where he commaundeth al Bishoppes and Priestes to minister the Seruice with a lowdo voice geueth this reason withal Vt mentes audientium ad maiorem animi compunctionem ad reddendam Domino gloriam excitentur That the mindes of the hearers maie be stirred vp to more deuotion and to render praise vnto the Lorde And S. Basile saithe Tanquam ab vno ore vno corde Confessionis Psalmum offerunt Domino verba poenitentiae eorum quisque propriè ascribit sibi As it were from one mouthe and from one harte they offer vp vnto the Lorde the Psalme of Confession and the woordes of repentance euery of them applieth particularly vnto him selfe So likewise it is written in the Prologue before S. Augustine vpon the Psalmes Quomodo debiâ—è potest Deo psallere qui ignorat quid psallat Howe canne he singe dewly or deuoutely vnto God that knoweth not what he singeth It is thought by these not withstandinge M. Hardinges contrary and Priuate iudgement that the vnderstandinge of the Publique Seruice is no hinderance vnto deuotion and their authoritie in this case maie serue onlesse M. Hardinge wil condemne them altogeather as he doothe others for Newe Maisters M. Hardinge The .38 Diuision 89. The Nations that haue euer had their Seruice in the Vulgare Tongue the people thereof haue continewed in Schismes errours and certaine Iudaical obseruances so as they haue not beene rekened in the number of the Catholike Churche As the Christians of Moschouia of Armenia of Prester Iohn his lande in Ethiopia Bessarion askinge by waie of a question of the Greekes his countrie men what Churche that is againste the whiche Hel gates shal neuer preuaile answeareth him selfe and saithe Aut Latina aut Graeca est Ecclesia tertia enim dari non potest Siquidem aliae omnes haeresibus sunt plenae quas sancti Patres Generales Synodi condemnarunt Either it is the Latine or the Greeke Churche for there is no thirde that can be graunted For al other Churches be ful of Heresies whiche the holy Fathers and General Councels haue condemned Wherefore of these Churches no example ought to be taken for Seruice in the Vulgare Tongue as neither of the Churches of Russia and Morauia and certaine other to whome aboue sixe hundred yeeres paste it was graunted to haue the Masse in the Sclauons Tongue throughe special licence thereto obteined of the see Apostolike by Cyrillus and Methodius that firste conuerted them to the Faithe VVhiche manner of Seruice so many of them as be Catholike for good causes haue leafte and vsed the Latine as other Latine Churches doo Concerninge the reaste yet keepinge their Sclauone tongue biside other errours and defaultes for whiche they are not herein to be esteemed woorthy to be folowed we maye saie of them the woordes of Gregorie Nazianzene Priuilelegia paucorum non faciunt legem communem The Priuileges of a fewe make not a thinge lawful in common The B. of Sarisburie This argument seemeth to holde thus Seruice in the Vulgare Tongue is cause of Schismes and errours Ergo within sixe hundred yeeres after Christe it was ministred in some place in a tongue vnknowen vnto the people The force of this Conclusion is euident A very childe may soone see through it If the Antecedent were true then should the Iewes the Greekes and the Latines whiche euermore had their Seruice in the Uulgare Tongue for that cause haue béene ful of Schismes and errours S. Augustine S. Hierome other Fathers say that pride and wilfulnes of minde Tertullian saithe that Knowledge of Philosophie and affiance of learninge hath caused diuision and heresies in the Churche and therefore calleth the Philosophers the Patriarkes of Heretiques The Bishoppes in the Councel of Toledo saie thus Ignorantia est maâ—er omnium errorum Ignorance is the Mother of al errour But that the vnderstandinge of the Common Seruice was euer thought the cause of Schisme or errour in the Churche I thinke it was neuer either written or spoken by any olde Doctour either Gréeke or Latine or Iewe or Gentile Epiphanius reckeneth vp foure scoare sundrie Heresies that had beene before his time S. Augustine reckeneth foure scoare and niene Yet doo they not say that any one of al those Heresies euer sprange of vnderstandinge the Common Seruice No man woulde saie thus but M. Hardinge neither wil M. Hardinge thus say when faction and contention laide aparte he shal either saie that he knoweth or haue regarde to that he saithe Touchinge the Christians whiche be in infinite numbers in Moschouia Armenia Ethiopia and els where whome vpon very shorte aduise he hath condemned altogeather for Schismatiques if he woulde haue credite geuen vnto his tale it woulde haue behooued him bothe to haue declared their particular errours and Heresies and also substantially to haue prooued that their vulgare Seruice gaue occasion vnto the same The Christians of Russia and Morauia saithe M. Hardinge afterwarde vpon good causes receiued the Latine Seruice How be it of al these good causes he vttereth none But after Cyrillus and Methodius by longe preachinge and greate paines had conuerted them to the Faithe of Christe and for the better continuance of that they had begonne were desirous that the people so conuerted mighte haue their Common Seruice in their mother tongue and the mater stoode in suspence at Rome in the Consistorie before the Bishop there and his Cardinalles a voice was hearde by an Angel from Heauen Omnis Spiritus laudet Dominum omnis lingua confiteatur ei Let euery spirite prayse the Lorde and let euery tongue make confession vnto him By this storie it appeareth the Angel of God from heauen was authour that these Nations shoulde haue their Seruice in their Common Tongue Nowe if M. Hardinge be able to shewe that either Euangeliste or Angel or voice from heauen euer willed them to leaue their owne natural speache and to vse the Latine then may he say they had good causes so to doo Bessarions authoritie in this case cannot seeme great bothe for other sundrie causes whiche I leaue and also for that he liued at the least fouretiene hundred yéeres after Christ and beinge out of his owne countrie and created Cardinal and Bishop of Tusculum he manifestly flattered the Bishop of Rome M. Hardinge The .39 Diuision Wherefore to conclude seeing 90 in sixe hundred yeeres after Christ the Seruice of the Churche was not in any other then in the Greeke and Latine tongue for that any man is hable to shewe by good proufe and the same not vnderstanded of al people seeinge the auctorities by M. Iuel alleged importe no necessary argument nor directe commaundement of the Vulgare Tongue but onely of plaine and open pronouncinge and that where the tongue of the Seruice was vnderstanded seeinge the Churche of the Englishe Nation had their Seruice in the Latine tongue to them vnknowen wel neare a thousande
haue the worlde beléeue that S. Gregorie woulde euer take these names and titles from Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople to the intent to lay them vpon his owne Sée of Rome Or is it likely that M. Harding knoweth S. Gregories minde better then euer S. Gregorie knew it him selfe Uâ—rily S. Gregorie not onely misliketh these titles in others but also disclaimeth the same from him selfe and from his Sée of Rome for euer For thus he writeth and his woordes be plaine Nullus Romanorum Pontificum hoc Singularitatis nomen assumpsit None of the Bishoppes of Rome â—uer receiued this name of singularitie Nullus decessorum meorum hoc tam profano vocabulo vti consensit None of my predicessours euer consented to vse this vngodly name Nos hunc honorem nolumus oblatum sucipere Wee beinge Bishoppes of Rome wil not take this honour beinge offered Vnto Vs. And the reason that he forceth against the Bishoppe of Constantinople may serue as wel against the Bishop of Rome For thus he saith Quid tu Christo Vniuersalis Ecclesiae Capiti in extremi Iudiâ—ij dicturus es examine qui cuncta eius membraâ—â—bimet conaris Vniuersalis appellatione supponere what answeare wilt thou make vnto Christe that in deede is the Head of the Vniuersal Church at the trial of the last Iudgement that thus goest about vnder the name of Vniuersal Bishop to subdue al his members vnto thee This is the very definition of an Uniuersal Bishop Thus the Bishop of Rome attempteth to subdue the whole Churche of God al the members of Christ vnto him selfe Therefore by S. Gregories iudgement he is the Forerenner of Antichriste And writing vnto Eulogius the Patriake of Alexandria he vseth these woordes Sanctitas vestra mihi sic loquitur Sicut iussistis Quod verbum Iussionis Peâ—o a meo auditu remouete Quia scio quis sim qui sitis Loco mihi fratres estis moribus patres Your holinesse writeth thus vnto me As you commaunded This woorde of Commaunding I beseeche you take away from my hearing For I know bothe what I am and also what you are In place or dignitie ye are my brethren in life and manners ye are my Fathers Againe he saith Ecce in praefatione Epistolae c. Beholde euen in the very preface of the Epistle that you sent vnto me you haue written the name of that Presumptuous title calling me the vniuersal Pope notwithstandinge I haue forbidden it I beseche your holinesse to doo it no more For you doo defraude your selfe when you geue an other more then reason woulde The selfe same meaninge M. Hardinge might haue founde twise written euen in the same place of S. Gregorie that he here allegeth if it had pleased him to consider either what went before or els what folowed immediatly after Before he writeth thus Non mea causa sed Dei est Nec solus ego sed toâ—a turbatur Ecclesia Quia piae Leges quia venerandae Synodi quia ipsa Domini nostri Iesu Christi mandaâ—a Superbi atque Pompatici cuiusdam sermonis inuentione turbantur It is Gods cause it is not mine Neither onely I but also the whole Churche is troubled For both the godly Lawes and the Reuerende Councels and the very coÌ„mâ—undementes of our Lorde Iesus Christe are comâ—red with the diuise of this proude pompous Title Immediatly after it foloweth thus Nunquid ego in hac re pijssime Domine propriaÌ„ cauâ—am defendo O my most Gratious Souâ—raine doo I herein defende mine owne right By these it may appeare that S. Gregorie being Bishop of Rome woulde not suffer the name of vniuersal Bishop to be geuen neither to any other Bishop nor to him selfe And where as S. Gregorie saithe The charge and chieftie of the whole Churche is committed vnto Peter in the sense it is spoken in wée denie it not S. Paule likewise saith of him selfe in like sense Incumbit mihi quotidiana cura omniuÌ„ EcclesiaruÌ„ There lieth vpon me the daily charge of al Churches And further saith I recken me selfe to be nothing inferiour in trauaile to the highest Apostles And wil M. Harding hereof reason thus Peter had the charge of the whole Churche Ergo The Pope is an vniuersal Bishop Certainely S. Gregorie saith Peter him selfe notwithstandinge he receiued the whole charge yet is he not called the vniuersal Apostle And can the Pope be that thinge that S. Peter him sâ—lfe coulde not be S. Gregorie driueth his reason thus If this title of vniuersalitie might belonge to any man it should chiefely belonge vnto S. Peter But it belongeth not vnto S. Peter Therefore it can belonge to no man Hereby it is plaine that the Bishop of Rome challengeth this day a title that S. Peter neuer had that no holy nor godly man woulde euer take vpon him that S. Gregorie vtterly refused and detested and called blasphemie And yet wil he séeme to mainteine his estate by the authoritie of this holy Father If S. Gregorie werâ— now aliue he woulde crie out as he did to the Emperour Mauritius O tempora O Mores O what a time is this O what manners are these Thus muche is M. Hardinge furthered by the authoritie of S. Gregorie M. Hardinge The .5 Diuision S. Cyprian declaringe the contempte of the 93 High Priest Christes Vicar in earthe to be cause of Schiâ—mes and Heresies writeth thus to Cornelius Pope and Martyr Neque enim aliunde Haereses obortae sunt c. Neither haue Haeresies or Schismes risen of any other occasion then of that the Prieste of God is not obeied and that one Priest for the time in the Churche and one Iudge for the time in steede of Christe is not thought vpon To whom if the whole brotherhead 95 that is the whole number of Christian people whiche be brethren togeather and were so called in the Primitiue Churche woulde be obedient accordinge to Goddes teachinges then no man woulde make a doo against the Colledge of Priesâ—es no man woulde make him selfe Iudge not of the Bishop nowe but of God after Goddes iudgement after the fauour of the people declared by their voices at the election after the consent of his felow bishoppes No man through breache of vnitie and strife woulde diuide the Churche of Christe No man standinge in his owne conceite and swelling with pride woulde set vp by him selfe abroade without the Churche a new Heresie The B. of Sarisburie Iâ— M. Hardinges cause were true he woulde not auouche it with suche vntrueth and so often corruption of the holy fathers If S. Cyprian writing this Epistle to Cornelius the Bishop of Rome once name him either the Highe Priâ—ste Or Christes Vicar General in earth Or Vniuersal Bishop Or Head of the Vniuersal Churche Or say that the vvhole Brotherhoode of al Christian people ought to be obedient vnto him As M. Hardinge vntruely and contrary to his ownâ—
