Churche singeth with him Then followeth in order the readinge of the holy Scriptures whiche is done by the Ministers After that the Caâ—echumeni that is they that are newly come vnto the Religion of Christe and are not yet baptized and Energumeni that is suche as are molested with euill Sprites and suche others as are inioyned to penaunce are commaunded foorth And so there remaine suche as are méete to haue the sight and Communion of the holy thinges It followeth And shewyng foorth the giftes of the holy Sacramentes he goeth to the Communion him selfe and likewise exhorteth others And a litle after that The Priest vncoueringe the Breade that came couered and in one cake or loafe and diuidinge the same into many portions and likewise diuidinge the vnitie of the Cuppe vnto al Mystically and by way of a Sacrament he fulfilleth and diuideth vnitie It foloweth againe Then the Minister receiuinge him selfe and distributinge the holy Communion vnto others in the ende concludeth with holy thankes geuinge togeather with al the whole holy companie of the Churche I beleue M. Hardinge him selfe wil say here is yet but bare witnesse for his Priuate Masse In the Liturgie of S. Basile whiche is also brought for a witnesse in this mater The Prieste prayeth thus Al we receiuinge of one Brâ—ade of one Cuppe c. It foloweth The Prieste diuideth the holy Breade into fower partes the quéerâ— singeth the Communion and so they communicate al. Another witnesse is Chrysostome His Liturgie or as M. Hardinge deliteth to speake his Masse is thus ordred After that the Prieste hath communicate with the Ministers then the great doore is sette open The Prieste sheweth foorth the Cuppe vnto the people sayinge With the feare of God and faithe and loue approche ye neare The Deacon sayeth Come ye neare in peace The people answeareth In the name of the Lorde Againe The Deacons receiue the Communion Afterwarde the Mysteries be caried vnto a place where the people must communicate Ignatius an other witnesse writinge vnto the people of Philadelphia hath these woordes Vnus panis pro omnibus fractus est unus calix omnibus diuidebatur One breade was broken for al and one cuppe was diuided vnto al. What néedeth it me to discourse further of the rest By these fewe I doubte not it may soone appeare howe faithfully these men allege the Catholike Fathers onely amasinge the reader with naked names Here wée sée suche as can not communicate are commaundeth foorthe The whole Churche prayeth singeth and receiueth the holy Sacramentes al togeather Suche Masses they be that the olde Catholike Fathers canne witnesse of And of other Masse they knowe none M. Hardinge him selfe confesseth that in the Primitiue Churche the people receiued the Communion euery day Yet not withstandinge for his Priuate Masse he allegeth the names of Doctours of the Primitiue Churche And so like a craftie Apothecarie in his markes or papers he hath the Masse but in his boxes he hath the Communion But he wil say he alleged al these Doctours by way of digression to an other purpose to prooue the Sacrifice Firste there is very smal proufe in suche witnesses as say nothinge and besides that it is a simple kinde of Rhetorike to vse so large digressions from the mater before ye once entre into the mater And as touchyng the Sacrifice if you haue any at al you haue it onely of the institution of Christe otherwise you haue none But wée are sure we haue Christes institution Wherefore it followeth wée haue the Sacrifice that Christe appointed Touchinge Hippolytus the Bishoppe and Martyr that as M. Hardinge saithe liued in Origens time and is now extant in Gréeke it is a very litle booke of smal price and as smal credite lately sette abroade in printe about seuen yéeres paste before neuer acquainted in the worlde Suche be M. Hardinges auncient authorities for his Masse It appeareth it was some simple man that wrote the booke bothe for the Phrases of speache in the Gréeke tongue whiche commonly are very childishe and also for the truthe and weight of the mater He beginneth the firste sentence of his booke with enim whiche a very childe would scarsely doo He hath many vaine gheasses of the birthe and life of Antichrist He saithe and soothely auoutcheth that Antichriste shal be the Diuel and no man and shal onely beare the shape of a man Yet S. Paule calleth Antichrist the Man of sinne Besides this he hath a further fantasie that Antichriste shal subdewe the kinges of Egypte Aphrica and Ethiopia and that he shal builde vp againe the Temple of Hierusalem And that S. Iohn that wrote the bookes of Apocalyps or Reuelations shal come againe with Elias and Enoch to reproue Antichriste And al this saith he without either warrant of the Scriptures or authoritie of the Churche And writinge that booke namely vpon the Prophete Daniel he allegeth the Apocalyps of S. Iohn in the stéede of Daniel whiche is a token either of great ignorance or of marueilous obliuion Moreouer he saithe that the soules of menne were from the beginninge whiche is an Heresie with other dreames and phantasies many moe This is M. Hardinges Catholike doctour Concerninge the place of him here alleged Venite pontifices qui purè mihi sacrificium die noctéque obtulistis ac pretiosum Corpus Sanguinem meum immolastis quot idie If he wil precisely builde vpon the woordes then muste al other Priestes stande backe and haue no place in Heauen but Bishoppes onely For although they offer vp as M. Hardinge saithe the dayly Sacrifice yet it is wel knowen accordinge to the nature and vse of the woorde they are Priestes onely and not Bisshoppes If he wil make reckeninge of this woorde Quotidiè Dayly then where shal the Bishop of Rome and his Cardinalles stande that scarsely haue leasure to Sacrifice once through the whole yeere And if it be Christe him selfe that they offer vp vnto the Father as they say Howe is the same Christe offered vp vnto Christe him selfe Howe is Christe bothe the thinge that is offred and also the partie vnto whome it is offered But there is no inconuenience to a man in his dreame And if it be the Masse that Hippolytus here speaketh of how is it offered bothe day and night For Hostiensis saithe It is not lawful by the Canons to say Masse in the nighte season sauinge onely the night of Christes Natiuitie But the meaninge of Hippolytus séemeth to be this that al faithful people in this respecte be Priestes and Bishoppes like as S. Peter also calleth them and that euerie of them by faithe maketh vnto God a pure Sacrifice and bothe day and night as it were reneweth and applieth vnto him selfe that one and euerlastinge Sacrifice of Christes pretious Bodie once offered for al vpon the Crosse. Thus are the woordes of Hippolytus plaine and without â—auil
