aske me Wherefore would ye haue al sutche other Authorities put away I answeare Bicause I would haue the Holy Churche to he proued not by the Doctrines of menne but by the VVoorde of God So saithe S. Augustine vnto other the Donatistes Auferantur de medio Chartae nostrae procedat in medium Codex Dei Audi Christum dicentem audi Veritatem loquentem Take a waie from emongst vs any our own Bookes Let the Booke of God comme emongste vs. Heare what Christe saithe Herken what the Truthe speaketh Againe he saithe Audi dicit Dominus Non dicit Donatus aut Rogatus aut Vincentius aut Hilarius aut Ambrosius aut Augustinus sed dicit Dominus Heare this The Lorde saithe Heare not this Donatus saithe Rogatus saithe Vincenius saithe Hilarius saithe Ambrose saithe Augustine saithe But herken to this The Lorde saithe In like fourme of woordes saithe S. Ambrose Nolo nobis credatur Scriptura recitetur Non ego dico à me In principio erat Verbum sed audio Non ego effingo sed lego I would not ye should beleeue vs But reade the Scriptures I saye not of mee selfe In the beginninge was the Woorde But I heare it I make it not but I reade it Likewise saithe Chrysostome Oro vos omnes vt relinquatis quid huic aut illi videatur de his à Scripturis haec omnia inquirite I beseeche you al weigh not what this man or that man thinketh but touching al these thinges searche the Scriptures Nowe where as it pleaseth M. Hardinge to telle vs of an Argumente Negatiue from Special to General and so to cal vs to the remembrance of our Logique pleaseth it him also to remeÌ„ber that the Argument that wee grounde of S. Augustines woordes holdeth not as it is here imagined froÌ„ Special to General but froÌ„ the imperfection and weakenesse of the wisedome of man to the stabilitie and certainetie of Goddes Holy Woorde And therefore the Olde Learned Father Origen saithe as it is alleged before Sensus nostri Enarrationes fine his testibus non habent fidem Our iudgementes and Expositions without these witnesses of the Scriptures haue no credite In like sorte S. Hierome Quamuis SaÌ„ctus sic aliquis post Apostolos quamuis disertus sit non habet Authoritatem After the Apostles of Christe notwithstandinge somme man be Holy notwithstandinge he be eloquente yet he wanteth Authoritie Therefore S. Augustine saithe Cedamus consenuamus Scripturae Sacrae quae nec falli potest nec fallere Let vs yeeld and consente to the Holy Scripture whiche can neither deceiue nor be deceiued For this cause M. Hardinge S. Augustine not onely in the mater that laye bitweene him and Pettlianus but also in al other maters what soeuer so often appealed from al Fathers and Councelles vnto the Scriptures The Apologie Cap. 9. Diuision 3. Likewise S. Hierome Al those thinges saithe he whiche without the Testimonie of the Scriptures are holden as deliuered from the Apostles be throughly smitten downe by the Swerde of Goddes Woorde M. Hardinge Ye would falne remoue vs from a good hold I see wel whiche is the Authoritie of the Holy Faâ—thers of Ancient Traditions and of the Vniuersal Churche Al these would ye to be of no force against Heretiques For ye knowe the Fathers and the Churche to be againste you and that so longe as they are beleued your Doctrine shal not be receiued as alwaies founde to be newe and of priuate deuâ—se If we were driuen from these ye doubt not but to matche vs wel yenough in the Scriptures And as ye would handle the mater I thinke so my selfe verely For when al Authoritie and iudgemente of the Fathers and of the Churche is shakeÌ„ quite of in any coÌ„trouersie by whome shal we be tried By the Scriptures ye saie But when bothe ye and we alleage Scriptures to a contrary purpose and when we vary about the sense of the Scriptures by whom then shal we be iudged Perhaps ye wil referre the iudgement of doubtful maters to the Holy Ghoste VVe refuse not tharbitrement and Vmpiership of the Holy Ghoste For the same hath ben promised by Christe to the Churche to remaine with the Churche for euer to teache what thinges so euer he saide to lead men into al Truthe And thus for iudgemente and trial of Truthe we shal be retourned to the Churche and to the Fathers by whom the Holy Ghoste speaketh vnto vs whose Authoritie and due estimation ye go aboute to remooue from vs. But let vs see what force ye bringe to driue vs from this holde Makinge your batterie against it what shoote ye of but VVinde and Paper Your Artillerie makethe a noâ— es but it geueth no blowe As in the laste allegation ye falsified the sense of S. Augustine so in this ye falsifie bothe the sense and woordes of S. Hierome The woordes as ye allege them seeme to be spoken against what so euer Tradition of the Apostles VVhiche woordes or any the like to sutche purpose were neuer vtered by any Catholike Doctour of the Churche mutche lesse by S. Hierome Looke ye againe and vewe better the place ye shal saye your selues that I finde the faulte of falsefyeinge in you not without cause S. Hierome in his Commentaries vpon those woordes of the Prophete Aggaeus Et vocaui siccicitatem super tâ—â—ram super Montes I haue called the drought to come vpon the Earthe and vpon the Hilles c. First she winge the literal sense accordingly as the Hebrew woorde there by him noted signifieth Siccitatem drought theÌ„ treatinge Mystically as the seuenty Interpreters haue turned that woorde into Romphaeam that is a swerde and vnderstandinge by the swerde the VVoorde of God thereof takethe occasion briefly to saie what this swerde doothe how it destroieth the negligent soule whiche is expounded to be drie earthe and howe it plaguethe Montaines that lifte vp them selues against the knowledge of God whereby he meanethe Heretikes Of whom he tellethe howe they flatter the deceiued peoples with theire Breade Wine and Oile by whiche he meaneth theire Heresies as it were with meates and drinkes and refection There Breade saithe he any man maie very aptly cal it the Bread of VVaylinge and theyr VVine the madnesse of Dragons and the madnesse of Serpentes incurable And theire Oile the promisinge of Heauenly thinges wherewith they doo as it were anointe theire Disciples and promise them rewardes of theire labours which the Prophete detesteth sayeinge the Oile of the sinner shal not anoint my head After this folowe the woordes of S. Hierome whiche ye haue falsified to the intent they might seeme to serue your false meaninge Sed alia quae absque Authoritate Testimonijs Scripturarum quasi Traditione Apostolica reperiunt atque coÌ„fingunt percutit gladius Dei But the Swerde of God strikethe also other thinges whiche the Heretiques for of theâ— he speaketh deuise and faine of theire owne
Father Athanasius Nos ista Hausimus à Magistris diuinitùs afflatis qui Sacros Libros euoluerunt These thinges haue we learned of our Maisters or Fathers inspired from Heauen whiche haue Readde and perused the Holy Scriptures For S. Augustine very wel saithe Secundum hos Libros de coeteris Literis vel Fidelium vel Infidelium liberè iudicamus Accordinge to those Bookes of the Scriptures wee iudge frankely of al other writinges whether they be of the Faitheful or of the Vnfaitheful Therefore S. Hierome saithe Omni studio legendae nobis sunt Scripturae in Lege Domini meditandum die ac nocte vt probati trapezitae sciamus quis numus probus sit quis adulterinus Wee muste Reade the Scriptures with al diligence and muste bee occupied in the Lawe of our Lorde bothe daie and nighte that wee maye become perfite exchangers and be hable rightly to discerne what Monie is lawful and what is Counterfaite S. Hilarie saithe Hoc proprium est Apostolicae Doctrinae Deum ex Lege ac Prophetis in Euangelijs praedicare This is the very order of the Apostles Doctrine in the Gospel to Preache God out of the Lawe and the Prophetes Otherwise touchinge the discourse of natural reason S. Ambrose saithe No Creature either in Earthe or in Heauen is hable to reache the deapthe of these thinges Thus he saithe Mens deficit Vox silet non mea tantùm sed Angelorum Supra potestates supra Angelos supra Cherubim supra Seraphim supra omnem sensum est The minde is astonned the voice faileth not onely mine but also of the Angelles It is aboue the powers aboue the Angelles aboue the Cherubius aboue the Seraphins and aboue al manner vnderstandinge And therefore he saithe as it is alleaged once before Nolo nobis credatur Scriptura recitetur Non ego dico à me In principio erat Verbum Sed audio I woulde not ye shoulde beleeue mee Lette the Scriptures be readde I saye not of mee selfe In the beginninge vvas the VVoorde but I heare it spoken And againe he saithe in the same Booke vnto the Emperour Gratian Facessat nostra Sententia Paulum interrogemus Let our Iudgemente stande aparte and let vs aske S. Paule the question But M. Hardinge saithe VVhoso euer maketh this argumente whiche in your VVoorde is implied The Scriptures are to be asked Ergo the Holy Fathers are not to be asked maketh a foolishe argumente It seemeth no greate pointe of Wisedome M. Hardinge to vpbraide others with folie without cause God encrease bothe you and vs in al wisedome and vnderstandinge in Christe Iesu How be it our Argumente howe so euer it hathe pleased you to fashon and to handle it as we meante it and made it had no sutche Folie Wherefore what so euer Folie is nowe come to it it is your owne it is not ours For wée denie not the Learned Fathers expositions and iudgementes in doubteful cases of the Scriptures Wée reade them our selues Wée folowe them Wée embrace them and as I saide before wée moste humbly thanke God for them But thus wée saie The same Fathers opinions and iudgementes for as mutche as they are sometimes disagréeable one from an other and sometimes implie contrarieties and contradictions therefore alone and of them selues without farther authoritie and guidinge of Goddes Woorde are not alwaies sufficient Warrantes to charge our Faithe And thus the Learned Catholique Fathers themselues haue euermore taught vs to esteeme and to weighe the Fathers The Ancient Father Origen saithe thus as it is reported before Ex Solis Scripturis examinationis nostrae discretio petenda est The discussinge of our Iudgemente muste be taken Onely of the Scriptures And againe Sensus nostri enarrationes sine Scripturis testibus non habent fidem Our Iudgementes and Expositions without witnesse of the Scriptures haue no credite Likewise S. Augustine Ego Solis Canonicis Scripturis debeo sine vlla recusatione consensum My consent without exception I owe not vnto any Father were he neuer so wel learned but Onely to the Holy Canonical Scriptures His reason is this Nam cùm Dominus â—acuerit quis nostrum dicat Illa vel illa sunt Aut si dicere audet vnde probat For where as the Lorde him selfe hath not spoken who of vs can saie It is this or that Or if he dare saie so howe can he prooue it And therefore he concludeth directly and in like woordes with S. Ambrose Ego vocem Pastoris inquiro Lege hoc mihi de Propheta Lege de Psalmo Recita de Lege Recita de Euangelio Recita de Apostolo I require the voice of the Shephearde Reade me this mater out of the Prophete Reade it mee out of the Psalmes Reade it out of the Lawe Reade it out of the Gospel Reade it out of the Apostles The Apologie Cap. 10. Diuision 1. Wherefore if wee he Heretiques and they as they woulde faine be called be Catholiques why doo they not as they see the Fathers whiche were Catholique men haue alwaies donne Why doo they not conuince and maister vs by the Diuine Scriptures Why doo they not calle vs againe to be tried by them Why doo they not laye before vs howe wee haue gonne awaye from Christe from the Prophetes from the Apostles and from the Holy Fathers Why sticke they to doo it Why are they afraide of it It is Goddes cause Why are they doubteful to commit it to the trial of Goddes Woorde Yf wee be Heretiques whiche referre al our controuersies vnto the Holy Scriptures reporte vs to the selfe same Woordes whiche wee knowe were sealed by God him selfe and in comparison of them sette litle by al other thinges what so euer maye be diuised by menne how shal wee saye to these folke I praye you what manner of men be they and howe is it meete to calle them whiche feare the iudgement of the Holy Scriptures that is to saie the Iudgement of God him selfe and doo preferre before them theire owne dreames and ful colde inuentions and to maintaine theire owne Traditions haue defaced and corrupted nowe these many hundred yeeres the ordinances of Christe and of the Apostles M. Hardinge VVe doo so For they condemned those that went against the Tradition of the Fathers and so doo wee The Scriptures consiste not in inke and paper but in the sense VVhiche sense the Holy Ghoste by Christes promise hath taught the Churche Epiphanius refutinge the Heretikes whiche named them selues Apostolikes saithe that the Scriptures haue neede of Speculation that is to witte to be wel studied and considered to the ende the force and power of euery argument maye be knowen It behoueth vs also saithe he to vse the Tradition For wee can not haue al thinges of the Holy Scripture Thus Epiphanius By Tradition without doubte he meaneth the sense and vnderstandinge receiued of the Fathers For that is the Keie of the VVoorde of God
Papae Pecora campi id est homines viuentes in terra Pisces maris id est animas in Purgatorio Volueres Coeli id est animas Beatorum These woordes S. Paule applieth onely vnto Christe meaninge thereby that God hath auanced him aboue al Powers Dominions and that al thinges are subiecte vnto him But the Romaine Sense is far otherwise Thou haste made al thinges subiecte vnto him that is to saye to the Pope The Cattaile of the Fielde that is to saye Menne liuinge in the Earthe The Fishes of the Sea that is to saye the Soules in Purgatories The Birdes of the Heauens that is to saye the Soules of the Blessed in Heauen I leaue M. Hardinges owne peculiar Expositions Drinke ye al of this that is to saye as he geathereth in Conclusion Drinke ye not al of this It is the Substance that is to saye It is the Accidens By sutche prety Senses I wil not saie as S. Hierome saithe De Euangelio Christi facitis hominis Euangelium aut quod peius est Diaboli Of the Gospel of Christe ye make the Gospel of a Man or that is woorse the Gospel of the Diuel I wil not so saye But thus maye I saye with the Prophete Esal Ye make Lighte Darkenesse and Darkenesse Lighte Yet muste wée néedes beléeue vpon M. Hardinges Woorde that the Scripture without the Sense of the Churche of Rome is no Scripture And therefore Hasius saithe Si quis haâ—eat interpretationem Ecclesiae Romanae de loco aliquo Scripturae etiamsi nec sciat nec intelligat an quomodo ' cùm Scripturae verbis conueniat tamen habet ipsissimum Verbum Dei If a man haue the exposition of the Churche of Rome touchinge any place of the Scriptures although he neither knowe nor vnderstande whether and howe it agreeth with the woordes of the Scripture yet he hath the verie Woorde of God So saithe Rabbi Abraham Hispanus speakinge of the expositions of the Rabbines Licet videantur nobis verba nostra esse vera recta nobis tamen Veritas abijcienda est in terram quia Veritas cum illis est Not withstandingâ— our Expositions seeme to vs neuer so True and righte yet muste wee throwe our Truthe to the grounde For the Truthe in deede is with them Lyra likewise reporteth the common opinion the Iewes had of their Rabines Recipienduâ—r est quicquid hoc modo proponatur etiamsi dicant Dextrant esse Sinistram Wee muste needes receiue what so euer they laye vnto vs yea although they tel vs The Righte hande is the Lefte Nowe gentle Reader that thou maiste the better see the constancie and certainetie of these Senses and Expositions whereunto M. Hardinge laboureth so earnestly to haue thee bounde it maye please thee to consider these woordes of Nicolaus Cusanus sometime Cardinal in the Churche of Rome Non est mirum si Praxis Ecclesiae vno tempore interpreâ—atur Scripturam vno modo alio tempore alio modo Nam lntellectus currit cum Praxi Intellectus enim qui cum Praxi concurrit est Spiritus Viuificans Sequuntur ergo Scripturae Ecclesiam non è conuerso It is no marueile though the Practise of the Churche expounde the Scriptures at one time one waye and at an other time an other waie For the vnderstandinge or Sense of the Scriptures renneth with the practise and that sense so agreeinge with the practise is the quickeninge Sprite And therefore the Scriptures folowe the Churche but contrariewise the Churche foloweth not the Scriptures For sutche kindes of Expositions of the Scriptures S. Hilarie