knowledge expoundeth it or if either his woordes or his purpose of writinge may seeme any way to leade to that ende then may M. Hardinge séeme to haue some honest colour for his defence Otherwise wée may iustly say He racketh the Doctours and forceth them to speake what him listeth to sâ—rue his tâ—rne First it is certaine that in al that Epistle S. Cyprian neuer gaue vnto Câ—rnelius any suche ambitious Title but onely calleth him by the name of Brother For thus he saluteth him Cyprian vnto his Brother Cornelius sendeth greetinge And maketh his entrie in this wise Deere Brother I haue readde your letters Thus S. Cyprian beinge Bishop of Carthage claimeth brotherhoode and equalitie with the Pope One special occasion of his writinge vnto Cornelius was this emongst others Cornelius being Bishop of Rome and hauinge Excommunicate certaine notorious wicked men and afterwarde beinge threatened and il vsed at their handes began to fainte and to be weary of his office S. Cyprian hearinge thereof wrote comfortably vnto him willed him in any wise to procéede and to deale boldly not to yéelde consideringe it was Gods cause and not his awâ—e Amonge other woordes he saith thus Christiani non vltrà aut durare aut esse possumus si ad hoc ventum est vt perditorum minas insidias pertimescamus Wee can no lenger continue or be Christian men if wee beinge Bishoppes once beginne to shrinke at the threates and fetches of the â—icked Upon occasion hereof he sheweth what hurte and confusion of Sectes Schismes insueth in any Prouince or Diocesse wâ—ere as the Bishops Authoritie and Ecclesiastical Discipline is despised For euery Bishop saith S. Cyprian within his owne Diocese is the Priest of God and for his time is a Iudge appointed in the place of Christe and as the Churche is one so ought he likewise to be but one And thus he writeth generally of the authoritie of al Bishops not onely of the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome And notwithstandinge he directeth his Epistle onely to Cornelius yet are al his reasons general and touche bothe him selfe beinge Bishop of Carthage and also al other Bishoppes what so euer Now therefore to drawe that thinge by violence to one onely Bishop that is generally spoken of al Bishops it is a guileful fetche to misâ—eade the Reader and no simple or plaine dealinge But M. Hardinge séemeth to grounde his errour vpon the mistakinge of these woordes of S. Cyprian Vnus Sacerdos and Fraternitas vniuersa That is One Bishop and The whole Brotherhoode For where as S. Cyprian saith There must be one Bishop in a Churche he imagineth there must be one Bishop to rule ouer the whole vniuersal Church And where as againe S. Cyprian saith The whole Brotherhoode must obey one Bishop He geathereth that al Christian people throughout the whole worlde which he vntruely calleth The whole Brotherhoode must be obedient vnto one vniuersal Bishop And thus he buildeth one errour vpon an other But mistakinge of the Doctour maketh no sufficient prouâ—e It maye soone appeare S. Cyprian meante that for the auoiding of Schismes and diuisions there ought to be onely one Bishop within one Diocese and not one Bishop to rule ouer al the worlde For thus he expoundeth his owne meaninge Cùm post primum esse non possit quisquam qui post vnum qui solus esse debet factus est iam non secundus ille sed nullus est Seeing that after the first Bishop is chosen there can be none other who so is made Bishop after that one whiche must needes be alone is nowe not the seconde Bishop but in deede is no Bishop So likewise when the Heretique Nouatus had by wicked practise diuided the people of Rome into Sectes and had solemnely sworne them that gaue eare vnto him that they should no more returne vnto Cornelius the Bishop there and so had rent one Bishoprike into twoo and made twoo Bishoppes in one Citie Cornelius complaining thereof vnto Fabius the Bishop of Antioche and informinge him of the same writeth thus vnto him Nouatus nescit vnum Episcopum in Catholica Ecclesia esse debere Nouatus knoweth not that there oughte to be but one Bishop in a Catholique Churche not meaning thereby the whole vniuersal Churche throughout the worlde but onely his owne particular Churche of Rome So when Chrysostome the Bishop of Constantinople sawe Sisinius beare him self as Bishop within the same Citie he saide vnto him One Citie may not haue twoo Bishoppes So likewise S. Hierome saithe that notwithstanding the power of al priestes by the authoritie of Goddes woorde be one and equal yet menne by policie to auoide contention appointed one prieste in euery Citie to order and to directe his brethren Thus was the vnitie of the whole Churche preserued Thus were al Churches as one Churche And all Bishoppes as one Bishop For who so dissented from one dissented from al. So saithe S. Cyprian Ecclesia cohaerentium sibi inuicem Sacerdotum glutino copulatur The churche is coupled and ioined in one by consent of Bishops agreeing togeather Likewise againe he saithe Hanc vnitatem firmiter tenere vendicare debemus maximè Episcopi qui in Ecclesia praesidemus vt Episcopatum quoque ipsum vnum indiuisum probemus This vnitie must we keepe and defende specially that be Bishoppes and beare rule in the Churche that we may declare in deede that our Bishoprike is one and not diuided And therefore S. Hierome saithe Episcopi nouerint in commune debere se Ecclesiam regere Let Bishoppes vnderstande that they ought to gouerne the Church in common â–ª or as al in one In this sense is euery Bishop for his time as S. Cyprian saithe in the steede of Christe to euery suche Christe saithe He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me And therefore Ignatius saithe The Bishop in his Churche is the forme of God the Father of al And so muche as is possible resembleth in his office Christe our God For this cause S. Cyprian saithe Hereof spring Schismes and Heresies for thaâ— the priest of God in euery seueral Diocese is not obeied As likewise againe he saithe to like purpose Qui cum Episcopo non sunt in Ecclesia non sunt They that be not with the Bishop be not in the Churche So likewise Ignatius They that be of Christe are with the Bishop Thus S. Cyprian spake these woordes generally of the authoritie of al Bishops in their seueral dioceses and not of any special authoritie of the Bishop of Rome as â—t is here vntruely affirmed by M. Hardinge But he wil replie S. Cyprian saith Vniuersa fraterniâ—as That is The whole Brotherhoode ought to be obedient to that one Bishop And that whole brotherhoode must needes be the whole companie of al Christian people Notwithstanding this
owne persons Whiche is plainely gathered of Theodoretus his Ecclesiastical storie who writeth thus Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia who was the chiefe piller of the Arianes and they that ioyned with him in that faction falsely accused Athanasius to Iulius the Bishop of Rome Iâ—â—ius folowinge the Ecclesiastical rule commaunded them to come to Rome and caused the reuerende Athanasius to be cited to iudgement regulariter after the order of the Canons He came â–ª The false accusers went not to Rome knowinge right wel that their forged lye might easily be deprehended In the cause and defence of Iohn Chrysostome these Bishops came from Constantinople to Innocentius the Pope Pansophus Bishop of Pisidia Pappus of Syria Demetrius of the seconde Galatia and Eugenius of Phrygia These were suiters for Chrysostome He him selfe treated his mater with Innocentius by writinge In his Epistle emonge other thinges he writeth thus Least this outragious confusion runne ouer al and beare rule euery where write I pray you and determine by your auctoritie suche wicked actes doone in our absence and when we withdrewe not our selues from iudgement to be of no force as by their owne nature truely they be voide and vtterly none Furthermore who haue committed these euils 107 put you them vnder the Censure of the Churche And as for vs sithe that we are innocent neither conuicte neither founde in any defaulte nor proued giltie of any crime geue commaundement that we be restored to our Churches againe that we maie enioye the accustomed charitie and peace with our bretherne Innocentius after that he vnderstoode the whole mater pronounced and Decreed the iudgement of Theophilus that was against Chrysostome to be voyde and of no force This whole tragedie is at large set foorthe by Palladius Bishop of Helenopolis In vita Iohannis Chrisostomi who liued at that time By this Appeale of Chrysostome and by the whole handelinge of the mater and specially by the purporte of his Epistle to Innocentius The Superioritie of the Pope is euidently acknowleged And so is it plainely confessed by Athanasius and the Bishoppes of Aegypte Thebais and Lybia assembled in Councel at Alexandria by these woordes of their Epistle to Foelix Vestrum est enim nobis manum porrigere c. It is your parte saye they to streatche foorthe your helpinge hande vnto vs because we are committed vnto you It is your parte to defende vs and deliuer vs it is our parte to seeke helpe of you and to obey your Commaundementes And a litle after For we knowe that you beare the cure and charge of the Vniuersal Churche and specially of Bishoppes who in respecte of their contemplation and speculation are called the eyes of our Lorde as alwaies the Prelates of your See firste the Apostles then their Successours haue doone Theodoretus that learned Bishop of Cyrus beside the Epistle he wrote to Leo for succour and helpe in his troubles in an other that he wrote to Renatus a priest neare aboute Leo sayeth thus Spoliarunt me Sacerdotio c. They haue violently robbed me of my Bishoprike they haue caste me foorth of the Cities neither hauinge reuerenced mine age spente in Religion nor my hoare heares VVherefore I beseeche thee that thou perswade the most holie Archebishop he meaneth Leo to vse his Apostolike auctoritie and to commaunde vs to come vnto your Councel or Consistorie For this Holie See holdeth the Rudther and hath the gouernement of the Churches of the whole worlde partely for other respectes but specially for that it hath euermore continued cleare from stinche of Heresie and that none euer sate in it who was of contrary opinion but rather hath euer kepte the Apostolike grace vndefiled In whiche woordes of Theodoretus this chiefely is to be marked that the holie See of Rome as he saithe hath the gouernment of the Churches of al the worlde most for this cause that it was neuer infected with Heresie as al other Churches founded by the Apostles were The B. of Sarisburie It is certaine that the Bishops of Rome to atteine the preeminence and fulnes of power ouer al the worlde letted not to vse many ambitious and importune meanes and manifestly to falsifie the Canons of the Holie Councel of Nice Sithence whiche time they haue not beene idle but haue forged new Canons to this purpose vnder the name of Clemens Anacletus Euaristus Telesphorus Higinus and other Martyrs and bisides haue diuised other like Canons of their owne The Decretal Epistle that is abrode vnder the name of Iulius séemeth to sauour of some corruption bothe for sundrie other causes and also for that it agréeeth not with the very true Epistle of Iulius whiche Athanasius allegeth in his Apologie and yet ought bothe these Epistles to be al one without difference Wherfore we haue good cause to thinke That al is not Gospel that commeth from Rome Thus ambitiously to auance them selues vnder pretence of suche Appeales oftentimes not vnderstandinge the case as it wel appeareth by that is written of Apiarius and by the storie of Flauianus and Eutyches they founde faulte with good Catholique Bishops and receiued Heretiques into their fauour wherwithal the Bishoppes in the General Councel of Aphrica fynde them selues muche gréeued Firste therefore I must shewe that there laye no such ordinarie Appeale from al Countreis of the worlde to the Bishop of Rome that therefore the same is by M. Hardinge vntruely auouched That doone I trust it shal not be harde to answeare these places of Chrysostome Athanasius and Theodoretus here alleged And that there laye not any suche Appeale to Rome it is plaine by consent of General Councelles by the authoritie of Holie Fathers and by the Lawes and Ordinances of Emperours and Princes By whiche groundes it is easie to vnderstande the practise and order of the Churche in those dayes In the Councel of Nice it is Decréed thus Ab alijs excommunicati ab alijs ad Communionem ne recipiantur Let not them that stande Excommunicate by one Bishop be receiued againe to the Communion by any other M. Hardinges Appeales and these woordes can not wel stande togeather But he wil saye The Bishop eyther of ignorance or of malice maye Excommunicate the partie wrongfully In this case the same Councel hath prouided remedie of Appeale not vnto the Bishop of Rome but vnto a Prouincial Synode within the Countrey These be the woordes Ergo vt haec possint digna examinatione perquiri rectâ— visum est per singulos annos in singulis prouincijs bis in anno Episcoporum Concilium fieri vt simul in vnum conuenientes ex communi Prouincia huiusmodi quaestiones examinent Therefore that these thinges maye be wel examined it is wel prouided that euery yeere in euery Prouince at two seueral times there be holden a Councel of Bishops that they meetinge togeather out of al partes of the Prouince maye heare and determine suche complaintes The Bishoppes in the Councel holden at Tela in
