Synodi dubitationem aliquam adinuicer â—habeat siue pro Ecclesiastico iure siue pro alijs quibusdam rebus prius Metropolita eorum cum alijs de sua Synodo Episcopis causam examiner iudicet Quod si vtraque pars rata non habuerit ea quae
shal afterwarde be shewed more at large Donatus a Casis nigris was by the Emperour lawfully remooued from the Bishop of Rome to the Bishop of Arle in Fraunce Ostiensis woordes be these Non nocebit error si appelletur ad Maiorem quà m debuerit vel ad parem The errour shal not hurte if the appeale be made either to a higher Iudge then was meete or to an equal Where also it is thus noted in the Margin Appellari potest ad parem si de hoc sit consuetudo Appeale may be made vnto the equal if there be a custome of it Hereby it is plaine that the right of appeale by fine force of Law concludeth not any necessarie superioritie muche lesse this infinite power ouer the whole Uniuersal Churche But M. Harding might soone haue foreséene that this his first principle of Appeales woulde easily be turned against him selfe First for that it is wel knowen that Appeales then euen in the Ecclestastical causes were made vnto the Emperours and Ciuile Princes Secondely for that the Bishop of Rome determined suche cases of Appeale by warrant and Commission from the Emperour Thirdly for that maters beinge once hearde and determined by the Bishop of Rome haue béene by appeale from him remooued further vnto others As touchinge the first that appeales in Ecclesiastical causes were lawfully made vnto the Prince it is cleare by Eusebius by Socrates by Nicephorus and by S. Augustine in sundrie places Donatus beinge condemned by thréescore and tenne Bishops in Aphrica appealed vnto the Emperour Constantinus was receiued S. Augustine saith Parmenianus vltrò passus est suos adire CoÌ„stantinuÌ„ Parmenianus willingly suffered his felowes to goe vnto Themperour Constantinus Againe he saith Infero adhuc verba Constantini ex literis eius vbi se inter partes cognouisse innocenteÌ„ CaecilianuÌ„ comperisse restatur Here I bringe in the woordes of Constantine out of his owne letters wherein he confesseth that he hearde the parties and founde Caecilianus to be innocent Likewise he saith An fortè de Religione fas non est vt dicat Imperator vel quos miserit Imperator Cur ergo ad ImperatoreÌ„ legati vestri venerunt What is it not lawful for the Emperour or for such as shal be sent by the Emperour to pronounce sentence of Religion Wherefore then came your Embassadours vnto the Emperour And so likewise againe Si nihil debent in his causis Imperatores iubere Si ad Imperatores Christianos haec cura pertinere noÌ„ debet quis vrgebat maiores vestros causam Caeciliani ad lmperatoreÌ„ mittere If Emperours haue nothing to commaunde in these cases or if this mater nothing touche a Christian Emperours charge who then forced your predecessours to remoue Caecilianus mater vnto the Emperour Therefore the Emperour Constantinus summoned the Bishops of the East that had béene in the Councel of Tyrus to appeare before him to rendre accompte of their dooinges His woordes be these Vt re ipsa quà m sincerè ac rectè iudicaueritis oftendatis idque Coram me I wil you to make your appearance and to shew in deede how sincerely and iustly ye haue dealte And that euen before me By these few examples it may wel appeare that appeales in Ecclesiastical causes in those daies were made vnto the Prince and that it was thought lawful then for the Prince to haue the hearinge of the same Yet was not the Prince therefore the Head of the Uniuersal Churche Certainely S. Gregorie thought it not amisse to commit a Spiritual mater touching the purgation of a Bishop to Brunichilda the Frenche Quéene Notwithstanding it be noted thus in the Glose Fuit tamen hic nimiuÌ„ papaliter dispensaâ—um As touching the Bishop of Romes power herein it is certaine he hearde suche maters of appeale by warrant of the Emperours Commission and not as hauiâ—ge authoritie of him sâ—lfe S. Augustine openinge the contention betweene Caecilianus and Donatus a Casis nigris vttereth this mater at large in this wise An forte non debuit Romanae Ecclesiae Episcopus Milâ—iades cum Collegis transmarinis Episcopis illud sibi vsurpare iudicium quod ab Aphris septuaginta vbi Primas Tigisiâ—anus praesedit fueâ—at terminaâ—um Quid quòd nec ipse vsurpauiâ— Rogatus quippe Imperator Iudices misit Episcopos qui cum eo sederent But shoulde not the Bishop of Rome Miâ—â—icdes with otâ—er hâ—s fellowes Bishopâ—es beyonde the seas ioined togeatâ—er in Commission take vpon him tâ—e iudgeâ—ent of that thinâ—e that was determined before by threâ—score and tenne Bishoppes of Aâ—hrica emongest whom the Primate of Tigiâ—ita sâ—te as President And what if he never tooke it vpon him as of him selfe For the Emperour beinge intreâ—ted by the partie sente other Bishoppes to sitte with him The very copie of this Commission is yet to be seene bothe in Eusebius and also in Nicephorus Neither was the Bishop of Rome alone in that Commission but ioined togeather with Rheticius Maternus Marinus and Marcus whom the Emperour calleth his Commission fellowes The woordes of the Commission be these Constantinus Imperator Miâ—tiadi Episcopo Romano Marco c. Constantâ—nus the Emâ—erour vnto Miltiades the Bishoppe of Rome and vnto Marcus For as muche as sundrie letters haue beene sente vnto mee from Amlâ—inus â—ur moste Noble President of Aâ—hrica whâ—â—ein Caecilianus the Bishoppe of Carthage is â—ccused of many mateâ—s by ceâ—taine his fâ—lowes of the same Countrie c. Therefore I haue thought it good thâ—t the â—aide Caeciliâ—nus togeather with tenne Bishoppes his accusers and other tenne such as he shâ—l thâ—nke meete saâ—le to Rome that there in your presence togeather with Rheticius and Mâ—ternus and Marâ—nus your Felow Commissioners whom for that cause I haue wâ—lled to trâ—vel to â—ome he may be heâ—rde c. Here it is euident to be seene that the Bishop of Rome was the Emperours Delegate and in Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction had his authoritie and power not from S. Peter but from the Emperour Whereby it is easie to be geathered that the Bishoppe of Romes power was not so Uniuersal then as M. Hardings woulde séeme now to make it and that the worlde then vnderstoode not this Decrée of Pope Clemens the fifth whiche as it is reported he afterwarde published in the Councel of Uienna Omne ius Regum pendet a Papa Al the right of the Prince is 〈◊〉 frâ—m thâ— Pope Neither was the Bishop of Romes determination of suche force but that it was lawful then for the partie greeued to refuse his Iudgement and to appeale further And therefore Donatus beinge condemned before Miltiades appealed from him and vpon his complaint vnto the Emperour was put ouer vnto the Bishop of Arle in Fraunce and to certaine others And in conclusion vnderstandinge that iudgement there woulde passe against him last of al he appealed to the Emperours owne pâ—rson And the Emperour him selfe confesseth by
folowe any other Gospel accursed be he Yet was neither S. Ambrose nor Anastasius the Bishop of Rome As for the Execution of Sentence and Depriuinge or Deposinge of Bishops M. Hardinge knoweth the Bishop of Romes authoritie was to weake And therfore Innocentius saithe of Pelagius Quibus acceptis literis aut quando committer se nostro Iudicio Vpon what letters or when wil he yelde him selfe to my iudgemente For this cause Felix the Bishop of Rome praied ayde of the Emperour Zeno And the Emperour answeared Admisimus depositionem Anthymi We haue admitted the Deposition of Anthymus Otherwise the Popes sentence had béene in vayne And therefore the Emperour Constantinus saith of him selfe Si quis Episcoporum inconsultè tumultuatus sir Ministri Dei hoc est mea executione illius audacia coercebitur If any Bishop vndiscretely reare tumulte his rashenesse shal be repressed by the handes of Goddes Minister that is By my Execution And likewise the Emperour Iustinian hath set out a lawe in this sorte Si quis Episcopus definitum tempus emanserit c. If any Bishop tarie out his time appointed and beinge called home refuse to come let him be depriued and put from his Churche and an other better chosen in his roome he addeth by the vertue of this present Lavve By the force of this Lawe Bishops were deposed For without it the Pope was not hable to put his sentence in execution Nowe if M. Hardinge wil reason thus The Pope excommunicated other Bishoppes Ergo He was Heade of the Churche Then of the same principle we may wel to the contrary reason thus The Pope him selfe was Excommunicate by other Bishoppes Ergo The Pope was not the Heade of the Churche For the Antecedent That the Pope was pronounced Excommunicate by other Bishoppes it is out of question For it is recorded in the Ecclesiastical storie that Iulius beinge Bishoppe of Rome was Excommunicate by the Bishoppes of the Easte Pope Leo was excommunicate by Dioscorus Pope Uigilius was Excommunicate by Menna the Bishop of Constantinople And Pope Honorius was Excommunicate by the sixthe Councel holden at Constantinople Or if M. Hardinge repose more force in deposinge of Bishoppes then in Excommunication then let him likewise remember That Pope Iulius was deposed by the Bishoppes of the East as it is recorded by Sozomenus Pope Hildebrande by the Councel of Brixia Pope Iohn by the Councel of Constance Pope Eugenius by the Councel of Basile and two Popes togeather Syluerius and Uigilius by the Emperour Iustinian Thus M. Hardinges owne groundes ouerthrowe his whole buildinge and conclude plainely against him selfe M. Hardinge The .25 Diuision For the Popes auctoritie concerninge Confirmation of the Ordinations and Elections of 110 al Bishoppes many examples might easely be alleged as the request made to Iulius by the .90 Ariane Bishoppes assembled in Councel at Antioche against Athanasius that he woulde voutchsafe to ratifie and confirme those that they had chosen in place of Athanasius Paulus Marcellus and others whome they had condemned and depriued Also the earnest sute whiche Theodosius the Emperour made to Leo for confirmation of Anatolius and likewise that Martianus the Emperour made to him for confirmation of Proterius bothe Bishoppes of Alexandria as it appeareth by their letters written to Leo in their fauour And as for Anatolius Leo woulde not in any wise order and confirme him onlesse he woulde firste professe that he beleeued and helde the doctrine whiche was conteined in Leo his Epistle to Flauianus and woulde further by writinge witnesse that he agreed with Cyrillus and the other Catholike Fathers againste Nestorius For this if nothinge elles coulde be alleged the testimonie of holy Gregory were sufficient to make good credite Who vnderstandinge that Maximus was ordred Bishop of Salonae a Citie in Illyrico without the auctoritie and confirmation of the See Apostolike standinge in doubte least perhappes that had beene donne by commaundement of Mauritius the Emperour who did many other thinges wickedly thereof writeth to Constantina the Empresse thus Salonitanae ciuitatis Episcopus me ac responsali meo nesciente ordinatus est Et facta est res quae sub nullis anterioribus Principibus euenit The Bishop of the Citie of Salonae saith he is ordred neither I nor my deputie made priuie to it And herein that thinge hath beene done which neuer happened in the time of any Princes before our daies Thus it appeareth that before a thousande yeeres pasâ—e Bishoppes had their Ordination and Election confirmed by the See Apostolike The B. of Sarisburie If this reason may stande for good and who so euer hath the allowinge of the Election or Consecration of Bishoppes muste therefore be taken as Heade of the Churche then must the Church of necessitie haue many Heades For it is certaine the allowance hereof perteineth to many S. Ambrose saithe that al the Bishoppes bothe of the East and of the Weast gaue their Consent and Allowance to his Election Theodosius the Emperour standinge in the defence of Flauianus the Bishop of Constantinople saith That al the Bishops of the East of Asia Pontus Thracia and Illyricum had allowed his Election Eudoxius entred into the Bishoprike of Antioche without the allowance and Consent of Georgius the Bishop of Laodicea and of Marcus the Bishop of Arethusa and of other Bishoppes that had interest therein and is reproued for the same Gregorius Presbyter saithe for that the Election and Installation of Gregorie Nazianzene was paste before the Bishoppes of Egipte and Macedonia were come and so made without their consent that therefore they vtterly refused to allowe him or to admitte him as Bishop there not for any mislikinge in the partie but for that they thought them selues defrauded of their voices Anacletus decreeth thus Episcopus non minus quam à tribus Episcopis reliquisque omnibus assensum praebentibus vllatenus ordinetur Let a Bishop in no wise be ordred of lesse then three Bishoppes al the rest geuinge their assent to the same Hereby it appeareth that to the ratifieinge of the Election of any one Bishop the consent of al other Bishoppes within that Prouince was thought necessary Whiche Consent they testified emonge them selues by writinge letters of conference one to an other And therefore when Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople had intitled him selfe the Uniuersal Bishop Gregorie counselled Eulogius the Bishop of Alexandria and other Bishoppes of the East neither to write to him nor to receiue letters from him by that title Likewise the Bishoppes of the East when they had Excommunicate Iulius the Bishop of Rome gaue commaundement that no man shoulde either receiue his letters or write vnto him in token they helde him for no Bishop Neither did onely Bishoppes allowe such Elections but also bothe the Prince and the people When S. Ambrose beinge once chosen and appointed Bishop of Millane beganne
roughly to deale with the nobles of the Courte and to rebuke their faultes the Emperour Ualentinian saide Al this I knew before and therefore I not onely saide not naie but also gave my Voice and Assent to his Election Touchinge the Election of Nâ—ctarius Sozomenus writeth in this wise The Bishoppes that were present at the Election gaue vnto the Emperour in writinge sundrie names of suche as they thought meete for that roome The Emperour weighinge the persons set his seale vpon Nectarius name and elected him Gratianus the Emperour at his comminge to Constantinople embraced Gregorie Nazianzene and after some conference with him had saide vnto him O Father vnto thee and vnto thy labours God through vs committeth this Churche Beholde I geue vnto thee this Holy House and the Stal And the people besought the Emperour to set the Bishop in his Chaire The like might be saide of the Consent and Allowance of the people Anacletus as he is commonly alleged writeth thus Sacerdotes à proprio ordinentur Episcopo ita vt Ciues alij Sacerdotes assensum praebeant Let Priestes be ordred by their owne seueral Bishoppes so that the people and other Priestes geue their assent thereunto S. Cyprian saithe likewise The people beinge obedient vnto Goddes commaundementes hath power specially either to choose woorthy Priestes or to refuse the vnwoorthy Thus many voices were then thought necessary to the Admission of any Bishop Therefore this seemeth no sufficient grounde to prooue that the Bishop of Rome is Heade of the Churche For M. Hardinge might soone haue seene that the Bishop of Rome him selfe touchinge his owne Election was wonte to be allowed by other Bishoppes Uerily S. Cyprian writeth thus of the Allowance of Cornelius Bishop there Vt Cornelium noueris Coepiscoporum testimonio quorum numerus vniuersus per mundum concordi vnanimitate consensit That thou maiste know Cornelius by the testimonie of his Felowbishoppes the whole number of whome throughout the worlde hath agreed to the allowinge of his election with one consent Afterwarde in an Epistle vnto Cornelius himselfe he writeth thereof more at large Ad comprobandam ordinationem tuam facta authoritate maiore placuit vt per Episcopos omnes omninò in ista Prouincia positos literae fierent vt te vniuersi Collegae nostri Communicationem tuam id est Ecclesiae Catholicae vnitatem pariter charitatem probarent pariter tenerent To allowe thy Consecration more authoritie beinge geathered I thought it good that letters shoulde be sente vnto al the Bishops of this Prouince that al our bretherne might bothe allowe and holde bothe thee and thy Communion that is to say the Vnitie of the Catholique Churche If M. Hardinge wil say This was not the Confirmation of the Election of Cornelius it foloweth immediatly Sic Episcopatus tui veritas pariter dignitas apertissima luce manifestissima firmissima confirmatione fundata est Thus is the trueth and dignitie of thy Bishoprike founded in the open light and with moste manifest and most certaine Confirmation Thus when so euer any Bishop was eyther installed or deposed knowledge thereof was geuen vnto the other Bishops and the same either allowed or disallowed by his brethren But that the Bishop of Rome ordered and admitted al the Bishops throughout the worlde bysides that it hath no possibilitie or coloure of trueth in it selfe it is also easie by good recorde and authoritie to be reproued Agapetus Bishop of Rome about the yeere of our Lorde 540. after he had vpon occasion Consecrate Menna the Bishop of Constantinople he vttered these woordes in commendation of the partie Et hoc dignitati eius Mennae accedere credimus quòd à temporibus Petri Apostoli nullum alium vnquam Orientalis Ecclesia suscepit Episcopum manibus nostrae Sedis ordinatum And this is an augmentation of Mennaes dignitie that fithens the time of Peter the Apostle the East Churche neuer receiued any other Bishop Consecrate by the handes of our See Nowe aduise thée selfe good Reader whether thou wilt beleue Pope Agapetus or M. Hardinge And let not M. Hardinge finde faulte for that I place the Orderinge of Bishops in stéede of their Confirmation For he him selfe séemeth to make Confirmation and Ordering bothe one thinge or at least to ioine them bothe togeather These be his woordes Leo woulde not in any wise order and Confirme Anatolius Truely Liberatus saithe the manner was in Alexandria that who so euer was chosen Bishop there shoulde come to the Beare and laye his Predecessours hande vpon his heade and put on S. Markes Cloke and then was he sufficiently Confirmed Bishop without any mention made of Rome And S. Cyprian writeth vnto the Bishops of Spaine that Sabinus whom they had lawfully chosen Bishop shoulde so continue stil yea notwithstandinge Cornelius beinge then Bishop of Rome misliked him and woulde not Confirme him And that very Counterfeite Decrée of Anacletus â–ª that requireth al Bishops once in the yéere to present them selues in Rome extendeth not his commaundement throughout al the world but onely to the Bishops of the Prouince of Rome Thus staÌ„de the woordes Omnes Episcopi qui huius Apostolicae Sedis ordinationi subiacent c. Al Bishops that be bounde to haue their Orders Confirmed by this Apostolique See c. Whereby it maye be geathered the other Bishops were not subiecte to the Ordinaunce of that See And this was the faulte that Gregorie founde in the Bishop of Salonae that being within the Iurisdiction of his Prouince he was Consecrate without his knowledge And that Gregorie meant it not of al Bishops but onely of yâ— Bishop within his owne charge it is euident by his woordes For thus he writeth Episcopi mei Episcopi mihi commissi My Bishops Bishops beinge within my Cure And that the Citie of Salonae standinge in Illyricum was sometime within the Prouince of Rome it is plaine by the Epistle that Damasus the Bishop of Rome sent vnto the Bishops of Illyricum These be his woordes Par est omnes qui sunt in orbe Romano magistros consentire It is meete that al the teachers that be within the precinctes of the Romaine Iurisdiction agree togeather Where as it is alleged that the Bishop of Rome was required to ratifie the Election of Flauianus Anatolius and of the Arrian Bishops that was meante of a General allowance suche as was common to al Bishops specially to the foure Principal Patriarkes and not onely to the Bishop of Rome Neither was the Bishop of Romes Admission thought so necessarie as if he onely had a Uoice Negatiue to take in and to put out whom he listed but onely of Congruitie and Consent that it might appeare there was no Bishop in the Churche but was liked and allowed of al his Brethren For otherwise the Bishoppes of the East wrote thus vnto Iulius Si
the Empresse Eudoxia to appointe a Councel and yet coulde not obteine it Afterwarde he desired the Emperour Theodosius that he woulde cal a Councel to some place within Italie and the Emperour contrary to the Bishoppe of Romes petition appointed it to be holden at Ephesus After that he made the same request to the Emperour Martianus and the Emperour likewise contrarie to the Bishops humble request commanded the Councel to be keapte at Chalcedon And where as Leo had besought bothe these Emperours that it might please them to take a longer daie for the Councel for that the time of the Summon seemed very shortie and the waies were laide with enimies and therefore dangerous for the Bishoppes to trauel yet woulde neither of them alter one daie but charged eche man to appeare as they were Summoned And Leo the Bishop of Rome with al his Uniuersal power was faine to yeelde Hereby we maye soone coniecture howe true it is either that Pope Gelasius writeth That onely the Apostolique See of Rome decreed by her Authoritie that the Councel of Chalcedon should be Summoned Or els that M. Hardinge woulde haue vs beléeue That al Councelles were summoned by the Pope Neither was the Bishop of Rome nor his legate in his absence euermore the President or Chiefe of the Councel For it is knowen that in the Councel of Nice Eustathius the Patriarke of Antioche was the president and the Bishop of Romes Legates Uitus and Uincentius sate in the fourth roome beneath In the Councel of Constantinople Menna was the chiefe In the Councel of Sardica Osius of Corduba in Spaine In the Councel of Aquileia S. Ambrose of Millane In the Councel of Carthage Aurelius the Bishop there In the Councel of Chalcedon Leo the Bishop of Romes Legate had chiefe roome but by way of intreatie onely and by the Emperours special graunte not of dew right or Uniuersal Authoritie But saith M. Hardinge the Bishop of Rome allowed General Councels This is not denied So did others not onely Patriakes or Bishops but also Ciuil Princes In the Councel of Chalcedon it is written thus Diuae memoriae Theodosius confirmauit omnia quae iudicata sunta Sancta Vniuersali Synodo Generali Lege Theodosius the Emperour of godly memorie hath confirmed al thinges by a General Law that were determined in the Vniuersal Councel So likewise the Emperour Martianus Sacro nostrae Serenitatis edicto venerandam Synodum confirmamus By the holy Edicte of our Maâ—estie wee confirme that reuerende Councel So Eusebius witnesseth that the Emperour Constantinus confirmed the Determinations of the Councel of Nice So the Bishoppes in the Councel of Constantinople wrote vnto the Emperour Theodosius by these woordes Rogamus tuam clementiam vt per literas tuae Pietatis ratuÌ„ esse â—ubeas confirmefque Concilij Decretum Wee desire your fauour by your Highnesse letters to ratifie and Confirme the Decree of the Councel Now seinge it was lawful for Princes and Ciuile gouernours to confirme the Decrées Determinations of Councels how can wée doubt but it was lawful for Bishoppes also to doo the same Therefore Theodoretus saith The Conclusions of the Councel of Nice were sente abroade to other Bishoppes that were away And Uictorinus saith That many thousandes of Bishoppes allowed that same Councel and agreed vnto it Aboue al others the Subscription and Confirmation of the foure Principal Patriarkes was specially required for that bothe their charge and also their Countenance and Credite was greater then others Emonge whiche foure the Bishop of Rome was euer the first and therefore his consent séemed to beare greatest weight And for that cause the Emperour Martianus required Leo the Bishop of Rome to write vnto the Councel of Chalcedon and to declare that he gaue his consent to the Rule of Faith that was there determined And in like sorte the Emperour Theodosius requireth al Bishoppes to Subscribe and to geue their assente to the Councel of Nice For it is a rule agréeable vnto Law and Reason Quod omnes tangit ab omnibus debet approbari The thinge that toucheth al ought to be allowed by al. And therefore Iulius beinge Bishop of Rome pronounced that al the Actes of the Councel of Antioche were voide and of no force for that he being one of the foure Patriarkes was not called thither as wel as others For it appeareth by Eusebius Theodoretus and others that to al General Councels al Primates and Metropolitanes were specially summoned And this séemeth to be that Canon that Iulius allegeth that it was not lawful to make rules and orders for the whole Churche without the consent of the Bishop of Rome beinge one of the foure chiefe Patriarkes and hauinge in his Prouince one greate portion of the Churche And therefore Leo Bishop of Rome testifieth his consente to the Councel of Chalcedon by these woordes Fraternitas vestra nouit me definitionem Sanctae Synodi toto corde complexum esse Your brotherhoode knoweth that I haue embraced with my whole harte the Determâ—nation of that holy Councel And likewise vnto the Emperour Martianus he writeth thus Constitutionibus Synodalibus libens adieci sententiam meam Vnto these Constitutions of the Councel I haue gladly geuen my assent The ende hereof was not to shewe his Soueraine Power aboue al others but that the Decrees so ratified by him others might be had in more estimation So Leo him selfe writeth Clementia vestra arbitratur malum faciliùs delendum si per vniuersas Ecclesias Definitiones sanctae Synodi Apostolicae Sedi placuisse doceantur Your Highnes thinketh this â—uil wil the rather be suppressed if it be declared throughout al Churches that the Decrees of the holy Councel be wel liked of the Apostolique See But that the whole ratification of Councelles depended not onely of the Bishop of Rome but also of others no lesse then of him it is easie to be prooued The Bishops in the Romaine Councel in the time of Damasus condemned the Councel of the Arians holden at Ariminum for that neither the Bishop of Rome whose minde shoulde haue béene knowen before al others nor Uincentius nor any of the reaste had agreed vnto it Likewise the Councel of Carthage and of Aphrica are allowed for good not withstandinge the Bishop of Rome woulde not allow them The Councel of Chalcedon decreed that the Bishop of Constantinople should be in dignitie nexte vnto the Bishop of Rome and shoulde Consecrate the Metropolitanes of Asia Pontus and Thracia This decree Leo the Bishop of Rome very muche misliked and would neuer assent vnto it yet that not withstandinge it is in force and continueth stil. Liberatus thereof writeth thus Cùm Anatolius consentiente Concilio Primatum obtinuisset Legati verò Romani Episcopi contradicerent à ludicibus Episcopis omnibus illa contradictio suscepra non est Et licet sedes Apostolica nunc
