offices it proueth that a Priest may haue both but not cōtrariwise that a King may haue both For the greater may include the lesse but the lesse can not include the greater The office of a Priest is the highest of al. And Christe comming naturally of the Kinges line from Dauid in the tribe of Iuda yet estemed that honor nothinge in respecte of that he was a Prieste according to the order of Melchisedech Therefore Melchisedech also beinge both Prieste and Kinge was not yet saide to be the figure of Christe so mutche concerninge his Kingedome as his Priesthoode For Dauid said of Christe Thou art a Prieste for euer after the order of Melchtsedech As for his Kingedome it was included in his Priestes office And therefore when we speake of Christes Kingedome though in euery respecte he be the very Kinge in dede of al Kinges and Lord of al Lordes yet we assigne it also to haue ben vpon the Crosse vbiregnauit à ligno Deus where God reigned from the woodde Accordinge to the same meaninge whereas the people of Israel were called Regnum Sacerdotale a Priestly Kingedome S. Peter writing to the Christians tourned the order of the wordes calling the Churche of Christ Sacerdotium Regale a Kingely Priesthoode Moses was both a Prieste and a Ciuile Gouernoure as beinge a figure of Christe who ioined both together makinge the tribe of Iuda which was before kingly now also to be Priestly Therefore S. Augustine vpon those wordes of Dauid Psal 98. Moses and Aaron are in the number of his Priestes concludeth that Moses muste nedes haue benne a Prieste For saithe he if he were not a Priest what was he ‡ Nunquid maior sacerdote esse potuit could he be greater then a Prieste ‡ As who shoulde saie there is no greater dignitie then priesthoode And seinge Moses had the greatest dignitie for he ruled al and consecrated Aarō high Bishop and his sonnes Priestes therefore him selfe muste nedes haue ben a Prieste Nowe if Moses were bothe and his chiefe office was Priesthoode it foloweth by that example that the Pope maie rule temporally but not that a Kinge maie rule spiritually This you haue gained nothinge by this example The B. of Sarisburie Here M. Hardinge hath many greate woordes of smal weight The final Conclusion and Summa summarum is this The Pope muste needes be a Kinge And that he proueth as his manner is by these his yonge vntiedy Argumentes Moses being a Ciuile Magistrate or a Prince had also the Priesthoode was a Prieste Ergo saithe he The Pope beinge a Prieste muste haue also the Kingedome be a Kinge And thus he peeceth these maters handsomely togeather as though what so euer were once in Moses ought of necessitie to be also in y◠Pope But if a man shoulde desire him to proue his Argumente to make it good and to shewe vs howe these péeces maie be framed togeather I thinke he would be faine to take a daie Firste whether Moses were a Prieste or no it is not certaine As for that M. Harding allegeth these woordes of Dauid Moses Aaron in Sacerdotibus eius he him selfe wel knoweth that the Hebrewe woorde there is doubteful and signifieth as wel a Prince as a Prieste S. Hierome saithe Vnus Legis alte◠Sacerdotij Regulam tenuit Moses helde the Rule of the Lawe Aaron the Rule of Priesthoode Againe he saithe Emisit ante faciem nostram Mosen Spiritualem Legem Aaron magnum Sacerdotem God sente out before our face Moses not as the Prieste but as the Spiritual Lawe and Aaron the greate Prieste Euen Hugo your owne Doctoure touching the same woordes saithe thus Moses etsi c. Notwithstandinge Moses vvere not a Prieste yet bicause he halowed the peoples praiers c. he was called a Prieste For in the Scriptures Greate and Noble menne are called by the name of Prieste Who so listeth to knowe more hereof let him reade Sanctes Pagninus Dauid Kimchi Nicolaus Lyra c. But if Moses in déede were a Prieste yee shoulde doo wel M. Hardinge to resolue vs Fiest whether he were a Prieste borne or els afterwarde made a Prieste A Prieste borne I trowe yée wil not saie If yée saie he was afterwarde made a Prieste then tel vs by what Bishop or other Creature was he Consecrate At whoe 's handes receiued he Authoritie When where to what pourpose What Priestelike Apparel euer ware he Or in what Office or Ministerie euer shewed he him self to be a Prieste S. Paule saith A Prieste is appointed to offer vp Oblations and Sacrifices for sinne What Oblations or Sacrifices for sinne can yée tel vs that Moses offered If he were neither Borne a Prieste nor made a Prieste nor euer knowen by office to be a Prieste then was he I trowe a very strange Prieste If Moses were the Highest Prieste and Head of the Churche and Aaron likewise the Highest Prieste and in so mutche the Heade of the Churche too as wel as he then had y◠Churche tvvoo highest Bishoppes and tvvoo Heades bothe togeather Whiche thinge were monstrous not onely in speache but also in Nature Notwithstandinge whether Moses at any one certaine time were a Prieste or no it is a mater not woorthy the striuinge Certaine it is that before the Lavve was written Kinges Princes and the beste borne and Enheritours y◠wealthiest of the people were euer Priestes S. Hierome saithe Hebraei tradunt Primogenitos functos Officio Sacerdotum habuisse Vestimentum Sacerdotale quo induti Deo Victimas offerebant antequam Aaron in Sacerdotium eligeretur The Hebrevve Rabbines saie that the Firste borne children did the office of the Priestes and had the Priestelike Apparel and wearing the same offered vp theire Sacrifices vnto God vntil the time that Aaron was chosen into the Priestehoode Againe he saithe Priuilegium Offerendi Primogenitis vel maximè Regibus debebatur The Priuilege of offering vp Sacrifices was dewe to y◠First borne of the children but most of al vnto Kinges The Heathen Romaine Emperours as Vespasianus Traianus and others to encrease their Maiestie towardes their Subiectes biside the state of the Emprere woulde also be called Pontifices Maximi Therefore wee wil graunte M. Harding séeinge he hath taken so mutch paines about a mater not woorthy so longe talke that Moses for somme litle shorte time was a Prieste Yet neuerthelesse had he no Ordinarie Priesthoode neither was he a Prieste more then for the space of twoo or thrée houres onely vntil he had Consecrated Aaron and his children no lenger Immediately afterward al this greate Priestehoode was at an end One of your owne Doctours M. Hardinge saithe thus Non erant Sacerdotes Legales Dignitate Officio sicut Aaron Licet in necessitate propter defectum Sacerdotum aliquos actus Sacerdotum fecerint vt quòd Moses inunxit Aaron propter quod Moses