saide sometime vnto the Arians Fides ergo temporum magis est quà m Euangeliorum The Faithe therefore foloweth the time and not the Gospel This is the Sense of the Churche of Rome whereby onely M. Hardinge willeth vs to measure and to weighe the Woorde of God But the Ancient Father Origen saithe Sicut omne Aurum quodcunque fuerit extra Templum non est Sanctificatum sic omnis Sensus qui fuerit extra Diuinam Scripturam quamuis admirabilis videatur quibusdam non est Sanctus quia non continetur à Sensu Scripturae As what so euer Golde is without the Temple is not Sanctified so what so euer Sense is without the Holy Scripture although vnto some it seeme wounderful yet is it not Holy bicause it is not conteined in the Sense of the Scripture To conclude where as M. Hardinge saithe wee cannot vnderstande the Scriptures without Tradition the ancient Father Irenaeus saithe This is one special marke whereby wee maye knowe an Heretique These be his woordes Haeretici cùm arguuntur ex Scripturis in accusationem Scripturarum conuertuntur quasi non rectè habeant nec sint ex authoritate quòd variè fint dictae quòd ex his non possit inueniri Veritas ab illis qui Traditionem nesciunt Heretiques when they be reprooued by the Scriptures they falle to the accusinge of the Scriptures as though either they were not wel and perfite or wanted authoritie or were doubtefully vttered or that they that knowe not the Tradition were neuer hable by the Scriptures to finde out the Truthe The Apologie Cap. 10. Diuision 2. Menne saie that Sophocles the Tragical Poete when in his old daies he was by his owne Sonnes accused before the Iudges for a dotinge and sottishe man as one that fondely wasted his owne Substance and seemed to neede a gouernour to see vnto him to the intent he might cleere him self of the faulte he came into the place of Iudgemente and when he had rehearsed before them his Tragedie called Oedipus Colonaeus whiche he had written at the very time of his accusation marueilous exactely cunningly did aske the Iudges in his owne behalfe whether they thought any sottishe or dotinge man coulde doo the like peece of Woorke In like manner bicause these menne take vs to be madde and appeache vs for Heretiques as menne whiche haue nothinge to doo neither with Christe nor with the Churche of God wee haue iudged it should be to good purpose and not vnprofitable if wee doo openly and frankely set foorthe our Faithe wherein wee stande and shewe al that confidence whiche wee haue in Christe Iesu to the intent al menne maye see what is our iudgement of euery parte of Christian Religion maye resolue with them selues whether the Faithe whiche they shal see confirmed by the Woordes of Christe by the Writinges of the Apostles by the Testimonies of the Catholique Fathers and by the Examples of many ages be but a certaine rage of Furious and madde menne and a conspiracie of Heretiques This therefore is our beliefe M. Hardinge The comparison whiche ye make betweene your selues and Sophocles gladly we admitte Yet we acknowledge that as in many respectes ye are like so in some vnlike Sophocles was a Poet that is to saie a fainer and deuiser of thinges that be
Man doothe moste abhorre vvith the pretense of this saieinge in the Gospel where as our Lorde saithe thus I haue many thinges to saie vnto you but as nowe ye are not hable to beare them Euen so saithe Tertullian Eadem dementia confitentur Apostolos quidem nihil ignorasse nec diuersa inter se praedicasse Sed non omnia volunt illos omnibus reuelasse Sed quaedam Palà m Vniuersis quaedam secretò Paucis demandasse By a like kinde of Madnesse they Confesse that the Apostles in deede were ignorante of no thinge nor taught any contrarie Doctrine emonge themselues But they saie The Apostles reucied not al thinges to al menne but shewed certaine thinges openly and to al and other certaine thinges secretely and vnto a fevve By sutche right helde sommetime the greate Heretique Arius For euen so saide he then as M. Hardinge saithe nowe Ex Electis Dei secundum Fidem Peritis Dei Rectigradis oui Sanctum Dei Spiritum acceperunt ego ita didici These thinges haue I learned not of y◠Scriptures but of the Chosen of God according to Faithe of the skilful in Godly vnderstandinge of them that walkte vprightly and had receiued the Sprite of God that is to sale by Tradition So Epiphanius saithe The Heretiques called Caiani auouched al theire solies and Heresies not by the Scriptures but by Tradition as they saide from S. Paule and tooke vpon them to knowe al those Secrete woordes that S. Paule had hearde in the Thirde Heauen If M. Hardinge maie haue leaue to handle the same weapons I doubte not but he wil soone be hable to proue that bothe his Holy Breade his Holy VVater and what so euer shal please him els came by Tradition directly from the Apostles and from Christe him selfe But S. Paule when he saide I vvil comme and take order he meante not to diuise any other Scripture or Newe Verities that they had not knowen before but onely to appointe them in what place at what time in what order and with what other Circumstances the Holy Ministration and other like Ecclesiastical Offices should be vsed As for these fantasies that M. Hardinge and his felowes haue imagined S. Augustine saithe cùm Christus ipse tacuerit quis nostrum dicat Ista vel illa sunt Aut si dicere audeat vnde probat Quis enim est tam vanus aut tam temeratius qui cùm dixerit etiam vera quibas voluerit quae voluerit fine vllo Testimonio Diuino affirmet ea esse quae tunc Dominus dicere noluit For as mutche as Christe him selfe hath not reuesed these thinges whiche of vs wil saie they be these or these Or if he so saie hovve can he proue it For who is there either so vaine or so rashe who notwithstanding he speake the Truthe to whom he listeth and what he listeth wil affirme vvithout any Testimonie of the Scriptures that these be the thinges that the Lorde then vvould not Open Sutche thinges they be S. Hierome saithe are cutte of with the Swerde that is to saie with the Woorde of God M. Hardinge saithe these expresse Woordes Persona Ingenitus Homousios are not found in the Scriptures So saide the Arian Heretiques too as wel as he But what foreeth that Epiphanius saith Nomen Substantiae non ponitur nudè nec in Veteri nec in Nouo Testamento Sensus autem eius Nominis vbique est This very woorde Substantia is not plainely expressed neither in the Newe nor in the Olde Temente But the sense and meaninge of that VVoorde is eueryvvhere So saith Anthanasius Tametfi haec voces in Scriptura non reperiuntur tamen habent earn Sententiam quam Scripturae volunt Notwithstanding these woordes be not founde expressed in the Scripture yet haue they the same sense and meaninge that the scripture willeth Touchinge the Perpetual Virginitie of that Blessed Virgine the Mother of Christe whiche M. Hardinge saithe cannot be proued by any Scriptures Gennadius writeth thus Heluidij prauitatem arguens Hieronymus Libellum Documentis Scripturarum Sufficienter factum aduersus cum edidu S. Hierome repreuinge the wilful lewdnesse of the Heretique Heluidius denieinge the Perpetual Virginitie of Christes Mother sette foorth a Booke against him furnished vvith sufficiēte Testimomonies of the Scriptures Gennadius saithe the Perpetual Virginitie of Our Lady is proued sufficiently by the Scriptures M. Hardinge onely to mainteine his quarrel saith It cannot be proued by any Scriptures but standeth onely by Tradition S. Hierome him selfe in so vaine a contention moued by an Heretique thought it sufficient to answeare thus Mariam nupsisse post partum non credimus quia non legimus Wee beleeue not that Marie was Married againe after her Childebearinge bicause vvee reade it not Here M. Hardinge thinketh to oppresse vs with the Olde Heretiques Ordinarie question Hovve knovve you saith he that the Scriptures be the Scriptures Hovv knovve you that the Gospel of Thomas Bartholomewe and Nicodeme are no Scriptures Thus they laboure to pulle al credite from the Woorde of God and sende vs onely to theire Traditions Of God and his Woorde they would euermore haue vs to stande in doubte but of the Pope and his Woorde they say in any wise wée male not doubte Hosius a special Proctoure of that side saithe Quod Ecclesia docet id est Expressum Verbum Dei What so euer the Churche teacheth he meaneth the Churche of Rome that is the very Expresse VVoorde of God A man might wel demaunde the like question of M. Hardinge Hovv knovv you that the Sonne is the Sonne Or that the Moene is the Moene Or hovve knovve you that the Churche is the Churche Or that the Congregation of the Wicked is not the Churche Sutche idle questions the Olde Heretiques the Manichées demaunded of S. augustine But S. Augustine answeared them Si quaeratis à nob is vnde nos sciamus Apostolorum esse istas literas breuiter vobis respondemus Inde nos scire vnde vos scitis illas literas esse Manichaei If you demaunde of vs hovve vvee knovve that these be the Apostles writinges wee make you this shorte answeare Euen so wee knowe that Oure writinges are of the Apostles as you knowe that your writinges are of the Heretique Manichee But for further answeare I recken M. Hardinge cannot be ignorant that the Gospel of Thomas Bartholomevve Nicodeme and sutche others were neuer written by them whoe 's names they beare but were wickedly and falsely countrefeited vnder their names by sundrie Heretiques S. Ambrose saithe Erant Pseudopropherae c. Erat autem populi gratia discernere Spiritus vt cogno scerer quos referre deberet in numerum Propherarum quos autem quasi bonus Nummularius reprobare Sic nunc in Nouo Testamento multi Euāgelia scribere conati sunt quae boni Nummularij non probauerunt There were False Prophetes c.
as S. Peter taught by report of S. Clement This sense and vnderstandinge of the Lawe had the Ministers of the Lawe to whome the Traditions of Moses and of the Elders came as it were by handes Nowe wee require you to admitte this Tradition that is to saye the Catholike sense and vnderstandinge of the Scriptures whiche hathe benne deliuered vnto vs by the Holy Fathers of al Ages and of al Countries where the Faithe hath benne receiued And then we wil calle you againe to be tried by the Scriptures This haue the Catholikes layde before you oftentimes and this doo we shewe you in this Confutation He that despiseth you despiseth mee saithe Christe of his Churche Ye despise the Catholike Churche and therefore ye despise Christe What neede so many questions Sirs Your hote Rhetorike sheweth more courage in woorde then Victorie in deede Ye calle vs foorthe to the Scriptures as it were to the fielde Ye strike vs downe with woordes before ye come to encounter To shewe your brauerie in the moâ—stre ye referre your controuersies vnto the Holy Scriptures ye reporte you vnto the woordes sealed by God himselfe but we the Catholikes as ye pretende sticke at it we be afraide of it we doubte of thâ— mater we feare the Iudgement of Holy Scriptures we preferre our owne dreames and colde inuentions VVel nowe that ye haue tolde your lusty tale heare our sober answeare Oftenâ— times the true Scriptures are stretched foorthe to serue euil and false purposes The Iewes went about by the Scriptures to prooue that Christe was not so muche as a Iâ—ophete For they saide Searche the Scriptures and see that a Prophete riseth not out of Galiley By the Scriptures they would needes shewe him woorthy to die We haue a Lawe quod they and by our Lawe he ought to die because he hath made him selfe the Sonne of God The Diuel by alleaginge Scripture would haue deceiued our Sauiour him selfe and saide vnto him Scriptum est It is written The Arians were ful of the Scriptures and by the same as S. Ambrose writeth went about to prooue that Christe the author of al goodnesse was not good It is written quoth they Nemo bonus nisi vnus Deus None is good but onely God Likewise the Macedonians the Nestorians the Eutychians Now in this case your selues dooinge the like what may wee doo better then honour the Scriptures and seeke for their right Sense and Vnderstandinge Scriptum est It is Scripture saith S. Ambrose to the allegation of the Arians I acknowlege but the letter hath not the errour woulde God the Arians interpretation had not Apices sine crimine sunt sensus in crimine The letters be without crime the sense is in crime From the vnderstanding commeth Heresie not from the Scripture the sense not the woorde becommeth to be a crime saith S. Hilary Sithens then al standeth in the sense let vs agree first vpon the sense and interpretation of the Scriptures and then if we be not as ready as ye come foorth when ye liste vpbraide vs hardely and say lustely as here ye doo why sticke they to doo it why are they afraide of it As for the true sense and interpretation of the Scriptures where shal wee finde it but as before wee saide in the Catholike Churche The Churche hauinge Christe remaininge with it al daies to the ende of the worlde hauinge by promise of Christe the Sprite of truethe remaininge in it for euer hauing by Goddes owne ancient promise bothe the woordes whiche the Father hath put in the mouthe of Christe and the Sprite whiche he putte in him whereby it may vnderstand the meaninge of Goddes woordes wee maie not now seeke for the true sense vnderstanding and interpretation of the Scriptures any where but in the Churche Your owne Doctour Iohn Caluine him selfe â–ª whom ye folowe and esteeme so mutche admonisheth very wel and saithe it is specially to be noted that out of the Churche there is no light of the sounde vnderstandinge of the Scriptures This ground beinge laide on whiche eche parte must stande and be tried in crowe no more againste vs boast your selues no more VVe feare not the iudgement of the Holy Scriptures Nay it is your selues that feare this iudgment For your owne conscience telleth you that on this ground ye are the weaker side Yf ye stande with vs on this grounde ye shal neuer be able to defende your Maister Iohn Caluines doctrine touchinge Baptisme whiche hâ—â—â—aketh to be of so litle force against the manifest Scripture Let euery one of you saithe S. Peter be Baptized in the name of Iesus Christe to Remission of Sinnes Keepinge this grounde ye shal be borne from your Doctrine touchinge Absolution denyinge the Prieste to haue power to absolue penitentes by his Priestly Auctoritie but by Preachinge the Gospel to them contrarie to the plaine Scripture VVhose Sinnes ye â—orgeue they are forgeuen to them VVhose ye retaine they are reteined Yf ye refuse not this grounde ye shal be forced to restore the Sacrament of extreme Vnction â–ª and the vse of Holy Oyle againe whiche ye haue abandoned For what haue ye to saye against the Scripture It any sicke amonge you Let him cause the Priestes of the Churche to come in to him anointinge him with Oile in the name of our Lorde Abâ—dinge in this grounde ye shal be driuen to forsake your Zwinglian doctrine whiche putteth Signes and Figures I onely in the Sacrament of the Aultar for the True and Real Body of Christe there 2 presente contrarie to the 3 cleare Scripture This is my Bodie Beinge on this grounde ye shal soone geue ouer the maintenance of the Doctrine of your special Faithe and of your Iustification by Faithe onely as beinge contrary to the plaine Scripture Man is iustified by woorkes and not by Faithe onely To conclude for to shewe in howe many pointes ye maye be confuted by euident Scriptures it were in maner infinite if ye wil admitte this for a good grounde as ye midste needes admitte then shal ye not mainteine the Presumptuous Doctrine of your certaintie of Grace and Saluation contrary to that S. Paule counselleth VVith feare and tremblinge woorke your Saluation The B. of Sarisburie Whereas wée make reasonable requestâ— that God maye be vmpéere in his owne cause and that al our controuersies maye be iudged and tried by the Holy Scriptures M. Hardinge thereto answeareth thus The Scripture standeth not in the Wordes but in the Sense and the same Sense is continued by Tradition in the Churche Otherwise he saithe the Iewes the Arians the Nestorians the Eutychians and al other Heretiques were alwaies hable to claime by the Scriptures To conclude he maketh vp a greate emptie heape of the force of Baptisme of Holy Oile of Extreme Unction of Absolution of Signes of Figures of Onely Faithe and as it liketh him to calle it of the Presumptuous