thinge is streight way the Corruption of the same Origen saithe Si mutabuntur Coeli vtique non perit quod mutatur Al be it the Heauens shal be Changed yet the thinge that is Changed is not therefore vtterly abolished and put away The question betweene vs is not whether the Breade be the Bodie of Christe or no but whether in plaine and simple manner of speache it be Fleashely and Really the Bodie of Christe S. Augustine saithe Secundum Quendam Modum Sacramentum Corporis Christi Corpus Christi est After a Certaine Manner of speach the Sacrament of Christes Bodie is the Bodie of Christe And S. Ambrose him selfe herein séemeth wel and sufficiently to open his owne meaninge For thus he writeth as is before alleged Post Consecrationem Corupus Christi Significatur post Consecrationem sanguis Christi Nuncupatur In Typum Sanguinis Christi nos Calicem Sanguinis Mysticum percipimus Carnem Sanguinem quae pro nobis oblata sunt Significamus Similitudinem pretiosi Sanguinis bibis Est Figura Corporis Sanguinis Domini In Similitudinem accipis Sacramentum After Consecration the Bodie of Christe is Signified After Consecration it is Called the Bloude of Christe We receiue the Mystical Cuppe of Bloude in Example of the Bloude of Christe We Signifie the Fleashe and Bloud of Christe that were offered for vs Thou drinkest the Likenes of that Pretiouse Bloude It is a Figure of the Bodie and Bloude of our Lorde For a Likenes or Resemblance of the Bodie of Christe thou receiuest the Sacrament Thus many waies it seemed good to S. Ambrose to qualifie the heate and rigour of his other woordes Nowe if M. Hardinge as his manner is wil cal al these Naked Signes and Bare Figures let him then remember he maketh sporte game at S. Ambrose his owne Doctour â–ª But the Sacramentes of Christe notwithstandinge they be Signes and Figures as they be commonly called of al the Olde Fathers yet are they not therefore Bare and Naked For God by them like as also by his Holy Woorde worketh mightily and effectually in the hartes of the Faithful Touchinge the force of Goddes woorde S. Ambrose writeth thus Vidimus oculis nostris perspeximus in vestigia ClauoruÌ„ eius digitos nostros inseruimus Videmur enim nobis vidisse quem legimus spectasse pendentem vulnera eius Spiritu Ecclesiae scruâ—ante tentasse We haue seene him and beholden him with our eies and haue thrust our fingers into the very holes of his nayles For we seeme to haue seene him whome we haue read and to haue beholden him hanginge on the Crosse and with the feelinge Sprite of the Churche to haue searched his Woundes So saithe S. Cyprian Cruci haeremus Sanguinem sugimus intra ipsa Redemptoris nostri vulnera figimus linguam VVe cleaue to the Crosse and sucke vp the Bloude and thrust our tongues euen within the VVoundes of our Redeemer And in this respecte S. Ambrose saithe Baptismus est Mysterium quod oculus non vidit nec auris audiuit nec in Cor hominis ascendit Baptisme is not bare Water but a Mysterie that the eye neuer sawe the eare neuer hearde nor neuer entred into the harte of Man In respect hereof the Element of Water seemeth nothinge Euen so in respecte of Christes Bodie and Bloude that are represented the Breade and Wine seeme nothinge Thus S. Ambrose saithe in either Sacrament the power of Consecration is greater then the power of Nature Thus by Consecration Nature is Changed M. Hardinge The .4 Diuision Accordinge to the whiche meaninge Theodoretus saith Videri tangi possunt sicut prius intelliguntur autem ea esse quae facta sunt creduntur The Breade and VVine may be seene and felt eas before Consecration but they are vnderstanded to be the thinges whiche they are made and beleeued The B. of Sarisburie Here good Christian Reader I beseche the to consider thus muche by the way In the Uniuersitie of Oxforde and in the late Solemne Disputation holden there againste that godly Father and Martyr of blissed Memorie D. Cranmere the Archebishop of Canturburie the Authoritie of this Father Theodoretus was vtterly refused in open audience for that he was a Grecian and therfore not thought to iudge Catholiquely of the Sacramentes accordinge to the late Determination of the Churche of Rome Whiche thinge notwithstandinge it appeareth M. Hardinge hath nowe reconciled him and made him Catholique How be it this thinge séemeth very strange that one man in the vtteringe of one Sentence without any manner alteringe or change of Woorde should be bothe an Heretique and a Catholique bothe togeather Concerninge the greatest Substance hereof this place of Theodoretus is answeared before in the eighth Article and in the .28 Diuision Here he saithe That the Breade and the Wine are seene and touched as they were before Hereof M. Hardinge concludeth thus Ergo there is neither Breade nor Wine remaininge but onely Accidentes and shewes without Substance This Argument of it selfe is strange and woonderful and the more for that it concludeth plaine contrary not onely to the meaninge but also to the expresse and euident woordes of Theodoretus For thus his woordes lie Qui se ipsum appellauit vitem ille Symbola Signa quae videntur appellatione Corporis Sanguinis honorauit non Naturam mutans c. He that calleth him selfe the Vine honoured the Signes and Tokens whereby he meaneth the Sacramentes that be seene with the name of his Bodie and Bloude not changinge the Nature therof c. And againe Signa Mystica post Sanctificationem non recedunt à Natura sua Manent enim in priori Substantia The Mystical Signes after the Consecration departe not from their owne Nature For they remaine in their former Substance Now let vs compare this texte with M. Hardinges Glose Theodoretus saith The Breade and Wine departe not from their Owne Nature M. Hardinge saithe They departe vtterly from their Owne Nature Theodoretus saithe The Breade and VVine remaine in their former Substance M. Hardinge saithe There remaine onely the Shewes and Accidentes of Breade and VVine without any their former Substance It is a bolde Glose that thus dareth to ouerthrowe the manifest meaninge of the Texte I trowe suche dealinge shoulde be rectified by a Write of Errour Of these plaine woordes of Theodoretus we may wel conclude thus against M. Hardinge The Substance of the Breade and Wine remaineth stil as it was before Therefore the Accidentes and Shewes of Breade and Wine be not there without their Substance For the rest How these Mystical Signes be vnderstanded and beleeued to be the Bodie and Bloude of Christe it is answeared before in the eighth Article and .28 Diuision M. Hardinge The .5 Diuision VVe doo not in like sorte saithe S. Augustine take these two formes of Breade and VVine after Consecration
Exaplus of Origen For there is not one of al these but may be chalenged in like sorte Touchinge S. Hieromes Translation of the Bible into the Sclauon tongue M. Hardinge seemeth to stande in doubte How be it Hosius his companion saith In Dalmaâ—icam Linguam Sacros Libros Hieronymum vertisse constat It is certaine and out of doubte that S. Hierome Translated the Bible into the Sclauon tongue The like wherof is reported by Alphonsus Neither can M. Harding shew vs any errour or ouersight in that whole Translation of S. Hierome And therefore he seemeth to condemne that godly Father and yet knoweth no cause why Allate Translations saith he haue beene made in fauour of Heresies and therefore they may woorthily be mystrusted But wil these men neuer leaue these childishe colours deale plainely If there be errours and such errours in these Late Translations why doo they not discrie them If there be none why doo they thus condemne them But the greatest Heresie that can be holden and that toucheth them nearest is the reuelinge of the vsurped Authoritie and Tyrannie of the Churche of Rome For so it is determined by Pope Nicolas Qui Romanae Ecclesiae Priuilegium auferre conatur hic procul dubio in Haeresim labitur est dicendus Haereticus Who so euer attempteth to abbridge the Authoritie of the Churche of Rome falleth doubtlesse into an Heresie and ought to be called an Heretique M. Hardinge The .16 Diuision As for the Churche of this lande of Britaine the Faith hath continued in it thirteene hundred yeeres vntil nowe of late 211 without hauinge the Bible translated into the Vulgare tongue to be vsed of al in common Our Lorde graunte we yeelde no woorse soules to God nowe hauinge the Scriptures in our owne tongue and talkinge so muche of the Gospel then our auncesters haue doone before vs. This Ilande saithe Beda speakinge of the estate the Churche was in at his daies at this present accordinge to the number of Bookes that Goddes Lawe was written in doothe serche and confesse one and the selfe same knowledge of the highe truethe and of the true highth with the tongues of fiue Nations of the Englishe the Britons the Scottes the Pightes and the Latines Quae meditatione Scripturarum caeteris omnibus est facta communis VVhiche tongue of the Latines saithe he is for the studiâ— and meditation of the Scriptures made common to al the other Verely as the Latine tongue was then common to al the Nations of this lande â–ª beinge of distinct languages for the studie of the Scriptures as Beda reporteth so the same onely hathe alwaies vntil our time beene common to al the Countreis and Nations of the Occidental or VVeast Churche for the same purpose and thereof it hathe beene called the Latine Churche VVherefore to conclude they that shewe them selues so earnest and zelous for the translation of the Scriptures into al vulgare and barbarous tongues it behoueth them after the opinion of wise men to see first that no faultes be founde in their Translations 212 as hitherto many haue beene founde And a smal fault committed in the handling of Gods woorde is to be taken for a great crime Nexte that for as much as such traÌ„slations perteine to al Christen people they be referred to the iudgement of the whole Churche of euery language and commended to the Laitie by the wisedome and auctoritie of the Clergiâ— hauinge charge of their soules Furthermore that there be some choise exception and limitation of time place and persons and also of partes of the Scriptures after the discrete ordinaunces of the Iewes Amongest whom it was not lauful that any shoulde reade certaine partes of the Bible before he had fulfilled the time of the Priestly Ministerie whiche was the age of thirtie yeeres as S. Hierome witnesseth Lasâ—ly that the settinge foorthe of the Scriptures in the common language be not commended to the people as a thing vtterly necessary to Saluation least thereby they condemne so many Churches that hitherto haue lackâ— the same and so many learned and Godly Fathers that haue not procured it for their flocke Finally al that haue gone before vs to whom in al vertue innocencie and holinâ—sse of life we are not to be compared As for me in as muche as this mater is not yet determined by the Churche whether the common people ought to haue the Scriptures in their owne tongue to reade and to heare or no I define nothinge As I esteeme greately al Godly and holsome knowledge and wishe the people had more of it then they haue with charitie and meekenesse so I woulde that these hoate talkers of Goddes woorde had lesse of that knowledge whiche maketh a man to swel and to be proude in his owne conceite and that they woulde deepely weigh with them selues whether they be not conteined within the listes of the saiynge of S. Paule to the Corinthians If any man thinke that he knoweth any thinge he knoweth nothinge yet as he ought to know God graunte al our knowledge be so ioyned with meekenesse humilitie and charitie as that be not iustly saide of vs which S. Augustine in the like case saide very dreadfully to his deere frende Alypius Surgunt indocti Coelum rapiunt nos cum doctrinis nostris sine Corde ecce vbi volutamur in Carne â–ª Sanguine The vnlearned and simple arise vp and catche Heauen awaye from vs and wâ— with al our greate learninge voyde of harte lo where are we wallowinge in Fleashe and Bloude The B. of Sarisburie M. Hardinge seemeth secretely to graunt that thinge which without blusshing no man can denie that is that the Scriptures longe â—ithence in olde times haue beene Translated into the natural speache of this countrie But he addeth withal a poore exception that notwithstandinge the Translation were in Englishe yet it serued not for Englishe people And yet for what people els it should serue it were not easy to coniecture Doubtlesse if they had meante as these men doo to barre the Englishe people from Goddes Woorde they woulde haue keapte it stil as it was before in Latine Greeke or Hebrew and woulde not haue suffered any suche Translation But Beda him selfe that wrote the Storie of this Iland in these very woordes that M. Harding hath here alleged seemeth to witnesse that the Scriptures were then Translated into sundrie tongues and that for the better vnderstandinge of the people For thus he writeth Haec Insula quinque Gentium linguis scrutatur vnam eandemque Scientiam Veritatis This Ilande searcheth out the knowledge of one Trueth with the tongues of fiue Nations It is not likely he woulde haue written thus of fiue seueral Tongues if the Scriptures had béene written then onely in one tongue In like manner and to like purpose he writeth thus Quicunque gentium linguis vnam eandemque veritatis Scientiam Scrutantur Who so euer
founded by S. Iohn the Euangelist sheweth that when Bishoppes came from forreine partes to Rome the Bishops of that see vsed to sende to them if they had been of the Catholike faith the Sacrament to receiue whereby mutual Communion between them was declared Irenaeus his woordes be these Qui fuerunt ante te presbyteri etiaÌ„ cùm non ita obseruarent presbyteris Ecclesiarum cùm Roman accederent EucharistiaÌ„ mittebant The Priestes by whiche name in this place Bishops are vnderstanded that were afore thy time though they kepte not Easter as they of Asia did yet when the Bishoppes of the Churches there came to Rome did sende them the Sacrament 25 Thus those Bishops did Communicate togeather before their meeting in one place The B. of Sarisburie This storie is common and knowen to many The weast Churche in kéepinge of Easter day folowed S. Peter the East Churche folowed S. Iohn and keapte it otherwise Hereof grew contention and brake out into cruel heates Uictor the Bishop of Rome on the one side and Polycarpus the Bishop of Smyrna on the other side bothe godly men and both Martyrs Eche parte woulde haue the other to yelde Uictor being a man of a fierie nature was minded to Excommunicate the whole Churche of Asia and al others what so euer that in kéepinge of Easter day woulde not folow the Churche of Rome Irenaeus the Bishop of Lions hearing thereof wrote vnto him a sharpe letter out of Fraunce willinge him in anywise to procéede no further for that it might tende to suche a breache as would not afterwarde be recouered Emonge other woordes he saith thus as it is here alleged The Priestes that were in Rome before thee notwithstandinge they keopte not the Easter as they of Asia doo yet they sente the Sacrament vnto the Priestes of those Churches when they came to Rome Hereof M. Hardinge concludethe Ergo these Bishoppes did Communicate before they mette togeather and noteth also by the way in the Margine that the Gréeke in Eusebius differeth from the common Translation of Rufinus And yet is the same Translation alleged and vsed in the booke of Councels amonge the Decrees of Uictor But if M. Hardinge had marked the mater wel he should haue séene that his owne Translation in Englishe varieth also somwhat from the Gréeke In this shorte storie three thinges specially may be noted Fyrst that Irenaeus a Bishop of Fraunce durst to write so roughly to the Bishop of Rome with out any style of Superioritie onely calling him and al others before him Bishops of Rome by the name of Priestes Secondly that so notable learned men and Martyrs of Christe agreeing otherwise in the substance of Religion yet notwithstanding in certaine smal maters of no greate weight contended and striued so extremely and so longe and coulde in no wise be reconciled Whiche thinge well considered M. Harding hath lesse cause to triumphe if God haue suffered any suche sparkle of dissension in the special members of his Churche in these daies Thirdly where was then that great superioritie of the Bishop of Rome when notwithstanding his threates and commaundementes the Church of this Ilande of Britaine wel neare vntil seuen hundred yeres after Christe in the kéepinge of Easter day folowed the maner of the Gréeke Church without any regarde therein had to the Churche of Rome But to the mater these Bishoppes saithe M. Hardinge Communicated togeather before they mette If he meane in Faithe and Religion it is not denied if in the vse of the Sacramentes it is not proued In my iudgement this woorde Eucharistia in this place of Irenaeus signiâ—eth not the Sacrament alreadie consecrate but rather other common Breade wherewith one Bishop vsed then to present an other as with a special token of consent in Religion and Christian concorde whiche Breade the receiuer afterwarde if he thought it good might vse at the holy Ministration In that sense it séemeth Paulinus wrote vnto S. Augustine Panem vnum sanctitati tuae charitatis gratia misimus in quo etiaÌ„ Trinitatis soliditas continetur Hunc panem tu eulogiam esse facies dignatione sumendi In token of mutual loue I haue sente vnto thee one loafe of Breade in whiche also the soundenesse of the holy Trinitie is conteined This loafe you shal cause to be a louinge present of my behalfe vouche-sauinge to receiue it And in the next Epistle folowinge Quinque Panes misimus tibi pariter filio nostro Licentio Non enim potuimus in benedictione secernere quem cupimus eadem nobis gratia penitus annectere Fiue loaues haue I sent vnto thee and vnto my Sonne Licentius For I coulde not seuer him in blissing whom I desier throughly to ioigne with vs in grace Hereby it may appeare that this Breade was not the Sacramente and namely by that Paulinus writeth in an other place Panem vnum quem vnanimitatis indicio misimus charitaâ—i tuae rogamus vt accipiendo benedicas I pray you to take and blesse this one Loafe whiche I haue seâ—te vnto you in token of vnitie If it had béen already Consecrate he woulde not haue desired S. Augustine to haue blist it But Irenaeus vseth this woorde Eucharistia whiche is taken for the Sacrament I answeare it might so be called for that it was prepared for the Sacrament How be it herein I wil not striue Tertullian nameth it Hospitalitatis Contesseratio and séemeth to speake it of the Sacrament Whiche thinge beinge also graunted in this place of Irenaeus let vs now see M. Hardinges reasons The Bishop of Rome saithe he sent the Sacrament vnto them that came out of Asia Ergo there was Priuate Masse This Conclusion is farre fette and hangeth loosely For I might demaunde whiche then of the thrée saide Masse He that sente the Sacrament or he that receiued it or els the Messenger that brought it It were a straunge mater to sée a Masse and yet no man to say Masse Uerely Irenaeus hath not one woorde neither of the Communion nor of the Masse onelesse M. Hardinge wil say that Mittere is Latine to Communicate or Mittere Eucharistiam is Latine to say Masse If it were Common Breade then was it but a present If it were the Sacrament then was it to be receiued not streight vpon the way or perhappes late in the night or in the Inne at the common table emonge other meates but afterwarde at his pleasure in his Congregation Thus wée sée this place first is doubtful and beinge neuer so plaine yet it proueth nothinge for Priuate Masse But immediatly after foloweth a manifest mention in what order the Bishops vsed then to Communicate togeather whiche thinge M. Hardinge thought better to dissemble Cùm res ita haberent Communicabant inter se mutuò in Ecclesia Anicetus concessit Eucharistiam Polycarpo The maters between them thus standinge they Communicated togeather and Anicetus in the Churche
woulde not haue dissembled if there had béen any suche extant or knowen in their time Thus haue I briefely geuen a tast of these Decretal authorities that the reader may the better vnderstande of what credite they ought to be Now touchinge the mater that by this Decrée of Soter Bishop of Rome it should then be lawful for the Priest there to say Masse hauing onely twoo others in his companie the state storie of the time considered it séemeth very vnlikely For bothe S. Augustine and S. Hierome who liued twoo hundred and fiftie yeres after Soter haue recorded that the people of Rome euen in their time vsed to receiue the Communion togeather euery day which practise can hardly stande with that is here imagined The woordes also them selfe implie a manifest contrarietie For this woorde Solennia whiche here is vsed séemeth to importe a solemne companie or resorte of the people And yet this Soter requiring to this action onely the companie of thrée persons neuerthelesse calleth it Missarum Solennia As touchinge the causes mentioned in this Decrée whiche are that the Priest may séeme conueniently and aptely to say in the plural number The Lorde be with you and Brethren pray you for me It may wel be doubted whether Dominus vobiscuÌ„ or Orate pro me Fratres were any parte of the Liturgie of Rome in Soters time For Damasus whiche was Bishop of Rome twoo hundred and fiftie yeres after that writeth vnto S. Hierome that thinges were doone with suche simplicitie in the Churche of Rome in his time that vpon the Sonneday there was nothinge els but some Epistle of the Apostle or some Chapter of the Gospel read openly vnto the people which whether he meante of the holy Ministration or no I leaue further to be considered Further this same Soter requireth that bothe these twoo and as many others as be present make answeare vnto the Priest wherin is included bothe nearenesse of place for the people to stande in and to heare and also a common knowen tongue whiche bothe are contrarie to M. Hardinges Masse Moreouer touchinge these twoo whose presence is required question is mooued by the Canonistes whether they ought to be twoo Clerkes or twoo lay men or one Clerke and one lay man or one man and one woman The Resolution whereof is that they must be twoo Clerkes How be it the mater is otherwise determined that if the Masse be publique there must néedes be twoo at the leaâ—t but if it be a Priuate Masse that then one is sufficient Gerson likewise saithe that the Priest may wel say Dominus vobiscum although there be but one presente at his Masse For it may be presumed saith he that the Priest speaketh not onely vnto that one but also vnto the whole Church Thus wâ—e sée notwithstandinge Soters determination the number of twoo for a shifte may wel be abridged Pope Innocentius hath yet an other featche to healpe the mater He saithe Though there be but one there yet may yâ— Priest neuerthelesse say Dominus vobiscum bicause it may be thought there be Angels there to supplie mens roomes Againe that there were any suche secresâ—es in the Masse in the time of Soter it were very harde for M. Hardinge to prooue For then euery péece of the Masse was spoken alowde that the people might heare it saye Amen And in déede to saye vnto the people Pray for mee Brethren and Sisters as it is now vsed in the Masse vnlesse the people may heare and vnderstande the same it is a mockerie And yet Durandus saithe Sacerdos ante secreâ—ellam voluens se ad populum dicturus Orate fraâ—res c. debet dicere Dominus vobiscum sub silentio The Priest before the litle secreate turninge him selfe to the people to saye Brethren pray for mee must saye The Lorde be with you vnder silence Now saithe M. Hardinge Soters decree is not that these twoo shoulde Communicate with the Priest but onely requireth their presence Ergo It is likely the Priest receiued alone whiche is an argument muche vsed amonge our aduersaries But what if these twoo wil not come neither to Communicate nor to be present at al Uerely by M. Hardingâ—s minde the Priestâ— deuotion ought not to stay for want of companie For these be his very woordes a litle before wel none commeth This is not a sufficient cause why the faithful and godly Priest enflamed with the loue of God feelinge him selfe hungrie and thirsty after the heauenly foode and drinke should be kepte from it c. This is a cause sufficient saith Soter it is no sufficient cause saithe M. Hardinge The iudgement hereof I referre vnto the Reader Touchinge the force of the argument wherewith he chargeth vs by the name of his aduersaries I trust there doothe already appeare some difference betwéen our proufes and his gheasses But the argument that he meaneth and not very plainely vttereth is called in the Schooles Argumentum ab authoritate negatiuâ— which is thought to be good when so euer proufe is taken of Gods woorde and is vsed not onely by vs but also by S. Paule by many of the Catholique Fathers S. Paule saithe God saide not vnto Abraham in thy seedes al nations shal be blessed but in thy seede whiche is Christe And thereof he thought he made a good argument Likewise saithe Origen The Breade whiche the Lorde gâ—ue vnto his Disciples saieinge vnto them Take and Eate he differred not nor commaunded to be reserued vntil the nexte daie Suche argumentes Origen and other learned Fathers thought to stande for good what so euer misselykinge M. Hardinge hath founde iâ— them This kinde of proufe is thought to holde in Goddes Commaundementes for that they be ful and perfite and God hath specially charged vs that we shoulde neither put to them nor take fro them and therefore it séemeth good vnto them that haue learned of Christe Vnus est magister vester Christus Christe onely is your Maister and haue heard the voice of God the Father from heauen Ipsum audite Geue eare vnto him But vnto them that adde to the woorde of God what them listeth and make Goddes wil subiecte vnto their wil and breake Goddes Commaundements for their owne traditions sake vnto them it séemeth not good To conclude if this manner of reasoninge be good why dooth M. Hardinge reproue it If it be naught why dooth he vse it and that euen in the same place where he doothe reproue it But saith M. Hardinge Soter requireth onely the praesence of two and these two were not commaunded to Communicate Ergo the priest did receiue alone and so there was vndoubtedly Priuate Masse But marke wel a litle good Reader If these two were bounde to Communicate with the priest then notwithstanding this Decrée M. Hardinge hath not yet founde his priuate Masse Then consider this Decrée written in the name of