Philip the French Kinge from his estate and vnder his Bulles or Letters Patentes had conueighed the same solemnely vnto Albertus the Kinge of Romaines M. Hardinge here telleth your Maiestie that al this was very wel donne to thintente thereby to fraie the Kinge and to keepe him in avve and to reclaime his minde from disobedience Now touchinge your Maiesties moste Noble Progenitours the Kinges of this Realme whereas wee as oure loialtie and allegiance bindeth vs iustely complaine that Pope Alexander 3. by violence and tyrannie forced Kinge Henrie the Seconde to surrender his Crowne Emperial into the handes of his Legate and afterwarde for a certaine space to contente him selfe in Priuate estate to the greate indignation and griefe of his louinge Subiectes And that likewise Pope Innocentius the thirde sturred vp the Nobles and Commons of this Realme against kinge Iohn and gaue the Enheritance and Possession of al his Dominions vnto Ludouicus the Frenche Kinge as for the misusinge of your Maiesties moste deere Father of moste Noble Memorie kinge Henrie the Eighth for as mutche as the smarte thereof is yet in freshe remembrance I wil saie nothinge To these and al other like Tyrannical iniuries and iuste causes of griefe M. Hardinge shortely and in lighte manner thinketh it sufficiente to answeare thus VVhat though Kinge Henrie the Seconde vvere il entreated of Pope Alexander 3 VVhat though Kinge Iohn vvere il entreated of that Zelous and Learned Pope Innocentius 3 VVhat though Kinge Henrie the Eighth vvere likevvise entreated of the Popes in our time If know right wel Moste Souer aine Lady the goodnesse of your Graceous Nature deliteth not in sutche rehearsalles Neither doo I make reporte hereof for that sutche thinges sommetimes haue benne donne but for that the same thinges euen nowe at this time either so lightely are excused or so boldely are defended Sutche humble affection and obedience these menne by their open and publique VVritinges teache your Maiesties true Subiectes to beare towardes their Natural Prince It shal mutche warrante the honoure and safetie of your Roial Estate if your Maiestie shal sommetimes remember the dishonours and dangers that other your Noble Progenitours haue felte before you But concerninge the Maiestie and right of Kinges and Emperours M. Hardinge telleth vs They haue their firste Authoritie by the Positiue Lavve of Nations and can haue nomore Povver then the people hath of vvhome they take their Temporal lurisdiction as if he woulde saie Emperours and Kinges haue none other righte of Gouernmente then it hath pleased theire Subiectes by composition to allowe vnto them Thus he saithe and saithe it boldely as if God him selfe had neuer saide Per me Reges Regnant By mee and my Authoritie Kinges beare rule ouer theire Subiectes Or as if Christe our Saueour had neuer saide vnto Pilate the Lorde Lieutenante Thou shouldest haue no Povver ouer mee vvere it not geeuen thee from aboue Or as if S. Paule had not saide Non est potestas nisi a Deo There is no povver but onely from God And yet further as if their whole studie were fully bente to deface the Authoritie and Maiestie of al Princes euen nowe one of the same companie doubteth not to teache the worlde That the Pope is the Heade and Kinges and Emperours are the feete Like as also an other of the same faction saithe The Emperoures Maiestie is so farre inferiour in dignitie to the Pope as a Creature is inferiour vnto God VVee diuise not these thinges of malice Moste Graceous Lady but reporte the same truely as wee finde them proclaimed and published this daie by theire vaine and dangerous writinges whiche notwithstandinge they woulde so faine haue to be taken as Catholique If this Doctrine maie once take roote and be freely receiued emongest the Subiectes it shal be harde for any Prince to holde his Righte As for your Maiestie for that it hath pleased Almighty God in his Mercie to make you an instrumente of his Glorie as in Olde times he made many other Godly and Noble Princes to refourme his Churche from that huge and lothesome heape of filthe and rubble that either b violence or by negligence had benne throwen into it therefore M. Hardinge euen in this selfe same Booke vnder certaine general threates chargeth you with disordred presumption by the example of Ozias the wicked Kinge vpon vvhom as he vntruely saithe God sente his vengeance for the like For be the Abuses and Errours of the Churche neuer so many be the falles and dangers neuer so greate be the Priestes and Bishoppes neuer so blinde yet by this Doctrine it maie neuer be lawful for the Prince be he neuer so learned or so wise or so Zelous in Goddes cause to attempte any manner of Reformation And therefore thus he saithe vnto your Maiestie and with al his skil and cunninge laboureth to perswade your Maiesties Subiectes if any one or other happily of simplicitie wil beleeue him that the Godly Lavves whiche your Maiestie hathe geeuen vs to liue vnder are no Lavves that your