I spake as a Childe and had vnderstanding as a Childe But after that I once became a Man I auoided and despised the thinges that perteined to a Childe Who so despiseth Superstition and Idolatrie despiseth the thinges that should be despised And in consideration of the dangers he hath escaped he saithe with the Prophete Dauid Anima nostra sicut passer erepta est de laqueo venantium Our soule is deliuered as a Sparrowe from the snares of the Hunters Touchinge that danger that is here surmised vndoubtedly the knowledge of God inflameth not nor bloweth vp the harte but rather cooleth it and maketh it humble And for that cause God said vnto Moses Let the Kinge Reade this Lawe al the daies of his Life that he may learne to feare the Lorde his God c. Et ne eleuetur cor eius in SuperbiaÌ„ And that his minde be not blovveÌ„ vp vvith Pride For the nature and force of Goddes Woorde is to turne the harte Lex Domini Conuertens animas Therefore Cyrillus saithe Yonge menne that vse to Reade Goddes Woorde Fiunt posteà Religiosissimi Afterwarde become not proude or disdaineful but most verteous and Godly So Theodoretus saith vnto the Emperour Ioâ—inian The Knowledge of Heauenly thinges is behooueful for a Godly Prince For so shal your harte be not pufte vp with Pride but truely and in deede in the hande of God Likewise S. Augustine saithe Lectio assidua purificat omnia c. Et qui vult cum Deo semper esse semper debet orare legere Continual Readinge cleareth and purgeth al thinges Who so wil euer be with God must euermore Praie and Reade Therefore Chrysostome saithe Fieri non potest vt qui iugiter Coelestis Doctrinae verba excipit nihil patiatur It cannot possibly bâ—e but the Man that continually receiueth the Woordes of the Heauenly Doctrine muste of force be mooued and feele somewhat in his harte M. Hardinge The .9 Diuision The dangers and hurtes which the CoÌ„mon peoples Reading of the Scriptures in their owne language bringeth after the opinion of those that reprooue the same be greate sundrie and many I wil here as it were but touche a fâ—we of them leauinge the whole matter it selfe to the iudgement of the Churche â–ª First seeinge the poyson of Heretiques doth most infecte the common people and al Heretiques drawe their venâ—me out of the Bible vnder pretence of Goddes woorde it is not thought good by these menne to lette euery Curiouse and busie bodie of the vulgare sorte to reade and examine the Bible in their common language Yet they woulde not the learned discreate and sober laye men to be imbarred of that libertie Againe if Heresie springe of wronge vnderstandinge not of the Scriptures as Hilarius saithe Herâ—sâ—e is of vnderstandinge not of Scripture and the sense not the woorde is a crime who shal sooner fal to Heresie then the common people who cannot vnderstande that they reade Verily it seemeth a thinge harde to belâ—eue that the vnlearned people should vnderstande that whiche the beste learned men with longe studie and greate trauaile can scarcely at length attaine The B. of Sarisburie O what daungerous cases here are imagined and al to fraye the people from Godds Woorde If the ignorant reade the Scriptures saith M. Hardinge they wil prooue Heretiques For Heretiques sucke their venime owt of the Scriptures The Conclusion hereof is this Euery of the people maie safely reade M. Hardinges VVoâ—rde but Goddes VVoorde they maie not reade There is no manner danger in M. Hardinges Booke But Goddes Booke is full of dangers The reason hereof it is harde to gheasse onlesse it be for that Goddes Booke is fulle of Trueth and M. Hardinges Booke is fulle of erroure That he here calleth Heresie is the Euerlastinge and Manifest Truethe of God whiche when it was first preached and published by S. Paule was likewise euen then called Heresie For thus S. Paule answeareth in his owne defense Secundum hanc sectam quam vocant Heresim colo patrium Deum Accordinge to this secte whiche they calle Heresie I woorship the God of my Fathers But if the Laie People whom M. Hardinge for his pleasure calleth Curious Busie Bodies of the Uulgare sorte maie easily be leadde into Heresies by Readinge the Scriptures for that they be vnlearned howe then happened it that M. Hardinge him selfe beinge a man so deepely trained in al kinde of learninge coulde so lightly be leadde into the same I trowe he was then no Curious Busy Body Doubtles he was none of the Uulgare sorte In the primitiue Churche and longe after the Apostles time there were sundrie Sectes and sortes of Heresies as it is plainâ— by S. Augustine Epiphanius Theodoretus and others Yet that notwithstandinge the Ancient Fathers then euermore called vpon the people and exhorted them to Reade the Scriptures to thintente they might the better auoide Heresies For Ireneus writinge against the Heretiques called Ualentiniani saithe thus Haec omnia contulit eis Scripturarum Dei ignoâ—antia Al this befelle vnto them bicause they knewe not the Scriptures As Christ also saith vnto the Sadduceis Erratis nescientes Scripturas Ye are deceiued not bicause ye knowe but bicâ—use ye knowe not the Scriptures So S. Hierome saith Omni studio legâ—dae nobis sunt Scripturae vt probati trapezitae sciamus quis numus probus sit quis adulter We must reade the Scriptures with al diligence that as beinge good exchangers we maie knowe the lawful Coine from the Copper So Chrysostome Manichaei omnes Hereses decipiunt simplices Sed si habuerimus sensus animae exercitatos ad discretionem boni mali poterimus huiusmodi discernere Quomodò autem fiunt sensus nostri exercitati Ex vsu Scripturarum frequenti auditione The Manichees and al Heresies deceiue the simple But if we haue the senses of oure mindes practised to discerne good and yl wâ— maie be hable to discerne them But howe maie our senses become practised By the vse of the Scriptures and often hearinge Likewise saith Theophylacte Illis qui scrutantur Diuinas Scripturas nihil potest illudere Illae enim sunt Lucerna qua fur deprelienditur Nothinge can deceiue them that searche the Holy Scriptures For that is the Candel whereby the thiefe is espied This iudgement had the Olde Catholique Fathers of Readinge the Holy Woorde of God But that a blinde man can better avoide dangers then he that seeth or that a naked man in the middest of his enemies can better acquite him selfe then he that is armed it seemeth a very vnsensible and an vnlikely doctrine M. Hardinge The .10 Diuision VVhere as Luther woulde the Scriptures to be translated into euery Vulgare tongue for that they be light and easie to vnderstande he is confuted by the Scripture it selfe For bothe S. Peter and also S. Paule acknowlegeth in them to be greate difficulties by occasion
Ignorance Chrysostoms saithe Magna aduersus peccatum munitio est Scripturarum Lectio Magnum Praecipitium profundum barathrum Scripturarum ignoratio nihil scire de Diuinis Legibus magna Salutis perditio Ea res haereses peperit vitam corruptam inuexit hoc sursum deorsum miscuit omnia The readinge of the Scriptures is a greate fense against sinne And the Ignorance of the Scriptures is a dangerous downefal and a great Dungeon To know nothinge of Goddes Lawes is the losse of Saluation Ignorance hath brought in Heresies and vitious life Ignorance hath turned al thinges vpsydowne Therefore the Apostles of Christe and al other godly Fathers haue euermore incourraged the people to reade the Scriptures and euermore thought the Churche of God to be in best case when the people was best instructed S. Paule saith Let the Woorde of God dwelle abundantly emongest yowe Polycarpus saithe to the people Confido vos bene exercitatos esse in Sacris Literis My trust is that ye be wel instructed in the Holy Scriptures Origen saith vnto his people Geue your diligence not onely to heare Goddes Woorde in the Churche but also to be excercised in the same in youre houses at home and daye and night to be studious in the lawe of the Lorde S. Augustine saith Reade ye the Holy Scriptures For to that ende God woulde haue them written that we might receiue comforte by them S. Hierome saithe as it is alleged before Laici non tantùm sufficienter sed etiam abundanter Verbum Dei habere debent se inuicem docere The Laye People ought to haue the Woorde of God not onely sufficiently but also abundantly and to instructe one an other S. Chrysostome willeth the Father with his Childe and the Husbande with his Wife at home in his house to talke and reason of the Woorde of God Theodoretus writeth thus Passim videas haec nostratia dogmata c. Ye maie commonly see that not onely the Teachers of the People and Rulers of the Churches but also Tailers Smithes and Clothe woorkers and other Artificers doo vnderstande the Principles of our Religion And further that not onely learned wemenne yf there be any suche but also suche Wemenne as liue by their laboure and Sewsters and Maide seruantes but also Husbandmenne and Ditchers and Heardmenne and Graffers canne reason of the Holy Trinitie and of the Creation of the worlde and of the Nature of mankinde a greate deale more skilfully then either Plato or Aristotle was euer hable to doo Therefore Origen saithe vnto his hearers of the Laye People Me dicente quod sentio vos decernite examinate si quid rectum est aut minùs rectum While I speake that I thinke meete examine and iudge yow whether it be wel or otherwise Thus in olde times the Uulgare People and suche as M. Hardinge calleth Swine Rude and Rasshe people and Curious Busie Bodies were hable not onely to vnderstande the Scriptures but also to iudge of their preachers And therefore the wicked Renegate Emperoure Iulianus reprooued the Christians euen as M. Hardinge nowe dooth vs for that they suffered their Wemen and Children to reade the Scriptures But the Enimies of Goddes Trueth for feare and conscience of their weakenes haue euermore vsed violently to take awaie the Woorde of God not onely from wemen and Children but also from al the whole people Chrysostome saithe Haeretici Sacerdotesâ—claudunt ianuas Veritatis Sciunt enim si manifestata fuerit Veritas Ecclesiam suam esse relinquendam se de Sacerdotali dignitate ad humilitatem venturos popularem Heretique priestes shutte vp the gates of the Trueth For they knowe that yf the Trueth once appeare they must needes leaue their Churche and from the dignitie of their Priesthoode come downe to the state of other people For Tertullian saithe Scriptura Diuina HaereticoruÌ„ fraudes furta facilè conuincit detegit The Holy Scripture wil easily bewraye and confounde the guiles and theaftes of Heretiques Christe saithe He that dooth yl hateth the Light And therefore they saie as it is written in the Prophete Amos Tace ne recorderis nominis Domini Holde thy peace and neuer thinke vpon the name of the Lorde But miserable is that Religion that cannot stande without hidinge and suppressinge of the Trueth of God FINIS THE XVI ARTICLE OF CONSECRATION VNDER SILENCE The B. of Sarisburie Or that it was then lawful for the Priest to pronounce the woordes of Consecration Closely and in Silence vnto him selfe M. Hardinge The .1 Diuision The mater of this Article is neither one of the higheste Mysteries nor one of the Greatest Keies of our Religion howe so euer M. Iuel pleaseth him selfe with that reporte thinkinge therby to impaire the estimation of the Catholique Churche The diuersitie of obseruation in this behalfe sheweth the indifferencie of the thinge For elles if one manner of pronouncinge the woordes of Consecration had beene thought a necessary pointe of Religion it had beene euerywhere vniforme and inuariable That the Breade and VVine be Consecrated by the woordes of our Lorde pronounced by the priest as in the personne of Christe by vertue of the whiche through the grace of the Holy Ghoste the Breade and VVine are Chaunged into our Lordes Bodie and Bloude 213 this thinge hathe in al times and in al places and with consente of al inuariably beene doonne and so beleeued But the maner of pronouncinge the woordes concerninge Silence or open vtterance accordinge to diuersitie of places hath beene diuerse The B. of Sarisburie This saithe M. Hardinge is but a smal Keye of our Religion Whiche thinge may very wel appeare bothe otherwise and also by the smal weight and sclendernes of his proufes How be it in cases of Religion and in the Seruice of God nothinge ought to be iudged smal specially that may deceiuâ— the people Uerily how smal so euer they wil now haue this keie to séeme as it hath béene heretofore cause of no smal Superstition so it hath shutte out Goddes people from the sight and vnderstandinge of our greatest Mysteries Certaine it is That the Religion of Christ may wel stande without this kinde of Mystical Silence as it may also without TraÌ„substantiation or Priuate Masse or any other their like fantasies But if the mater be so smal wherefore doothe M. Hardinge take so greate paines to prooue it and that by so greate vntruethes and so manifest Fables Wherefore are they not ashamed to say that Christe him selfe at his Laste Supper Consecrated in Silence and Secresie and that in like order and forme as they doo nowe Or how durste the Byshoppes in this present Councel of Tridente so solemnely to abanne and accurse al them that dare to finde faulte with the same So smal a mater as this is now supposed to be should neuer néede so greate a doo But whether these woordes be
remembraunce of his passion and death and to be vsed al times vntil his comminge But what so euer he or al other the forerunners of Antichrist speake or woorke against it al that ought not to ouerthrowe the faith of good and true Christian men hauing for proofe therof beside many other places of holy scripture the figure of Melchisedech that was before the lawe the prophecie of Malachie in the lawe and lastly and most plainely the 5 institution of Christe in the newe testament VVhiche he lefte to the Apostles the Apostles to the Churche and the Churche hath continually kepte and vsed through the whole worlde vntil this daye Touchinge Doctours they haue with one consent in al ages in al partes of the worlde from the Apostles time forewarde bothe with their example and also testimonie of writinge confirmed the same faithe They that haue bene brought vp in learninge and yet through corruption of the time stande doubtful in this pointe let them take paines to trauel in studie and they shal finde by good auncient witnes of the priestes and Deacons of Achaia that 6 S. Andrewe the Apostle touching the substance of the Masse woorshipped god euery day with the same seruice as priestes now doo in celebrating the externals Sacrifice of the Churche They shal finde by witnes of Abdias first Bishop of Babylon who was the Apostles scholer 7 and sawe Christour sauiour infleshe and was present at the passion and martyrdome of S. Andrewe that S. Mathew the Apostle celebrated Masse in Ethiopia a litle before his Martyrdome They shal finde by reporte of an auncient Councel general that S. Iames wrote a Liturgie or a forme of the Masse They shal finde that Martialis one of the LXXII Disciples of Christe and Bishop of Burdeaulx in Fraunce sent thither by S. Peter serued god in lyke sorte 8 They shal finde in Clement the whole order and forme of the Masse set foorth by the Apostles them selues and the same celebrated by them after our lorde was assumpted before they went to the orderinge of Bishops priestes and the .vii. Deacons accordinge to his institution and the same right so declared by Cyrillus Bishop of Hierusalem In mystagogicis orationibus They shal finde the same most plainely treated of 9 and a forme of the Masse much agreable to that is vsed in these daies in writing set foorth by S. Dionyse whom S. Paule conuerted to the faith of whom it is mencioned in the actes of the Apostles who had conference with S. Peter Paule and Iohn the Euangelist and much acquaintance with Timothe Thus doo I geue the good Christen reader but a taste as it were of proofes without allegation of the woordes for confirmation of thy faith concerning the blessed Masse out of the Scriptures Apostles and Apostolike men 10 I doo further referre the to Iustinus the Martyr and Philosopher To Irenaeus the Martyr and Bishop of Lions who lyued with the Apostles scholers To the olde Bishop and Martyr Hippolytus that liued in Origens time who in his oration De consummatione mundi extant in Greeke maketh Christe thus to saye at the general iudgement vnto Bishops Venite Pontifices qui purè mihi Sacrificium die nocteque obtulistis ac pretiosum corpus sanguinem meum immolastis quotidie Comeye Bishops that haue purely offered Sacrifice to me daie and night and haue Sacrificed my pretious bodie and bloud dayly 11 Finally I referre them in steede of many to the two woorthy fathers Basile and Chrisostome whose Masses be lefte to the posteritie at this time extant 12 Amongst al Cyrillus Hierosolymitanus is not to be passed ouer lightly who at large expoundeth the whole Masse vsed in Hierusalem in his time the same which now we finde in Clement much like to that of Basile and Chrysostome and for the Canon and other principal partes to that is now also vsed in the Latine Churche As for the other Doctours of the Church that folowed the Apostles and those Apostolike men many in number excellent in learning holy of life to shew what may be brought out of their woorkes for proufe of this mater that thâ—oblation of the body and bloud of Christ in the Masse is the Sacrifice of the Church and proper to the new testament it woulde require a whole volume and therefore not being moued by M. Iuelles chalenge to speake specially thereof but as it is priuate after their meanige and many good treatises in defence of this Sacrifice beinge set foorth already in printe at this present I wil say nothing thinkinge hereof as Salust did of Carthago that great citie that it were better to keepe silence then to speake fewe The B. of Sarisburie God graunte vnto al his people the spirite of wisedome and vnderstandynge that they may be hable to discerne the Spirites whether they be of God or no that they may take héede of false Prophetes and geue eare to the voice of the Prince of Pastours flie the voice of strangers and beware of blinde guides that so often haue deceiued them Here M. Hardinge a litle ouermuch inflameth his choler and whom he listeth he calleth the enemies of the Sacrifice and the forerunners of Antichriste and what not euen with the same spirite that the Pharisies sometime saide Steuen had spoken against the holy Temple or Christe had vttered blasphemie against God I wil not answeare heate with heate but in such kinde of eloquence wil rather geue place As touchyng the mater M. Harding knoweth that S. Gregorie calleth him the forerenner of Antichrist not the saith Christ hath made a ful sacrifice for sinne once for al vpon the Crosse but that vaunteth him selfe aboue his brethren as did Lucifer and nameth him selfe an vniuersal Bishop ouer the whole Churche of Christe Such a one S. Gregorie calleth the forerenner of Antichrist And where as he calleth vs at his pleasure the enemies of the holy Sacrifice woe were vnto vs if we had not that Sacrifice We know that Christe is that lambe of God that hath taken away the sinnes of the worlde and that there is no name or Sacrifice vnder heauen wherby we can be saued but onely the name and Sacrifice of Iesus Christe And bicause we know that this Sacrifice is sufficient therefore we flie to no Sacrifice made by man The Sacrifice saith M. Hardinge commonly called the Masse But why sheweth he not of whom it is so called Uerely neither the Hebrues in their tongue nor the Gréekes in their tongue nor Christe nor his Apostles nor Tertullian nor S. Cyprian nor Origen nor Lactantius nor S. Hierome nor S. Augustine in any bookes vndoubtedly knowen for theirs nor his owne doctours Clement Abdias Hippolytus euer vsed the name of Masse Therefore it is maruel that he would say the Sacrifice is so commonly called the Masse If it might haue