Pope Calixtus Peracta Consecratione omnes Communicent qui noluerint Ecclesiasticis carere liminibus Sic enim Apostoli statueruÌ„t Sancta Romana tenet Ecclesia The Consecration beinge doone set al Communicate onlesse they wil be remoued from the Churche For so the Apostles appointed and so holdeth the holy Churche of Rome By this Decrée these two were bounde either to Communicate with the priest or to departe foorth of the Churche If they did Communicate then hath M. Hardinge here no Priuate Masse If they departed foorthe then coulde the prieste saye no Masse at al for Soter at least requireth the presence of two Againe the argument that M. Hardinge geathereth out of this Decrée Three persons were present Ergo Two of them did not receiue is vtterly vnsensible and voyde of reason Rather he might haue concluded thus Soter willeth that two be present Ergo muche more he willeth that the same two doo Communicate It may also stande with reason and with the common practise of the Churche at that time that these two whose presence Soter requireth were Priestes or Deacons or otherwise of the Cleargie and that ouer and beside the companie of the people as in déede it is determined by the Glose And so this Decrée of Soter agreeth with an other Decrée of Anacletus made to the like purpose that is That the Bishop at the ministration haue aboute him a certaine number of Deacons Subdeacons and other Ministers bisides the common multitude of the laye people And likewise with an other Decrée of the same Soter that is That euery Priest makinge the Sacrifice haue by him an other Priest to assist him and to make an ende of the Ministration if any quame or sicknesse happen to fal vpon him And this assistance of the priest is required notwithstandinge the presence of others either of the Clerkes or of the Laitie Nowe beinge Priestes or Clerkes and beynge present at the Ministration the lawe specially constrained them to receiue the holy Communion with the Minister as it appeareth by this Decrée written in the Canons of the Apostles If any Bishop or Priest or Deacon or any other of the Clerkes after the Oblation is made doo not Communicate eyther let him shewe cause thereof that if it be founde reasonable he maye be excused or if he shewe no cause let him be excommunicate Thus who so euer these two were whose presence Soter required whether they were of the Laitie or of the Clergie the lawe constrained them to receiue togeather with the Priest And therefore M. Hardinge hath hitherto founde a Communion and no manner â—oken or inklinge of the Priuate Masse M. Hardinge The .30 Diuision In a Councel holden at Agatha a Citie of fraunce then called Gallia aboute the time of Chrysostome an olde Decree of Fabianus Bishop of Rome and Martyr and also of the Councel Elibertine in the time of S. Syluester Anno Domini .314 was renewed that al secular Christen folke shoulde be houseled three times euery yere at Easter Witsontide and Christmas It was there also Decreed that they shoulde heare the whole Masse euery Sonneday and not departe before the Priest had geuen blessinge So they were bounde to heare Masse euery Sonneday and to receiue the Communion but thrise in the yere The selfe same order was decreed in the Councel of Orleance Then of like specially in smal Townes and Villages they had Masse without the Communion of many togeather sometimes The B. of Sarisburie M. Hardinge knoweth wel that these Decrées whiche he here allegeth coulde neuer be founde writen neither in the Councel holden at Agatha in Fraunce nor at the other Councel holden at Eliberis now called Granado in Spaine but were set foorthe many hundred yeres after in the name of those Councels by one Gratian a man of great diligence as may appeare by his geathering but of no great iudgement as wée may sée by his choise Yet here M. Hardinge shuffleth a greate many of them togeather that the one may the better countenance the other But let vs receiue the authoritie of these Decrees and graunte there was no errour committed by Gratian in his geathering Yet wil they stande M. Harding in smal stéedâ— For as in many other maters they vtterly cast him so they nothing reléeue him for his Masse For thus it is concluded by bothe these Councels Qui in naâ—ali Domini Paschate Penâ—ecoste non Communicant Catholici non credantur neâ— inter Catholicos habeantur They that receiue not the Communion at Christmas Easter and Witsonnetide let them not be taken nor reckened for Catholike people It appeareth by these general Councels that in the whole Churche of Rome sauinge onely a few Massinge Priestes there is not one man woorthy to be accompted Catholique And to drawe neare to the purpose who so wil narrowly vewe the poinctes of these Decrées shal soone sée they cannot stande with the very forme and order of the Churche of those daies For bisides that I haue alreadie prooued by the authoritie of S. Hierome and S. Augustine that the holy Communion was then ministred vnto the people in Rome euery day Fabianus also Bishop of Rome whiche is likewise brought foorthe here for a witnesse hath plainâ—ly Decréed not that the people should heare Masse euery Sonneday as it is soothely warranted by M. Harding but that they should receiue the Communion euery Sonneday His woordes be plaine Dercernimus vt in omnibus Dominicis diebus altaris oblatio ab omnibus viris mulieribus fiat tam Panis quà m Vini Wee Decree that euery Sonneday the oblation of the Aultare be made of al men and wemen bothe of Breade and of wine Here besides that in these woordes is included the receiuinge of the Communion euery Sonneday may be noted also by the way that by this authoritie of Fabian men and wemen made the Sacrifice of the Aultare and that of Breade and Wyne and therefore after the order of Melchisedech Therefore S. Bernarde saith Non solus Sacerdoâ— sacrificat sed totus conuentus fidelium Not onely the Priest sacrificeth but also the whole companie of the faithful These thinges wel considered the sense that M. Harding woulde so faine wringe out of these Decrees wil séeme vnlikely Moreouer when did S. Augustine S. Hierome S. Chrysostome or any other learned Father or Doctour of that age euer vse this manner of speache Audire Missas To heare Masse Certainely this phrase was so farre vnacquainted and vnknowen in that worlde that the very Originals of these Decrees haue it not but onely haue these woordes Tenere Missas To holde Masse as may be seen in the booke of Councels noted purposely in the Margine The Italians this day séeme to speake farre better For of them that heare Masse and vnderstande not what they heare they say Videre Missas That is not to
hanged vp ouer the Altare made in the forme and shape of a Dooue After this a litle before the ende of this treatise it followeth howe that S. Basile at the houre that he departed out of this life receiued that parte of the hoste himselfe which he had purposed to haue enterred with him in his graue and immediatly as he lay in his bedde gaue thankes to God and rendred vp the ghoste That this was a Priuate Masse no man can denie Basile receiued the Sacrament alone for there was no earthly creature in that Churche with him The people that answeared him were suche as Christe brought with him And that al this was no dreame but a thinge by the wâ—l of God doone in deede though in a vision as it pleased Christe to exhibite Amphilochius plainely witnesseth declaringe 〈◊〉 that one Eubulus and other the chiefe of that Clergie standinge before the gates of the Churche whiles this was in dooinge sawe lightes within the Churche and men clothed in white and hearde a voice of people glorifieinge God and behelde Basile standinge at the Altare and for this cause at his comminge foorthe fel downe prostrate at his feete Here M. Iuel and his consacramenâ—arâ—es doostagger I doubte not for graunte to a Priuate Masse they wil not what so euer be brought for proufe of it And therefore some doubte to auoide this authoritie must be deuised But whereof they should doubte verely I see not If they doubte any thinge of the bringinge of the breade and other necessaries to serue for consecration of the hoste let them also doubte of the Breade and fleash that Elias had in the ponde of Carithe Let them doubte of the breade and potte of water he had vnder the Iuniper tree in Bersabee Let them doubte of the potte of potage brought to Daniel for his dinner from Iewrie into the Caue of Lions at Babylon by Abacuk the Prophete But perhaps they doubte of the â—uthoritie of Amphilochius that wrote this storie It may wel be that they woulde be gladde to discredite that woorthy Bishop For he was that vigilant Pastour and good gouernour of the Churche who first with Letoius Bishop of Melite and with Flauimus Bishop of Antioche ouerthrew and vtterly vanquished the Heretiques called Messaliani otherwise Euchitae the firste parentes of the Sacrament arie heresie whose opinion was that the holy Eucharistie that is the blessed Sacrament of the Altare doothe neither good nor euil neither profiteth ought nor hurteth Euen as our Sacramentaries doo ascribe al to faithe onely and 40 cal the most woorthiest Sacrament none other but tokeninge breade whiche of it selfe hath no diuine efficacie of operation Therefore I wondre the lesse I say if they woulde Amphilochius his authoritie to be dimished But for this I wil matche them with great Basile who esteemed him so muche who loued him so intierly who honoured him so highly with the dedicatioÌ„ of so excellent woorkes I wil ioyne them also with the learned Bishop Theodoretus who seemeth to geue him so soueraine prayse as to any other Bishop he writeth his stories of neuer naminge him without preface of great honour nowe callinge him admirandum the wonderful at an other time Sapâ—â—enâ—â—ssimum the most wise and most commonly Laudatissimum mostprayse woorthy If they 〈◊〉 Basile him selfe whether he were a man woorthie to obteine by his praier of God such a vision it may please them to peruse what Gregorius Nyssenus what holy Ephrem of Syria and specially what Gregorie Nazianzene wrote of him whiche two Gregories be not affraide to compare him with Elias with Moses with S. Paule and with who so euer was greatest and for vertue of most renoume VVherby without al enuie he hath obteined of al the posteritie to be called Magnus Basile the greate much more for deserte of vertue and learninge then those other for merite of Chiualrie the Great Charles the Great Pompey the Great Alexander If they denie the whole treatise and say that it was neuer of Amphilochius dooinge that were a shifte in deede but yet the woorst of al and furthest from reason and custome of the best learned and muche like the facte of kinge Alexander who beinge desirous to vndoe the fatal knotte at Gordium a towne in Phrygia hearinge that the Empier of the worlde was boded by an olde prophecie to him that coulde vnknitte it not findinge out the endes of the strenges nor perceiuinge by what meanes he coulde doo it drewe foorth his swoorde and hewed it in pieces supplyinge wante of skil with wilful violence For thautoritic of this treatise this muche I can say Byside that it is set foorth in a Booke of certaine holie mennes liues printed in Colen and biside very great likelihoode appearinge in the treatise it selfe it is to be seene in the Librarie of S. Nazarius in the Citie of Verona in Italie writen in veleme for three hundred yeeres past bearinge the name of Amphilochius Bishop of Iconium The B. of Sarisburie If this serue not the turne nothinge I trowe wil euer serue The authoritie of S. Basile and Amphilochius is so greate the mater so cleare the wonder so straunge the antiquitie so auncient the fable so likely the dreame so plaine The original hereof at Verona in Italie in the Librarie of Nazarius keapte as a Relique faire writen in veleme aboue thrée hundred yéeres agoe Basile a woorthie Bishop Ephrem a holy Father Amphilochius a man that had conference with the heauenly powers Not one shewe or circumstance leafte out that may serue to winne credite And what shoulde néede so muche a doo if there were not some suspicion in the mater He that neuer saw this Booke nor knoweth the contentes thereof happely by suche circumstances and colours may be deceiued But I mee selfe haue had this vnknowen Doctour in my poore Librarie these twentie yéeres and more written likewise in veleme as true as faire and of as good recorde in al respectes as that other of Verona in déede not vnder the name of Amphilochius but no doubtes very auncient as it may soone appeare For the same Authour in the same booke hath written also the life of Thomas Becket who liued at the least seuen hundred yéeres after that Amphilochius this writer was dead Therefore that storie writen by him of one that was to come so many hundred yéeres after him must needes be a Prophecie and not a storie The very names of olde godly Fathers are woorthy of muche honoure But as it is wel knowen many vaine tales haue béene couered vnder the name of olde Fathers The life of S. Basile hath béene set foorthe fully and faithefully by sundrie olde woorthie writers as by his owne Brother Gregorius Nyssenus by his déere frende Gregorie Nazianzene by Gregorius Presbyter by Socrates by Theodoretus by Sozomenus by Nicephorus touched also in diuerse places by Chrysostome And not withstandinge of late yéeres he that wrote Vitas
patrum and Iacobus de voragine and Vincentius in speculo who séeme to intitle this Booke by the name of Amphilochius haue furnished the same with many vnsauerie vaine tales yet was there none of them so impudent once to make any mention of this peeuishe fable of M. Hardinges Masse But for so muche as the glorious name of this holy Father is here brought in to beare witnesse to these maters and that in the night season in a dreame and a vision with the visible appearance of Christe and his Apostles and the greatest staie of M. Hardinges cause resteth hereupon and many are amased with the strangenesse hereof and many are ledde away as though it were mater of good trueth and specially for that the Booke is not commonly to be had and it woulde be chargeable to sende to Verona into Italie for a copie suffer me therefore good Christian Reader to geue thee some taste of the same that thou maiste be hable of thée selfe to iudge further and to see by what Doctours M. Hardinge proueth his Priuate Masse To passe ouer the idle talke and conferâ—nce with Diuels the Uisions the Dreames the Fables and other fantastical vanities whiche are the whole contentes and substance of this newe Booke Tertullian hath a good discreete saieing Furibus aliqua semper excidere solent in indicium The theefe euermore leaueth somwhat behinde him that he may be knowen by Let vs therfore compare M. Hardinges Amphilochius with Socrates Sozomenus Gregorie Nazianzene Gregorie Nyssene and other olde writers of approued credite that haue of purpose writen S. Basiles life Socrates and Sozomenus say that Basile in his youth was Libanius Scholar M. Hardinges Amphilochius saithe Basil was Libanius schoole fellowe Nazianzene and Gregorius Presbyter saye that Basile continuinge at Caesaria was wel acquainted with Eusebius the Bishop there before he wente into Pontus M. Hardinges Amphilochius saithe that at his returne from Pontus whiche was soone after Eusebius knewe him not neither had euer spoken with him or séene him before M. Hardinges Amphilochius saithe Basile was Bishop of Caesarea in the time of Themperour Iulianus wherevpon also are founded a greate many fonde fables Nazianzene his nearest frende saithe he was chosen Bishop there a longe while after in the time of Themperour Valens and was not Bishop there at al duringe the whole time of Iulianus M. Hardinges Amphilochius telleth a longe tale how that S. Mercurie being then deade and a Sainte in Heauen at the commaundement of our Ladie tooke his owne Speare out of his Chappel where it was keapte and wente out with the same into the fielde slewe Themperoure Iulian that the same Speare was founde bloudie afterwarde Nazianzene Socrates Theodoretus and Sozomenus say it coulde neuer be knowen by whome he was slaine M. Hardinges Amphilochius saithe Basile foretolde the death of Iulian Theodoretus saieth it was one Iulianus Sabba that foretolde it not S. Basile M. Hardinges Amphilochius saithe Themperour Valens yelded gaue place vnto Basile Sozomenus saithe Themperour continued stil his purpose and would not yéelde M. Hardinges Amphilochius saithe Nazianzenus was present at S. Basiles burial Nazianzene him selfe that ought to know it best saithe he came afterwarde and was not present Gregorius Presbyter saithe Nazianzene came a great while after that Basile was buried M. Hardinges Amphilochius is so impudent that he saieth Nazianzenus came in al haste and sawe the blissed bodie and fel vpon it when it was buried Whereby it séemeth that this Amphilochius was not very wise nor circumspecte in his talke For if Nazianzene sawe S. Basiles bodie how was it buried If it were buried how coulde he sée it Againe M. Hardinges Amphilochius saieth Gregorie Nazianzene ruled the Apostolique sée for the space of twelue yéeres By thapostolike sée he muste néedes meane either Rome or Constantinople If he meane Rome Nazianzene was neuer Bishop there If he meane ConstaÌ„tinople where in déede he was Bishop yet was that neuer called thapostolike sée and so what so euer he meante he made a lie Now iudge thou indifferently good Christian Reader whether Amphilochius the Bishop of Iconium S. Basiles special nearest frende writinge of him that he knew so wel coulde possibly so many waies be deceiued If M. Hardinge had knowen him better I thinke he woulde haue spared this authoritie How be it Vlpian saithe Etiam monstra poâ—tentosi partus prosunt Euen Monsters and il shapen children may goe for children To come to the mater M. Hardinges Amphilochius thus telleth on his tale Basile saithe he beinge once made Bishop besought God that he might offer vp the vnbloudie Sacrifice with his owne woordes he fel in a traunce came againe to him selfe and so ministred euery day On a certaine night Christe with his Apostles came downe to him from heauen brought breade with him awooke Basile and bade him vp and offer the Sacrifice Up he arose was streight at the Aultare said his praiers as he had writen them in his paper lifted vp the breade laide it downe againe brake it in thrée partes receiued one reserued an other to be buried with him honge vp the thirde in a golden Dooue And al this was donne Christe and his Apostles beinge stil present who came purposely from Heauen to healpe Basile to Masse We may now the better beleue Homer that Iuppiter with his Goddes wente downe sometime for his pleasure to banket in Ethiopia Or that an Angel euermore ministred the Sacrament vnto Marcus that holy Mounke Or that Angels came from heauen to consecrate Amphilochius Bishop of Iconium Or that the holy Ghost was sente from heauen to Remigius with a boxe of Holy Oyle Or that when holy Arnulphus began Matins at Midnight and saide Domine labia c. and al his Monkes were a sleape a number of Angels supplied the lacke and answeared him Et os meum annuntiabit Iaudem tuam But M. Harding layeth on more weight and forceth this fable to his purpose and al be it in the whole tale there is not once the name of Masse yet is he content to take paynes conningly to falsifie the texte and seuen times togeather to translate it onely by the name of Masse For with him offerre sacrificium is to say Masse likewise Ministrare Deo is to say Masse and ministerium ministrationis is the seruice of the Masse For as Midas what so euer he touched had power to turne the same into golde so M. Hardinge what so euer he toucheth hath a special power to turne the same into his Masse But let vs a litle vewe the Circumstances and weighe the likelihoodes of this mater Basile besought God that he might make the Sacrifice with his owne woordes And shal we thinke he had more fancie to his owne woordes then he had to the woordes of Christe He awooke stoode vp and suddainly was
the feare of God with faithe and charitie But al was invaine 42 For none came so colde was their deuotion in that behalfe Nowe if Chrysostome had cause to complaine of the peoples slackenesse in comminge to the Communion in that greate and populous Citie of Antioche where the Scriptures were daily expounded and 43 preached where discipline and good order was more straitely exacted where in so greate number some of likelihoode were of more deuotion then others what is to be thought of many little townes and villages through the worlde where little preachinge was hearde where discipline slaked where the number of the faithfuls beinge smal and they occupied altogeather in worldly affaires fewe gaue good example of deuotion to others Doubtlesse in suche places was muche lesse resorte of the people at the Masse time to receiue the Sacrament with their priestes And where as least this place might seeme plainely to auouche the hauinge of Masse without a number Communicatinge with the Bishop or Priest for auoidinge of this authoritie the Gospellers answeare by way of coniecture that in Chrysostomes time the Priestes and Deacons Communicated togeather dayly with the partie that offred the Sacrifice though none of the people did we tel them that this poore shifte wil not serue their purpose For though they say some sufficient nuâ—ber euer Communicated with him that celebrated the Daily Sacrifice in that greate and famous Churche of Antioche where many Priestes and Deacons were whiche neither beinge denied they shal neuer be hable to proue What may be saide or thought of many thousande other lesser Churches through the world where the Priest that saide Masse had not in readinesse a sufficient number of other Priestes and Deacons to receiue with him so to make vp a Communion Of suche Churches it must be saide that either the Sacrifice ceased and that was not doone which 44 Christe commaunded to be doone in his remembrance whiche is not to be graunted or that the memorie of our Lordes death was oftentimes celebrated of the Priestes in the daily oblation without tarieinge for others to Communicate with them and so had these Churches Priuate Masses as the Churches now a daies haue Now to conclude of this moste euident place of Chrysostome euery childe is hable to make an inuincible argument against M. Iuel for the Priuate Masse as they cal it in this sorte By reporte of Chrysostome the Sacrifice in his time was daily offred that is to say the Masse was celebrated but many times no body came to Communicate Sacramentally with the Priestes 45 as it is before proued Ergo There were Masses donne without other receiuinge the Sacrament with the Priestes And then further Ergo Priuate Masses in Chrysostomes daies were not straunge and then yet one steppe further there to staye Ergo M. Iuel accordinge to his owne promise and offer must yeelde subscribe and recant vnto a gheasse The B. of Sarisburie Now is M. Hardinge come as he saith to the windinge vp of his Clew meaninge thereby as may be thought that the substance of al that he hath alleged hitherto hangeth onely by a twined threade This Coniecture is taken out of certaine woordes of Chrysostome and the whole force thereof standeth onely vpon this woorde Nemo which is in English No body Chrysostomes woordes be these Wee doo daily offer the Sacrifice or as M. Harding deliteth rather to say wee doo daily say Masse and there is No Body to Communicate Ergo saith he Chrysostome receiued alone And so haue wée without question a plaine Priuate Masse Here woulde I first know whether M. Harding wil rest vpon the bare woordes of Chrysostome or rather qualifie them somewhat and take his meaninge If he presse the woordes so precisely as he séemeth to doo then did not Chrysostome him selfe Communicate For he was Some Body and the plaine woordes be No Body doth Communicate By which woordes doubtlesse Chrysostome him selfe is excluded as wel as others And so there was no Sole receiuinge nor any receiuinge at al and therefore no Prinate Masse If he wil rather take Chrysostomes meaning it apppeareth his purpose was to rebuke the negligence of the people for that of so populous a Citie they came to the holy Communion in so smal companies which companies he in a vehemencie of speache by an eâ—aggeration in respecte of the whole calleth No body The like manner of speache is vsed also sometimes in the Scriptures S. Iohn saithe of Christe Testimonium eius nemo accipit Not for that no body at al receiued his witnesse For his Disciples and many others receiued it but for that of a greate multitude very fewe receiued it In like phrase Chrysostome him selfe saith otherwhere Nemo diuina sapit nemo coÌ„temnit ea quae in terra sunt nemo attendit ad CoeluÌ„ No body sauoureth godly thinges No body despiseth the thinges of this worlde No body hath regarde to Heauen In these woordes M. Hardinge must néedes confesse that Chrysostome in stéede of fewe by heate of speache and by way of comparison saide No body And al be it this onely answeare compared with the manner of Chrysostomes eloquence whiche commonly is hoate and feruent and with the common practise of the Churche then may suffice a man more desirous of trueth then of contention yet I haue good hope it may be prooued notwithstandinge M. Hardinges Nemo that Chrysostome neither was alone nor could be alone at the holy Ministration therefore coulde say no Priuate Masse For if the whole companie of the Laye People woulde haue forsaken him yet had he companie sufficient of the Priestes and Deacons and others of the Quiere And if the whole Quiere woulde haue forsaken him yet had he companie sufficient of the Lay People as it may be clearely proued That there was then a greate number to serue in the Mynistery it may diuersely wel appeare Ignatius calleth Presbyterium The sacred College The Councel and companie of the Bishop Chrysostome him selfe in his Liturgie saithe thus The Deacons bringe the disshes with the holy Breade vnto the holy Aultare the reast carie the holy Cuppes By whiche woordes appeareth bothe a number of the Ministerie and also prouision for them that woulde receiue Cornelius writeth that in the Churche of Rome there were fourtie and sixe Priestes seuen Deacons seuen Subdeacons fourtie and twoo Accolutes Exorcistes Readers and other Officers of the Churche fiftie and twoo Wydowes other afflicted people that there were reléeued a thousande fiue hundred Nazianzene complaineth of the number of the Clergie in his time that they séemed to be moe then the rest of the people And therefore Themperour Iustinian afterwarde thought it néedeful to abridge the number to make a law that in the greate Churche at Constantinople where Chrysostome was Bishop there should not be aboue the number of threescore Priestes one hundred Deacons fourtie wemen foure score and tenne
these in a declaration that he wrote of the Sacrament Non dixi neque consului neque est intentio mea vt vnus aut aliquot Episcopi propria authoritate alicui incipiant vtramque speciem porrigere nisi ita constitueretur mandaretur in Concilio generali Neither haue I saide nor counsailed nor my minde is that any one or moe Bishops beginne by their owne authoritie to geue bothe kindes of the Sacrament to any person onlesse it were so ordeined and commaunded in a general Councel The B. of Sarisburie It gréeueth M. Hardinge that we should say the Councel of Constance decréed against Christe him selfe and therefore he sendeth vs to Luther him selfe that seinge his inconstancie we may be ashamed of our selfe And thus with one poore syllable he thought it good merily to refreashe him selfe yet touchinge inconstancie wherein he so triumpheth against D. Luther he séemeth vtterly to haue forgotten him selfe For it is knowen to the worlde that D. Luther in al his life neuer changed but once that from manifest errour to the open confessed trueth But M. Hardinge vpon how good occasions I wil not say hath changed his doctrine and whole faithe twise within the space of two yeeres And so muche woulde I not now haue toutched sauinge onely to put him in remembrance of him selfe That the determination of the Councel of Constance was against Christe bisides Gerardus Lorichius a Doctour of M. Hardinges owne Schoole who affirmeth it in vehement woordes what canne there be so plaine as that S. Paule writeth vnto the Corinthians That I receiued of the Lorde the same haue I deliuered vnto you After he mentioneth eche kinde aparte sheweth that as Christe tooke the breade so he also tooke the Cuppe that the Apostles receiued both at Christes handes not onely for them selues but also to the vse behoufe of the people Therefore where as M. Hardinge crieth so often against vs that the deliuerie of the Cuppe vnto the people is no parte of Christes Institution if he had considered these thinges wel or had conferred herein with the olde Catholike Fathers he woulde haue better aduised him selfe For in stéede of many for shortnes sake to allege but one S. Cyprians woordes in this mater be very plaine Quidam vel ignoraÌ„ter vel simpliciter in Calice Dominico sanctificando plebi ministrando non hoc faciunt quod Iesus Christus Dominus Deus noster huius Sacrificij Author Doctor fecit docuit Some there be that in sanctifieyng the Cuppe and deliuering it vnto the people doo not that thing that Iesus Christe our Lorde and God the authour and teacher of this Sacrifice both did and taught And addeth further If any man be in this errour seeinge the light of the trueth let him returne againe vnto the roote and vnto the original of the Lordes Tradition And after in the same Epistle we keepe not the thing that is coÌ„maunded vs onlesse we doo the same that the Lorde did In these few woordes S. Cyprian saith The Lorde both did it and taught it to be donne He calleth it The Lordes Tradition he calleth it The Lordes commaundement And here cannot M. Hardinge steale away in the miste say S. Cyprian meante al this of the Cuppe that the Priest consecrateth for him selfe for his very woordes be plaine to the contrary In Calice Dominico sanctificando plebi ministrando that is in sanctifieinge the Lordes Cuppe and ministringe it vnto the people And if S. Cyprian might wel write thus against the Heretiques called Aquarij which in the holy Ministration would vse no wine but in steede thereof did Consecrate water ministred it vnto the people muche more may we say the same against our aduersaries which Consecrate and Minister vnto the people no Cuppe at al. Wherfore at th ende of the same Epistle he concludeth with these woordes Not to doo that thinge that the Lorde did what is it els then to cast of his Woorde and to despise his Discipline and to coÌ„mitte not worldly but spiritual robberie and adulterie while as a man from the trueth of the Gospel stealeth away both the sayinges and dooinges of the Lorde and corrupteth and defileth Gods coÌ„maundementes So it is writen in the prophete Hieremie vvhat is Chaffe in comparison of Corne Therefore vvil I vpon these prophetes saieth the Lord that steale my vvoordes eche one of them from his neighbour and deceiue my people in their lies and in their errours The woordes that Luther wrote to them of Bohemia and the others here reported were written by him before God had appointed him to publishe the Gospelâ— aâ—d therefore are no more to be alleged againste him for that he wrote afterwarde as note of inconstancie then M. Hardinges Sermons preached openly in the 〈◊〉 of kinge Edwarde are to be alleged against that he writeth now M. Hardinge The .6 Diuision Thus he wrotâ— before he had conceiued perfite hatred against the Churche But after that he had beene better acquainted with the Diuel and of him appearinge vnto him sensibly had beene instructed with argumentes against the Sacrifice of the Masse 51 that the memorie of our Redemption by Christe wrought on the Crosse might vtterly be abolished â–ª 〈◊〉 wrâ—te hereof farre otherwise Si quo caâ—u Concilium statueret minime omnium nos vellemus vtraque specie potiriâ—imo tunc primum in despectum Concilij vellemus aut vna aut neutra nequaquam vtraque potiâ—â— eos plaue anathema habere quicunque talis Concilij authoritate potirentur viraque â—f in any case the Councel woulde so ordeine we woulde in no wise haue bothe the kindes but euen then in despite of the Councel we woulde haue one kinde or neither of them and in no wise bothe and holde them for accursed who so euer by authoritie of such a Councel wold haue bothe These woordes declare what spirite Luther was of They shewe him like him selfe VVho so euer readeth his bookes with indifferent iudgement shal finde that sithens the Apostles time neuer wrote man so arrogantly ne so dispitefully against the Churche nor so contrarily to him selfe Whiche markes be so euident that who so euer wil not see them but suffereth him selfe to be caried away into errour â–ª hatred of the Churche and contempte of al godlines either by him or by his scholars excepte he repente and returne he is guiltie of his own damnation vtterly ouerthrowen and sinneth inexcusably as one condemned by his owne iudgement But for excuse hereof in his booke of the Captiuitie of Babylon he confesseth that he wrote thus not for that he thought so nor for that he iudged the vse of one kinde vnlawful but bicause he was stirred by hatred and anger so to doo His woordes doo sounde so muche plainely Prouocatus imo per vim raptus I wrote this saithe he otherwise then I thought in my harte prouoked and by violence pulled to it whether
