Pope Calixtus Peracta Consecratione omnes Communicent qui noluerint Ecclesiasticis carere liminibus Sic enim Apostoli statueruÌ„t Sancta Romana tenet Ecclesia The Consecration beinge doone set al Communicate onlesse they wil be remoued from the Churche For so the Apostles appointed and so holdeth the holy Churche of Rome By this Decrée these two were bounde either to Communicate with the priest or to departe foorth of the Churche If they did Communicate then hath M. Hardinge here no Priuate Masse If they departed foorthe then coulde the prieste saye no Masse at al for Soter at least requireth the presence of two Againe the argument that M. Hardinge geathereth out of this Decrée Three persons were present Ergo Two of them did not receiue is vtterly vnsensible and voyde of reason Rather he might haue concluded thus Soter willeth that two be present Ergo muche more he willeth that the same two doo Communicate It may also stande with reason and with the common practise of the Churche at that time that these two whose presence Soter requireth were Priestes or Deacons or otherwise of the Cleargie and that ouer and beside the companie of the people as in déede it is determined by the Glose And so this Decrée of Soter agreeth with an other Decrée of Anacletus made to the like purpose that is That the Bishop at the ministration haue aboute him a certaine number of Deacons Subdeacons and other Ministers bisides the common multitude of the laye people And likewise with an other Decrée of the same Soter that is That euery Priest makinge the Sacrifice haue by him an other Priest to assist him and to make an ende of the Ministration if any quame or sicknesse happen to fal vpon him And this assistance of the priest is required notwithstandinge the presence of others either of the Clerkes or of the Laitie Nowe beinge Priestes or Clerkes and beynge present at the Ministration the lawe specially constrained them to receiue the holy Communion with the Minister as it appeareth by this Decrée written in the Canons of the Apostles If any Bishop or Priest or Deacon or any other of the Clerkes after the Oblation is made doo not Communicate eyther let him shewe cause thereof that if it be founde reasonable he maye be excused or if he shewe no cause let him be excommunicate Thus who so euer these two were whose presence Soter required whether they were of the Laitie or of the Clergie the lawe constrained them to receiue togeather with the Priest And therefore M. Hardinge hath hitherto founde a Communion and no manner â—oken or inklinge of the Priuate Masse M. Hardinge The .30 Diuision In a Councel holden at Agatha a Citie of fraunce then called Gallia aboute the time of Chrysostome an olde Decree of Fabianus Bishop of Rome and Martyr and also of the Councel Elibertine in the time of S. Syluester Anno Domini .314 was renewed that al secular Christen folke shoulde be houseled three times euery yere at Easter Witsontide and Christmas It was there also Decreed that they shoulde heare the whole Masse euery Sonneday and not departe before the Priest had geuen blessinge So they were bounde to heare Masse euery Sonneday and to receiue the Communion but thrise in the yere The selfe same order was decreed in the Councel of Orleance Then of like specially in smal Townes and Villages they had Masse without the Communion of many togeather sometimes The B. of Sarisburie M. Hardinge knoweth wel that these Decrées whiche he here allegeth coulde neuer be founde writen neither in the Councel holden at Agatha in Fraunce nor at the other Councel holden at Eliberis now called Granado in Spaine but were set foorthe many hundred yeres after in the name of those Councels by one Gratian a man of great diligence as may appeare by his geathering but of no great iudgement as wée may sée by his choise Yet here M. Hardinge shuffleth a greate many of them togeather that the one may the better countenance the other But let vs receiue the authoritie of these Decrees and graunte there was no errour committed by Gratian in his geathering Yet wil they stande M. Harding in smal stéedâ— For as in many other maters they vtterly cast him so they nothing reléeue him for his Masse For thus it is concluded by bothe these Councels Qui in naâ—ali Domini Paschate Penâ—ecoste non Communicant Catholici non credantur neâ— inter Catholicos habeantur They that receiue not the Communion at Christmas Easter and Witsonnetide let them not be taken nor reckened for Catholike people It appeareth by these general Councels that in the whole Churche of Rome sauinge onely a few Massinge Priestes there is not one man woorthy to be accompted Catholique And to drawe neare to the purpose who so wil narrowly vewe the poinctes of these Decrées shal soone sée they cannot stande with the very forme and order of the Churche of those daies For bisides that I haue alreadie prooued by the authoritie of S. Hierome and S. Augustine that the holy Communion was then ministred vnto the people in Rome euery day Fabianus also Bishop of Rome whiche is likewise brought foorthe here for a witnesse hath plainâ—ly Decréed not that the people should heare Masse euery Sonneday as it is soothely warranted by M. Harding but that they should receiue the Communion euery Sonneday His woordes be plaine Dercernimus vt in omnibus Dominicis diebus altaris oblatio ab omnibus viris mulieribus fiat tam Panis quà m Vini Wee Decree that euery Sonneday the oblation of the Aultare be made of al men and wemen bothe of Breade and of wine Here besides that in these woordes is included the receiuinge of the Communion euery Sonneday may be noted also by the way that by this authoritie of Fabian men and wemen made the Sacrifice of the Aultare and that of Breade and Wyne and therefore after the order of Melchisedech Therefore S. Bernarde saith Non solus Sacerdoâ— sacrificat sed totus conuentus fidelium Not onely the Priest sacrificeth but also the whole companie of the faithful These thinges wel considered the sense that M. Harding woulde so faine wringe out of these Decrees wil séeme vnlikely Moreouer when did S. Augustine S. Hierome S. Chrysostome or any other learned Father or Doctour of that age euer vse this manner of speache Audire Missas To heare Masse Certainely this phrase was so farre vnacquainted and vnknowen in that worlde that the very Originals of these Decrees haue it not but onely haue these woordes Tenere Missas To holde Masse as may be seen in the booke of Councels noted purposely in the Margine The Italians this day séeme to speake farre better For of them that heare Masse and vnderstande not what they heare they say Videre Missas That is not to
and causeth him to come to him as though it were about some mater of the common weale At that time 39 he saieth Masse in his Chappel hauinge none other bodie with him but his seruaunt When the Patriarke had consecrated the Sacrament and had bâ—gunne to say our Lordes Praier they three onely begunne to say our Father and so foorthe VVhen they were come to these woordes Forgeue vs our trespasses as vve forgeue theÌ„ that trespasse against vs the Patriarke made a beeke to his seruante to holde his peace Then the Patriarke helde his peace also and the noble man remained alone sayeinge foorthe the verse forgiue vs as wee forgiue Then the holy â—ather turninge him selfe towardes him by and by saithe with a milde voice Consider with how terrible woordes thou saiest to God that as I forgiue so forgiue thou me also VVhere at the saide noble man as though he had felte the torment of â—ier foorthe with fel downe on his face at the holy Fathers feete sayeinge My Lorde what so euer thou biddest me thy seruante to doo I wil doo it And so he was reconciled vnto his enemie without al dissemblinge Here M. Iuel wil graunt I â—rowe that this was a Priuate Masse The place was priuate The audience not publique nor common the purpose touching the noble man was priuate The Communion also Priuate I meane for the Patriarkes parte alone for biside that the story maketh no mention of any other coÌ„municantes he coulde not be assured of that noble man to communicate with him For where as he coulde by no meanes before bringe him to forgiue his enemie he had but a smal coniecture he should bringe it to passe nowe And againe though he had conceiued no distrust of his reconciliation vpon this holy policie yet wee may doubt whether the Patriarke foorthwith without further and more mature probation and examination whiche S. Paule in this case requireth woulde haue admitted him to receiue our Lordes Bodie so vpon the suddaine Now for the seruante it is a streight case that so holy and so great a Patriarke and Bishop of so populous a Citie as Alexandria was vnderstanding that Masse coulde not be celebrated without breache of Christes institution as M. Iuel holdeth opinion excepte he haue a number to communicate with him in the same place shoulde haue none of his spiritual flocke with him at so weightie a mater of conscience but one onely and him his owne householde seruaunt He was noâ— so simple as not to thinke that the seruant mighte be letted from receiuinge by some suddaine pange cominge vpon him or with some cogitation