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
Milke Spiritual Fleashe Life Waie Breade Uine and Light And to this ende Christe saith My Woordes be Sprite and life Hitherto the woordes of Christe that be here alleged weigh very litle of M. Hardinges side Bysides al this He saith That whole Christe both God and Man is Really Substantially and Carnally in the Sacrament This thinge bicause he is not hable any way to prooue he presumeth of him self by authoritie as though it were already prooued It shal be good to geue him a daie to consider the mater and to prooue it better In the meane season the substance of his reason standeth thus The Humanitie and Diuinitie of Christe are ioined togeather in one Persone Ergo we must Adoure the Sacrament with Godly Honoure M. Hardinge The .16 Diuision Hereupon he expoundeth these woordes It is the spirite that quickneth or geueth life the fleashe auaileth nothinge thus The fleashe profiteth nothinge but the onely fleashe Come the spirite to the fleashe and it profiteth verie muche For if the fleashe shoulde profite nothinge the woorde shoulde not be made fleashe to dwel amonge vs. For this vnitie of Persone to be vnderstanded in both natures saith the greate learned Father Leo we reade that both the Sonne of Man came downe from heauen when as the Sonne of God tooke fleashe of that Virgin of whome he was borne and againe it is saide that the Sonne of God was Crucified and buried where as he suffered these thinges not in the Godheade it self in whiche the onely begotten is coeuerlastinge and consubstantial with the Father but in the infirmitie of humaine nature VVherefore we confesse al in the Crede also the onely begotten Sonne of God Crucified and buried accordinge to that saieinge of the Apostle For if they had knowen they woulde neuer haue Crucified the Lorde of Maiestie Accordinge to this doctrine Cyrillus writinge vpon S. Iohn saith He that eateth the fleashe of Christe hath life euerlastinge For this fleashe hath the woorde of God whiche naturally is life Therefore he saith I wil raise him againe in the last daie For I saide he that is my Bodie whiche shal be eaten wil raise him againe For he is not other then his fleashe I saie not this because by nature he is not other but because after incarnation he suffereth not him self to be diuided into two sonnes By whiche woordes he reproueth the heresie of wicked Nestorius that went about to diuide Christe and of Christe to make two sonnes the one the sonne of God the other the sonne of Marie and so two persones For which Nestorius was condemned in the First Ephesine Councel and also specially for that he said 167 we receiue in this Sacrament onely the fleashe of Christ in the Breade and his Bloude onely in the VVine without the Godheade because Christe saide he that eateth my fleashe and saide not he that eateth or drinketh my Godhead because his Godhead cannot be eaten but his fleashe onely VVhiche heretical cauil Cyrillus dooth thus auoide Although saith he the nature of the Godhead be not eaten yet we eate the Bodie of Christe whiche verily maie be eaten But this Bodie is the woordes owne proper Bodie whiche quickneth al thinges and in as muche as it is the Bodie of life it is quickninge or lifegeuinge Nowe he quickneth vs or geueth vs life as God the onely fonteine of life VVherefore suche speaches vttered in the scriptures of Christe whereby that appeareth to be attributed to the one nature whiche apperteineth to the other and contrariewise accordinge to that incomprehensible and vnspeakeable coniunction and vnion of the diuine and humaine naâ—ure in one persone are to be taken of him inseparably in as muche as he is both God and Man and not of this or that other nature onely as beinge seuered from the other For through cause of this inseparable vnion what so euer is apperteininge or peculiar to either nature it is rightly ascribed yea and it ought to be ascribed to the whole persone And this done as the learned diuines terme it Per communicationem idiomatum And thus Cyrillus teacheth howe Christe maie be eaten not accordinge to the diuine but humaine nature whiche he tooke of vs and so likewise he is of Christen people adored in the Sacrament accordinge to his diuine nature And yet not accordinge to his diuine nature onely as though that were separated from his humaine nature but his whole persone togeather God and Man And his pretious fleashe and bloude are adored for the inseparable coniunction of both natures into one persone whiche is Iesus Christe God and man VVhome God hath exalted as S. Paule saith and hath geuen him a name whiche is aboue al names that in the name of Iesus euery knee be bowed of the Heauenly and the Earthely thinges and of thinges beneathe and that euery tongue confesse that our Lorde Iesus Christe is in Glorie of God the Father that is of equal glorie with the Father And when God saithe S. Paule bringeth his firste begotten into the worlde he saithe And let al the Angelles of God Adore him S. Iohn writeth in his Reuelation that he hearde al creatures saye Blissinge Honoure Glorie and Power be to him whiche sitteth in the Throne and