of the people Gelasius of the Priestes He complaineth that the reste of Gelasius is not to be founde as though it were suppreste by some of vs and yet it is thought the Pope hath it whole in his Librarie He diuiseth newe causes of vnitie of the Mysterie suche as Gelasius neuer knewe He concludeth at the laste that this breache of Christes Institution and Ministration vnder One Kinde that is nowe vniuersally vsed in the Churche of Rome was firste brought in and practised by the Manichees whiche were in olde time wicked and horrible Heretiques He saithe I haue guilefully alleged Gelasius and to the intent it mighte the sooner appeare he hath noted it specially in the Margin But if M. Hardinge himselfe had meante no guile he woulde haue shewed plainely wherein I haue béene guileful or what I might haue gotten by this guile or what aduantage I mighte haue loste by plainer dealinge For guile without cause is meere â—olie and no guile But I recited the woordes in Latine and had forgotten to Englishe them Nowe surely that is but a simple guile and might wel haue béene spared out of the Margin But my woordes be these Gelasius saithe that to Minister the Sacrament in one Kinde is open Sacrilege And what guile canne he finde herein This woorde Sacrilege and the refusinge of the Cuppe are bothe specially named by Gelasius There remaine onely these woordes To minister the Sacrament and there saithe M. Hardinge lieth the guile How be it therein as it shal wel appeare I say nothinge but that Gelasius saithe and M. Hardinge him selfe woulde haue him say For thus saithe Gelasius The diuision of the Mysterie whereby he meaneth the Sacrament is Sacrilege But the Priest that Ministreth in One Kinde diuideth the Mysterie Ergo the Priest that Ministreth in One Kinde committeth Sacrilege This argument is perfite and formal founded vpon Gelasius woordes I trowe this is no guileful dealinge The vnitie of the Mysterie that M. Hardinge hath here fantasied that either parte is in other and therefore harpeth so often as it were by reportes vpon these woordes Vnum idem is but his owne voluntarie He is not hable to allege either Gelasius or any other olde Father that euer expounded Vnum and Idem in that sorte He calleth it one Mysterie as Hugo Cardinalâ—s saith although otherwise a very grosse writer Propter vnitatem Institutionis For the vnitie of the Institution and for that the Breade and Wine beinge sundrie portions haue bothe relation vnto one Christe and for that cause by S. Hieromes iudgement S. Paule saithe vna fides vnum Baptisma one Faithe one Baptisme And for that also that beinge as I saide two sundrie portions yet they make not two sundrie Sacramentes but one onely Sacrament And therefore Durandus a late writer seemeth to say wel In multis locis communicatur cum Pane Vino id est cum toto Sacramento In many places they Communicate with Breade and Wine that is saith he with the whole Sacrament Of whiche woordes the Reader be he neuer so simple may easely geather that the Communion in One Kinde is but the Halfe Sacrament and so the diuision of one Mysterie and so further the selfe same thinge that Gelasius calleth Sacrilege M. Hardinge The .30 Diuision But for auoidinge that our aduersaries woulde hereof conclude it is to be vnderstanded that this Canon speaketh against the Heretiques named Manichaei who in the time of Leo the first abouâ—â— fourtie yeeres before Gelasius wente aboute to spreade their Heresie in Rome and in the partes of Italy Their Heretical opinion was that Christe tooke not our fleashe and Bloude but that he had a phantastical bodie and died not ne rose againe truely and in deede but by way of phantasie And therefore at the Communion they absteined from the Cuppe and the better to cloke their Heresie came to receiue the Sacrament in the forme of Breade with other Catholike people Against whome Leo saithe thus Abdicant enim se Sacramento salutis nostrae c. They driue them selues away from the Sacrament of our Saluation And as they denie that Christe our Lorde was borne in trueth of our fleashe so they beleue not that he died and rose againe truly And for this cause they condemne the day of our Saluation and gladnes that is the Sonneday to be their sadde fastinge day And where as to cloke their infidelitie they dare to be at our mysteries they temper them selues so in the Communion of the Sacramentes as in the meane time they may the more safely keepe them priuie VVith vnwoorthie mouthe they receiue Christes Bodie but to drinke the Bloude of our Redemption vtterly they wil none of it VVhiche thinge we woulde aduertise your holines of that bothe such men may be manifested by these tokens vnto you and also that they whose Diuilishe simulation and faininge is founde beinge brought to light and bewraied of the felowship of Saintes may be thrust out of the Churche by Priestly authoritie Thus farre be Leo his woordes Gelasius that succeded fourtie yeeres after Leo imployed no lesse diligence then he did vtterly to vanquishe and abolishe that horrible Heresie Of whome Platina writeth that he banished so many Manichees as were founde at Rome and there openly burned their bookes And bicause this heresie should none els where take roote and springe he wrote an Epistle to Maioricus and Ioannes two Bishoppes amongst other thinges warninge them of the same Out of whiche Epistle this fragment onely is taken whereby he dothe bothe briefely shew what the Manichees did for clokinge of their infidelitie as Leo saithe and also in as muche as their opinion was that Christes Bodie had not very Bloude as beinge phantastical onely and therefore superstitiously absteined from the Cuppe of that holy Bloude geueth charge and commaundement that either forsakinge their Heresie they receiue the whole Sacramentes to witte vnder Bothe Kindes or that they be keapte from them wholy Here the woordes of Leo afore mentioned and this Canon of Gelasius conferred together specially the storie of that time knowen it may soone appeare to any man of iudgement against whome this fragment of Gelasius was written Verely not against the Church for ministringe the Communion vnder one Kinde but against the detestable Manichees who goeinge aboute to diuide the Mysterie of the Bodie and Bloud of Christe denieynge him to haue taken very fleashe and Bloude so much as in them laye loosed Christ whereof S. Iohn speaketh and woulde haue made frustrate the whole woorke of our Redemption The B. of Sarisburie To auoide the inconuenience growinge of this authoritie M. Hardinge is driuen to auoide the companie of Pigghius Hosius Tapper D. Cole and al others his fellowes of that side and to say that Gelasius wrote this decrée againste the Manichées notwithstandinge al they say he wrote it againste certaine superstitious Priestes D. Cole referreth him selfe vnto
Psalme that he had made for the common people he writeth thus Beinge desirous that the cause of the Donatistes shoulde come to the knowlege of the lowest sorte and of them that be vtterly ignorant and voide of learninge and as muche as in vs laie might be fixed in their memorie I wrote a Psalme for them to singe in the Latine Tongue This longe rehearsal of al these authorities sauinge that M. Hardinge gaue the occasion was vtterly néed lesse Notwithstandinge hereby it is euident that the people there vnderstoode the Latine wherein their Seruice was ministred and therefore had not their Seruice in any vnknowen tongue Nowe if M. Hardinge were hable to shewe that other Citties or Prouinces of the same Countrie where the Latine tongue was not knowen had not withstandinge the Latine Seruice it woulde very wel serue his purpose Otherwise the argument that he woulde séeme to fashion hereof is marueilous strange For thus as it appeareth he woulde conclude Some people in Aphrica spake the Punike tongâ—e Ergo they had their Seruice in the Latine tongue For other argument that he can here geather I sâ—e none The reste of Titus Liuius De bello Macedonico or of Ulpian De fidei commissis is vtterly out of season and therefore not woorthy to be answeared M. Hardinge The .19 Diuision This muche or more might here be saide of the language of the People of Gallia nowe called Fraunce which then was Barbarous and vulgare and not onely Latine and 97 yet had they of that Nation their Seruice then in Latine as al the VVeast Churche had That the common language of the people there was vulgare the vse of the Latine seruinge for the learned as we must needes iudge we haue firste the authoritie of Titus Liuius Who writeth that a Galloes or as now we say a Frenche man of a notable stature prouoked a Romaine to fight with him Man for Man makinge his chalenge by an Interpreter VVhiche had not beene doone in case the Latine tongue had ben common to that Nation Nexte the Place of Vlpianus before mentioned Then the recorde of Aelius Lampridius who writeth that a VVoman of the order of the Druides cried out alowde to Alexander Seuerus Mammaea her Sonne the Emperour as he marched forwarde on a day with his armie Gallico sermone in the Gallical tonge these woordes bodinge his deathe whiche righte so shortely after folowed Vadas nec victoriam speres ne militi tuo credas Goo thy way and looke not for the victorie trust not thy Souldiers Lastly the witnesse of S. Hierome who hauinge trauailed ouer that Region and therefore beinge skilful of the whole state thereof acknowlegeth the people of Treueres and of that territorie to haue a peculiar language diuerse from Latine and Greeke If al that I haue brought here toutchinge this mater be wel weighed it wil seeme probable I doubte not that al sortes of people in Aphrica vnderstoode not the Seruice which they had in the Latine tongue And no lesse may be thought of Galliaâ— and Spaine And so farre it is prooued against M. Iuels stoute assertion that within his sixe hundred yeeres after Christe some Christen people had their Common Praiers and Seruice in a tongue they vnderstoode not The B. of Sarisburie A shorte answeare may serue where nothinge is obiected This gheasse standeth vpon these twoo pointes The First is this The people of Gallia vnderstoode not the Latine tongue The seconde is this That not withstandinge the same people had their Seruice in Latine Whereof the Conclusion foloweth Ergo they had Seruice in an vnknowen tongue The Maior hereof is prooued with muche a doo by Titus Liuius by Ulpianus by Aelius Lampridius and by S. Hierome He might as wel haue added the storie of Brennus Caesars Commentaries Quintilian yâ— nameth twoo méere Frenche woordes Rheda Petoritum and Cicero who in his Oration pro Fonteio els where calleth the men of yâ— Countrie Barbaros Thus M. Harding taketh great paines to prooue that thinge that is confessed néedeth no proouinge But the Minor which is vtterly denied and wherein standeth al the doubtâ— and without proouinge whereof he prooueth nothinge he passeth ouer closely and prooueth by silence If the mater be doubtful it hath the more néede of proufe if it be plaine out of doubte it is the sooner prooued Surely to say without any kinde of proufe or euidence onely vpon M. Hardinges bare woorde The people of Gallia had the Latine Seruice it is but a very simple warrant For what learning what authoritie what coniecture what gheasse hath he so to say Some holde that Ioseph of Arimathaeâ— Philip the Apostle Nathanael and Lazarus were the firste that euer opened the Gospel in Fraunce But these foure neither came from Rome nor to my knowlege euer spake the Latine Tongue They came from Hierusalem out of Iewrie and spake the Hebrew tongue Therefore I recken M. Hardinge wil not say that any of these foure erected there the Latine Seruice The best that he can make hereof is but a gheasse and a likelihoode for thus he saith It wil seeme probable I doubt not But I assure thée good Reader it wil prooue nothinge I doubt not For weigh the probabilitie of these reasons The people of Galliâ— had a speache peculiar to them selfe and spake no Latine Ergo they had the Latine Seruice Or thus The first preachers in Gallia came from Hieâ—usalem and spake the Hebrew tongue Ergo they ministred the Seruice and common praiers in the Latine tongue These be M. Hardinges probabilities wherewith he doubteth not this mater is prooued But once againe let vs vewe the Maine Reason The Maior The people of Galliaâ— vnderstoode no Latine The Minor The same people had the Latine Seruice The Conclusion Ergo They had Seruice in an vnknowen tongue Here M. Hardinge we doo vtterly denie your Minor whiche onlesse ye prooue otherwise then ye haue hitherto begonne very Children may sée that your Conclusion cannot folowe Ye shoulde not so stoutely haue saide ye haue so throughly prooued the mater hauinge in déede as yet prooued nothinge But that the Seruice in the Churches of Gallia was not saide in suche order as M. Hardinge gheasseth but in a tongue knowen vnto the people it is euident by Seuerus Sulpitius in the life of S. Martine The people of the Citie of Tours in Fraunce then called Gallia vpon the vacation of the Bishoprike were desirous to haue S. Martine to be their Bishop notwithstandinge there were others that thought him a very simple man in al respectes vnwoorthy of any Bishoprike In this contention the mater fel out in this wise as Sulpitius sheweth Cum fortuitu Lector cui legendi eo die officium erat interclusus à populo defuisset turbatis ministris dum expectatur qui non aderat vnus è circunstantibus sumpto Psalterio queÌ„ primum versum inuenit arripuit
where he commaundeth al Bishoppes and Priestes to minister the Seruice with a lowdo voice geueth this reason withal Vt mentes audientium ad maiorem animi compunctionem ad reddendam Domino gloriam excitentur That the mindes of the hearers maie be stirred vp to more deuotion and to render praise vnto the Lorde And S. Basile saithe Tanquam ab vno ore vno corde Confessionis Psalmum offerunt Domino verba poenitentiae eorum quisque propriè ascribit sibi As it were from one mouthe and from one harte they offer vp vnto the Lorde the Psalme of Confession and the woordes of repentance euery of them applieth particularly vnto him selfe So likewise it is written in the Prologue before S. Augustine vpon the Psalmes Quomodo debiâ—è potest Deo psallere qui ignorat quid psallat Howe canne he singe dewly or deuoutely vnto God that knoweth not what he singeth It is thought by these not withstandinge M. Hardinges contrary and Priuate iudgement that the vnderstandinge of the Publique Seruice is no hinderance vnto deuotion and their authoritie in this case maie serue onlesse M. Hardinge wil condemne them altogeather as he doothe others for Newe Maisters M. Hardinge The .38 Diuision 89. The Nations that haue euer had their Seruice in the Vulgare Tongue the people thereof haue continewed in Schismes errours and certaine Iudaical obseruances so as they haue not beene rekened in the number of the Catholike Churche As the Christians of Moschouia of Armenia of Prester Iohn his lande in Ethiopia Bessarion askinge by waie of a question of the Greekes his countrie men what Churche that is againste the whiche Hel gates shal neuer preuaile answeareth him selfe and saithe Aut Latina aut Graeca est Ecclesia tertia enim dari non potest Siquidem aliae omnes haeresibus sunt plenae quas sancti Patres Generales Synodi condemnarunt Either it is the Latine or the Greeke Churche for there is no thirde that can be graunted For al other Churches be ful of Heresies whiche the holy Fathers and General Councels haue condemned Wherefore of these Churches no example ought to be taken for Seruice in the Vulgare Tongue as neither of the Churches of Russia and Morauia and certaine other to whome aboue sixe hundred yeeres paste it was graunted to haue the Masse in the Sclauons Tongue throughe special licence thereto obteined of the see Apostolike by Cyrillus and Methodius that firste conuerted them to the Faithe VVhiche manner of Seruice so many of them as be Catholike for good causes haue leafte and vsed the Latine as other Latine Churches doo Concerninge the reaste yet keepinge their Sclauone tongue biside other errours and defaultes for whiche they are not herein to be esteemed woorthy to be folowed we maye saie of them the woordes of Gregorie Nazianzene Priuilelegia paucorum non faciunt legem communem The Priuileges of a fewe make not a thinge lawful in common The B. of Sarisburie This argument seemeth to holde thus Seruice in the Vulgare Tongue is cause of Schismes and errours Ergo within sixe hundred yeeres after Christe it was ministred in some place in a tongue vnknowen vnto the people The force of this Conclusion is euident A very childe may soone see through it If the Antecedent were true then should the Iewes the Greekes and the Latines whiche euermore had their Seruice in the Uulgare Tongue for that cause haue béene ful of Schismes and errours S. Augustine S. Hierome other Fathers say that pride and wilfulnes of minde Tertullian saithe that Knowledge of Philosophie and affiance of learninge hath caused diuision and heresies in the Churche and therefore calleth the Philosophers the Patriarkes of Heretiques The Bishoppes in the Councel of Toledo saie thus Ignorantia est maâ—er omnium errorum Ignorance is the Mother of al errour But that the vnderstandinge of the Common Seruice was euer thought the cause of Schisme or errour in the Churche I thinke it was neuer either written or spoken by any olde Doctour either Gréeke or Latine or Iewe or Gentile Epiphanius reckeneth vp foure scoare sundrie Heresies that had beene before his time S. Augustine reckeneth foure scoare and niene Yet doo they not say that any one of al those Heresies euer sprange of vnderstandinge the Common Seruice No man woulde saie thus but M. Hardinge neither wil M. Hardinge thus say when faction and contention laide aparte he shal either saie that he knoweth or haue regarde to that he saithe Touchinge the Christians whiche be in infinite numbers in Moschouia Armenia Ethiopia and els where whome vpon very shorte aduise he hath condemned altogeather for Schismatiques if he woulde haue credite geuen vnto his tale it woulde haue behooued him bothe to haue declared their particular errours and Heresies and also substantially to haue prooued that their vulgare Seruice gaue occasion vnto the same The Christians of Russia and Morauia saithe M. Hardinge afterwarde vpon good causes receiued the Latine Seruice How be it of al these good causes he vttereth none But after Cyrillus and Methodius by longe preachinge and greate paines had conuerted them to the Faithe of Christe and for the better continuance of that they had begonne were desirous that the people so conuerted mighte haue their Common Seruice in their mother tongue and the mater stoode in suspence at Rome in the Consistorie before the Bishop there and his Cardinalles a voice was hearde by an Angel from Heauen Omnis Spiritus laudet Dominum omnis lingua confiteatur ei Let euery spirite prayse the Lorde and let euery tongue make confession vnto him By this storie it appeareth the Angel of God from heauen was authour that these Nations shoulde haue their Seruice in their Common Tongue Nowe if M. Hardinge be able to shewe that either Euangeliste or Angel or voice from heauen euer willed them to leaue their owne natural speache and to vse the Latine then may he say they had good causes so to doo Bessarions authoritie in this case cannot seeme great bothe for other sundrie causes whiche I leaue and also for that he liued at the least fouretiene hundred yéeres after Christ and beinge out of his owne countrie and created Cardinal and Bishop of Tusculum he manifestly flattered the Bishop of Rome M. Hardinge The .39 Diuision Wherefore to conclude seeing 90 in sixe hundred yeeres after Christ the Seruice of the Churche was not in any other then in the Greeke and Latine tongue for that any man is hable to shewe by good proufe and the same not vnderstanded of al people seeinge the auctorities by M. Iuel alleged importe no necessary argument nor directe commaundement of the Vulgare Tongue but onely of plaine and open pronouncinge and that where the tongue of the Seruice was vnderstanded seeinge the Churche of the Englishe Nation had their Seruice in the Latine tongue to them vnknowen wel neare a thousande
not preuaile against it And vnto thee I wil geue the Keies of the kingedome of Heauen And what so euer thou bindest vpon earth shal be bounde also in Heauen and what so euer thou lowsest on earth shal be lowsed also in Heauen Beholde he receiueth the keyes of the heauenly Kingdome the power of bindinge and lowsing is geuen to him the charge of the whole Church and principalitie is coÌ„mitted to him Thus farre Gregorie But biâ—ause our aduâ—rsaries though without iust cause refuse the witnesse of the Bishoppes of Rome in this Article as vnlawful witnesses in their owne cause vvere they neuer so holy Martyrs or learned Confessâ—urs they may vnderstande vvee are hable to allege sundrie other authorities to the confirmation hereof that be aboue al exception The B. of Sarisburie If S. Gregorie were now aliue he woulde charge M. Hardinge with open iniurie not onely for alteringe his whole meaninge but also for manglinge and maiming his very woordes M. Harding to prooue that the Bishop of Rome was called the Uniuersal Bishop allegeth these woordes of S. Gregorie Ecce Petrus claues Regni Coelorum accipit Et potestas ei ligandi soluendique tribuitur Cura ei totius Ecclesiae principatus committitur Beholde Peter receiueth the keyes of the Kingedome of Heauen To him is geuen power bothe to binde and to loose The charge and chiefe rule of the Churche is committed vnto him Thus farre Gregorie saith M. Hardinge And why no farther was he staied with the Choynecough and forced to breake of his tale in the middest But marke wel gentle Reader and thou shalt see S. Gregorie set to Schoole and keapte in awe and not suffred to vtter one woorde more then M. Hardinge wil geue him leaue The next woordes that immediatly folow in the same sentence are these Tamen Petrus Vniuersalis Apostolus non vocatur Yet Peter is not called the Vniuersal Apostle M. Hardinge saith The Bishoppe of Rome was called the Vniuersal Bishop But S. Gregorie euen in the selfe same sentence that M. Hardinge hath here so hastily broaken of saithe Peter him selfe beinge the Apostle of Christe yet was not called the Vniuersal Apostle And woulde M. Hardinge haue the worlde beléeue that the Popes power is greater and more vniuersal then S. Peters These woordes M. Hardinge thought good to nippe of in the middes Suche is his dealing in the allegation of the Auncient Fathers If I liste to vse his owne termes I might wel cal this Foystinge or Cogging or I know not what Certainely the holy Fathers in the Councel of Constantinople saie thus Non conuenit orthodoxis ita circumtruncatas Sanctorum Patrum voces deflorare Haereticorum potiùs hoc proprium est It is nâ—t meete for Catholique men thus to choppe and to pare the sâ—â—einges of the holy Fâ—thers It is rather the very propertie of Heretiques M. Hardinge wil say Gregorie misâ—iked this name of Uniuersal Bishop onely in Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople that so ambitiousely so greadily sought for it and yet neuerthelesse claimed the same vnto him selfe as a title onely belonginge to the Sée of Rome and that wee therefore doo wrongefully racke S. Gregorie forcinge his woordes otherwise then he euer meante For answeare hereunto it shal behooue vs to consider bothe what S. Gregorie hath written in general of this title and also what special claime he hath layde vnto it for him selfe Thus therefore generally he writeth of it Ego fidenter dico quisquis se vniuersalem sacerdotem vocat vel vocari desiderat in elatione sua Antichristum praecurrit quia superbiendo se coereris praeponit I speake it boldely who so euer calleth him selfe Vniueâ—sâ—l Bishop or desireth so to be called is in his pride the Forerâ—nnâ—r of Antichriste bicause in his pride he setteth him selfe before others Hac in re à fratre Conâ—acerdoâ—e meo contra EuangelicaÌ„ sententiam c. Herein my Brother and felow Bishop dooth against the meaning of the Gospel against S. Peter the Aposâ—le against al Châ—rches and againste the ordinance of the Canons In this pride of his what other thinge is there tokened but that the time of Antichrist is euen at hande For he foloweth him that despisinge the equalitie of ioye amonge the Angels laboured to breake vp to the toppe of singularitie saieing thus I wil auance my throne aboue the starres of Heauen I wil sit in the Mounte of the Testament euen in the corners of the Northe I wil geate me vp aboue the light of the cloudes and wil be like vnto the highest Againe Rex superbiae in foribus est c. The kinge of pride is euen in the Gates and a horrible thinge to speake an armie of Priâ—stes is made ready For now they play the Souldiers and beare then heades on high that were ordeined to be Captaines of humilitie Againe I woulde haue al men to be greate and honorable so that there honour be no de derogation to the honour of God For who so wil be honoured against God shal not be honourable vnto me Againe Neither may you say that the vsinge of this Title is nothinge For if wee beare this mater quietly wee ouerthrow the Faith of the whole Church The agreeing vnto this wicked Title is the loosinge of the Faith Thus therfore S. Gregorie iudgeth generally of the name of Vniuersal Bishop whiche name not withstanding the Bishoppes of Rome haue sithence chosen and taken to them selues that is to say That it is Vaine and Hurteful the Confusion the poyson and Vtter and Vniuersal destruction of the Churche The corruption and loosinge of the Faithe against the holy Canons against S. Peter the Apostle against the very sense and meaninge of the Gospel against al the Churches of God and against God him selfe that neuer good or holy man woulde vse suche titles that who so euer vseth them in so dooinge foloweth Lucifer and is the very Forerennâ—r and Messinger of Antichriste Perhappes M. Hardinge wil say This name belonged peculiarly and onely to the Bishop of Rome and therefore Gregorie reprooued Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople for that he so presumptuousely and by way of intrusion claimed the same as a right and interest that was not his But S. Gregorie calleth the same title of Uniuersal Bishop Typhum superbiae Nomen nouum Vocabulum Temerarium Stultum Superbum Pompaticum peruersum Superstitiosum ProfanuÌ„ Scelestum Nomen erroris Nomen singularitatis Nomen vanitatis Nomen Hypocriseos Nomen Blasphemiae That is to say A puffe of Arrogancie A new name a Râ—she a Poolishe a Proude a Pompouse a Peruerse a Superstitious an Vngodly and a Wicked title A name of Erroure a name of Singularitie a name of Vanitie a name of Hyprocrisie and a name of Blasphemie And doothe M. Harding thinke or woulde he