Parlamentes are no Parlamentes that your Cleregie is no Cleregie Our Sacramentes no Sacramentes Our Faithe no Faithe The Churche of Englande whereof your Maiestie is the moste Principal and Chiefe he calleth a Malignante Churche a Newe Churche erected by the Diuel a Babylonical Tower a Hearde of Antichriste a Temple of Lucifer a Synogoge and a Schoole of Sathan ful of Robberie Sacrilege Schisme and Heresie And al this he furnissheth with sutche libertie of other vncourteous and vnseemely talkes as if he had benne purposely hired to speake dishonour of your Maiesties most godly dooinges Of al these and other like Tragical fantasies for as mutche as he hathe so boldely aduentured to make a presente vnto your Maiestie wee haue great cause to reioise in God for that our controuersies are brought to be debated before sutche a personage as is hable so wel and so deepely to vnderstande them For I haue no doubte but as by your greate Learninge and marueilous VVisedome you shal soone see the difference of our Pleadinges so of your Maiesties graceous inclination vnto al Godlinesse you wil readily finde out the Falsehedde and geeue sentence with the Truthe Verily after that your Maiestie shal haue thorowly considered the manifest Vntruthes and corruptions togeather with the Abuses and Errours of the contrarie side the VVeakenesse of the Cause the Boldenesse of the Man and the immoderate Bitternesse of his speache I haue good hope the more aduisedly you shal beholde it the lesse cause you shal finde wherefore to like it For the discouerie hereof for my poore portion of Learninge I haue endeuoured to doo that I was hable And the same here I humbly presente vnto your Maiestie as vnto my most Graceous and Soueraine Liege Lady and as now the onely Nource and Mother of the Churche of God within these your Maiesties moste Noble Dominions It maie please your Maiestie graceously to weighe
The Piller and buttresse of the Churche is the Gospel and the Sprite of life S. Augustine saithe Sunt certi Libri Dominici quorum authoritari vtrique consentimus Ibi quaeramus Ecclesiam ibi discutiamus causam nostram There be certaine Bookes of our Lorde vnto the authoritie whereof eche parte agreethe There let vs seeke for the Churche thereby sette vs examine and trie our maters And againe Nolo humanis documentis sed Diuinis oraculis sanctam Ecclesiam demōstrari I wil ye shewe me the holy Churche not by decrees of menne but by the woorde of God Likewise saithe Chrysostome Nullo modo cognoscitur quae sit vera Ecclesia Christi nisi tantummodo ' per Scripturas It can no waye be knowen what is the Churche but onely by the Scriptures And againe Christus mandat vt volentes firmitatem accipere Verae Fidei ad nullam rem fugiant nisi ad Scripturas Alioqui si ad alia respexerint Scandalizabuntur peribunt non intelligentes quae sit vera Ecclesia Et per hoc incident in Abominationē Desolationis quae stat in Locis Sanctis Ecclesiae Christe commaundeth that who so wil haue the assurance of True Faithe seeke to nothinge els but vnto the Scriptures Otherwise if they looke to any thinge els they shal be offended and shal perishe not vnderstanding whiche is the True Churche And by meane here of they shal fal into the Abomination of Desolation whiche standeth in the Holy Places of the Churche By these Ancient learned Fathers it is plaine that the Churche of God is knowen by Godde◠Woorde onely none otherwise And therfore M. Hardinge you so carefully flée the same and condemne it for Heresie and often burne it leste thereby the deformities of youre Churche should be knowen For the il dooer fleeth the light Nowe where as it so wel liketh M. Hardinge to cal vs al Heretiques and for his pleasures sake to liken vs to Apes to Asses and to the Diuel notwithstanding we might safely returne the same whole from whence it came yet I thinke it not séemely nor greatly to purpose to answeare al suche intemperate humours Salomons aduise is good Answeare not folie with like folie Notwithstandinge the poore simple Asse vnto whome wée are compared was hable sometime to sée the Angel of God and to open his mouthe and to speake and to reproue the lewde attempte of Balaam the false Prophete What so euer accoumpt it pleaseth M. Hardinge to make of vs by the grace of God wée are that wée are Yf wée be hable to beare Christe with his Crosse it is sufficient But who they be that haue of longe time ietted so terribly vnder the Lions skinne and onely with a painted Visarde or emptie name of the Churche haue feared al the cattel of the fielde it is néedelesse to speake it the worlde now seeth it it can no longer be dissembled Euen he that lately bare him selfe as the Lion of the tribe of Iuda called him selfe Kinge of Kinges and said he had power ouer the Angels of God and amased the hartes of the simple with the terrour of his Lions pelte onely for that he sate in Peters Chaire is now reuefled and better knowen and estéemed as he is woorthy he may nowe iette vp and downe with more ease and lesse terrour And why so These poore Asses whome M. Hardinge so muche disdeigneth haue stripte of his counterfeite skinne that made him so hardy and haue caused him to appeare euen as he is The Apologie Cap. 1. Diuision 1. It hath bene an olde complainte euen from the first time of the Patriarkes and Prophetes and confirmed by the writinges and testimonies of euery age that the Truthe wandereth here and there as a straunger in the worlde dothe readily finde enimies and sclaunderers amongst those that knowe her not Albeit perchaunce this may seeme vnto some a thinge harde to be beleeued I meane to suche as haue scante wel and narowly taken heede thereunto specially seing al mankinde of natures very motion without a teacher doth coueite the Truthe of their owne accorde and seinge our