his letters that he sate in iudgement and hearde bothe parties Now if receiuing of appeales necessarily importe this Uuiuersal power then was the Emperours power Uniuersal for he receiued al appeales out of al Countries without exception and that euen in Causes Ecclesiastical Againe then was the Bishop of Romes power not Uniuersal for it was lawful then to refuse him and to appeale to some other And thus M. Hardinges reasons renne roundely against him selfe M. Hardinge The .22 Diuision For whiche cause â–ª that See hath euer hitherto of al Christian Nations and now also ought to be hearde and obeied in al pointes of Faith For that See though it hath failed sometimes in Charitie and hath beene in case as it might truely say the woordes of the Gospel spoken by the foolishe Virgins Our Lampes be vvithout lighte Yet it neuer failed in faithe as Theodoretus witnesseth and S. Augustine affirmeth the same VVhiche special Grace and singular Priuilege is to be imputed vnto the praier of Christe by whiche he obteined of God for Peter and his successoues 108 that their Faith should not faile Therefore the euil life of the Bishops of Rome ought not to withdrawe vs from beleeuinge and folowinge the Doctrine preached and taught in the holie Church of Rome For better credite hereof that is earnestly to be considered whiche S. Augustine writeth Epistola 165. where after that he hath rehearsed in order al the Popes that Succeeded Peter euen to him that was Pope in his time he saithe thus In illum ordinem Episcoporum c. In to that rewe of Bishops that reacheth from Peter him selfe to Anastasius which now sitteth in the same Chayre if any traitour had creapte in it shoulde nothinge hurte the Churche and the innocent Christen folke ouer whom our Lorde hauinge prouidence saithe of euil rulers VVhat they saye vnto you doo ye but what they doo doo ye not For they saye and doo not to thintent the hope of a faithful person may be certaine and suche as beinge set not in man but in our Lorde be neuer scattered abroade with tempest of wicked Schisme And in his 166. Epistle he satthe Our Heauenly Maister hath so farre forewarned vs to be ware of al euil of dissension that he assured the people also of euil rulers that for their sakes the seate of holsome doctrine should not be forsaken in whiche seate euen the very euil men be compelled to saye good thinges For the thinges whiche they saye be not theirs but Goddes who in the seate of vnitie hath put the doctrine of veritie By this we are plainely taught that al be it the successours of Peter Christes Vicares in earthe be found blame woorthy for their euil life yet we ought not to dissent from them in Doctrine nor seuer our selues from them in Faithe For as muche as notwithstandinge they be euil by Gods prouidence for the suretie of his people they be compelled to saye the thinges that be good and to teache the truthe the thinges they speake not beinge theirs but Gods who hath put the doctrine of veritie in the seate or chayer of vnitie whiche singular Grace commeth specially to the See of Peter eyther of the force of Christes prayer as is saide before or in respecte of place and dignitie whiche the Bishops of that See holde for Christe as Balaam coulde be brought by no meanes to curse that people whom God woulde haue to be blessed And Caiphas also prophesied bicause he was high Bishop of that yeere and prophesied truely beinge a man otherwise most wicked And therefore the euil dooinges of Bishops of Rome make no argument of discreditinge their Doctrine To this purpose the example of Gregorie Nazianzene maye very fittely be applied of the Golden Siluerne and Leaden Seale As touchinge the value of Metalles Golde and Siluer are better but for the goodnesse of the Seale as wel dooth Leade imprinte a figure in waxe as Siluer or Golde For this cause that the See of Rome hathe neuer ben defiled with stinkinge Heresies as Theodoretus saithe and God hath alwaies keapte in that Chaire of Vnitie the doctrine of Veritie as Augustine writeth For this cause I saye it sitteth at the sterne and gouerneth the Churches of the whole worlde For this cause Bishops haue made their Appellations thither iudgement in doubtes of Doctrine and determination in al controuersies and strifes hath bene from thence alwaies demaunded The B. of Sarisburie This is a very poore healpe in déede M. Hardinge here is faine to resemble the Bishops of Rome touchinge their Doctrine to Balaam to Caiphas and to a Leaden Seale and touchinge their liues to confesse they are Lampes without light Yet saithe he al this notwithstandinge we may not therefore departe from them For Christe saith The Scribes and Phariseis sitte in Moses Charie Doo ye that they saye but that they doo doo ye not for they saye and doo not For as muche as it liketh M. Hardinge to vse these comparisons it may not muche mislike him if some man vpon occasion hereof happen to say as Christe sayde in the like case Wo be vnto you ye Scribes and Phariseis ye blinde Guides ye painted Graues Ye shutte vp the Kingedome of Heauen before men ye neither enter your selues nor suffer others that woulde enter Ye haue made the House of God a Caue of Theeues Certainely Balaam not withstandinge he were a False Prophete yet he opened his mouthe and blissed the people of God Caiphas although he were a wicked Bishop yet he prophesied and spake the trueth A seale although it be cast in leade yet it geueth a perfit printe The Scribes and Phariseis although they were Hypocrites and liued not wel yet they instructed the Congregation and saide wel The Manichées although they were Heretiques and taught not wel yet outwardly in the conuersation and sight of the worlde as S. Augustine saith they liued wel But these vnto whom M. Hardinge claimeth the Uniuersal power ouer al the worlde neither blisse the people of God nor preache Goddes Trueth nor geue any printe of good life or Doctrine nor instructe the Congregation nor say wel as the Scribes and Phariseis did nor by M. Hardinges owne Confession liue wel as the Manichees did S. Augustine saith Qui nec regiminis in se rationem habet nec sua crimina detersit nec filiorum culpam correxit Canis impudicus dicendus est magis quà m Episcopus He that neither regardeth to rule him selfe nor hath washte of his owne sinnes nor corrected the faâ—ltes of his Children may rather be called a filthy dogge then a Bishop Yet al this corruption of life notwithstandinge M. Hardinge saithe The Sée of Rome can neuer faile in Faithe For Christe saide vnto Peter I haue praied for thee that thy Faithe may not faile The like confidence and trust in them selues the Priestes had in the olde times as it may appeare by
Nos quoque diligimus pacem vnanimitatem cum Ecclesia Catholica cui tu per Dei gratiam praefectus es We also loue Peace and Unitie with the Catholique Churche ouer which you by the Grace of God are made gouernour Here Athanasius is pronounced Gouernoure of the Catholike Churche Yet was he not the Bishop of Rome So likewise saith S. Cyprian Haec Ecclesia vna est quae tenet possidet omnem sponsi sui Gratiam in hac praesidemus This Churche is one that keepeth and holdeth the Grace of her Spouse In this Churche we are the Rulers Here S. Cyprian calleth him self the president or ruler of Goddes Churche Yet was he the Bishop of Carthage and not of Rome To be shorte in like sorte Origen pronounceth generally of al Priestes Si tales fuerint vt à Christo super illos aedificetur Ecclesia If they besuche as vpon them the Churche of God maie be builte Here Origen imagineth that euery priest is the fundation of Goddes Churche Yet were it harde to saie Euery Priest is Bishop of Rome S. Ambroses meaninge therefor is That euery Bishop or Patriarke within his Precinctes or Prouince is the Ruler of the whole Churche And this is it that Cyprian seemeth to saie Episcopatus vnus est cuius à singulis in solidum pars tenetur The Bishoprike is one a portion whereof is possessed in whole of euery Bishop Therefore M. Hardinge seemeth to doo wronge to S. Ambrose thus violently to abuse his woordes to proue the Bishop of Romes Uniuersal power Here M. Hardinge doubtinge least his Reader being wearie of theise colde sclender shiftes and lookinge for some other more substantial and formal reasons woulde saie I heare not yet the Head of the Vniuersal Churche purposely preuenteth the mater and saith what forceth that whether that very terme be vsed in any ancient writer or no Gentle Reader I beseeche thée marke wel this dealinge This name the Heade of the Uniuersal Churche is the very thinge that we denie and that M. Hardinge hathe taken in hande to proue and boldely auoucheth that he hathe already plainely shewed and proued the same Yet nowe in the ende findinge him self destitute he turneth it of as a thinge of nought and saith VVhat forceth that whether he were called by that very name or no As though he woulde saie Al the olde Fathers of the Churche bothe Greekes and Latines wanted woordes and eloquence and either they coulde not or they durst not cal the Heade of the Churche by his owne peculiar name Howe be it if the Bishop of Rome be so called it maie be shewed If not then is my first assertion true Uerily touchinge the title of Uniuersal Bishop S. Gregorie calleth it Nouum Nomen A New Name vnacquainted and vnknowen vnto the worlde And saith further If we quietly take this mater we destroie the Faith of the Vniuersal Churche This therfore was the cause that the ancient Doctours neuer called the Bishop of Rome the Heade of the Churche for that they knewe he was neither reputed nor taken so nor was in deede the Heade of the Churche M. Hardinge hauing not yet found the thinge that he so long sought for at the last is faine to make it vp by shifte of Reasō The Vniuersal Churche saith he is the house of God Damasus is the Ruler of the House of God Ergo Damasus is Ruler of the Vniuersal Churche This Syllogismus is a manifest Fallax and hath as many faultes as lines First There is an Equiuocation or double vnderstandinge of these woordes The house of God For bothe the Uniuersal Churche and also euery particular Churche is Goddes House Againe There is an other Fallax whiche they cal Ex meris particularibus or A non Distributo ad Distributum Thirdely there is an other foule faulte in the very Forme of the Syllogisme easy for any Childe to espie For contrary to al Logique and order of Reason he concludeth in Secunda Figura Affirmatiu◠Where as M. Hardinge knoweth al the Moodes or Formes of the Seconde Figure must néedes Conclude Negatiuè The weaknes hereof wil the better appéere by the lyke The Vniuersal Churche is the Catholique Churche But Arsenius saithe Athanasius the Bishop of Alexandria was Ruler of the Catholique Churche Ergo Athanasius the Bishop of Alexandria was Ruler of the Vniuersal Churche Thus hitherto M. Iuel maye truely saye M. Hardinge hath yet brought neither Clause nor Sentence sufficient to prooue that the Bishop of Rome was called either the Uniuersal Bishop or the Heade of the Uniuersal Churche M. Hardinge The .32 Diuision But to satisfie these menne and to take awaie occasion of cauille I wil alleage a fewe places where the expresse terme heade is attributed to Peter the first Bishop of Rome and by like right to his successours and to the See Apostolike Chrysostome speakinge of the vertue and power of Peter and of the stedfastnes of the Churche in the .55 Homilie vpon Matthew hath theise wordes amonge other Cuius pastor caput homo piscator atque ignobilis c. By which wordes he affirmeth that the pastoure and heade of the Churche beinge but a fisher a man and one of base parentage passeth in firmnes the nature of the diamant Againe in an Homilie of the praises of Paule he saith thus Neither was this man onely suche a one but he also which was the heade of the Apostles who oftentimes saide he was readie to bestowe his life for Christ and yet was ful sore afraied of death If he were heade of the Apostles then was he heade of the inferioure people and so heade of the vniuersal Churche Hierome writinge against Iouinian saith Propterea inter duodecim vnus eligitur vt capite constituto Schismatis tollatur occasio For that cause amonge the twelue one is specially chosen out that the heade beinge ordeined occasion of schisme maie be taken awaie VVhereby it appeareth that Peter was constituted heade for auoidinge of diuision and schisme Nowe the danger of the inconuenience remaininge stil yea more then at that time for the greater multitude of the Churche and for sundrie other imperfections the same remedie must be thought to continewe onlesse we woulde saie that Christ hath lesse care ouer his Churche nowe that it is so muche encreased ▪ then he had at the beginninge when his flocke was smal For this cause excepte we denie Goddes Prouidence towarde his Churche there is one heade for auoidinge of schisme also nowe as wel as in the Apostles time VVhich is the Successour of him that was heade by Christes appointement then the Bishop of Rome sittinge in the seate that Peter sate in Cyrillus saith Petrus vt princeps Caputque caeterorum primus exclamauit tu es Christus filius Dei viui Peter as Prince and heade of the reste first cried out thou art Christ the sonne of the liuinge God Augustine also in a Sermon