and conscience of his owne vnwoorthinesse suddainely comminge to his minde If either this or any other let had chaunced in what case had the Patriarke been then He had been like by M. Iuels doctrine to haue broken Christes institution and so Goddes commaundement through an others defecte whiche were straunge But I iudge that M. Iuel who harpeth so many iarringe argumentes againste Priuate Masse vpon the very woorde Communion wil not allowe that for a good and lawful Communion where there is but one onely to receiue with the Prieste Verely it appeareth by his Sermon that al the people ought to reâ—eiue or to be driuen out of the Churche Now therefore to an other example of the Priuate Masse The B. of Sarisburie This is the best proufe of al others A shorte answeare may wel serue it For beinge but a litle vewed it is hable to answeare it selfe There is neither authoritie in the tale nor weight in the mater The translation is péeuishe and all without the compasse of sixe hundred yéeres S. Augustine saith that certayne Heretiques in his time named the Donatistes that they might the rather preuayle in disputacion against S. Augustine and other Christians and that the worlde might vnderstande they had some companie of their syde therefore for a shewe subscribed their articles with the names of certaine that were deade and oftentimes suche as neuer were Donatistes Suche a policie me thinketh M. Hardinge hath here begunne to practise For what is this Leontius that wrote this storie or who euer heard of his name before I trowe he hath raised vp one of the seuen Sleapers to helpe him to Masse He should haue shewed vs as his manner is what this straunge Doctour was what bookes he wrote where when in what age and in what credite he liued If he had saide This Iohn the Almonar liued aboue sixe hundred yéeres after Christe and this Leontius that wrote his life a greate while after that this one circumstance woulde haue answeared the mater wholy For notwithstandinge the rest of this tale were true yet my assertion standeth still good that within the space of sixe hundred yeeres after Christe M. Hardinge is not hable to finde his Priuate Masse Vincentius in his booke that he calleth Speculum writeth thus After Gregorie was dead Bonifacius ruled the Churche of Rome This Bonifacius obteined of the Emperour Phocas that the Churche of Rome should be the head of al Churches and that bicause the Churche of Constantinople wrote it selfe by that title The nexte yere after that Augustine that was called the Englishe mens Bishop died The yeere folowinge Iohn the Almonar was in great fame at whiche time also Mahomet first spread his Religion in Arabia The same computation of yéeres appeareth in Freculphus Sabellicus Palmerius and others Wherefore M. Hardinge might wel haue spared this tale as nothinge els but bewrayeing his wante of better mater and prouinge that his Masse is of the very age of Mahomet But to leaue both thaduantage of the time also the exception against the Authour let vs consider the likelihood of the dooynge if Iohn the Almonar saide this Priuate Masse in his Chappell howe safely he might so doo by the order of the holy Canons whiche to breake Damasus saithe is blasphemie against the holie Ghoste M. Hardinges Leontius saith Iohn the Almonar saide Masse in his Oratorie at home beyng sure of no more coÌ„panie but of one of his owne householde seruauÌ„tes alone But Pope Soter as it is before alleged by M. Hardinge straitely commaundeth that no prieste presume to celebrate the Sacrament without the companie of two togeather And againe that no prieste dare to Minister without the companie of some other priest And in the Councell holden at Orleance it is decréed thus It is lauful for euery Christian man to haue a Chappel in his house but to haue Masse saide there it is not lawful And in the Councel holden at Laodicea It is not lawful for Bishoppes or priestes to minister the Oblations at home Likewise Pope Felix It is not lawful to minister the Communion at home but vpon exceedinge great necessitie The same order was taken in the Councel of Acon and in sundrie other Councels Which Decrées beinge so manie and so straite
pleased him to say that he him selfe and his fellowes so cal it he had done right But here is brought in a whole troupe of doctours in a ranke Mâ—lchisedech Malachias Clemens the Apostles fellowe the Deacons of Asia Abdias the Apostles Disciple and Bishop of Babylon that saw Christe in the fleash S. Andrew S. Iames Martialis Dionysius who had conference with Peter Paule Iohn Irenaeus Iustinus Martyr Hippolytus Martyr Basile Chrysostome Cyril of Ierusalem al the reste of the Doctours in al ages in al partes of the worlde And who would not be affraide to sée suche an armie come against him How be it gentle reader be of good cheare Al this is but a camisado These be but visardes they be no faces They are brought in like Mummers for a shewe say nothing That M. Harding lacked in weight he would néedes make vp in tale and so vseth this onely as a floorishe before the fight as a streame blâ—wen vp with winde and weather carieth with it much frothe filth by the very rage drifte of the water euen so M. Hardinge in this place flowinge wanderinge ouer the bankes with Copia verborum by the violence force of his talke carieth a great deale of errour vntruthe alonge before him Notwithstandinge thus hath he geuen thée good Christian reader as he saith a taste of his proâ—fes without allegation of any woordes for confirmation of thy faithe concerninge the Masse Miserable is that faithe that in so weightie maters can be confirmed with bare names by hearinge nothinge I maruel that M. Harding euer durst either to allege such authorities as he knoweth the most hereof be or thus openly to mocke the worlde For briefly to touche Melchisedech Malachias the institution of Christ what weight can there appeare in these reasons Melchisedech brought foorth breade and wine to banket Abraham and his armie beyng wearie of the chase Or Malachias Prophesied that al the nations of the worlde should be turned vnto God should offer vnto him a pure Sacrifice Or Christe ordeined his last Supper amongst his Disciples badde them doo the same in his remembraunce ergo there was priuate Masse in the Churche Who euer made any such argumentes in any schoole what wil M. Harding make folke beleue that Melchisedech Malachias or Christe said priuate Masse Or doth he thincke that these reasons must be taken bicause he speaketh the woorde But he wil saie and Malachias signified the Sacrifice of the newe testament We denie it not But did they signifie a Sacrifice done by one man alone in a strange language the people lookinge on him and no man knowynge what he meaneth Why may we not thinke rather they signified the Sacrifice of the holy Communion whereas the whole people dooth lifte vp their handes and hartes vnto heauen and pray and sacrifice togeather reioisinge in the crosse of Christ and so celebratinge the lordes death vntil he comme for the Sacrifice that is prophesied by Malachie as it is expounded by Tertullian S. Hierome and other holy Fathers is the Sacrifice of prayer contrite harte as hereafter in the seuentienth article it shal further appeare Touching the witnesses here alleged first I maruel that M. Hardinge would euer bringe them foorthe but muche more that he woulde thus sette them out with such circumstances of commendation as that they saw Christe in the fleshe or that they were the Apostles fellowes For he knoweth wel that many of them are litle woorthy of suche credite as partely beynge euer doubted of and suspected to be written not by them whose names they beare but by Heretiques to whom M. Hardinge séemeth nowe to flie for ayde partely also obscure vnknowen vnacquainted not readde not séene not harde of in the worlde before this tyme. But most of al I maruel that he would euer hasarde his cause on these witnesses who as he him selfe very wel knoweth wil speake against him And therefore he hath here cunningly suppressed their woordes and hath onely made a mustre of their names but woulde suffer them to say nothinge And that thou good reader maist haue a taste hereof and sée the faithfulnesse of these mennes dealinge let vs first consyder Clemens who as it is reported here was the Apostles fellowe The title of the booke séemeth to be De Apostolicis traditionibê° that is Of orders taken diuised by the Apostles of Christe for the better gouernment of the Churche A woorthy booke no doubte and in al ages to be had in great price if men had béen perswaded it had béen written in dede by Clement But S. Hierome by the reporte of Eusebius maketh mention onely of one epistle of Clementes that he thought woorthy to be receiued which epistle notwithstandyng is not nowe to be founde One other epistle of Clementes he speaketh of but he sayth it was neuer allowed by the Churche And further S. Hierome sayth Certaine other bookes there are reported to be abroade in the name of Clement as the disputation of Peter and Appion whiche bookes were neuer in vse amongst our fathers neither conteine they pure and Apostolical doctrine Thus muche S. Hierome Nowe whence