From Rome the Churches receiued the first preachinge of the Gospel But God him selfe saithe Ex Sione exibit lex Verbum Domini de Hierusalem From Sion the Lawe shal proceede and the Woorde of the Lorde from Hierusalem And therefore Tertullian calleth Hierusalem the Mother of Religion And Nicephorus saithe that Simon Zelotes ranne ouer al Aphrica and preached the Gospel Eusebius saithe that S. Marke the Euangelist firste erected Congregations and taught the Gospel at Alexandria And Nicephorus saithe further that S. Marke wente preachinge ouer al Egypte and Lybia and Cyrene and Pentapolis the whole Countrie of Barbarie in the time of the Emperour Tiberius whiche was at the least sixe yéeres before Peter came to Rome S. Augustine saithe the Religion of Christe was firste brought into Aphrica out of Graecia and not from Rome Therefore that M. Hardinges Athanasius saithe the Churche receiued from Rome the first preachinge of the Gospel is an open flaterie and a manifest vntrueth Further this authour saithe that in al cases there lay appeales from the Metropolitane to the Bishop of Rome and that by the authoritâ—e of the Nicene Councel But that thinge in the Councel of Carthage S. Augustine beinge then present was vtterly denied by al the Bishoppes of Aphrica Numidia Mauritania Byzancena and Tripolis to the number of two hundred and seuentiene and by the witnesse of the three Patriarkes of Antiochia Constantinopolis and Alexandria was founde vntrue This authour saithe Fuit semper vestrae Sanctae Apostolicae Sedi licentia iniustè damnatos vel excoÌ„municatos potestatiuè sua authoritate restituere sua eis omnia reddere Your holy Apostolique See had euermore a special Prerogatiue by your owne authoritie and by waie of power to relieue menne vniustly condemned or excommunicate and to restoore them to their owne But it shal hereafter appeare that the Bishop of Rome at that time had no suche power and that it was not he that restored any man in that case by his power but onely the Emperour S. Paule saithe Other foundation none canne be layde but onely that is layde alreadie whiche is Christe Iesus And findeth greate faulte with the Corinthians that saide I holde of Apollo I holde of Paule I holde of Peter But M. Hardinges Athanasius saithe Tu es Petrus super fundamentum tuum Ecclesiae columnae hoc est Episcopi sunt confirmatae Thou arte Peter and vpon thy fundation the pillers of the Churche vvhiche are the Bishoppes are surely sette and thus he diuiseth an other foundation bisides Christe and contrary to S. Paules Doctrine woulde haue al the Bishoppes of the worlde to holde of Peter But to leaue al other vntruethes wherewith these Epistles be stuffed ful marke gentle Reader onely this ouersight and thou shalt plainely see with thine â—tes that M. Hardinges Doctour is an impudent and an open lier For the true Athanasius him selfe of whome we make no doubte saithe that the Arrians at Alexandria burnte the Catholique mennes bookes and therewithal the Canons of the Councel of Nice in the time of the Emperour Constantius Iulius beinge then Bishop of Rome whiche obseruation of time appeareth also by Socrates in his storie But M. Hardinges Athanasius is either so forgeatful of his lies or so impudent carelesse what he saie that he maketh piteous complainte of the saide burninge vnto Marcus that was Bishop in Rome before Iulius and was dead at the least niene yéeres before the Canons were burnte By suche Doctours M. Hardinge vpholdeth the state of Rome As for Athanasius him selfe he neuer vnderstoode the Bishop of Rome had any suche prerogatiue power nor neuer named him by greater title then The Bishop of Rome And whereas this Epistle alleged in the name of Athanasius soundeth farre otherwise it is no maruel For it was dated at Alexandria and made in Rome Nowe if the Decretal Epistle whiche M. Hardinge hath brought in vnder the name of Anacletus be nothinge els but forged euidence as it is sufficiently declared If M. Hardinge haue vncourteously vsed S. Gregorie cuttinge of his tale in the middest and purposely leauinge out those woordes Tamen Petrus vniuersalis Apostolus non vocatur yet is not Peter called the Vniuersal Apostle which was the onely mater that S. Gregorie had then in hande If S. Gregorie saye None of my Predecessours Bishoppes of Rome woulde euer take vpon him the name of Vniuersal Bishop If S. Gregorie saie It is the puffe of arrogancie the woorde of pride a newe a pompouse a peruerse a foolishe a rashe a superstitious a profane an vngodly and a wicked name a name of singularitie a name of errour a name of Hypocrisie a name of Vanitie and a name of Blasphemie and that who so euer calleth him selfe or desireth to be called by that arrogant name in the pride of his harte is the forerenner of Antichrist and that the quiet and indifferent bearinge of the same is the Destruction of the Faith of the Vniuersal Churche If M. Hardinge haue witingly and openly falsified the woordes of S. Cyprian and that twise togeather in one sentence as he him selfe cannot denie If the Epistle that he allegeth vnder the title of Athanasius be nothinge els but a shameles counterfeite ful of vile flatteringe and apparent lies Then is this former parte hitherto but weakely proued neither can M. Hardinge truely saie his Doctrine standeth vpon good and sure grounde O what lucke hath M. Hardinge to suche authorities hauinge choyse as he saithe of so many and trippinge ouer so lightly to spéede so il His Amphilochius lieth at Uerona His Clemens in Candie His Martial in a Caue vnder grounde His Canon of the Councel of Ephesus againste Nestorius was neuer seene and others otherwise miscaried The Councel of Nice wherein was the whole staie of the Primacie of Rome is burnte by the Arrians and sauinge onely in Rome no where els in the worlde to be founde For answeare hereunto me thinketh these woordes spoken generally by S. Cyprian had then and haue yet a special place in the See of Rome Ambitio dormit in sinu Sacerdotum Ambition slâ—apeth in the bosome of Priestes For to passe ouer the greate contention that euen at the beginninge happened there betwéene Damasus and Ursinus whether of them twoo should be Bishop in which contention a great number of either parte was slaine S. Augustine also complaineth that euen the Deacons of Rome in his time auaunced them selues farre aboue their estate These be his woordes Falcidius duce stultitia Ciuitatis Romanae iactantia Diaconos presbyteris aequare contendit Falcidius leadde by folie and by the courrage of the Citie of Rome woulde haue Deacons to be nothinge inferiour vnto Priestes Likewise S. Hierome saithe The Romaines are noted of Courteisie and stoutenesse of minde And therefore S. Paule gaue this aduertisement specially
of Rome Quae tamen per Apostolici Sacerdotij principatum amplior facta est Arce Religionis quà m solio potestatis VVhiche for al that hath beene aduaunced more by the chieftie of the Apostolike Priesthood in the Tower of Religion then in the Throne of temporal power The B. of Sarisburie These woordes of S. Ambrose be true and not denied and further no parte of M. Hardinges purpose But here is a whole sentence ouerhipte that quite ouerthroweth his whole purpose The woords that immediately go before are these Quamuis gratia Christiana non contenta sit eosdem limites habere quos Roma mulâ—osque iam populorum sceptro Crucis Christi illa subdiderit quos armis suis ista non domuit Howbeit the grace of Christe is not content to haue the same limites that Rome hath but hath subdued moe Nations by the scepter of Christes Crosse then Rome euer subdued by force of warre If the Grace and Saluation of God haue larger limites and reache further then the power of Rome howe then claimeth the Bishop of Rome his Uniuersal power Many that liue without the compasse or obedience of Rome are notwithstandinge partakers of the Grace of Christe howe then is it that Bonifacius the Bishop there saithe Subesse Romano Pontifici omni humanae creaturae declaramus dicimus definimus pronuntiamus omninò esse de necessitate salutis We declare saye determine and pronounce that to be subiecte vnto the Bishop of Rome is vndoubtedly of the necessitie of Saluation S. Ambrose that the Glorie of the Gospel of Christe might the better appéere compareth it with the power and puisance of the Empire of Rome whiche then ouerreaâ—ched a great parte of the worlde One saide Romanos rerum Dominos S. Ambrose saithe Râ—ma principatum Caput obtinet Nationum Rome hath the Empire and soueraintie of al Nations Thus he séemeth to compare the Churche with the Citie the power of the Gospel with the power of the Empier the Scepter of the Crosse with the Scepters of the Prince and the Glorie of the one side with the Glorie of the other Although Rome were glorious for the Empire yet was she muche more glorious for the Gospel The Emperour there with his power subdued Nations but the Gospel of Christe subdued the Emperour Constantinus Theodosius Ualentinianus and other Emperours of Rome with al their power confessed them selues to be subiectes vnto Christe And S. Ambrose writeth vnto Ualentinian the Emperour Quid honorificentius quà m vt Imperator dicatur Filius Ecclesiae What canne be more honorable then that the Emperour be called a childe of the Churche This was the whole and onely meaninge of S. Ambrose And in that sense S. Augustine saithe Ostendatur mihi Romae in honore tanto Templum Româ—li in quanto ego ibi ostendo memoriam Petri. In Petro quis honoratur nisi ille defunctus pro nobis Sumus enim Christiani non Petriani Shewe mee the Temple of Romulus in Rome in so great honoure as I wil shewe you there the memorie of Peter And who is honoured in Peter but he that died for vs For we are Christian menne and not Peters menne So likewise Chrysostome Contigit primùm Antiochiae Discipulos appellari Christianos Hoc autem Ciuitatum quae sunt in mundo cunctarum habet nulla nec ipsa Romuli Ciuitas It chaunced that the Disciples in this Citie of Antioche were first called Christians Of al the Cities that be in the worlde none euer had this giste no not the Citie of Romulus Therefore S. Ambroses meaning is that Rome was neuer so noble before for the Empier of the worlde as it was afterwarde for the Gospel of Christe But S. Ambrose saith Apostolici Sacerdoâ—ij principaâ—um The principalitie of the Apostolique Priesthoode With whiche woordes worldely eyes may soone be daseled But M. Hardinge knoweth that S. Peter beinge in Rome had no manner shew or state of Princehoode His whole power was spiritual and stoode onely in the Preachinge of the Gospel with whiche armour God is hable to pul downe Kinges and Princes to the obedience of his Christe Thus saith God vnto Hieremie Constitui â—e super Gentes Regna I haue set the ouer Nations and Kingedomes And S. Peter speakinge generally vnto al Christian people saith Vos estis Regale Sacerdotium You are that kingely Priesthoode This principalitie and tower of Religion was not onely in Rome but also in euery place where the name of Christe was receiued Albeit I graunte bothe for the multitude of Idoles that there had beene honoured and also for the nobilitie of the Empier the Uictorie of Christe in Rome appeared most glorious Now let vs consider M. Hardinges reasoninge The state of Rome was more famous for the Gospel then euer it had beene before for the Empier Ergo The Pope was called the Head of the Vniuersal Churche This argument is suche as néedeth no answeare M. Hardinge The .14 Diuision S. Augustine in his .162 Epistle saith In Ecclesia Romana semper Apostolicae Cathedrae viguit principatus The primacie or principalitie of the Apostolike Chaier hath euermore beene in force in the Romaine Churche The same S. Augustine speakinge to Bonifacius Bishop of Rome This care saith he complayning of the Pelagians is common to vs al that haue the office of a Bishoppe albeit therein thou thy selfe hast the preeminence ouer al beinge on the toppe of the pastoral watchetower In an other place he hath these woordes Caeterum magis vereri debeo ne in Petrum contumeliosus existam Quis enim nescit illum Apostolatus principatum cuilibet Episcopatui praeferendum But I ought rather to be afraide least I be reprocheful towarde Peter For who is he that knoweth not that that principalitie of Apostleship is to be preferred before any Bisshoprike that is An other most euident place he hath in his Booke De Vtilitate credendi ad Honoratum Cum tamen auxilium Dei c. Whereas saith he wee see so greate healpe of God so greate profite and fruite shal wee stande in doubte whether wee may hide our selues in the lappe of that Churche whiche though Heretikes barke at it in vaine rounde aboute condemned partly by the iudgement of the people them selues partly by the sadnesse of Councelles and partly by the maiestie of miracles euen to the confession of mankinde for the Apostolike See by successions of Bishoppes hath obteined the toppe or highest degree of auctoritie To whiche Churche if wee wil not geue and graunte the Primacie soothly it is a pointe either of moste high wickednesse or of headlonge arrogancie The B. of Sarisburie These places of S. Augustine may soone be answeared For here is neither Uniuersal Bishop nor Head of the Uniuersal Churche nor superioritie or dominion ouer al others nor any other woorde tendinge to that ende M. Hardinge knoweth that S. Augustine was present at
to whom if there be not geuen a power peereles and surmounting al others in the Churches we shal haue so many schismes as there be priestes The B. of Sarisburie This place of S. Hierome is notably wel noted But if it might haue pleased M. Hardinge to note but the twoo lines that wente before he should soone haue séene that this note was not woorthe the notinge For it is certaine that S. Hierome there speaketh generally of al Bishops and not one woorde specially of the Bishop of Rome He intreateth there of the order of Confirmation which he saith by the vsage of the Churche for quietnesse vnitie in many places was ministred onely by the Bishop and not by any other Priest and that he saith Ad honorem magis Sacerdotij quà m ad necessitatem Legis More for the honour of the state of Bishops then for the necessitie of the Law And this as I saide he speaketh generally of al Bishops Immediatly after he addeth these woordes that M. Harding here allegeth Ecclesiae salus c. The safetie of the Church hangeth of the dignitie of the high priest Herein S. Hierome agréeth throughly with S. Cyprian that is That for auoiding of Sectes and Schismes one high Priest that is to saye one Byshop was by good policie appointed in euery Diuision to whose dooinges and Doctrine the reast of the Clergie should câ—nforme them selues And by this order the vnitie of the Churche was wel preserued S. Cyprian saith Ecclesia cohaerentium sibi inuicem SacerdotuÌ„ glutino copulatur The Churche is ioined togeather by the consent of Bishops agreeinge in one So saith S. Hierome Singuli EcclesiaruÌ„ Episcopi singuli Archiepiscopi singuli Archidiaconi omnis ordo Ecclesiasticê° suis Rectoribê° nititur There be seueral Bishops of Churches seueral Archbishops and seueral Archedeacons and al the Ecclesiastical order is staied by the gouernours And the Glose therevpon saith thus Hieronymus probat hâ—c plures praelatos non debere esse in vna Ecclesia sed singulos debere esse in singulis Ecclesâ—s S. Hierome here proueth that there may not be twoo or mo Byshops in one Churche But that a seueral Bishop must be in euery seueral Churche To the like purpose S. Hierome writeth vpon the Epistle vnto Titus Haec proptereà vt ostenderemus apud veteres â—osdem fuisse Presbyteros quos Episcopos Paulatim verò vt dissensionum plantaria euellerentur ad vnum omnèm sollicitudinem esse delatam These thinges haue I spoken to the intent to shew that in olde time Priestes and Bishoppes were al one and that in processe and by degrees the whole charge was brought vnto one man he meaneth within one Diocese that the occasions of dissension might be rooted out And therefore as it is before declared â–ª S. Cyprian saith Hereof springe Schismes for that the Priest of the Lorde is not obeyed And therefore also saith S. Hierome Vnlesse the Byshop haue a special power aboue others there wil be as many Schismes in the Church as there be Priestes But al these thinges thus vttered generally of al Bishops M. Hardinge wreasteth and forceth onely vnto one Bishop and thus that is General he maketh Special and that is Special he maketh General at his pleasure and as before he misreported S. Cyprian euen so dooth he nowe likewise misreporte S. Hierome and so shoareth vp a ruinous mater with the falsification of his Doctours But M. Hardinge wil say S. Hierome vseth these special woordes Summus Sacerdos The highest Priest whiche can not otherwise be taken but onely of the Pope And therefore he gaue this note with a special Parenthesis He meaneth the Pope Peters successour Yet M. Hardinge knoweth there is no suche necessitie wherefore these woordes shoulde so be taken His owne Amphilochius calleth S. Basile Summus Sacerdos and yet he knoweth S. Basile was neuer Bishop of Rome Euery Bishop within his owne Diocesse may be called the highest Priest in respecte of other Priestes that liue vnder him And in this sense Lactantius séemeth to cal euery Bishoprike Maximum Sacerdotium As for the Bishop of Rome S. Hierome auaunceth him not so high as M. Hardinge woulde séeme but rather maketh him equal and leuel with al other Bishoppes For thus he writeth vnto Euagriâ—s Si authoritas quaeritur Orbis maior est Vrbe Vbicunque fuerit Episcopus siue Romae siue Eugubij siue Constantinopoli siue Rhegij c. eiusdem est meriti eiusdem Sacerdotij If wee seeke for Authoritie the Worlde is greater then the Citie of Rome Wheresoeuer there is a Bishoppe whether he be at Rome or at Eugubium or at Constantinople or at Rhegium c. He is of like woorthinesse and of lyke Priesthoode Here S. Hierome specially and by name rekeneth the Bishoppe of Rome amonge others and maketh him equal vnto the rest And againe he saithe Quid mihi profers Vnius Vrbis consuetudinem What shewest thou mee the order or manner of one Citie So muche S. Hierome seemeth to set by the Sée of Rome And to this ende S. Cyprian saith Hoc erant coeteri Apostoli quod fuit Petrus pari consortio praediti Honoris Potestatis The reast of the Apostles were the same that Peter was al indewed with like felowship bothe of Honour and also of Power And so S. Cyprian calleth Cornelius Bishop of Rome his Brother and Cyrillus calleth Coelestinus likewise Bishop of Rome his Felowseruant And therefore when I heare M. Harding by his strange interpretation geue vnto the Bishop of Rome A power peereles and surmounting al others Me thinketh I heare Doctour Durandus say Hic est Melchisedech cuius Sacerdotium non est coeteris comparatum Ille est Caput omnium PontificuÌ„ a quo illi tanquâ—m a capite membra descendunt de cuius plenitudine omnes accipiunt This is Melchisedâ—â—â— whose priesthoode is not comparable vnto others He is the Head of al Bishoppes from whom al they grow as members grow from the head and of whose fulnesse al they receiue Me thinketh I heare that is written by the Canonistes Dominus 〈…〉 Our Lorde God the Pope And where as he further saithe The safetie of the Church hangeth of the high priest whom he supposeth to be the Bishop of Rome Uerily S. Gregorie saith Quando is qui appellatur Vniuersalis cadit vniuersa Ecclesia 〈…〉 suo corruit When so euer he that is called the Vniuersal Bishoppe falleth the whole Churche from her state must needes fal to the grounde M. Hardinge The .16 Diuision There is an Epistle of Theodoretus Bishop of Cyrus extant in Greeke written to Leo Bishop of Rome wherein we finde a worthy witnesse of the primacie of the See Aposâ—â—like His woordes may thus be engliâ—â—ed If Pâ—ule saith he the preacher of the truthe and trumpet of the â—oly Ghoste ranne to Peter to bringe from him a determination and declaration for them
who at Antioche were in argument and contention concerninge liuinge after Moyses law muche more wee who are but smal and vile shal runne vnto your throne Apostolike that of you wee may haue salue for the sores of the Châ—â—ches there folow these woordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id est per omnia enim vobis conuenit primas tenere That is to say For in al thinges perteininge to Faith or Religion so he meaneth it is meete that you haue the chiefe dooinges or that you haue the Primacie For your high seate or throne is endewed with many prerogatiues and priuileges The B. of Sarisburie Here might I say That this Theodorâ—t was a deadly enimy of S. Cyrillus and a Nestorian Heretique and condenmed by that name in the General Councel of Constantinople as appeareth by Euagrius Nicephorus and others Uerily although he were brought into the Councel of Chalcedon by the authoritie and fauour of the Emperour Martianus yet the Byshoppes of Illyricum Egypte and Palestine cried out against him Fides perit istum Canones eijciunt Mitte hunc foâ—as magistrum Nestorij Nolite istum dicere Episcopum Non est Episcopus Impugnatorem Dei foras mitte Haereticum foras mitte Iudaeum foras mitte The Faith is loste this man the Canons throw out Out with this felow out with Nestorius Scholemaister Cal him not Bishop He is no Bishop Out with him that fighteth against God Out with this Heretique Out with this Iewe. But I wil not vse this aduantage I iudge rather that this Theodoretus as he was a man of déepe learninge and great renoume so he was also a careful and godly Bishop As for the Nestorian Heresie he defied it in the Councel of Constantinople and openly pronounced Anathema Nestorio Accursed be Nestorius In these woordes that M. Hardinge hath here alleged he saith nothing that of our parte is denied Certainely here is not one woorde neither of the Head of the Churche nor of Uniuersal Byshop But if Theodoretus thinke S. Paule wente vp to Hierusalem either to visite Peter as the Head of the Churche as M. Hardinge seemeth to gheasse or els to be better resolued of his Doctrine as standing in some doubt whether he had thitherto preached the truthe or no then dooth he quite ouerthrow S. Paules whole meaninge For it is plaine that S. Paule knoweth not Peter for his Head but contrary wise taketh him as his equal For thus he saith Videbant mihi concreditum esse Euangelium praeputij sicut petro Circuncisionis They saw that I was put in truste with the Gospel ouer the Heathens euen as Peter was ouer the Iewes And againe Iames Peter and Iohn that seemed to be the pillers gaue vnto me and Bâ—rnabas the right handes of felowship Here wée sée betweene Peter and Paule a Couenante of equalitie and neither superioritie nor subiection And therefore S. Ambrose saith as it is before noted Inter Petrum Paulum quis cui praeponatur incertum est Between Peter and Paule whether ought to be preâ—â—rred before other I can not tel Neither wente he vp to be better informed of the Trueth as beinge doubtful of his owne Doctrine Al his reasoninge and the whole drifte of that 〈◊〉 is to the contrary For thus lie his woordes I neuer 〈◊〉 with Fleâ—she and Bloud that is to say with any man neither did I returne to Hierusalem to them 〈◊〉 had beene Apostles before me I receiued not the Gospel that I haue preached of any man but by the reuelation of Iesus Christe If any preache vnto you any other Gospel then that I haue preached accurseâ— be he They that were in chiefe regarde emonge the Apostles touchinge the Trueth of the Gospel added nothing vnto mee I withstoode Peter euen in the face and spake vnto him before al the people for he walked not vprightly but was woorthy to be blamed Hereby it may sufficiently appeare that S. Paules goeinge to Hierusalem was not to bringe from Peter a determination of any mater of Trueth that laâ— in Question as it is here supposed And therfore S. Hierome saith Ad hoc iuit Hierosoly maÌ„ vt videret Apostolum Petrum non discendi studio qui ipse eundem praedicaâ—oâ—s habereâ— authorem sed honoris priori Apostolo deferendi Paule wente to Hierusalem to the intent to see Peter the Apostle not to learne any thinge of him as hauing the same â—uthâ—ur of his preachinge that Peter had â—ut to shew reuerence vnto him thâ—t had been Apostle before hâ—m And againe Proptereà quindecim ponit dies vt ostendat non fuisse grande tempus quo poâ—uerit aliquid à Petro discere vt ad illum sensum a quo coepit cuncta referantur se non ab homine doctum esse sed a Deo Therefore he nameth fifteen daies to shew thâ—t he had no longe time that he might learne any thinge of Peter to the intente to driue al his woordes to that sense wherewith he beganne That he was tâ—ught not by man but by God Likewise saith Hugo Cardinalis a barbarous writer Secundum Literam â—struimur de mutua dilectione quam deberent habere praedicatores doctores quia Paulus venit videre Petrum quoniam bona audierat de eius doctrina Accordinge to the lâ—tter wee are here instructed of mutual loue whiche ought to be between al preachers and Doctours For Paule went to visite Peter bicause he had hearde good of his Doctrine But what can be so plaine as that is written by Chrysostome touchinge the same His woordes be these Paulus nihil opus habebat Petro nec eius egebat voce sed honoâ—e par erat illâ— nihil enim hîc dicam amplius Pauâ—e had no neede of Peter neither needed he to be taught at his mouthe but he was equal to him in honour I wil say no more And immediatly after Sicut nunc multi fratrum nostroruÌ„ ad viros sanctos proficiscunturâ—â—odem affectu tunc Paulus ad Petrum profectus est Like as now a daies many of our Brethren goe to holy men so then with like affection wente Paule vnto Peter As for the reast that the Bishop of Rome had an estimation and a credite and a prerogatiue before others it is not denied For of the foure Patriarkes he had the first place bothe in Councel and out of Councel and therefore the greatest authoritie direction of maters in al assemblies And this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To haue the firste or highest roume and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A dignâ—tie or priuilege Whiche woordes M. Hardinge hath noted in the Margin Here M. Hardinge séemeth to reason thus The Bishoppe of Rome had a priuilege or dignitie aboue others Ergo He was an Vniuersal Bishop This Argument concludeth A genere ad speciem affirmatiuè and as M. Hardinge knoweth was neuer allowed in any Schooles Likewise he séemeth to say Paule wente vp to Hierusalem to