vvith vs And al wee haue receiued the same togeather vvith him Likewise S. Cyprian Christus eandem dedit Apostolis omnibus potestatem Christe gaue vnto al his Apostles like and Equal Power So likewise saithe Beda Potestas Ligandi SolueÌ„di quamuis Soli Petro à Domino data videatur tamen absque vlla dubietate noscendum est quòd Coeteris Apostolis data est The Power of Bindinge and Loosinge notwithstanding it seeme to be geeuen Onely vnto peter yet without al doubte wee muste vnderstande that it was geeuen also to the reste of the Apostles Briefly M. Hardinges owne Scholastical Doctours Confesse that the Power of the Apostles was One and Equal But they saye that the whole multitude of the Churche was committed onely vnto Peter and not likewise to any other and that therein onely standeth al the difference Heruaeus saithe Quamuis Apostoli eandem habuerint à Christo aequalem potestatem Clauium Iurisdictionis tamen Iurisdictionem siuè Materiam subiectam non habuit nisi Petrus cui eam Petrus committere voluit Notwithstandinge the Apostles receiued of Christe equal Povver of the Keies and Iurisdiction yet the Iurisdiction or mater wherein to vse their Power none had but Onely Peter and to whome so euer Peter woulde commit the same And thus he imagineth that al the Apostles sauinge Onely Peter had Keies geuen them but no House to Open and Iurisdiction but no people to gouerne Verily Alphonsus de Castro saithe Quando absoluit Simplex Sacerdos tantùm absoluit de Culpa sicut Papa VVhen a Simple Prieste Absolueth he absolueth as mutche touchinge Sinne as doothe the Pope But touchinge the Pope howe greate so euer he fansie his Keie to be aboue al others if he neuer vse the same if he either knowe not or vtter not the Woorde of God wee saie as before wel maie he shut vp the Kingedome of God before menne but open it he cannot Origen saithe Qui funibus Peccatorum suorum constringitur frustrà vel Ligar vel Soluit He that is bounde with the bandes of his owne Sinnes Bindeth and Looseth but in vaine To conclude S. Augustine saithe Cùm Petro dicitur Omnibus dicitur Amas me Pasce Oues meas These woordes of Christe Louest thou mee Feede my Sheepe when they are spoken vnto Peter they are spoken vnto Al Priestes or Ministers He addeth further traque miseri dum in Petro Petram non intelligunt nolunt credere datas Ecclesiae Claues Regni Coelorum ipsi eas de manibus amiserunt Therefore wretched menne while in Peter they vnderstande not Christe that is the Rocke and while they wil not beleeue that the Keies of the Kingedome of Heauen are geuen not vnto Peter alone but vnto the Churche they haue quite loste the Keies out of their handes The Apologie Cap. 8. Diuision 1. Wee saie that Matrimonie is Holy and Honorable in al sortes and states of Personnes as in the Patriarches in the Prophetes in the Apostles in the Holy Martyrs in the Ministers of the Churche and in Bishoppes that it is an honest and lawful thinge as Chrysostome saithe for a man liuinge in Matrimonie to take vpon him therewith the Dignitie of a Bishop M. Hardinge Matrimonie is Holy and Honorable in al persons and an vndefiled bedde as saithe S. Paule Yet is it not lauful for them to marie whiche either haue by deliberate vowe dedicated al maner their chastitie vnto God or haue receiued Holy Order For the vowed be forbidden Mariage by expresse VVoorde of God Those that haue taken Holy Orders by Tradition of the Apostles and Auncient ordinaunce of the Churche Touchinge the firste the Scripture is plaine because a Vowe is to be performed Vouete reddite Domino Deo vestro Vowe ye and paye or render that ye vowe to your Lorde God Christe also saithe in the Gospel there be some Eunuches that haue made theÌ„ selues Eunuches for the Kingedome of Heauens sake He that can take let him take Againe S. Paule speakinge of younge VVidowes whiche haue vowed and promised Chastitie saithe that when they waxe wanton against Christe they wil marie hauinge danmation because they haue broken their firste Faithe VVhether these Scriptures perteine hereto and be thus to be vnderstanded we referre vs to the Primitiue Churche and to al the Holy Fathers Sutche Mariages or rather slidinges and falles from the holier Chastitie that is Vowed to God S. Augustine doubteth not but they be woorse then aduoutries S. Cyprian calleth this case plaine inceste S. Basile accompteth the mariages of vailed virgins to be voide of no force and Sacrilegious She that hath despoused her selfe to our Lorde saithe S. Basile is not free For her husbande is not deade that shee maye marie to whome she liste And whiles her immortal husbande liueth shee shal be called an Aduoutresse whiche for lustes of the Fleashe hath brought a mortal man into our Lordes Chamber Touchinge the seconde the Apostles forbidde those that come single to the Cleregie to marie excepte suche as remaine in the inferiour Orders and procede not to the greater as we finde in their Canons Can 25. Paphnutius as Socrates and Sozomenus recorde in their Ecclesiastical storie saide at the Nicene Councel that it was an Olde Tradition of the Churche that suche as come to the Degree or Order of Priesthood single should not marie wiues And this is that Holy Bishop Paphnutius whome these Euangelicall Vowebreakers pretende to be their proctour for theire vnlauful Mariages Reade who liste the Epistle of Siricius ad Himerium Tarraconensem Cap. 7. the seconde Epistle of Innocentius to Victricius Bishop of Roen Cap. 9. and his thirde Episitle to Exuperius B. of Tolouse Cap. 1. And weighiâ—ge wel these places he shal perceiue that these Holy Popes forbad the Ministers of the Churche the vse of VVedlocke by the same Reason by whiche the Priestes of Moses Lawe were forebidden to come within their owne houses in the time when their course came to serue in the Holy Ministeries By the same reason also by whiche S. Paule requireth maried folke for a time to forbeare the vse of their wiues that they might attende Prayinge The place of Chrysostome alleaged by this Defender wel considered disproueth no parte of the Catholike Doctrine in this behalfe but condemneth bothe the Doctrine and common Practise of his companions these newe fleashly Gospellers His woordes be these vpon the saieinge of S. Paule that a Bishop ought to be without crime the Husbande of one wife The Apostle saithe he stoppeth the mouthes of Heretikes whiche condemne mariage she winge that it is not an vncleane thinge but so reuerend that with the same a man maye Ascende to the Holy throne or seate he meaneth the state of a Bishop and herewith he Chastiseth and restraineth the Vnchaste persons not permittinge them who haue twise maried to attaine
Basile reckeneth Traditions to be One and Equal with the Woorde of God Firste that S. Basile worte those woordes rather of zele then of Iudgement it maie easily appeare by that the selfe same Traditions that he there specially nameth and so highely commendeth are for the greattest parte already abolished and quite foregotten yea and that euen in the Churche of Rome Yet the Woorde of God endureth stil and shal endure for euer For example by one of S. Basiles necessarie Traditions It is not lawful for any man to kneele in the Churche vpon the Sonnedaie But euery man is bounde by the same Tradition at Sermon at Praier at the Communion to stande vpright And this he saithe was geuen vnto vs in Secrete Charge by the Apostles of Christe This so necessarie and so Apostolique Tradition is now dissolued and broken and vtterly foregotten not onely in Louaine but also in Rome S. Augustine saithe By Tradition of the Apostles bitwéene Easter and Witsondaie it was not lavvful for any man to Faste Yet now wée Faste within the same daies so forebidden and the same kinde of Faste is thought lawful the Apostles Tradition to the contrarie notwithstandinge The reste of S. Basiles Traditions stande in halowinge of VVater in Blessinge of Oile in Praieinge towardes the Easte in vtteringe certaine woordes of Inuocation at the shewinge foorthe of the Breade of Thankesgeuinge vnto the people These thinges I beléeue M. Hardinge him selfe neuer thought to be Equiualente with the Woorde of God But if these and other like Traditions be so weighty and so necessarie as he séemeth to make them then let him tel vs in good soothe and without fable what were these Mystical Solemne VVoordes of Inuocation that S. Basâ—le saithe were spoken by the Prieste at the Openinge or shewinge foorthe of yâ— Sacrament If they be so necessarie to be vsed and continued in the Churche of God why hath he his whole Romaine Cleregie quite foregotten them If he and his Cleregie haue foregotten them and vse them not and care not for them how can he saie or maie wée thinke they are so necessarie to Saluation This is the Simplicitie and plainenesse of M. Hardinges dealinge He telleth vs many tales of the Apostles Traditions being him selfe the manifeste despiser and breaker of the same Traditions Touchinge the woordes of S. Paule I marueile that M. Hardinge could so easily be deceiued For S. Paule him selfe euen in the same woordes in the selfe same line would haue tolde him that by the name of Traditions he meante not vnvvritten Verities and Liuelesse Ceremonies as he supposeth but the selfe same Substance of Religion Doctrine that he had vttered vnto the Thessaloniens before either by Epistle or by Preachinge These be his Woordes Holde the Traditions whiche ye haue receiued either by Epistle or by Woorde He calleth them Traditions although they were conteined in his Epistles and deliuered to them by Writinge For the Apostles preachinge writinge in grounde and substance were al one Nicephorus saithe Paulus quae praesens oratione sua dilucidè docuerat eadem absens per compendium in memoriam scripta Epistola reuocare voluit Paule what thinges beinge presente he had plainely taught by Mouthe the same thinges afterwarde beinge absente he shortely called to their remembrance by writinge of an Epistle The like he writeth also of S. Mathewe Matthaeus discedens aliò praedicatum absentiam suam scripto praesenti compensauit S. Mathewe departinge to preache in other places recompensed his absence by presente vvritinge S. Paule vnto the Philippians saithe thus Eadem scribere mihi quidem non pigrum vobis auâ—em necessarium To write vnto you the selfe same thinges vnto me it is not paineful but in your behalfe it is necessarie These woordes S. Hierome expoundeth thus Eadem scribere hoc est eadem repetere quae praesens dixeram To write the same thinges that is to saie to make rehearsal of the same thinges that I tolde you by Mouthe wheâ— I was presente So saithe Theophylacte speakinge in the personne of S. Luke Priùs te sine Scripto institui nunc scriptum tibi trado Euangelium Atque ita mentem tuam munio vt ne obliuiscatur eorum quae priùs sine scriptis Tradita sunt Before this time I haue instructed thee vvithout vvritinge Nowe I deliuer vnto thee a vvritten Gospel And so I furnishe thy minde that it forgeate not the thinges that vvere deliuered thee before vvithout vvritinge So saithe Irenaeus Apostoli tunc Euangelium praeconiauerunt Posteà verò per Dei voluntatem illud in Scripturis nobis tradiderunt Fundamentum Columnam Fidei nostrae futurum Then the Apostles preached the Gospel And afterwarde by Goddes wil they deliuered the same to vs in vvritinge to be a Fundation and a Piller vnto our Faithe And therefore Chrysostome saithe Paulus etiam non Scriptam Praedicationem vocat Euangelium S. Paule calleth his Preachinge not vvritten by the name of the Gospel But me thinketh M. Hardinge so stoutely striuinge for the bare name of Traditions should better haue Learned S. Hieromes lesson touchinge the same Thus he writeth vpon these woordes of S. Paule Holde the Traditions whiche ye haue learned either by Our Epistle or by Our VVoorde Quando sua vult teneri non vult extranea superaddi Whereas S. Paule wil haue his ovvne thinges to be keapte he wil haue no strange thinges thereto to be added And that S. Paule by this Woorde Traditions meante not Ceremonies or certaine Secrete vnknowen Verities but the very Substance of the Gospel of Christe as it is saide before if M. Hardinge wil not beleue vs yet let him beléeue S. Paule him selfe Thus he writeth Tradidi vobis in primis quod etiam accepi quòd Christus mortuus est pro peccatis nostris secundum Scripturas Firste I haue deliuered to you or geuen to you by Tradition the same thinge that I receiued that is that Christe died for our sinnes accordinge to the Scriptures Here by S. Paules Woordes the Deathe of Christe is called a Tradition So saithe S. Basile Hoc palà m impugnat Salutaris Baptismatis Traditionem Baptismus noster iuxta ipsam Domini Traditionem est in Nomine Patris Filij Spiritus Sancti Per ipsam Baptismi Traditionem habemus Confessionem Fidei This thinge is plainely againste the Tradition of Healtheful Baptisme Our Baptisme accordinge to the Tradition of our Lorde is in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghoste By the very Tradition of Baptisme wee haue the Confession of Faithe S. Cyprian saithe Vnde est ista Traditio Vtrum ne de Dominica Euangeliea Authoritate descendens an de Apostolorum Mandatis atque Epistolis veniens c. Si igitur aut in Euangelio praecipitur aut in Apostolorum Epistolis Actis continetur obseruetur etiam haec
Sancta Traditio From whence haue wee this Tradition Whether commeth it from the Authoritie of Our Lorde and of the Gospel or els from the Commaundementes and Epistles of the Apostles c. Therefore if it be either commaunded in the Gospel or conteined in the Epistles or Actes of the Apostles let vs keepe the same Tradition Likewise Eusebius saithe Polycarpus câ—m recepisset ea ab illis qui ipsi viderant vitam Verbi nuntiauit eadem omnia Scripturis consona Polycarpus when he had receiued these thinges of them that had seene the Life of the Woorde vtteted and shewed the same beinge al agreeable vnto the Scriptures Of sutche Traditions it is plaine S. Paule speaketh Nowe therefore Iudge thou Gentle Reader howe truely and handsomely M. Hardinge allegeth these Woordes of S. Paule to serue his purpose As for Lenten Faste the Superstition onely excepted wee condemne it not but vse it stil But how can M. Hardinge saie either that Lente is so necessarie as he maketh it or els that it is the Tradition of the Apostles Verily S. Augustine saithe Quibus diebus non oporteat ieiunare quibus oporteat Praecepto Domini vel Apostolorum non inuenio definitum Vpon what daies wee ought not to Faste and vpon what daies we ought to Faste I finde it not appointed or limited by any commaundement either of Our Lorde or of the Apostles So saithe Socrates Euangelia non imposuerunt iugum seruitutis Sed homines ipsi suis quisque locis propter remissionem memoriam Passionis Pascha alios Dies Festos sicut voluerunt ex Consuetudine quadam celebrarunt Non enim hoc vel Seruator vel Apostoli Lege aliqua obseruandum esse mandauerunt The Gospel hath laide vpon vs no Yoke of bondage But menne them selues in the Countries vvhere they dvvelte for release of laboure and Remembrance of the Passion of Christe of a certaine Custome keapte the Easter and other Holy daies eche man as he vvoulde For neither Our saueour nor the Apostles by any Lavve commaunded these thinges Likewise saithe Cassiodorus Alij Pisces solummodò comedunt Alij vnà cum Piscibus vtuntur etiaÌ„ Volatilibus Alij vsque ad Noâ—am â—einnantes sine discretione Ciborum reficiuntur Puto Apostolos singulorum hoc reliquisse sententiae vt vnusquisque Operetur non timore aut necessitate quod bonum est Somme menne in the time of the Lenten Faste eate onely Fishe Others vse bothe Fishâ— and Foule too Somme others when they haue Fasted vntil three of the Clocke in the afternoone afterward they refreashe theire bodies vvithout difference or Choise of meates I thinke the Apostles leafte this mater to euery mannes discretion that euery man maye doo good without feare or Superstition or necessitie Tertullian likewise saithe De coetero indifferenter ieiunandum ex arbitrio non ex imperio Nouae Disciplinae pro temporibus causis vniuscuiusque Sic Apostolos obseruasse nullum aliud imponentes iugum certorum in Commune omnibus obeundorum ieiuniorum Hencefoorth wee muste Foste vvithout compulsion of free vvil not by commaundemente of this Newe Discipline accordingly as euery man shal see time and cause For so it appeareth the Apostles keapte it laieinge on none other yoke of certaine appointed Fastes to be obserued in Common of al menne altogeather Therefore S. Augustine saith Per Quadragesimam ferè omnes abstinent non solùm à Carnibus verùm etiam à quibusdam fructibus quantò magis quisque vel minùs seu voluerit seu potuerit In the Lente season al menne for the moste