Saueour Christe him self when he was on earth would be called the Truthe as by a name moste fitte to expresse al his diuine power Yet we whiche haue bene exercised in the holy Scriptures and whiche haue both reade seene what hath happened to al godly menne commonly at al times what to the Prophetes to the Apostles to the Holy Martyres and what to Christe him selfe with what rebukes reuilinges and despites they were continually vexed whiles they here liued that onely for the Truthes sake Wee I saye doo see that this is not onely no newe thinge or harde to be beleued but that it is a thinge already receiued and commonly vsed from age to age Nay truely this might seeme muche rather a merueile and beyonde al beliefe if the Diuel who is the Father of lies enimie to al Truthe would now vpon a suddaine chaunge his nature and hope that Truthe might otherwise be suppressed then by belieinge it Or that he would beginn◠to establish his owne kingdome by vsinge nowe any other practises then the same whiche he hath euer vsed from the beginninge For since any mans remembrance we can skante finde one time either when Religion did first growe or when it was setled or when it did afreshe springe vp againe wherein Truthe Innocencie were not by al vnwoorthy meanes most despitefully intreated Doubtlesse the Diuel wel seeth that so longe as truthe is in good safetie him selfe cannot be safe nor yet maintaine his owne estate For letting passe the auncient Patriarkes Prophetes who as we haue said had no parte of their life free from cōtumelies sclaunders We knowe there were certaine in times paste whiche saide and commonly Preached that the olde auncient Iewes of whome we make no doubte but they were the woorshippers of the onely true God did worship either a Sowe or an Asse in Goddes steede and that al the same Religion was nothinge els but sacrilege and a plaine contempt of al godlines We know also that the Sonne of God our Saueour Iesus Christe when he taught the Truth was coumpted a Sorcerer an Enchaunter a Samaritane Beelzebub a deceiur of the People a Drunkarde a Glutton Againe who woteth not what woordes were spoken against S. Paule the moste earnest and vehement Preacher maintainer of the Truthe Sometime that he was a seditious and busie man a raiser of tumultes a causer of rebellion sometime againe that he was an Heretique sometime that he was mad sometime that onely vpon strife and stomake he was bothe a blasphemer of Gods lawe and a despiser of the Fathers ordinances Further who knoweth not how S. Steuin after he had throughly and sincerely embraced the truthe and beganne frankly stoutly to preache and set forth the same as
Seruierunt Creaturae potiùs quà m Creatori Let vs not confounde the Creature and the Creatour bothe togeather Leste it be saide of vs They haue honoured a Creature more then their Maker The Apologie Cap. 13. Diuision 1. Wee affirme that Breade and Wine are holy and heauenly Mysteries of the Body and Bloude of Christe and that by them Christe him selfe beinge the true Breade of Eternal Life is so presently geuen vnto vs as that by Faithe wee verily receiue his Body and his Bloude Yet saie wee not this so as though wee thought that the Nature and Substance of the Breade and VVine is clerely chāged and goeth to nothinge as many haue dreamed in these later times yet could neuer agree emōge them selues vpon their owne dreames For that was not Christes meaninge that the vvheaten Breade should laie aparte his owne Nature and receiue a certaine newe Diuinitie but that he might rather chaunge vs and to vse Theophylactes woordes might transfourme vs into his Body For what can be saide more plainely then that whiche Ambrose saithe Breade and VVine remaine stil the same thei vvere before and yet are changed into an other thinge Or that whiche Gelasius saithe The Substance of the Breade or the Nature of the VVine ceaseth not to be Or that whiche Theodoretus saithe After the Consecration the Mystical Signes doo not caste of their ovvne propre Nature for thei remaine stil in their Former Substance Forme Kinde Or that whiche Augustine saith That vvhiche ye see is the Breade cuppe so our eies tel vs but that vvhiche your Faithe requireth to be taught is this The Bread is the Body of Christe and the Cuppe is his Bloude Or that whiche Origen saithe The Breade vvhiche is sanctified by the vvoorde of God as touchinge the material Substāce thereof goeth into the belly and is caste out into the priuie Or y◠whiche Christe him selfe saide not onely after the blessinge of the Cuppe but also after he had Ministred the Communion I vvil drinke nomore of this fruite of the Vine It is wel knowen that the fruite of the Vine is Wine not Bloude M. Hardinge In this Sacramente after Consecration the Substance of Breade and VVine beinge tourned into the Substance of the Body and Bloude of Christe the out warde Formes of Breade and VVine whiche remaine are the Sacramentes of Holy thinges the Body and Bloude of Christe The B. of Sarisburie In euery natural thinge twoo thinges are specially to be considered the Substance the Accidente or as M. Hardinge calleth it the outvvarde Fourme For example In Breade the Material thinge that séedeth vs and is changed into the Bloude and nourrishement of our bodies is called the Substance of the Breade The whitenesse the Roundenesse y◠Thicknesse the Swéetenesse other the like that are perceiued outwardly by our senses are called Accidentes Now saithe M. Hardinge for as mutche as the Substance of the Breade Wine is remooued by Consecration for that cause cannot be the Sacrament therefore the Accidentes and Fourmes whiche remaine muste needes be thought to be the Sacramentes And so vpon a false Position as shal appeare he laieth the fundation of al his Doctrine by the olde Rule I trowe that