Spiritus Sancti qui credentes agat Christe sitteth at the right hande of God the Father and insteede of him selfe sent the power of the Holy Ghoste as his Vicare to directe them that beleeue But bicause we are not onely ledde inwardely by Goddes Sprite but also outwardely by our senses therefore hath Christe appointed not one man to be his Uicare General ouer al but euery of his Apostles and so euery Priest to be his Uicare within his Diuision So saithe Eusebius Bishop of Rome Caput Ecclesiae Christus est Christi autem Vicarij Sacerdotes sunt qui vice Christi legatione funguntur in Ecclesia Christe is the Heade of the Churche and his Vicares be the Priestes that doo their Message in the Churche in the steede of Christe Therefore saith S. Hierome Potentia diuitiarum paupertatis humilitas vel sublimiorem vel inferiorem Episcopum non facit â–ª Caeterum omnes Apostolorum successores sunt The stoutnes of riâ—ches or the humilitie of pouertie maketh a Bishop neither higher nor lower But al Bishoppes be the Apostles successours Other vniuersal Uicar of Christe there is none named in the Scriptures onlesse it be he of whom S. Paule forewarneth vs Homo ille sceleratus filius perditus c. That wicked man that Childe of perdition that setteth him selfe vp against God and that so farre foorthe that he wil sitte in the Temple of God and shewe him selfe as if he were God But this Uicare Christe shal destroie with the spirite of his mouthe To conclude M. Hardinge séemeth to reason thus Mankinde dependeth moste of sense Ergo the Pope is the Heade of the vniuersal Churche Here is a very vnsensible argument nor sense nor reason can make it good By as good sequele he might say Mankinde dependeth most of sense Ergo one Kinge must rule ouer the whole worlde M. Hardinge The .19 Diuision Wherefore to conclude excepte we woulde wickedly graunte that Goddes prouidence hath lacked or dothe lacke to his Churche for loue of whiche he hath geuen his onely begotten Sonne and whiche he hath promised neuer to forgeate so as the woman can not forgeate the Childe she bare in her wombe reason may soone induce vs to beleeue that to one man one Bishop the chiefe and highest of al Bishoppes the successour of Peter the rule and gouernement of the Churche by God hath beene deferred For elles if God had ordeined that in the Churche shoulde be sundrie heades and rulers and none constituted to be ouer other but al of equal power eche one amonge their people then he shoulde seeme to haue set vp so many Churches as he hath appointed gouernours And so he shal appâ—are to haue brought in amonge his faitheful people that vnruly confusion the destruction of al common weales so muche abhorred of Princes whiche the Greekes cal Anarchian whiche is a state for lacke of order in gouernours without any gouernement at al. VVhiche thinge sithe that the wise and politike men of this worlde doo shunne and detest in the gouernement of these earthly Kingedomes as most pernicious and hurteful to attribute to the highe wisedome of God and to our Lorde Christe who is the auctor of the moste ordinate disposition of al thinges in earthe and in Heauen it were heynous and prophane impietie VVherefore if the state of a Kingedome can not continewe salfe onlesse one haue power to rule how shal not the Churche spredde so farre abroade be in danger of great disorders corruption and vtter destruction if as occasion shal be geuen amonge so great strifes and debates of men amonge so many fier brandes of discorde tossed to and fro by the Diuelles enemies of vnitie there be not one heade and ruler of al to be consulted of al to be hearde of al to be folowed and obeyed If strife and contention be stirred about matters of Faith if controuersie happen to arise about the sense of the Scriptures shal it not be necessary there be one supreme iudge to whose sentence the parties may stande If neede require as it hath been often seene that General Councels be keapte how can the Bishops to whome that matter belongeth be brought togeather but by the coÌ„maundement of one heade gouernour whome they owe their obedience vnto For elies beinge summoned perhaps they wil not come Finally how shal the contumacie and pertinacie of mischieuous persones be repressed specially if the Bishops be at dissension within them selues if there be not a supreme power who towardes some may vse the rodde towardes other some the spirite of lenitie 〈◊〉 suâ—he discrete temperament as malice be vanquished right defended and concorde procured leaste if the smal sparkes of strife be not quenched by auctoritie at the beginninge at length a greate flame of Schismes and heresies flashe abroade to the great danger of a multitude Therefore as there is one Bodie of Christe one Flocke one Churche euen so is there one head of that his mystical bodie one shepeherde and one chief seruant made stewarde ouerseer and ruler of Christes householde in his absence vntil his comminge againe The B. of Sarisburie Who so denieth the Bishop of Romes supreme gouernement saithe M. Hardinge he vtterly denieth Goddes prouidence thus the great prouidence of God is brought foorthe to serue M. Hardinges simple reason The like consideration as may be supposed moued Petrus Bertrandus to write this special Glose vpon the Decretalles Non videretur Dominus discretus fuisse vt cum reuerentia eius loquar nisi vnicum post se talem Vicarium reliquisset Otherwise Christe shoulde not seeme to haue dealte discreetely sauinge his reuerence onlesse he had lefte some one suche Vicare bâ—hâ—nde him And therefore he saithe further Christo data est omnis potestas in Coelo in terra Ergo Summus Pontifex qui est eius Vicaâ—ius habet eandem potestatem Al manner power bothe in Heauen and Earth is geuen to Christe Therefore the highest Bishop whiche is his Vicare hath the same power Likewise they say Papa potest facere omnia quae Christus ipse potest The Pope may doo what so euer Christ him selfe may doo And Papae Christi est vnum Tribunal The Pope and Christe haue one Consistorie and keepe one Courte Upon occasion hereof M. Hardinge seemeth to reason in this sorte Onles there be one appointed by God to be the Vniuersal Bishop of the worlde hauinge Omnia iura in scrinio pectoris sui al manner lawe and right in the closet of his breaste Cui sit pro ratione voluntas whose pleasure may stande in steede of lawe Unto whome what so euer he doo noman may say Domine cur ita facis Sir why doo you so And the same neither exhorte nor teache nor minister Sacrament nor exercise Discipline nor doo the dewtie either of Bishop or of Priest or of Deacon or any other the meanest officer of the Churche but onely take vpon
him to rule and gouerne the whole Churche Onles there be some suche one then saith M. Harding God hath no prouidence neither is careful for his Churche If controuersie growe aboute the vnderstandinge and sense of Goddes woorde if it be necessarie that a Councel be called if contention fal out betwéene any other inferiour Bishoppes then saithe M. Hardinge it is necessary there be one supreme Iudge that may in fallibly declare Goddes meaninge that may summon the Councel that may heare and determine maters betweene the Bishoppes Touchinge the searchinge out of the sense of the Scriptures S. Augustine geueth sundrie good rules But this strange rule of recourse to the Pope he toucheth not nor taketh it for any rule But they say The Scriptures be darke therfore we must séeke the meaning of them in the Doctours The Doctours agrée not Then must we weigh trie them by the Maister of the Sentences The Maister of the Sentences him selfe sometimes is not holden then muste we seeke further to the Schoole Doctours The Schoole Doctours canne in no wise agrée there is Scotus againste Thomas and Occam against Scotus and Alliacensis against Occam the Nominales against the Reales the Scholasticalles against the Canonistes the contention is greater the doubtes darker then euer they were before Neither is there any resolution to be hoped for but onely of the Bishop of Rome whome M. Hardinge calleth the supreme Iudge who as one saithe is Doctor vtriusque Legis Authoritate non Scientia Doctour of bothe Lawes by Authoritie not by knowlege How be it it appeareth his knowlege and authoritie in suche cases are bothe like For not withstandinge any his determination the contention standeth stil as it did before Truely Alphonsus de Castro a Doctour of the same side saithe Cum constet plures Papas adeò illiteratos esse vt Grammaticam penitus ignorent qui fit vt sacras Literas interpretari possint Seeinge it is wel knowen that many Popes be so voide of learninge that they be vtterly ignorant of their Grammar how may it be that thei can expounde the holy Scriptures Thus that supreme Iudge at whose onely handes M. Hardinge woulde haue al the worlde to seeke for the very sense of Goddes woorde as Alphonsus saithe may goe to schoole to learne his Grammar And what if the Pope be an Heretique as Liberius was an Arrian Honorius an Eunomian Anastasius was a Photinian and as Lyra saithe Multi Papae inuenti sunt Apostatae Many Popes haue been rennegates of the Faithe Or what if he be a â—orcerer and haue league and conference with the Diuel as had Syluester the seconde Yet must we needes haue recourse vnto suche a one as vnto the mouthe of God for the certaine sense meaninge of Goddes woorde Uerily in the olde times menne that stoode in doubte of any mater of learninge and woulde gladly be resolued sought vnto the best learned and not vnto the Pope Pope Leo himselfe in a case of doubte thought it good to conferre with other Bishoppes The Bishoppes of Numidia sente not to the Bishoppe of Rome to be resolued but vnto S. Cyprian and other Bishoppes within Aphrica So likewise S. Hierome writeth of him selfe Ob hanc causam vel maximè Alexandriam nuper perrexi vt viderem Didymum ab eo in Scripturis omnibus quae habebam dubia omnia exquirerem For this cause chiefely I wente of late to Alexandria to thintent I might see Didymus and be resolued by him in al suche doubtes as I had founde in the Scriptures And S. Ambross saieth that certaine learned menne in mater of question hauinge receiued answeare and determination from the Bishoppe of Rome yet not withstanding for their better satisfaction sought further vnto him Thus he writeth Post Romanae Ecclesiae definitionem meam adhuc expectant sententiam After the discussinge of the Churche of Rome they yet looke for my sentence As for General Councelles it is wel knowen and God willinge shal appeare hereafter more at large that they were called and summoned by the Emperours onely and not by the Bishoppes of Rome Sozomenus saithe Imperator praeceperat Concilium Mediolani celebrari The Emperour had commaunded a Councel to be keapte at Millane Maters of variance betwéene Bishoppes were taken vp not onely by the Bishop of Rome whose greatest practise these many yéeres hath beene to inflame and mainteine discorde amonge Princes but also sometimes by the Prince sometimes by Councelles sometimes by other Bishoppes sometimes by some inferiour persones that were no Bishoppes S. Ambrose was sent for into Fraunce to pacifie the Bishoppes there Bernarde beinge but an Abbate compounded that greate dissension that was betweene Pope Innocentius and Peter in the Churche of Rome Therefore to these purposes it is nothinge needeful to erect a new Uicare General or to geue any man this Uniuersal power ouer the Church of God M. Hardinges reasons procéede thus God is careful and hath a special prouideâ—ce for his Churche Doubteful places of the Scripture musâ—e be expounded General Councelles muste be summoned Bishoppes beinge at variance muste be reconciled Ergo The Bishop of Rome is Christes Vniuersal Vicare and Heade of the Vniuersal Churche Otherwise saithe he the Churche canne neuer be rightly gouerned nor preserued in Unitie But Goddes name be blissed for euer God is hable to gouerne his Churche not onely without suche a Uicare but also maugrâ— suche a Uicare Miserable were Goddes Churche if it stoode onely at the Bishop of Romes gouernement Longe it were to open the loosenes and dissolution of his owne Churche that lieth before him S. Bernarde speakinge of the same saithe thus Mali ibi proficiunt boni deficiunt Il menne there goe foreworde But good menne goe backewarde A planta pedis vsque ad verticem Capitis non est in ea sanitas From the sole of the foote vnto the crowne of the heade there is no whole parte in it And againe Serui Christi seruiunt Antichristo They woulde be called the Seruantes of Christe and yet in deede they serue Antichrâ—st If the Bishoppe of Rome can no better rule a fewe Churches in one Citie howe then is he hable to rule the infinite multitude of the whole Uniuersal Churche of God But God hath other waies and meanes whereby he hath euer gouerned his Churche S. Cyprian saithe Ideò plures sunt in Ecclesia sacerdotes vt vno haeresim faciente coeteri subueniant Therefore there be many Bishoppes in the Churche that one runninge into Heresie the rest may healpe And againe The Churche is preserued in vnitie by the consent of Bishoppes agreeinge in one And to this ende S. Hierome saith as is before alleged Nouerint Episcopi se debere in commune Ecclesiam regere Let Bishoppes vnderstande that they ought to rule the Churche as al in one As for the vnitie that
iudicata sunt tunc beatissimus Paâ—riarcha Dioceseos illius inter eos audiat illa determinet quae Ecclesiasticis Canonibus Legibus consonant Nulla parte eius sententiae coÌ„tradicere valente If any of the moste holy Bishoppes â—einge of one Synode haue any mater of doubte or question amonge them selues whether it be for Ecclesiastical right or any other maters First let their Metropolitane with other Bishoppes of the same Synode examine and iudge the cause But if bothe the parties stande not to his and their iudgementes then let the moste holy Patriarke of the same Prouince heare and determine their matter accordinge to the Ecclesiastical lawes and Canons And neither of the parties may vvithstande his determination And immediatly after Patriarcha secundum Canones Leges Praebeat finem Let the Patriake accordinge to the Lawes and Canons make an ende By these woordes al Appeales be quite cutte of from the Sée of Rome Likewise the Emperours Honorius and Theodosius haue taken Appeales away from the Bishoppes of Rome and haue commaunded the same to be entred before the Bishop and Synode of Constantinople The Lawe is written thus Omni innouatione cessante vetustatem Canones pristinos Ecclesiasticos qui vsque tunc tenuerunâ— per omnes Illyrici prouincias seruari praecipimus vt si quid dubietatis emerserit id oportear non absque sententia viri Reuerendissimi Sacrosanctae Legis Antistitis Ecclesiae vibis Constantinopolitanae quae Romae veteris praerogatiua laetatur Conuentui Sacerdotali Sancto iudicio reseruari Al innouation set aparte wee commaunde that the olde order and the auncient Ecclesiastical Canons whiche hitherto haue holden be keapte stil through al the Prouinces of â—llyricum that if any mater of doubte happen to arise it be put ouer to be determined by the holy iudgement and assemblie of Bishoppes not without the discretion of the most Reuerende the Bishop of the Citie of Constantinople which Citie now inioieth the Prerogatiue of Olde Rome Here M. Hardinge may not forgeate that the Churche of Constantinople had as greate prerogatiue in al respectes of Preeminence Superioritie and Uniuersalitie of charge as euer had the Churche of Rome Wherfore if the Bishop of Rome were Head of the Uniuersal Churche it must néedes folow that the Bishop of ConstaÌ„tinople was likewise Head of the Uniuersal Churche And againe the Emperour Leo in plainer woordes Omnes qui vbicunque sunt vel post hac fuerint Orthodoxae Fidei Sacerdotes Clerici cuiuscuÌ„que gradus sint Monachi quoque in causis ciuilibus ex nullius penitus maioris minorisue sententia Iudicis commonitoria ad extraneaiudicia perirahaÌ„tur aut prouinciam vel locum vel regionem quam habitant exire cogantur Al that be or hereafter shal be Priestes or Clerkes of the Catholique Faith of what degree so euer they be Monkes also let them not in any Ciuile Actions be drawen foorth to fâ—ren Iudgement by the summone or commaundement of any Iudge more or lesse neither let them be driuen to come foorthe of either the Prouince or the place or the Countrie where they dwel Thus whether the Action were Ecclestastical or Ciuile the partie was to be hearde within his owne Prouince and coulde not be forced to appeare abroade Certainely what good likinge S. Bernarde had herein it appeareth hy his woordes For thus he writeth to Eugenius the Bishop of Rome Quousque non euigilat consideratio tua ad tantam Appellationum confusionem Ambitio in Ecclesia per te regnare molitur praeter ius fas praeter morem ordinem fiunt Repertum ad remedium reperitur ad mortem Antidotum versum est in venenum â–ª Murmur loquor querimoniam Communem Ecclesiarum Truncari se clamant demembrari Vel nullae vel paucae admodum sunt quae plagam istam aut non doleant aut non timeant When wil thy consideration â—wake to beholde this so greate confusion of Appeales Ambition and pride striueth through thee to reigne in the Churche These Appeales be made biside al Lawe and Right biside al manner and good order It was diuised for a remedie it is founde turned to deathe That was Triakle is chaunged into poison I speake of the murmuringe and common complainte of the Churches They complaine they be maimed and dismembred There be either no Churches or very fewe but either smarte at this plague or stande in feare of it This is that woorthy grounde wherevpon M. Hardinge hath layde the firste fundation of his Supremacie A Confusion a Death a Poyson a Terrour and Dismembringe of the Churches practised against Lawe against right against manner and against good order misliked by the Holie Fathers disallowed by godly Councelles and vtterly abrogated and abolished by sundrie woorthie and noble Princes This is M. Hardinges principall fundation of his Primacie But yet these men wil saye Chrysostome Athanasius and Theodoretus beinge Godly Fathers and holie Bishops appealed to Rome and acknowleged the Popes authoritie and besought him to vse the same For the true vnderstandinge hereof it shal be necessarie to consider the state that these godly Fathers then stoode in and the miserable confusion of the East parte of the worlde in those daies Chrysostome thereof writeth thus Certamen est totius orbis Ecclesiae vsque ad genua humiliatae sunt populi dispersi Clerus diuexatus Episcopi exules constitutiones Patrum violatae It is the contention of the whole worlde The Churches are brought vpon their knees the people is scatered the ministerie is oppressed the Bishops are banished the constitutions of our Fathers are broken The Emperours Captaine with a bande of souldiours besette the Churche where Athanasius was prayeing Of the people that was with him some were spoiled and bannished some trodden vnder the souldiours féete some slaine where they went Paulus the Bishop of Constantinople was hanged Marcellus the Bishop of Ancyra was depriued Lucius the Bishop of Adrianopolis died in prison Theodulus and Olympius two Bishops of Thracia were commaunded to be murthered The Emperour had commaunded Athanasius to be brought vnto him either deade or aliue These Godly Fathers beinge thus in extreme miserie and séeinge their whole Church in the East parte so desolate were forced to séeke for comforte whersoeuer they had hope to fynde any and specially they sought to the Churche of Rome whiche then bothe for multitude of people and for puritie of Religion and Constancie in the same and also for healping of the afflicted and intreatinge for them was moste famous aboue al others In like sorte sometimes they fledde for healpe vnto the Emperour So Athanasius beinge condemned in the Councel at Tyrus fleadde to Constantinus the Emperour Flauianus vnto the Emperours Theodosius and Ualentinianus Donatus à Casis Nigris vnto Constantinus And the Emperours sometimes called the parties and hearde the mater them selues Sometimes they wrote fauourable
that S. Peters Soule commeth by Succession to dwell in them that therefore they ought to haue what so euer Title or Interest Peter had And for that cause they say We are Peters Successours euen as the Phariseis sometime saide We be the Children of Abraham But S. Iohn the Baptist saide vnto them Put not your affiance in suche Succession For God is hable euen of the stones to raise vp Children vnto Abraham And when the Children of Scaeua beinge Sorcerers and Infidelles beganne to practise in the name of Christe and Paule the man possest made them answeare â–ª Christe I know and Paule I knowe But what are you Surely Peter was not the Heade of the Apostles bicause he was Bishop of Rome For he was so appointed by Christe in consideration of age and boldenes of Sprite longe before he came to Rome Yea and had so béene and so had continued although he had neuer come to Rome Therefore M. Hardinges argument is a Fallax and in the Schooles is called Fallacia accidentis Thus notwithstandinge S. Peter were Heade of the Church yet cannot the B. of Rome therefore of right claime the same title And albeit S. Peter of special reuerence and admiration of his Sprite and vertues were sometimes so called as S. Paule sometimes vpon like consideration also was yet vnderstandinge this Chieftie for Uniuersal Power and Gouernment Authoritie to commaunde S. Peter neither was the Heade of the Uniuersal Churche in déede nor was so estéemed or taken emonge his bretherne as many waies it may wel appeare And therefore S. Gregorie saithe Paulus membra Dominici Corporis certis extra DominuÌ„ quasi Capitibus ipsis quidem Apostolis subijci particulariter euitauit S. Pâ—ule forbade that the members of Christes Bodiè shoulde not be subiecte particulâ—rely vnto any certaine Heades bysides the Lorde no not vnto the Apostles themselues So saithe S. Augustine as it is before alleged Nec Apostolus Paulus Caput est Origo eorum quos plantauerat Neither is Paule him selfe the Heade of them whome he planted Likewise againe he saithe Paulus Apostolus quanquam sub Capite praecipuum Membrum tamen MeÌ„bruÌ„ est Corporis Christi Paule the Apostle although he be a special member vnder Christ the Heade yet is he a member not the Head of Christes Bodie To conclude S. Gregorie saithe Cerâ—è Petrus Apostolus primum membrum Sanctae Vniuersalis Ecclesiae est Paulus Andreas Iohannes quid aliud quà m singularium sunt plebium Capita Et tamen sub vno Capite omnes membra sunt Ecclesiae Atque vt cuncta breui cingulo locutionis astringam Sancti ante Legem Sancti in Lege Sancti sub Gratia Omnes hi perficieÌ„tes Corpus Domini in membris sunt Ecclesiae constituti Et nemo se vnquam Vniuersalem vocari voluit In deede Peter the Apostle is the Chiefe Member of the holy Vniuersal Churche Paule Andrewe and Iohn what are they els but the Heades of seueral peoples Yet notwithstandinge vnder one Heade they are al members of the Churche To be shorte The Sainctes before the Lawe The Sainctes in the Lawe the Sainctes vnder Grace al accomplishinge the Lordes Bodie are placed emonge the members of the Churche And there was neuer yet none that woulde cal him selfe Vniuersal Hereof we may wel conclude thus S. Peter touchinge gouernement Ordinary Rule was not the Heade of the Uniuersal Churche Ergo Muche lesse is the Pope the Heade of the Uniuersal Churche M. Hardinge The .33 Diuision I wil adde to al that hath ben hitherto saide of this matter a saieinge of Martin Luther that suche as doo litle regarde the grauitie of auncient Fathers of the olde Churche maie yet some what be moued with the lightnes of the younge Father Luther Patriarke and founder of theire newe Churche Lightnes I maie wel cal it for in this sayinge which I shal here rehearse he dothe not so soberly allowe the Popes primacie as in sundrie other treatises he dothe rashly and furiousely inueigh against the same In a litle treatise intituled Resolutio Lutheriana super propositione sua 13. De poâ—estate Papae His wordes be these Primum quod me mouet Romanum Pontificem esse alijs omnibus quos saltem nouerimus se Pontifices gerere Superiorem est ipsa voluntas Dei quà m in ipso facto videmus Neque n. sine voluntate Dei in hanc Monarchiam vnquam venire potnisset Rom. Pontifex At voluntas Dei quoquo modo notÌ„a fuerit cum reuerentia suscipienda est ideoque non licer temerâ— Romano Pontifici in suo primatu resistere Haec autem ratio tanta est vt si etiaÌ„ nulla scriptura nulla alia causa esset haec tamen satis esset ad compescendam temeritatem resistentium Et hac sola ratione gloriosissimus Martyr Cyprianus per multas Epistolas confidentissimè gloriatur contra omnes Episcoporum quorumcunque aduersarios Sicut 3. Regum legimus quâ—d decem Tribus Israel discesserunt à Roboam filio Salomonis tamen quia voluntate Dei siue auctoritate factum est ratum apud Deum fuit Nam apud Theologos omnes voluntas Signi quam vocant operationem Dei non minus quà m alia signa voluntatis Dei vt praecepta prohibitiua c. metuenda est Ideo non video quomodo sint excusati à Schismatis reatu qui huic voluntati contrauenientes sese à Romani Pontificis auctoritate subtrahunt Ecce haec est vna prima mihi insuperabilis ratio quae me subijcit Romano Pontifici primatum eius confiteri cogir. The first thinge that moueth me to thinke the Bishop of Rome to be ouer al other that we knowe to be Bishoppes is the very wil of God which we see in the facte or deede it selfe For without the wil of God the Bishop of Rome coulde neuer haue ben commen vnto this Monarchie But the wil of God by what meane so euer it be knowen is to be receiued reuerently And therefor it is not lawful rashely to resiste the Bishop of Rome in his primacie And this is so greate a reason for the same that if there were no Scripture at al nor other reason Yet this were inough to sâ—aie the rashenes of them that resiste And through this onely reason the most glorious Martyr Cyprian in many of his Epistles vaunteth him self very boldly against al the aduersaries of Bishoppes what so euer they were As in the thirde booke of the Kinges we reade that the tenne Tribes of Israel departed from Roboam Salomons sonne Yet bicause it was doone by the wil or auctoritie of God it stoode in effecte with God For amonge al the Diuines the wil of the Signe whiche they cal the workinge of God is to be feared no lesse then other Signes of Goddes wil as commandementes prohibitiue c. Therefore I see not howe they maie be excused of the gilte of schisme whiche