Clemens Gelasius writeth thus and for that he was Bishop of the same see it is the more likely he should know the truthe Pauca quae ad memoriam venerunt Catholicis vitanda sunt decreuimus esse subdenda In primis Ariminensem synodum à Constantino Caesare Constantini filio congregaâ—am mediante Tauro praefecto ex tunc in aeternum confitemur esse damnatam Item Itinerarium nomine Petri Apostoli quod appellatur sancti Clementis libri Octo Apocryphi We haue thought good sayth Gelasius to note certaine bookes whiche are come to knowledge and ought to be auoyded of Catholike people First the Councel holden at Ariminum geathered by Constantiâ—us the Emperour the sonne of Constantinus by meane of Taurus the lieutenante from thenceforth and for euer we iudge woorthy to be condemned lykewise the Iournal of Peter the Apostle bearinge the name of Clement eight bookes are secrete vnlawful writinges Thus we sée diuers bookes of Clement condemned by name and but one epistle onely allowed for good and this volume here alleged by M. Hardinge conteininge eight bookes as it is noted by Peter Crabbe fully agréeyng in number of bookes with the other condemned by Gelasius To be shorte Cardinal Bessarion allegynge parcel of the same booke of Clement that hath bene hidden so longe writeth thus of it Licet haec Clementis verba inter Apocryphas scripturas commemorari solâ—ant placet tamen eis inpraesentiarum tanquam veris assentiamus Albeit the woordes of Clement be accompted amongst secrete vnlawful writinges yet for once we are content to receiue them as if they were true Thus M. Hardinges Clement is disallowed by Eusebius and by S. Hierome mistrusted by Bessarion condemned by Gelasius kepte forth comminge in close pryson for the space of a thousande and fiue hundred yeres yet muste we now without refusal stoupe vnto him and take him as the Apostles fellow One other of these witnesse is Abdias and he is brought in with al his titles the Bishop of Babylon planted there by the Apostles one that was conuersant with Christe and hearde him preache and sawe him in the fleashe and was present al the martyrdome of S. Andrew with al other circumstances that may geather credit amonge the simple Of this Abdias somewhat must be spoken and so much the more for that his name is so glorious He was sought out and founde and set abroade of very late yeres vnder the name of Abdias by one Wolphgangus Zazius a man that taketh greate paynes to force men to beléeue it is the very selfe same Abdias that he maketh him selfe to be and therefore he saith he was one of the .lxxij. Disciples ordred Bishop by the Apostles and that S. Luke the Euangelist writyng the Actes of the Apostles borowed many whole stories woorde by woorde out of him Then was S. Luke verie vnthankeful that neuer once made mention of his author But who so euer or what so euer this Abdias were his owne woordes doo so bewraye him that a blinde man may see it was not he He maketh manie shamelesse lies that he was present with Christe and at the moste parte of the Apostles dooynges yet were the Apostles then accordyng to Christes coÌ„maundement gone into the whole worlde some into Italie some into Asia minor some into Scythia some into India some into Ethiopia and were many thousand myles a sundre In his fable of Iphigenia he sayth that the people tooke her brother Bâ—or beyng then Christened by S. Mathew and made him Kynge and that he reigned afterwarde in Ethiopia the space of .lxiij. yeres and further maketh mention of Egesippus that liued aboue one hundred and thrée score yéeres after Christe If Abdias were aliue al this while he mighte be likened to Iohannes de temporibus who as the Frenche storie recordeth liued in Fraunce aboue thrée hundred yéeres A lier muste be circumspecte and mindeful what he say If he sawe Christe in the fleashe it is not likely he euer sawe Egesippus that was so longe after Christe If he sawe Egesippus it is not likely he euer saw Christe Thus if he reporte truthe in the one he lieth in the other and so whether he lie or saie truthe he cannot be Abdias Touchinge the substance of his booke it is nothinge els for the more parte of it but a vayne péeuishe tale laide out with falsheade wicked doctrine and curious conference and talke with Diuels thinges farre vnméete for that grauitie and Maiestie of the Apostles of Christe as it maye soone appeare vnto the reader It may be geathered by S. Augustine in sundrie places that some parte of this booke was written by certaine Heretikes named the Manichées and auoutched by them as the very true storie of the Apostles For he reporteth the fables of S. Thomas of S. Mathew of S. Andrew of the Lion that slewe the man that had striken S. Thomas of the Dogge that brought the same mannes hande vnto the table of Maximilla wife vnto Egis and other like tales euen in suche order as they be sette foorthe by this Abdias Againste one Adimantus he writeth thus They that is the Manichées reade Secrete Scriptures whiche they them selfe saye are pure and perfecte in whiche Scriptures it is written that S. Thomas cursed a man and that afterwarde a Lion slewe him c. And in an other place he saithe Attendite qualia sint quae scribuntur de Maximilla vxore Egetis illam noluisse viro debitum reddere donasse supposuisse Eucliam ancillam alias similes fabulas Beholde what thinges they be that be written of Maximilla wife vnto Egis that she beyng once Christened woulde no more yelde duetie vnto her husbande but sette Euclia her mayde in her owne place and other like fables Al these and suche like tales thus disallowed by S. Augustine are reported by M. Hardinges Abdias in great soothe I thought it not amisse to speake hereof the more at large for that I sawe a booke so ful of tales so lately founde out without any good shewe of credite to be fathered vpon the Apostles disciple and sente into the worlde with suche a countenaunce S. Augustine séemeth in diuerse places to haue geuen his iudgement of the same Writinge against the aduersarie of the lawe Prophetes he hath these woordes He hath brought foorth witnesses out of Secrete Scriptures vnder the names of the Apostles Iohn and Andrew whiche writinges if they had ben theirs they had ben receiued of the Churche The like iudgement hereof séemeth to be geuen by Gelasius who also saithe that suche writinges accordinge to an auncient custome and by a singular prouision were not reade in the Churche of Rome for that they were thought to be writen by Heretikes Thus is this Abdias a booke as it is apparent ful of manifest lies and as it may be supposed by S. Augustine Gelasius written and
come foorthe and iustly require me to subscribe Thus the Maior beinge false the Minor not proued the Conclusion not following thou séest good Christian Reader what inuincible force M. Hardinge hath brought to proue his Masse But bicause he séemeth to set somwhat by the windinge vp of his Clewe it shal not be from the purpose to vnwinde it againe and to lay it abroade and to consider the stuffinge of it and to sée how closely and handesomely it is wounde togeather First there is not one threade of the holy Scriptures in al this Clew but the plaine example of Christe and his Apostles quite refused Secondly the Priuate Masse is founded vpon the negligence and as M. Hardinge calleth it the vndeuotion of the people Thirdely there is a way diuised how twoo Priestes saieinge their Masses in diuerse countries may Communicate togeather in Breakinge Breade be the distance betwéen them neuer so greate and that without any manner warrant of Scripture or Doctour Fourthly Laye people wemen sicke folkes and boyes that receiued or ministred the Sacrament alone are brought in for this purpose as though it had béene lawfull then for wemen or boyes to say Masse Fifthly bicause S. Ambrose S. Augustine S. Hierome S. Chrysostome S. Basil and suche others woulde not serue there is brought in a greate number of Pety Doctours al of doubtful credite and many of them longe sithence misseliked and condemned by the Churche Sixthly the mater is made good by Uisions Dreames and Fables Seuenthly there are alleged Canons of Councels not extant in any Councel geathered without greate iudgement by one Gratian and yet none of them neither proouing nor once naminge the Priuate Masse Eighthly bicause M. Harding coulde not finde his Masse in the whole Church of Rome within the space of sixe hundred yeres after Christe he hath therefore made searche at Alexandria in Egypte at Antioche in Syria at Caesaria in Cappadocia a thousande Myles beyonde the Limites of al Christendome where as was neuer Priuate Masse said neither then nor before that time nor neuer sithence Nienthly for that he stoode in despaire of Cathedral and other like great Churches he hath sought out Chapels Celles Oratories and Priuate houses and because he had no hope to spéede in Townes or Cities he hath sought out the litle Churches in the Countrie Tenthly notwithstandinge al this inquirie he hath not yet founde neither the name of Priuate Masse nor any Priest that euer ministred receiued alone To be shorte the whole substance of his proufes hangeth onely vpon his owne surmise without any certaintie or appearance of truthe These be the contentes of M. Hardinges Clew and thus substantially hath he prooued the antiquitie and vniuersalitie of his Masse Now good Reader to geue thee onely a taste of some parte that may be saide of our side firste it is apparent that Christe our Sauiour at his laste Supper Ministred the holy Communion and no Priuate Masse and bade his Disciples to doo the same in his remembrance Likewise S. Paule willed the Corinthians one to waite and tarie for an other in the holy Ministration and to conforme them selues to Christes example Wherevpon S. Hierome saithe as it is before alleged The Lordes Supper must be Common vnto al for the Lorde deliuered the Sacramentes equally vnto al the Disciples that were present And S. Ambrose likewise expoundinge these woordes Inuicem expectate waite one for an other saith thus That the Oblation of many may be celebrate togeather and may be ministred vnto al. In the Canons of the Apostles it is Decréed that if any man resort vnto the Churche and heare the Scriptures and absteine from the Communion he stande excommunicate as one that troubleth the Congregation The like Decrées are founde vnder the names of Calixtus Anacletus Martinus Hilarius and others by whiche it is certaine that the whole Churche then receiued togeather Clemens as M. Hardinge calleth him the Apostles fellow writeth thus Let so many Hostes be offred vpon the Aultare as may be sufficient for the people S. Augustine saithe of the Congregation in his time Euery day wee receiue the Sacramente of Christes Body And openinge the same more particularly he saithe thus Vnde confido in eis quibus heri Communicasti hodiâ— Communicas cras Communicabis What trust can I haue in them with whom thou diddest Communicate yesterday and doost Communicate to day and wilt Communicate againe to morrow Clemens Alexandrinus saithe After that certaine as the manner is haue diuided the Sacrament they geue euery of the people leaue to take parte of it S. Chrysostome plainly describeth the very order of the Communion that was vsed in his time by these woordes The spiritual and reuerende Sacramentes are set foorth equally to riche and poore neither doothe the riche man enioye them more and the poore man lesse they haue al like honour and like comminge to them The Sacramentes beinge once laide foorthe as then the manner was for the people to receiue are not taken in againe vntil al the people haue Communicate and taken parte of that spiritual meate but the Priestes stande stil and waite for al eâ—en for the poorest of them al. Againe he saithe There are thinges wherein the Priest differeth nothinge from the people as when wee must vse the feareful Mysteries For wee are al of one woorthinesse to receiue the same S. Gregorie saithe that euen in his time the order was that in the time of the holy Communion the Deacon should stande vp and say alowde vnto the people Si quis non Communicat det locum If there be any body that is not disposed to Communicate let him geue place This Latine woorde Missa in the time of Tertullian and S. Cyprian signified a dimissing or a licence to departe and was specially applied vnto the Communion vpon this occasion that I must here declare They that were then named Catechumeni that is to saye Nouices of the faithe and not yet Christened were suffered to be present at the Communion vntil the Gospel was ended Then the Deacon commaunded them foorthe pronouncing these woordes alowde Catechumeni exeunto Or thus Ite Missa est Goe ye foorthe ye haue licence to departe Of this dimissing or departinge foorthe of the Catechumeni and others the seruice it selfe was then called Missa The reast remained stil in the Churche and receiued the Communion togeather with the Priest Further the breakinge of the Breade whiche euen now is vsed in the Masse it selfe signifieth a distribution of the Sacrament vnto the people as S. Augustine saithe vnto Paulinus Ad distribuendum comminuitur It is broken to the ende it may be diuided Moreouer the Priest him selfe in his Masse saithe thus This holy Mixture and Consecration c. be vnto me and to al that shal receiue it vnto Saluation Thus the very name of the Masse
libertie and is not of the substance of Baptisme Neither dooth it follow Wee may breake a Ceremonie Ergo wee may breake the substance of Christes Institution This reason rather maketh against M. Harding and his fellowes For if Ceremonies should be vsed freely and without rigour as S. Cyprian saith why then be they so precise in their Oyle their Balme their Lightes and other thinges of like value that be the abuse thereof neuer so greate yet they wil remitte nothinge And if they be so precise and so earnest in Ceremonies diuises of their owne how muche more ought wée to be earnest in maters touching the essential forme of the Institution of Christe M. Hardinge The .10 Diuision I trust no man wil geather of that I haue saide here that it is none offence to doo against Goddes commaundement My meaning is farre otherwise Neither say I that this sayeinge of Christe in Matthew Drinke ye al of this or that in Iohn Excepte ye eate the fleashe of the sonne of man and drinke his Bloud ye shal not haue life in you Or other commaundementes of Christ be not to be keapte but this is that I say and that euery Catholike man saithe that the vniuersal Churche dooth better vnderstande whiche are the commaundementes of Christe and how they ought to be keapte then Berengarius VViclefe Hus Luther Zuinglius Caluine Cranmere Peter Martyr or any their scholars and followers which now be sundrie sectes As for example God hath thus commaunded Thou shalt not sweare and Thou shalt not kil and if thine eye cause thee to offende pul him out and cast him away from thee Whereas certaine sectes of Heretiques as namely they whiche be called VValdenses and Picardi by their construction hereof haue mainteined opinion that no othe ought to be geuen or made in no case or respecte likewise that in no case or respecte a man may doo an other to death and also that after the outwarde letter of the Gospel sometime a man is bounde to pul out his eye and cast it from him whiche thinge hath been doone by some of the Picardes as it is reported as though els Gods commaundement were not keapte this hath so beene vnderstanded by the Catholyke Churche confessing neuerthelesse these to be Gods commaundementes as in time in place and in certaine cases a man might and ought without breache of Commaundement bothe sweare and kil and likewise keape his eye in his head ▪ and therein offende God nothinge at al. So the Catholike Churche vnderstandeth Drinke ye al of this to be Christes Commaundement and of necessitie to be obserued but of Priestes onely I meane of necessitie and that when in the Sacrifice of the Churche is celebrated the memory of Christes deathe whiche in that degree be the successours of the Apostles to whom that commaundement was specially geuen when they were consecrated priestes of the Newe Testament who so did drinke in deede as S. Marke witnesseth Et biberunt ex eo omnes and they dranke al of it To these onely and to none other the 55 Catholike