parte absteine not onely from fleashe but also from certaine fruites as euery man either vvil or is hable to doo more or lesse Al these thinges beinge true and certaine and out of question howe can M. Hardinge thus assure vs that the Lenten Faste is yâ— Vndoubted Tradition and Commaundemente of the Apostles Certainely whereas they so often tel vs wée ought to Faste Fourtie Daies for that Christe him selfe did the like and gaue vs example so to doo Chrysostome saithe Christus non iubet vt leiunium suum imitemur Christe commaundeth vs not to folow his Fastinge Or to Faste as he Fasted And touchinge the number of the Daies Eusebius saithe Quidam putant ieiunare oportere vnum tantùm Diem alij Duos alij Plures alij quadraginta Horas diurnas noctumasque Somme thinke they ought to Faste onely one daie Others tvvo daies Others Moe Some others Fourtie vvhole Houres both night and daie togeather But what meante M. Hardinge here to comme in with the difference bitwéene Priestes and Bishoppes Thinketh he that Priestes Bishoppes holde onely by Tradition Or is it so horrible an Heresie as he maketh it to saie that by yâ— Scriptures of God a Bishop and a Prieste are at One Or knoweth he howe far and vnto whom he reacheth the name of an Heretique Verily Chrysostome saith Inter Episcopum Presbyterum interest fermè nihil Bitweene a Bishop and a Prieste in a manner there is no difference S. Hierome saith sommewhat in rougher sorte Audio quendam in tantam erupisse vecordiam vt Diaconos Presbyteris id est Episcopis anteferret Cùm Apostolus perspicué doceat eosdem esse Presbyteros quos Episcopos I heare saie there is One becomme so peeuishe that he setteth Deacons before Priestes that is to saie before Bis hoppes where as the Apostle plainely teacheth vs that Priestes and Bishoppes be al One S. Augustine saith Quid est Episcopus nisi Primus Presbyter hoc est Summus Sacerdos What is a Bishop but the Firste Prieste that is to soie the Highest Prieste So saithe S. Ambrose Episcopi Presbyteri vna Ordinatio est Vterque enim Sacerdos est Sed Episcopus Primus est There is but one Consecration of Prieste and Bishop For bothe of them are Priestes But the Bishop is the Firste Al these and Other moe Holy Fathers togeather with S. Paule the Apostle for thus sateinge by M. Hardinges aduise muste be holden for Heretiques But S. Paule saithe to the Corinthians Coetera cùm venero disponam For the reste I wil take order when I comme And S. Iohn saithe I wil not write by paper and inke but I truste to be with you mee selfe and to speake vnto you Vpon these sewe woordes M. Hardinge is hable to builde by his Dimi Communion his Priuate Masse and what so euer he listeth bisides S. Augustine saithe Omnes insipientissimi Haeretici qui se Christianos vocari volunt audacias figmentorum suorum quas maximè exhorret sensus humanus hac occasione Euangelicae sententiae colorare conantur vbi Dominus ait Adhuc multa vobis habeo dicere Sed ea non potestis portare modò Al the moste peeuishe Heretiques that faine would be called Christians goe aboute to coloure the bolde Vanities of theire Inucntions whiche the very sense and reason of
of him selfe but of Freere Eckius that disputed against him Eckius and his felowes neuer beganne this mater for Goddes sake nor for Goddes sake wil they ende it For he sawe they had begonne were bente to ende it againste God as beinge enflamed with ambition and malice and procured and hired by the Pope Euen so M. Hardinge maie wée also truely saie You and your Felowes haue not begonne these your Contentious Vanities for Goddes sake nor for Goddes sake wil you ende them The Apologie Cap. 16. Diuision 8. Wherefore if thei wil weigh al these thinges with a quiet minde fully bente to heare to learne thei wil not onely allowe this determination of ours whoe haue foresaken Errours folowed Christe and his Apostles but themselues also wil foresake their owne selues and ioine of theire owne accorde to our side to goe with vs. Here endeth the Fifthe Parte The Sixthe Parte The Apologie Cap. 1. Diuision 1. BVt peraduenture they wil saie it was treason to attempt these maters without a sacred General Councel For that therein consisteth the whole force of the Churche there Christe hath promised he wil euer be a presente assistant Yet they themselues without tarrienge for any General Councel haue broken the Commaundementes of God and the Decrees of the Apostles and as wee said a little aboue they haue spoiled and disanulled almoste al not onely the Ordinaunces but euen the Doctrine of the Primitiue Churche And where they saie It is not lawful to make a chaunge without a Councel what was he that gaue vs these Lawes or from whence had they this Iniunction M. Hardinge If general Councels continewe in that estimation and Auctoritie they haue euer had theire priuate conspiracies and false conueiances in corners be like to be dasshed Nowe priâ—keth foorth theire Secretary who thinketh him self a fresh souldier in Rhetorike and geueth the onsette vpon vs with a blinde peraduenture But Sir what so euer you imagine vs to saie touchinge a General Councel we are not so simple as to graunt whiche your Peraduenture semeth to surmise of vs that your Heretical and moste vngodly matters whiche you speake of might without blame be attempted by licence of any Councel Sutche wicked changes in religion as ye haue made neither is it lawful to make with a Councel nor without a Councel The Apologie Cap. 1. Diuision 2. In deede King Agesilaus did but fondely who when he had a determinate answeare made him of the opinion and wil of mighty Iuppiter woulde afterwarde bringe the whole matter before Apollo to knowe whether he woulde allowe thereof as his Father Iuppiter had donne or no. But yet shoulde wee doo mutche more fondely when we heare God him selfe plainely speake to vs in his most Holy Scriptures and maie vnderstande by them his wil and meaninge if wee would afterwarde as though this were of none effecte bring our whole cause to be tried by a Councel which were nothinge els but to aske whether menne would allowe as God did and whether menne woulde confirme Goddes Commaundemente by theire Authoritie M. Hardinge For as mutche as the scriptures wherein God speaketh vnto vs be in sundrie places not moste open and plaine to humaine senses and many by mistakinge them be deceiued were it not wel done of you for the more suretie and better vnderstandinge of that ye goe about I meane in matters concerninge religion to folowe the iudgemente of the Catholike Churche represented in general councels Yea we saie boldely that surer it is in pointes of faithe to leane to the exposition of the Fathers agreinge togeather and to folowe the tradition of the Churche then to trust to your selues or to the letter of the scriptures scanned onely by your owne wittes For the Churche is promised to be lead into al Truthe by the holy Ghost Ye cannot saie any such promise hath ben made to your particulare company Therefore it were not fondly done as ye saie but wisely saie we if ye tried and examined your Doctrine which ye pretende to be according vnto the Scriptures by the rule of Ecclesiastical Tradition which is the chiefe rule to trie euery Doctrine by The B. of Sarisburie Wée neuer despised the iudgemente of the Learned and Holy Fathers but rather take them and embrace them as the Witnesses of Goddes Truthe And therein wée finde you the more blame woorthy M. Hardinge for that hauinge without cause renounced the iudgemente and orders of the Primitiue Churche and Anciente Fathers as to the wise and Learned it maie soone appeare yet neuerthelesse yée euermore make vaunte of your Antiquitie and fraie the world with a visarde of the Churche a shewe of Olde Fathers as if a poore Sommonere that had loste his Commission would serue Citations by the vertue of his emptie bore And thus haue ye set al your vaine fantasies in place of Goddes Churche and your Churche in place of God as by the woordes and witnesse of your owne Felowes I haue before shewed more at large For example Cardinal Cusanus saith Nulla sunt Christi Praecepta nisi quae per Ecclesiam pro talibus accepta sunt The Commaundementes of Christe are no Commaundementes Onlesse they be so allowed by the Churche Thus yée leaue Iuppiter and renne to Apollo or rather yée foresake God séeke to Man as it is written in the Prophete Hieremie Yee leaue the Fountaine of the Water of Life and rippe vp broken and filthy Cesternes that can holde no Water Tertullian thus vpbraideth the Heathens Apud vos de humano arbitratu Diuinitas pensitatur Emonge you the right of God is weighed by the iudgemente of menne But Clemens Alexandrinus saithe Quoniam ipsum Verbum ad nos venit de Coelo noÌ„ est nobis ampliùs eundum ad Humanam Doctrinam For so mutche as the Worde it selfe that is Christe is comme to vs from Heauen wee maie not nowe any more seeke vnto the Doctrine of Man Likewise S. Chrysostome saithe Fuisset extremae absurditatis eum qui edoctus fuerat à Deo postea cum hominibus communicate It had benne greate folie for S. Paule hauing receiued his Doctrine from God him selfe afterward to conferre thereof with menne that is to saie with Peter or Iames or with any others The Apologie Cap. 1. Diuision 3. Why I beseche you except a Councel wil and commaunde shal not Truthe be Truthe or God be God If Christe had meante to doo so from the beginninge as that he woulde preache or teache nothinge without the Bishoppes consente but referre al this Doctrine ouer to Annas Caiphas where shoulde nowe haue benne the Christian Faithe Or who at any time shoulde haue hearde the Gospel taught Peter verily whom the Pope hath oftener in his mouthe more reuerently vseth to speake of then he dooth of Iesus Christe did boldely stand against the Holy Councel saieing It is better to obey God then Men. And after yâ— Paule
Maister 487. Tovvardes the ende of the vvorld the people shal flee to the Scriptures 716. 721. Scriptures sufficiete to debate al doubtes 58. 59. 61. 62. 64. 69. The Scriptures of God muste be expounded by the Sprite of God 65. Searche the Scriptures 72. To selle Christe 292. Simple erroure 46. 50. A Priest maie not be deposed for simple fornication 362. 363. 364. 365. Simple fornication vvhether it bee sinne or no. 361. The Iudge of Sinne. 140. â—53 The vvorde of God forgeueth Sinnes 158. Sinne forgeueÌ„ vvithout CousesnoÌ„ 155. The Pope cannot coÌ„mitte Simonie 560. 561. 562. 563. Vnchaste single life vvorse then aduoutrie 170. Filthines maintained vnder the color of single life 167. 168. The Prieste forgeueth not Sinne. 154. Sinnes forgeuen by hearinge the vvoorde of God 138. The frutes of single life 187. 188. 189. Singeâ—s 98. Spiritual eating of Christes Bodie 271 272. 274. 280. Stevves in Rome 369. 370. 371. 373. Stubbernenesse 46. 50. 590. Substance 251. â—ubstance by M. Hardinges Iudgement signifieth Accidentes 253. Succession 127. Succession not sufficient 132. Succession in Peters Chaire 727. The Succession of Popes 131. 132. Christe vvas able to shevve no succession 128. The Pope hath his holinesse by Succession 39. Certaintie of Succession Ibidem Summus Sacerdos 526. 527. Superstitious choise of meates 270. Superintendents 597. Sursum corda vsed in the time of the holy mysteries 275. T. Temple 328. Theophylacte ansvvered 239. He that entreth not by the vvoorde of God is a Theefe 102. The Popes tyrannie ouer Princes 732. Tyrannie and crueltie in the Popes 79 Freere Ticelles Proclamation 34. Traditions 195. Vaine Traditions fathered vpon the Apostles 66. Tradition is the sense of the Scripture 72. Traditions and Errours cutte of by Goddes vvoorde 67. TraditioÌ„s equal vvith Gods vvord 195. Traditions vsed for the vvoorde of God 196. 197. Traditions broken 195. Tradition against the Scripture 65. 66 Traditions abused 66. Transubstantiation nevve and doubtful 237 238. Tridentine CouÌ„cel referred al to the Pope 634. Truthe deuoureth falsehed 585. Truthe blinded vvith falsehed 7. The Truthe stil a stranger 9. Truth il entreated sclaundered 4. 5 Truthe vvil conquere 284. Truthe preuaileth 731. The sprite of Truthe in Annas and Caiphas 621. V. Valentinian the Emperoure refused to heare Ecclesiastical causes 667. Venial sinnes remitted other vvaies then by the bloud of Christe 151. The Pope changeth vice into vertue 564. Vigilantius 13. The Churche is the Popes Vineyard 608. The perpetual virginitie of our Lady 200. The vitious life of the Romaine Clergie 358. I vvil no more drinke of this frute of the Vine expounded 262. One vniuersal Bishop 99. 122. Vniuersal povver coÌ„mitted no more to Peter then to Paule 124. An Vniuersitie in Rome 377. The Popes vauntinge of his vniuersal povver 125. Pope Gregorie refuseth the name of Vniuersal Bishop 124. Reasons for the Vniuersalitie of the Pope 100. 101. Vnitie a token of the Truthe 352. The Vniuersal Churche dependeth on the Pope 452. The Vniuersal church maie faile 450 Vnitie amonge the vvicked 352. The Vnitie of the Churche reasteth not in one Christe but in one Pope 100. 466. 467. Pride it selfe desireth Vnitie 100. Ministers Vnlearned 602. The Romaine clergie Vnlearned 601. 602. A Vovve simple or solemne 499. Vovve annexed vnto holy orders 171. Volusianê° the Bishop of Carthage 366 VV. VVater vvas not water but bloud 246 VVatches 13. VVeemen changed into men 380. VVicked men commended 421. The VVicked eate not the Body of Christe 210. 241. 273. 349. 586. The VVicked receiue the Body of Christe in vvhat sense 210. VVilful stubbernenesse 435. VVitenberg 391. A poore husbandman bringinge the VVoorde of God ought to be beleeued before Pope or CouÌ„cel 611. The Authoritie of Gods VVoord 194 Z. Zele and griefe of minde against the enimies of God 3. FINIS 1. Timoth. 4. Roman 1. Confu fol. 334. a. Conful fol. 285. b. Confuta 324. b. Confut. 204. b. Confut. 306. b. Confut. fol 280. a. Et 305. b. Confu fol. 247. b Confu fol. 248. b. Confu fol. 178. b. Confut at Folio 178. b. Confutat Fol. 182. a. Confut. Fol. 182. b. M. Harding Fol. 340. b. M. Harding Fol. 318. b. Prouer. 8. Iohn 19. Roman 13. Dorman Fol. 15. Stanislaus Orâ—chouius in Châ—maera Fol. 97. M. Harding Fol. 298. a. Confuta 277. Confut. 328. a. Confuta 172. b. Reioind 314. Confut. 87. a. Confut. 269. b. Reioind 42. a. Confut. 43. a. Confut a. 269. a. 323. b. 334. a. 338. a. 348. b. Confu fol 175. a. 2. Cor. 6. Augu. in Psal 33 M. Hard. in his Answeare to the Chalenge Fol. â—08 b. Confut. 46. a. Confuta 312. b. Dorman Fol. 22. Dorman Fol. 24. Dorman in his Requeste Fol. 13. Confut. 47. a. Reioind Fol. 287. a. Reioind Fol. 287. a. 1. Corin. 6. Confut. 332. a. 2 Corin. 11. 2. Tim. 2. Matthae 24. 2. Tim. 2. Iohan. 10. Roman 8. Esai 30. M. Harding fol. 334. b. Alphons lib. 1. Cap. 4. Confu Fol. 16. b. Fol. 261. b. Reioind In 〈◊〉 Preface to 〈◊〉 Reader * iij * iiij a. * iiij b. ** ij a. Reioind In 〈◊〉 Preface to 〈◊〉 Iewel 〈◊〉 Confuâ— 212 〈◊〉 Reioind in 〈◊〉 Preface to 〈◊〉 Reader M Har. in his Answeare Artic. 15. Diui. 7. Hierony in Esaiam lib. 9. ca. 30. August De Tempore Sermon 145. August in quaeâ—ion Veter Testamen quaest 43. Hilar. in Psal 1. Tertull. in Apologetico Eccles 2. The deâ—enders likened to Esopes Asse The vvonte of all Herctiques Heretiques likened to Apes The name and reputation of the Churche chalenged by Heretiques In epist ad IubainuÌ„ de Haereticis baptizaÌ„dis De praescript haeret Contra Constantium August contra epist Parmen lib. 2. cap. 1. Bernard in caÌ„t Sermo 66. Apostolici VVhat meane Heretiques by chalenginge vnto them the name and estimation of the Churche 2. Cor. 11. The estimation and auctoritie of the Church Lucae 10. Matth. 18. 1. Tim. 3. Ephes 1. Oseae 2. Psalm 131. Gene. â— In comment in epist ad Tir. cap. 3. The vvonte of the Gospellers being excommunicate out of the Church 1. Timot. 3. Ephes 1. Iohan. 8. Hierem. 7. Hierem. 18. De Maior Obedi vnam Sanctam Dist 22. Omnes Leo Epist 83. Ad Palaestinos Cypri De Simplicitate praela Esaâ— 1. Matth. 3. Matthae 23. Iohan. 8. August Lib. 2. De Sermon Domâ— in monte Iohan. 5. Ephe. 1. 1. Timo. 3. Irenae Lib. 3. Cap. 11. August De vnita Eccle. Cap. 3. August in eodeÌ„ Cap. Chrysostom In Opere Imperfecto Homi. 49. Chrysostom in eadem Homilia Daniel 9. Matth. 24. Iohan. 3. Prouerb 26. Numer 22. a Augustinus Steuchus de Primatu b See the fifthe parte hereof the 6. Cap. and. 15. Diuision Tertull. in Apologetico Iohan. 8. Cornel. Tacitâ—â— Marion ex Tertul. Aelius è LactaÌ„s Euseb Li. 5. C. 11. Tertul. in Apologe Tertull. in Apolo Cap. 3. Suetonius TraÌ„quil in Nerone 1. Corinth 11. De Vtilita Credendi ad HonoratuÌ„ Lib. 1. Ca. 1. CoÌ„fess li. 5. ca. 6. Matth.