of our Lorde 640. Anno Domini 668. Anno. 668. Marueiloâ—s proufes Annâ— 680. Anno. Domini 680. Cednom Galat. 1. The. 〈◊〉 vntrueth His exaÌ„ples reache nothinge so â—arre Beda li. 2. ca. 14. Beda li. 4. ca. 21. Beda li. 4. Ca. 1. Distinct. 19. Sic Omnes Damasus ad Hieronymum No Latine Seruice in EnglaÌ„de within sixe hundred yeeres â—hildas Anno Domi. 38. Niceph. li. 2. c. 4. Anno. 38. Theodor. de curandis GraecoruÌ„ affect li. 9. Tertull. aduersus Iudâ—â—os Anno. 230. Origen in Ezechiel hom 4. Anno. 240. Ambrosius de obitu Theodosij Eusebi De vita Constan. li. 3. Sozom. li. 2. ca. 1. Chrysost. aduersus GeÌ„tiles to 5. Beda li. 2. Ca. 2. Cregor in Iob. li. 274. Ca. 6. Eccelingua â—ritanniae quae nil aliud nouerat quam barbarum frendere Aâ—no 596. Marian. Scotus Anno. Do. 600. Abbas Vrspergen in vita Mauritij Anno. 603. The .81 vntrueth For sundrie Doctours bothe olde and nevve allege these vvoordes to this selfe same purpose The place of S. Paule to the Corinthians maketh not for the seruice in the Englishe tongue In 1. Cor. 14. Hom. 37. Lyra in 1. Cor. 14. Concil Aquisgran Ca. 132. Chrysost. in 1. Cor. hom 35. De Ecclesiasticis diuersis capitul 1. Corinth 14. The .82 vntrueth The Aultars or CoÌ„munion Tables stoode in the middeâ— of the Churche as shal appeare Communion Tables or Aultars The people taught by Ceremonies Origenes Contra Celsum li. 4. Arnobius lib. 2. Volaterranus Vernerius Durandus li. 4. Gerson contra Florctum li. 4. Gregorius Nyssen De Sancto Baptismate August ad Bonifacium Epistola 50. August in q. veteris noui Testam q. 101. Irenaeus li. 4. ca. 34. Origen in Matthae tracta 25. Eusebius li. 10. ca. 4. Ex oratione Panegyrica in Encaeniis Augustinus de verbis Domini secuÌ„dum Iohan. Sermon 42. Concil Constantinopol 5. Acti 1. Durandus li. 5. Platyna Theodoreâ— li. 5. Ca. 18. Nazianzen in vita Basilij De Con. Dist. 2. Sacerdotum Concil Laodicen ca. 19. Chrysosâ—om in Epist. ad Ephesios hom 3. Chrysostom in 2. ad Corin. hom 18 ClemeÌ„s stromali 7. â—â—ssarion de Sacramento â—ucharistiae 1. Cor. 14. Augustin de Catechizandis rudibus Ca. 9. Ambrosi in 1. Cor. Ca. 14. 1. Cor. 14. The .83 vntruth For the simple people vnderstandeth not one vvoorde or syllable of the Latine Tongue Vide AugustinuÌ„ li. 12 â–ª de Genesi ad literam C. 7. 8. 9. to 3. Ruffinus Origen in Epist ad Roman Ca. 3. li. 3. Ambrosi in 1. Cor. Ca. 14. Chrysost. in 1. Cor. 14. hom 35. Erasmus in 1. Corin. 14. Dionysius Carthusian in 1. Cor. 14. Anselmus in 1. Corin. 14. Hugo Cardin. citat GregoriuÌ„ The learned Latin Tongue Augustin ad Quoduâ—ltdeuÌ„ Arnobius De Consecrat Dist. 4. Retulerunt August de Câ—techizan rudib ca. 9. De Con. dist 4. Si non Augustin De Doctrina Christiana li. 4. ca. 11. Ad Ephesi 4. Augustin de Catechizandis rudâ—b ca. 9. M. Hardinge contrary to him selfe 1. Coriâ—th â–ª 4. Iohan. 4. Matthae 15. Inter Decret â— Coelestin pp. 1. Contra. Anomâ— hom 3. The vvords of Chrysostom much abused Irenaeus li 3. ca. 3. Tertull. aduersus Praâ—eam Concil Nicen. Irenae li. 3. ca. 2. Lu. 17. Chrysostom Contra Anomaeos homi 3. Chrysost. in Mat. hom 2. Chrysostom in Psalm 43. Chrysost. ad Coloss hom 9. Chrysost. contra â–ª Anomaeos homi 3. Chrysost. in â—en hom 35. Num. 11. General Councels Cyprian to 2. In 1. tomo CoÌ„cil In Concil Aquilein in Collatione cum Palladio Luc. 10. Cicero de legib lib. 3. Iosue Ca. 24. Polydor. Childas Theodoretus Esai 59. Matth. 8. Contra Manichaeos epist. fundamenti cap. 4. Ad Euodiumepist 102. The .84 vntruthe For it is vvritteÌ„ He that knovveth not shal not be knovven 1. Cor. 14. Chrysostom in 1. Corin. homi 35. Roman 14. 2. Corinth 5. Matthae 15. Iohan. 3. Sapient 5. Chrysostom In Matthae ho. 2. In eadem Hoâ—ilia In eadem Chrysost. ad Hebraeos hom 17. Matthae 10. Colossen 2. 1. Corinth 14. Chrysostom in Iohan. homi 16. The .85 vntruth In the Romishe Seruice there are infinite vanities bisides the Scriptures The .86 vntrueth For Origen speaketh of the ignoraÌ„ce of the Allegorie not of the vvoordes S. Auguâ—â—â—â— speaketh of vtteringe the psalmes in a knovven tongue In prologo Psalmorum M. Harding altereth his iudgemente Origen in Iosue hom 23. Origen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 li. 3. Ca. 3. Origen in Numer hom 20. M. Hardinge vvreasteth Origen from his purpose Origen in Esai ho. 2. Origen in Iosue ho. 20. Origen in Matth. tract 26. August in Psalm 119. August Confess li. 7. Ca. 12. August Confess li. 9. Ca. 5. Hieronym in Nahum Ca. 3. Origen in Numer hom 27. August in prologo in librum psalm Chrysostom in Matthae in opere imperfecto hom 43. August tracta 80. in Iohan. Basil. in psalm 29. Origen in Matth. tract 25. 1. Cor. 14. Roman 8. In institutionib Confessionis Ca. 4. sectione 16. The .87 vntrueth This geâ—eral saieinge of Chrysostome is vntruely reported Augustin Confession lib. 11. Ca. 3. Chrysostom in 1. Cor. 14. homi 35. No fruite Speake to the winde Nicol. Lyra in 1. ad Corin. 14. No profite Chrysost. 1. Cor. 14. hom 35. Eadem homilia Praefat. in Psalm The Latine Church The Psalmes â—sther 13. Chrysost. in opere imperfecto in Matthaâ— Ca. 23. Tertull. contra Marcionem li. 4. Matthaâ— 23. Gregorius in Epistola ad Leandrum Psalm 138. Matthae 21. Hieronymus ad Marcellam Basi. in psalmos Chrysost. ad Câ—loss homi 9. The Psalmâ—s Prolog in Psalmos Theodoret. li. 4. Ca. 19. In prologo in Psalmos Iames. 4. Psalm 34. 1. Corinth 1. Iohn 10. The .88 vntrueth For the vulgare Seruice inâ—reaseth deuotioÌ„ as by sundrie Authorities it shal appeare Basil. in Psalâ— 28. Praiers CommoÌ„ and priuate Chrysost. de incomprehensibili Dei natura homi 3. Chrysost. in 2. ad Thessal hom 4. Lyra in 1. Corin Ca. 14. In Nouellis De Ecclesiasticis diuersis capitulis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basili ad Clericos Naeocaesar Prologus in Augustin super Psalmos The .89 vntrueth For the Seruice in the vulgarâ— Tongue neuer vvas cause of Schisme or Heresie In epistola ad Graecos Tertull. contra Hermogenem Concil Toletan 4. Ca. 24. Epiphan De Haeresibus Augustin ad Quoduult deuÌ„ Aeneas Syluiuâ— historiae Bohaemicae Ca. 13. The .90 vntrueth The coÌ„trary is sufficiently prooued in the .15 Diuision of this Article A heape of vntruethes layde togeather The .91 vntrueth For the firste preachers of the faith in this â—â—lande vvere Greekes and Hebrevves and not Latines The .92 vntrueth ioined vvith a sclaunder Our Seruice coÌ„teineth nothing contrary to the faithe Tertull. in Apologetico Sapien. 1. Mathaei 12. Iustinian Lyra. Thom. Hâ—eronym ad Marcellam Vniuersal Bishop The .93 Vntruthe for there vvas no suche povver confessed Not one at al. Extra De elect Electi ptaÌ„te Solitae De Maiorit
woorde Communio is as muche as Participation or receiuinge of partes Micrologus saith Non potest propriè dici CoÌ„munio nisi plures de eodem Sacrificio participent It cannot iustly be called a Communion onlesse many doo receiue togeather of one Sacrifice If M. Hardinge wil not beleeue vs yet I hope he wil beléeue some of these They be al his owne It were muche for him to say they be al ignorant and vnlearned and not one of them vnderstoode what he wrote Certainely their age wil geue it them they are no Lutheranes S. Basile reporteth an Ecclesiastical Decrée or Canon that at the receiuinge of the holy Communion whiche he calleth Mysticum Pascha there ought to be twelue personnes at the least and neuer vnder M. Hardinge The .11 Diuision VVhat if foure or fiue of sundry houses in a sickenes time being at the point of death in a parish require to haue their rightes â—r they departe The Prieste after that he hath receiued the Sacramente in the Churche taketh his natural sustenance and dineth and then beinge called vpon carieth the rest a mile or two to the sicke in eche house none beinge disposed to receiue with the sicke he dooth that he is required 21 Dothe he not in this case communicate with them and doo not they communicate one with another rather hauinge a wil to communicate togeather in one place also if oportunitie serued Elles if this might not be accompted as a lawful and good Communion and therefore not to be vsed the one of these greate inconueniences should wittingly be committed 22 that either they shoulde be denied that necessary vitaile of life at their departinge hence which were a cruel iniurie and a thinge contrarie to the examples and godly ordinances of the Primitiue Churche Or the Prieste rather for companies sake then of deuotion shoulde receiue that holy meate after that he had serued his stomacke with common meates whiche likewise is against the auncient decrees of the Churche Euen so the Prieste that receiueth alone at Masse dooth communicate with al them that doo the like in other places and countries The B. of Sarisburie He that séethe no marke muste shoote by ayme What saithe M. Hardinge if foure or fiue men of sundrie houses within one Parishe be at the pointe of death and require their rightes and the Prieste haue diâ—â—ed Herevpon he thinketh may be grounded an argument inuincible for his Masse But what if the Prieste were fastinge shoulde he then say foure Masses to serue al foure And what if noman happen to be sicke then hath M. Hardinge loste a good argument Alas muste he leaue al the olde Doctours and holy Fathers and begge at deathes doore to geate somewhat to healpe his Masse In this case saithe M. Hardinge either the Prieste must communicate after he hath dined whiche is against the Canons or the sicke man muste receiue alone whiche is proufe sufficient for the Masse or els he muste passe without that necessarie vitaile whiche were a cruel iniurie and a thinge contrarie to the Primitiue Churche To answeare these pointes if the Prieste not withstandinge his diner communicate with the sicke then hath M. Hardinge yet founde no Priuate Masse And it appeareth by S. Augustine and â—ertaine olde Canons that in the Primitiue Churche bothe the Prieste and people sometimes communicated togeather after Supper And why is this prouision thought so necessarie Or why is it counted so cruel an iniurie if the sicke man passe without it Shal noman be saued that so departeth In déede that were a cruel iniurie Infinite numbers of Children and others departe this life in Goddes mercie without that vitaile In the Primitiue Churche this order was thought expedient not for the sicke for they in their health receiued dayly and in their sickenesse had the Sacrament ordinarily sent home vnto them but for personnes excommunicate and inioined to penaunâ—â— who vpon great and notorious crimes coulde not be suffred to communicate with the rest of the faithful sometimes duringe their whole life but onely when they shoulde departe the worlde This extremitie was vsed for terrour of others and suche reconciliation was thought necessarie at the ende for solace of the partie that he shoulde not vtterly be swalowed vp in despaire but might perceiue he was receiued againe emongst the faithful so departe comfortably as the member of Christe And therefore it was decréed by the Councel of Carthagè That if any man after suche Reconciliation had recouered his health againe he shoulde neuer thelesse not be receiued to the Communion of the Church but onely be admitted to the common Praiers Thus farre foorthe and in this case this prouision was counted necessary in the ende How be it I confesse sometimes it was otherwise vsed and at laste grewe to suche superstition that it was thrust into mennes mouthes after they were dead as we may sée by the Councel of Carthage forbiddinge the same But if the people woulde nowe Communicate euery day as they did then or at leaste oftener then they doo nowe then shoulde not this mater seeme so necessary at th ende as it is here pretended and so had M. Hardinge lost an other argument But let vs graunte M. Hardinge his whole requeste let his Prieste come and minister to the sicke What maketh al this for his Priuate Masse the members of these argumentes hange togeather like a sicke mans dreame not one péece like an other For if here be a Masse whiche of the twoo is it that saithe this Masse Is it the sicke man or the Prieste The Prieste hath dined and therefore may not the sicke man is no Priest and therefore cannot Here woulde M. Hardinge faine finde a Masse but he can finde no man to say his Masse and so hath hitherto founde no Masse at al. And thinketh he to prooue his Masse by yâ— thinge that is no Masse Againe graunte wée this action of the Priest not onely to be a Priuate Masse but also the necessitie of the sicke considered to be lawful Yet coulde not this President make it lawful to be done openly in the Churchs where as is no suche case of necessitie The circumstances of place of time of cause of ende of manner of dooinge be not like In case of necessitie a dispensation was graunted to the Priestes of Norwey to Consecrate the Mystical Cuppe without Wine for that Wine beinge brought into that countrie by meane of the extreme colde can not laste Yet was it neuer thought lawful for al other Priestes in al Churches generally to doo the same M. Hardinge The .12 Diuision Nowe if either the Prieste or euery other Christen man or woman mighte at no time receiue this blessed Sacrament but with moe togeather in one place then for the inioyeinge of this greate and necessarie benefite we were bounde to condition of a place And so the Churche deliuered from al bondage by Christe