Church hathe euer referred the necessitie of that commaundement Els if the necessitie of it shoulde perteine to al and because Christe sayde Drinke ye al of this if al of euery state and condition ought to drinke of this Cuppe of necessitie howe is it come to passe that our aduersaries them selues who pretende so streighte a conscience herein keepe from it infantes and yonge children vntil they come to good yeeres of discretion specially where as the Custome of the Primitiue Churche was that they also shoulde be partakers of this Sacrament as it may plainely be seene in S. Dionyse Cyprian Augustine Innocentius Zosimus and other auncient Fathers what better reason haue they to keepe the infantes from the Cuppe then the Anabaptistes haue to keepe them from their Baptisme If they allege their impotencie of remembringe the Lordes deathe the Anabaptistes wil likewise allege their impotencie of receiuinge and vnderstandinge doctrine that Christes Institution in this behalfe seemeth to require Thus the aduersaries of the Churche them selues doo agnise that the vse of the Cuppe in the Sacrament perteineth not to al of necessitie So haue they neither godly charitie to ioyne with the Churche neither sufficient reason to impugne the Churche The B. of Sarisburie The best defence to colour disobedience is to improue Goddes Commaundement Therefore saithe M. Hardinge The halfe Communion is no breache of Christes Institution For Christe neuer commaunded that the whole Communion shoulde be ministred vnto the people in bothe kindes And that saith he the Churche knoweth better then Luther or Cranmere or suche others What so euer ordinary lighte the Churche hath she hathe it not of hir selfe but of Goddes holy Woorde that is a lanterne vnto hir feete And it is no Christian modestie to make suche boastes of the gyftes of God Goddes holy Spirite bloweth where it thinketh good Daniel alone sawe the innocencie of Susanna the Iudges and Elders sawe it not Paphnutius alone was hearde againste al the rest of the Nicene Councel S. Hierome alone is receiued against al the whole Councel of Chalcedon And for as muche as M. Hardinge deliteth him selfe with odious comparisons without cause why might not a man likewise saye The Primitiue Church in the time of the Apostles and other Catholike Doctours and olde Councels that ministred the whole Sacrament vnto the people in Bothe kindes vnderstoode Christes Institution as wel as did afterwarde the Councel of Constance in whiche Councel holden fouretéene hundred yéeres after Christe and more it was determined that the Laitie shoulde contente them selues onely with the halfe Communion in One Kinde But therefore hath God geuen his holy Scriptures that the Churche shoulde be directed and neuer erre And S. Augustine saithe Dominus semper veraciter iudicat Ecclesiastici autem Iudices sicut homines plaerunque falluntur The Lorde alwaies iudgeth truely but the Ecclesiastical Iudges for that they be men are oftentimes deceiued The examples of killinge swearinge pullinge out of eyes eatinge of bloude and strangled thinges that are here brought in stande more for a countenance then for proufe of the mater Touchinge the firste God saithe vnto the priuate man Thou shalt not kil but vnto the Magistrate he saithe Thine eye shal not spare Thou shalt not suffer the wicked sorcerer to liue This case was neuer doubteful or if it were let M. Hardinge shewe in what Councel it was determined Touchinge Oathes it is forbidden that any shal sweare vnaduisedly or without iust cause so to abuse the name of God But otherwise to sweare before a Iudge in the way of Iudgement Iustice and Trueth God him selfe hath commaunded The pullinge out of the eye is an allegorie wherein by a figure or manner of speache one thinge is conceiued of an other and Christes meaninge is that who so wil followe him
vnder One Kinde is open Sacrilege The B. of Sarisburie Here M. Hardinge complaineth wée doo him wronge to allege this Canon against him for that he beléeueth euen as Gelasius did that whole Christe is in eche parte of the Sacrament It is very muche to allege Gelasius faithe without his woordes or to founde any new faithe as this is without some kinde of proufe This is M. Hardinges grosse errour and not Gelasius or any other of the Catholike Fathers faithe If the holy Fathers had so beléeued they had woordes and were hable to vtter it If this had beene the faithe of the Catholike Churche it had not beene keapte so longe in silence As for Gelasius his owne woordes are sufficiente to declare his faithe Thus he writeth against Nestorius and Eâ—tyches Sacramenta quae sumimus Corporis Sanguinis Christi diuinae res â—unt propter quod per eadem diuinae efficimur consortes naturae Et tamen esse non definit substantia vel natura Panis Vini The Sacramentes of Christes Body and Bloud that wee receiue are a godly thinge and therefore by the same wee are made partakers of the diuine nature yet there letteth not to be the substance or nature of Breade and Wine This was Gelasius faithe touching these portions of the Sacrament Now hath M. Hardynge diuised an other Mysterie of the woonderful coniunction of God and Man in Christe whereof Gelasius spake not one woorde in this place neither was it any thinge to his purpose to speake of it Bisides this he imagineth Gelasius to geue a law that no man shoulde diuide that Mysterie whereas it neuer lay in the power of man to diuide it Neither had that béene a diuision but an vtter dissolution of the Mysterie Thus so he may seeme to saye somewhat he weigheth not greately what he saye examininge eche thinge as S. Augustine saithe Non in staâ—era aequa diuinarum Scripturarum sed in statera dolosa Consuetudinum suarum Not in the iuste balance of the holy Scriptures but in the deceitful and false beames of his owne customes Of the Cuppe he maketh the Breade Of the Breade he maketh the Cuppe Of one he maketh bothe Of bothe he maketh one Of one Mysterie he maketh an other and thus they deale euen as Irenaeus writeth of the Heretique Ualentinus Ordinem textum scripturarum supergredientes quantum in ipsis est soluentes meÌ„bra veritatis tranferunt transfingunt alterum ex altero facientes seducunt multos ex his quae aptant ex Dominicis eloquijs malè composito phantasmati Ouerrenninge the order and texte of the Scriptures and as muche as in them lieth dismembring the lymmes of the trueth they alter and transpose maters and makinge one thinge of an other they deceiue many by that they geather out of the Lordes woordes and ioyne to their il fauoured phantasie The Mysterie whereof Gelasius speaketh is the holy Sacrament whiche al be it it stande of two partes yet is it one Sacrament and not twoo The Manichées diuided the same takinge one parte and leauinge the other And this is it that Gelasius calleth Sacrilege Here it is further surmised that Leo and Gelasius by their Decrées restoared the Catholike people againe to the vse of Bothe Kindes This is vtterly vntrue And may be gheassed by M. Hardinge but cannot any way be prooued The Decrées of Leo and Gelasius be abroade and may be knowen But where are these Decrees In what Bookes are they written Or who euer made mention of them Uerely these godly Fathers reprooued the Manichées for their Sacrilege and not the Catholikes and commaunded suche as had offended to correcte their faultes and not suche as were faultlesse But how coulde the Manichees haue beene knowen saith M. Hardinge Onlesse the Catholike people amonge whom they receiued had Communicate in One Kinde This question is out of course I might better saye Nay how coulde the Manichees haue beene knowen if they and the Catholikes had receiued in One Kinde bothe a like For this is the token that Leo woulde haue them knowen by SanguineÌ„ redemptionis nostrae haurire detrectant They refuse to drinke the Bloud of our Redemption By these woordes it is cleare that the Cuppe was offred orderly vnto them as vnto others but they refused it Thou séest good Christian Reader that M. Harding notwithstandinge he be driuen to leaue his owne fellowes to shifte one Mysterie for an other to imagine new lawes and new Decrées that were neuer hearde of to change him selfe into sundrie formes and to séeke al manner hoales to créepe out at yet at laste hath founde by the authoritie of Leo whom he him selfe allegeth that the Catholike people receiued the whole Communion vnder Bothe Kindes accordinge to Christes Institution and that the patrones and founders of his halfe Communion were olde wicked Heretiques named the Manichées that the same is the diuision of one whole intiere Mysterie and therefore by the authoritie of Gelasius may wel be called open Sacrilege Now to shew what might be saide of our side were labour infinite For our Doctrine taketh no authoritie of Priuate Folke of Wemen of Forcelettes of Naptkins of Sicke Bodies of Deathe Beddes of Miracles of Fables of Children and of Madde men whiche be the onely groundes of al that M. Hardinge séemeth hitherto hable to say But of Christes Institution of the Scriptures of the Practise of the Apostles of the vsage of the Primitiue Churche of olde Canons of auncient Councels of Catholike Fathers Gréekes and Latines Olde and New euen of Clemens Abdias and Amphilochius whiche are M. Hardinges peculiar Doctours S. Chrysostome saithe In the receiuing of the holy Mysteries there is no difference betweene Priest and people Dionysius saith The vnitie of the Cuppe is diuided vnto al. Ignatius saith One Cuppe is diuided vnto the whole Churche S. Augustine saith Wee drinke al togeather bicause wee liue al togeather But to recken vp the authorities of antiquitie as I saide it woulde be infinite The Scholastical Doctours of very late yeres haue séene and testified that M. Hardinges doctrine is but new Thomas of Aquine saithe In quibusdam Ecclesiis prouidè obseruatur vt populo Sanguis non detur In certaine Churches it is prouidently obserued that the Bloud be not geuen to the people In certaine Churches he saith Not in al Churches Likewise Durandus In multis locis Communicatur cum Pane Vino id est cum toto Sacramento In many places they Communicate with Breade and Wine that is to say with the whole Sacrament In many places he saith but not in al places Likewise Alexander de Hales a great Schole Doctour Ita ferè vbique a laicis fit in Ecclesia Thus the lay people in the Churche for the moste parte doo For the moste parte he saithe but not in al partes And Linwoode in his Prouincialles Solis celebrantibus sanguinem sub specie vini
haue receiued in the kingedome of Britaine by Gods mercie bothe the Lawe and Faithe of Christe Ye haue bothe the Newe Testamente and the Olde Out of the same through Goddes Grace by the aduise of your Realme take a Lawe and by the same through Goddes sufferance rule you your Kingedome of Britaine For in that Kingedome you are Goddes Vicare He willeth him to order maters accordinge to the Lawe of God Nowe the Lawe of God willeth the Seruice so to be saide as the people may vnderstande it and geue consent vnto it by saieing Amen But the people of this Realme coulde not haue said Amen vnto the Latine Seruice Therfore noman can wel thinke that Kinge Lucius appointed the Common Seruice to be saide in that tongue Further it may wel be iudged that the greatest furtherers of Religion within this Realme were Grecians for order of the Churche had instructions euermore from the Greeke Churche and not from Rome as it may appeare by the keeping of the Easter daie and by other good coniectures mentioned by Beda Now if the Grecians had refused the Common Uulgare tongue of this countrie doubtlesse they woulde haue appointed their owne Gréeke tongue for the Publique Ministration and not the Latine Againe M. Hardinge allegeth S. Gregorie that the tongue of this Nation was neuer otherwise taught but onely to roare out their barbarous language howe then can he so suddainely saâ—e that from the time of Ioseph of Arimathea they had euermore the Seruice in the Learned Latine tongue Bâ—sides this S. Gregorie writinge vnto Augustine willeth him of the sundrie orders that he had seene in dâ—uers Countreis to take suche as he coulde iudge might doo moste good But M. Hardinge graunteth that at the first plantinge of the Faithe it is necessarie the Common praiers be Ministred in the Knowen Tongue Therfore it must néedes be thought that Augustine comminge hither as it is supposed to plante the Faithe iudged that thinge best that M. Harding saithe was necessarie and so ministred the Common praiers in the Knowen tongue And to conclude It was most méete that Augustine beinge purposely sente hither from Rome shoulde conforme his Churche here to the Churche of Rome But the Seruice in the Church of Rome was Ministred then in the Uulgare Tongue as it is many waies easie to be prooued Therfore it behoued Augustine likewise in the Churches of this Countrie to sée the Seruice Ministred in the Uulgare Tongue How be it it seemeth by M. Hardinges Conclusion that he maketh his accompte onely from the fouretienthe yeere of themproure Mauritius which was in the yéere of our Lorde fiue hundred foure scoare and sixtene sithence whiche time he saithe vntil the time of the Kinge Edwarde the Sixthe there was neuer in this Realme other then the Laâ—ine Seruice I may not greatly blame this diuision For of the sixe hundred yéeres after Christe wherevpon I ioyne with him in issue liberally and of his owne accorde he geueth me backe fiue hundred foure scoare and sixtene and of so greate a number reserueth vnto him selfe but onely foure poore yeeres and yet is not very certaine of the same But if Marianus Scotus accompte be true that Augustine came into this Realme not the fourtienth yéere of the Emproure Mauritius but foure yéeres after whiche was iuste the sixe hundreth yeere after Christe then he reserueth not one yéere at al vnto him selfe but yeeldeth me backe al togeather Surely Abbas Urspergensis writeth thus Gregorius in the yeere of our Lorde sixe-hundred and three hauing sent in Augustine and Mellitus conuerted Englande to the Faithe Al this hitherto maketh with me onlesse M. Hardinge wil say The people of this Countrie had Christian Seruice before they were Christened M. Hardinge The .25 Diuision Nowe touchinge the Scripture by M. Iuel and by al them of that side alleged for the Seruice to be had in the Vulgare tongue in the .14 Chapter of the firste Epistle to the Corinthians S. Paule treateth of the vse of tongues so as it was in the Primitiue Churche a special gifte As the faithful folke came togeather to praye and to heare Goddes Woorde some one man suddainely stoode vp and spake in the Congregation with tonges of many Nations Spiritu insusurrante as Chrysostome saithe that is by inspiration or promtinge of the Spirite so as neither others that were present neither him selfe after the opinion of Chrysostome vnderstoode what he saide That gifte the Apostle did not forbidde For that euery gifte of God is good and nothinge by him done in vaine but dehorted the Corinthians from the vaine and ambitiouse vse of it and therefore did muche extenuate the same and preferred propheciynge that is the gifte to interprete and expounde Scriptures farre before it It was not in the Churche but in the Apostles time or a very shorte while after them and that altogeather by miracle the holy ghost beinge the worker of it As concerninge the order of the Common praiers and Publique Seruice in suche sorte as we haue nowe and that age had not S. Paule mentioneth nothinge neither speaketh one woorde in that whole Chapter but of the vse of the miraculouse gifte as is saide before And therefore his sayinges out of that Chapter be not fittely alleged of M. Iuel and the reste of our aduersaries againste the maner of praiers and Seruice of the Churche now receiued and of longe time vsed whiche in the VVeaste is vttered in the Latine tongue not by waye of miracle or peculiar gifte but accordinge to the institution and ordinaunce of the Churche Profectò enim coelum Ecclesia tum fuit In very deede saithe Chrysostome the Churche then vvas a Heauen vvhen as the holy ghost administred al thinges moderated al the heades of the Churche caught eche one vvith his inspiration As for novv vve keepe but the steppes onely of those thinges VVe speake tvvo or three of vs and that a sunder and one holdinge his peace an other beginneth But these be but signes onely and memorials of thinges And so vvhen vve haue begonne he meaneth Dâ—Ì„s vobiscuÌ„ cuÌ„ spiritu tuo the people ansvvereth meaning to signifie therby that so in olde time they spake not of their ovvne vvisedome but of the instincte of the spirite of God This much Chrysostome of the heauenly manner of the Primitiue Churche in the Apostles time Nowe if in these daies the manner were like if it pleased the Holie Ghoste to powre vpon vs the like abundance of grace as to doo al thinges for vs to rule the heades of al faithful people to carrie eche one of vs with his diuine inspiration and when we came to Church togeather for comforte and edifieing to geue into our hartes and put into our mouthes by daily miracle vvhat vvee should pray and what we should preach and how we should handle the Scriptures in this case no Catholike Christian man woulde allow the