with their owne Traditions and Truthe with Falsehed maketh moste plainely against your selfe For you knowe that this is the general compiainte of al the Godly this daye throughout the whole Churche of God that you haue mingled your Leade with the Lordes Goulde and haue filled the Lordes Haruest ful of your Darnel that you haue broken Goddes manifest cōmaundementes to vpholde mainteine your owne Traditions That you haue damned vp the Springes of the Water of Life haue broken vp puddles of your owne suche as be hable to holde no water That for your dreames sake you haue caused the people to forgeat the name of God haue ledde them from that simplicitie that is in Christ Iesu This is the mingling of Traditions with the Scriptures of God I marueile ye coulde so fréely vtter so muche and so directly against your selfe As for the example of the Manicheis it was vtterly impertinent and from the purpose Yet Good Reader that thou maiste vnderstande what manner of Heretiques theise Manicheis were and what errours they defended first thy forebade lawful mariage and allowed fornication as M. Hardinges Catholiques doo nowe So saith S. Augustine of them Nuptiarum aditus intercludunt promiscu◠conuenire hortantur Secondly they receiued ministred the Holy Mysteries vnder one kinde contrary to the general order of the Catholique Churche And so doeth M. Harding now Thirdly they yelded more credite to their owne diuises then to Goddes Holy woorde And where as the Scriptures were plaine against them they saide euen as M. Hardinge saithe the Scriptures were falsified and ful of errours Fourthly they abstained from fleashe and yet in their faste they had vsed al manner delicate and strange fruites with sundrie sortes of Spices in greate abundance They absteined from Wine yet vsed other liquours more deintie and pretious then any Wine and thereof dranke while their bellies would holde S. Augustines woordes thereof be these Distenti et crepantes I leaue the rest Nowe iudge thou gentle Reader whether partie séemeth best to resemble the Manichets But whereas he thus vpbraideth vs By their fruites ye shal knowe them Verily whiles the Bishop of Rome euen in the Cittie of Rome mainteineth his houses of Ribaudrie and open Stewes and M. Hardinge is ready hable by his eloquence and Diuinitie to defende the same they haue no iuste cause greatly to boaste them selues of their fruites Howe be it it maye be thought Christ gaue vs this lesson not thereby to trie the true Doctrine from the false but a true professour from an Hypocrite Otherwise our liues muste be tried by the Gospel not the Gospel by our liues Nowe let vs examine that Horrible Heresie that M. Hardinge hathe espied in the Rules of Rhetorique by whiche saithe he the Secretaries vnskil is betraied euen in the foreheade of our Booke This entrie saithe M. Hardinge touchinge the complainte of Truthe is so indifferent and common to bothe the parties that either maie vse it as wel as other Whiche kinde of beginninge saithe he is called Exordium commune and by the learned in Rhetorique is misliked as faultie First of al M. Hardinge this séemeth to me a strange kinde of beginninge in so déepe a disputation of Diuinitie to make your first quarrel vnto Rhetorique Bilike for lacke of better Entrie ye thought it good to rushe in as you might In déede either of vs maie séeme to stande in defence of Truthe I denie it not For as we haue the substance and Truthe it selfe so are you contente to claime the name And so far forthe Truthe is common to vs bothe So the wicked Heathens Celsus Antiphon notwithstandinge they published their Bookes against the Truthe yet they entituled the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Booke of Truthe S. Hierome saithe Mendacium semper imitatur Veritatem Falshed euermore beareth a shewe of Truthe In this sorte Truthe is common to either partie Origen saithe Veritas Christus simulata Veritas Antichristus Christ is the Truth it selfe Antichrist is the Truth countrefeite Al this notwithstandinge Christ refused not to vse the same kinde of entrie that M. Hardinge so muche mistiketh but saide vnto the Phariseis Ye seeke to minder me a man that haue tolde you the Truthe And S. Paule to the Romaines saithe They haue turned the Truthe of God into falshed The like might I saie of Tertullian Cyprian and other Fathers Yet I trowe M. Hardinge wil not therfore reproue either Christ or Paule or Tertullian or Cyprian nor saie they vsed suche a Beginninge as their aduersaries might haue vsed as wel as they and had forgotten their Rules of Rhetorique Lothe I am so longe to stande in so light a mater But I marueile mutche that M. Harding being so great an Artificer in so smal cases had no better eie to his owne Entrie For if in writing the Defence of Truthe it be a faulte in Rhetorique to beginne with the il intreatinge cōplainte of Truthe what then may we thinke it to be in the Defence of manifest knowen errour to beginne as M. Hardinge dooth with Whoores with Théeues with Apes with Asses with Children of the Diuel and with many other like vnséemely scoffes and scornes What Rhetorique what Eloquence what Arte what Skil is this What Oratour euer vsed it what Rhetorician what Sophiste Gréeke or Latine euer taught it Verily this was sometime accoūpted an old rule in Rhetorique which it séemeth M. Hardinge had quite forgotten Scurrilis Oratori dicacitas magnoperé fugienda est This Secretaries Beginninge by M. Hardinges owne confession is sutche as either partie indifferently might wel haue vsed But M. Hardinges Beginninge is sutche as neither partie with any modestie might haue vsed M. Hardinge also might haue remembred that the skilful in Rhetorique as they mislike Exordium Commune so they also mislike Commune Argumentum that is a Reason or Proufe so Common that it may indifferently serue bothe parties Whiche kinde of proufes if M. Hardinge woulde haue wéeded out of his Bookes he should haue lefte very litle to trouble the Printer Where he saithe in grosse that our Apologie is nothing els but a lumpe of Lyes the Truthe therof I trust shal appeare by this Treatie In the meane season good Christian Reader it may please thée to consider that M. Hardinges mouth is no iuste measure in this behalfe For some men thinke it wil oftentimes vtter vntruthe without measure But he saithe we haue falsified Tertullians meaninge placinge this woorde Ignotos in stéede of Extraneos and so at our pleasure makinge exchange of woordes and geuinge the olde Father a newe Liuerie and thereby empairinge our whole credite A greate outcrie in so smal a matter This greate exchange of woordes is nothinge so haynous as it is pretended For bothe Ignotus is Extraneus and Extraneus also in Tertullians meaninge is Ignotus And M. Hardinge wel
conclude what if he be vtterly ignorant as many haue benne and cannot Féede Yet must he needes be the headshepheard ouer the whole flocke and must al the shéepe obey him and heare his voyce that cannot speake Verily S. Augustine saithe Qui hoc animo pascunt oues Christi vt suas velint esse non Christi se conuincuntur amare non Christum vel gloriandi vel dominandi vel acquirendi cupiditate Who so euer they be that Feede the sheepe to the ende to make them theirs and not Christes they soue them selues and not Christe for desire either of glorie or of rule or of gaine The Apologie Cap. 2. Diuision 8. That we set naught by the authoritie of the Auncient Fathers and Councels of olde time that we haue rashly and presumptuously disanulled the olde Ceremonies whiche haue benne wel allowed by our fathers and forefathers many hundred yeeres past both by good customes and also in ages of more puritie and that we haue by our owne priuate head without the authoritie of any Sacred General Councel brought Newe Traditions into the Churche haue donne al these thinges not for Religions sake but onely vpon a desire of contention and strife But that they for their parte haue chaunged no manner of thinge but haue helde kepte stil sutche a number of yeres to this very day al thinges as they were deliuered from the Apostles and wel approued by the most Auncient Fathers M. Hardinge The auncient fathers are but men if they please you not But if ye finde anie colour of aduantage but in the newe Schoolemen ye make mutche of it So that your owne opinion is the rule to esteeme them or despise them Councles ye admitte as your phansie and pleasure leadeth sometimes three sometimes foure sometimes fiue or sixe But al ye would neuer admitte and yet so many as are general and haue bene confirmed by the See Apostolike they are al of like authoritie Concerninge Ceremonies if ye shewe vs not the vse of Chrisme in your Churches if the signe of the Crosse be not borne before you in Processions and other where 's vsed if Holy VVater be abolished if lightes at the Gospel and communion be not had if peculiar Vestimentes for Deacons Priestes Byshoppes be taken awaie and many suche other the like iudge ye whether ye haue duely kepte the old Ceremonies of the Churche As for your newe Traditions Pâ—ites and Ceremonies I can not tel what to make of them nor whether I maye so terme them No manner of thinge haue we changed that is of necessitie either to be beleued or to be obserued The B. of Sarisburie Wée allowe the Auncient Fathers the same credite that they them selues haue euer desired S. Augustine hereof writeth thus Neque quorumuis Disputationes quantumuis Catholicorum laudatorum hominum velut Scripturas Canonicas habere debemus vt nobis non liceat salua reuerentia quae illis debetur aliquid in illorum Scriptis improbare aut respuere si fortè inuenerimus quòd aliter senserint quà m Veritas habet Talis sum ego in scriptis aliorum tales volo esse intellectores meorum We receiue not the Disputations or VVritinges of any menne be they neuer so Catholique or praise-woorthy as wee receiue the Canonical Scriptures but that sauinge the reuerence dewe vnto them wee may wel reproue or refuse some thinges in theire writinges if it happen wee finde they haue otherwise thought then the Truthe may beare them â—utche am I in the writinges of others and sutche would I wishe others to be in mine Likewise he writeth to S. Hierome Non puto Frater te velle Libros tuos legi tanquam Apostolorum aut Prophetarum I recken not my Brother that ye would haue vs so to reade your Bookes as if they were written by the Apostles or Prophetes It is certaine Tertullian EEyprian Clemens Alexandrinus Papias Irenaeus Victorinus Lactautius Hilarius other Ancient Fathers were oftentimes mutch deceiued S. Hierome sâ—â—ffeth at S. Ambroses Commentaries vpon Luke and calleth them Nugas trifles and nicknameth S. Ambrose sometime callinge him Coruus sometime Cornicula Likewise S. Augustine saithe Ecclesiastici Iudices vt homines plaerunque falluntur The Iudges or Doctours of the Churche as beinge men are often deceiued And Thomas of Aquine saithe Non tenemur de necessitate Salutis credere noÌ„ solùm Doctoribus Ecclesiae vt Hieronymo aut Augustino sed ne ipsi quidem Ecclesiae nisi in his quae pertinent ad substantiam Fidei Wee are not bounde vpon the necessitie of Saluation to beleue not onely the Doctours of the Churche as Hierome or Augustine but also neither the Churche it selfe sauinge onely in maters concerninge the substane of Faithe Touchinge the authoritie of Councels S. Augustine saithe Ipsa plenaria Concilia saepè priora à posterioribus emendantur cùm aliquo experimento aperitur quod clausum eâ—at The very General Councels are often corrected the former by the later as often as by trial and experience the thing is opened that before was shut Likewise Panormitane saithe Plus credendum est vni priuato fideli quà m toti Concilio Papae si meliorem habeat authoritatem vel rationem Wee ought to geue more credite to one priuate â—aye man then to the whose Councel and to the Pope if he bringe better authoritie and more reason If the Counsel be wicked and carried with malice as many haue benne specially within these fewe late hundred yeres We saie as the Prophete Esai saithe Inite Consilium dissipabitur Loquimini verbum non stabit quia nobiscum est Dominus Take Counsel togeather and it shal be broken Speake the woorde and it shal not holde For the Lorde is with vs. As for the late Schole Doctours your selues weigh them as litle as noman lesse You say in youre common talkes Bernardus noÌ„ vidit omnia You haue controlled your Doctour of al Doctours Peter Lombard with this common Caueat in the Margine Hic Magister non tenetur Here our Doctour is no Doctour You your selfe M. Hardinge in this youre very Booke against our Apologie sate that your Doctor Gratian was deceiued and in stéede of Anacletus alleged Calixtus You youre selfe againe saie If in a secrete pointe of learninge S. Augustine or S. Cyprian teache singularely Wee folowe them not mutche lesse do wee binde our selues to beeue what soeuer â—lbertus Pigghius hath written And againe VVee binde our selues neither to the woordes of Syluester nor of Pighius And againe wee take not vpon vs to defende al that the Canonistes or Scholemen saie or write And an other of your companie saieth that your Doctour Gratian hath published great vntruthes wilfully falsified the General Councel Nomen Vniuer salis saithe he assutum est à Gratiano Thus M. Hardinge ye vse your Doctours euen as the Marchante vseth his Counters sometime to stande for an hundred pounde
heades without the Authoritie and witnesses of the Scriptures as though they came by Tradition from the Apostles He that compareth this place with your flsified allegation maie sone espie greate oddes betwene them For ye make S. Hierome to saie that al those thinges whiche without the Testimonies of Scriptures are holde so your allowed interpreter tourneth Asseruntur as deliuered from the Apostles be throughly smitten downe by the Swerde of Goddes VVoorde By this Swerde of your Goddes Woorde ye woulde quite smite downe al Apostolike Traditions at a blowe But thanked be God that your Swerde is a forged Swerde a paper Swerde a Swerde that neither with Edge cutteth nor with weight beareth downe S. Hierome putteth not al thinges whiche we haue by Tradition from the Apostles without the expresse Scriptures to the Swerde of Goddes Woorde He speaketh not Generally His woorde is Alia other thinges and ye make it Omnia al thinges Againe he speaketh of sutche thinges as be deuised and fained by Heretikes of theire owne braine without Authoritie and Testimonies of the Scriptures vnto whiche they geue Estimation as though they came by Tradition from the Apostles These circumstances and exaggerations doo ye omitte and saye that S. Hierome putteth al Apostolike Traditions to that dreadful Swerde of Goddes VVorde Nowe what S. Hierome saithe wee holde with it and allowe it wel But your saienge we refuse as falsely fathered vpon S. Hierome VVhat he condemneth we condemne Neither can that place be iustly alleaged againste vs For we inuente not no fame not any thinges of our own accorde or of our owne heades as though they were deliuered by the Apostles besides the Scriptures that is the parte of Heretikes specially of the Tatians as in that place S. Hierome saithe VVe finde deuise and faine nothinge in the Catholike Religion We doo but kepe and mainteine thinges Deuised by the Holy Ghoste and leafte to the Churche by the Apostles or by Apostolike men or by the Generall Councelles whose Authoritie is in the Churche most healthful saithe S. Austine But concerninge the force whiche the consent of the Fathers had in the iudgement of S. Hierome it appeareth in his Epistle to Euagrius where by the Authoritie of the Auncient Doctours before his time he proueth against an Heretike that Melchisedech was a man of the Lande of Chanaan and not the Holy Ghost The B. of Sarisburie Faine would M. Hardinge haue his Reader beleeue that wée vtterly despise al Holy Fathers But wée despise them not M. Hardinge as maye partely appeare by that wee haue already saide Wée reade theire woorkes wée reuerence them wée geue God thankes for them wée calle them the Pillers the Lightes the Fathers of Goddes Churche wée despise them not This thinge onely wée saye Were theire Learninge and Holinesse neuer so greate yet be they not equal in credite with the Scriptures of God Thus also saithe S. Augustine Nos nullam Cypriano facimus iniuriam cùm eius quaâ—â—ibet literas à Canonica Diuinarum Scripturarum Authoritate distinguimus Wee offer no wronge to S. Cyprian when wee seuer any his Letters or Writinges from the Canonical Authoritie of the Holy Scriptures And againe ioininge al the Doctours and â—athers togeather he saithe thus Ipse mihi pro his omnibus imò supra hos omnes Apostolus Paulus occurrit Ad ipsum confugio ad ipsum ab omnibus qui aliter sentìunt literarum tractatoribus prouoco In steede of al these Learned Fathers or iather