he learned sometimes in his Sophistrie Ex Impossibili sequitur quodlibet Of an Impossibilitie ye maie conclude what ye liste euen as aptely and as truely as somme haue saide If Christe were not Christe then Saincte Patrike shoulde be Christe If M. Hardinge had alleged either Scripture or Doctour or Father or Councel or any other Authoritie biside his owne he might happily haue benne beléeued To this whole fansie gentle Reader in my Former Replie I haue made a seueral answeare Verily Chrise saithe Non bibam ex hoc fructu vitis I wil nomore drinke not of these Accidentes but of this generation and fruite and Substance of the Vine S. Paule saithe Panis quem frangimus Not the Fourmes or Accidentes but the Breade that wee breake And againe Quoties manducabitis Panem hunc As often as ye shal eate not these Accidentes but this Breade S. Cyprian saithe of the same I anis ex multorum granorum adunatione congestus Breade moulded and made of many cornes I doubte not but M. Hardinge wil confesse that cornes yéelde Flower and Substance and not onely Fourmes and Accidentes S. Augustine calleth the Holy Mysterie Sacramentum Panis Vini The Sacramente not of Fourmes and Accidentes as M. Hardinge saithe but of Breade and VVine Cyrillus saith Credentibus Discipulis fragmenta Panis dedit Christe gaue vnto his Disciples beleeuinge in him peeces of Breade not peeces of Accidentes But M. Hardinge hauinge in his fantasie remoued the whole Substance of the Breade in stéede thereof hath brought vs in Holy Fourmes Holy Shevves Holy Accidentes His Accidentes be the Mysteries of Heauenly thinges His Accidentes be the Instrumentes of Goddes Grace His Accidentes be the causes of Remission of Sinne. Wée breake Accidentes Wée eate Accidentes Wée drinke Accidentes wée are fedde with Accidentes The Substance of our Bodies is increased with Accidentes And to be shorte he woorketh al his Miracles by the Power of his Accidentes M. Hardinge VVhy be ye so lothe to speake as the Church speaketh that in this blessed Sacramēt we receiue the Body of Christe VVhy had ye rather saie after a straunge manaer that by Breade and VVine Christ him selfe is so presently geuen vnto vs as that by Faithe we verely receiue his Body and his Bloud The B. of Sarisburie I neuer thought it had benne so great an Heresie to speake as the Apostles of Christe the Learned Doctours of the Churche haue spoken before vs. S. Paule saithe Consepulti sumus cum Christo Per Baptismum in mortem Wee are buried togeather with Christe By Baptisme vnto death S. Hierome saith Per Aquam Baptismi vel per Ignem Spiritus Sancti Aeterni illius Panis Corpus efficitur By the Water of Baptisme or By the Fier of the Holy Ghoste he is made the Body of y◠Euerlastinge Breade S. Augustine saithe Habes Christum in praesenti Per Fidem In praesenti Per Baptismatis Sacramentum In praesenti Per Altaris Cibum Potum Thou haste Christe in Presence By Faithe In Presence By the Sacrament of Baptisme In Presence By the Meate and Drinke of the Aultar S. Cyril saithe Corporaliter Filius Per Benedictionem Mysticam nobis vnitur vt Homo The Sonne of God By the Mystical Blessinge is vnited vnto vs as Man S. Hilarie saithe Christus est in nobis Per Sacramentorum Mysterium Christe is in vs By the Mysterie of the Sacramentes And leste M. Hardinge shoulde thinke to take any greate aduantage by these woordes thus vttered as he others of his side haue often donne S. Augustine in moste plaine wise expoundeth the same Si ad ipsas res Visibiles quibus Sacramenta
Vides Aquam Cogita de virtute Dei quae latet in Aqua Cogita A quam esse plenam Ignis Diuini Thou seeste the Water Thinke thou of the Power of God that lieth in the VVater Thinke thou that the Water is ful of Heauenly Fier Yet I trowe ye wil not haue vs beléeue as an Article of our Faithe that this fire whereby is ment the Bloude of Christe is in déede and Really in the Water These and sutche other the like maie not alwaies be taken as phrases of Precise Truthe but rather as Amplifications or heates of speache the better to sturre vp and to enflame the mindes of the Hearers And in this sorte and sense to leaue other Authorities Hosius your owne Doctour saithe Opera nostra respersa sunt Sanguine Christi Our Woorkes be sprinkled vvith the Eloude of Christe So saith Pope Innocentius 3. Virtutes nostiae Crucis Christi Sanguine Purpurantur Our Vertues are died as redde as Purple in the Bloude of the Crosse of Christe Thus the Holy Fathers saie The Breade of the Holy Mysteries and the Water of Baptisme are ful of fiere Further Theophylacte saithe The Body of Christe is Eaten But the Godheade is not Eaten bicause it is vntoucheable and vncomprehensible vnto our senses Hereof you woulde séeme to reason thus If Faith wrought al this mater then might wee Eate God For by Faithe wée beléeue in God Firste touchinge the Eatinge of God God him selfe saith Gustate videre quòd suauis est Dominus Taste and see that the Lord is delectable S. Augustine saith Panis est Panis est Panis est Deus Pater Deus Filius Deus Spiritus Sanctus It is Breade It is Breade and it is Breade God the Father God the Sonne and God the Holy Ghoste Againe he saith Deus Panis intus est animae meae God is the Invvarde Breade of my Soule Therefore it is not so thorowly and vndoubtedly true that you saie the Nature of God cannot be Eaten Notwithstandinge for sparinge of woordes and time herein I wil refer you to my Former Replie There shal you finde this whole Obiection fully answeared You saie Theophylactes reason standeth thus God cannot be Eaten bicause be cannot be comprehended either vvith eies or vvith teethe But Christes Body maie be eaten Therefore it muste folowe in the Conclusion that with our eies vvee maie see it and with our teethe receiue it Here woulde I faine learne of you