learnedly by the tongue S. Paule meaneth not the Latine Greeke or Hebrew amonge the vnlearned people or any other alien or straunge tongue but onely and that by way of Metaphore any manner of vtterance whereby the signes of thinges are pronounced before they be vnderstanded And by the Sprite he vnderstandeth not a noyce of strange wordes after your strange interpretation but as it is here in a certaine proper and peculiar manner taken a power of the soule inferiour to the minde whiche conceiueth the similitudes of thinges and vnderstandeth them not And thinges so vttered be vttered with the tongue and spirite whether it be in Englishe or Latine or any other language And sir although the people vnderstande not in most exacte vvise vvhat the Priest saith in the Latine Seruice yet haue they commoditie and profit thereby so farre as it pleaseth God to accepte the common Praier of the Churche pronounced by the Priest for them The B. of Sarisburie Here M. Hardinge hath founde a sporte to passe the time withal He maketh M. Caluin a Patriarke and setteth him on high in iudgement to condemne al the worlde S. Paules meaninge is bombasted and brought out of tune with a noice of strange woordes And in this pointe he doubleth and sheweth copie and plaieth â—ounde aboute merily with his owne fantasie Wherein he may not be muche offended if I say vnto him as S. Hierome saide sometime vnto S. Ambrose for his Commentaries vpon S. Luke Verbis Iudis sentenâ—ijs dormitas That is your wordes be pleasant but your senses be halfe a sleape For that I saw these woordes of S. Paule Yf thou Blisse vvith thy Sprite might séeme doubtful and diuers expositions rising therevpon I thought it meete for the more ease of the vnlearned to open what S. Paule might séeme to meane by this worde Sprite in that place And folowinge the iudgement of sundrie olde Fathers I called it a sounde or noyce of vnknowen woordes This is it that M. Hardinge here so pleasantly calleth Stuffinge and bomebaste and a strange newfangled interpretation Wherein he sheweth him selfe to be somwhat shorte witted as may soone appeare For within a few lines after expoundinge these woordes of S. Paule Quà m decem millia verborum in lingua he him selfe vseth the like bomebaste and the very same stuffinge Uerily if he wil vtterly condemne al manner Paraphrase or addinge of other woordes for declaration of that séemeth harde or doubteful in the texte then must he néedes condemne not onely the Septuagintes but also al other Interpreters of the Scriptures Hereof Origen weighing in what sorte the Apostle S. Paule allegeth the woordes of the Prophete Dauid writeth thus Sed quòd dixit Apostolus Sicut scriptum est Non est iustus quisquam non est intelligens non est requirens Deum Non ijsdem Sermonibus inuenitur in Psalmo sed alij permutantur alij assuuntur alij relinquuntur Quod a studiosis quibusque si obseruetur diligentiùs puâ—o dari in hoc Apostolicam authoritatem vt cùm Scripturae testimonijs vtendum fuerit sensum magis ex ea quà m verba capiamus But where as S. Paule saithe As it is written There is not one iust man there is not one of vnderstandinge there is not one that seeketh after God This place is not founde in the Psalme by these woordes but some woordes are altered by S. Paule and some others are added vnto and some are leafte out Whiche thinge if the Reader aduisedly consider I thinke that herein the Apostles authoritie is declared that when wee haue neede to vse the Testimonie of the Scriptures wee rather take the meaning thereof then the woordes Origen saith S. Paule bothe altered the woordes of the Prophete and added to and tooke fro Yet I trust M. Hardinge wil not say S. Paule bomebasted or stuffed the Scriptures Perhaps he wil replie S. Paule by this woorde Sprite meante not a strange tongue or a noice of vnknowen woordes and therefore this stuffinge is counterfeite And bicause M. Hardinge saith so perhaps the simple Reader wil so beléeue it But if the olde Doctours Fathers so expounde it then al this strange mirth and triumphe might haue béene spared S. Ambrose openeth S. Paules meaning and sheweth what he vnderstoode by this woorde Sprite in this wise Si tu benedixeris spiritu hoc est Si laudem Dei lingua loquaris ignota audientibus If thou blesse vvith thy Sprite That is to say If thou vtter the Praise of God in a tongue vnknowen vnto the hearers This I trow is no Bomebast nor countrefeite stuffinge it is S. Ambroses Interpretation Likewise S. Chrysostome expoundinge the same woordes saith thus Si tu benedixeris spiritu c. Est quod dicit huiusmodi Si peregrina lingua gratias agas quam nec intelligas ipse nec coeteris idem interpreteâ—is plebeius noÌ„ potest subijcere Amen If thou Blisse vvith thy Sprite c. The meaning hereof saith S. Chrysostome Is this If thou geue thankes vnto God or pray in a strange tongue whiche neither thou knowest thee selfe nor canst expounde vnto others the vnlearned cannot say Amen This Chrysostome saith is S. Paules very meaninge M. Hardinge saithe No it is a strange new fangled interpretation Erasmus in his paraphrase turneth it thus Si tu decantes laudes Dei sermone omnibus incognito If thou singe out the praises of God in a tongue vnknowen vnto al thy hearers Dionysius the Carthusian likewise saithe thus Si tu Benedixeris Spiritu id est non verbis quae ab alijs intelligantur sed tantùm lingua If thou Blisse vvith thy Sprite That is to say not with suche woordes as others may vnderstande but onely with thy tongue Anselmus saith Spiritus meus orat id est flatus oris mei orat dum loquor in oratione My sprite praieth That is The breathe of my mouthe praieth so longe as I continue speakinge What so euer opinion M. Harding haue of Erasmus yet I trow of his modestie he wil not say that either Dionysius the Carthusian or S. Ambrose or S. Chrysostome or Anselmus deuised newfangled expositions or discanted vpon S. Paule or set his texte out of tune But he saith the place of S. Paule is doubteful S. Ambrose S. Augustine S. Chrysostome Isidorus Erasmus and Thomas of Aquine vnderstoode it diuersely And wil he thereof conclude thus These Fathers mistooke S. Paules sense Ergo S. Paule had no sense Or diuers Doctours touching this place had diuers iudgementes Ergo Wee must haue no iudgement Or must wée folow none of them bicause some were deceiued Or must wée folowe them al togeather bicause they were Doctours In déede they dissented somwhat in the takinge of this woorde Spirite as it is euident but whether it were the holy Ghoste that S. Paule meante thereby or Imagination or Reason or the Gyfte of tongues or the Sounde of the mouthe or the
peoples vnderstandinge and no vnderstandinge is al one thinge Origen as he is here alleged saithe that the very readinge or hearinge of Goddes Woorde profiteth muche and reioiceth the Angels bothe within and about vs although we vnderstande it not For better vnderstandinge hereof I must briefely note certaine particular opinions that this godly Father had of Angels and heauenly powers And to leaue muche that might be saide he helde thus that Angels haue their offices allotted vnto them diuersely some ouer trees some ouer hearbes some ouer other thinges that some haue power to teache Grammar some Logique some Rhetorique some other Sciences and that some others are appointed to guide and garde vs in this life and shal appeare before God at the General Iudgement to yeelde accoumpte of our dooinges By these it may appeare what Origen meaneth by the Angels that as he saithe be about vs. His saieinge is very comfortable vnto the simple minde that deliteth in Gods Woorde although oftentimes not vnderstandinge the déepe sense of it Of readinge the Scriptures his purpose was to speake and not of hauinge the Seruice or Praiers in a strange tongue Wherefore M. Hardinge was the more to blame thus to wreast his authour to a wronge purpose Origen oftentimes exhorted the people to the readinge of the Scriptures Upon Esaie the Prophete he writeth thus Vtinam omnes faceremus illud quod scriptum est scrutamini Scripturas I woulde we woulde al performe that is written Searche the Scriptures In this place vpon Iosue he layeth this obiection againste him selfe It may be saide The Scriptures be harde He answeareth Yet that not withstandinge if thou reade them they shal doo thee good For the Lorde Iesus Christe if he finde vs occupied in the Scriptures and exercised in the studie thereof not onely vouchsafeth him selfe to be refreashed and fedde in vs but also seeinge suche a banket prepared bringeth with him his Father vnto vs. In the ende he concludeth thus Haec idcirco diximus ne fastidium capiamus audientes Scripturas etiamsi eas non intelligamus These thinges haue I saide that we lothe not to heare the Scriptures although we vnderstande them not And thus muche Origen spake not of the Grammatical or plaine vnderstandinge of the Scriptures that riseth of the letter but of the Allegorie or profounde sense whereunto the vnlearned can not wel atteine For so he expoundeth his owne meaninge writinge vpon the Gospel of S. Matthew Etiam illi saluantur qui Literam Euangelij hoc est simplicem narrationem sequuntur Sola enim narratio simplex sufficit simplicioribus ad salutem Euen they be saued that followe the Letter that is to say The plaine storie of the Gospel For onely the simple storie is sufficient vnto the saluation of the simple So farre foorth may the vnlearned haue profite by readinge of the Scriptures although he further vnderstande them not So likewise saith S. Augustine Qui diligit Legem Dei etiam quod in ea non intelligit honorar Who so looueth the Lawe of God honoureth in it euen that thinge that he vnderstandeth not Likewise he confesseth of him selfe that at his first entrie into the Faithe of Christe he receiued great profite by readinge the Epistle of S. Paule vnto the Romaines although he were not then hable throughly to conceiue the meaninge of it And further that by the Counsel of S. Ambrose he readde the Prophete Esaie And al though he fully vnderstoode him not yet was he therby made the meeter to receiue the Grace of God The like also writeth S. Hierome by waie of Prophecie of the later daies before the comminge of Christe In aduentu Messiae populus eleuabitur prophetabit qui sub Magistris antè fuerat consopitus ibunt ad montes scripturarum Ibi inuenient montes Mosen Iosue filium Naue montes Propheâ—as montes Noui Testamenti Apostolos Euangelistas Et cùm ad tales montes confugerit in huiusmodi montium fuerit lectione versatus si non inuenerit qui eum doceat tamen illius studium comprobabitur quòd confugerit ad Montes At the comminge of Messias the people shal be lifted vp and shal prophecie that before laye asleepe vnder their Maisters and they shal goe to the Mountaines of the Scriptures and there shal they finde Mountaines Moses and Iosue the sonne of Naue the Mountaines of the Prophetes the Mountaines of the Newe Testament the Apostles and the Euangelistes And when they shal flee to suche Mountaines and shal be occupied in the readinge thereof if they finde not one to teache them yet shal their endeuour and good wil be allowed for that they haue fledde vnto the Mountaines This may the simple haue profite by the readinge of the Scriptures albeit he fully vnderstande them not thus be the Angels delited thus is the Diuel molested and gréeued with the same as Origen him selfe witnesseth by these woordes Daemonibus super omnia est tormentorum genera super omnes poenas si quem videant Verbo Dei operam dare scientiam Diuinae Legis Mysteria Scripturarum intentis studijs perquirentem Vnto the Diuels it is a griefe aboue al kindes of torment and aboue al paines if they see any man labour the Woorde of God seekinge with earnest minde the knowledge of Goddes Lawe and the Mysteries of the Scriptures S. Augustine as M. Hardinge allegeth him saithe The Psalme chaseth away Diuels But S. Augustine geueth not suche power vnto a Psalme pronounced onely with the lippes in a strange vnknowen tongue but vnto a Psalme vnderstanded beléeued and pronounced from the harte For to saie The Woorde of God onely bicause it is written or spoaken is auaileable of 〈◊〉 without vnderstandinge as M. Hardinge séemeth to say is a superstitious and a Iewishe kinde of folie Chrysostome sawe reproued the superstition therof in his time by these woordes Quidam Sacerdotes partem aliquam Euangelij alligant circa collum Dic Sacerdos insipiens Nonne quotidiè Euangelium in Ecclesia legitur auditur ab hominibus Cui ergo in auribus posita Euangelia nihil prosunt quomodo eum poterunt circa collum suspensa saluare Vbi est virtus Euangelij In figuris literarum an in intellectu sensuum Certaine Priestes there be that binde a peece of the Gospel aboute their neckes Tel me thou foolishe Priest Is not the Gospel euery daie readde and hearde of menne in the Churche If the Gospel doo not profite a man beinge put in his eare howe then can it profite him beinge tide at his necke For wherein reasteth the power of the Gospel In the forme of the letters or in the vnderstandinge of the sense So may we say vnto M. Hardinge Wherein resteth the power of the Psalmes wherwith the Diuel is vanquished In the bare sounde of the woordes or in the sense and meaninge of the same Certainely S. Augustine saithe
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
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
other kinde of Breade that should be spâ—ritual and last for euer Thus he saide vnto them My Father geueth you true Bread from Heauen Who so eateth of this Bread shal liue for euer And that they might vnderstande what he meante he saide further I am the Bread that came from Heauen The Bread that I wil geue you is my Fleashe whiche I shal geue for the life of the worlde Thus he spake of the spiritual eatinge and digesting of his Fleashe in the hartes of the Faithful And so immediatly after he opened his owne minde For when he saw The Iewes for that they vnderstoode him not were offended he saide further vnto them It is the Spirite that geueth life the Fleashe profiteth nothinge The woordes that I speake are Spirite and life Whiche woordes S. Augustine in plainer sorte expoundeth thus Spiritualiter intelligite quòd locutus sum Non hoc Corpus quod videtis manducaturi estis bibituri illum Sanguinem quem fusuri sunt qui me Crucifigent Sacramentum aliquod vobis commendaui Spiritualiter intellectum viuificat vos Vnderstande ye spiritually that I haue spoken Ye shal not eate with your bodily mouthe this Bodie that you see nor shal ye with your bodily mouthe drinke that Bloud whiche they shal sheadde that shal Crucifie me I geue you a certaine Sacrament The same beinge spiritually vnderstanded geueth you life So saith S. Basile Gustate videre quoniam suauis est Dominus Taste ye and see that the Lorde is gratious And further he saith We haue oftentimes marked in the Scriptures that the inwarde powers of the minde haue their names of the outwarde members of the Body Therefore for as muche as our Lorde is the true Breade and his Fleashe the true foode It must needes bee that the desectation and pleasure of the same be mooued and caused within vs by a spiritual kinde of taste Againe he saith Further wee say that there is a certaine Spiritual mouthe of the inner man wherewith he is feadde receiuinge the Woorde of life which is the Breade that came from Heauen Likewise saith S. Augustine Fides habet ocâ—los suos Faith hath eies of her owne to see with al. Againe Intus bibendo foelix sum Happy am I when I drinke in my harte within And againe Panis iste interioris hominis quaerit esuriem This Breade seeketh the hunger of the inner man So saith Leo Circa hoc Corpus Aquilae sunt quae alis circumuolant spiritualibus Aboute this Bodie be Egles that flee aboute it with spiritual winges So likewise Origen Idcircò verum lumen dicitur vt habeant oculi animae quo illuminentur idcirco verbum vt habeant aures quod audiant idcirco Panis vitae vt habeat gustus animae quod deguster Therfore is Christe called the Light that the eies of the Soule may haue whereby they may be lightened Therefore he is called the Woorde that the eares of the soule may haue what to heare and therefore he is called the Breade of life that the sense of the soule may haue what to taste So Tertullian Auditu deuorandus est intellectu ruminandus Fide digerendus Christe by hearinge must be deuoured by vnderstandinge must be chewed and by Faithe must be digested In like sorte Chrysostome Magnus iste Panis qui replet mentem non ventrem This is that greate Breade that feedeth not the bellie but the minde Therefore S. Augustine saith Christus dixit se esse Panem qui de Coelo descendit hortans vt credamus in ipsum Credere enim in eum hoc est manducare Panem viuum Christe named him selfe the Breade that came from Heauen exhortinge vs to beleeue in him For beleeuinge in him is the eating of the Breade of life Hereby it is plaine that Christes meaninge is spiritual as Christe him selfe and al the Olde Fathers and Doctours of the Churche haue expounded it not Real Carnal Grosse and Fleashely as M. Hardinge imagineth M. Hardinge wil say That the Eatinge with the mouthe and the grindinge with the teeth is a Worke Spiritual By this sense he is a good Proctour for the Capernaites and must néedes say that they had a Spiritual vnderstandinge How be it Chrysostome wil not wel suffer this euasion His woords be plaine Quid est Carnaliter intelligere Simpliciter vt res dicuntur neque aliud quippiam cogitare what is it to vnderstand Carnally It is to vnderstande plainely euen as the thinges be vttered and to thinke vpon nothinge els Therefore S. Augustine saith Figura est praecipiens Passioni Domini communicandum esse suauiter atque vtiliter recondendum in memoria quòd Christus pro nobis mortuus sit The saieing of â—hriste touching the Eating of his Fleashe is a Figure or manner of speache commaundinge vs to be partakers of Christes Passion and with conforte and profit to lay vp in our memorie that Christe hath suffered Death for vs. This therefore was Christes meaninge and this is the very Eatinge of his Fleashe Nowe let vs see what sense the Capernaites geathered hereof Origen saithe Accidit vt simpliciores nescientes distinguere quae sint quae in Scripturis Diuinis interiorihomini quae exteriori depuâ—anda sint vocabulorum similitudinibus falsi ad ineptas quasdam fabulas figmenta inania se contulerint It happeneth sometime that simple men beinge not hable to put difference bytweene those thinges in the Scriptures that perteine to the inner man and those thinges that perteine to the vtter man are deceiued by the likenesse of woordes and so fal into foolishe fables and vaine fantasies So saithe S. Hierome Cum Seniores putentur in Ecclesia Principes Sacerdotum Simplicem sequendo Literam occidunt Filium Dei Where as they are taken for the Elders in the Churche and the Chiefe of the Priestes by folowinge the Plaine Letter they kil the Sonne of God Euen thus it happened vnto the Capernaites that Christe spake Spiritually of eatinge with Faithe they vnderstoode grossely of eatinge with the téeth as though they should swallow downe his Fleashe into their bodies as other meates euen in such grosse sorte as M. Hardinge woulde now teache the people to eate Christes Bodie Tertullian openeth their errour in this wise Durum intolerabilem existimarunt sermonem eius quasi verè Carnem suam illis edendam determinasset They thought his speache was harde and intolerable as though he had determined to geue them his Fleashe verily and in deede to be eaten with their mouthes Therin saith TertulliaÌ„ stoode their errour Now to consider M. Hardinges gheasses first he saithe The Capernaites were offended with Christes woordes Ergo it is likely Christe meante he woulde geue his Bodie Really and Carnally in the Sacrament Firste Nicolas Lyra M. Hardinges owne Doctour saithe That these woordes of Christe in the sixthe of Iohn