aboue them al Paule the Apostle commeth to my minde To him I renne To him I appeale from al manner Writers Doctours and Fathers that thinke otherwise So likewise S. Hierome Ego Originem propter cruditionem sic interdum legendum arbitror quomodo Tertullianum Nouatum Arnobium Apollinarium nonnullos Ecclesiasticos Scriptores Graecos pariter Latinos vt bona eorum eligamus vitemúsque contraria I thinke that the Auncient Father Origen in respecte of his Learninge maye be readde sometimes as Tertullian Nouatus Arnobius Appollinarius and sundrie other Ecclesiastical VVriters as wel Greekes as Latines that in them wee maye take the good and flee the contrarie Of this iudgemente were S. Augustine S. Hierome and sundrie others whose woordes for shortnesse I passe ouer yet were they not therefore condemned as despisers of the Holy Learned Fathers Wée remoue you not as you saye from your holde M. Hardinge This is nothinge els but a courrage of your countenaunce The Fathers ye speake of are against you I trust it appeareth already by your former writinges that in the Special cases that lie bitwéene vs ye haue but fewe Fathers to holde by Ye saye Wée euermore calle you to the Scriptures This faulte I hope is not so hainous Christe hathe commaunded vs so to doo Searche ye saithe Christe the Scriptures And S. Hilarie saithe vnto the Emperoure Constantius Fidem Imperator quaeris Audi eam non denouis chartulis sed de Dei Libris Doothe youR Maiestie seeke the Faithe Heare it then not out of any newe scrolles but out of the Bookes of God He is rather to be suspected that fléeth the light and wil not be iudged by the Scriptures When the Scriptures be darke and doubteful are alleged of bothe partes then ye saie ye refuse not the Vmpéereship and iudgemente of the Holy Ghoste But ye adde farther The Holy Ghost is promised onely to the Churche Nowe by your opinion there is no Churche but the Churche of Roome And the Churche of Roome is no Churche without the Pope For one of your greate Doctours saithe Potestas Papae solius excedit potestatem totius residuae Ecclesiae The Popes onely power passethe al the power of the whole Churche bisides And an other like Doctour saithe Papa virtualiter est tota Ecclesia The Pope by power and vertue is the whole Churche And thus your reason goethe round aboute à Primo ad vltimum Ergo There is neither Holy Ghoste nor Interpretation or sense of the Scriptures but onely in the Pope This is Summa Summarum whiche thinge being graunted what should a man séeke any farther The whole mater is at an ende It is true As the Scriptures were written by the Sprite of God so must they be expounded by the same For without that Sprite wée haue neither eares to heare nor eies to sée It is that Sprite that openethe and noman shuttethe the same shuttethe and noman openethe The same Sprite prepared and opened the Silk womans harte that shée shoulde geue eare to and consider the thinges that were spoken by S. Paule And in respecte of this sprite the Prophete Esai saithe Erunt omnes docti à Deo They shal be al taught of God But God hathe not bounde him selfe that this Sprite should euermore dwel in Rome but vpon the lowly and humble harted that tremblethe at the Woorde of God Chrysostome saithe Qui propria loquuntur â–ª falsò
doo the very two lines nexte folowinge muste néedes make you blushe at your owne errour The woordes are these Haec autem vniuersa quae dixi possunt de Ecclesiae Rectoribus intelligi Al these thinges that I haue spoken maye be vnderstanded of the Rulers of the Churche Tel vs nomore therefore M. Hardinge of your Tatians For S. Hierome him selfe telleth you he meante not onely them but also the Bishoppes and Rulers of the Churche And a little before he saithe Inferrur gladius super Montes eleuantes se aduersus scientiam Dei The Swerde of Goddes Woorde is laide vpon the Mountaines that lifte them selues vp againste the knowledge of God In this sense writeth S. Cyprian Si ad Diuinae Traditionis Caput Originem reuertamur cessat omnis error humanus Yf wee returne to the Head and beginninge of our Lordes Tradition al errour of Man muste needes geue place In like sense also writeth Tertullian Ipsa Doctrina Haereticorum cum Apostolica comparata ex diuersitate contrarietate sua pronuntiabit neque Apostoli alicuius Authoris esse neque Apostolici The verie Doctrine of Heretiques compared with the Apostles Doctrine by the diuersitie and contrarietie that is bitweene that and the other wil soone pronounce sentence of it selfe that neither Apostle nor Apostolique man was authour of it Euen thus it fareth M. Hardinge with a greate heape of your Doctrine Ye saie ye haue it by Tradition from the Apostles Yet is it vtterly voide of al authoritie or testimonie of the Scriptures And therefore as S. Hierome saithe it is consumed striken downe in the Conscience of the Godly by the onely Swerde of Goddes Holy Woorde as our eies sée this daye and beinge compared with the Apostles Doctrine the difference contrarietie is so greate it easily bewraieth it selfe as Tertullian saithe that it neuer came from any Apostle nor from any other Apostolique Doctour of the Churche The Apologie Cap. 9. Diuision 4. S. Ambrose also to Gratian the Emperour Let the Scripture saithe he be asked the question lette the Prophetes be asked and let Christe be asked For at that time made the Catholique Fathers and Bishoppes no doubte but that our Religion mighte be prooued out of the Holy Scriptures Neither were they euer so hardy to take any for an Heretique whose errour they coulde not euidently and apparantly reprooue by the selfe same Scriptures And wee verily doo make answeare on this wise as S. Paule did Accordinge to this waye whiche they calle Heresie wee doo woorshippe God and the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christe and doo allowe al thinges whiche haue benne written either in the Lawe or in the Prophetes or in the Apostles Woorkes M. Hardinge Gratian the Emperour bucklinge him selfe as it were to encounter with the Heretike at the firste he geueth meaninge to al to be ware of him for that he endeuoureth to prooue his false Doctrine namely for the first pointe that the Sonne is vnlike the Father Versutis disputationibus VVith suttel and craftie reasoninges He alleageth to that purpose S. Paule to the Colossians Cauere ue quis vos depraedetur pes Philosophiam Beware that no man spoile you through Philosophie and vaine deceit c. For saithe be these Heretikes put al the force of theire poisons in Logike or Dialectical disputation whiche by the opinion of Philosophers is desined not to haue power to prooue but an earnest desire to destroie and disproue Hauinge geuen this holesome warninge lest him selfe might seeme to vse that whiche he counselleth others to beware of to withde awe the Emperour and al other from the guileful Logike of Arius at his firste entrie he saithe I wil not that thou geue credite Holy Emperour to argument and to our Disputation then folowe the woordes Whereof the Defenders take holde Scripturas interrogemus c. Let vs aske the Scriptures let vs aske the Apostles let vs aske the Prophetes let vs aske Christe VVhat neede many woordes let vs aske the Father c. And to this pointe of our beleefe whiche is very highe and secrete is that sayinge of S. Ambrose to be restrained But that for confirmation of the Truthe in pointes whiche be nearer to common sense and for confutation of those Heresies whiche be of lesse subteltie of whiche sorte these Gospellers grosse errours be to this ende that wee ought not to vse the Testimonies of the Holy Fathers against Heretikes for whiche purpose they alleage this place S. Ambrose neither in al that Booke neither in al his woorkes speaketh so muche as one woorde But contrarie wise in sundry places of that woorke be alleageth the auctoritie of the Nicene Councel as a Testimonie of good force against the Arians and declareth a diuine Mysterie to haue benne signified by suche special number of the Fathers there assembled Sayinge Sic nempe nostri secundum Scripturas dixerunt Patres Euen thus accordinge to the Scriptures haue the Fathers saide Seruemus Praecepta maiorum c. Let vs keepe the Preceptes of our Forefathers neither with Temeritie of rude boldnes let vs breake the Hereditarie Seales he meaneth the Doctrine sealed by the Fathers and left to the posteritie as it were by Heritage VVhiche of vs wil be so hardy as to vnseale the Priestly Booke sealed by the Confessours and nowe consecrated with the Martyrdome of many a one Lo heare ye not Sirs howe muche S. Ambrose is against you And though he saye touchinge this Mysteries Let vs aske the Scriptures Apostles Prophetes and Christe yet thereby dothe he not quite exclude the Fathers He saithe not let vs reiect the Fathers The Scriptures and the Fathers be not contrary and therefore thallowinge of them is not the disalowinge of these VVho so euer maketh this argument whiche in your VVoorde is implied The Scriptures are to be asked Ergo the Holy Fathers are not to be asked maketh a foolishe argument The B. of Sarisburie The greattest forte hereof is answeared already S. Ambrose ye saye by this appeale to the Scriptures excludeth not the iudgement of the Learned Fathers but onely the cauâ—â—lations and subtileties of Philosophers and Sophisters For S. Ambrose him selfe is the same treatie often allegeth the Authoritie of the Fathers Al this M. Hardinge is true in deede â–ª Notwithstandinge there is a certaine secrete Vntruthe lapped in it For S. Ambrose allegeth the Fathers not as Groundes or Principles or Fundations of the Faithe but onely as Interpreters or Witnesses or Consenters vnto the Faithe Whiche thinge of our parte was neuer denied Nowe whether S. Ambrose meante thus or no let S. Ambrose him selfe he the Iudge His woordes be these Sic nempe nostri secundum Scripturas dixerunt Patres Thus haue our Fathers saide not of them selues but accordinge to the Scriptures He allegeth the Fathers not as hauinge sufficient credite and substance in them selues but onely as Expounders and Interpreters of the Scriptures So saithe the godly
it is a Bastarde Epistle and not written by S. Iames. Likewise S. Hierome saithe Epistola Iacobi ab alio quopiam sub eius nomine edita asseritur It is saide that the Epistle of S. Iames was set foorthe by somme other man vnder his name This therefore is no Newe fantasie but the Iudgemente of the Ancient Learned Fathers Neuerthelesse wee doo bothe receiue the same Epistle and also reade it in Oure Churches and allowe euery Clause and Sentence that therein is written M. Hardinge saithe If yee haue this Lighte of the Scriptures before your eies howe is it that yee agree no better emongest your selues And here he reckeneth vp by rote a many of names of his owne makinge Lutherans Zuinglians Arians Osiandrians Libertines Adiaphoristes Anabaptistes Caluinistes and Sathanistes In whiche his so pleasante fansie he maie haue leaue to sporte him selfe while he listeth God be thanked wée agrée thorowly togeather in the whole Substance of the Religion of Christe and altogeather with one harte and one Sprite doo glorifie God the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christe Certainely S. Augustine S. Hierome S. Chrysostome Epiphanius and Theophilus as it appeareth by theire writinges agreed no better togeather in theire time then wee doo nowe Yet had they and euery of them the Woorde of God and the same Woorde of God was a Light vnto their feete It was not for any greate stoare of better mater I trowe that M. Hardinge thus chargeth vs with so often changinge the Communion Booke For of more then of one Onely Change he cannot tel vs. And if there had benne lesse then that there had benne no change at al. And yet for that One change he him selfe in the meane season hath changed thrise But the Holy Communion Booke and the Order of the Holy Ministration standeth and by Goddes Mercie shal stand stil without any further Change How be it Gentle Reader if thou wilt knowe the often Alterations and Changes of the Masse reade I beseche thée Platyna and Polydore Vergil touchinge the same There shalte thou finde howe and by whome and vpon what occasion and in what processe of time al the partes of the Masse were peeced and sette togeather and that in the space of seuen hundred whole yéeres scarcely and with mutche adoo it was made vp at laste and brought to somme perfection Christes Commaundement of Hearinge the Churche is answeared before S. Augustine saithe Credimus Sanctam Ecclesiam non Credimus in Sanctam Ecclesiam VVee beleeue that there is a Holy Churche But wee Beleue not in the Holy Churche For the Churche is not God nor is hable of her selfe to make or alter any one Article of the Faithe The Prophete Esay saithe Ad Legem potiùs ad Testimonium Si non responderint secundum Verbum hoc non erit illis Lux Matutina To the Lawe rather and to the Testimonie If they answeare not accordinge to this VVoorde they shal haue no Morninge Light M. Hardinge saithe further If quietnesse of Conscience comme of the VVoorde of God onely then had Abel no more quietnesse of Conscience then wicked restlesse Cain Then should Paule the Eremite and Antonie and Hilarion and Pambus and other Holy menne liuinge in Wildernesse without Letters haue had no reste ne quiet at theire hartes And why so Bicause they had no Woorde written Who woulde thinke that M. Hardinge bearinge sutche a countenance of Diuinitie woulde thus goe aboute to deceiue him selfe with a pointe of Sophistrie Chrysostome saithe Deus Conditor Humani Generis ab initio per seipsum homibus loquebatur God the Creatour of Mankinde froÌ„ the beginninge spake vnto menne by him selfe in his owne personne And S. Paule saithe Deus olim multifarià m multisquemodis Patribê° locutus est In Old times God spake many vvaies and in sundrie sortes vnto the Fathers And doothe M. Hardinge thinke when God him selfe in his owne personne and presently spake vnto Abel that Abel bearde not then the Woorde of God Wée speake not so precisely and nicely of Goddes Woorde written in Paper For so it is a Creature Corruptible and shal consume and perishe as other Corruptible Creatures doo But the VVoorde of God whiche wée speake of endureth for euer S. Hierome saithe Quomodò Aeternae erunt Scripturae Diuinae si Mundus certo fine est terminandus Verum est quidem quòd Librorum pelliculae cum ipsis Literis abolendae sunt Sed quia subiungit DnÌ„s Verba verò mea non praeteribunt proculdubio quod illis apicibus pollicetur erit Aeternum Howe shal the Holy Scriptures he Euerlastinge seeinge the Worlde shal haue on ende True it is that the parchement or leaues of the Bookes with the letters and al shal be abolished But for as mutche as our Lorde addeth My Woordes shal neuer passe doubtelesse though the Papers and Letters perishe yet the thinge that is promised by the same letters shal laste for euer So Chrysostome saithe Paulus Praedicationem non Scripâ—am appellat Euangelium Preachinge not vvritten Paule calleth the Gospel That M. Hardinge addeth of Antonius and Paulus Hilarion other Eremites that they liued in Wildernesse vvithout Letters and therefore presumeth they liued vvithout the VVoorde of God it is very vnaduisedly spoken and vtterly vntrue For proufe whereof to name onely One in stéede of the reste S. Augustine saithe that Antonius the Eremite was notably Learned and perfite in the Scriptures His woordes be these Antonius sine vlla scientia Literarum Scripturas Diuinas memoriter audiendo tenuisse prudenter cogitando intellexisse praedicatur It is reported that Antonius without knowledge of Letter bothe Learned the Holy Scriptures and bare them vvel in minde by hearinge and also by Wisedome and studie vnderstoode them And whereas M. Hardinge woulde séeme to make sutche an accoumpte of Praier and Holinesse without knowledge S. Augustine saithe Lectio sine Meditatione arida est Meditatio sine Lectione erronea est Oratio sine Meditatione tepida est Readinge without Meditation or studie is drie and barren Meditation or studie vvithout Readinge is erroneous And Praier without Cogitation or studie is halfe colde and vnfruiteful Thus wée sée by S. Augustines Iudgement that the Force and Substance bothe of Praier and of Meditation dependeth of Readinge How be it what Comforte and peace of Conscience wée haue by Hearinge the Woorde of God S. Paule can tel vs somewhat better then M. Hardinge Thus he saithe Quaecunque Scripta sunt c. What so euer thinges are written they are written for our learninge that by Patience and Comforte of the Scriptures we maye haue hope Euen so saithe Christe him selfe O Father this is the Euerlastinge Life that they maye know thee the onely and very God and Iesus Christe whome thou haste sente But S. Paule saithe Keepe the Traditions whiche ye haue receiued either by Epistle or by VVoorde And S.