to the Lambe for euer And the fower and twentie Elders fel downe on their faces and Adored him that liueth vntil worldes of worldes The B. of Sarisburie I maruel M. Hardinge woulde bestowe so many waste woordes to so smal purpose These Authorities be al true and sauinge onely that of the Councel of Chalcedon touchinge Nestorius al truely alleged But euery thinge that is true maketh not by and by proufe sufficient in euery case Plinie the Seconde geueth good sadde counsel that whosoeuer wil take in hande to write a booke haue euermore a good eie vnto his Title or to the purpose whereof he writeth leaste he happen to wander and to renne at randon As nowe M. Hardinge séemeth to shoote faire although a greate waye from the Marke For in al these woordes there is no manner mention neither of the Sacrament nor of the Adoration therof nor of any other thinge thereto belonginge Onlesse M. Hardinge vpon occasion of these woordes wil reason thus The Sonne of man came downe from Heauen Ergo We must Adoure the Sacramente The woordes of Cyrillus be likewise true Christes Fleashe is ioyned with the Godhead and therefore it Naturally geueth life And when Christe saide I wil raise him vp at the last daie He meante euen as Cyrillus saith that his Fleashe that we eate shal raise vs vp at the last daie For what soeuer fauoure or mercie we haue from God we haue it onely by the Fleashe of Christe S. Augustine saith Mortalis factus est Immortalis ut peracta sua Morte nos faceret Immortales He that is Immortal became Mortal that through his Death he might make vs Immortal Againe he saith Nos non
Basile cal it the Communion not withstandinge it were priuately receiued whiche is cleane contrary to M. Iuelles sense But neither S. Hierome nor S. Basile euer called it the Masse that litle furthereth M. Hardinge sense They cal it a Communion not for that he that receiued it communicated with others in other places as M. Hardinge gheasseth but for that it was a portion of the holy Communion ministred and diuided openly in the Congregation to be receiued of the faithful The reason that M. Hardinge hereof geathereth muste néedes be this The husbande and his wife receiued the Sacramente at home Ergo the Prieste saide Priuate Masse He muste néedes be very simple that wil be ledde by suche single proufes S. Hieromes plaine woordes necessarily importe the contrary For if this were the custome in Rome for the space of foure hundred yéeres that the people shoulde communicate euery day Then must it néedes follow that duringe that time there was no custome there of priuate Masse M. Hardinge The .20 Diuision Damasus Bishoppe of Rome in S. Hieromes times writeth in libro pontificali that Milciades Pope and Martyr ordeined that the Sacrament in sundry portions consecrated by a Bishop should be sent abroade amonge the Churches for cause of Heretiques that the Catholike people of the Churches whiche woorde here signifieth as the Greeke woorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dothe so as it is not necessary to vnderstande that the Sacrament was directed onely to the material Churches but to the people of the Parishes mighte receiue the Catholike Communion and not communicate with Heretikes VVhiche doubtles must be vnderstanded of this priuate and single Communion in eache Catholike mans house and that where Heretikes bare the sway and Priestes might not be suffered to consecrate after the Catholike vsage Els if the Priestes might without let or disturbance haue so doone then what neede had it bene for Milciades to haue made such a prouision for sendinge abroade hostes sanctified for that purpose by the Consecration of a Bishop The place of Damasus hath thus Milciades fecit vt oblationes consecratae per Ecclesias ex consecratu Episcopi propter Haereticos dirigerentur Milciades ordeined that consecrated hostes shoulde be sente abroade amongst the Churches prepared by the consecration of a Bishop The two woordes propter haereticos for Heretikes added by Ado the writer of Martyrs liues openeth the meaninge and purporte of that Decree The B. of Sarisburie This gheasse is one of the weakest of al the reste and therefore M. Hardinge hath staied it vp on euery side with other gheasses that one gheasse mighte healpe an other The firste gheasse is what Damasus shoulde meane by these woordes propter Haereticos The next gheasse is that this order was taken by Milciades againste certaine Heretikes that in the holy Ministration keapte not the Catholike vsage The thirde gheasse is that this woorde Ecclesia muste néedes signifie the people of the parishes and not the material Churche The fourthe gheasse is that the Sacrament was then Consecrate in litle rounde Cakes as of late hath bene vsed The fifthe gheasse is that the Sacrament was sente to euery seueral house whiche must haue bene an infinite labour to the Deacon that caried it and wounderous paineful The sirt gheasse is that first euery husbande receiued the Sacrament in his house alone so the wife and so the seruantes so likewise the children euery one seuerally by him selfe alone Whiche thinge I recken M. Hardinge him selfe thinketh not very likely So many gheasses are here in a thronge heaped togeather Which if I denie altogeather M. Hardinge is hardely hable to proue If I graunte him altogeather without exception yet al are not hable to proue his priuate Masse Firste in this place of Damasus neither is there mention of any Masse nor any perfite sense or reason in the woordes For thus it is written Milciades fecit vt oblationes consecratae per Ecclesias ex consecratu Episcopi dirigerentur quod declaratur fermentum Milciades caused that th' oblations consecrate by the Churches by the Consecration of the Bishop shoulde be directed whiche is declared leauen Neither is there any kinde of thinge either goinge before or followinge after whereby we may gheasse the meaninge It is muche to sée so learned a man as M. Hardinge is so