grannted the Sacrament or the Ministration of the Sacrament vnto Polycarpus Here marke good Christian Reader then thei Communicated saith Irenaeus when they mette in the Churche and not before they mette togeather as M. Hardinge saithe Anicetus as Irenaeus saithe receiued the Sacrament with Polycarpus in the Churche and not as M. Hardinge séemeth to say in his Inne or Hosterie Now the truthe of the mater standinge thus what hath M. Hardinge here founde for his Priuate Masse M. Hardinge The .16 Diuision Iustinus the Martyr likewise describing the manner and order of Christian Religion of his time touchinge the vse of the Sacrament saith thus Finitis ab â—o qui praefectus est gratijs orationibus ab vniuerso populo facta acclamatione Diaconi quos ita vocamus vnicuique tunc temporis praesenti Panis aquae vini consecrati dant participationem ad eos qui non adsunt deferunt When the Priest hath made an ende of thankes and Praiers and al the people therto haue saide Amen They whiche wee cal Deacons geue to euery one then present Breade and water and wyne Consecrated to take parte of it for their housel and for those that be not present they beare it home to them Thus in that time they that serued God togeather in the common place of Praier and some others that were absent letted from comming to their companie by sickenesse businesse or otherwise 26 Communicated togeather though not in one place and no man cried out of breakinge the Institution of Christe And bicause M. Iuel is so vehement against Priuate Masse for that the Priest receiueth the Sacrament alone and triumpheth so much as though he had woonne the fielde makinge himselfe mery with these woordes in deede without cause vvhere then vvas the Priuate Masse vvhere then vvas the Single Communion al this vvhile He meaneth for the space of sixe hundred yeres after Christe as there he expresseth I wil bringe in good euidence and witnesse that longe before S. Gregories time that he speaketh of ye from the beginning of the Churche faithful persons bothe men and vvomen receiued the Sacrament alone and were neuer therefore reproued as breakers of Christes Institution And er I enter into the rehersal of the places whiche I am hable to shew for this purpose one question I demaunde of M. Iuel If they whiche remained at home of whom Iustinus Martyr writeth receiued the Communion by them selues alone lawfully why may not the Priest doo the same in the Churche seruinge God in moste deuoute wise in the holy Sacrifice of the Masse lacking compartners without any his defaulte Haue the Sacramentarâ—es any Religion to condemne it in the Priest and to allow it in lay folke what is in the Priest that shoulde make it vnlawful to him more then to the people Or may a lay man or woman receiue it kepte a longe time and may not a Priest receiue it forthwith so soone as he hath consecrated and offered And if case of necessitie be alleged for the lay the same may no lesse be alleged for the Priestes also wanting compartners without their defaulte For otherwise the memorie and recordinge of our Lordes death should not according to his commaundement be celebrated and doone wel now to these places The B. of Sarisburie Good reader behâ—lde not the names of these Fathers here alleged but rather weighe their sayinges M. Harding hath brought them for his Masse but they witnesse clearely and fully against his Masse and of al others none more pregnant or plaine then Iustinus Martyr wherof thou hast good occasion to consider how faithfully these men demeane them selues in the allegation of the Doctours Iustinus touchinge this mater writeth thus Towardes the ende of the Praiers eche of vs with a kisse saluteth other Afterwarde vnto him that is the chiefe emonge the brethren is deliuered Breade and a Cuppe mingled with wine and water whiche he hauinge receiued rendreth praise and glorie vnto the Father of al thinges in the name of the Sonne and the Holy Ghost and yeeldeth thankes a greate space for that he is thought woorthy of these thinges Whiche beinge orderly doone the people blesseth or confirmeth his Praier and thankesgeuing sayinge Amen c. This ended they that emonge vs be called Deacons deliuer to euery of them that be present the Breade Wine and Water whiche are Consecrate with thankesgeuinge and cary of the same to them that be absent Here is set foorthe the whole and plaine order of the holy Ministration vsed in the Churche at that time The Priest praieth and geueth thankes in the Uulgare tongue the whole Congregation heareth his woordes and confirmeth the same sayinge Amen The holy Communion is Ministred to the people in bothe kindes and al the whole Churche receiuâ—th togeather I maruel muche wherein M. Harding can liken any parte hereof to his Priuate Masse Onlesse it be for that as he saide before euery Priuate Masse is common so â—e wil now say euery Communion is Priuate Let vs a litle compare Iustines Masse and M. Hardinges Masse bothe togeather And to passe by al other circumstances of difference in Iustines Masse al the people did receiue in M. Hardinges Masse none of the people doo receiue In Iustines Masse none absteined in M. Hardinges Masse al absteine In Iustines Masse a portion was sente to the absent in M. Hardinges Masse there is no portion deliuered no not vnto the present Withwhat countenaunce then can any man allege the authoritie of Iustine to proue the antiquitie of Priuate Masse M. Iuel triumpheth saithe M. Hardinge and maketh him selfe mery as if he had wonne the fielde No no M. Iuel triumpheth not but geueth al triumphe victorie and glory vnto God that wil subdue al them that withstande his truthe and make his enemies his foote stoole I wil bringe good euidence and witnesse saithe M. Hardinge that from the beginninge of the Churche faithful persons bothe men and women receiued the Sacrament alone I haue no greate cause to doubte these witnesses for excepting onely the Fable of Amphilochius and Iohn the Almonare whiche were not woorthe the reckening I alleged al the rest in mine owne Sermon I knew them had weighed them and therefore I alleged them That certeine godly persons both men and women in time of persecution or of sickenesse or of other necessitie receiued the Sacrament in their howses it is not denied neither is it any parcel of this question But if M. Hardinge coulde haue proued that any man or woman in the Primitiue Churche euer saide Priuate Masse then had he answeared somwhat to the purpose He séemeth to reason thus Some receiued the Sacrament alone Ergo there was Priuate Masse The foly of this argument wil the better appeare by the like Wemen receiued the Sacrament alone Ergo wemen saide Priuate Masse But saâ—the M. Harding it was lawful for lay men to receiue alone why
men and wemen to take some portion of the Sacrament home with them and to receiue it alone secretely and at their pleasures to make further doubte whether the partie so hauinge it might touche it and receiue it with his owne handes was a very nice question and méete for a Gentlewoman as Caesaria was to demaunde And so it séemed also to S. Basil as may appeare by his answeare For who so euer hath considered the olde Fathers shal finde this mater fully debated by the continual practise of the Churche S. Cyprian sheweth that in his time the people receiued the holy Mysteries of the Deacons with their handes and that one that had committed Idolatrie and afterwarde came to receiue the Communion amongst the faithful opened his hande and founde the Sacrament turned into Ashes The like manner of receiuinge is recorded also by Tertullian Dionysius Byshoppe of Alexandria hath these woordes in an Epistle vnto Sistus the Bishoppe of Rome touchinge the same speakinge of one that had receiued the Communion in the Churche After he had hearde the thankes geuinge and had sounded Amen with the reast and had been at the Table and had reached foorthe his hande to receiue the holy Foode c. Clemens of Alexandria thus vttereth the manner of the Churche there When certaine haue diuided the Sacrament as the order is they suffer euery of the people to take parte of it Nouatus the Heretike when he ministred the Communion to the people vsed to sweare them by that they had in their handes that is to say by the Sacrament that they woulde no more returne to Cornelius S. Augustine writinge against certayne letters of Petilian saithe thus I speake of him whose Cosse of peace ye receiued at the Ministration and in whose handes ye layde the Sacrament I leaue the storie betwéen S. Ambrose and the Emperour Theodosius and other sundry like authorities to the same purpose Yet bicause many haue béen superstitiously ledde and simply seduced herein by the doctrine of them that say O taste not this O touche not this whiche are nothinge els as S. Paule saithe but commaundementes and doctrines of menne hauinge a shew of wisdome in superstition and abasing of the minde I thinke it not amisse to note one special place out of the Councel of Constantinople concerninge the same The woordes of the Councel be these Wee doo in no wise admitte them that in steede of their hande make to them selues instrumentes of golde or of any other mater for the receiuinge of the holy Communion as men more regardinge a dead metal then the Image of God And if any Prieste receiue suche persons with suche instrumentes vnto the Communion sit him be Excommunicate and him likewise that bringeth them But if this gentlewomans doubte were not whether a lay man might safely touche the Sacrament but onely whether it were lawful for any suche one to minister the same vnto his owne mouthe S. Basil saithe it is no question custome already hath made it good For saithe he bothe the Eremites in the wildernesse and euery of the people in Egypte and Alexandria for the more parte haue the Sacrament at home and eche of them doothe minister it vnto him selfe Yea euen in the Churche after that the Priest hath distributed a portion of the Sacrament he that hath receiued it putteth it to his mouthe with his owne hande without any remorse or doubt of conscience and whether he receiue one portion of the Priest or moe the effecte and strength thereof is al one This is the very meaning of S. Basil al be it for plainnesse sake reseruing the sense I haue somwhat altered the woordes But muche I maruel how M. Hardinge can geather hereof his Priuate Masse Touchinge his fiue special notes if wée graunte them throughly euery one yet is he nothing the neare his purpose For his Masse is none of them The Eremites Sole receiuynge as it nothinge hindreth vs that denie not the facte so it nothing furthereth him vnlesse he will haue lay men and wemen to doo so stil. The reason that S. Basil maketh of custome and continuance being wel considered is very weake both for many other good and iust causes and also for that the same custome as it was neuer vniuersally receiued so vpon better aduise by order of the Churche it was cleane abolished For wyse men in Goddes causes haue euermore mistrusted the authoritie of Custome The Heretikes in olde time named Aquarij that in the Holy Ministration vsed water onely no Wyne notwithstanding they manifestly brake Christes Iustitution as our Aduersaries doo now yet they vphelde their doinges therein by longe Custome But S. Cyprian being then aliue wrote thus against them Victi ratione opponunt consuetudinem quasi consuetudo fit maior veritate c. Beynge ouercome with reason they defende them selfe by Custome as though Custome were better then the Truthe Wee may not prescribe of Custome but wee muste ouercome with reason Custome without trueth is the mother of erroure But be it that bothe the Reason were good and the Custome that longe sithence hath béen abolished had remained still Yet is not M. Hardinge hable out of this place precisely and vndoubtedly to proue his Priuate Masse For if a man shoulde say it may possibly be that these Eremites did not Minister seuerally eche man to him selfe alone but one of them vnto the reast of the Eremites dwellynge in the wildernesse as it appeareth diuersely they had times to méete and to pray togeather Or that the householders in Egypte and Alexandria Ministred not onely to them selues but also to their whole seueral families as it is written of Hippolytus Martyr that beinge a lay man he receiued the Communion of Iustinus beynge a Prieste and bare it home and Ministred the same to his Wife his Children and his Seruauntes If a man woulde thus say perhappes M. Hardinge woulde better bethinke him selfe of his Conclusions This sense may seeme to stande very wel with S. Basiles woordes notwithstandinge M. Hardinge in his Translation into Englishe hath openly falsified the same For whereas it is written in the Greeke and so likewise in the Latine They receiue of them selues Whiche may wel be vnderstanded that one of them receiued of an other for wante of a Prieste he hath otherwise wreasted it to come to his tune and hath turned it thus They doo Communicate with themselues alone Wherein al be it I wil not greately striue yet neither this woorde Alone nor these woordes with them selues can be founde either in the Gréeke or in the Latine This longe allegation of S. Basiles woordes with all the furniture thereof may shortely be geathered into this reason These Eremites beynge no Priestes receiued alone Ergo These Eremites beinge no Priestes saide Priuate Masse Further M. Hardinge saithe This Sole Receiuing was allowed by custome Ergo Priuate Masse likewise is