then commeth M. Hardinges Clement It was founde very lately in the I le of Candie by one Carolus Capellius a Uenetian written in Gréeke and in these countreis neuer hearde of nor séene before Here the reader be he neuer so simple yet must he thinke thus muche with him selfe Clemens was Bishop of Rome as it is thought nexte after S. Peter And were the Bishop of Romes bookes and suche bookes so strange so holy and of such weight kept in Candie so farre of from Italie in an Ilande in the sea and not in Rome written in Gréeke not in Latine And coulde suche a woorthy woorke diuised by al the Apostles and set foorth by the Apostles fellowe be layde vp in secresie for the space of a thousande fiue hundred yéeres and more and no man misse it Thus muche the reader may soone consider with him selfe be he neuer so simple But what if this booke were neuer written by S. Clement what if it were written by no honest man what if it were written by an Heretique Uerely it was a common practise in olde times to sette wicked bookes abroade vnder the names and titles of the Apostles and other godly Fathers Leo sometime Bishop of Rome writeth thus Apocriphae Scripturae quae sub nominibus Apostolorum multarum habent seminarium falsitatum non solùm interdicendae sed etiam penitus auferendae atque ignibus tradendae sunt Secrete Scriptures whiche bearyng the names of thâ—apostles conteyne a â—â—rcerie and occasion of muche falsheade are not onely to be forbidden but also vtterly to be taken awaye and to be committed to the fyre By this we see that thapostles names were borowed sometimes to auoutche Heresies and wicked doctrine As touchyng
heare but to sée Masse And for so muche as M. Hardinge séemeth to delite him selfe with this kinde of speache To heare Masse To the entente he may make some simple body beléeue that the people hearinge that they vnderstande not are neuerthelesse wel and deuoutly occupied and therein followe the order of the Primitiue Churche I wil also demaunde of him what learned Doctour or Auncient Father euer tooke Hearing in that sense Surely Christe in the godly ioyneth hearinge and vnderstandinge bothe togeather Thus he saith Audite intelligite Heare ye and vnderstande ye And the wise man saithe If thou geue thine eare thou shalt receiue knowledge And God himselfe in the Deuteronomie saith Thou shalt reade the woordes of this Law in the presence of al the people of Israel c. That they hearinge may learne and feare the Lorde your God and may keepe and fulfil al the woordes of this law And in the booke of Kinges it is written thus Loquere nobis Syriacâ— nam audimus Speake to vs in the Syrian tongue For wee heare it That is to say For wee vnderstande it And to that vse hath God endewed vs with the sense of hearing that thereby wée might learne and atteine knowledge And therefore Aristotle calleth hearinge the sense of vnderstanding For hearing voide of al manner vnderstanding is no hearing Cicero saithe In illis linguis quas non intelligimus quae sunt innumerabâ—les surdi profectò sumus In the tongues that wee vnderstande not which are innumerable wee are doubtlesse deafe and heare nothing By this it appeareth that the simple people hearing Masse in a straunge language is deafe heareth no Masse at al. The Emperour Iustinian saith NoÌ„ multuÌ„ interest vtâ—um abfuerit tutor cum negotiuÌ„ contraheretur an praesens ignorauerit quale esset quod contrahebatur There is no greate difference whether the Tutour were absente when the bargaine was made in the behoufe of his Pupil or being present vnderstoode not the manner of the bargaine Likewise also in an other place he saithe Coram Titio aliquid facere iussus non videtur praesente eo fecisse nisi is intelligat He that is coÌ„maunded to doo a thing in the presence of Titius seemeth not to doo it in his presence onlesse he vnderstande it Upon the whiche woordes Alciat writeth thus Quid opus erat eius praesentiam adhibere qui quod agatur non intelligat Siquidem aiebat Epicharmus philosophus MenteÌ„ esse quae videt non oculos Qui igitur animo non adest abesse videtur what nâ—edeth his presence that vnderstandeth not what is done For the Philosopher Epicharmus saith It is the minde that seeth and not the eies Therfore he that is not present with his minde to vnderstande what is doone may be taken for absent I haue alleged these authorities rather then other for that in them wée may see the very light and sense of Nature How then can M. Harding thinke he may steale away inuisible vnder the cloke of these woordes of hearinge Masse Uerely in the sauour iudgement of common reason it is as strauÌ„ge as fonde a speache to say I wil heare Masse As it is to say I wil see the Sermon For what is there in the Masse that the vnlearned can heare The oblation that they imagin is an outwarde action or dooinge and therfore is to be séen not to be hearde The Consecration as they vse it is spoken in silence may not in any wise be hearde Their Communion is none at al and therefore cannot be hearde These be the three substantial partes wherof as M. Harding saith the whole Masse consisteth How then can he say The vnlearned man heareth Masse that heareth not one parte of the Masse If by this woorde Masse he vnderstande the praiers that be saide in the Masse the vnlearned vnderstandeth them not and therefore heareth them not Chrysostome speakinge of him that heareth the praiers in a straunge vnknowen tongue saithe thus Tâ— rectè oras Spiriâ—u scilicet concitatus sonas sed ille nec audiens nec intelligens ea quae dicis paruam ex ea re vtilitatem capit Thou praiest wel for thou soundest out woordes beinge moued â—y the Spirite but the vnlearned neither hearinge nor vnderstandinge what thou sayste hath thereby but smal profite Likewise saith S. Pauleâ— Qui loquitur lingua non hominibus loquitur sed Deo Nullus enim audit He that speaketh with tongue speaketh not vnto men but vnto God For no man heareth him M. Hardinge saith The vnlearned heareth the Masse and other prayers ye although he vnderstande not one woorde that is spoken But S. Paule and S. Chrysostome saye The vnlearned heareth not bicause he vnderstandeth not God saithe vnto the wicked and not vnto the Godly Ye shal heare with your eares and shal not vnderstande Now let vs sée what M. Hardinge geathereth out of these two Councels Then of like saithe he specially in smal townes and villages they had Masse without the Communion of many togeather Of like was neuer good argument in any Schooles Thou séest Good Reader the best that here canne be had is but a gheasse and as it shal afterwarde appeare a very simple and a blinde gheasse It is a woonder to see so great a mater and so single proufes You haue taught the people that in your Masse Christe him selfe is Presently and Really Sacrificed for the sinnes of the worlde that al that euer he did or suffred for our sakes is liuely expressed in the same and that al Kinges Princes and other estates must needes stoope vnto it And yet was the same for the space of sixe hundred yeeres to be founde onely in poore Townes and Uillages and that onely by gheasse and blinde coniecture and none otherwise Or coulde it neuer al that while once entre into any Citie or good Towne And beynge so good a thinge can no man tel vs who published it and saide it firste But what if the very woordes of these Councels wherevpon M. Hardinge hath founded his Masse make manifest proufe against his Masse The woordes be these Al Secular Christian folke be bounde to receiue the Communion at the least thrise in the yere This Relaxation or Priuilege is graunted onely vnto the Secular Christians Whereof it foloweth necessarily that al Ecclesiastical persons as Priestes Deacons Clerkes others what so euer of the sorte were not excepted but stoode stil bounde to receiue orderly as thei had doone before and that was at al times when so euer there was any Ministration And so by the plaine woordes of these Councels the priest receiued not alone neither hath M. Hardinge yet founde out his Priuate Masse But that the whole mater may the better appeare not by gheasse or ayme but by the very Ecclesiastical order of that age we must vnderstande that