scanted of authorities that he is thus driuen to proue his Masse by suche places as be vtterly voide of sense reason But a man must vse such weapons as may be gotten The twoo woordes propter Haereticos that are patched in by Ado a man of late yeeres as they doo nothinge healpe the sense so haue they no healpe of the storie of that time For a man may wel demaunde of Ado this newe Doctour what were these straunge vnknowen Heretikes without name that you at the laste for a shifte haue espied out where beganne they where dwelte they what taught they howe longe continued they who mainteined them who confuted them what Councel condemned them For it séemeth somewhat straunge that there should be companies routes of Heretikes in the worlde that noman euer knew but Doctour Ado. And where as M. Hardinge putteth in of his owne bisides his booke for Damasus hath no suche thinge nor any other thinge like that these newe founde Heretikes in the Ministration keapte not the Catholique vsage he shoulde haue shewed for his credites sake what other vsage they keapte that was not Catholique for his woorde is not yet Canonized The worlde wil beleue neither him nor Ado without some proufe Further to increase absurdities he saithe by these woordes per Ecclesias is meante not the material Churche but the people of the Church that is to saie in plainer termes Ecclesia is not a Churche but a priuate house I graunte the Gréeke woorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 out of whiche our Englishe woorde Parishe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 séemeth to haue bene taken signifieth a Congregation or méetinge of neighbours or a companie dwellinge within some space togeather whether it be in compasse more or lesse So saithe Eusebius Dionysius writeth vnto Basilides the Bishop of the diuisions of Pentapolis Athanasius saithe that Demetrius tooke vpon him the Bishoprike of Alexandria and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the diuisions in Egypte In these places and certaine others that might be alleged out of Basile Nazianzene and other Gréeke fathers this woorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 séemeth to signifie a Bishoprike or a Diocese and not a seueral parishe And therefore Irenaeus thus writeth vnto Uictor Bishop of Rome The Priestes of Rome meaninge thereby the Bishoppes there sent the Sacrament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to them that came out of other dioceses or diuisions And Eusebius thus writeth of Hippolytus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He beyng Bishop of an other diuision Thus much touchinge this woorde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beyng moued therto by the
were Bishop in Millaine two and twentie yéeres and more beinge also so holy a man as few the like in those daies yet M. Hardinge can not learne that euer he saide priuate Masse but onely when he lay breathlesse in his death bedde M. Hardinge The .23 Diuision Nowe that I haue thus proued the single Communion I vse their owne terme I desire M. Iuel to reason with me soberly a woorde or twoo Howe say you sir Doo you reproue the Masse or doo you reproue the Priuate Masse I thinke what so euer your opinion is herein your answeare shal be you allowe not the Priuate Masse For as touchinge that the oblation of the Bodie and Bloude of Christe done in the Masse is the Sacrifice of the Churche and proper to the newe Testament 33 commaunded by Christe to be frequented accordinge to his institution if you denie this make it so light as you liste al those authorities whiche you denie vs to haue for proufe of your greate number of articles wil be founde against you I meane Doctours general Councels the most auncient the examples of the primitiue Churche the Scriptures I adde further reason consent vniuersal and vncontrolled and tradition If you denie this you must denie al our religion from the Apostles time to this day and now in the ende of the worlde when iniquitie aboundeth and charitie waxeth colde when the Sonne of man cominge shal scarsely finde faithe in the earthe beginne a newe And therefore you M Iuel knowinge this wel yenough what so euer you doo in deede in woorde as it appeareth by the litle booke you haue set foorth in printe you pretende to disallowe yea most vehemently to improue the Priuate Masse The B. of Sarisburie Hitherto M. Hardinge hath brought Doctours without Reason nowe he bringeth Reason without Doctours And howe say you sir saithe he Doo you reproue the Masse Or doo you reproue Priuate Masse I trust he hath not so soone forgotten wherof he hath discoursed al this while Neither dothe the mater reast vpon that pointe what I liste to allowe or disallowe but what he can proue or not proue by the Scriptures and by the auncient Councels and Fathers But marke wel good Christian Reader and thou shalt sée how handesomely M. Harding conueieth and shifteth his handes to deceiue thy sighte Firste he hath hitherto foreborne bothe the name and also the proufe of Priuate Masse and onely hath vsed the woordes of Sole Receiuinge and Single Communion and so hath taken paines to proue that thinge that was neuer denied and that thinge that we denie and wherein the whole question standeth he hath leafte vtterly vntouched Now he demaundeth whether I reproue the Masse or the Priuate Masse what meaneth this that Priuate Masse and Sole Receiuing be so sodainely growen in one Surely M. Hardinge wel knoweth that the nature of these woordes is not one Neither who so euer receiueth alone dothe therefore of necessitie say Priuate Masse This so sodaine alteringe of termes may bréede suspicion That he further interlaceth of the Sacrifice of the Newe Testament is an other conueyance to blinde thy sight as vtterly nothinge makinge to this purpose For neither doth the Sacrifice importe Priuate Masse nor dooth Sole Receiuinge implie the Sacrifice Yet for shorte aunsweare we haue that onely