lawful by custome This reason goeth rounde against him selfe For it may be wel replied This Sole Receiuinge was an abuse and therefore was abolished by the Churche notwithstandinge custome Ergo Priuate Masse likewise is an abuse and ought to be abolished notwithstanding custome Now let vs see whether these very selfe woordes of S. Basil here alleged by M. Hardinge make any thinge for the Holy Communion And what authoritie can be against vs if M. Hardinges owne authorities yea as him selfe vaunteth The moste manifest and plainest of al his authorities be founde with vs For trial hereof wée muste resorte not into the wildernesse where as was neither Prieste nor Deacon as it is confessed but vnto the Churches that were in S. Basiles time So shal wée soone sée whether the Ministration then vsed were a Communion or a Priuate Masse S. Basil in the same place saithe thus Wee doo Communicate foure times in the weeke vpon the Sunday Wensday Friday and Saturday If wée may founde any thinge vpon woordes he saithe Wee Communicate he saith not we say Masse And thus saithe S. Basil wee doo foure times in the weeke Then had they not the Daily Sacrifice wherevpon Priuate Masse is grounded He muche missereckeneth him selfe that saithe that thinge is daily doone whiche is doone but foure times in seuen daies Moreouer S. Basil saith After the Priest hath once Consecrate and diuided the Sacrifice wee must thinke that we ought to receiue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to be partakers of it accordingly For in the Church the Priest geueth porte and the Communicant receiueth it with al freedome of conscience and with his owne hande putteth it to his mouthe Therfore is the vertue al one whether it be one portion onely that he receiueth of the Priest or moe togeather Here marke wel good Reader how many waies S. Basil ouerthroweth M. Hardinges Masse S. Basil saith Wee doo Communicate M. Hardinge in his Masse dooth not Communicate S. Basil Diuideth and Distributeth M. Hardinge diuideth in déede but distributeth nothinge In S. Basils Masse The people receiueth In M. Hardinges Masse the people receiueth not In S. Basils Masse Eche man receiueth with his owne hande In M. Hardinges Masse no man Receiueth no not with the Priestes hande In S. Basils Masse the people besides that they receiued presently there Had portions also deliuered them to receiue at home In M. Hardinges Masse there is no portion deliuered vnto the people no not so muche as presently to be receiued in the Churche In S. Basils Masse Eche man receiueth and eateth for him selfe In M. Hardinges Masse the whole people eateth by the mouthe of the Priest O what meaneth M. Hardinge to bringe suche witnesses for his Masse as doo so openly witnesse against his Masse Who may truste him in the darke that thus dealeth in the light M. Hardinge The .19 Diuision It appeareth euidently by witnesse of S. Hierome also that this custome of receiuinge the Communion Priuately at home continued amonge Christian men at Rome not onely in time of persecution but also afterwarde when the Churche was at reast and peace so as the case of necessitie can not here serue them for mainteining of their straunge negatiue in this pointe These be his woordes Scio Romae hanc esse consuetudinem vt fideles semper Christi Corpus accipiant quod nec reprehendo nec probo Vnusquisque enim in suo sensu abundat Sed ipsorum conscientiam conuenio qui eodem die post coitum communicant iuxta Persium noctem flumine purgant Quare ad Martyres ire non audent quare non ingrediuntur Ecclesias An alius in publico alius in domo Christus est Quod in ecclesia non licet nec domi licet Nihil deo clausum est tenebrae quoque lucent apud Deum Probet se vnusquisque sic ad Corpus Christi accedat I knowe this custome is at Rome that Christian folke receiue the bodie of Christe daylie whiche I doo neither reproue nor allowe For euery man hath enough in his owne sense But I appose their conscience which doo Communicate that same day as they haue donne wedlocke woorke and as Persius saithe doo rince nightefilthe with runninge water VVhy dare not they goe to Martyrs shrynes why goe not they into the Churches what is there one Christe abroade and an other Christe within the house what so euer is not lawful in the Churche neither at home is it lawful To God nothinge is hidden ye darkenesse also shineth before God Let euery one examine himselfe and so come to the Bodie of Christe S. Hierome reproueth this in the Romaines that where as S. Paule ordeined that for cause of Praier maried folke shoulde at times forbeare their carnal imbracinges they not withstandinge that though they had dooynge with their wiues yet receiued their rightes neuerthelesse daylie And yet what day they had so donne they durst not goe to Churches where Martyrs toumbes were there to receiue our Lordes Bodie For it is to be vnderstanded for better knowlege hereof that suche as knewe them selues to haue done any vncleannesse were afraide in the olde time to come to Martyrs Sepulchers For there commonly by miracle suche thinges were be wraied and many times by open confession of the parties whether they woulde or no. Erasmus in his scholies vpon this place of S. Hierome saithe thus Of this place we gather that in the olde time euery one was wonte to receiue the body of Christe at home in his house that woulde He saithe further Idem videtur innuere Paulus cum ait an domos non habetis ad manducandum S. Paule saithe he seemeth to meane the same thing where he saithe haue ye not houses to eate in Thus Erasmus gathereth proofe of Priuate or as M. Iuel gesteth single Communion out of the Scriptures and he was as wel learned in them as M. Iuel is Yet herein I leaue Erasmus to his owne defence By this we may vnderstande that in the auncient times of the Churche the receiuing of the Communion of one by him selfe alone was wel allowed And though it was done but by one faithfull personne at once in one place yet was it called a Communion bothe of S. Basile and also of S. Hierome cleane contrary to M. Iuelles sense It is to be iudged that they knâ—we the institution of Christe so wel as he or any other of these newe Masters and that their conscience was suche as if Christes ordenance therein had bene broken they woulde not haue winked at it ne with their vngodly silence confirmed suche an vngodly custome Verely for excuse of this sole receiuinge necessitie cannot iustly be alleged The B. of Sarisburie How often wil M. Hardinge allege the olde Doctours against him selfe Here he bringeth in S. Hierome and the firste woordes that he coulde finde for his purpose were these I knowe the custome at Rome is this
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
peâ—â—tion of our Lordes Praier Geue vs this daie our dayly Breade shewinge that this may be taken either for material Breade either for the Sacrament of our Lordes Bodie or for Spiritual meate whiche he alloweth beste woulde that concerninge the Sacramente of our Lordes Boâ—ie they of the Easte shoulde not moue question how it might be vnderstanded to be their dayly Breade whiche were not dayly parâ—akers of our Lordes Supper 35 where as for al that this Breade is called Daily Breade There he saithe thus Vt ergo illâ— taceant neque de hac resententiam suam defendant vel ipsa authoritate Ecclesiae sint contenti quòd sine scandalo ista faciunt neque ab eis qui Ecclesiis praesunt facere prohibentur neque non obtemperantes condemnantur Wherefore that they holde their peace and stande not in defence of their opinion lette them be contente at leaste way with the authoritie of the Churche that they doo these thinges without offence thereof taken neither be forbidden of those that be ouer the Churches neither be condemned when they disobeye Here wee see by S. Augustine that they of the Orient who so seldome receiued the Sacrament were holden for al that Christen People by tâ—authoritie of the Churche none offence thereof was taken neither were they inhibited of their custome and though they obeyed not their Spiritual gouernours mouinge them to receiue more often yet were they not condemned nor excommunicated The B. of Sarisburie M. Hardinge findeth smal force herein to prooue that he séeketh for S. Ambrose rebuketh the slackenesse of some of his people that receiued so seldome and wisheth them to communicate dayly altogeather Wherein he quite ouerthroweth the priuate Masse As for S. Augustine I must néedes say he hath taken wronge and is il vsed at M. Hardinges hande as beinge by violence and perforce made bothe to suppresse that he woulde say and also to say that he woulde not say and yet in the ende saithe not one woorde for priuate Masse but plainely to the contrary First he woulde haue S. Augustine say that the Saâ—rament of Christes Bodie to them of the East was their dayly Breade yea although they daily receiued it not This mater of it selfe is not weighty Yet S. Augustine saithe farre otherwise not in any other of his Bookes but euen in the selfe same sentence where hence M. Hardinge had these woordes For he addeth immediatly Vnde probatur non hunc in illis partibus intelligi quotidianum Panem Nam magni peccati crimine arguerentur qui ex illo non accipiunt quotidiè Whereby it appeareth that they of the East vnderstande not the Sacrament to be their daily Breade For then were they giltie of greate sinne that doo not daily receiue it But touchinge Priuate Masse he saith thus euen in the same place Panis quotidianus poâ—est accipi pro Sacramento Corporis Christi quod quotidiè accipimus The daily Breade may be taken for the Sacrament of Christes Body whiche wee receiue euery day S. Augustine saithe The people then receiued the Sacrament euery day whereof it foloweth necessarily that the Priuate Masse was then saide neuer a day But the Grecians custome was to receiue once onely in the yete Ergo the Prieste at other times receiued alone No saithe S. Augustine this custome or negligence was not vniuersal emonge al the people of Grecia but emonge a certaine of them onely For thus he saithe Plurimi in orientalibus partibus non quotidiè Communicant Many in the Eâ—st partes doo not daily Communicate Wherein may be wel implied that some daily did Communicate Otherwise the exception of many had béene in vaine And that the rest did daily Communicate it may plainely appeare by these woordes of S. Augustine in the same place Vel authoritate Ecclesiae sint contenti quòd sine scandalo ista faciant Let them holde them selues coÌ„tent with the authoritie of the Churche that they may thus doo without offence These woordes doo necessarily importe that the rest receiued the Communion and yet that notwithstandinge were not offended with the negligence of their brethren that receiued not For if the negligence had béene general and the whole people had absteined altogeather as they doo now in the Churche of Rome there had béene no cause at al why one of them in that respecte shoulde be offended with an other Now touchinge the mater it selfe Iesus Christe the Sonne of God is our daily and euerlastinge foode not to be remooued and renewed after certaine daies as the shew Breade of the Iewes but to stande before the Mercie Seate