that the Sacrament was geuen vnder one kinde onely to the twoo Disciples that went to Emaus For that the Breâ—de whiche Christe there tooke Blissed Brake and gaue to them was not simple and common Breade but the Sacrament of the Bodie and Bloude of Christe For so Chrysostome Augustine Bede and Theophylacte with one accorde doo witnesse It appeareth also that the Communion vnder one kinde was vsed at Hierusalem amonge Christes Disciples by that S. Luke writeth in thactes of the Aposâ—les of the breakinge of the Breade If M. Iuel here thinke to auoide these places by their accustomed figure Synechdoche amonge his owne secte happely it may be accepted but amonge men of right and learned iudgement that shifte wil seeme ouer weake and vaine Now to conclude touchinge the sixth Chapter of S. Iohn as thereof they can bringe no one woorde mentioninge the Cuppe or VVine for proufe of their bothe kindes so it sheweth and not in verie obscure wise that the forme of Breade alone is sufficient whereas Christe saieth Qui manducat panem hunc viuet in aeternum he that eateth this Breade shal liue for euer The B. of Sarisburie In these woordes M. Hardinge chargeth not onely vs but also the Apostles of Christe and al the Fathers of the Primitiue Churche with great ouersight who in their times ministred the holy Sacrament vnto the Uulgare people as it is nowe supposed by these men without any example of Christe and without Commission Touchinge the Institution of Christe I haue alreadie saide so muche as vnto a quiet minde may séeme sufficient Yet for further declaration I woulde demaunde of M. Hardinge what thinge he requireth to Christes Institution If VVoordes Christes woordes be plaine If Example Christe him selfe ministred in bothe kyndes If Authoritie Christe commaunded his Disciples and in them al other Ministers of his Churche to dooe the like If Certdiâ—etie of his meaninge The Apostles indued with the Holy Ghoste so practised the same and vnderstoode he meante so If Continuance of time he badde the same to be continued vntil he come againe If neither the Woordes nor Example nor Commaundement of Christe nor the vnderstanding practise of the Apostles can warrant vs Christes Institution alas what warrant then haue they that beinge vtterly voyde of al these thinges onely staye them selues as it is confessed by the best of that side by the simple deuotion of the people When Christe had deliuered bothe kindes vnto his Disciples he saide vnto them This doo yee the same that ye sée I haue doone But where did Christe euer saye Minister vnto your selues one waye and an other waye vnto the people or Receiue yée in bothe kindes and let al the rest receiue in one Although these thinges be plaine and euident of them selfe yet that the folie of these men may the better appeare it shal be good to heare the reporte of one of their owne Doctours touchinge these maters One Gerardus Lorichius in a booke that he wrote De Missa publica proroganda hath these woordes Sunt Pleudocatholici qui reformationem Ecclesiae quoquo modo remorari non verentur Hi ne Laicis altera species restituatur nullis parcunt blasphemijs Dicunt enim Christum solis Apostolis dixisse Bibite ex eo omnes Atqui verba Canonis habent Accipite manducate ex hoc omnes Hic dicant oro num hoc ad solos dictum sit Apostolos Ergo Laicis à specie panis est abstinendum Quod dicerâ—â—st haeresis blasphemia pestilens execrabilis Consequitur ergo vtrunque verbum dictum esse ad omnem Ecclesiam They be false Catholikes saithe this man that are not ashamed by al meanes to hinder the Reformation of the Churche They to thintent the other kinde of the Sacrament may not be restored vnto the Laye people spare no kinde of blasphemies For they saye that Christe saide onely vnto his Apostles Drinke ye al of this But the woordes of the Canon of the Masse be these Take and eate ye al of this Here I beseche them let them tel me whether they wil haue these woordes also onely to perteine vnto the Apostles Then must the laye people absteyne from the other kinde of the Bread also Whiche thinge to saye is an Heresie and a pestilent and a detestable blasphemie Wherefore it foloweth that eche of these woordes was spoken vnto the whole Churche Thus farre Lorichius an earnest defender of Transubstantiation of the Popes Supremacie and of Priuate Masse lest M. Hardinge shoulde saye he were one of Luthers Scholars and so excepte against him as beynge a partie And Leo sometime Bishop of Rome hearinge of certaine that vsed to dippe the Breade in the Wine and so to deliuer it to the people had no waie to reforme them but onely by Christes Institution For thus he saithe Quod pro complemento Communionis â–ª intinctam tradunt Eucharistiam populis nec hoc prolatum ex Euangelio testimonium receperunt Whereas for accomplishment of the Communion they dippe the Sacrament and deluer it vnto the people they haue not receiued this witnesse of the Gospel He addeth further Seorsum enim Panis seorsum Calicis commendatio memoratur For the deliuerie of the Breade and the deliuerie of the Cuppe are mentioned asunder And thus he speaketh of the ministration of the Sacrament that is due not onely to the priestes but also to the people The learned men of Bohemia sâ—we they coulde haue no holde of Christes Institution and therefore to mainteine their newe fangled attempte as it pleaseth M. Hardinge to terâ—e it they were 〈◊〉 to take the woordes of Christe out of the sixthe Chapter of Iohn onlesse 〈…〉 fleashe of the Sonne of man and drinke his bloude ye shal haue no life in you But these woordes in the sixte Chapter of S. Iohn saithe M. Hardinge our newe Maisters wil haue expounded of the spiritual not of the Sacramental eatinge Of the Bohemians I cannot sée why they shoulde be called newe fangled Their requeste was none other but that they might continue the order of the Primitiue Churche whiche Thomas of Aquine saithe had continued in diuerse Churches from the Apostles vntil his time for the space of a thousande and thrée hundred yéeres without controlement And it may il become a Christian man and a scholar of thapostoâ—â—que See to cal the dooinge of Christe and of his Disciples newe fangled Touchinge their reasons made in this behalfe I néede not to speake Goddes name be blissed they haue preuailed with the best learned of the worlde What so euer their premisses séeme to M. Hardinge their Conclusion was this that no mortal creature shoulde presume to disallowe the ordinance of the Immortal God But our newe Maisters saithe M. Hardinge must needes haue these woordes of S. Iohn expounded of the spiritual eatinge If it be either the violence of nature or the manner of his Catholike
them yet can he not finde any one of them al that calleth the Bishop of Rome the Uniuersal Byshoppe or Head of the Uniuersal Churche Ireneaeus speaketh neither of Supremacie nor of Headship of the Churche nor of any other Uniuersal power Therefore M. Hardinge mistelleth his authours tale and auoucheth that he neuer meante For Irenaeus in that place writeth onely against Ualentinus Cerdon and Marcion which contrary to the Doctrine of the Apostles had diuised sundrie strange Heresies Fantasies of their owne For trial whereof he biddeth them to beholde the Churches whiche the Apostles had planted The Churche of Ephesus saith he first instructed by S. Paule and afterwarde continued by S. Iohn is a sufficient witnesse of the Apostles learninge Polycarpus beinge conuerted and taught by the Apostles instructed the Churche of Smyrna and al the Churches of Asia folow it Yet none of al these Churches euer allowed or receiued your strange doctrine yea the very wilde Barbarous nations that haue receiued the faithe of Christe at the Apostles handes onely by hearinge without any booke or letter if they should heare of these Heresies they would stoppe their eares Thus Irenaeus calleth foorth these Heretiques as wée doo now our Aduersaries to be tried by the Doctrine and Churches of the Apostles But he saith Valde longum est in hoc tali volumine omnium Ecclesiarum enumerare successiones It woulde be very longe in suche a booke as this is to recken vp the successions of al Churches Therefore he reasteth specially vpon the example of the Churche of Rome whiche he calleth Maximam antiquissimam omnibus cognitam The greatest most auncient and knowen to al men And saith By the example of this Churche wee confounde al peruerse Doctrine And addeth further Ad hanc Ecclesiam propter potentiorem principalitatem necesse est omnem Ecclesiam conuenire quia in hac semper conseruata est ea quae est ab Apostolis Traditio Vnto this Churche of Rome euery other Churche must agree The reason is For that in this Churche the Tradition of the Aposâ—les hath euer been keapte So the Emperours Gratian Ualentinian and Theodosius Commaunded al them to be called Catholiques that folow the Faithe that S. Peter deliuered to the See of Rome For the Apostles Doctrine is the trial and rule of Faithe This Doctrine at the beginninge was exactly obserued in Rome without corruption and therefore was that Churche in reuerence and estimation aboue others But they wil replie Irenaeus saith Propter potentiorem principalitateÌ„ Of these woordes groweth their errour They dreame of a Kingdome and Principalitie But Christe saith to his Disciples The kinges of Nations rule ouer them Vos auteÌ„ non sic But you may not so And Origen saith Qui vocatur ad Episcopatum non vocatur ad principatum sed ad seruitutem totius Ecclesiae He that is called to be a Bishop is not called to a principalitie but vnto the Seruice of the whole Churche The Principalitie that Irenaeus meante was the Ciuile Dominion and temporal state of the Citie of Rome in whiche God had then planted the Empier of the worlde and made al Nations subiecte vnto it And therefore the Churche of God beinge once inkendled there was more notable and better knowen vnto al Nations As for the Bishops of Rome that then were they had neither landes nor rentes but liued stil vnder the swearde in continual persecution as S. Paule saithe The ofshauinge of the worlde and the vilest of al people Farre from any shew or colour of Principalitie Yet that notwithstandinge the Churche