Sacrifice of the Newe Testament that is the Bodie of Iesus Christ vpon the Crosse ▪ that Lambe of God that hath taken awaye the sinnes of the worlde The vertue of whiche Sacrifice endureth for euer To this euerlastinge Sacrifice the Sacrifice that is imagined in the Masse is méere iniurious And where as M. Hardinge saith If you denie this you must denie al our Religion from the Apostles time vntil this day These be but emptie woordes without weigh and proue nothinge In my litle Booke saith he I disallowe the Priuate Masse If he fynde faulte with my Booke for that it is litle he might consider it is but a Sermon and therefore no reason it shoulde be great Yet is it a great deale longer then eyther Hippolytus Martyr or the fable of his Amphilochius of whom notwithstandinge their shortnesse he maketh no smal accompte And where he saithe I dissallowe Priuate Masse I disallowe that thinge that infinite numbers of Godly and learned men haue disallowed and that M. Hardinge him selfe not longe sithens openly and earnestly disallowed bothe in Schooles and Pulpittes vntil he was sodainely perswaded to the contrary onely by the alteration of the state Of these twoo woordes Priuate Masse I can no better saye then S. Gregorie sometime saide of that Antichriste shoulde be called Deus God Si quantitatem vocis perpendimus sunt duae syllabae sin pondus iniquitatis vniuersa pernicies If wee weight the quantitie of the woorde they are but two syllables but if we wey the weight of the wickednesse it is an vniuersal destruction M. Hardinge The .24 Diuision Vpon this resolution that the Masse as it is taken in general is to be allowed I enter further in reason with you and make you this argument If Priuate Masse in respecte onely of that it is Priuate after your meaninge be reproueable it is for the single Communion that is to saie for that the priest receiueth the Sacrament alone But the single Communion is lawful yea good and godly Ergo the Priuate Masse in this respecte that it is Priuate is not reproueable but to be allowed holden for good and holy and to be frequented If you denie the firste proposition or Maior then muste you shewe for what els you doo reproue Priuate Masse in respecte onely that it is Priuate then for single Communion If you shewe any thinge els then doo you digresse from our purpose and declare that you reproue the Masse The Minor you cannot denie seinge you see howe sufficiently I haue proued it And so the Priuate Masse in that respecte onely it is priuate is to be allowed for good as the Masse is The B. of Sarisburie Out of al these former authorities of Tertullians Wife Monkes in the wildernesse Laye menne Wemen and Boyes M. Hardinge geathereth this conclusion whiche as he woulde haue folke thinke standeth so soundely on euery side that it cannot possibly be auoided The Priuate Masse is single Communion Single Communion is lawful Ergo Priuate Masse is lawful This Syllogisme vnto the vnskilful may séeme somewhat terrible as a visard◠vnto a childe that can not iudge what is within it But M. Hardinge that made it knoweth it is vaine and woorthe nothinge And that it may the better appeare I wil open the errour by an other like The Ministration of Priuate Masse is a single Communion Single Communion is lawful for a woman Ergo the Ministration of Priuate Masse is lawful for a woman It is al one kinde of argument of lyke forme and like termes And as this is deceiteful so is the other likewise deceiteful The errour is in the Seconde Proposition whiche is called the
some are sicke And by that voice the Deacon dâ—uideth these from them For that voyce of his fallinge into our eares as it were a hande remoueth and shutteth foorthe some and other some it taketh in and presenteth them to the Congregation I sende thée not vnto other places of Chrysostome which be both many moe and farre plainer then this but onely vnto this same place out of which M. Hardinge hath piked as muche as he thought good Chrysostome saithe The people resorted dayly to the Churche The Deacon sundred them with his voice the sounde from the sicke the one porte to receiue the other to absteine the one parte he shut out at the time of the Holy Communion the other he broughâ— in and presented to the Congregation This was the ordinarie practise of the Churche in Chrysostomes time where wée sée plainely by his owne reporte that he receiued not alone Yet saith M. Hardinge For proufe of this these folowinge be suche places as I am perswaded with al. By this colde conclusion he cutteth of credite from al that he hath hitherto saide as not makinge shewe sufficient to winne his purpose and so condemneth his note made in the Margin whiche was Proufes for Priuate Masse and laieth al the burthen of his groundes vpon these other gheasses that hereafter folowe Uerely hitherto for any thinge that may appeare by his Booke notwithstandinge his longe time his muche readinge and greate conference with al his felowes he hath not yet founde either the name of Priuate Masse in any olde Catholique writer or the Sole Receiuing of the Priest If he wil haue the world to beléeue him and subscribe he must leaue his gheasses and bring some sounde and substantial proufes M. Hardinge The .29 Diuision Soter Bishop of Rome aboute the yere of our Lorde 170. who suffered Martyrdome vnder Antoninus Verus the Emperour for order of celebratinge the Masse made this statute or decree Vt nullus Presbyterorum solennia celebrare praesumat nisi duobus praesentibus sibique respondentibus ipse tertius habeatur quia cum pluraliter ab eo dicitur Dominus Vobiscum illud in secretis Orate prome apertissimè conuenit vt ipsius respondeatur salutaâ—ioni This hath beene ordeined that no Priest presume to celebrate the solemnitie of the Masse excepte there be twoo present and answeare him so as he him selfe be the thirde For where as he saith as by way of speakinge to many Our Lorde be vvith you and likewise in the Secretes Pray you