Proselytes Whereas in deede he was amere altene and a stranger to the House of Israel and a very tyrannous Vsurper of the Crowne as beinge lineally descended not from Iacob but from Esau But ye saie You haue keapte and preserued the Scriptures in your Libraries in veleme and I trowe in letters of golde Euen in like sorte and with like truthe ye might saie that you haue keapte the Sonne and the Moone and had it not benne for your kéepinge they had benne loste It was God M. Hardinge that of his Mercie preserued his Holy VVorde euē as he preserued Daniel in the Caue of Lions Ionas in the Whales belly The three Children in the middes of the flaming Fire Yée kéepe the Scriptures as the Dogge keepeth the haie whiche neither eateth it him selfe nor suffereth the poore hungrie cattle that faine woulde eate it Yée kéepe thē in warde in duste moulde as the Ievves before the time of Kinge Iosias keapte the Booke of Deuteronomie closely in the corners or emongest the treasures of the Temple so the noman knewe where to finde it Had it not benne for Goddes special prouidence notwithstandinge your kéepinge they might haue perished S. Chrysostome saithe Nunc neque an sint Scripturae quidam sciunt Spiritus tamen ita dispēsauit vt custodiantur Now a daies there are somme that cannot tel whether there be any Scriptures or no. Yet hath the Sprite of God so prouided that they are stil preserued Thus the Ievves made theire vauntes that they were the keepers of the Lavve that the Christians had al of them S. Augustine saith Iudaei dicūt non Nostra nos Lege vti sed Sua The Ievves saie That wee haue no Lawe of our owne but onely theires Likewise euē at this daie the Iewes keepe vse the Lavve of God with al reuerence They neuer laie any other Booke vpon the Bible Thei wasshe theire handes before they touche it They wil not sit vpon the benche where the Bible lieth As often as they either open it or shutte it they vse to kisse it when the Pope goeth through Rome to his Palace of Laterane the Ievves méete him vpō the waie and offer him the Bible and desire him reuerently to embrace it as though the Pope coulde haue no Bible but onely of them Al these thinges notwithstandinge the Pope answeareth them of course euen as wée maie answeare you Sanctam Legem viri Hebraei laudamus veneramur obseruantiā verò vestram vanam interpretationem damnamus improbamus Ye menne of the Ievves Profession wee praise and honoure the Holy Lavve But your Tradition and vaine Interpretation wee vtterly condemne and reproue For Chrysostome saithe Nihil nunc apud Iudaeos remansit nisi Sola Scriptura Librorum omni Legis obseruantia pereunte There remaineth nowe nothinge emonge the Ievves but onely the writinge conteined in Bookes for al the obseruation of the Lavve is paste from them Againe he saithe Literae quidem Legis apud illos sunt Sensus autem est apud nos The Letters of the Lavve are with the Ievves But the Sense and Meaninge is with vs. Likewise he saith vnto the Ievves Vos complicatis membranas animaltum mortuorum Nos possidemus Spiritum viuificautem You turne the leaues of the Scriptures made of the skinnes of deade Cattle but we haue the Sprite that geeueth Life So saithe S. Augustine Iudaei in Libris suffragatores nostri sunt in Cordibus hostes nostri The Iewes healpe vs and aide vs with theire Bookes But thei are our enimies in theire hartes Againe he saith Magnum aliquid actum est in vsum nostrum de Infidelirate Iudaeorum vt ijdem ipsi qui haec propter se non haberent in Cordibus ea propter nos haberent in Codicibus Somme greate good thinge is wrought to our vse by the infidelitie of the Iewes that they that to doo them selues good had not these thinges in theire hartes yet for our sakes to doo vs good shoulde haue same thinges in theire Bookes Speake not therefore so mutche M. Hardinge of your safe keepinge of the Scriptures For the Jevves haue keapte and vntil this daie doo kéepe them as safely as you Yae keapte the Scriptures as the Augures of Rome sommetime keapte the Sibylles Bookes that is to saie yée keapte them to your selues in close prisonne in secresie that the people should knowe nothing but in al cases should be forced to seeke to you Thus ye keapte the Light in Darknesse and as S. Paule saithe ye keapte the Truthe of God in VVickednesse S. Chrysostome saithe Quando vides Scripturas Prophetarum Euangelij Apostolorum traditas esse in manus Falsorum Sacerdotum num intelligis quód Verbum veritatis traditum est Principibus iniquis Scribis When thou seeste the Scriptures of the Prophetes of the Gospel and of the Apostles to be deliuered into the handes of False Priestes dooste thou not vnderstande that the Woorde of Truthe is deliuered vnto the wicked Princes and vnto the Scribes To be short I maie answeare you with the woordes of Chrysostome Arcas Scrinia rerum pretiosissimarum adhuc seruatis The sauro destituti Yee keepe stil the Cheastes and boxes of moste pretious thinges but the Iewelles and Treasures be cleane gonne Therefore your safe kéeping of the Scriptures notwithstandinge wée maie saie to you as S. Augustine sommetime said to the Heretique Petilian Iudas Christum Carnalem tradidit Tu Spiritualem furens Euangelium sanctum flammis sacrilegis tradidisti Iudas betraiede Christe Carnal thou haste betraied Christe Spiritual for thou in thy rage haste deliuered the Holy Gospel vnto wicked fires Yée replie You rather haue burnte the Gospel for that you denie the woordes of the Gospel For example ye allege these woordes of Christe This is my Body vvhiche vvoordes ye saie of our part are denied God be thāked as wee haue not burnte so haue wée not denied any woorde or parcel of the Gospel Touchinge these wordes by you alleged wée embrace them and reuerence them and beleue them euen as the VVoordes of Christe But wée embrace them not as you haue fondely rackte wreasted them and fowly abused them by your vaine Constructions but as Christe meante them and as the Aunciente Catholique Fathers in the Olde times haue expounded them S. Chrysostome saithe Sacrae Scripturae Verba non vult Deus vt Simpliciter sed multa cum prudētia intelligantur God wil not that we shoulde vnderstande the vvoordes of the Holy Scripture simply and plainely as thei lie but with greate wisedome and discretion Againe he saithe Diligenter inuigilandum est vel potiùs Diuina Gratia opus est ne nudis verbis insistamus Ita Haeretici in Errorem incidunt Wee must take great heede or rather we haue neede of the Grace of God that wee reaste not vpon the bare VVoordes of the Scriptures For by
we keapte it and vnderstode it before ye were borne and before youre heresie was hearde of But a Deuil comminge from hel for who is authour of diuision but Satan hath caried you awaie into an other Gospel whereas in deede there is but one true Gospel And here let any indifferent man consider howe vprightly you alleage S. Paule You write that Paule warneth you not to geue eare to an Angel comming from heauen if he goe about to drawe you from any parte of this Doctrine Of whiche this Doctrine meane you Of this whiche you haue declared in this Apologie Did S. Paule euer reade youre A pologie Howe then pronounced he of it that sentence VVee meane saie you by this Doctrine the Doctrine of the Gospel If you meane so wee saie the same But wee tel you that S. Paule spake not of euery Gospel generally but of a certaine Gospel qualified For he saieth Si quis vobis euangelizauerit praerer id quod accepistis anathema sit If any man preache a Gospel vnto you besides that ye haue receiued be he accursed Heare you the Gospel S. Paule speaketh of It is not euery Gospel It is a Gospel preached and receiued If ye preache that Gospel whiche ye receiued we ioine handes with you But if ye preach a Gospel whiche ye haue receiued of no Apostle nor Apostoiique preacher and whiche was not hearde of in the earth when Luther ranne out of his Cloister and forsooke his Religion then be ye assured that ye are the menne who are holden for accursed of S. Paule The B. of Sarisburie Here M. Hardinge ye woulde faine scape awaie with a Childishe Cauil Paul ye saie speaketh of a Gospel qualified whereby ye meane a Gospel deliuered and receiued As if ye woulde saie The Gospel of Christe onlesse it be deliuered by you is no Gospel But S. Paule meante not the Doctrine deliuered from hande to hande or from Pope to Pope But the Doctrine deliuered and receiued in the Scriptures And in this sense he saithe of him selfe Quod accept à Domino Hoc tradidi vobis The thinge that I haue receiued of the Lorde the same haue I deliuered vnto you In like sorte he calleth him selfe an Apostle not of menne nor by menne but by Iesus Christe Howe be it what neede many wordes The case is cleare S. Augustine saithe plainely Paulus ait Si Angelus de Coelo vobis annuntiauerit praeterquam quod in Scripturis legalibus Euangelicis accepistis Anathema sit If an Angel from Heauen preache vnto you any other thinge then ye haue receiued not by Tradition or by deliuerie from youre Elders but in the Scriptures of the Lavve and of the Gospel accursed be he These wordes be plaine M. Hardinge and quite disgrace al your Gloses Hereto Chrysostome addeth further Non dixit Paulus Si contraria annuntiauerint aut totum Euangelium subuerterint verùm Si vel paulùm Euangelizauerint praeter Euangelium quod accepistis etiamsi quiduis labefactauerint Anathema sint S. Paule saithe not If they teache the contrarie or if they ouerthrowe the whole Gospel But he saithe if they preache any little smal thinge besides the Gospel that ye haue receiued or if they loose or shake downe any thinge whatsoeuer it bee accursed bee they These woordes M. Hardinge touche you very neare Ye haue altered the whole fourme of the Churche of God Therefore repente youre selues leste ye remaine stil within the daunger of the Curse S. Augustine saithe Sancta Scriptura nostae Doctrinae Regulam figit Ne audeamus plus sapere quà m oporteat sapere The Holy Scripture hath laide a rule vnto oure Doctrine that we dare not to vnderstand more then is meete for vs to vnderstand The Apologie Cap. 22. Diuision 3. For where these menne bid the Holy Scriptures away as doumbe and frutelesse procure vs to comme to God him selfe rather who speaketh in the Churche in theire Councelles that is to saie to beleue their fansies and opinions this waie of finding out the Truthe is very vncertaine and exceeding dangerous and in manner a fantastical madde waie by no meanes allowed of the Holy Fathers M. Hardinge VVhere they saie we passe but litle on the Scriptures as dumbe and vnprofitable therein they slaunder vs as in other thinges VVe do not so But we saie that as euery act of Parlament must be executed by a lawful Iudge so the holy Scriptures haue their execution by lauful Iudges who are the bishoppes and fathers and wel in other places as specially when they be laufully assembled in general councelles Now saie these men that way is very vncertaine dangerous in maner mad and not allowed of the fathers VVho euer heard men thought to haue their right wittes talke after so loose a sorte Did the fathers disproue the order of comming together in general councelles Or thought they the same to be a way for men to be the soner deceiued If so many maie be deceiued with moste diligent studie and mature iudgement conferring together howe mutche soner may one or two alone leadde by priuate phansie and self wil be caried away into errour At the Nicene councel came together 318 bishops At the first of Cōstantinople 150. at the Ephesme coūcel 200. At that of Chalcedō 630 Al these foure councelles sundry ancient fathers namely S. Gregorie estemed as the foure Gospels Yea but saith he I haue the word of God But what if 300. farre holier and better learned men saie he hath it not Let the reader be iudge saith he A meete iudge in suche a cause The Scholers maie reade but iudge of their maisters they maie not by Christes doctrine who said Non est discipulus supra magistrum the scholer is not aboue his maister VVhy not for al that saie you if the Holy Ghost inspire him Sir is it not to be thought God doth assist his Churche represented in sutche solemne assemblies of three hundred or moe fathers gouernours of Christen people rather then one man The B. of Sarisburie Whether ye cal the Scriptures of God a Dumbe thing or no I reporte me to that is saide before One of you calleth it Mortuum Atramentum Dead Inke An other saith Scriptura est res inanimis muta The Scripture is a dead and a dumbe thinge An other calleth the Scriptures Nigrum Euangelium The blacke Gospel Nowe if the Scriptures be Dead and Doumbe and can not speake then must it needes folowe they are vnprofitable Neither doo we despise the Authoritie of Councelles Good Councelles be graue and reuerende But thus we saie Councelles are often against Councelles And if wee make rekening of number the Arian Heretiques haue had moe Councelles then the Christians S. Hierome saithe Spiritus Sancti Doctrina est quae Canonicis literis prodita est Contra quam si quid statuant Concilia nefas duco That is the Doctrine of the Holy Goste