of God for euer Our daily Breade saithe Germanus is Christe that is and was before and continueth for euer Likewise S. Augustine saithe Not the Breade that passeth into our body but the Breade of euerlastinge life whiche susteineth the substance of the Soule A Sacrament of this foode is the Breade that Christe commaunded to be blessed broken and deliuered in his remembrance whiche also may be called the daily Breade not for that it is daily receiued but for that there is no day excepted but it may be receiued euery day And that in suche places where as the Sacrament was not daily receiued of the people it was not receiued priuately and daily of the Prieste for continuance of the daily Sacrifice as M. Hardinge surmiseth it appeareth wel by sundrie good recordes And to leaue S. Basil ad Caesariam Patritiam the Councel of Laodicea the Councel of Constantinople holden in Trullo and the Synodal Epistle sent from the Bishops of the Easte parte in the defence of Macarius S. Augustine saithe Huius rei Sacramentum alicubi quotidiè alicubi certis internallis dierum in Dominico praeparatur de Mensa Dominica sumitur The Sacrament of this thinge is prepared or consecrate in the Churche and receiued of the Lordes Table in some places euery day in some places vpon certaine daies Likewise also saithe S. Ambrose Euery weeke wee must celebrate the oblation although not euery day vnto strangâ—rs yet vnto the inhabitantes at least twise in the weeke S. Augustine saithe the Sacrament was ministred at certaine daies S. Ambrose saithe sometimes twise in the weeke and not euery day But what recorde hereof can be plainer then the Councel of Toledo The woordes in Englishe be these There be sundrie Priestes in Spaine that touchinge the prayer that the Lorde taught and commaunded daily to be saide saie the same onely vpon the Sonneday and vpon no day els Hereof wée may very wel geather that if the Priestes in Spaine said the Lordes praier onely vpon the Sonneday for so muche as the Communion is neuer ministred without the Lordes praier therefore the Priestes in Spaine ministred not the Communion but onely vpon the Sonneday These thinges wel considered the weakenesse of M. Hardinges gheasses may the better appeare For
longe wil you thus wilfully peruerte the waies of the Lorde You knowe this is neither the Doctrine nor the practise of our Churche How be it the auncient Doctours haue bothe taught so and also practised the same Anaclerus saithe Alter the Consecration is ended let al receiue onlesse they wil be thrust from the Churche And Calixtus saithe further For so is it appointed by the Apostles and so is it obserued in the Churche of Rome Nowe saithe M. Hardinge the place was priuate Ergo there was a Priuate Masse A Childe may soone sée that this reason hath no holde For touchinge that the place was priuate S. Gregorie saithe thus of one Cassius the Bishop of Narnium He saide Masse which is he ministred the Communion in an Oratorie within his Palace and with his owne hande he gaue the Bodie of the Lorde and peace vnto them al. The like hereof wée may sée in the preface before the Councel of Gangra And in the Tripartite Storie it is writen thus Gregorie Nazianzene at Constantinople in a litle Oraâ—orie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made assemblies of the people Here we sée The action was common and a ful Communion ministred notwithstandinge the place were priuate Againe he saithe There were but thrée Ergo but one did receiue This reason holdeth as the former Consider now gentle Reader how aptely M. Hardinge answeareth to the purpose I demaunde the authoritie of S. Augustine S. Hierome or some other Catholike auncient Father he answeareth me with a childishe Fable I demaunde of the vsage of the open Churche he answeareth me with a priuate Oratorie as though at that time there had béene no Churches builte I demaunde what was doone in the face and sight of the people He answeareth me what he supposeth was doone in a Corner I demaunde of him vndoubted truthe and certaintie he answeareth me by coniecture and blinde gheasse I beleeue he woulde not willingly haue hindred his owne cause If he coulde haue founde better mater doubtlesse he woulde haue brought it foorthe Is this the Antiquitie is this the Uniuersalitie that they so much talke and glorie of Is this the common consente of al the worlde Thus then gentle Reader standeth my answeare to this tale Firste that it was forbidden by many decrées to minister the Sacrament in priuate houses and therefore vnlikely that Iohn Almonar beinge a godly man woulde presume to doo the contrary Secondly that this woorde Missa vsed here by the rude and vtterly vnlearned Interpreter dothe not necessarily importe the Masse Thirdly that M. Hardinge the better to furnishe out the mater hath violently and of purpose falsified the Translation Fourthely that notwithstandinge here were graunted the Celebration of the Sacrament yet it cannot be forced thereof that the Prieste receiued alone Fifthly that although this were proued a priuate Masse yet hath M. Harding vtterly missereckened him selfe and so gotten nothinge For it was without the compasse of sixe hundred yéeres Laste of al hereunto I adde that the place where these thinges are imagined to be doone was il chosen and very vnlikely to serue this purpose For M. Hardinge is not hable to proue that in the Citie of Alexandria was euer any one priuate Masse saide either before that time or euer sithence M. Hardinge The .33 Diuision Amphilochius Bishop of Iconium the heade Citie of Lyâ—aoniaâ— to whome S. Basile dedicated his booke De spiritu sancto and another booke intituled Ascetica writinge the life of S. Basile or rather the miracles through goddes power by him wrought whiche he calleth woorthie of recorde true and great miracles specially suche as were not by the three most woorthie men Gregorie Nazianzene Gregorie Nyssene and Holy Effrem in their Epitaphical or funeral treatises before mentioned amongst other thinges reporteth a notable storie wherein we haue a cleare testimonie of a Priuate Masse And for the thinge that the storie sheweth as muche as for any other of the same Amphilochius he is called Coâ—lestium virtutum collocutor angelicorum ordinum comminister A talker togeather with the heauenly powers and a fellowe seruaunte with orders of Angels The storie is this This holy Bishop Basile besought God in his praiers he woulde geue him grace wisedome and vnderstandinge so as he might offer the sacrifice of Christes bloude shedinge proprijs sermonibus with prayers and seruice of his owne makinge and that the better to atchieue that purpose the holy ghost might come vpon him After sixt dayes he was in a traunce for cause of the holy ghostes comminge VVhen the seuenth day was come he beganne to minister vnto God that is to witte he saide Masse euery day After a certaine time thus spent through faithe and prayer he beganne to write with his owne hande Mysteria ministrationis the Masse or the seruice of the Masse On a night our lorde came vnto him in a vision with the Apostles and layde breade to be consecrated on the holy altare and stirringe vp Basile saide vnto him Secundum postulationem tuam repleatur os tuum loude c. Accordinge to thy request let thy mouthe be filled with praise that with thine owne woordes thou maiste offer vp to me sacrifice He not hable to abide the vision with his eyes rose vp with tremblinge and goeinge to the holy Altare beganne to say â–ª that he had writen in paper thus Repleatur os meum laude hymnum dicat gloriae tuae domine Deus qui creasti nos adduxisti in vitam hanc caeteras orationes sancti ministerij Let my mouthe be filled with praise to vtter an hymne to thy glorie Lorde God which hast created vs and brought vs into this life and so foorthe the other prayers of the Masse It followeth in the storie Et post finem orationum exaltauit panem sine intermissione orans dicens Respice Domine Iesu Christe c. After that he had donne the prayers of Consecration he lifted vp the breade prayeinge continually and sayeinge Looke vpon vs Lorde Iesus Christe out of thy holy tabernacle and come to sanctifie vs that sittesâ—e aboue with thy Father and arte here present inuisibly with vs vouchesafe with thy mightie hande to deliuer to vs and by vs to al thy people Sancta sanctis thy holy thinges to the holie The people answeared one holie one our Lorde Iesus Christe with the holy Ghost in glorie of God the Father Amen Nowe let vs consider what followeth perteininge moste to our purpose Et diuidens panem in tres partes vnam quidem communicauit timore multo alteram autem reseruauit consepelire secuÌ„ tertiam verò imposuit Columbae aureae quae pependit super altare He diuided the breade into three partes of whiche he receiued one at his Communion with greate feare and reuerence the other he reserued that it might be buried with him and the thirde parte he caused to be put in a golden pixe that was
hanged vp ouer the Altare made in the forme and shape of a Dooue After this a litle before the ende of this treatise it followeth howe that S. Basile at the houre that he departed out of this life receiued that parte of the hoste himselfe which he had purposed to haue enterred with him in his graue and immediatly as he lay in his bedde gaue thankes to God and rendred vp the ghoste That this was a Priuate Masse no man can denie Basile receiued the Sacrament alone for there was no earthly creature in that Churche with him The people that answeared him were suche as Christe brought with him And that al this was no dreame but a thinge by the wâ—l of God doone in deede though in a vision as it pleased Christe to exhibite Amphilochius plainely witnesseth declaringe 〈◊〉 that one Eubulus and other the chiefe of that Clergie standinge before the gates of the Churche whiles this was in dooinge sawe lightes within the Churche and men clothed in white and hearde a voice of people glorifieinge God and behelde Basile standinge at the Altare and for this cause at his comminge foorthe fel downe prostrate at his feete Here M. Iuel and his consacramenâ—arâ—es doostagger I doubte not for graunte to a Priuate Masse they wil not what so euer be brought for proufe of it And therefore some doubte to auoide this authoritie must be deuised But whereof they should doubte verely I see not If they doubte any thinge of the bringinge of the breade and other necessaries to serue for consecration of the hoste let them also doubte of the Breade and fleash that Elias had in the ponde of Carithe Let them doubte of the breade and potte of water he had vnder the Iuniper tree in Bersabee Let them doubte of the potte of potage brought to Daniel for his dinner from Iewrie into the Caue of Lions at Babylon by Abacuk the Prophete But perhaps they doubte of the â—uthoritie of Amphilochius that wrote this storie It may wel be that they woulde be gladde to discredite that woorthy Bishop For he was that vigilant Pastour and good gouernour of the Churche who first with Letoius Bishop of Melite and with Flauimus Bishop of Antioche ouerthrew and vtterly vanquished the Heretiques called Messaliani otherwise Euchitae the firste parentes of the Sacrament arie heresie whose opinion was that the holy Eucharistie that is the blessed Sacrament of the Altare doothe neither good nor euil neither profiteth ought nor hurteth Euen as our Sacramentaries doo ascribe al to faithe onely and 40 cal the most woorthiest Sacrament none other but tokeninge breade whiche of it selfe hath no diuine efficacie of operation Therefore I wondre the lesse I say if they woulde Amphilochius his authoritie to be dimished But for this I wil matche them with great Basile who esteemed him so muche who loued him so intierly who honoured him so highly with the dedicatioÌ„ of so excellent woorkes I wil ioyne them also with the learned Bishop Theodoretus who seemeth to geue him so soueraine prayse as to any other Bishop he writeth his stories of neuer naminge him without preface of great honour nowe callinge him admirandum the wonderful at an other time Sapâ—â—enâ—â—ssimum the most wise and most commonly Laudatissimum mostprayse woorthy If they 〈◊〉 Basile him selfe whether he were a man woorthie to obteine by his praier of God such a vision it may please them to peruse what Gregorius Nyssenus what holy Ephrem of Syria and specially what Gregorie Nazianzene wrote of him whiche two Gregories be not affraide to compare him with Elias with Moses with S. Paule and with who so euer was greatest and for vertue of most renoume VVherby without al enuie he hath obteined of al the posteritie to be called Magnus Basile the greate much more for deserte of vertue and learninge then those other for merite of Chiualrie the Great Charles the Great Pompey the Great Alexander If they denie the whole treatise and say that it was neuer of Amphilochius dooinge that were a shifte in deede but yet the woorst of al and furthest from reason and custome of the best learned and muche like the facte of kinge Alexander who