for me It seemeth euidently conuenient that aunsweare be made to his salutation accordingly whiche auncient decree requireth not that al people of necessitie be present 37 muche lesse that al so often times should Communicate Sacramentally whiche thinge it requireth neither of those twoo that ought to be present If of the bare woordes of this Decree a sufficient argument may not be made for our purpose inducinge of the affirmation of that one thinge there specified the denial of that other thinge wee speake of whiche manner of argument is commonly vsed of our aduersaries then more weight may be put vnto it in this case for that where as the receiuinge of Christes Body is a farre greater mater then to answeare the Priest at Masse if that holy Bishop and Martyr had thought it so necessarie as that the Masse might not be doone without it Doubtlesse of very reason and conuenience he woulde and shoulde haue specially spoken of that rather then of the other But for that he thought otherwise he required onely of necessitie the presence of twoo for the purpose aboue mentioned The B. of Sarisburie Some say this Decree was made by Pope Anacletus some others say by Soter and so they séeme not to be yet throughly resolued vpon the Authour But if wée had not good cause to doubte of the authoritie of these Decrees and Epistles Decretal wée woulde the lesse doubt of their doctrine It was euermore the CommoÌ„ practise of deceiuers to blase their dooinges by the names of such as thei knew to be in estimation in the worlde For to passe by Homer Hefiod Cicero Plautus and suche others counted learned and famous amonge the Heathens in whose names many counterseite bookes were set abroade S. Paule him selfe willeth the Thessaloniens not to suffer them selues to be drawen from their faithe Neither by spirite nor by talke nor by letter as sent from him By whiche laste woordes he signifieth that letters sometime were falsified and set abroade in his name So were there geuen out Gospels in the name of Peter Thomas and other the Apostles and other maters of smal weight in the names of Augustine Hierome Ambrose Cyprian and other like This was vnto some a common pastime and many godly Fathers complaine muche of it Wherefore wée ought the lesse to maruel if the like haue happened vnto Anacletus Euaristus Soter and suche others as folowed immediatly in Rome after the Apostles time Gratian sheweth that the Decretal Epistles haue béene doubted of amonge the learned And Doctor Smithe although his authoritie be not greate declared openly at Paules Crosse that they can not possibly be theirs whose names they beare And to vtter some reasons shortely for proufe thereof These Decretal Epistles manifestly depraue and abuse the Scriptures as it may soone appeare vnto the godly Reader vpon the sight They mainteine nothinge so muche as the state and kingedome of the Pope and yet was there no such state erected in many hundred yeres after the Apostles time they publishe a multitude of vaine and superstitious Ceremonies other like fantasies farre vnlike the Apostles doctrine They proclaime suche thinges as M. Hardinge knoweth to be open and knowen lies Anacletus that was next after Peter willeth and straitly commaundeth that al Bishops once in the yere doo visite the entrie of S. Peters Churche in Rome whiche they cal Limina Petri. Yet was there then no Churche yet builte there in the name of Peter For Pope Cornelius saith as he is alleged that he first tooke vp S. Peters body and buried the same in Appolloes Churche in Rome at the leaste one hundred and fortie yeres after that Anacletus was dead Pope Antherus maketh mention of Eusebius Alexandrinus and Felix whiche liued a longe time after him and therefore was it not possible for him to know them Fabianus writeth of the cominge of Nouatus into Italy And yet it is cleare by S. Cyprian and by Eusebius that Nouatus came first into Italy in the time of Cornelius whiche was next after him And to leaue a number of other coniectures which may be hereafter more aptly touched some otherwhere neither S. Hierome nor Gennadius intreatinge of the Ecclesiastical writers nor Damasus writinge purposely of the liues of the Bishoppes of Rome before him euer made any mention either of suche Epistles or of any suche Decrees whiche they
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
consecrati sumere in huiusmodi minoribus Ecclesiis est concessum It is graunted onely vnto the Priestes that celebrate in suche smal Churches to receiue the Bloud vnder the forme of Wine He excepteth onely the smal Countrie Churches not the greater Churches in Cities and Townes Al these Doctours liued within the space of three hundred yeres paste So longe it was before M. Hardinges Doctrine coulde growe general Antoninus saith that Kinge William the Conquerour that liued a thousande yeres after Christe caused his whole armie to Communicate and that as the order was then vnder Bothe Kindes Haimo that was not longe before him saithe Appellatur Calix Communicatio propter participationem quia omnes Communicant ex illo The Cuppe is called the Communication bicause of the participation for that euery man receiueth of it Thus is our doctrine confirmed not onely by the Olde Doctours but also by the New Wherefore M. Harding thus mainteining the open abuse of the holy Mysteries offendeth against Christes Institution against the Scriptures against the perfection of the Sacrament against the Confirmation of the New Testament against the Tradition and practise of the Apostles against the ancient Councels against the Canons against the Doctours bothe Olde and New The Apostles of Christe beinge ful of the holy Ghost so tooke Christes woordes as wée take them now And S. Hierome saith Quicunque aliter Scripturam intelligit quà m sensus spiritus sancti flagitat quo conscripta est licet de Ecclesia non recesserit tamen Haereticus appellari potest Who so euer vnderstandeth the Scriptures