there was called a principal and a chiefe Churche aboue others bicause of the Dominion and Principalitie of the Citie And in this sense Ecclesia principalis Is sometime vsed in the Olde Fathers In the Councel of Carthage it is written thus Placuit vt nemini sit facultas relicta principali Cathedra ad aliquam Ecclesiam in Dioecesi constitutam se conferre Wee thinke it good it be lawful for no man leauinge the principal Cheyre or Churche to goe to any other Churche within the Diocese Likewise Paulinus vnto Alypius Dominus in suis te ciuibus principalem cum principibus populi sui sede Apostolica meritò collocauit The Lorde hath woorthily placed thee in the See Apostolique a principal one emonge his Citizens with the Princes of his people Thus the Principalitie that Irenaeus meaneth stoode not in the preachinge of the Gospel but in the Ciuile estate and worldly Dominion not in the Bishop that professed Christe but in the Emperour that was an Heathen not in the Churche but in the persecutors and enimies of the Churche Therefore M. Hardinge reasoninge thus Rome had the power and Princehoode of the worlde Ergo The Bishop there was Head of the Vniuersal Churche séemeth not wel to weighe his owne Conclusion For of the same grouÌ„des wée might wel reason thus Rome now hath loste that power and Princehoode of the worlde Ergo The Bishop there is not now the Head of the Vniuersal Churche To be shorte If the Churche of Rome woulde now faithfully kéepe the Traditions and Doctrine of the Apostles wée would frankely yelde her al that honour that Iraeneus geueth her But she hath shaken of the yoke of Christe and wilfully breaketh Gods commaundementes to thintent to vpholde her owne Traditions For proufe wherof to passe ouer an infinite number of other disorders the Bishop there presumeth now to intitle him selfe The Vniuersal Bishop But S. Gregorie saith Nemo decessorum meorum hoc tam profano vocabulo vti consensit None of my predecessours euer consented to vse this vngodly name Therefore like as Irenaeus saithe of his time The Churche of Rome hath euer hitherto keapte the Tradition and Doctrine of the Apostles Ergo al Churches ought to take her for an example and to agree vnto her So may wée in contrary wise say of our time The Churche of Rome hath now broken the Traditions and Doctrine of the Apostles Ergo No Churche ought to folow her example and to agrée vnto her M. Hardinge The .10 Diuision Androw folowed our Sauiour before that Peter did Et tamen primatum non accepit Andreas sed Petrus And yet Androw receiued not the Primacie but Peter saith Ambrose The B. of Sarisburie This errour holdeth onely of the missevnderstandinge of this woorde Primatus which by M. Hardinges â—â—dgement must néedes signifie an Uniuersal power ouer the whole worlde Bâ—t it is easy to be shewed that Primatus emonge the Olde Fathers is farre 〈…〉 I meane for any superioritie or preferrement before others And first to beginne with S. Ambrose thus he writeth Esau pe◠〈…〉 Primatus amisit 〈…〉 of Rise potage lost the honâ—â—â— of 〈…〉 In like sorte writeth S. Augustine Esau Primatus suos non propâ—â—◠〈◊〉 sed 〈…〉 perdidit Likewise the Councel of Chalcedoâ— in the condemnation
Bodie that is to saie a Figure of my Bodie For so the Olde learned Father Tertullian saithe Then must he saie Christus Corporis sui Figuram Discipulis suis commendauit Christe deliuered vnto his Disciples a Figure of his Bodie For so the Olde learned Father S. Augustine saith Then must he saie Sacramentum Corporis Christi secundum quendam modum Corpus Christi est The Sacrament of Christes Bodie after a certaine phrase or manner or Trope or Figure of speache is the Bodie of Christ For so againe S. Augustine saith Here M. Hardinge seeinge the inconueniences and absurdities of his Doctrine thought good to heale it vp with some plaister By these woordes Really Carnally c. The Godly learned Fathers saithe he Meante that Christes very Bodie and Fleshe is there but not in any Natural or Carnal wise And thus M. Hardinges Doctours wrote one thinge and meante an other For M. Hardinge knoweth that al Aduerbes taken of Nownes signifie euermore a qualitie and neuer the Substance whiche thinge Children are taught to knowe in the Grammar Schoole and may be resolued thus Viriliter virili modo muliebriter muliebri modo And therefore his very Canonistes saie in their manner of Eloquence Deus non est remunerator Nominū ▪ sed Aduerbiorum God rewardeth not Nownes but Aduerbes That is to say God regardeth not the Dooinge of any thinge but the Manner of the Dooinge But M. Hardinge thinketh he may take vpon him to ouerlooke and to maister the Grammar Rules For onlesse we make Nownes Aduerbes and Aduerbes Nownes these mens Diuinitie cannot stande Therefore as they haue diuised a newe Diuinitie so must our Children learne for their pleasure a Newe Grammar But what are these Olde Learned Fathers that saie Christes Bodie is thus Really and Fleashly in the Sacrament Where be their Woordes What be their Names If they haue neither Names nor Woordes howe can they be allowed for sufficient witnesses M. Hardinge wel knoweth that the Olde learned Fathers neuer saide so yet must he needes imagine bothe causes that moued them so to say and also Expositions what they meante by so saieinge So Montanus the blinde Senatour beinge at supper with the Emperour Tiberius highely commended the great Mullet that he hearde saie was set on the table before them and shewed how rounde how faire how fatte it was how it filled the Charger and howe it laie and euermore turned his face and pointed with his finger to the higher ende of the table and yet was not the Mullet there but farre beneath at the lower ende Reason woulde that M. Hardinge had firste beene sure of the Effecte before he had thus gonne aboute to gheasse the causes M. Hardinge The .6 Diuision 132 And the Fathers haue bene driuen to vse these termes for the more ample and ful declaration of the Truethe and also for withstandinge and stoppinge obiections made by Heretiques And because the Catholike faithe touchinge the veritie of Christes Bodie in the Sacrament was not impugned by any man for the space of a thousand yeeres after Christes beinge in earthe and about that time 133 Berengarius firste beganne openly to sowe the wicked seede of the Sacramentarie Heresie whiche then soone confuted by learned men and by the same first Authour abiured and recanted now is with no lesse wickednesse but more busily and more earnestly set foorth againe the Doctours that sithence haue written in the defence of the true and Catholike faithe herein haue 134 more often vsed the termes before mentioned then the Olde and Auncient Fathers that wrote within M. Iuelles sixe hundred yeeres after Christe VVho doubtlesse woulde no lesse haue vsed them if that matter had beene in question or doubte in their time And albeit these termes were strange and newe as vsed within these fiue hundred yeeres onely and that the people were neuer taught for sixe hundred yeeres after Christe as M. Iuel saithe more boldely then truely and therefore more rashely then wisely Yet the Faithe by them opened and declared is Vniuersal and olde verily no lesse olde then is our Lordes Supper where this Sacrament was firste instituted The B. of Sarisburie M. Hardinge thinketh he may leade alonge his simple Reader and easily carrie away the mater vnder the bare Titles and Names of the Learned Fathers But what priuie mysterie is this As I saide before haue M. Hardinges Doctours no names Or is not he hable to name his owne Fathers He shoulde haue sette them out as his wonte is with al their Circumstances what they were when and where they liued what they wrote and how they haue béene euer are nowe estéemed emonge the learned But he wel knewe that these Good Fathers liued al within the compasse of two hundred or thrée hundred yéeres paste as Thomas Duns Ockam Henricus de Gandauo Robertus de collo torto and suche others These be M. Hardinges greate Fathers by whome he claimeth his newe Doctrine in respect of S. Augustine S. Hierome S. Chrysostome S. Ambrose and others not woorthy to haue the name of Children But the Catholique Faithe touchinge the Sacrament saithe M. Hardinge for the space of a thousande yeeres stoode vpright Berengarius was the firste that beganne to sowe the seede of the Sacramentarie Heresie It is likely M. Hardinge hath no greate regarde howe his tales hange togeather For before in the First Article to serue his turne he saide The Messalians were the first Fathers of this Heresie Nowe he seemeth to be otherwise aduised and saith This Heresie was neuer hearde of within sixe hundred yeeres after the Messalians were repressed and that the first founder of it was Berengarius Yet M. Hardinge might soone haue knowen that one Iohannes Scotus a famous learned man and Scholar vnto Beda and one Bertramus as appeareth by his booke helde and mainteined the same Doctrine in the time of the Emperoure Lotharius two hundred yeeres and more before Berēgarius Wherefore it seemeth not to be so true as M. Hardinge assuereth it That Berengarius was the First Authour of this Doctrine But for further declaration hereof it shal be necessary to open Berengarius whole iudgement in this mater and afterwarde to consider the Confutation of the same Thus therefore Berengarius wrote as his greatest aduersarie Lanfrancus reporteth of him Per-Consecrationem Altaris Panis Vinum fiunt Sacramentum religionis non vt desinant esse quae erant c. By the Consecration of the Aultar the Breade and the Wine are made a Sacrament of Religion not that they leaue to be the same they were before but that they be altred into an other thinge and become that they were not before as S. Ambrose writeth And the Sacrifice of the Churche standeth of two thinges the one Visible the other Inuisible that is to saie the Sacrament and the mater or Substance of the Sacramente Whiche Substance notwithstandinge that is