Basile who for his excellente learninge and wisedome was renoumed with the name of Great The B. of Sarisburie In déede as S. Basile for his learninge wisedome and constancie in Goddes truth was worthily called Greate so was his authoritie alwaies accoumpted very weighty If M. Hardinge had in him some parte of that poise he woulde not so lightly be blowen away from Christe and his Gospel with so weake blastes of light fantasie But this Basile is not Basile nor are these woordes S. Basiles woordes Onely Pope Adrian in his Synodical Epistle emonge other vaine authorities allegeth these woordes in the name of Basile But in S. Basiles Bookes whiche are extant and abroade they are not founde And where as this Basile is made to protest that he wil honoure and Adoure Images and that openly to the example of others M. Hardinge knoweth this Doctrine is contrary not onely to common sense but also to his owne Councelles For in the Councel of Mens it is written thus Imagines non ad id proponuntur vt Adoremus aut Colamus eas Images are not set vp to thintent we should honoure or woorship them Neither doth Gregorie calle them Goddes to be honoured but onely bookes to be read neither bookes of profounde knowledge to instructe S. Basile or other like learned Bishoppes but Libros Laicorum Poore simple bookes to teache the ignorant And for as muche as M. Hardinge woulde haue vs to make so deepe accoumpte of the authoritie of this Councel for the better satisfaction of the Reader in this behalfe I thinke it necessary briefely and by the waie to touche some parte of those weighty reasons whereby the Bishoppes and Fathers there after longe deliberation were forced to erecte and stablishe the vse and Adoration of Images and to condemne the gainesaiers as Blasphemers and Heretiques Their special groundes are these Moses saith God tooke claie and made man after his owne Image and likenes Esai saith There shal be a Signe and a Testimonie to the Lorde in the LaÌ„de of Egypte Dauid saith Confession and bewtie is before him Lorde I haue loued the bewtie of thy House O Lorde ini face hath sought for thee O Lorde I wil seeke after thy countenance O Lorde the light of thy countenance is sealed ouer vs. Of euery of these seueral clauses Pope Adrian concludeth thus Ergo we must erecte Images in the Churche An other reasoneth thus Sicut audiuimus ita vidimus As we haue hearde so haue we seene Ergo there must be Images to looke vpon An other saith Mirabilis Deus in Sanctis suis God is marueilous in his Sainctes Ergo the Churche must be deckte with Pictures An other saith Noman lighteth a candle and putteth it vnder a bushel Ergo Images must be set vpon the Aultar Of al these and other like Authorities Isidorus concludeth Ergo A Churche is nothinge woorth onles it be ful freight with Images To prooue the Adoration and Woorshippinge of Images they haue these authorities Dauid saith Adoure ye the footestoole of his feete Adoure ye in his holy hille O Lorde Al the riche of the people shal praie before thy countenance Ergo saie they Images must be woorshipped Nowe to recken vp the vanities and Idolatrous Fables of that Councel it would be tedious The Diuel promiseth by his honestie that he wil no lenger tempte and trouble a holy man if he wil leaue woorshippinge of the Image of Our Lady An other sendeth for an Image to featche home water to his cesterne An other goeth on Pilgrimage and biddeth our Lady in his absence to see to her owne Candel She did al thinges accordingly as she was commaunded Until his returne the Candel went neuer owt Thus muche onely for a tast These proufes be greate and weighty And in comparison hereof al our Newe Maisters as M. Hardinge saith shal be founde lighter then a feather And for as muche as these menne so often charge our Doctrine with noueltie thereby to bringe it owt of credit as if it had neuer benne knowen before these later daies it shal therefore be good to touche some parte of the most Ancient Fathers iudgement and the Olde Practise of the Churche concerninge the same Origen saith Dei vt Inuisibilis Incorporei Imaginem nullam â—â—â—igiamus We make no Image of God as knowinge him to be Inuisible and without body Againe he saith Celsus obijcit nobis quòd non habeamus Altaria â–ª Imagines Celsus the Heathen chargeth vs that we haue neither Aultar nor Images Clemens Alexandrinus that liued at the same time writeth thus Nobis apertâ— veâ—itum est Artem fallacem exerceâ—e Non facies enim â–ª inquit Propheâ—a cuiusuis rei Similitudinem We are plainely forebidden to vse thâ—s deceiteful arte of Paintinge or Grauinge For the Prophete saith Thow shalt not make the likenes of any thinge Arnobius that folowed immediatly after ClemeÌ„s and Origen writeth thus vnto the Heathens Accusatis nos quòd non habeamus Imagines Alâ—aria Ye accuse vs for that we haue neither Images nor Aultars Laâ—tatius sometime Scholar to Arnobius saith Non est dubium quin Religio nulla sit vbi Simulachrum est Out of doubte where so euer is any Image there is no Religion S. Augustine muche commendeth this saieinge of Uarro Qui primi Simulachra Deorum populis posuerunt illi Ciuitatibus suis metum dempserunt errorem verò addiderunt They that first erected the Images of the Goddes vnto the people tooke awaye feare and ReligioÌ„ and increased erroure vnto their Cities And addeth thereto this reason Quia Dij facilè possunt in Simulachrorum stoliditate conteÌ„ni Bicause the Goddes in the folie of Images maie soone be despised The Councel holden at Eliberis decréeth thus Placuit Picturas in Ecclesijs esse noÌ„ debere ne quod colitur aut Adoratur in parietibus depingaâ—ur We thinke it good there be no Picture in the Churches least the thinge that is honoured or Adoured be painted on the Walles The like might be saide of the Councel holden at Constantinople The godly Emperours Ualens and Theodosâ—us gaue owt this General Proclamation throwghout al Christendome Cum sit nobis cura diligens in rebus omnibus Superni Numinis Religionem â—ueri Signum Saluatoris nostri Christi nemini concedimus coloribus lapide aâ—aâ—e materiâ— fingere sculpere aut pingere Sed quocunque reperitur loco tolli tubemus grauissima poena eos mulctando qui contrarium Decreâ—s nostris Imperio quicquam tentauerint For as muche as we haue ad ligent care in al thinges to maineteine the Religion of the most highe God therefore we suffer noman to facion to graue or to painte the Image of our Saueoure Christe either in colours or in stoane or in any other kinde of Metal or mater But where so euer any suche Image shal be founde we commaunde it
remember either borne or doone to deathe for vs or sittinge in his throne And whiles we reduce the Sonne of God to our memorie by the picture no lesse then by writinge it bringeth either gladnesse to our minde by reason of his Resurrection or comforte by reason of his Passion Thus farre S. Gregorie And if men praye kneelinge before any Image or triumphant signe of the Holy Crosse they woorship not the VVoodde or Stoane Figured but they honour the highest God And whom they can not beholde with senses they reuerence and woorship his Image representinge him accordinge to auncient insâ—itution not restinge or staiynge them selues in the Image but transferring the adoration and woorship to him that is represented Muche might be alleged out of the Fathers concerninge the woorshippinge of Images but this may suffise And of al this one sense redoundeth that what Reuerence Honour or VVoorship so euer is applied to Images it is but for Remembrance Loue and honour of the primitiues or Originalles As when we kisse the Gospel booke by that token we honour not the Parchement Paper and Incke wherein it is written but the Gospel it selfe And as Iacob when he kissed his Sonne Iosephes coate embrewed with Kiddes bloude holdinge and imbrasinge it in his armes and makinge heauie moane ouer it the affection of his loue and sorow rested not in the Coate but was directed to Ioseph him selfe whose inforâ—unate Deathe as he thought that blouddy coate represented So Christen men shewinge tokens of reuerence loue and honour before the Image of Christe of an Apostle or Martyr with their inwarde recognition and deuotion of their hartes they staie not their thoughtes in the very Images but deferre the whole to Christe to the Apostle and to the Martyr geuinge to eche one in dewe proportion â–ª that whiche is to be geuen puttinge difference betweene the Almighty Creatour and the Creatures finally rendringe al Honour and Glorie to God alone who is maruelous in his Sainctes Suche woorshippinge of Images is neither to be accompted for wicked nor to be dispised 203 for the whiche we haue the testimonies of the auncient Fathers bothe Greekes and Latines vnto whiche further auctoritie is added by certaine general Councelles that haue condemned the breakers and impugners of the same The B. of Sarisburie M. Hardinge hath made a very large entrie to so smal a house The whole question standeth onely in this one pointe of Adoration whiche is here very lightly past ouer in fewe woordes Al the rest is vsed onely as a floorishe to beginne the gaâ—â—e Neither doothe he any wise directly answeare that was demaunded that is whether Images in olde times were set vp to be woorshipped but onely sheweth his owne fantasie in what sorte they may be woorshipped Wherein notwithstandinge he séemeth not to agrée thorowly neither with the rest of his companie nor with him selfe His final Resolution is this The Adoration that is made in this sorte is not Principally directed to the Image The sense of whiche Woordes is this The corruptible creature of VVood or Stoane may be woorshipped although not Principally or chiefely as God him selfe whiche is thereby represented And thus he taketh an indifferent way bitwéene bothe as if he would saie An Image may be Woorshipped and yet it may not be woorshipped Againe It may not be woorshipped and yet it may be woorshipped And for Confirmation hereof he allegeth certaine Autorities forged vnder the names of S. Basile and Athanasius Notwithstandinge he know right wel that neither of these twoo Fathers euer either vttered suche woordes or had cause to mooue suche mater Onely they are alleged in that childishe Councel of Nice the Seconde â—monge a greate number of other like lies and Fables Good Christian Reader if thou be learned consider and weigh that Councel And thou shalt say I haue reported muche lesse then thou hast founde And the same Athanasius as he is here brought in to prooue the Adoration of Images so els where in the same Councel he is forced to say that Christe dwelleth in Reliques and Deade mens Boanes As for Gregorie notwithstanding he speake expressely of Images yet he speaketh not one Woorde of the Adoration of Images In Conclusion M. Hardinge beinge not hable to allege no not so muche as one Ancient Father for the woorshippinge of Images these manifest forgeries onely excepted yet he blusheth not to say in a brauerie that he mighte allege a greate number moe By suche faces and viâ—inge of emptie stoare the simple people is ofte deceiued But what néedeth M. Hardinge either to holde by these counterfeite and forged déedes or elsby these fonde diuises of Principal and not Principal Adoration thus to simper and to season the mater bitwéene bothe Certainely the Bishoppes in his Seconde Councel of Nice thinke them selues hable to prooue bothe by Scripture and also by Ancient Autoritie that Images ought vndoubtedly to be honoured For as it is saide before they allege these Scriptures Woorship the footestoole of his feete Adoure him in his holy hille Al the ritche of the people shal woorship thy face Hereof they conclude thus Ergo Images must be woorshipped And therefore Theodosius the Bishop of Mira in the same Councel alloweth it wel and specially for that his Archedeacon was taught the same by reuelation in a Dreame Therefore one of them saithe Venerandas imagines adoro id perpetuâ— docebo I Adoure the reuerent Images and wil maineteine the same while I liue An other saithe Historias Imaginum honoro palam Adoro I woorship the stories of Images and Adoure them openly An other saithe Imagines perfectè adoro I geue perfite Adorâ—tion vnto Images An other saithe Eos qui diueâ—sum statuunt auerâ—or anathemaâ—izo Al suche as holde the contrary I vtterly forsake and holde them accursed Briefely the whole Councel there determineth thus Eos qui circa Adoraâ—ionem Imaginum laborant aut dubitant nostra Synodus anathematizat Al suche as stagger or stande in doubte of the Adoration of Images are accursed by this Councel They saye Wee knowe that Images are Creatures Corruptible and therefore wee neither vse them nor take them as Goddes And thus they thinke them selues very wise menne that can knowe that Birdes and Children be hable to knowe Euen so the Heathens were wonte to say of their Idolles Cicero confesseth Ioâ—em lapidem non esse Deum That Iuppiter is a stoane and no God Lactantius hereof writeth thus Non â—psa inquit Adoramus sed eos ad quorum Imagines facta quorum nominibus Consecrata sunt The Infidel wil say euen as M. Hardinge here saith VVe woorship not our Images but our Goddes vnto whose likenesse the Images are made and in whose names they are Consecrate The like â—ereof we may finde in S. Augustine in Athanasius in Sozomenus and in others And this excuse was then as now thought sufficient But S. Augustine
That receiueth the Sacramente of Christes Bodie and yet neuerthelesse is persuaded as the Heretique Eutyches was that Christe in deede hath no Bodie And in this sense S. Augustine seemeth to saie Mors illi erit non Vita qui mendacem putauerit Vitam The receiuinge of the Sacramente shal be Death and not life vnto him that thinketh that Christ beinge the life it selfe was a lyer Deliueringe these holy Mysteries as the Sacramente or Pleage of his Bodie him selfe in deede hauinge no Bodie So likewise Prosper Aquitanus Christum à Populo Iudaico fuisse occisum nullus iaÌ„ ambigit Christianus Cuius Sacrum SanguineÌ„ omnis nunc terra accipiens clamat Amen Vt neganti ludaeo quòd occiderit Christum recté dicatur à Deo Vox Sanguinis fratris tui clamat ad me de terra Whether Christe were slaine of the Iewes or no there is no Christian man nowe that can stande in doubte For nowe al the Earth receiueth his holy Bloude and crieth Amen Therefore yf the Iewe wil denie that euer he slewe Christe God maie iustly saie vnto him The voice of the Bloude of thy Brother crieth vnto me from the Earth So S. Chrysostome Haec afferentes Mysteria ora ipsorum consuimus Si enim mortuus Christus non est cuius Symbolum ac Signum hoc Sacrificium est Layeinge foorth these Mysteries we stoppe their mouthes For yf Christe dyed not whoe 's Signe then and whoe 's Token is this Sacrifice Thus by the iudgemente of these learned Fathers Eutyches the Heretique or any other that denied either the Bodie or the Death of Christe might soone be reproued euen by the receiuinge of these holy Mysteries For they receiue the Sacramente yet denie the thinge it selfe that is represented by the Sacramente so as Leo saith they dispute against the thinge it selfe that they receiue And thus Leo him selfe plainely expouÌ„deth openeth his owne meaninge QuaÌ„ sibi in huius SacrameÌ„ti praesidio SpeÌ„ relinquuÌ„t qui in Saluatoris nostri corpore negaÌ„t Humanae substantiae veritatem Dicant quo Sacrificio sint reconciliati Dicant quo Sanguine sint redempti What hope doo they leaue them selues in the healpe of this Sacramente that say There is no Trueth of the Substance of Man in the Bodie of our Saueour Let them tel mee by what Sacrifice thei are reconciled Let them tel mee with what Bloud thei are Redeemed By these Holy Fathers it is plaine that who so receiueth the Holy Mysterie of Christes Bodie and yet thinketh and holdeth that Christe in déede hath no Bodie as Eutyches the Heretique did he disputeth againste that thinge it selfe that he receiueth For Gelasius saithe Hoc nobis in ipso Domino Christo sentiendum est quod in eius Imagine profitemur We muste thinke the same of Christe the Lorde him selfe that wee professe in the Sacramente whiche is his Image And therefore in the Communion Booke that beareth the name of S. Iames it is written thus Quoties cunque comederitis hunc panem hunc Calicem biberitis Mortem Filij Hominis annuntiatis donec veniat Populus respondet Credimus Confitemur As often as ye shal eate this Breade or Drinke this Cuppe ye doo publishe the Death of the Sonne of Man vntil he come Hereto the people maketh answeare Wee Beleeue it and wee Confesse it This is it that S. Ambrose S. Chrysostome Leo Clementâ—cal Amen And this is that vndoubted Trueth of Christes Bodie not in the Sacrament as M. Hardinge imagineth but in the Unitie of One Personne that Leo defendeth against the Heretique Eutyches Bessarions Authoritie in these cases cannot be greate bothe for that he was but of very late yéeres therefore a very yonge Doctour to be alleged and also for that being promoted to the Bishoprike of Tusculum and made a Cardinal of Rome in the late Councel of Florence contrary to the mindes and iudgementes of the reste of his Brethren of Graecia he openly flattered and yelded him selfe vnto the Pope M. Hardinge The .3 Diuision And that the people shoulde geue their consente and applie their Faithe to this trueth without errour and deceite and that by saieinge Amen they should then Beleeue and Confesse The Breade and VVine to be made the Bodie and Bloude of Christe 214 when it was made in deede and not els for so were it a greate errour for this cause Iustinian the Emperour made an ordinance that the Bishoppes and Priestes should to this intent pronounce their Seruice plainely distinctly and so as it might be vnderstanded that the people might answeare Amen whiche is to be referred to eche parte of the Seruice but specially to the Consecration that they might beleeue and Confesse it was the Bodie and Bloude of Christe 215 when it was in deede and not so confesse when it was not whiche might happen if they hearde not the VVoordes of Consecration plainely pronounced And hereunto specially that Constitution of Iustinian is to be restrained as pertaininge onely to the Greeke Churche wherein he liued 216 and not to be stretched further to serue for proufe of al the seruice to be had and saide in the vulgare tongue in the VVeste Churche as to that purpose of our newe teachers it is vntruely alleged The B. of Sarisburie So many Untruethes in so litle roome so constantely to be auouched without blushinge Where is the Feare of God Where is the Reuerence of the Reader Where is shame become Firste neither doothe that godly Emperour Iustinian once mention or touche this Newe Fantasie of M. Hardinges Doctrine nor did the Gréeke Churche as it is sufficiently already prooued euer hitherto consente vnto the same Wil M. Hardinge make the worlde beléeue that the people openly in the Churche gaue their consentes vnto that thing that they neuer beléeued but knewe vndoubtedly to be an erroure Is he hable to allege not one Councel not one Doctour not one Father that euer expounded Amen in this sorte Is the mater so miserable and so bare that no honest witnesse wil speake for it Or muste M. Hardinges bare woorde without Scripture Councel Doctoure or Father be taken for the Doctrine of the Churche The Emperours woordes are plaine Wee commaunde al the holy Bishoppes and Priestes to minister the holy Oblation and the Sacramente of Baptisme and other Praiers not cloasely or in Silence as the manner is nowe in the Churche of Rome but with a lowde voice that may be hearde of the Faithe ful people not to testifie M. Hardinges Transubstantiation whiche then was not knowen but that the hartes of the hearers may thereby bothe the more be humbled to repentance and also the more be sturred to glorifie God If the pronouncinge of these twoo Syllables Amen bee proufe sufficient to warrant Transubstantiation then may wee easily finde the same Transubstantiation not onely in the Sacramente of Christes Bodie but also in the Sacramente
and seeking of praise although it be the weakest of al other your shiftes yet it is an affection incident vnto the children of Adam and some men suspecte that M. Hardinge is not fully emptie of the same But he that made the harte is onely meete to searche and to iudge the harte As for mee as I am nothinâ— so I knowe nothinge God forebidde that I should glorie in any thinge sauing onely in the Crosse of Iesus Christe But where it pleaseth you so horribly to pronounce your Definitiue sentence that euerlastinge damnation shal be the ende of our game I might wel answeare you with S. Paule Nolite ante tempus iudicare Iudgâ— not before the time It seemeth ouer muche for you so vnaduisedly to take vpoÌ„ you the office and person of Christe without Commission For S. Iohn saith God hath geuen al iudgement not vnto M. Harding but vnto Christe his Sonne who no doubte wil inquire further of your iudgement Your owne Gelasius saithe Neminâ—â— grauare debet iniqua sententia A vvrongeful sentence may hurt no man It behooueth vs patiently to waite for the Iudgementseate of God In that day al the secretes of darkenesse shal be reueled The wicked and vngodly cried out against the Prophete Dauid Non est salus ipsi in Deo eius He hath no health he hath no comforte in his God But Dauid turned him selfe vnto God and saide O Lorde thou receiuest mee thou art my glorie thou liftest vp my heade If damnation be the ende of al their traueiles that seeke onely the Glorie of God and the Trueth of his Gospel where then shal they be that so wilfully haue dishonoured the name of God and haue burnte his Gospel without cause and haue condemned it as open Heresie Certainely Renegates Infidelles Liers Blasphemers and Idolaters shal haue their portion in the Lake that flameth vvith fier and Brimâ—toane The Lordes mouthe hath spoken it This doubtlesse shal be the ende of their game Now say you it remaineth that I perfourme my promise Yea verily but notwithstandinge al that ye haue hitherto saide muche more it remaineth that you beginne againe and assay better to prooue your purpose that is that ye leaue your Surmises and Gheasses and allege one or other sufficient Clause or Sentence for any of these maters that ye say ye haue prooued For that ye haue hitherto shewed vs as vnto any indifferent Reader it may soone appeare is ouer weake and wil not serue I graunte ye haue alleged Authorities sundrie and many such as I knew loÌ„ge before VVith what faithe I doubte not but by Conference it may soone appeare Verily M. Hardinge I neuer denied but you were hable to misreporte the Anciente Learned Doctours of the Churche and to bringe vs the names and shadowes of many Fathers The Heretiques of al ages were likewise hable to doo the same But what credite may wee yelde to suche AllegatioÌ„s VVhat Errour was there euer so plaine what Abuse so horrible but ye haue beene hable to maineteine the same by some coloure of Scriptures and Fathers Ye haue defended your Holy VVater by the example of Elizaeus and by the woordes of the Prophete Ezechiel Your Pardonnes by the Prophete Esaie the open filthinesse and abomination of your stewes by the name and Authoritie of S. Augustine Suche credite ye deserue to haue when ye come to vs in the name of holy Fathers Ye say ye haue shaken downe al the holdes of our side and that who so seeth it not is starke blinde and seeth nothing So easily and with so smal adoo this whole mater is brought to passe So Iulius Caesar sometime to declare the marueilous speede and expedition of his victorie expressed the same briefely in these three woordes Veni Vidi Vici I came to them I sawe them I conquered them Here in few woordes to trauersâ— the special pointes and corners of your whole Booke and to shew by what force and inginnes ye haue atchieued this enterprise First ye haue prooued your Priuate Masse by VVemen Boyes Children Laiemenne Fables Dreames and Visions your Halfe Communion by Sicke folke Deathbeddes Infantes and Madde men Of Christes Institution of the Scriptures of the certaine practise of the Apostles of the General and knowen vse of the Primitiue Churche of the Anciente Councelles of the Olde Canons of the Holy Catholique Fathers sauing onely your bare Gheasses you bringe nothinge Of your vnfruiteful manner of praieinge in a strange vnknowen tongue ye allege neither Authoritie nor Example Touchinge the Supremacie of Rome whiche is the keepe and Castle of your whole Religion ye wander far and wide and many times biside the way yet haue ye not founde any Ancient Father that euer entitled the Bishop of Rome either the Vniuersal Bishop of the whole worlde or the Head of the Vniuersal Churche Thus ye proceede with your Real presence and so foorth with the rest You intreate vncourteously the Holy Fathers with suche your Translations Expositions and Constructions not as may best expresse their meaning but as may best serue to further your purpose Ye racke them ye alter them ye put to them ye take fro them ye allege sometime the ende without the beginninge sometime the beginninge without the ende Sometime ye take the bare woordes against the meaninge sometime ye make a meaninge against the woordes Ye imagine Councelles that were neuer holden and Canons of Councelles that neuer were seene Ye bringe forged pamflettes vnder the names of Athanasius Anacletus and other Godly Fathers by whom you wel know and cannot choose but know they were neuer made Your greatest groundes be Surmises Gheasses Coniectures and likelyhoodes Your Argumentes be Fallacies many times without either Moode or Figure the Antecedente not agreeinge with the Consequente nor one parte ioined with an other Your Vntruethes be so notorious and so many that it pitieth mee in your behalfe to remember them But the places be euident and crie Corruption and may by no shift be denied And to forgeate al other your Inconstancie touchinge the former times euen now in this selfe same Booke whiche ye wishe vs to receiue and so to receiue as the rule and standarde of our Faithe ye say and vnsay ye auouche and recante and either of forgeatfulnesse or for that ye mislike your former saieinges you are often contrary to your selfe Ye haue sought vp a companie of new petite Doctours Abdias Amphilochius Clemens Hippolytus Leontius and suche others Authours voide of Authoritie ful of Vanities and Childishe fables And no greate marueile For who so wanteth wood is often driuen to burne turfes It had ben good ye had brought some other Doctours to prooue the credite of these Doctours Ye make no difference bitweene Syluer and Drosse bitweene Corne and Chaffe bitweene Olde and New bitween True and False Ye saie Christe sheadde his Bloude in deede and verily at his Laste Supper and that at the same instante of time he
some are sicke And by that voice the Deacon dâ—uideth these from them For that voyce of his fallinge into our eares as it were a hande remoueth and shutteth foorthe some and other some it taketh in and presenteth them to the Congregation I sende thée not vnto other places of Chrysostome which be both many moe and farre plainer then this but onely vnto this same place out of which M. Hardinge hath piked as muche as he thought good Chrysostome saithe The people resorted dayly to the Churche The Deacon sundred them with his voice the sounde from the sicke the one porte to receiue the other to absteine the one parte he shut out at the time of the Holy Communion the other he broughâ— in and presented to the Congregation This was the ordinarie practise of the Churche in Chrysostomes time where wée sée plainely by his owne reporte that he receiued not alone Yet saith M. Hardinge For proufe of this these folowinge be suche places as I am perswaded with al. By this colde conclusion he cutteth of credite from al that he hath hitherto saide as not makinge shewe sufficient to winne his purpose and so condemneth his note made in the Margin whiche was Proufes for Priuate Masse and laieth al the burthen of his groundes vpon these other gheasses that hereafter folowe Uerely hitherto for any thinge that may appeare by his Booke notwithstandinge his longe time his muche readinge and greate conference with al his felowes he hath not yet founde either the name of Priuate Masse in any olde Catholique writer or the Sole Receiuing of the Priest If he wil haue the world to beléeue him and subscribe he must leaue his gheasses and bring some sounde and substantial proufes M. Hardinge The .29 Diuision Soter Bishop of Rome aboute the yere of our Lorde 170. who suffered Martyrdome vnder Antoninus Verus the Emperour for order of celebratinge the Masse made this statute or decree Vt nullus Presbyterorum solennia celebrare praesumat nisi duobus praesentibus sibique respondentibus ipse tertius habeatur quia cum pluraliter ab eo dicitur Dominus Vobiscum illud in secretis Orate prome apertissimè conuenit vt ipsius respondeatur salutaâ—ioni This hath beene ordeined that no Priest presume to celebrate the solemnitie of the Masse excepte there be twoo present and answeare him so as he him selfe be the thirde For where as he saith as by way of speakinge to many Our Lorde be vvith you and likewise in the Secretes Pray you for me It seemeth euidently conuenient that aunsweare be made to his salutation accordingly whiche auncient decree requireth not that al people of necessitie be present 37 muche lesse that al so often times should Communicate Sacramentally whiche thinge it requireth neither of those twoo that ought to be present If of the bare woordes of this Decree a sufficient argument may not be made for our purpose inducinge of the affirmation of that one thinge there specified the denial of that other thinge wee speake of whiche manner of argument is commonly vsed of our aduersaries then more weight may be put vnto it in this case for that where as the receiuinge of Christes Body is a farre greater mater then to answeare the Priest at Masse if that holy Bishop and Martyr had thought it so necessarie as that the Masse might not be doone without it Doubtlesse of very reason and conuenience he woulde and shoulde haue specially spoken of that rather then of the other But for that he thought otherwise he required onely of necessitie the presence of twoo for the purpose aboue mentioned The B. of Sarisburie Some say this Decree was made by Pope Anacletus some others say by Soter and so they séeme not to be yet throughly resolued vpon the Authour But if wée had not good cause to doubte of the authoritie of these Decrees and Epistles Decretal wée woulde the lesse doubt of their doctrine It was euermore the CommoÌ„ practise of deceiuers to blase their dooinges by the names of such as thei knew to be in estimation in the worlde For to passe by Homer Hefiod Cicero Plautus and suche others counted learned and famous amonge the Heathens in whose names many counterseite bookes were set abroade S. Paule him selfe willeth the Thessaloniens not to suffer them selues to be drawen from their faithe Neither by spirite nor by talke nor by letter as sent from him By whiche laste woordes he signifieth that letters sometime were falsified and set abroade in his name So were there geuen out Gospels in the name of Peter Thomas and other the Apostles and other maters of smal weight in the names of Augustine Hierome Ambrose Cyprian and other like This was vnto some a common pastime and many godly Fathers complaine muche of it Wherefore wée ought the lesse to maruel if the like haue happened vnto Anacletus Euaristus Soter and suche others as folowed immediatly in Rome after the Apostles time Gratian sheweth that the Decretal Epistles haue béene doubted of amonge the learned And Doctor Smithe although his authoritie be not greate declared openly at Paules Crosse that they can not possibly be theirs whose names they beare And to vtter some reasons shortely for proufe thereof These Decretal Epistles manifestly depraue and abuse the Scriptures as it may soone appeare vnto the godly Reader vpon the sight They mainteine nothinge so muche as the state and kingedome of the Pope and yet was there no such state erected in many hundred yeres after the Apostles time they publishe a multitude of vaine and superstitious Ceremonies other like fantasies farre vnlike the Apostles doctrine They proclaime suche thinges as M. Hardinge knoweth to be open and knowen lies Anacletus that was next after Peter willeth and straitly commaundeth that al Bishops once in the yere doo visite the entrie of S. Peters Churche in Rome whiche they cal Limina Petri. Yet was there then no Churche yet builte there in the name of Peter For Pope Cornelius saith as he is alleged that he first tooke vp S. Peters body and buried the same in Appolloes Churche in Rome at the leaste one hundred and fortie yeres after that Anacletus was dead Pope Antherus maketh mention of Eusebius Alexandrinus and Felix whiche liued a longe time after him and therefore was it not possible for him to know them Fabianus writeth of the cominge of Nouatus into Italy And yet it is cleare by S. Cyprian and by Eusebius that Nouatus came first into Italy in the time of Cornelius whiche was next after him And to leaue a number of other coniectures which may be hereafter more aptly touched some otherwhere neither S. Hierome nor Gennadius intreatinge of the Ecclesiastical writers nor Damasus writinge purposely of the liues of the Bishoppes of Rome before him euer made any mention either of suche Epistles or of any suche Decrees whiche they