otherwise then the sense of the holy Ghost requireth by whiche holy Ghost the Scriptures were written although he be not yet departed from the Churche yet he may wel be called an Heretique If M. Harding wil say that was true then and this is true nowe then may wée answeare him as S. Hilarie did the Arrians Veritas ergo temporum erit magis quà m EuangelioruÌ„ Then truthe must be as pleaseth the time not as pleaseth the Gospel And further as S. Augustine answeared the Donatistes Si aliud declamas aliud recitas nos post vocem Pastoris nostri per ora Prophetarum os proprium per ora Euangelistarum nobis apertissimè declaratam voces vestras non admittimus non credimus non accipimus If ye Preache any otherwise or tel vs any other tale after wee haue once hearde the voice of our Shephearde most plainely declared vnto vs by the mouthes of his Prophetes by his owne mouthe â—nd by the mouthes of his Euangelistes touching your voices wee take them not we beleeue them not wee receiue them not But for as muche as this is a Mysterie of vnitie God graunte vnto vs suche humilitie of minde that wée may al submitte our selues vnto his Holy Woorde that wée may ioyne togeather in holy and perfit vnitie and as I alleged before out of S. Cyprian By his aduertisement redresse that thinge wherein certaine haue erred That when he shal come in his glorie and in his heauenly Maiestie he may finde vs to holde that he warned vs to keepe that he taught vs to doo that he did Amen THE THIRDE ARTICLE OF PRAIERS IN A STRANGE TONGVE The B. of Sarisburie Or that the People had their Common Praiers then in a strange tongue that they vnderstoode not TO furnishe out this Article M. Hardinge hath laide togeather a greate heape of Stories Antiquities Obseruations of writers Erections Propagations Canons and Orders of the Churche Cosmographie Situation of Countries Corruptions and Chaunges of tongues whiche thinges he might better haue vsed to some other purpose Now they serue him more for shew of learninge then for substance of proufe He hath bestowed vpon this treatie what so euer he coulde either diuise of him selfe or finde in others adding bisides al maner of bewtie and force vnto the same bothe with weight of sentence and also with colour of woordes How be it greate vessels be not alwaies ful and the emptier they be the more they sounde The wise Reader wil be weighed with reason and not with talke As I saide at the beginning One good sentence were proufe sufficient And if there be any one suche in this whole booke I wil yéelde accordinge to promisse If there be none then must M. Hardinge consider better of the mater and beginne againe How be it he hath donne that was the parte of a good Oratour that the learned may say he hath shewed learning and eloquence the vnlearned may thinke he hath saide some truthe M. Hardinge The .1 Diuision If you meane M. Iuel by the peoples Common Praiers suche as at that time they commonly made to God in Priuate deuotion I thinke they vttered them in that tongue whiche they vnderstoode 65 and so doo Christian people now for the moste parte and it hath neuer beene reprooued by any Catholike Doctour But if by the Common praiers you meane the Publike seruice of the Church whereof the moste parte hath beene pronounced by the Bishops Priestes Deacons and other Ecclesiastical Ministers the people to sundry partes of it sayeing Amen or otherwise geuinge their assent I graunte some vnderstoode the language thereof and some vnderstoode it not I meane for the time you referre vs vnto euen of sixe hundred yeeres after Christes conuersation here in earthe For aboute niene hundred yeeres paste 66 it is certaine the people in some Countries had their seruice in an vnknowen tongue as it shal be prooued of our owne Country of Englande The B. of Sarisburie The disorder of Praier that M. Harding hath here taken in hande to defende is not onely repugnant to the Scriptures of God but also contrary to the sense of Nature For if Birdes and Beastes coulde speake as Democritus the Philosopher sometime thought and as Lactantius a Christian writer séemeth partly to say they doo yet beinge Birdes and Beastes and voide of reason they woulde not speake they know not what Wherefore séeinge this abuse appeareth contrary to God and Nature and now also is misseliked and condemned by the common iudgement of al People therfore it behooueth M. Harding to leaue his gheasses and soundely and effectually to séeke to prooue it Two special thinges he hath confessed in this treatie whiche quite ouerthrow his whole purpose The one is That the Praiers in the Primitiue Churche were saide in the common knowen tongue The other is That it were good euen now that the people vnderstoode their owne Praiers This is the plaine songe and may wel stande for the grounde the rest is altogeather discant and vaine voluntary and the moste parte out of tuene This distinction of Common Praiers whereof he imagineth some to be made openly by the Minister of the Churche some seuerally by euery of the people in Priuate deuotion is bothe vnperfit and also néedelesse For the secrete praiers that the faithful make seuerally by them selues haue