Inner Spiritual sight and the Contemplation of the minde The woordes be plaine Ne proposito Pani Poculo humiliter intenti simus That we consider not basely the Breade and the Wine that are sette before vs. And therefore S. Augustine saithe In Sacramentis Fidelium dicitur Surium corda In the Sacramentes of the Faithful it is saide Lifte vp your hartes By whiche woordes we are put in remembrance that there is nothing in the action to be considered but onely Christ the Lambe of God that hath taken away the sinnes of the worlde And therefore Chrysostome saithe We must become Egles and soare aboue if we list to come neare to that Bodie Thus with the Spiritual eyes of our hartes we see the Lambe of God And as S. Ambrose saith Magis videtur quod non videtur The thinge is better seene that with our bodily eies is not seene For the same cause S. Augustine saithâ— In Sacramentis videÌ„dum est non quid sint sed quid ostendant Signa enim rerum sunt aliud existentia aliud Significantia In Sacramentes we must consider not what they be in deede but what they represent For they are Tokens of thinges beinge one thing in them selfe and signifieing an other And as touchinge our beholdinge of Christe in the Sacrament in moste plaine wise he wrâ—teth thus Sic nos facit moueri tanquam videamus Praesentem DominuÌ„ in Cruce It worketh such motions in vs as if we saw our Lorde him selfe Present vpon the Crosse. And this is it that Eusebius Emissenus writeth as he is alleged of Gratian Vt colererur iugiter per Mysterium perennis illa Victima viueret in Memoria Semper praesens esset in Gratia That the Bodie that was once offered for our Price should euermore be worshipped by a Mysterie and that that Euerlastinge Sacrifice should liue in Remembrance and be Present â—n Grace for euer In this spiritual sorte is Christe Layde Presente vpon the Table but not in M. Hardinges Grosse and Fleashely manner And therefore S. Augustine saithe in like sense vnto the Faithful Communicantes Vos estis in mensa vos estis in Calice You are vpon the Table you are in the Cuppâ— As S. Augustine saithe The people is laide vpon the Table euen so and none otherwise the Councel of Nice saith The Lambe of God is Laide vpon the Table The other Gréeke woorde that M. Hardinge holdeth by is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche is Uerily or Truely and that in his iudgement soundeth no lesse then Really or Fleashely And thus although he hunte like a wanton Spaniel and range at riot and beate vp Butterflies yet at the laste he thinketh â–ª he hath founde somewhat How be it I maruel he séeth no better his owne errour For he mighte soone haue knowen that these twoo woordes Truely and Fleashely haue sundrie meaninges and that in the sense that Christe spake vnto the Iewes the one of them doothe vtterly exclude the other For neither doothe he that eateth grossely and sensibly with his téethe eate Truely and Verily as Christe meante nor doothe he that eateth Spiritually with his Faithe eate Grossely and Fleashely as the Capernaites meante Therefore it is greate folie to saye Uerily and Fleashly are al one thinge In déede the Spiritual Eatinge of Christes Bodie by Faithe is the true Eatinge And he that Eateth the same moste Spiritually Eateth moste truely Otherwise Christe saithe Ego sum vitis vera I am the True Vine S. Hierome calleth the Faithful people Vitem Veram The True Vine Cyrillus calleth Christe Verum Manna The True Manna S. Hierome saieth Nos verâ— sumus vnis Panis We are Verily one Breade Origen saith Apostoli verè erant Coeli The Apostles verily were the Heauens And to be shorte they were wonte to singe at the blissinge of the Paschal Taper Haec sunt festa Paschalia in quibus verè Agnus occiditur This is the Paschal Feaste wherein verily and indeede the Lambe is slaine By these fewe examples bothe the difference bytwéene these twoo woordes Truely and Fleashely and also the sclendernes of M. Hardinges Collection may soone appeare For notwithstandinge we doo verily Eate Christe yet it followeth not that we doo Grossely and Naturally Eate him with our bodily mouthes and although Christe be verily meate yet it foloweth not that he is therefore Really and Fleashely in the Sacrament And therefore S. Augustine in this respecte vtterly remooueth the natural office of the Bodie His woordes be plaine Quid paras dentem aut ventrem Crede manducasti What preparest thou thy toothe or thy bellie Beleeue and thou hast Eaten Againe Credere in eum hoc est manducare Panem Viuum Beleeuinge in him is the Eatinge of the Breade of life M. Hardinge The .9 Diuision And touchinge these termes first Verily or 136 whiche is al one Really and Substantially me thinketh M. Iuel shoulde beare the more with vs for vse of the same sithe that Bucer him selfe one of the greattest learned men of that side hathe allowed them yea and that after muche writinge againste Luther in Defence of Zwinglius and Oecolampadius by him sette foorthe and after that he had assured him selfe of the trueth in this Article by Diuine Inspiration as moste constantly he affirmeth with these woordes Haec non Dubitamus diuinitus nobis per ScripturaÌ„ reuelata de hoc Sacramento VVe doubte not saithe he but these thinges concerninge this Sacrament be reueled vnto vs from God and by the Scripture If you demaunde where this maye be founde in the Actes of a Councel holden betweene the Lutheranes and Zwinglianes for this very purpose in Martine Luthers house at VVittenberge in the yeere of our Lorde .1536 you shal finde these woordes Audiuimus D. Bucerum explicantem suam sententiam de Sacramento Corporis Sanguinis Domini hoc modo Cum Pane Vino verè Substantialiter adest exhibetur Sumitur Corpus Christi Sanguis Et Sacramentali Vnione Panis est Corpus Christi porrecto Pane verè adest verè exhibetur Corpus Christi VVe haue hearde M. Bucer declaring his minde touching the SacrameÌ„t of the Bodie and Bloude of our Lorde in this sorte VVith the Breade and VVine the Bodie of Christe and his Bloude is presente exhibited and receiued verâ—ly and Substantially And by Sacramental Vnion the Breade is the Bodie of Christe and the Breade beinge geuen the Bodie of Christe is verely present and verely deliuered Though this opinion of Bucer by whiche he recanted his former Zwinglian Heresie be in sundrie pointes false and Heretical yet in this he agreeth with the Catholique Churche against M. Iuels negatiue assertion that the Bodie and Bloude of Christe is present in the Sacrament Verily that is Truely and Really or in Deede and Substantially 137 wherein he speaketh as the Auncient Fathers spake longe
better staie of his Churche so wrought that both the trueth should be confessed by the enemies of trueth and also for vttering of vntrueth the one should be condeÌ„ned of the other that by the warre of Heretikes the peace of the Churche might be established and by their discorde the Catholike people might the faster grewe togeather in concorde Now hauing sufficiently prooued by the Scriptures and that with the Zuinglians also adoration and Godly Honour to be dewe vnto Christes Bodie where so euer it please his Diuine Maiestie to exhibite the same present let vs see whether we can finde the same Doctrine affirmed by the Holie and Auncient Fathers The B. of Sarisburie Where as M. Harding thus checketh vs with some dissension that hath béene bitweene Doctour Luther and Doctour Zuinglius touchinge this mater of Adoration I may iustly say vnto him as one sometime saide vnto Philippus the Kinge of Macedonie intreatinge a peace bitweene Peloponnesus and the reast of Graecia Goe firste and conclude a peace in thine owne house at home For at the same time his owne wife Olympias and his owne sonne Alexander were knowen to liue in deadely dissension And therefore he seemed no fitte instrument to conclude a peace bitweene others M. Hardinge shoulde haue remembred that the greatest Buttresses and Pillers of his Gospel sithence the first beginninge of his Newe Doctrine haue euermore liued in Contradiction and coulde neuer yet be reconciled He should haue remembred that his owne Doctours and chiefest Doctours Pope Innocentius Scotus teache contrary Doctrines That Scotus is against Thomas Ockam against Scotus Petrus de Alliaco against Ockam and the Nominales against the Reales and not onely thus but also Scotistes againste Scotistes and Thomistes againste Thomistes at Ciuile warre within one bande and that touchinge the very Woordes of Consecration and other like maters bothe greate and many whereof to shewe the Particulars it would be tedious But the maters hange stil in mortal enemitie and are neuer like to be reconciled Hauinge suche Bloudy fieldes at home M. Hardinge should not be so ready to reproche others for some one or other mater of dissension It were muche to be wished and God of his Mercie so graunte it if it be his holy Wil that the Gospel of Christe may passe foorthe freely without any suche occasion of offense or hinderance How be it from the beginning it hath béene otherwise For euen at the first plantinge of the Gospel whiles the Martyrs Bloude was yet warme there were some that saide I holde of Paule some others that saide I holde of Peter thus were they diuided emonge them selues S. Paule withstoode and gaine saide Peter vnto his face S. Hierome chargeth S. Augustine with Heresie S. Augustine willeth S. Hierome to recante S. Hierome despiseth S. Ambrose and findeth faulte with S. Basile S. Cyprian in iudgement is contrary to S. Cornelius Pope Sabinianus woulde haue burned al S. Gregories his Predecessours bookes Hereby it appeareth That Sainctes haue beene againste Sainctes and Martyrs against Martyrs euen in maters and cases of Religion And hereof Heretiques and other wicked and godlesse people haue euermore taken occasion to sclaunder the Gospel Marcion the Heretique thought he had founde Contrarieties bitweene the Newe Testament and the Olde and therefore saide He was hable to prooue falseheade in the Scriptures S. Hierome saithe Hunc locum nobis obiecit Iulianus Augustus de dissonantia Euangelistarum This place of the disagreeinge of the Euangelistes the Heathen Emperour Iulianus charged vs withal Againe he saithe Sceleratus Porphyrius in primo libro quem scripsit aduersus nos obiecit Petrum à Paulo esse reprehensum quòd non recto pede incederet ad EuangeliuÌ„ That wicked man Porphyrius in the firste Booke that he wrote againste vs layed to our charge that Peter was rebuked of Paule for that he walked not vprightly towardes the Gospel So Socrates and Sozomenus saye That the Christians bicause of their Dissensions were scorned at of the Infidels in open assemblies market places and pointed at with their Fingers Notwithstandinge suche diuersitie of iudgement as it is an offense vnto the weake and an occasion of il vnto the wicked that séeke occasions against God Euen so vnto the Godly it is occasion of muche good For vnto them that God hath called accordinge to his purpose al thinges healpe and further vnto good Nicolas Lyra saithe Expositorum diuersitas excitat attentionem The diuersitie of Expositours sturreth vp attention in the hearers and causeth them to consider that men be men and sée vnperfitely as in a Glasse as hauinge receiued Faithe onely by measure and therefore to searche and examine the Scriptures and not to glorie in men that who so wil glorie may glorie in the Lorde These twoo woorthy members of Goddes Churche whome it liketh M. Hardinge thus to control neuer differed or dissented in any Fundation or Principle of the Christian Faithe but onely of one certaine Conclusion and Phrase of the Scriptures Either of them knew and confessed that Christes Bodie ought to be Adoured with godly honour for that it is ioined in one person with the Diuinitie But the one of them saithe Notwithstandinge Christes Bodie be Present in the Sacrament yet it is not there to that vse and purpose to be honoured neither haue wée any warrant of Goddes woorde so to honour it So is Christes Bodie in vs Naturally Really Corporally Carnally Substantially and in deede Yet may wée not therefore one kneele downe to an other so to Adoure Christe beinge there Presente with godly honour Thus the whole disagreement of these twoo learned Fathers stoode onely in this one pointe of the manner of Christes Presence Otherwise their whole hartes were ioined and bente togeather to the discloasing of Falsehead and Hypocrisie and to the auancinge of Gods Glorie Wee woonder not as M. Hardinge thinketh at his strange terme Concomitantia whiche he hath here brought in as a special stay of his ruinous Doctrine notwithstanding S. Paule hath charged vs to beware of such New Fangled wicked woordes But wée woonder to see the same terme so childishely applied to so vaine a purpose In deede these termes Homousios Humanatio Incarnatio are not founde expressed in the Scriptures Yet is the sense and meaning of the same termes as Epiphanius saithe easy euerywhere to be founde Neither was that name first diuised in the Councel of Nice For longe before the time of that Councel it was vsed by Origen and by other Ancient learned Byshoppes as appeareth wel by Socrates whose woordes be these Doctos quosdam ex veteribus illustres Episcopos Homoâ—sij dictione vsos esse cognoâ—imus Wee knowe that of the Olde writers certaine Learned menne and notable Bishoppes haue vsed this woorde Homousion And therefore S. Augustine saithe not This name Homousios was inuented or
in the stalle so he is now vpon the Aultar and as he was sometimes in the Womans Armes so is he now in the Priestes Handes True it is Christe was there and Christe is here but not in one or like sorte of Beinge For he was in the stalle by Bodily Presence vpon the Holy Table he is by waie of a Sacrament The woman in her armes helde him Really the Priest in his handes holdeth him onely in a Mysterie So saith S. Paule Christe dwelleth in our hartes and no doubtes the same Christe that laie in the stalle It is one and the same Christe but the difference standeth in the manner of his Being there For in the stalle he laie by Presence of his Bodie in our hartes he lieth by Presence of Faith If this Exposition seeme to M. Hardinge ouer exquisite or curious then wil I saie further Christe is so vpon the Table as the Faithful people is vpon the Table S. Augustine speakinge to the people saith thus Vos estis in MeÌ„sa vos estis in Calice Yowe are vpon the Table yowe are in the Cuppe But the people is not there Grossely Really and in deede but in a Mysterie Euen so is Christes Bodie vpon the Table not Grossely not Really or in deede but in a Mysterie And as Chrysostome saith The Priestholdeth Christe in his hande euen so S. Gregorie saith Abel helde Christe in his hande and that foure thousande yeeres before Christe was borne and yet not a bare signe or a naked token but the very same Christe that Esaie sawe and that Iohn Baptist pointed with his finger For thus stande his woordes Quem Iohannes in Ostensione quem Esaias in locutione hunc Abel Significando in manibus tenuit Thus Chrysostome saith the Priest holdeth Christe in his hande as Iohn Baptist helde him as Esaie helde him as Abel helde him And that this was Chrysostomes meaninge it appeareth by the very forme and order of his woordes For he saith Thou Seest the holy Ghost thou Seest Touchest that princely Bodie Thus he speaketh of a Spiritual seeinge and touchinge wherewith we see and touche thinges be they neuer so farre absent from vs. For otherwise touchinge bodily sight M. Hardinge knoweth the Holy Ghost cannot be seene and by his owne Doctrine the Bodie of Christe is there Inuisible But least M. Hardinge take occasion hereof to saie This is a Fantastical and a Vaine kinde of seeinge Let him remember the woordes that S. Hierome writeth to Paula and Eustochium touchinge theire aboade at Bethleem Magos tria deferentes munera in visione beatis oculis vidisti Ipsa eadem munera Fide Deo obtulisti Cum iâ—sdem Magis Deum Puerum in Presepio adorasti Thou sawest with thine happie eyes the Wise menne carrieinge their three sortes of presentes Thou tookest the same presentes and offeredst them vnto God by Faith with the same Wise men thou Adouredst God beinge a Childe in the Manger She sawe the Wise men and yet sawe them not She receiued their Presentes and yet receiued them not She Adoured the Childe in the Manger and yet the Childe was not there Thus she did not verily or in deede and yet not vainely nor by waie of Fantasie notwithstandinge but truely and effectually by Presence of Faith Thus did the Wise menne see Christe thus doo we nowe see Christe Thus did they worship him thus doo we worship him They sawe him and worshipped him beinge in Earth we see him and worship him being in Heauen They had him Bodily Present we haue him Bodily Absent and Present onely to our Faith And in this behalf S. Ambrose saith Magis videtur quod non videtur It is best seene that is not seene That is to saie Wée sée more certainely with our Faith then wée can sée with the eies of our Bodie For our Bodily eie maie deceiue vs But the eie of our Soule whiche is Faith cannot deceiue vs. M. Hardinges reason hereof standeth thus The Priest at the time of the holy Ministration saide O God be merciful to me being a sinner And Looke vpon vs O Lorde Iesus Christe our God from thy holy Tabernacle and from the Throne of thy Glorie Ergo he made his praiers and gaue Adoration to the Sacrament Of the same premisses he might muche better conclude the contrary The Priest withdrewe his minde from these Sensible and Corruptible Elementes and Adoured Christe beinge in Heauen in his Tabernacle and in the Throne of his Glory Ergo he did not Adoure the Sacrament M. Hardinge The .22 Diuision S. Ambrose after longe searche and discussion howe that saienge of the Prophete might be vnderstanded Adore and woorship ye his footestoole because it is holie at length concludeth so as by the footestoole he vnderstandeth the Earthe bicause it is written Heauen is my seate and the Earthe is my footestoole And bicause the Earthe is not to be Adored for that it is a creature by this Earthe he vnderstandeth that Earthe whiche our Lorde Iesus tooke in the Assumption of his Fleashe of the Virgin Marie and hereupon he vttereth those plaine woordes for testimonie of the Adoration Itaque per Scabellum Terra intelligitur per Terram autem Caro Christi quam hodie quoque in Mysterijs Adoramus quam Apostoli in Domino Iesu Adorarunt And thus by the Footestoole Earthe may be vnderstanded and by Earthe the Fleashe of Christe whiche euen nowe adaies also we Adore in the Mysteries and the Apostles Adored in our Lorde Iesus S. Augustines learned handlinge of this place of the Psalme Adore ye his Footestoole bicause it is Holy maketh so euidently for this purpose that of al other authorities whiche in greate number might be broughte for proufe of the same it ought leaste to be omitted The place beinge longe I wil recite it in Englishe onely His woordes be these Adore ye his Footestoole bicause it is Holie See ye Brethern what that is he biddeth vs to Adore In an other place the Scripture saithe Heauen is my Seate and the Earthe is my Footestoole VVhat doothe he then bidde vs Adore and woorship the Earthe bicause he saide in an other place that it is the Footestoole of God And howe shal we Adore the Earthe where as the Scripture saithe plainely Thou shalt Adore thy Lorde thy God and here he saithe Adore ye his footestoole But he expoundeth to me what his footestoole is and saithe and the Earth is my footestoole I am made doubteful afraied I am to adore the Earthe leste he damne me that made Heauen and Earthe Againe I am afraied not to adore the footestoole of my Lorde bicause the Psalme saithe to me adore ye his footestoole I seeke what thinge is his footestoole and the Scripture telleth me The Earth is my footestoole Beinge thus waueringe I turne me to Christ bicause him I seeke here and I finde how without impietie the Earth may be adored For he tooke of