M. Hardinge when ye sawe Christes Body visibly in the Sacramēte with your eies or when ye pressed it with your téeth If your téeth can receiue it why saithe S. Augustine Quid paras Dentem Ventrem Why preparest thou thy Toothe and they Belly If your Bodily eie can sée it why saye you It is Inuisible If it be Inuisible howe is it séene If it be séene how is it Inuisible It appeareth that either Theophylacte the Maister or you the Scholare are deceiued or one of you vnderstandeth not the others meaninge Certainely as Christes Body is seene in the Sacramente so is it eaten in the Sacramente But it is not Really or Fleashely séene Therefore it is not Really or Fleashely Eaten To auoide errour herein it behooueth vs to vnderstande that To eate God is to haue the fruition of the Diuine Nature and to be Incorporate into God But the Maiestie of God so far surmounteth the capacitie of man that as he is in him selfe in Nature and Godhedde no mortal creature is hable to conceiue him but onely in the Face and sight of Iesus Christe the Sonne of God Therefore S. Paule saithe Christus est Splendor Gloriae Character Substantiae Dei Christe is the Brightnesse of the Glorie and the expresse Image of the Substance of God S. Augustine saithe Tu quomodò contingis Deum Quia Verbum Caro factum est habitauit in nobis Howe doest thou touche God He answeareth Bicause the Woorde became Fleashe and dwelte in vs. Againe he saithe Si Christus sic veniret vt Deus non agnosceretur If Christe came so as he is God noman coulde knovve him S. Gregorie saithe Dominus murus nobis non esset si forinsecùs non fuisset Intus nos non protegeret si exteriùs non appareret Our Lorde were no wal vnto vs if he had not benne in the Fourme of Man He coulde not inwardely defende vs if he had not outvvardely appeared So saithe Dionysius Si cupimus Communionem habere cum Deo oportet nos in Diuinissimam illius vitam quam egit in Carne intueri If wee desire to haue Communion with God wee muste beholde that heauenly life that he leadde in the Fleashe Thus as God is God in Maiestie and in him selfe wée vnderstande him not wee conceiue him not wee knovve him not That is to saie wee haue no fruition of him vvee eate him not Therefore S. Augustine saithe Iesum Christum secundum id quod erat Verbum apud Deum Paruuli non capiunt Quomodò ergo capiunt qui Lac capiunt Iesum Christum inquit hunc Crucifixum Suge quod pro te factus est cresces ad id quod est Litle ones vnderstande not Iesus Christe accordinge to that he was the Woorde with the Father How then doo they receiue him y◠receiue milke S. Paule saithe they receiue Iesus Christe Crucified Sucke that thinge that he vvas made for thee and thou shalt growe to that he is Thus in the Holy Mysteries there is represented vnto vs not the Diuine Nature of Christe whereby he is Equal to the Father But his Death and Humilitie whereby he abased him selfe and was made Equal vnto vs. This is the Spiritual Meate and Drinke and the onely feedinge of the Soule ◠Thereof S. Paule saithe As often as ye shal eate of this Breade and drinke of this Cuppe ye shal publishe not the Diuine Nature or Godhedde but the Lordes Deathe vntil he comme So saithe Hesychius Comedimus hunc Cibum sumentes eius memoriam Passionis Wee Eate this Foode receiuinge the memorie not of his glorie but of his Passion So saith S. Ambrose Quia Morte Domini liberati sumus huius rei memores in Edēdo Potando Carnem Sanguinem quae pro nobis oblata sunt significamus Bicause wee are deliuered by our Lordes Deathe beinge mindeful thereof in Eatinge and Drinkinge VVe Signifie or Represente the Fleashe and Bloude that vvere offered vp for vs. Thus in the Holy Mysteries wee Eate and Drinke the Sacramente of Christe Crucified in the Humilitie of his Fleashe But his Diuine Nature in Godhed and Maiestie cannot be Represented or expressed by any Sacramentes It was al vaine and loste laboure for you M. Hardinge so earnestly to proue that Christes Body quickeneth and geuéeth life Wee knowe it Wée Confesse it Wée féele it Christe him selfe saithe it I am the Breade of Life He that eateth
Churche of God before your Masse was euer knowen and were then thought no Toies Touchinge these woordes Sursum corda Lifte vp your Hartes ye saie they were applied in olde times vnto praier and not onely or chiefely to the Ministration of the Sacramente and that as ye séeme to saie by the witnesse of S. Cyprian As for these emptie Woordes Onely or Chiefely ye vse them onely as a false light to blinde your Reader For in our Apologie yee founde them not Touchinge S. Cyprian Yée thought it beste to dissemble and to shifte his woordes and to commaunde him to silence For thus he saithe euen directely againste the whole practise of your Churche Sacerdos ante Orationem Praefatione praemissa parat Fratrum mentes dicendo Sursum Corda vt dum respondet Plebs Habemus ad Dominum admoneatur nihil aliud se quà m Dominum cogitare debere Before Praier the Priest with a Preface prepareth the hartes of the Brethren saieinge vnto them Lifte vp your Hartes that when the People ansvveareth VVee lifte them vp vnto the Lorde they maie be put in minde to thinke of nothing els but of the Lorde Where is this order M. Hardinge where is this Ecclesiastical Tradition now becomme Throughout your whole Territorie of Rome in what Churche in what Chaple is it keapte Where doothe your people answeare the Prieste at the Common Praier Or where dooth the people vnderstande either the meaning of the Sacramentes or any thing that is pronounced by the Priest Or why are you so vnaduised to allege manifeste Authorities against your selfe Ye saie the people was taught by these woordes not to coÌ„sider what was meant onely by yâ— Sacramentes but to geue attendance vnto yâ— Praier Wherein your own Massebooke is casâ—ly hable to