al the worlde By these and other like authorities of the Scriptures they conclude that the Pope holdeth his authoritie not by any ordinance of man but De Iure diuino That is euen by the right of Goddes vndoubted Lawe And therefore Pope Bonifacius determineth the mater in this wise to holde for euer Declaramus Dicimus Definimus Pronuntiamus omninò esse de necessitate salutis omni humanae creaturae subesse Romano Pontifici Wee declare say determine and pronounce that vndoubtedly it standeth vpon the necessitie of Saluation for euery mortal creature to be subiecte to the Bishop of Rome Likewise saith the Glose vpon the same Quicquid saluatur est sub summo pontifice What so euer is saued is vnder the highest Bishop If â—â—ese claimes be good it is no harde mater to holde by Scriptures But for as muche as they seeme to make greatest accompte of these woordes of Christe Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I vvil builde my Churche Therefore for answeare herevnto vnderstande thou good Christian Reader that the Olde Catholique Fathers haue written pronounced not any Mortal man as Peter was but Christe him selfe the Sonne of God to be this Rocke Gregorius Nyssenus saith Tu es Petrus c. Thou arte Peter and vpon this Rocke I vvil builde my Churche He meaneth the Confession of Christe for he had saide before Thou arte Christe the Sonne of the liuinge God So saith S. Hilarie Haec est vna foâ—lix fidei Petra quam Petrus ore suo confessus est This is that onely Blessed Rocke of Faithe that Peter confessed with his mouthe Againe he saith Vpon this Rocke of Peters Confession is the buildinge of the Churche So Cyrillus Petra nihil aliud est quà m firma inconcussa Discipuli Fides The Rocke is nothinge els but the stronge and assured Faithe of the Disciple So likewise Chrysostome Super hanc PetraÌ„ id eâ—t In hac Fide Confessione aedificabo Ecclesiam meaÌ„ Vpon this Rocke that is to say vpon this Faithe and this Confession I wil builde my Churche Likewise S. Augustine Petra erat Christus super quod fundamentum etiam aedificatus est Petrus Christe was the Rocke vpon which â—undation Peter him selfe was also builte And addeth further bisides Non me aedificabo super te sed te aedificabo super me Christe saithe vnto Peter I wil not builde mee selfe vpon thee but I wil builde thee vpon mee Al these Fathers be plaine but none so plaine as Origen His woordes be these Petra est quicunque est Discipulus Christi Et super talem petraÌ„ construitur omnis Ecclesiastica Doctrina Quod si super vnuÌ„ illum Petrum tantùm existimas aedificari totaÌ„ EcclesiaÌ„ â–ª quid dicturus es de Iohanne Filio Tonitrui Apostolorum vnoquoque Num audebimus dicere quòd aduersus Petrum vnum non praeualiturae sint portae Inferorum An soli Petro danâ—ur a Christo Claues Regni Coâ—lorum He is the Rocke who so euer is the Disciple of Christe And Vpon suche a Rocke al Ecclesiastical learninge is builte If thou thinke that the whole Churche is builte onely vpon Peter what then wilt thou say of Iohn the Sonne of the Thunder and of euery of the Apostles Shal wee dare to say that the Gates of Hel shal not preuaile onely against Peter Or are the keyes of the Kingedome of Heauen geuen onely vnto Peter By these few it may appeare what right the Pope hath to claime his authoritie by Goddes woorde and as M. Hardinge saith De Iure diuino In déede touchinge the same woordes of S. Mathew S. Hierome writeth thus Istum locum Episcopi Presbyteri non intelligentes aliquid sibi de Pharisaeorum assumunt supercilio Bishoppes and Priestes not vnderstandinge this place take vpon them some parte of the proude lookes of the Phariseis And againe he saithe Nouerint Episcopi se magis consuetudine quà m dispositionis Dominicae veritate Presbyteris esse maiores Let Bishoppes vnderstande that they are greater then the Priestes more of Custome then of the truthe of Goddes ordinance By this it appeareth that the Bishop of Rome holdeth by Custome and not as M. Hardinge saith De Iure diuino As for the Decrées of Councels the Edictes of Princes the saieinges of holy Fathers the Necessitie of Reason and the Practise of the Churche how iustly they be auouched by M. Hardinge they shal be seuerally examined as they come M. Hardinge The .3 Diuision But I in this treatise seekinge to auoide prolixitie hauinge purposed to say somewhat to this number of the other Articles and knowinge this matter of the Primacie to be already largely and learnedly handeled of others wil but Trippe as it were lightly ouer at this time and not set my fast footinge in the deepe debatinge and treatinge of it First as concerning the right of the Primacie by Goddes lawe by these auncient authorities it hath beene auouched Anacletus that holy Bishop and Martyr S. Peters Scholar and of him Consecrated Priest in his Epistle to the Bishops of Italie writeth thus In Nouo Testamento post Christum c. In the New Testament the order of Priestes beganne after our Lorde Christe of Peter bicause to him Bishoprike was first geuen in the Churche of Christe where as our Lorde saide vnto him Thou arte Peter and vpon this Rocke I vvil builde my Churche and the gates of Hel shal not preuaile against it and vnto thee I vvil geue the keyes of the kingedome of Heauen VVherefore this Peter receiued of our Lorde first of al power to binde and to loose and first of al he brought people to the faithe by vertue of his Preachinge As for the other Apostles they receiued honour and power in like felowship with him and willed him to be their Prince or chiefe gouernour In an other Epistle to al Bishops alleging the same texte for the Primacie of the see of Rome speakinge of the disposition of Churches committed to Patriarkes and Primates saith thus moste plainely This holy and Apostolike Churche of Rome hath obteined the Primacie not of the Apostles â–ª but of our Lorde and Sauiour him selfe and hath gotten the preeminence of power ouer al Churches and ouer the whole flocke of Christen people euen so as he saide to blessed Peter the Apostle Thou arte Peter and vpon this Rocke c. The B. of Sarisburie The authorities here alleged are full of Fogge and false grounde and can abide no falt footinge and therefore M. Hardinge Trippeth them so lightly ouer Touchinge this Epistle of Anacletus and other like Epistles Decretal I wil onely geue a taste and leaue the iudgement thereof vnto the Reader First one Petrus Crabbe the compiler of the Councelles complaineth muche that the examples from whence he tooke them were woonderfully corrupted and not one of them agreeing with an other and expresseth
Sacrifice of the Bodie and bloud of our Lorde Iesus Christe whiche the Priest offereth on the aultar Next the trueth and real presence of the Bodie and Bloud of our Lorde in the Sacrifice offered Then Aultars whiche this Councel calleth diuine or holy for the diuine and holy thinges on them offered the Bodie and Bloud of Christ. Furthermore the 200 multitude of Masses in one day For they speake of many Sacrifices that is many Masses Plurima Sacrificia Lastly Priuate Masses For the woordes nec ipse Sacrificans rightly construed and weighed importe no lesse For where as no woorde in this Decree is vttered whereby it may appeare the people to be of necessitie required to receiue if the Priestes had receiued them selues at euery Masse no faulte had beene founde And if the people had receiued without the Priestes in this case it had been reason this Decree should otherwise haue been expressed And so it is cleare that at that time Priuate Masses were saide and doone The B. of Sarisburie The authoritie and credite of this Councel of Toledo is no parte of our question It was holden almoste seuen hundred yéeres after Christe And of greater Antiquitie M. Hardinge is hable to allege none Whiche thinge I trust the indifferent and discrete Reader wil wel remember Concerning these fiue notes whereof one onely toucheth this purpose As this Councel saithe The Priest offereth the Sacrifice at the Aultar or Holy Table euen so Leo saithe Euery of the whole Faithful people likewise offereth vp the same Sacrifice I say not any other but the very selfe same Sacrifice and that in as ample manner as it is offered by the Priest Touchinge Real presence M. Harding seemeth to doo as Children sometimes vse to doo that imagin horsemen and Banners and other strange miracles in the Cloudes It is onely his owne fantasie For there is no suche woorde or mention in the Councel The mater of Aultars is already answeared Priuate Masses and also Multitudes of the same consideration euermore had to the computation of the yeeres might easily be graunted without hinderance Yet hath not M. Harding in the space welneare of seuen hundred yeeres hitherto founde in one Churche more then twoo Masses in one daie al this his greate studie and trauaile therein taken notwithstandinge But the woordes of the Councel be plaine Plurima Sacrificia that is many Sacrifices and therefore saithe M. Hardinge many Masses Hereby it may appeare that M. Hardinge either considereth not his booke or els hath no great regarde to that he writeth His owne bookes wil reprooue his ouersight and shewe how much he is deceiued For Plurima in this place signifieth not Many that is neither sixe nor fiue nor foure nor three but onely twoo And for trial hereof I reporte me to the Glose it selfe vpon the Decrées The woordes be these Noâ—a hâ—c plurima dici de duobus Quia plura non licet Marke here that this woorde Plurima is spoken onely of two For to say moe Masses then â—woo it is not lawful M. Hardinge The .10 Diuision Now if M. Iuel refuse and reiecte the auctoritie of the Churche represented in that Councel then he giueth vs a manifest notice what marke we ought to take him to be of Then may we saie vnto him the woordes of S. Paule Nos talem consuetudinem non habemus nec Ecclesia Dei VVe haue no suche custome neither the Churche of God hath not to condemne the Churche And in this case he must pardon vs if accordinge to the precepte of Christe for that he wil not heare the Churche we take him for no better then a heathen and a Publicane The B. of Sarisburie To these simple Premisses M. Hardinge hath laied a large Conclusion If we heare not him and his Churche then are we Heathens and Publicanes God knoweth This is a very poore Brauerie In the Schooles it is called Petitio Principij and Fallacia Accidentis a deceiteful kinde of reasoninge without either grounde or good order I neede not to open it it is knowen vnto Children But doeth M. Hardinge thinke that euery man is an Heathen that reprooueth errour that discloaseth the Man of Sinne wisheth the Reformation of Goddes Churche Christe saide vnto the Scribes and Phariseis You haue made the house of God a denne of Theeues Hieremie saithe The labourers them selues haue trodden downe and torne the Vine of the Lorde The Prophete Esaie saithe Your Siluer is turned into Drâ—sse S. Bernarde saithe of the Bishoppes in his time Pro Mercenarijs habemus Diabolos c. In steede of hirelinges we haue Diuels from the toppe to the toe there is no parte leafte whole in the Churche of Rome Nicolaus de Clauengijs saith Calamitosa desolatio est in domo Dei There is a miserable desolation in the House of the Lorde Pigghius confesseth there be abuses in the Priuate Masse Latomus confesseth there is an errour in the Administration in One Kinde And wil M. Hardinge knowe al these by his owne priuie Marke Or muste Christe Hieremie Esaie S. Bernarde Pigghius and Latomus be taken for no better then Heathens and Publicanes Certainely touchinge these pluralities of Masses and this shameful profanation and waste of Goddes Holy Mysteries bothe Christe and his Apostles and al the Olde Catholique Fathers of the Primitiue Churche wil saie Nos huiusmodi consuetudinem non habemus nec Ecclesia Dei We haue no suche custome neither the Churche of God And to the wilful mainteiners of the same Christe wil saie Frustra colitis me docentes doctrinas praecepta hominum Ye woorship me in vaine teachinge the Doctrines and Commaundementes of men And where as M. Harding ye countenance and furnishe your errours by the name of the Churche Remember S. Iohn saithe Make no vauntes that ye be the Children of Abraham For God is hable euen of the stoanes to raise vp Children vnto Abraham And the Angel saithe in the booke of Reuelations Dicunt se esse Iudaeos noÌ„ sunt Sed sunt Synagoga Satanae They name them selues Iewes that is the people of God â–ª but they are not They are the Synagoge of the Diuel Now good Christian Reader that thou maiste sée how vainely M. Hardinge hath wandred throughout this whole treatie it may please thée to remember my first Negatiue Proposition touchinge the same whiche in effect is this They are not hable to shewe that within sixe hundred yeeres after Christe there were fiue Masses saide anywhere in any one Church in one daie throughout the worlde In whiche proposition twoo pointes are specially touched the number of Masses and the number of yéeres To prooue the Affirmatiue hereof M. Hardinge hath alleged the Councel of Antisiodorum and the Councel of Toledo either of them beinge without the compasse of sixe hundred yéeres He hath also alleged Leo an ancient Bishop of Rome
speakinge onely of the Holy Communion and not one woorde of the Priuate Masse Al these thrée Authorities touche onely one Prieste and as it appeareth by the Glose onely twoo Ministrations at the vttermoste Thus hath M. Hardinge failed bothe in the computation of the yéeres and also in the number of his Masses Yet must this be defended emonge the reste bee the profanation thereof neuer so horrible and who so euer dare wishe a reformation herein muste be no better then a Heathen and a Publicane O how muche better had it béene for M. Hardinge either to haue passed the mater ouer in silence or plainely and simply to haue confessed his errour FINIS THE FOVRETEENTH ARTICLE OF ADORATION OF IMAGES The B. of Sarisburie Or that Images were set vp in the Churches to the intent the people might woorship them M. Hardinge The .1 Diuision That Images were set vp in Churches within sixe hundred yeeres after Christe it is certaine but not Specially either then or sithens to the intent the people mighte woorship them The intent and purpose hath beene farre other but right Godly as shal be declared VVherefore the imputinge of this entent to the Catholike Churche is bothe false and also sclaunderouse And because for the vse of Images these Newe Maisters charge the Churche with reproche of a newe deuise breache of Gods â—ommaundement and Idolatrie I wil here shewe Firste the Antiquitie of Images and by whome they haue beene allowed Secondly to what entent and purpose they serue Thirdly how they may be woorshipped without offence The B. of Sarisburie This Article of Images may be easily passed ouer bothe for that the weight thereof is not great and also for that M. Hardinge as his woonte is hath purposely dissembled the mater that was in question and diuised other fantasies that were not touched Wherein notwithstandinge he vse large discourses and make great shewe yet in the ende as it shal appeare he concludeth nothinge I graunt Images were erected in some Churches within sixe hundred yéeres after Christe al be it neither so rathe as it is pretended nor without muche repininge of Godly men and great contention But M. Hardinge of his modestie once againe calleth vs Newe Maisters so as he woulde cal Moses if he were now aliue or muche rather God him selfe For this Doctrine is Goddes Doctrine and not ours And therefore S. Augustine saithe Huiusmodi Simulachrum Deo nefas est in Christiano Templo collocare In a Christian Churche to erecte suche an Image vnto God resemblinge God to an olde Man it is an Abomination And Epiphanius the Bishop of Cyprus entringe into a Churche and findinge there a Uele hanged vp and the Image of Christe painted in it tare it a sunder and pulled it downe bicause it was donne as he writeth him selfe Contra authoritatem Scripturarum contrary to the Commaundement of Goddes Woorde Againe he saithe Huiusmodi vela contra Religionem nostram veniunt Suche veles so painted are contrary to our Christian Religion And againe Haec scrupulositas indigna est Ecclesia Christi populis qui tibi crediti sunt This Superstâ—tion is vnmeete for the Churche of Christe and vnmeete for the people that is committed vnto thee S. Augustine saithe It is Abomination Epiphanius saithe It is contrary to the Scriptures and contrary to Christian Religion Vnmeete for the Churche of Christe and vnmeete for the people of God How be it M. Hardinge perhaps wil suffer these twoo to passe in the numbre of his Newe Maisters And al be it by these Fathers iudgement it is plaine that by settinge vp of Images Goddes Commaundement is broken yet yt may the better appeare by comparinge Goddes Woordes and M. Hardinges Woordes bothe togeather God saithe Thou shalt make to thee selfe no grauen Image M. Hardinge saithe Thou shalt make to thee selfe grauen Images God saithe Thou shalt not fal downe to them nor woorship them M. Hardinge saithe Thou shalte fal downe to them and woorship them Now iudge thou good Reader whether this be a breache of Gods CoÌ„maundement or no. Uerily M. Hardinge in the first entrie hereof saith thus Images are not specially set vp to thintent the people maie woorship them The sense whereof must needes be this Images are set vp to th end to be woorshipped althoughe not specially to that ende But an Image is a Creature and no God And to honour a Creature in that sort is Idolatrie Therefore by M. Hardinges owne confession Images are set vp to be vsed to Idolatrie althoughe not Specially to that ende How be it by this simple Distinction of General and Special Idolatrie is easy to be excused M. Hardinge The .2 Diuision Concerninge the antiquitie and original of Images they were not first inuented by man but 201 coÌ„maunded by God brought into vse by Tradition of the Apostles allowed by Authoritie of the holy Fathers and al Councelles and by custome of al ages sith Christes being in the Earthe VVhen God would the Tabernacle with al fourniture thereto belonginge to be made to serue for his honoure and glorie he commaunded Moses amonge other thinges to make two Cherubins of Beaten golde so as they might couer both sides of the propitiatorie spreadinge abroade their whinges and beholdinge them selues one an other their faces tourned toward the Propitiatorie that the Arke was to be couered withal Of those Cherubins S. Paul speaketh in his Epistle to the Hebrâ—wes VVhiche Images Beseleel that excellent workeman made at the commaundement of Moses accordinge to the instruction by â—od geuen Againe Moses by the commaundement of God made the Brasen Serpent and set it vp on high for the people that were hurt of serpentes in wildernes to beholde and so to be healed In the Temple also that Salomon buylded were Images of Cherubins as Scripture sheweth Of Cherubins mention is made in sundry places of the Scriptures specially in Ezechâ—el the Prophet cap. 41. Iosephus writeth of the same in his thirde and eight booke Antiquittaum Iudaicarum The Image of Cherubins representeth Angels and the woorde is a woorde of Angelical Dignitie as it appeareth by the thirde Chapter of Genesis where we reade that God placed Cherubins before Paradise after that Adam was cast forth for his disobedience The B. of Sarisburie M. Hardinge doubteth not to deriue the fâ—rst Inuention of his Images from God him selfe euen as rightly and with as good Faith as he deriueth his Masse from Christe and his Apostles or his Holy Water from the Prophete Elizeus or the Cardinalles hatte from S. Hierome Onles perhaps he wil reason thus God saith â—howe shalt not make vnto thee selfe any graueÌ„ Image nor the Likenes of any thinge And Accursed be the man that maketh â—n Image And CoÌ„founded be al they that woorship Images Ergo God commaunded Images to be made Yf he can auouche his Images by suche warrantes then doubtles
obseruinge of the Gospel and for the keepinge of the Feaste of the true and firme Easter and for thy reuerent and pure Image whiche thy holy Apostles haue leafte to me by Tradition to haue and keepe for a representation of thine Incarnation Then quod our Lorde if this be the mater for whiche thou arte inuaded and set against be not dismaied be of good comforte in harte and minde being assured hereof that who so denieth Easter or my cleane Image I shal deny him before my heauenly Father and his chosen Angels And he that suffereth persecution with me for keepinge of Easter the same shal also be glorified with me Hast not thou heard what I commaunded Moyses the Lawgeuer to doo Make me saide I twoo Cherubins iâ— the Tabernacle of the Testimony to be a prefiguration or foretokening of my Image c. The B. of Sarisburie I trowe This good Olde Monumente of Antiquitie hath laine longe in the dust at Uerona with M. Hardinges Amphilochius The Churche piteously bemoaneth her selfe vnto Christe that she is soare persecuted and vexed for his Image Christe to comforte her with al saith Who so denieth mine Image shal be denied before my Father In the ende he confirmeth the vse of suche Images by the Example of the Cherubines Here M. Hardinge to increase some credite to his new Doctour shoulde haue shewed vs when the Churche was thus vexed for hauinge the Image of Christe and whoo vexed her and what kinde of vexation it was and how longe it continewed and in what countrie and when it ceassed The Churche is builte vpon a Mounte her Persequutions cannot be hidden If she euer were thus vexed for hauinge of Images I meane before the time of Athanasius it must néedes appeare If neuer then was she a very Wanton thus to complaine without cause If these threates be true that who so denieth the grauen or painted Image of Christe shal be denied before God the Father then must Epiphanius the Bishop of Cyprus and Serenus the Bishop of Massilia both Godly and Zelous Bishops and a greate number of other godly Learned Fathers that rente brake downe and defaced Christes Images be vtterly denied before God To be shorte to say that God commaunded Moyses to make the golden Cherubines purposely to be Figures of these Images of Wood or Stoane it is a very Fabulous and a Childish fantasie without any grounde how be it good yenough to mainteine and colour a Childishe Doctrine Notwithstanding if there be any weight either in this hidden Athanasius or in his sayeinges then may wee wel coniecture that he vseth this Worde Image in this place not for any suche material forme painted or grauen by mans hande but for the whole Conuersation of the Sonne of God in this mortal life whiche is as muche as Verbum Caro factum est The woorde became Fleashe and is expressed and set foorthe as an Image before our eies in the whole Doctrine and Policie of the Churche as the déepest grounde and very fundation of the Christian Faithe And thus S. Paule saithe Christus est Imago patris Christe is the Image of the Father Otherwise God is Inuisible S. Iohn saithe Noman euer saw God But the Sonne that is in the Fathers bosome he hath reueled the Fathers wil. In his conuersation in the Fleashe as in an Image wee beholde God the Father So in the booke of the Apocalyps Imago bestiae The Image of the Beast is called not any material Image Painted or Grauen but the Doctrine the Seduction the Errours the Lies the Blasphemies the Idolatrie and the whole Conuersation of Antichriste So S. Basile saith Christe called his Fleashe and Bloud the whole Mystical Doctrine of his Gospel whiche he published in his dispensation in the Fleashe So S. Augustine séemeth to saye Eius Passionis Imaginem in Ecclesia Celebrandam dedit He gaue the Image of his Passion to be frequented in the Churche And Pachymeres the Gréeke Paraphrast expoundeth this woorde Imago thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He calleth Pictures the Images or inwarde and deepe considerations of our Mysteries For this Image of Christe the Churche of God was often persecuted This Image as some of the Olde Fathers saye was represented and figured by the Cherubines and vndoubtedly who so euer denieth this Image Christe shal denie him before God his Father This Exposition is agréeable bothe to the tenour of Goddes Woorde and also to the storie of the Time and therefore wée may safely iudge if this were Athanasius in déede that this was his very meaninge Otherwise the common and knowen Athanasius that is extant and abroade writeth thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The inueÌ„tion of Images is of il and not of good And the thinge that hath an il beginning can neuer be iudged good in any thinge as beinge in al respectes and altogeather il This is this holy Fathers moste cleare iudgement not cast vp in corners and hidden in the dust but open to the eies and sight of al the Worlde M. Hardinge The .9 Diuision Of al the Fathers none hathe a plainer testimonie bothe for the vse and also for the woorshippinge of Images then S. Basile whose auctoritie for learninge wisedome and holinesse of life beside antiquitie is so weightie in the iudgemente of al men that al our Newe Maisters laied in balance against him shal be founde lighter then any feather Touchinge this mater makinge a confession of his faithe in an Epistle inueighinge against Iulian the renegate he saithe thus Euen as we haue receiued our Christian and pure Faithe of God as it were by right of heritage right so I make my confession thereof to him and therein I abide I beleeue in one god father almightie God the Father God the Sonne God the Holy Ghoste One God in substance and these three in personnes I adore and glorifie I confesse also the Sonnes Incarnation Then afterwarde S. Mary who accordinge to the Fleashe brought him foorthe callinge her Deiparam I reuerence also the holy Apostles Prophetes and Martyrs whiche make supplication to God for me that by their mediation our moste benigne God be merciful vnto me and graunte me freely remission of my sinnes Then this foloweth Quam ob causam historias imaginum illorum honoro palam adoro hoc enim nobis traditum à Sanctis Apostolis non est prohibendum sed in omnibus Ecclesijs nostris eorum Historias erigimus For the whiche cause I doo bothe honour the stories of their Images and openly Adâ—â—re them For this beinge deliuered vnto vs of the holy Apostles by tradition is not to be forbidden And therefore we set vp in al our Churches their stories Lo M. Iuel here you see a sufficient testimonie that Images were set vp in the Churches longe before the ende of your sixe hundred yeeres and that they were honoured and woorshipped not onely of the simple Christian people but of Bishop