hath diuised any other Translation of her owne Hereby it is plaine that the Opinion and Practise of the Churche of Rome is commonly mysliked and holden of fewe The Thirde Opinion that al menne indifferently maie reade the Scriptures without restrainte as M. Hardinge saith is holden onely by certaine Sectes and is too general Notwithstandinge this generalitie seemed good to Christe his Apostles and to al the Olde Doctours of the Churche as it shal appeare Wherefore it foloweth that Christe his Apostles and al the Olde Doctours by M. Hardinges iudgement were Sectaries and Heretiques The Seconde Opinion is a meane bytweene bothe and is holden by M. Hardinge and by certaine others that haue not at any time altred thire Faith Notwithstandinge menne saie M. Hardinge hath altered more then once and therefore maie hardly be allowed to passe in this number Yet is this opinion of al others accoumpted the best Howe be it where as al menne are indifferently and equally enheritours to Goddes Woorde to binde the same onely vnto a â—ewe and that with suche restrainte of times and places it must needes be thought some greate partialitie S. Paule saith Quaecunque scripta sunt ad nostram Doctrinam scripta sunt vt per patientiam consolationem Scripturarum spem habeamâ—s Al that is written in the Scriptures is written for our instruction that by patience and conforte of the Scriptures we maie haue hope S. Basile saithe The Scripture of God is like an Apothecaâ—es shoppe ful of Medicines of sundrie sortes that euery man maie there choose a conuenient remedie for his disease S. Augustine saith Deus in Scripturis quasi amicus familiaris sine fuco loquitur ad Cor doctorum indoctorum Almighty God in the Scriptures speaketh as a familiar frende without dissimulation vnto the hartes both of the learned and also of the vnlearned Wherefore the Woorde of God beinge so Uniuersal méete for al diseases for al wittes and for al capacities for M. Hardinge to improper the same onely vnto a fewe it is both far greatter dishonoure vnto God and also far greater iniurie vnto Gods faithful people then if he would in like manner improper and inclose the Sonne beames to comforte the riche and not the poore to shine vpon some not vpon al. This meane way is no way It is weighed out not by the Scriptures or holy Fathers but onely by policie and wordly reason M. Hardinge The .3 Diuision That the scriptures be not to be set foorth in the Vulgare tongue to be reade of al sortes of people euery parte of them without any limitation of time place and persones they seeme to be moued with these considerations First that it is not necessary Nexte that it is not conuenient Thirdly that it is not profitable Fourthly that it is dangerous and hurtful And lastly although it were accorded the common people to haue libertie to reade the Bible in their owne tongue yet that the translations of late yeeres made by those that haue diuided them selues from the Catholike Churche â–ª be not to be allowed as worthely suspected not to be sownde and assured The B. of Sarisburie These deepe considerations were neuer diuised neither by Moses nor by Christe nor by the Apostles nor by any the Ancient Fathers but are brought in onely nowe at laste by them that of longue time haue deceiued the worlde by Ignorance and yet laboure by the same to deceiue it stil. Christe saithe Qui male agiâ— odit lucem He that dooth yl fleieth the tryal of the light And M. Hardinges owne Amphilochius saith Naturalâ—s prouidentia est malè errantium aâ—ferre de medio Testimonia Veritatis Yt is the natural prouision of them that be wilfully deceiued to conueigh owt of sight al proufes and Testimonies of the Trueth So the Philistines the better to keepe the Iewes thral and in subiection vtterly bereued them of al manner weapon and artilarie and leaft them naked and no doubtes bare them then in hande as M. Hardinge doth nowe the people of God that it was neither necessary nor conuenient nor proâ—â—table for them to haue armoure Uerily Chrysostome saith It is more necessarie more conuenient and more profitable for the Laie People to reade Goddes Woorde then for Monkes or Priestes or any others Thus he writeth Hoc est quod omnia quast vna quadam peste corrumpit quòd Lectionem Diuinarum Scripturarum ad solos puâ—atis Monachos pertinere cùm multò vobis magis quà m illis sit necessaria Itaque multò est grauius atque deterius rem superfluam esse putare Legem Dei quà m illam omninò non legere Haec enim verba sunt quae de Diabolica prorsus meditatione promuntur This is it that as it were with a pestilence infecteth al thinges that ye thinke The readinge of the Scriptures perteineth onely vnto Monkes where as it is muche more necessarie for yowe then for them It is more wickednes to thinke Goddes Lawe is superfluous then if ye shoulde neuer reade it For these be the woordes that no doubtes come from the studie of the Diuel Thus muche therefore we learne here by Chrysostome that these M. Hardinges profounde considerations comme from the studie and closet of the Diuel M. Hardinge The .4 Diuision First that the Common people of al sortes and degrees ought of necessitie to reade al the holy Scriptures in their owne tongue they saie they could neuer finde it hitherto in the same Scriptures Ireneus writeth that the Apostles preached to the Aliantes and â—arbarous people the Faith of Christe euen to those that were aliantes and Barbarous in language and saith that hauinge heard the Gospel preached they beleeued in Christe and kepinge the order of Tradition whiche the Apostles deliuered vnto them had their saluation and Faith written in their harte without printe penne or inke and vtterly without letters And further he sheweth that if the Apostles had lefte to vs no Scriptures at al yet we should be saued by the tradition whiche they lefte to them whom they committed their Churches vnto as many nations of aliantes be saued by the same Hilarius likewise declaringe that the mysterie of Gods wil and thexpectatioÌ„ of the blessed Kingdom is most and â—hiefly preached in the three tongues in whiche Pilate wrote on the Crosse our Lord Iesus Christe to be kinge of the Iewes confesseth notwithstandinge that many Barbarous nations haue atteined and gotten the true knowledge of God by the preachinge of the Apostles and the Faith of the Churches remaininge amongest them to that daie VVhereby he doeth vs to vnderstande that the vnlearâ—â—d Barbarous people had their Faith without letters or writinge whereof they had no skil by tradition and preachinge as wel as the other nations who were holpen by the benefite of the learned tongues Hebrewe Greeke and Latine The B. of Sarisburie Touchinge this first consideration M. Hardinge imagineth
visite him who comminge vnto him with pretence to bringe conforte through his heauenly knowledge receiued confort But amonge the people how greate number is there of lewde Losels Gluttons and Dronkerdes whose bealy is their God who folow their vnruly lustes Is it to be thought this sorte of persones may without meditation and exercise of praier pearse the vnderstandinge of the Scriptures and of those holy Mysteries whiche God hath hidden as Christe confesseth from the Learned and wise man and opened vnto litle ones The B. of Sarisburie M. Hardinge alloweth these whom he calleth Curious Busy Bodies of the Uulgare sorte to atteine to the vnderstandinge of Gods Woorde not by readinge but onely by Special ReuelatioÌ„ and Miracle and none otherwise and that within the space of a thousande yéeres one or twoo onely and no moe For so S. Antonie atteined vnto the knowledge therof vtterly without any booke or Reading or any other healpe of vnderstandinge So that sicke man lieinge bedreade of whom S. Gregorie maketh that woorthy mention So that Barbarous and vtterly vnlearned sclaue that suddainely by Reuelation was taught to Reade And so like wise perhaps M. Hardinge him selfe beinge so longe a time and so earnest a Preacher of the same Gospel and Trueth of God that he now so wilfully condemneth without either Booke or Readinge or other conference onely vpon the Change of the Prince and none otherwise vnderstoode that thinge that before he coulde not vnderstande and by Miracle and Reuelation vpon the suddaine was wholy altered vnto the contrary True it is Fleashe Bloud is not hable to vnderstande the holy wil of God without special Reuelation Therefore Christe gaue thankes vnto his Father For that he had reueled his secretes vnto the little ones And likewise opened the hartes of his Disciples that they might vnderstande the Scriptures Without this special healpe and promptinge of Goddes holy Sprite the Woorde of God is vnto the Reader be he neuer so wise or wel learned as the Uision of a sealed Booke Buâ—â—â—â—s Reuelation is not special vnto one or twoo but general to al them that 〈◊〉 members of Christe and are endewed with the Sprite of God Therefore 〈◊〉 â—hrysostome saithe generally vnto al the people Audite quotquot estis mundani â—â—xoribus praeestis ac liberis quemadmodum vobis Apostolus Paulus Praecipiat legere â—cripturas idque non simpliciter neque obiter sed magna cum diligentia Herken al yee men of the worlde that haue wiues and Children how S. Paule the Apostle of Christe coÌ„maundeth you to Reade the Scriptures and that not sleightly or as by the way but with greate diligence Againe he saithe Domi Biblia in manus sumite Domi vacemus diuinarum Scripturarum lectioni Take the Bible into your handes in your houses at home At home in our houses let vs applie the Readinge of the Holy Scriptures So likewise saithe S. Hierome Hîc ostenditur verbum Christi non sufficienter sed abundanter etiaÌ„ Laicos habere debere docere se inuiceÌ„ vel monere Here wee are taught that the Lay people ought to haue the Woorde of God not onely sufficiently but also with abundance and to teache and counsel others But emongest these Busy Bodies of the Uulgare sorte M. Hardinge findeth a greate number of Losels Gluttons and Dronkardes whose belly is their God Thus he nameth the parte but he meaneth the whole For euen so writeth Hosius one of the Chiefe of that Companie Non est Consilium in vulgo non ratio non discrimen In this Vulgare sorte there is neither Counsel nor reason nor discretion And farther he calleth the flocke of Christe Beluam multorum Capitum A Wilde beaste of many heades As M. Hardinge also a litle before calleth them Swyne and others calle them Filthy Dogges Euen so the Phariseis iudged and spake of the simple People that folowed Christe Turbauista quae non nouit Legem maledicti sunt These rabbles of rascalles that are Unlearned and know not the Lawe are accursed In suche regarde they haue theÌ„ whom S. Paule calleth Ciues Sanctorum domesticos Dei Cittizens with the Sainctes and of the Householde of God If loosenesse of life be a iust cause to baÌ„nishe the people from the Woorde of God it is commonly thought that the Cardinalles and Priestes in Rome liue as loosely as any others S. Bernarde of the Priestes of his time writeth thus Non est iam dicere vt Populus sic Sacerdos quia nec sic Populus vt Sacerdos Wee mayâ— not nowe saye As is the People so is the Prieste For the people is not so wicked as is the Priest Therefore by M. Hardinges iudgemente the Priestes ought no lesse to be banished from Goddes Woorde then the rest of the People M. Hardinge The .12 Diuision And where as learned men of our time be diuided into contrary sectes and write bitterly one againste an other eche one imputinge to other mistakinge of the Scriptures if emongest them who woulde seeme to be the leadars of the people be controuersies and debates aboute the vnderstandinge of the Scriptures howe maye the common people be thought to be in safe case out of al daunger of errours if by readinge the Bible in their owne tongue they take the mater in hande If any man thinke I sclaunder them for that I saie they be diuided into contrary sectes let him vnderstande their owne Countriemenne I meane them of Germanie and special setters foorthe of this newe doctrine reporte it in their bookes and complaine lamentably of it Namely Nicolaus Amsdorffius in his booke intituled Publica Confessio purae doctrinae Euangelij c. Also Nicolaus Gallus in his booke of Theses and Hypotyposes who acknowledgeth the strifes and debates that be emongst them to be not of lighte matters but of high Articles of Christian doctrine For euen so be his woordes in Latine Non sunt leues inter nos concertationes de rebus leuibus sed de sublimibus doctrinae Christianae Articulis de lege EuaÌ„gelio c. The same man in the last leafe of his foresaide booke with greate vehemencie reporteth Haereses permultas esse prae manibus plerasque etiamnùm haerere in calamo That very many Heresies be already in hande and many as yet sticke in the penne as though he meante they were ready to be set foorthe Of late there haue beene put foorthe in printe twoo greate bookes one by the princes of Saxonie the â—ther by the Erles of Mansfeld chiefe mainteiners of the Lutheranes in whiche be recited eleuen sectes and the same as detestable Heresies condemned they are conteined in this cataloge or rol Anabaptistae Seruetiani Stancariani Antinomi Iesuitae Osiandriani Melancâ—thonici Maioristae Adiaphoristae Suencfeldiani Sacramentarij Albeit the Iesuites haue wronge to be numbred amonge them This muche is confessed of the sectes and controuersies of our newe Gospellers by their