control you And in the Greeke Liturgies not before any other publike Praier but immediately before the Holy Ministration the Prieste saithe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let vs lifte vp our Hartes And Chrysostome saithe Clamamus in conspectu Sacrificij Sursum Corda Wee crie alowde in the sight of the Oblation Lifte vp your Hartes S. Augustine saithe Sursum Corda Habeamus Si Resurrexistis cuÌ„ Christo dicit Fidelibus Corpus Sanguinem Domini accipientibus dicit Si Resurrexistis cum Christo quae sursum sunt sapite vbi Christus est in Dextra Dei sedens Quae sursum sunt quaerite noÌ„ quae super terram Let vs lifte vp our Hartes If ye be risen againe with Christe he saith vnto the Faitheful he saithe vnto them that receiue the Body and Bloude of our Lorde If ye be risen againe with Christe sauer those thinges that are aboue where Christe is al the right Hande of God Seeke for the thinges that be aboue not for the thinges that be in Earthe Againe he saithe In Sacramentis Fidelium dicitur vt Sursum Corda habeamus ad Dominum At the Ministration of the Sacramentes of the Faithful it is saide Let vs lifte vp our Hartes vnto the Lorde Likewise againe Inter Sacra Mysteria Cor habere Sursum iubemur In the time of the Holy Mysteries wee are commaunded to Lifte vp our Hartes But what néede wee to rehearse the Ancient Fathers Your own late New Doctours haue saide yâ— like And to leaue the reste your own Manipulus Curatorum that is to saie the Ordinarie and Direction of al your whole Cleregie saith thus Sacerdos ante Canonem dicit Sursum Corda Quasi dicat quòd volens sumere istud Sacramentum debet habere Cor suum eleuatum ad Deum Before the Canon the Prieste saithe Lifte vp your Hartes As if he vvoulde saie vvho so vvil receiue this Sacramente ought to haue his Harte lifted vp vnto God These woordes be plaine and can in no wise be denied It were wisedome M. Hardinge in sutche cases to auouche nomore then ye knowe Otherwise your woordes wil goe for Toies Howe be it the matter beinge graunted that these woordes perteine to the Holy Ministration yet if wee woulde reason thus Christes Body is in Heauen Therefore it is not Really and Fleashely in the Sacramente Ye saie VVee shoulde make a foolishe Argumente Our Rhetorique is better stuffe then our Logique This Argumente M. Hardinge is taken of the Nature of Christes Humanitie whiche beinge the Very Natural Body of a Man by the Iudgemente of the Auncient Fathers muste needes be in one onely place at one time and can reache no further For otherwise it were not a Very Natural Mannes Body Therefore S. Augustine saithe as he is alleged by Gratian Corpus Domini in quo Resurrexit in vno loco esse oportet The Body of our Lorde wherein he rose againe muste needes be in one Place Like wise againe he saithe Christus secundum Praesentiam Corporalem simul in Sole in Luna in Cruce esse non potuit Touchinge Bodily presence Christe coulde not be in the Soone in the Moone and vpon the Crosse al at once And againe Christus vbique est Virtute non Opere Diuinitate non Carne Christe is euery where By his Power not in deede By his Godhed not by his Fleashe S. Cyril saithe Christus cum Discipulis suis etfi non Corpore tamen Virtute Deitatis semper futurus est Christ wil euermore be with his Disciples by the Povver of his Diuinitie although not in his Body Therefore to conclude S. Augustine saith Videre Ascendentem Credite in Absentem Sperate venientem Tamen per Misericordiam occultam etiam sentire Praesentem Behold Christe Ascendinge Beleaue in Christe beinge Absente Truste in Christe that shal comme againe And yet by his priuie mercie feele him Presente Beleeue saith S. Augustine in Christe Beinge nowe Absente and not here Thus the Auncient Catholique Fathers were bolde reuerently to reason of Christes Humanitie yet was not M. Hardinge yet borne that shoulde so bitterly charge them with Foolishe Argumentes Nay rather Ruffinus saithe Stulta adinuentio Calumniae est Corpus Humanum aliud esse putare quà m Carnem It is but a Foolishe findinge of a Cauil to saie that the Body of a Man is any other thing then Fleashe But Chrysostome saithe Christe is whole here and whole there But Chrysostome in the same place many waies expoundeth his whole meaning For thus he saithe if it woulde haue pleased M. Hardinge to haue seene his woordes Offerimus quidem sed ad RecordationeÌ„ facientes Mortis eius Hoc Sacrificium Exemplar illius est Hoc quod nos facimus in Commemorationem fit eius quod factum est Idipsum semper offerimus Magis autem Recordationem Sacrificij Operamur Wee offer in deede But in Remembrance of his Deathe This Sacrifice is a Token or Figure of that Sacrifice The thinge that wee doo is sonne in Remembrance of that thinge that was donne before VVe offer alvvaie the same thing yâ— Christe offered Nay rather wee woorke the Remembrance of that Sacrifice
that they wil construe ought to the beste nor yet so honeste of nature or courteous that thei wil looke backe vpon them selues weigh our liues by theire owne Yf so be wee liste to searche this matter from the bottome we know that in the very Apostles times there were Christians through whom the name of the Lorde was blasphemed and euil spoken of emonge the Gentiles Constantius the Emperoure bewaileth as it is written in Sozomenus that many waxed woorse after they had fallen to the Religion of Christe And Cyprian in a lamentable oration setteth out the corrupt manners of his time The vvholsome Discipline saithe he vvhiche the Apostles leafte vnto vs hath idlenesse and longe reste novv vtterly marred euery one studied to encrease his liuely hode And cleane forgeatinge either vvhat they had donne before vvhiles thei vvere vnder the Apostles or vvhat thei ought continually to doo hauinge receiued the Faithe thei earnestly