Vessels So it be reuerently kepte for the viage prouision for the Sicke no Catholique man wil mainteine strife for the manner and order of keeping Symmachus a very woorthy Byshop of Rome in the time of Anastasius the Emperour as it is written in his life made two vessels of Siluer to reserue the Sacrament in and set them on the Aultars of two Churches in Rome of S. Syluester and of S. Androwe These vessels they cal commonly Ciboria VVe finde likewise in the life of S. Gregorie that he also like Symmachus made suche a Vessel which they cal Ciborium for the Sacrament with fowre pillours of pure Siluer and set it on the Aultare at S. Peters in Rome In a woorke of Gregorius Turonensis this vessel is called Turris in qua Mysterium Dominici Corporis habebatur A Tower wherein 174 our Lordes Bodie was kepte In an olde booke De Poâ—nitentia of Theodorus the Greeke of Tarsus in Cilicia sometime Archebishop of Cantorburie before Beda his time it is called Pyxis cum Corpore Domini ad viaticum pro infirmis The Pyxe with our Lordes Bodie for the viage prouision for the sicke In that booke in an admonition of a Bishop to his Clergie in a Synode warninge is geuen that nothinge be put vpon the Aultare in time of the Sacrifice but the Cofer of Reliques the booke of the foure Euangelistes and the Pyxe with our Lordes Bodie Thus we finde that the Blessed Sacramente hathe alwaies been kepte in some places in a Pyxe hanged vp ouer the Aultare in some other places otherwise euery where and in al times safely and reuerently as is declared to be alwaies in a readinesse for the viage Prouision of the sicke VVhich keepinge of it for that Godly purpose and with like due reuerence if M. Iuel and the Sacrament aries woulde admitte no man wil be either so scrupulous or so contentious as to striue with them either for the hanginge vp of it or for the Canopie The B. of Sarisburie It is maruel that M. Hardinge in so shorte a â—ale cannot auoide manifest contradiction He holdeth and teacheth that this is the honouringe of Christe God and Man and yet he saithe It is no greate Keye of his Religion Uerily what so euer Keye he nowe make of it greate or smal he bringeth in very smal Authorities and proufes to make it good Concerninge the Canopie wherein al this question standeth he is wel contented to yelde in the whole as beinge not hable to finde it once mentioned in any manner Olde Writer But the hanginge vp of the Sacrament and that euen ouer the Aultar he is certaine maye wel be prooued by that solemne Fable that we haue so often hearde vnder the name of Amphilochius Concerninge whiche Fable for a very childishe Fable it is and no better I must for shortenesse referre thée gentle Reader to that is written before in the First Article of this Book and in the .33 Diuision as answeare to the same Yet thus muche shortly and by the waye First M. Hardinges Amphilochius saith that S. Basile after he had saide Masse to Christe and his twelue Apostles immediately the same night put one portion of the Sacrament in the Dooue that was then hanging ouer the Aultar the nexte daye folowinge sente for a Goldesmith caused the same Dooue to be made the same Dooue I saye that he put the Sacrament in the night before And so M. Hardinges Dooue was a Dooue before it was made But Dreames Fables are woorthy of Priuilege Yet least this tale should passe alone it is accompanied with a Miracle For after that time when so euer S. Basile was at Masse lifted vp the Breade the same Dooue so saithe this Amphilochius vsed euermore to rowse her selfe ouer yâ— Aultar mooued sturred of her selfe hither and thither muche like to the Mathematical Dooue that Architas Tarentinus made that was hable to flie alone If this Golden Dooue had not beene endewed with Sprite Life this tale had lost halfe his grace Againe Pekham in his Prouincial geueth a straite commaundement to al Priestes that the Breade in the Pyxe be changed and renewed euery seuenth day for avoidinge of putrefaction or some other lothsomnesse that may happen But M. Hardinges Golden Dooue had a special vertue aboue al others to keepe the Breade seuen yéeres togeather without corruption and the same at the last méete to be geuen to a sicke man in his death bedde But there is mention made of Golden and Siluern Dooues in the Councel of Constantinople I graunte How be it there is no mention made there of any Pyxe or Reseruation of the Sacrament But if euery Dooue there were a Pyxe or as they cal it a Monster then hath M. Hardinge a greate aduantage For séeking out but one Pyxe he hath founde twentie and that al togeather in one Churche some aboute the Aultar some aboute the holy Fonte and some els where And yet I coulde neuer vnderstande but euermore in one Churche were it neuer so bigge one Pyxe was thought sufficient O what paines M. Hardinge hath taken to furnish a Fable God graunte vs to be simple as Dooues in obeieing of Goddes Trueth and wise as Serpentes in discerning and eschewing lies The reast that is alleged of Symmachus Gregorius Romanus Gregorius Turonensis Theodorus as it is not denied so it is no parcel of this Question The hanginge of the Sacrament and the Canopie wherein the greatest danger stoode beinge remooued somewhat may be considered touchinge Reseruation when it shal be thought necessarie Wherein to counterpoise the credite of these foure obscure and late Doctours wée haue the authoritie of eight other doctours counted Learned and Ancient Clemens Cyprian Origen Cyrâ—â— Hierome Augustine Hesychius and Nicephorus as it is already prooued FINIS THE TENTH ARTICLE OF ACCIDENTES VVITHOVT SVBIECTE The B. of Sarisburie Or that in the Sacrament after the woordes of Consecration there remaine onely the Accidentes and Shewes without the Substance of Breade and UUine M. Hardinge The .1 Diuision In this Sacrament after Consecration 175 nothinge in Substance remaineth that was before neither Breade nor VVine but onely the Accidentes of Breade and wine as their forme and shape sauour smel coloure weight and suche the like which here haue their beinge miraculousely without their subiecte for as muche as after Consecration there is none other substance then the substance of the Bodie and Bloude of our Lorde whiche is not affected with such Accidentes as the Scholastical Doctours terme it VVhiche Doctrine hath alwaies though not with these precise termes 176 beene taught and beleeued from the beginning and dependeth of the Article of Transubstantiation For if the substance of Breade and VVine be changed into the Substance of the Bodie and Bloud of our Lorde 177 which is coÌ„stantly affirmed by al the learned and Ancient Fathers of the Church it foloweth by a necessarie
to be taken downe assueringe our Subiectes that we will most streitely pounishe al suche as shal presume to attempte any thinge contrary to our Decree and Commaundement The same Decree was afterwarde put in execution and practised by Philippicus Leo Constantinus the Father Constantinus the Soone Nicephorus Stauratius Michael Leo Armenius and other Christian and godly Emperours These Authorities as they be Olde and Ancient so be they also plaine and euident and wel acquainted and knowen vnto the World and therefore wil soone ouerpoâ—se al these Fables of the Image of Nicodemus of Simeon Metaphrastes of this yonge S. Basile of newe Athanasius and of other like blinde Authorities that haue benne lately sought vp out of Corners and brought to light Uerily Amphilochius vnder whose cloke M. Hardinge hath so often hidde him selfe maie in no wise be refused His woordes be plaine Non est nobis curae Sanctorum vâ—lâ—us corporales in tabulis coloribus effigiare quoniam his opus non habemus We haue no care to drawe owt the bodily countenances of Sainctes in colours and tables For we haue no neede of them M. Hardinge The .10 Diuision Nowe that there hath benne inough alleged for the antiquitie original and approbation of Images it remaineth it be declared for what causes they haue benne vsed in the Churche VVe finde that the vse of Images hath benne brought into the Churche for three causes The firsté is the benefite of knowledge For the simple and vnlearned people whiche be vtterly ignorant of letters in Pictureâ— doo as it were reade and see no lesse then others doo in bookes the mysteries of Christian Religion the actes and worthy deedes of Christe and of his Sainctes VVhat writinge perfourmeth to the that reade the same dooth