people should not reade them But the godly and first Christened Emperour Constantinus caused the Bible to be written out and to be sent abroade into al Kingedomes Countries and Citties of his Dominion Kinge Adelstane the Kinge of Englande caused the Bible to be Translated into the Englishe tongue S. Hierome Translated the same into the Sclauon Tongue Ulphilas likewise into the Gotthian tongue Whereto Socrates addeth also these woordes Instituit Barbaros vt discerent sacra eloquia He gaue occasion to the Barbarous people of that Countrie to learne the Scriptures M. Hardinge The .14 Diuision Yet it is not meante by them that the people be keapte wholy from the Scripture so as they reade no parte of it at al. As the whole in their opinioÌ„ is to stroÌ„ge a meate for their weake stomakes so much of it they may right holesomely receiue and brooke as that whiche perteineth to pietie and necessary knowledge of a Christian man VVherein they woulde the examples of the Olde Holy Fathers to be folowed S. Augustine hath gathered togeather into one booke al that maketh for good life out of the Scriptures whiche booke he intituled SpeculuÌ„ that is to say a Myrrour or a lookinge glasse as Possidonius witnesseth in his life S. Basile hath set foorth the like argument almost in his fourescoare moral rules perteininge altogeather to good manners S. Cyprian also hath doone the like in his three Bookes Ad QuirinuÌ„ Suche godly Bookes they thinke to be very profitable for the simple people to reade The B. of Sarisburie Here M. Hardinge alloweth the people to reade the Scriptures how be it not what they list but with restrainte and at deliuerie that is to saye not cases of question or perteining to Knowledge but onely maters belonginge to manners and order of life And so he reserueth Knowledge to him selfe and his Brethren and leaueth Good Life vnto the People Touching the Bookes of S. Augustine S. Basile and S. Cyprian it is vntrue that they were written namely and purposely for the Unlearned Or if they were why are they not Translated Why are they not deliuered vnto the people for whose sakes they were written Moreouer it is vntrue that in these Bookes is conteined onely mater of life manners and nothing perteining to Religion For the first woordes in this booke of S. Augustine called Speculum are these Non facies tibi Sculptile Thou shalt make to thee selfe no grauen Image whiche is now a Special case of Religion And the greatest parte of S. Cyprians Booke Ad Quirinum conteineth a ful disputation of Christes Incarnation Natiuitie and Passion and other like cases of Religion against the Iewes Touching S. Basile as he wrote this Booke of Moralles concerning Manners so he had written an other Booke before concerning Faith and bothe these Bookes for the people He maketh his entrie into his Moralles with these woordes Cùm de Sana Fide in PraecedeÌ„ribê° sufficienter ad praesens dictuÌ„ esse putemê° c For as much as I thinke I haue intreated sufficiently in my former bookes coÌ„cerning Faith c. Therefore this Assertion was vntrue and so no firme grounde for M. Harding to stande vpon Neither did any of the Olde Fathers euer withdraw the people from the Uniuersal and free reading of Gods Woorde and restraine them onely to such shorte Collections S. Basile saithe The Scriptures are like vnto a Shoppe ful of Medicines for the Soule where as euery man may freely take not onely one kinde of salue but also a special and a peculiar remedie for euery soare And Irenaeus saith De omni ligno Paradisi manducate id est ab omni Scriptura Diuina manducate Eate yee of al the fruite of Paradise that is to say Eate ye not onely of maters concerning maÌ„ners but also of euery parte of the holy Scriptures How be it by M. Hardings iudgement the people may learne the .x. Commaundementes but may not meddle with their Crede M. Hardinge The .15 Diuision But how muche and what parte of the Scripture the common people may reade for their confort and necessary instruction and by whome the same may be Translated it belongeth to the iudgement of the Churche VVhiche Churche hath alreadie condemned al the vulgare Translations of the Bible of late yeeres 210 for that they be founde in sundrie places erroneous and partial in fauour of the Heresies whiche the Translatours mainteine And it hath not onely in our time condemned these late Translations but also hitherto neuer allowed those fewe of olde time I meane S. Hieromes translation into the Dalmatical tongue if euer any suche was by him made as to some it seemeth a thinge not sufficiently prooued And that whiche before S. Hierome Vlphilas an Arian Bishop made and commended to the Nation of the Gothes who first inuented letters for them and proponed the Scriptures to them translated into their owne tongue and the better to bringe his ambassade to the Emperour Valens to good effecte was perswaded by the Heretikes of Constantinople and of the Courte there to forsake the Catholike Faithe and to Communicate with the Arians makinge promise also to trauaile in bringinge the people of his Countrie to the same secte whiche at length he perfourmed moste wickedly The B. of Sarisburie M. Hardinge alloweth the people to reade certaine parcels of the Scriptures for their comforte but yet he alloweth them no Translation that is to say he alloweth them to eate the kernel but in no wise to breake the shale By these it appeareth that of sufferance and special fauour the simple ignorant people maye Reade the Woorde of God in Latine Gréeke or Hebrew but none otherwise The Churche saith M. Hardinge for the space welneare of sixteene hundred yeeres neuer yet allowed any manner Translation in the Uulgare tongue Yet notwithstanding it is certaine that the Churche not only in the Primitiue time vnder the Apostles and holy Fathers but also longe sithence hath bothe suffered and also vsed the Uulgare Translations in sundrie tongues Whereof wee may wel presume that the Churche then allowed them And that the Scriptures were not onely in these three tongues Greeke Hebrew and Latine it appeareth by S. Hierome that saithe The Psalmes were Translated and songe in the Syrian Tongue by S. Basile that affirmeth the same of the Palestine Thebane Phenike Arabike and Libyke toÌ„gues By Sulpitius in the life of S. Martine that seemeth to say The Lessons and Chapters were Translated and readde openly in the Churches of Fraunce in the Frenche Tongue And by Isidorus that auoucheth the like of al Christian tongues M. Hardinge misliketh the Translation of Ulphilas into the Gotthian tongue for that the Authour was an Arian Notwithstanding it appeareth not that euer the Churche misliked it But by this rule he may as wel condemne al the Greeke Translations what so euer of Symmachus of Aquila of Theodotion and of the Septuagintes the whole
Cole in his replies to him as a strange saieing by him vttered in the Disputation at VVestminster to the wonderinge of the most parte of the honorable and worshipful of this Realme If it were one of the highest mysteries and greatest keies of the Catholike Religion I trust the most parte of the honorable and worshipful of the Realme woulde not wonder at it Concerninge the matter it selfe I leaue it to D. Cole He is of age to answeare for himselfe VVhether he saide it or no I knowe not As he is learned wise and godly so I doubte not but if he saide it therein he had a good meaninge and can shewe good reason for the same if he maie be admitted to declare his saieinge as wise men woulde the Lawes to be declared so as the minde be taken and the word spoken not alwaies rigorously exacted The B. of Sarisburie Here M. Hardinge allegeth no Doctour but Doctour Cole And touchinge the mater it selfe he thinketh this errour wel excused for that it is not the principal keye of his Religion How be it he that in moste honorable Assemblie doubted not openly to pronounce these woordes I telle yovv Ignorance is the Mother of Deuotion was thought then to esteeme the same as no smal keie of his Religion Uerily it appeareth by the whole practise and policie of that side they are fully persuaded that without déepe Ignorance of the people it is not possible for their Churche to stande Therefore they chase the Simple from the Scriptures and drowne them in Ignorance and suffer them vtterly to knowe nothinge neither the Profession they made in Baptisme nor the meaninge of the holy Mysteries nor the Price of Christes Bloude nor wherein or by whom they maie be saued nor what they desire of God either when they praie togeather in the Churche or when they priuately pray alone They shut vp the Kingedome of Heauen before menne and neither wil they enter them selues nor suffer others that woulde enter And as it is written by the Prophete Esai Dicunt videntibus Nolite videre They saie vnto them that see Stoppe youre eies and see nomore As the people is sutche is the Prieste and as the Prieste is sutche is the people The blinde is sette to guide the blinde Thus they walter in darkenes and in the shadowe of Deathe And yet as it is written in the Booke of Wisedome Non satis est illis errasse circa scientiam Dei sed in magno viuentes inscitiae bello tot tanta mala Pacem appellant They thought it not sufficient to be deceiued and blinded in the Knowledge of God but liuinge in sutche a Warre of ignorance al these euilles they calle Peace And make the people beleeue it is Obedience Catholique Faithe and Deuotion Or rather as Ireneus writeth against the Ualentinian Heretiques Veritatis Ignorantiam Cognitionem vocant Ignorance of the Truethe and blindenesse they calle Knowledge By these Policies they ouerrule the Churche of God and keepe the people in Obedience euen as the Philistines after they had once shorne of Samsons heare and boared out his eies notwithstandinge the strengthe and sturdinesse of his Bodie were hable to leade him whither they listed at theire pleasure For he that walketh in the darke knoweth not whither to goe In the Councel of Toledo in Spaine it is written thus Mater omnium errorum Ignorantia Ignorance is the Mother not of DeuotioÌ„ but of al errours Like as S. Augustine also saith Erat in illis Regnum Ignorantiae id est Regnum Erroris There was in them the Kingedome of Ignorance that is to saie the Kingedome not of Deuotion but of Errour S Hierome saithe Scripturarum Ignorantia Christi Ignorantia est The Ignorance of the Scriptures is the Ignorance of Christe And S. Gregorie saithe Qui ea quae sunt Domini nesciunt à Domino nesciuntur Who so knowe not the thinges that perteine vnto the Lorde be not knowen of the Lorde But abooue al others these woordes of the Anciente learned Father Origen are specially woorthy to be noted Daemonibus est super omnia genera tormentorum super omnes poenas si quem videant Verbo Dei operam dare scientiam Diuinae Legis Mysteria Scripturarum intentis studijs perquirentem In hoc eorum omnis flamma est in hoc vruntur incendio Possident enim omnes qui versantur in Ignorantia Vnto the Diuels it is a tormente abooue al kindes of tormentes and a paine abooue al paines yf they see any man readinge the Woorde of God and with feruente studie searchinge the Knowledge of Goddes Lawe and the Mysteries and Secretes of the Scriptures Herein standeth al the flame of the Diuels In this fiere they are tormented For they are seased and possessed of al them that remaine in Ignorance To be shorte Moses wished that al the whole people might haue vnderstandinge and be hable to prophecie S. Paule wished that the whole people might daily more and more increase in the knowledge of God and saithe VVho so continevveth in Ignorance and knovveth not shal not be knovven God the God of Light and Truethe remooue al Ignorance and darknesse from our hartes that wée maie flée the Sprite of errour and knowe the Uoice of the Greate Shephearde that we growe into a ful perfite man in Christe Iesu and be not blowen awaie with euery blast of vaine Doctrine that wée maie be hable to knowe the Onely the True and the Liuinge God and his onely begotten Sonne Iesus Christe to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghoste be al honoure and glorie for euer and euer Amen FINIS ¶ AN ANSâ—EARE TO M. Hardinges Conclusion AS the rest of your Booke M. Hardinge may in many respectes seeme very weake so is there no parte thereof more weake then your Triumphe at the ende before the Conquest Ye saie ye haue fully answeared the Offer whiche you cal a Challenge and haue auouched the Negatiâ—es and haue fully prooued al that laye in question by Scriptures by Examples of the Primitiue Churche by Olde Councelles and by Ancient Fathers VVhereby it appeareth ye haue some good likinge in that ye haue doone It had beene more modestie to haue leafte the Commendation and iudgement thereof vnto your Reader who comparing your Proufes with the Answeares and layeinge the one to the other might be hable to iudge indifferently bitweene bothe For it may wel be thought that while ye ranne alone ye were euer the foremoste and that makinge your owne awarde â—e woulde hardly pronounce against your selfe The proâ—fes that ye haue shewed vs are common and knowen often alleged and often answeared and now brought in as a companie of maimed Souldiers to make a shewe But from you and from suche conference and healpe of felowes your learned frendes looked for some freassher maters That ye charge mee with ambition and selfelooue
1350. In vita Gerâ—asij Protasij In deciâ—â— Natali Coloss. 4. Lucas Medicus Theodor. lib. 1. Volaterranus Eusebius li. 7. cap. 18. Hieronymus in Hieremiam li. 2. cap. 10. Epiphanius ad Iohan. Hierosolymitan Gregorius li. 9. Epistolâ— 9. The Image of Christe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Corin. 4. Iohan. 1. Apocalyp 13. Basilij episto ad Caesarien 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aug. 80. quaestio Quaest. 61. Pachymeres in tertium caput Eccl. Hierarch Athanasius Aduersus â—entes Citatur ab Adriaâ—o Papa in Epistâ—la Synodica ad Constantinum Itenem This Basile is not S. Basil. Concil Mogâ—nti De Imaginiâ— Genes 2. Esai 19. Psalm 95. Psalm 25. Psalm 26. Adriani Epistâ— Synodica Actione 2. Psalm 47. Theodorut Concil Nicen. â— Actio 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psalm 98. Psalm 47. Psalm 44. Concil Nicen. â— â—ctio 1. Origen contra Celâ—um lib. 7. Origen contra Celâ—um lib. 4. Clemens Alexadrinus in Parâ—netico Arnobius coÌ„tra Genteâ— lib. 2. Pag. 214. Tertulli in Apologetico Lactantius li. 2. cap 2. Augustin de Ciâ—itate Dei li. 4. cap. 31. Concilium Eliberinum Can. 36. Constantinopolitan Concil P. Crinitus li. 9. cap. 9. Concil Nicen. 2. â—ctione 6. Three causes vvhy Images haue benne vsed in the Churche Ad SerenuÌ„ Episcopuâ—â— Massilien lib. 9. Epist. 9. 〈◊〉 loquâ—s Poema taâ—â—â— Gregor li. 9. Epist 9. Concil Senonense Horatius Athenaeus Cicero Tuscul. Quaest. 1. Plato Origen contra Celsum li. 4. Rom. 10. Habacuch 2. Hieremi 10. Sapient 9. Action 4. In Eunuchâ— Plutarchus Sapientiae 15. Hovve Images may be vvoorshipped vvithout offence Holy Images by M. Hardinges confessioÌ„ are vvoorshipped vvithout Spirite and Truethe * A vaine distinction For the Hebrevv vvoorde soundeth Non incuruabis teipsum Thou shalt not boovv dovvne c. para The acte of Adoration is referred to the Image although not principally Li. ad Amphiloch ca. 18. In questionib ad Antiochum Principeâ—â— a This Athanasius is forged and not the true Athanasius li. 7. Epist. 53. Gene. 37. The .203 Vntruethe For no Ancient Father either Greeke or Latine euer taught vs to kisse an Image or to kneele or to boovv dovvne vnto it * VVithout the compasse of sixe hundred yeeres Concil Nicen. 2. Actio 3. Gregorius lib. 7. Epist. 53. Ex libro Caroli Magni Psalm 98. Psalm 47. Psalm 44. Concil Nicen. 2. Action 2. Augustin in Psalm 113. Athanasi contra Gentes Sozomen li. 7. ca. 15. de Sophisâ—â— Olympio Augustin in Psalm 113. Augustinus 〈◊〉 epist. 49. Augustinus in Psalm 13. Laâ—ria Doâ—lia Hieremi 2â— Româ—n 1. Eusebius li 8. De Theoteâ—no Concil Nicen. 2. Actio 5. Nycolaus Lyra â—n 14. ca. Daniel Nâ—col Lyra in Hester 3. ca. Cicero De Finib 4. In libro Caroli Magni Concil Nicen. 2. Actio 4. Thomas in 3. Senten dist 2â— Holcot in libruâ— Sapient lect 158. Author Forâ—aliâ—ij Licet hoâ— rationabiliter dictum videatur tamen Communis opinio tenet oppositum lacobus Payuâ—â— li. 9. Iacobus NaÌ„claÌ„tus in epist. ad Roman cap. 1. Augustin De Verbis Domi. Secundum Maâ—thae Sermo 6. August ad Quoduulâ—deum Origen contrâ— Celsum li. 4. Polyd Vergil De Inuentorib rer lib. 6. ca. 13. â—bidem â—piphanius ad Iohannem epis Hierosolymitan Petrus Crinitus li. 9. ca. 9. Concil Mogâ—nâ—inen De Imag. Sapientiae 14. Deuteron 27. Leuiti 19. The .204 Vntrueth For M. Hardinge knovvethe The people vvas commaunded to reade the Scripâ—â—res c. Cornelius Tacâ—tus in Tiberiâ— Deuteron 6. Coâ—nel Agrippa de Vaniâ—ate Scientiarum Augustin in Capite Ieiunij Chrysostom in Iohan. Chrysostom in Epist. ad Coloss. homi 9. Origen in Esai homi 2. Hieronym in Epitaphio Pauâ—â— Basilius de Spiritu Sancto c. 1. Three sundry opinioÌ„s concerning the Scriptures to be had in a vulgare tongue * This is the practise of the Churche of Rome ⧠This vvas the iudgement of Christe the Apostles and al the Olde Fathers a M Hardinge is â—one of these Roman 1â— Basilius in Psalm 1. Augustin Epist. 3. ad Volusianâ—â— Fiue Conâ—iderations â—hy the scriptures are not to be set forth for al sortes of people to reade them â—ithout limitation Iohan. 3. Amphilochius in vita Vincentij 1. Regum 13. Chrysostom in Matthae homi 3. De Diabolica prorsus meditatione promuntur Libro â—â— ad â—ersus haereses c. â— Prologo iâ— in explaâ—ationeâ— Psalm Augustin in capite 〈◊〉 TraditioÌ„ Actorum ca 19. Concil Nicem 1. Can. 14. Origen Catechiâ—ta Euseb. li. 6. ca. 20. Dionysius in Ecclesi Hierarch Tertullian De Praescription aduersus Haereticos Concil Constantinop 6. Acti 4. Eadem Actione Socrates lib. 2. cap. 10. Basilius de Spiritu Sancto 2. Thessalon 2. Cyprianus ad Pompeium Irenaeus li. 3. câ— 4. Scriptam habentes Salutem per Spiritum in Cordibus suis. Galatas 3. Philippen 1. 1. Petri. 3. Irenaeus li. 3. c. 4 Irenaeus in eodâ— capite Mathae 2â— Irenaeus li. 3. cap. 5. Deuteron 27. The VVoorde of God offereth occasion of il thoughtes Lib. 1. Theâ— ologiae Nazianzene speaketh of CoÌ„tention and Reaâ—oninge and not of Readinge Augustinus ad Volusianum Epis 3. Loquitur ad cor doctoruÌ„ indoctorum Actor 10. Psalm 11. Psalm 118. Nazianzenus Theologiae li. 1. 2. Tâ—moth 2. Cyprian In Prooemio pandect 2. Timoth. â— Cyril contra Iulian. lib 6. Nazianzen in Funebri Oratione de Gorgonia Hieronym in Epitaphio Paâ—â—lae Cyrillus contra Iulianum lib. 7. 1. Corint 1. ConfessionuÌ„ li. 8. cap. 12. Actorum 8. 〈◊〉 8. * These others vvere the Scribes and Phariseis and others of that generatioÌ„ The 305. Vntrueth For Christe saith These Mysteries be hidden from the vvise and reueled to the litle ones Matthae 11. Esai â— Irenaeus lib 4. cap. 48. â— Corin. 4. Roman 1. Dionysius Carthusian in Lucam ca. 8. Gulielm Gerson Quae veritates de necessitate salâ—tis credendae sint Corollar 4. Abbas Panorâ—itanus Hugo Cardinalis in Luc. ca. 8. Glosa Ordinaria Anacleti epis tertia Dist. 21. In Nono The .206 vntrueth For S. Hilarie saith no suche thinge Vide Hilarium in Psalm â— The .207 vntrueth Misreporting Goddes Diuine Prouidence * The people Svvine To reade the Heâ—brevve Hilarius in Psalm 2. Hieronymus ad Damasum Deuteron 11. Deuteron 24. Machabaeor 1â— Esther 9. Hieremi 51. Baruch 1. 〈◊〉 16. 2. Regum 23. Lucaâ— 4. Actorum 8. Iohan. 19. Origen in Cantica in prologo Paulus Phagiuâ— In Leuiticum cap. 23. Geraldus Lillius in Historiâ— Poetarâ—â— Bernard super Caâ—tica Bernarde calleth him a vvorldly and a natural man that is voide of the Sprite of God Therefore this place is not vvel applied * They despise nothinge but that should be despised Chrysostom in Matthae hom 3. Gregor lib. 1. Epist. 5. Gregor li. 1. epis 7. epis 25. Albertus Pigghius li. 6. ca. 13. 1. Corin. 8. Ad Titum ca. 1. Scientia inflat Hieronym in Epist. ad Titum ca. 1. Augustinus in Psalmum 131. Irenaeus lib. 2. cap. 45. Chrysostom in epiâ—â— ad â—oloss hâ—mi 9. Philippen 3. 1.