debet quare Modo ' quare Serò Quoniam mittentis Consilium non est humano ingenio penetrabile Neither maie we saie Why commeth it nowe Why commeth it so late For the Counsel of God that sente it is vnsearcheable to the wisedome of man Ye saie They were Infidelles onely that charged the Religion of Christe with Noueltie And further ye saie Wee tel them that al Newe Doctrine nowe in the Churche of Christe is naught Hereto M. Hardinge we soone agree And therefore wel tel you that youre Nevve Fantasies whiche ye haue painted with the Coloure of Auncientie and therewith haue deceiued the worlde are vaine and naught As for vs wee haue planted no Nevve Religion but onely haue renewed the Olde that was vndoubtedly founded and vsed by the Apostles of Christe other Holy Fathers in the Primitiue Churche and of this longe late time by meane of the multitude of your Traditions and Vanities hath benne drowned Therefore wee maie saie with S. Bernarde Nouitatem dico propter linguas hominum impiorum qui cùm manifestum Lumen obnubilare non queunt de Solo Nouitatis nomine cauillantur c. Sed haec Nouitas non est Nouella vanitas Res enim est Antiquae Religionis Perfectè fundatae in christo Pietatis Antiqua Haereditas Ecclesiae Dei I cal it Noueltie bicause of the tongues of wicked menne who being not hable to shadowe the manifest light of the Truth finde cauillations vpon the Onely name of Noueltie But this Noueltie is no Nevve Vanitie as is this late vpstarte Religion of Rome For it is a mater of Olde Religion of perfite Godlinesse founded in Christe The Auncient Enheritance of the Churche of God The Olde Learned Father Tertullian saithe Viderint ergo quibus Nouum est quòd sibi est Vetus Haereses non tam Nouitas quam Veritas reuincit Quodcunque contra Veritatem sapit hoc est Haeresis etiam vetus Consuetudo Let them therfore take heede whiche coumpte that thinge Newe that in it selfe is Olde Herefie is reproued not so wel by Noueltie as by Veritie What so euer thinge sauereth againste the Truthe the same is an Heresie Yea although it be a Custome neuer so olde Ignatius saithe Antiquitas mea Iesus Christus est My Antiquitie is Christe Iesus For otherwise the Religion of Christe at that time was coumpted Nevve and in respecte of the Ancient Religion of the Heathens Vniuersally and of al menne was condemned That Augustine the Monker of Rome broughte firste the Faithe into this Lande it is vtterly Vntrue For as I haue saide before it appeareth plainely by sundrie the Ancient Fathers origen Tertullian chrysostome Hilarie Theodoretus Eusebius and others that the Faithe of Christe had benne vniuersally receiued and perfitely rooted in this Realme many hundred yeeres before this Augustine the Monke was borne Indeede he broughte in greate heapes of strange Nouelties and superstitions as Candels Candelstickes Banners and Holy VVater and other like shewes Whereof the Churche of God had no great neede And yet haue the same sithence benne encreased by other Newe Diuises and Vanities aboue measure But for as mutche as certaine of M. Hardinges Beaupecres of Louaine haue lately founde them selues talke and keapte greate Mootes in the behoufe of theire Augustine the Italian Monke whom they cal the Apostle of Englande and wil needes haue to be receiued and honoured as a Saincte I haue thought it therefore good briefely and by the waie to note a fewe wordes touching the same It seemeth they be mutche offended that so vertuous a Man and so Holy a Saincte shoulde be charged with Pride and Crueltie With Pride in so disdeignefully despisinge his Brethren the Bishoppes of this Ilelande of Britaine With Crueltie in procuringe the Deathe bothe of many thousandes of Christian people and also specially of the Innocente and Vnarmed Monkes of Bangor and al this for that they refused to receiue him as theire Metropolitane and to agree with him in certaine smal pointes of the Romaine Religion Howe be it his Pride is wel blased by Beda writinge pourposely of the same in that he sate stil in his Throne and disdeigned to rise vp and to geue any token of Reuerence vnto the Seuen Bishoppes and other Learned graue menne of the Britannes makinge theire appearance at his Councel And therefore they saide they woulde not hearken to his demaundes nor take him for theire Archebishop as hauinge otherwise of olde an Archebishop of theire owne to whome they ought theire obedience Theire woordes as they are reported by Beda were theise Si modo ' nobis assurgere noluit quanto ' magis si ei subdi coeperimus iam nos pro nihilo conteinner If euen nowe be disdeigne to rise vp vnto vs howe mutche more wil hee despise vs and regarde vs as nothinge when wee shal once be vnder his Iurisdiction But to excuse this Augustine of shameful Crueltie leste he shoulde seeme to be accessorie to the Murthering of so many and so by theire owne Lawes to be Irregulare as a man of bloude they saie He neither enkendled the Warre againste the Britaines nor was presente at the fight but was deade longe before Whiche thinge also they thinke maie be proued by the expresse woordes of Beda For thus he saithe Quamuis ipso Augustino iam multo antè tempore ad Coelestia Regna sublato Notwithstandinge Augustine him selfe longe before the time of this Warre were taken vp into the kingdome of Heauen For the truthe and certaintie hereof it maie please thee good Christian Reader to vnderstande that theise laste woordes of Beda concerninge the Deathe of Augustine are manifestely forged and haue benne violently thruste into the texte by a guileful Parenthesis by them that sithence haue benne ashamed of his Crueltie and were neuer written by the Authoure as by euidente proufes it shal plainely appeare But first of al in an Olde chronicle written in Frenche aboue twoo hundred yéeres paste by Thomas Graie yée shal finde it recorded thus Augustine beinge thus refused of the Bishoppes and others the Learned of the Britaines made sutche complainte thereof to Ethelberte the kinge of kente that foorth with he leuied his Power and Marched againste them and slewe them in moste Cruel wise hauinge as he saithe no more regarde of mercie then a Woulfe hath vpon a Sheepe Hereby it appeareth that this Augustine was the inflamer of the Warre and so the causer of the slaughter And whereas by the woordes of Beda as they be now commonly extant in the Latine wée are told this Augustine was deade long before the Warre beganne it appeareth plainely by the true Beda in déede translated aboue seuen hundred yéeres agoe into the old English or Saxon tongue by Alfredus or Aluredus then Kinge of this lande that the same Augustine was yet aliue after the same Warre was ended that he afterwarde Consecrated twoo Bishoppes
and Doctours August Epist 19. ad Hieronym Augusti contra Faust lib. 11. ca. 5. Aug. De Vnita Eccle. ca. 10. Thedor li. 1. ca. 7 Trip. hi. li. 2. ca. 5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socrat. li. 1. ca. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Augusti contra Maxi. li. 3. ca. 14 Athanas ad Serapion Spirit Sanct. non esse Creaturam â—uagrius Orig. in ca. 16. ad Rom. lib. 10. Chrysost in Opere imperfecâ—o Homi 49. Orig. in Hiere Hom. 1. Aug. De Naturae Cratia ca. 61 â—uagrius libr. 3. Cap. 18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 De Vnitate Eccle ca. 3. Et contra Maximinum ArianoruÌ„â—pis Li. 3. Cap 14. Manifeste Vntruthe Contra Iulianâ— Pelagian Lib. 1. Augusti contra Liter Petilian Lib. 3. Cap. 6. Gala. 1. De quacunqúe re Si Angelus de Coelo Augusti contra Maxi. Li. 3. ca. 14 Augu. Devnita Iccle contra Petilian Cap. 3. Augu. in Psal 57 Augu. in Epist 48 Ambros De Incarnat Domin Sacramen ca. 3. Chrysost in 2. ad Corinth Homi. 3 Origen in Hieremi Homi. 1. Micro in Psal 86 August De Peccator Merit Râ—mis li. 1. ca. 22. Aggâ—i cap. 1. Gladius Scriptures and Doctours Augusti contra Cresconi Gram. Lib. 2. Cap. 29. August Ad Hieron Epist 19. Hiero. Ad Tranquillinum To. 2. Iohan. 5. Interpretation of the Scriptures Hilarius ad Imper Constantium Petrus De Palude De potestate Papae Arti. 4. Heruaeus de potest Papae ca. 23. 2. Petri. 1. Matth. 11. Apoc. 3. Actor 16. Iohan. 6. Esai 66. Chrysostom De Sancto Adorando Spiritu Matt. 15. Omnis Cyprian Lib. 1. Epist 8. Quodcunque Euseb li. 3. ca. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Anno. 1548. Illyricus de Sect. Pag. 109. In Confe Petricouien De Ceremoniis Pag. 289. Copus Angl. Dial. 2. Pag. 194. Copus Angl. Dial. 2. Pag. 284. Iohan 16. 2 Cor. 1â— Esai 1. Matt. 23. Matt. 16. Num. 21. Iohan. 3. Ioel. cap. 1. Esai 1 58. Esai 1. Matth. 23. Hieronym in Aggae Cap. 1. Cyprian Ad Pompeium Tertull. De Praescrip Haere Cap. 2. Ambres De Fide Lib. 1. Cap. 4. Vntruthe * Nothing * Vntruth Scriptures and Doctours Ambr. Ad Cratia De Fide li. 1. Athanas De Humanitate Verbi August Contra Cresconi Gramma Li. 2 Ca. 29. Hierony in Episto ad Ephes Lib. 3. Cap. 5. Hilari in Psal 65. Ambro. ad Gratianum de Fide Lib. 1. Cap. 5. Ambros De Incarnationis Dominicae Sacracramen Ca. 3. Ambros ad Gratian Imperator Lib. 1. Cap. 7. Origen in Epist ad Roma Lib. 10. Cap. 16. Ex Solis Origen in Hieremt Homi. 1. August De Natura Gratia Ca 61. Augustin in Iohan Tracta 96. August De Pastorib Ca. 14. Iohan. 14. Haereei 61. Scripture nesdeth SpeculatioÌ„ TraditioÌ„ necessaâ—ie bicause Scripture hathe not al thinges Recognition Lib. 10. Lâ—c. 10. Great bragges made by the Defenders of th assurance of the Scriptures Iohan. 7. * Vntruth For the vvoordes are othervvise Iohan. 19. Matth. 4. De Fide li. 2. c. â— Marke 10. Hilari De Trinita Li. â— Matthae 7. Iohan. 4. Esai 59. In Epist ad Hâ—braeos Vntruthe Vntruthe For he debaseth not the Sacrament of Baptisme * Vntruth Iacob 5. Three and dente Vntruthes Iacob 2. Philip. 2. Hieroâ—y contra Luciferian Hilari De Triuitate Li. 4. Iohan. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysostom Augustinus Oile Figure Signe Nicol. Lyra in 7. Cap. Iohan. Iohan. 5. Cap. 9. Diuisi â— The. 12. Article Tertullian contra Marcion Lib. 4. Figure Signe Onely Faithe Hierony in â—pist ad Gala. Cap. â— Roma â— Ambros in â—pist ad Roman Cap 4. Ambros EodeÌ„ loco Ambros in Epist ad Roma Ca. 9. Basil De Humintlitate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodorer De Curandis Graecorum affectibus Lib. 7. Nazia◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Origen in Epist ad Roma Câ— 3. Li. 3. Hesychi in Leuiti Li. 4. Chrysost in Epist ad Galat. Cap. 3. Roma 4. Certainetie of Faithe August in Li 83. quae Quae. 76. Iacob 5. Thomas Aquin. in Epist Iacobi Cap. 5. Roma 8. Tertull. Contra Marcion Lib. 5. Clemens in Paedagogo li. 1. c. 6. Cyprian De Mortalita Sermon 4. Prosper De promiss Praedictionib Dei Par. 1. Ca. 16. Concil Tridentin Act. 1. Anno 1546. Certainetie of Faithe Galat. 6. Basil in Psal 32. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iob. 13. Psalm 70. Philip. 2. August De verbis Domi. Sermo 28. August in Iohan Tracta 22. Basil De humilitate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ambros de Iacabo vita Beata August Confess Lib. 11. Cap. 7. Bernard in CaÌ„ti Cantico Sermo 61. Esai 53. Cyprian De Simpli Praela Alberius Piggh. Hierar li. 1. ca. 4. Eckiâ—s De Ecclesia Hosius in Confessione vetricouien Ca. 80. De Maior Obedien Vnam Sanctam Psalm 8. Antonen in Summa Par. 3. Titu 22. Ca. 5. Hebraeo 2. M. Hard. in his Former Answeare Artic. 2 M. Hardinge â— Articulo 2. 10. Hieronym in Epis ad Gala. Cap. 1 Esai 5. Hosius de expresso Verbo Dei Rabbi AbrahaÌ„ Scripture TraditioÌ„ Lyra. in Deuteron Cap. 17. Nicolaus Cusanus De Author Eccle. CoÌ„cil Supra Con. Scripturam Origen in Matthae Homil. 25. Ireâ—a Li. 3. ca. 2. Marti Ruceruâ— Paul Phagius Platina in Stephano 6. Sabellicus Ennea 9. Lib. 2. Sabellicus Enneade 9. Lib. 9. Beno Cardinalis Heb 9. Agrippa De Vaeni Scientiaruâ— Madde Hierem. 29. 4. Regum 19. Marci 3. Augu. in Psal 6. Origen contra Celsum Lib. 4. Hiero. Ad Pammachi contra errores Iohan. Hierosolymit Leo in Epiphan Sermo 5. Augu. in Psal 33. Actor 26. Hiero. in Epitaphio Paulae Cyprian ad Cornelium spanâ— Augu. Tract 5â— in Iohan. Actor 3. In Epist ad Darsdanum CoÌ„â—ra â—utychen Lib. 1. Tulgent ad Thrasâ—muÌ„dum Neither is any man now ashamed of the Apostles Creede a Vntruthe It vvas the Olde b Manifeste Vntruthe For vvee keepe al one Creede S Hilaries complaint of many Faithes One God one Faithe The maner of the vtterance of the defenders Faithe strange to ChristeÌ„ eares c Vntruthe For the Heretiques saide I beleue in God as vvel as did the Catholiques Iacob â— The Article of Christes ascensioÌ„ mutche grated vpon â—y the defenders to euil purpose In Iohan. Tract 30. Oportet for Potest Vntruthe For S. Augustines vvoorde is Oportet S. Augustine knevve no sutche Body in the Sacramente Matthae 26. VuÌ„truthe There is neither sutche Institution nor sutche commasidemeÌ„t Diuersitie of creedes Contra EutycheÌ„ Lib. 1. Expositionis in Epist Iohan. Tract 10. Ad Thrasymundum Regem Vntruthe For Forme and Substance are bothe one To beleue In God Hilari ad Constantium Imperatoreâ—â— Coelius Rhodigin Antiquitat Lib 3. Cap. 32. August De cap. 〈◊〉 contra Donaâ—ist Lib 3. Cap 14. Cornelius Bitontinus in Concil Trident. Hebrae 11. Pastor Nuntius Origen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in prooemio Hilar. De â—rinitat Lib. 10. Symbolum Caroli Magni Exodi 14. Exodt 19. Basilius de Spir. Sanct. cap. 14. 〈◊〉