a picture to the simple beholdinge it saith S. Gregorie For in the same the â—gnorant see what they ought to folowe in the same they reade whiche can no lâ—tters Therefore Imagerie serueth specially the rude Nations in steede of writinge saithe he Tâ— this S. Basile agreeth in his Homilie vpon the fourty Martyrs Bothe the writers of stories saith he and also painters dooe shewe and sette foorthe noble deedes of armâ—s and victories the one garnishinge the mater with eloquence the other drawinge it liuely in â—ables and bothe haue stirred many to valiaunt courage For what thinges the vtterance of the storie expresseth through hearinge the same dooth the still Picture set foorth through imitation In the like â—especte in olde time the woorke of excellent Poëtes was called a speakinge Picture and the woorke of Painters a stille Poetrie And thus the vse and profite of writinge and of Pictures is one For thinges that be read when as they come to our eares then we conueigh them ouer to the minde And the thinges that we beholde in pictures with our eies the same also doo we imbrace in our minde And so by these twoo Readinge and Paintinge wee atchiue one like benefite of Knowledge The B. of Sarisburie The first and chiefe cause and ende of Images is as it is here pretended that the People by the sight thereof may atteine knowledge And therefore S. Gregorie calleth them the Lay mennes Bookes And the Fathers in a late Councel saye Wee may learne more in a shorte while by an Image then by longe studie and trauaile in the Scriptures And for the same cause S. Basile compareth an Image painted with a Storie written But the comparison that M. Hardinge vseth betweene Imagerie and Poetrie seemeth nearest to expresse the trueth For Painters and Poetes for libertie of lyeinge haue of longe time beene coupled bothe togeather One writeth of them in this sorte Pictoribus atque Poetis Quidlibet audendi semper fuit aequa potestas Painters and Poetes had euer like chartar to aduenture al thinges And Atheneus blasinge abroade the libertie of Poetes writteth of them thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vnto whom onely it is lawful to say and doo what they liste And therefore Cicero seemeth to say Nihil negotij est haec Poetarum Pictorum portenta conuincere It is no greate maisterie to reprooue these monstrous Miracles of Painters and Poetes And therefore like as Plato commaunded al Poetes for their lyeinge to be banished out of his Common Wealthe So likewise Almighty God for like libertie banished al Painters out of Israel For these causes M. Hardinges comparison of Painters and Poetes may wel be allowed How be it this séemeth to be no very handsome way to teache the people Of their Priestes they haue made Images and of their Images they haue made Priestes For their Priestes for the more parte haue Eies and sée not haue Eares and heare not Hartes and vnderstande not Mouthes and speake not in al respectes euen like vnto their Images Their Images haue no Eies and yet are made to see haue no Eares and yet are made to heare haue no Mouthes and yet are set vp to speake and so in these respectes doo the Dewties that perteine to Priestes Thus they barre the People from the hearinge of Goddes holy Woorde and bid them goe and looke vpon their Images to talke with their Images to heare their Images and to learne of their Images And although perhaps the people may happily learne somewhat by these meanes yet is not this the ordinary way whereby God hath appointed the people to atteine knowledge S. Paule saithe Fides ex auditu Faith commeth not by séeing or gasinge but by hearinge There were many simple rude and vnlearned lay men emonge the Iewes Yet God neuer set vp any suche Bookes for them to reade but contrarywise euermore forebade them and cried against them and woulde not suffer them If this be so speedy and so ready a way to teache the People how happeneth it that where as is greatest stoare of suche Schoolemaisters there the people is euermore most Ignorant most Superstitious and moste subiecte to Idolatrie But to conclude The Prophetes Habacuch and Hieremie say Conflatile est demonstratio mendacij Lignum est Doctrina Vanitatis A molton Idol is a Lesson of Lies And M. Hardinges woodden Image is a doctrine of Vanitie M. Hardinge The .11 Diuision The seconde cause of the vse of Images is the stirringe of our mindes to al godlynesse For where as the affecte and desire of man is heauy and dul in Diuine and spiritual thinges because the Bodie that is corruptible weigheth downe the minde when it is set foorthe before our eies by Images what Christe hath doone for vs and what the Sainctes haue doone for Christe then it is quickned and moued to the like will of dooinge and sufferinge and to al endeuour of holy and vertuouse life As when we heare apte and fitte woordes vttered in a Sermon or an Oration so when we beholde lookes and gestures liuely expressed in Images we are mooued to pitie to weepinge to ioye and to other affectes VVherein
owne tongue Howe be it some others of his side thought sometimes they had surely founde it and were hable to allege these woordes Nolite sanctum dare Canibus Geue not holy thinges to Dogges And thereof necessarily to conclude that the Laie People whom in respect of them selues they called Dogges might not once touche the holy Scriptures But M. Hardinge saith plainely He findeth it not This short answeare touching the demaunde is sufficient Yf he knewe what were sufficieÌ„t Al the rest is made vp onely in woordes as shal appeare He addeth further Neither doo I finde that the Laie People was then or at any other timâ— commaunded to reade the woorde of God in their owne tongue beinge vulgare and Barbarous First this stopple of Commaundinge is wholy impertment vnto the question Secondly al other tongues thrée onely excepted are without iuste cause Condemned for Barbarous Thirdly this exception of the peoples readinge in their Uulgare tongue is onely a bare shifte and a quarrel without sauoure For in what tongue can the Uulgare people reade and vnderstande any thinge sauinge onely in their owne Common and Uulgare tongue But as the Emperoure Tiberius vsed sometimes to sende certaine of his Nobles into his out Prouinces and far Countries to rule there as Uiceroies Lieutenantes vnder him and yet that notwithstandinge whoulde not suffer them to goe thither or in any wise to departe from Rome euen in like sorte M. Hardinge notwithstandinge he woulde seeme to licence the Laie People to reade Goddes Woorde Yet he limiteth them either to the Greeke or to the Latine or to the Hebrewe tongue wherein he is wel assured they cannot reade it But that the people was in Olde times willed to reade the Scriptures and that in suche tongues as they were hable to vnderstande it is euident and appereth many waies And of infinite testimonies and good proufes onely to touche a few God saith thus vnto his people Herken O Israel Let the Woordes that I speake to thee this daie reast in thy haâ—te thow shalt shew them vnto thy Children thow shalt thinke of them sittinge in thy house and walkinge in thy iourney and when thow goest to reast and when thow riseste thow shalt binde them as a marke vnto thy hande thow shalt haue them as a token before thine eies thow shalt write them on the postes of thy doores and at the entrie of thy gates As it is noted by a Writer of late yeeres it was decréed in the First Councel of Nice that no Christian man shoulde be without the Bilble in his house S. Augustine saith vnto the people Nec solùm sufficiat quòd in Ecclesia Diuinas Lectiones auditis Sed etiam in domibus vestris aut ipsi legite aut alios legentes requirite Thinke it not sufficient that ye heare the Scriptures in the Churche but also in youre houses at home either reade youre selues â–ª or geate some other to reade vnto yowe S. Chrysostome saith vnto his people Admoneo rogo vt libros comparetis I warne yowe and beseche yowe to geate bookes Againe he saith Audite Saeculares omnes Comparate vobis Biblia â–ª animae Pharmaca Si nihil aliud vultis vel Nouum Testamentum acquirite Apostolum Euangelia Acta continuos sedulos Doctores Heare me ye menne of the Worlde geate ye the Bible that most holsome remedie for the soule Yf ye wil nothinge els yet at the least geate the Newe Testament S. Paules Epistles and the Actes that maie be youre continual and earnest Teachers Origen saith Vtinam omnes faceremus illud quod Scriptum est Scruâ—amini Scripturas I woulde to God we woulde al doo as it is written Searche the Scriptures S. Hierome speakinge of the Companie of wemen that was at Bethleem with Paula saith thus Non licebat cuiquam Sororum ignorare Psalmos non de Scripturis Sanctis quotidiè aliquid discere It was not lawfull for any one of al the Sisters to be ignorant of the Psalmes nor to passe ouer any daie without learninge some parte of the Scriptures In these Examples notwithstandinge some â—auil perhaps might be made to the contrary yet very reason wil leade M. Hardinge to thinke that these Fathers meante the people shoulde reade the Scriptures in their owne knowen and Uulgare tongues S. Basile saith Quantum ferre potest humana natura possumus