fauoured by Heretikes and refused of the Churche vpon suche a one good reader M. Hardinge wil haue thee to stay thy faith As for the rest of these newe witnesses although I minde to take no great exception againste them yet M. Hardinge knoweth there is scarsly one of them but may be doubted of Martialis was lately founde in France in the Citie of Lemouica in an arche of stone vnder the grounde so corrupte and defaced that in many places it coulde not be reade and was neuer séene in the worlde at any time before Dionysius although he be an auncient writer as it may many wayes wel appeare yet it is iudged by Erasmus Iohn Colet and others many graue and learned menne that it cannot be Ariopagita S. Paules disciple that is mentioned in the Actes S. Iames Liturgie hath a special prayer for them that liue in Monasteries and yet it was very rathe to haue Monasteries builte in al S. Iames time Chrysostomes Liturgie prayeth for Pope Nicloas by these woordes Nicolai Sanctissimi vniuersalis Papae longa sint tempora We praye God sende Nicolas that most holy and vniuersal Pope a longe time to lyue But Pope Nicloas the firste of that name was the seconde Pope after Pope Iohane the woman in the yeere of our Lorde eight hundred fiftie and seuen almost fiue hundred yéeres after Chrysostome was dead and likewise in the same Liturgie there is a prayer for the empier and victorie of the Emperour Alexius And the firste Emperour of that name was in the yéere of our Lorde a thousand and fower scoare after the decease of Chrysostome seuen hundred yéeres Nowe it were very muche for M. Hardinge to say Chrysostome prayed for menne by name seuen hundred yéeres before they were borne I trowe that were Prophesieing and not prayeinge Thou séest Christian reader what Doctours here be brought as M. Hardinge saithe to grounde thy faithe and saluation vpon If he coulde haue brought any better I trowe he woulde haue spared these But suche doctrine such doctours These doubtful authorities I trust will sette mennes consciences out of doubte Now not withstandinge it be something troublesome yet shal it not be from the purpose for trial of these mennes faithful dealinge to examine some of M. Hardinges owne witnesses and to heare what they wil depose Al these as it is saide auoutche the Sacrifice otherwise called the Masse and not onely these but also al others of al ages and times and that in a manner in the selfe same order and forme that now is vsed Here M. Hardinge muche abuseth bothe his owne learninge and also the trust and credite that many haue in him For he knoweth wel that the Apostles had neither the forme nor the order nor the name of Masse How be it if al these beare witnesse to the Masse why speake they not Why come thei foorth so dumbe What haue thei nought to say in this behalfe or is their woorde not worth the hearinge Or are they so olde that they cannot speake Or must wée néedes beleue M. Hardinge without euidence But what if neither Clement the Apostles fellow nor Abdias nor S. Iames nor Basile nor Chrysostome nor any other of al these here alleged speake one woorde of Priuate Masse What if they haue not so muche as the name of Masse What if they testifie plainely against M. Hardinges Masse What if they testifie fully and roundely with the holy Communion It were great shame for M. Hardinge to flie from his owne witnesses and very muche for me to stande to be tried by them that are brought in suche a thronge to depose against me And to beginne firste with S. Iames the order of his Liturgie whiche Maister Hardinge calleth Masse standeth thus Sacerdos ait Nullus eorum qui orare non possunt nobiscum iâ—grediatur Diaconus ait Cum timore fide dilectione accedite Populus respondeâ— Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini Deinde impertit Clero Cum autem attollunt Diaconi discos calices ad impertiendum populo Diaconus ait Domine benedic Whiche woordes may be turned thus The Prieste saithe Lette not one of them that may not pray enter in with vs. The Deacon saithe With reuerence and faithe and loue approche ye neare The people answeareth Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lorde After this he ministreth vnto the Clergie But when the Deacons take vp the Dishes and Cuppes to minister vnto the people the Deacon saithe Lorde Blisse Here by the order of S. Iames Masse the people answeareth the Priest in their owne tongue prouision is made for the whole congregation in Dishes and Cuppes they be called to receiue the Communion and they doo receiue al togeather Nowe lette M. Hardinge be iudge whether S. Iames beare recorde to the Priuate Masse or to the Communion Abdias although he reporte many vntrue tales yet he reporteth not one woorde of Priuate Masse but muche to the contrarie Writinge the lyfe of S. Thomas and shewyng in what sorte he ministred the holy Communion he saithe thus Eucharistiam diuisit his quos supra memorauimus id est populo He diuided the Sacrament Vnto the people of whome we spake before And againe in the life of S. Mathew who as M. Hardinge beareth vs in hande without al question sayd Masse in Ethiopia he writeth thus Cumque respondissent Amen mysteria Domini celebrata essent Missam suscepisset omnis Ecclesia When they had answeared Amen and the mysteries of the Lorde had benne celebrate and the whole Churche had receiued the Communion Where the whole Churche answeareth the Prieste and receiueth the Communion togeather I recken M. Hardinge wil hardly cal that a Priuate Masse Iustinus Martyr an other of M. Hardinges witnesses in his seconde Apologie vnto the Emperour Antoninus declaring the Innocencie of the Christian people that then liued vnder great persecution and shewinge the manner of their assemblies writeth thus Before the ende of our prayers we kisse eche of vs one an other Then is there brought vnto him that is the chiefe of the Brethren Breade and a Cuppe of Wine and water mingled togeather whiche hauinge receiued he praiseth God and geueth thankes a good space and that donne the whole people confirmeth his prayer sayinge Amen After that they that amonge vs be called Deacons geue vnto euery of them that be present parte of the Breade and likewise of the Wine and Water that are consecrate with thankes geuinge and carie the same home vnto them that happen to be absent Here is a ful Communion and no Priuate Masse Dionysius an other of the witnesses and as M. Hardinge saithe the Apostles scholar openeth the whole order of the Ministration in his time writing namely and purposely of that mater The Prieste saithe he beginneth the holy Psalmodie and the whole bodie of the
Churche singeth with him Then followeth in order the readinge of the holy Scriptures whiche is done by the Ministers After that the Caâ—echumeni that is they that are newly come vnto the Religion of Christe and are not yet baptized and Energumeni that is suche as are molested with euill Sprites and suche others as are inioyned to penaunce are commaunded foorth And so there remaine suche as are méete to haue the sight and Communion of the holy thinges It followeth And shewyng foorth the giftes of the holy Sacramentes he goeth to the Communion him selfe and likewise exhorteth others And a litle after that The Priest vncoueringe the Breade that came couered and in one cake or loafe and diuidinge the same into many portions and likewise diuidinge the vnitie of the Cuppe vnto al Mystically and by way of a Sacrament he fulfilleth and diuideth vnitie It foloweth againe Then the Minister receiuinge him selfe and distributinge the holy Communion vnto others in the ende concludeth with holy thankes geuinge togeather with al the whole holy companie of the Churche I beleue M. Hardinge him selfe wil say here is yet but bare witnesse for his Priuate Masse In the Liturgie of S. Basile whiche is also brought for a witnesse in this mater The Prieste prayeth thus Al we receiuinge of one Brâ—ade of one Cuppe c. It foloweth The Prieste diuideth the holy Breade into fower partes the quéerâ— singeth the Communion and so they communicate al. Another witnesse is Chrysostome His Liturgie or as M. Hardinge deliteth to speake his Masse is thus ordred After that the Prieste hath communicate with the Ministers then the great doore is sette open The Prieste sheweth foorth the Cuppe vnto the people sayinge With the feare of God and faithe and loue approche ye neare The Deacon sayeth Come ye neare in peace The people answeareth In the name of the Lorde Againe The Deacons receiue the Communion Afterwarde the Mysteries be caried vnto a place where the people must communicate Ignatius an other witnesse writinge vnto the people of Philadelphia hath these woordes Vnus panis pro omnibus fractus est unus calix omnibus diuidebatur One breade was broken for al and one cuppe was diuided vnto al. What néedeth it me to discourse further of the rest By these fewe I doubte not it may soone appeare howe faithfully these men allege the Catholike Fathers onely amasinge the reader with naked names Here wée sée suche as can not communicate are commaundeth foorthe The whole Churche prayeth singeth and receiueth the holy Sacramentes al togeather Suche Masses they be that the olde Catholike Fathers canne witnesse of And of other Masse they knowe none M. Hardinge him selfe confesseth that in the Primitiue Churche the people receiued the Communion euery day Yet not withstandinge for his Priuate Masse he allegeth the names of Doctours of the Primitiue Churche And so like a craftie Apothecarie in his markes or papers he hath the Masse but in his boxes he hath the Communion But he wil say he alleged al these Doctours by way of digression to an other purpose to prooue the Sacrifice Firste there is very smal proufe in suche witnesses as say nothinge and besides that it is a simple kinde of Rhetorike to vse so large digressions from the mater before ye once entre into the mater And as touchyng the Sacrifice if you haue any at al you haue it onely of the institution of Christe otherwise you haue none But wée are sure we haue Christes institution Wherefore it followeth wée haue the Sacrifice that Christe appointed Touchinge Hippolytus the Bishoppe and Martyr that as M. Hardinge saithe liued in Origens time and is now extant in Gréeke it is a very litle booke of smal price and as smal credite lately sette abroade in printe about seuen yéeres paste before neuer acquainted in the worlde Suche be M. Hardinges auncient authorities for his Masse It appeareth it was some simple man that wrote the booke bothe for the Phrases of speache in the Gréeke tongue whiche commonly are very childishe and also for the truthe and weight of the mater He beginneth the firste sentence of his booke with enim whiche a very childe would scarsely doo He hath many vaine gheasses of the birthe and life of Antichrist He saithe and soothely auoutcheth that Antichriste shal be the Diuel and no man and shal onely beare the shape of a man Yet S. Paule calleth Antichrist the Man of sinne Besides this he hath a further fantasie that Antichriste shal subdewe the kinges of Egypte Aphrica and Ethiopia and that he shal builde vp againe the Temple of Hierusalem And that S. Iohn that wrote the bookes of Apocalyps or Reuelations shal come againe with Elias and Enoch to reproue Antichriste And al this saith he without either warrant of the Scriptures or authoritie of the Churche And writinge that booke namely vpon the Prophete Daniel he allegeth the Apocalyps of S. Iohn in the stéede of Daniel whiche is a token either of great ignorance or of marueilous obliuion Moreouer he saithe that the soules of menne were from the beginninge whiche is an Heresie with other dreames and phantasies many moe This is M. Hardinges Catholike doctour Concerninge the place of him here alleged Venite pontifices qui purè mihi sacrificium die noctéque obtulistis ac pretiosum Corpus Sanguinem meum immolastis quot idie If he wil precisely builde vpon the woordes then muste al other Priestes stande backe and haue no place in Heauen but Bishoppes onely For although they offer vp as M. Hardinge saithe the dayly Sacrifice yet it is wel knowen accordinge to the nature and vse of the woorde they are Priestes onely and not Bisshoppes If he wil make reckeninge of this woorde Quotidiè Dayly then where shal the Bishop of Rome and his Cardinalles stande that scarsely haue leasure to Sacrifice once through the whole yeere And if it be Christe him selfe that they offer vp vnto the Father as they say Howe is the same Christe offered vp vnto Christe him selfe Howe is Christe bothe the thinge that is offred and also the partie vnto whome it is offered But there is no inconuenience to a man in his dreame And if it be the Masse that Hippolytus here speaketh of how is it offered bothe day and night For Hostiensis saithe It is not lawful by the Canons to say Masse in the nighte season sauinge onely the night of Christes Natiuitie But the meaninge of Hippolytus séemeth to be this that al faithful people in this respecte be Priestes and Bishoppes like as S. Peter also calleth them and that euerie of them by faithe maketh vnto God a pure Sacrifice and bothe day and night as it were reneweth and applieth vnto him selfe that one and euerlastinge Sacrifice of Christes pretious Bodie once offered for al vpon the Crosse. Thus are the woordes of Hippolytus plaine and without â—auil
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