that Constantinus had against Maxentius Séeinge therfore none of al these Crosses that M. Hardinge hath here founde out either had any Image hanginge on it or was erected in any Churche or adoured of the people howe can al these woordes stande him in steede to serue his purpose M. Hardinge The .4 Diuision Concerninge the Images of Christe and of his Saâ—â—ctes that they haue beene greatly esteemed and vsed in houses Churches and places of praier from the Apostles time forwarde it is so euident that it can not be denied Athanasius writeth that Nicodeme who came to Iesus by night made an Image of Christe with his owne handes and that when he laye in his deathâ— bedde he deliuered it to Gamaliel who was S. Paules Schoolemaster Gamaliel when he sawe he shoulde dye leafâ—e it to Iames Iames lefte it to Simon and Zachaeus This Image came from hande to hande by succession and continued a longe time in Hierusalemâ— From Hierusalem it was caried into Syria and at lengthe it was brought to the Citie Berytus not farre from Tyre and Sydon VVhere howe despitefully it was vsed of the Iewes and what woonders ensued thereupon who list to knowe he maye reade it largely declared in a litle booke written by Athanasius of that maâ—tier The B. of Sarisburie The Reader of him selfe if he be not ouer simple may soone espie the simplicitie of this Fable A Christian man remoueth his householde and hauinge there an Image of Christe equal vnto him in length and breadthe and al proportion by forgeatefulnes leaueth it there in a secrete place behinde him A Iewe after him inhabiteth the same house a longe while and seeth it not An other strange Iewe sittinge there at dinner immediatly eâ—pieth it standinge open against a wal Al this M. Hardinges Athanasius Thus it standeth open and yet it is hidden it is hidden and yet it standeth open Afterwarde the Priestes and Rulers of the Iewes come togeather abuse it with al vilanie They crowne it with a Thorne make it drinke Esel and Gal and sticke it to the harte with a Speare Out issueth Bloude in greate quantitie The powers of Heauen are shaken the Sunne is darkened The Moone loseth her light And from thence â–ª saithe this yonge Athanasius wee had the Bloude of Hailes and al other like Bloude throughout the worlde To be shorte the firste woorde of the Booke is Iraque M. Hardinge him selfe is ashamed to reporte the tale Yet must it beare the name of Athanasius and beinge neuer so childishe a fable yet it muste haue the forewarde to prooue Adoration of Images Onely he telleth vs a longe Genealogie of the names of Nicodemus Gamaliel Iames Simon Zachaeus to astonne the Reader and to make him thinke the better of it How be it al this notwithstandinge this Image was neither Churched nor Adoured or Woorshipped either of Priest or people M. Hardinge The .5 Diuision Eusebius Caesariensis in the seuenthe booke of his Ecclesiastical storie writeth of the aunciente Image of Christe made in Brasse and of the woman that was healed by our Sauiour of her blouddye flixe in the Citie of Phoenicâ—a called Caesarea Philippi whereof that woman was a Citizen VVhiche Image he saithe he sawe as likewise the Images of Peter and Paule kepte by some of olde time And there he confesseth that the Images of Peter and Paule and of our Sauiour were in his time made and painted in â—ables and set foorthe After Eusebius deathe Iulian the renegate tooke downe this Image of Christe and set vp his owne in the same place whiche with violente fier that fel from heauen was clefte asunder in the breast the heade broken of with a peece of the necke and stickte in the grounde The reast of it soremained longe after as a token of lightninge and Gods displeasure might be reserued That Image of Christe after that the Painimes had haled pulled broaken and mangled it villainously by the Christians was taken vp set togeather and placed in the Churche where it is yet reserued saithe Socrates of his time Of the miraculouse herbe that grewe at the foote of this Image whiche after that it had growen so high that it touched the Images skirtes taken and ministred was a medicine and present remedie for al diseases as Eusebius writeth because it perteineth not specially to the mater of Images I rehearse nothinge The B. of Sarisburie Eusebius him selfe sheweth that the Phenâ—cians beinge Heathens and hearinge and seeinge the straunge Miracles that had béene wrought by Christe and by his Apostles made these Images in the honoure of them onely of their Heathenishe and vaine Superstition His woordes be these Nec mirum est Veteres Ethnicos beneficio affectos à Seruatore nostro ista fecisse Nam Apostolorum Pauli Petri ipsius Christi Imagines coloribus ductas seruatas vidimus Et credibile est priscos illos homines non dum relicta auita Superstitione ad hunc modum consueuisse colere illos Ethnica consueâ—â—dine ranquam Seruatores It is no maruel that the Heathens receiuinge suche benefites of our Saueour did these thinges For we haue seene the Images of Pauâ—e of Peter and of Christe drawen in colours and preserued And it may wel be thought that men in olde times beinge not yet remooued from the Superstition of their Fathers vsed after this sorte to woorship them by an Heathenishe custome as their Saueours By these woordes of Eusebius it is plaine that the vse of Images came not from Christe or from the Apostles as M. Hardinge saithe but from the Superstitious custome of the Heathens Neither doothe it appeare that those Images were sette vp in any Churche As for the Image of Christe it is plaine it stoode in the streete abroade and an Herbe of strange operation grewe vnderneath it Iulianus that Renegate that once had professed Christe and afterwardes wilfully renounced him tooke downe that Image of Christe not to withdrawe the people from Idolatrie but in malice and despite of that newe Religion and erected vp his owne Image to the intent the people shoulde woorshippe it purposely to deface Christe euen as they doo nowe that wilfuly breake Goddes Commaundementes to vpholde and mainteine their owne Traditions Of whome S. Basile writeth thus Who so forbiddeth vs to doo that God commaundeth or commauÌ„deth vs to doo that God forebiddeth is accursed vnto al them that loue the Lorde Therefore God stroake Iulians Image from Heauen with lightening and rente it in péeces in token of his reuengeance Like as also when an other Iulian President of the East had spoiled the Churches of Antioche in like despite of Christe sate vpon the Holy Communion Cuppes God smote him suddainely in the secrete partes with suche a disease as neuer afterwarde coulde be cured M. Hardinge The .6 Diuision It is euident by Chrysostomes Masse that there was some vse of Images in the Churche