laboured to make greate theire ovvne vvealth vvith an vnsatiable desire of coueâ—ousnesse There is no deuoute Religion saith hee in Priestes no sounde Faithe in Ministers no charitie shevved in good vvoorkes no fourme of Godlinesse in theire conditions menne are becoÌ„me effeminate and vveemens bevvtie is countrefeited And without recitinge of many moe writers Gregorie NaziaÌ„zene speaketh thus of the pitieful state of his owne time VVee saith he are in hatred emonge the Heathen for our ovvne vices sake vve are also becomme novve a vvoonder not onely to Angels and menne but euen to al the vngodly In this case was the Churche of God when the Gospel firste beganne to shine and when the furie of Tyrannes was not as yet cooled nor the swerde taken of from the Christians neckes Surely it is no new thinge that menne bee but menne although thei bee called by the name of Christians M. Hardinge Loe a greeuous and a heauy case that the worlde calleth you wicked and vngodly menne Twis they be to blame for it And so be they that cal them theeues whiche come to be promoted to Tiborne â—â—r God knoweth litle haue you deserued so to be called c. The B. of Sarisburie Al this with the reste is onely Hicke Scorners eloquence not woorthy of answeare Here endeth the Thirde Parte The Fourth Parte The Apologie Cap. 1. Diuision 1. BVT wil these men I praie you thinke nothing at al of them selues whiles they accuse vs so maliciously And hauinge leasure to beholde so farre of to see what is donne bothe in Germanie and in Englande haue they either foregotten or can they not see what is donne at Rome Or wil thei accuse vs theire owne life beinge sutch as no man is hable to make mention thereof but with shame Our pourpose here is not to take in hande at this presente to bringe to lighte and open to the worlde those thinges which were meete rather to be hidde and buried with the woorkers of them It beseemeth neither our Religion nor our modestie nor our shamefastenesse But yet he whiche geeueth commaundemente that he shoulde be called the Vicare of Christe and the Heade of the Churche who also heareth that sutche thinges be donne in Rome who seeth them who suffereth them for wee wil goe no further maie easily consider with him selfe what manner of thinges they be Let him in Goddes Name cal to minde and let him remembre that they be of his owne Canonistes whiche haue taught the people that Fornication bitweene single folke is no sinne as though they had fette that Doctrine from Mitio in Terence whose wordes be It is no sinne beleeue me for a yonge man to haunte harlottes Let him remembre they be of his owne whiche haue decreed that a Prieste oughte not to be put out of his cure for Fornication Let him remembre also how Cardinal Campegius Albertus Pighius and others many moe of his owne haue taughte that the Prieste whiche keepeth a Concubine dooth liue more holily and chastely then he whiche hath a wife in Matrimonie I truste he hathe not yet forgotten that there be many thousandes of common harlottes in Rome and that he him self dooth geather yeerely of the same harlottes aboute thirtie thousande Ducates by the waie of an annual pension Neither can he foregeate that he him selfe dooth mainteine openly brothel houses and by a moste filthy lucre dooth filthily and lewdly serue his owne luste Were al thinges then pure and holy in Rome when Iohane a VVoman rather of perfite age then of perfite life was Pope there and bare her selfe as the Heade of the Churche And after that for twoo whole yeres in that holy See she had plaide the naughty packe at laste going in Procession aboute the Cittie in the sight of al her Cardinals and Bishoppes fel in trauaile openly in the stretes M. Hardinge Firste who seeth not what a notorius lye they make in the preface and entrie to the matter Saie they not they take not vpon them at this time to bringe to light and to the shewe of the world those doinges whiche ought rather togeather with the Auctours of them to be buried And that so to doo theire Religion theire shamefastnes theire blusshinge dooth not beare it VVhat is a lie if this be not Doo they not in deede that they denie in woorde Yea saie they not that thinge whiche they affirme they saie not The B. of Sarisburie I doubte not good Reader but perusinge these fewe folowinge thou shalte plainely sée that the Authours of this Apologie spake not al that they might wel haue spoken But if thou happen to reade Dante 's Petrarcha Boccase Mantuan Valla and others like thou wilte certainely saie that euen now beinge thus chalenged and called foorth and required to speake yet wée haue rather geeuen an inklinge hereof then opened the particulare secretes of the mater For thereof S. Bernarde saithe thus Quae in occulto fiunt ab Episcopis turpe est vel dicere It is shame to vtter the thinges that Bishoppes doo in theire secretes And therefore he saithe further euen as did the writer of the Apologie Melius itaque arbitror super hoc dissimulate Touchinge sutche matters I thinke it better to dissemble Franciscus Petrarcha calleth Rome the VVhoore of Babylon the Mother of al Idolatrie and Fornication and saithe that al shame and reuerence is quite departed thence Baptista Mantuanus saithe Viuere qui Sanctè cupitis discedite Roma Omnia cùm liceant non licet esse bonum Al ye that woulde liue godly be packinge from Rome For there al thinges els are lawful but to be good it is not lawful And againe as it is alleaged once before Sanctus ager scurris venerabilis Ara Cynaedis Seruit honorandae Diuûm Ganymedibus Aedes Hereby M. Hardinge ye maie easily sée that wée of pourpose dissembled and couered your shame and spake mutche lesse and far otherwise of you then wée might haue spoken Erasmus writing of S. Augustines dealinge againste the Manichees saith thus