esse Similes Deo Similitudo autem illa sine cognitione nulla est Cognitio autem constat ex Doctrina Initium autem Doctrinae Sermo est Sermonis autem partes Syllabae Voces Wee maie become like vnto God as far foorth as the weake nature of man can beare But this likenes cannot be wâ—thout knowledge Neither this knowledge without Doctrine And the beginninge of Doctrine is speache and the partes of speache be Woordes and Syllables The Resolution hereof is this The people without vnderstandinge the particulare Woordes and Syllables cannot know the Speache not knowinge the Speache they cannot attaine this Doctrine and without this Doctrine they cannot be like vnto God M. Hardinge The .2 Diuision They that treate of this Article concerninge the hauinge of the Scriptures in a Vulgare tongue for the Laitie to reade bee of three sundry opinions Some Iudge it to be vtterly vnlawful that the Bible be translated into any tongue of the Common people Some thinke it good it be translated so that respecte be had of time and of place and of persones Some be of the opinion that the Holy Scriptures ought to be had in the mother and natiue tongue of euery nation without any regarde of time place or persones The first opinion is holden of fewe and Commonly mysliked The third is mainteined by all the sectes of oure time the Swenkfeldians excepted who woulde the Scriptures to be in no regarde The seconde is allowed best of those that seeme to be of most wisedome and godlines and to haue most care for the healthe of the Churche who haue not seuered them selues from the Faith whiche hath continewed from the beginninge Here that I saie nothinge of the first opinion â–ª as they of the thirde reprooue the moderation of the seconde so they of the seconde cannot allowe the generalitie of the thirde The B. of Sarisburie Here are laide owt thrée sundrie opinions The First vtterly barreth al and euery of the Laie people from euery parcel of the Scriptures The Thirde geueth al menns leaue to reade al partes thereof without exception Bytweene these two extremes the Seconde opinion is a meane The first hereof saith M. Hardinge is commonly misliked Yet neuertheles it â—ppeareth by him in the fourteenthe Diuision of this Article it is the very Practise and opinion of the Churche of Rome whiche Churche as he saith hath already condemned al the Newe Translations and not allowed the Olde neither in the Gotthian tongue translated by Ulphilas nor in the Sclauon tongue translated by S. Hierome nor
shadowes of him selfe and fighteth stowtely against the same Therefore he maie soone attaine the Uictorie For wee saie not that the common people of al sortes and degrees ought of necessitie to reade al the holy Scriptures This is onely M. Hardinges fantasie We saie it not We knowe some are blinde and many vnlearned cannot reade But thus we saie That in the Primitiue Churche who so euer woulde and could reade might lawfully reade without controlmente Therefore S. Augustine saith as it is before alleged Aut ipsi legite aut alios legentes requirite Either reade your selues or geate some other to reade vnto yowe I graunt at the first preachinge and publishinge of the Gospel certaine Barbarous Nations that receiued the Faithe of Christe had neither Bookes nor Letters Yet were they not therefore ignorant or leafte at large to beléeue they knewe not what They had then certaine officers in the Churche whiche were called Catechistae whose dutie was continually and at al times to teache the Principles of the Faithe not by Booke but by Mouthe Of these mention is made in the Actes of the Apostles in the Councel of Nice and els where This office bare Origen that Ancient learned Father This doctrine Dionysius calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oracles or Instructions geuen from God And saithe They paste from one to an other not by Writinge but by Mouthe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from minde to minde Neither did these Traditions conteine any secrete or priuie Instructions or Inuentions of Men as it is imagined by some but the very selfe same Doctrine that was conteined written in the Scriptures of God And in this sorte the Gospel it selfe and the whole Religion of Christe was called a Tradition So Tertullian calleth the Articles of the Faithe An Olde Tradition So the Faithe of the Holy Trinitie in the Councel of Constantinople is called a Tradition And the Faithe of twoo sundrie Natures in Christe in the same Councel is called Apostolorum viua Traditio The Liuely Tradition of the Apostles So it is written in Socrates Credimus in vnum Deum Patrem secundum Euangelicam Apostolicam TraditioneÌ„ Wee beleeue in one God the Father accordinge to the Tradition of the Gospel and of the Apostles So S. Basile calleth it a Tradition To beleeue in the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghoste Therefore S. Paule saithe Teneâ—e Traditiones quas accepistis siue per Sermonem siue per Epistolam Keepe the Traditions that ye haue receiued either by Mouthe or els by Letter By these woordes the Doctrine of the Apostles is called a Tradition And for this cause S. Cyprian saithe Vnde est ista Traditio An de Dominica Euangelica Veritate descendens an de Apostolorum MaÌ„datis atque Literis veniens From whence is this Tradition whether cometh it from our Lorde and from his Gospel or els from the Epistles and Commaundementes of the Apostles Thus were the Barbarous Nations instructed by Tradition and by Mouthe and were made perfite in euery pointe and parcel of the Faithe and as Irenaeus saithe Had their Saluation by the Holy Ghost written in their Hartes and were as muche bounden vnto the same as vnto any writinges and letters of the Apostles Of suche liuely and cleare Doctrine S. Paule saithe Christe was set out and Crucified before the â—ies of the Galathians And thereof he saithe to the Philippiens My praier is that your Charitie may yet more and more abounde in al knowlege and in al vnderstandinge And thus notwithstandinge they were Barbarous yet were they hable to render an accoumpte of al the Religion and Faithe in Christe For thus Irenaeus writeth of them Si quis illis annuntiaret ea quae ab istis Haereticis inuenta sunt statim clauderent aures Yf any man woulde shewe these Barbarous Nations what thinges these Heâ—etiques haue inuented they woulde stoppe their eares and not abide it Likewise if a man woulde shewe them of the Profanation of Christes Holy Mysteries of Transubstantiation of Real and Fleashely Presence and of other like horrible disorders that nowe are holden and defended in the Churche of Rome as Irenaeus saithe Fugerent longo longiùs ne audire quidem sustinentes blasphemum colloquium They woulde flee away as farre as they were hable and would not abide the hearinge of suche blasphemous talke Thus were these Nations sufficiently instructed notwithstanding they were Barbarous and wanted Bookes But they of M. Hardinges side neither wil teache the people as their dutie is nor suffer them to reade the Holy Scriptures and to teache them selues Christe may iustly say to them as he did sometimes vnto others the like Woe be vnto you ye Scribes and Phariseis Ye shutte vp the Kingedome of Heauen before men and neither doo ye enter your selues nor suffer others that would enter Of suche Irenaeus speaketh in the nexte Chapter folowinge Hoc non est sanantium nec viuificantium sed magis grauantium augentium ignorantiam Et multò verior hic Lex inuenitur Maledictum dicens omnem qui in errorem mittit Coecum in via This is not the parte of them that would heale or gâ—ue life but rather of them that augment the burthen and increase ignorance And herein is the Lawe wel verified Accursed is he that leadeth the blinde out of his way M. Hardinge The .5 Diuision That it is not conuenient nor seemely al sortes of persons without exception to be admitted to the readinge of the Holy Scriptures I neede to say nothinge Euery reasonable man may easely vnderstande the causes by him selfe This is certaine diuerse Chapters and stories of the Olde Testament conteine such matter as occasion of euil thoughtes is like to be geuen if VVomen Maidens and Younge men be permitted to reade them Gregorie Nazianzene whome the Greekes called the diuine saith mooued with great considerations that it is not the parte of al persons to reason of God and of godly thinges neither behooueful the same be done in al times and place nor that al thinges touchinge God be medled withal VVhiche aduertisement taketh no place where al be admitted to the curiouse readinge of the Scriptures in their owne vulgare Tongue The B. of Sarisburie M. Hardinge saithe It is not conuenient nor seemely that al the people shoulde reade the Holy Scriptures As if he woulde say in plainer wise It is not meete nor seemely that God shoulde speake vnto euery of the poore simple people without exception How be it God him selfe saithe not so but rather the contrary S. Augustine saithe as it is alleged before God speaketh as a familiar frende vnto the harte bothe of the learned and also of the vnlearned For he hath no acceptation or choise of personnes If it be not seemely for the people of God to reade and