beinge desirous to vndoe the fatal knotte at Gordium a towne in Phrygia hearinge that the Empier of the worlde was boded by an olde prophecie to him that coulde vnknitte it not findinge out the endes of the strenges nor perceiuinge by what meanes he coulde doo it drewe foorth his swoorde and hewed it in pieces supplyinge wante of skil with wilful violence For thautoritic of this treatise this muche I can say Byside that it is set foorth in a Booke of certaine holie mennes liues printed in Colen and biside very great likelihoode appearinge in the treatise it selfe it is to be seene in the Librarie of S. Nazarius in the Citie of Verona in Italie writen in veleme for three hundred yeeres past bearinge the name of Amphilochius Bishop of Iconium The B. of Sarisburie If this serue not the turne nothinge I trowe wil euer serue The authoritie of S. Basile and Amphilochius is so greate the mater so cleare the wonder so straunge the antiquitie so auncient the fable so likely the dreame so plaine The original hereof at Verona in Italie in the Librarie of Nazarius keapte as a Relique faire writen in veleme aboue thrée hundred yéeres agoe Basile a woorthie Bishop Ephrem a holy Father Amphilochius a man that had conference with the heauenly powers Not one shewe or circumstance leafte out that may serue to winne credite And what shoulde néede so muche a doo if there were not some suspicion in the mater He that neuer saw this Booke nor knoweth the contentes thereof happely by suche circumstances and colours may be deceiued But I mee selfe haue had this vnknowen Doctour in my poore Librarie these twentie yéeres and more written likewise in veleme as true as faire and of as good recorde in al respectes as that other of Verona in déede not vnder the name of Amphilochius but no doubtes very auncient as it may soone appeare For the same Authour in the same booke hath written also the life of Thomas Becket who liued at the least seuen hundred yéeres after that Amphilochius this writer was dead Therefore that storie writen by him of one that was to come so many hundred yéeres after him must needes be a Prophecie and not a storie The very names of olde godly Fathers are woorthy of muche honoure But as it is wel knowen many vaine tales haue béene couered vnder the name of olde Fathers The life of S. Basile hath béene set foorthe fully and faithefully by sundrie olde woorthie writers as by his owne Brother Gregorius Nyssenus by his déere frende Gregorie Nazianzene by Gregorius Presbyter by Socrates by Theodoretus by Sozomenus by Nicephorus touched also in diuerse places by Chrysostome And not withstandinge of late yéeres he that wrote Vitas
the very Breaking of the Breade the very Gestures and Woordes that the Priest vseth at his Masse beare manifest witnesse against Priuate Masse Here I leaue out a greate number of Councels Canons and olde Fathers as Iustinus Martyr Dionysius Tertullian Epiphanius and Eusebius with sundrie other auncient writers bothe Gréekes and Latines thinkinge it sufficient by these fewe to haue geuen a taste of the reste Our proufes hange not vpon coniecture or vncertaine Gheasses we pray not ayde of Sicke folke Wemen Boyes and Children for the Proufe of the holye Communion as M. Hardinge is driuen to dooe for proufe of his Masse we séeke not out secrete Oratories or priuie Chapels wée forge no new Doctours suche as the worlde neuer knewe before as these men dooe for lacke of others wée allege neither Dreames nor Uisions nor fantastical Fables Wée rest vpon the Scriptures of God vpon the authoritie of the aunciente Doctours and Councels and vpon the Uniuersal practise of the moste famous Cities and Churches of the worlde These thinges wel compared and weighed togeather iudge thou now gentle Reader whether M. Hardinge haue hitherto iuste cause either to blowe vp the Triumphe with suche courage or to require any man to Subscribe THE SECONDE ARTICLE OF COMMVNION VNDER BOTHE KINDES The B. of Sarisburie Or that there was then any Communion ministred vnto the People vnder one kinde M. Hardinge The first Diuision This being a Sacrament of Vnitie euery true Christian man ought in receiuinge of it to consider how vnitie may be atchiued and keapte rather then to shew a streightnesse of conscience aboute the out warde formes of Breade and wine to be vsed in the administration of it and that so muche the more how muche the ende of euery thinge is to be esteemed more then that whiche serueth to the ende Otherwise herein the breache of vnitie is so litle recompensed by the exacte keepinge of the outwarde Ceremonie that accordinge to the saieinge of S. Augustine who so euer taketh the Mysterie of vnitie and keepeth not the bonde of peace he taketh not a Mysterie for him selfe but a testimonie against him selfe Therefore they haue greate cause to weigh with them selues what they receiue in this Sacrament who mooued by sclender reasons made for bothe kindes doo rashely and daungerously condemne the Churche for geeuinge of it vnder one kinde to al that doo not in their owne personnes Consecrate and offer the same in remembrance of the Sacrifice once offred on the Crosse. And that they may thinke the Churche to stande vpon good groundes herein may it please them to vnderstande that the fruite of this Sacrament whiche they enioy that woorthely receiue it dependeth not of the ouâ—warde formes of Breade and Wine but redoundeth of the vertue of the Fleashe and Bloude of Christe And where as vnder either kinde 46 whole Christe is verely present for now that he is risen againe from the dead his Fleashe and Bloud can be sundred no more because he dieth no more this healthful Sacrament is of true Christian people with no lesse fruite receiued vnder one kinde then vnder bothe The Sacramentaries that beleeue not the truthe of Christes Body and bloud in this holy Sacrament I remit to sundrie godly treatises made in defence of the right faith in that pointe I thinke it not necessarie here to treate thereof or of any other mater â–ª whiche M. Iuel hath not as yet manifestly touched in his sermon The B. of Sarisburie The former article of Priuate Masse by M. Hardinges owne confession procéedeth not from God but from the negligence of the people but the abuse of the Communion vnder one kinde from whence so euer it first procéeded standeth now onely vpon the wilfulnesse of the Priestes who séeinge and knowinge the Institution and Commaundement of Christe yet notwithstandinge haue diuised waies against their owne knowledge violently to repel the same And that the whole case may the better appeare the Question that standeth betweene vs is moued thus VVhether the holy Communion at any time vvithin the space of sixe hundred yeres after Christe vvere euer Ministred openly in the Churche vnto the People vnder one Kinde For proufe whereof M. Hardinge hath here brought in Wemen Children Sicke folkes Infantes and Madde men that these haue sometimes receiued the one kinde some in their Priuate houses some in their death beddes some otherwise as he did before for proufe of his Priuate Masse If in al this longe treatie he haue brought any one example or proufe sufficient of the Ministration in one kinde openly vsed in any Churche it is good reason he be beléeued But if he after al these vauntes hauinge published suche a booke as al the worlde as it is supposed is not hable to answeare haue hither to brought no suche neither example nor proufe then may we iustly thinke there is nothinge to be brought at al but that by his eloquence and faire speache he seeketh to abuse the simplicitie and ignorance of his Reader The Councel of Basile aboue one hundred and thirtie yéeres paste made no conscience to graunte the vse of bothe kindes vnto the kingedome of Bohemia and this Councel nowe presently holden at Trident vpon certaine conditions hath graunted the same to other Kingedomes and Countries and were it not they should séeme to confesse the Churche of Rome hath erred they woulde not doubte to graunte the same freely to the whole worlde None of them al can tel neither when nor where nor how this errour firste beganne Some thinke it sprange only of a certaine superstition and simplicitie of the people But whence so euer it first beganne as Tertullian writeth of the frowardnes that he saw in certaine of his time it must now néedes be mainteined and made good against the trueth His woordes be these Consuetudo initium ab aliqua ignorantia vel simplicitate sortita in vsum per successionem corroboratur it a aduersus veritatem vendicatur Sed Dominus noster Christâ—s Veritatem se non Conâ—uetudinem cognominauit Viderint ergo quibus nouum est quod sibi vetus est Haereses non tam nouitas quam veritas reuincit Quodcunque aduersus veritatem sapit hoc erit Haeresis etiam vetus consuetudo Custome either of simplicitie or of ignorance geatinge once an entrie is inured and hardened by succession and then is defended against the trueth But Christe our Lorde called him selfe the Trueth and not Custome Let them take heede therefore vnto whome the thinge seemeth newe that in it selfe is olde It is not so muche the noueltie of the mater as the trueth that reproueth an Heresie What so euer sauoureth against the trueth it is an heresie be the Custome thereof neuer so olde To come néere the mater Vnitie saithe M. Hardinge is the substance of this Sacrament and who so receiueth not the same in Vnitie receiueth a testimonie against him selfe As this is true auoutched by
retinuit Ecclesia temerè condeÌ„nandi aut inuicem iudicaÌ„di That the controuersie for the one or both kindes may be taken away it shal be very wel done that holie Churche made it free to receiue this Sacrament in one or both kindes yet vnder suche condition as hereby no occasion be geuen to any bodie rashely to condemne the vse whiche the Churche hath so longe time keapte nor to iudge one an other Soothly he whiche would haue it free and at libertie to receiue the Sacrament vnder one or bothe kindes and holdeth opinion that the olde custome of the one kinde onely is not to be condemned seemeth plainely yenough to confesse that nothinge hath beene instituted or commaunded of Christ toutchinge this mater as necessarie to saluation Thus we may see plainely that they whiche haue diuided them selues from the Mystical bodie of Christe that is his Churche who were of greatest learninge and iudgement make it a mater indifferent as it is in deede of it selfe lefte to the libertie of the Churche whether the Sacrament be ministred vnder one kinde or bothe And thus much hath ben confessed against M. Iuel and his secte not onely by the learned aduersaries of the Churche in our time but also by a learned maÌ„ of Bohemia aboue sixe score yeeres past His name is Iohn Przyxsam of whose writinges some are set foorth in printe This learned man where as he endeuoured to proue the vse of bothe kindes of the woordes of Christe writen by S. Iohn Excepte ye eate the fleashe of the sonne of man and drinke his bloude ye shal not haue life in you at length vttereth these woordes accordinge to the eloquence of his time Veruntamen hic Deum timens mores impios aliorum praecauens fateor quòd quaslibet personas de Ecclesia Communioni fidelium sub utraque specie repugnantes damnare aut haerericare non intendo But here hauinge the feare of God before mine eyes and beinge wel ware I followe not the wicked conditions of others I graunte that what personnes so euer of the Churche repine against the Communion of the faithful people vnder bothe kindes I intende not to condemne them nor to holde them for Heretiques But if it be the commaundement of God that the Sacrament be receiued of al vnder bothe kindes why shoulde he be forbidden by the feare of God to condemne those that withstande that order of Communion Seeinge that who so euer gooeth against Gods coÌ„maundement is woorthie to be condeÌ„ned Therfore by his testimonie the vse of one or both kindes is indifferent Thus we are hable to allege Luther Melancthon Bucer and that learned Bohemian for the indifferencie of the Communion to be ministred either vnder one kinde or bothe Whereby I meane nor that the vse of the SacrameÌ„t is so lefte to euery mans libertie as he that listeth may require both kindes and an other may content him selfe with one kinde Not so euery man is bounde to follow the ordâ—r of the Churche but the Churche is not bounde of necessitie by â—oddes commaundement to minister it vnder both kindes to the Laitie The B. of Sarisburie To proue that the halfe Communion is a thing indifferent he bringeth foorth thauthoritie of Melancthon Bucer a certaine learned man of Bohemia some of them falsely alleged some without any allegation at al. Neither doth he bringe them to thintent to take them for his authours to folow them for they neither in their bookes nor in the order of their Churches euer consented to the breache of Christes Institution But herein he bewrayeth his wante of olde Doctours for hauinge thauthoritie of them he woulde neuer haue alleged any of these In Melancthon he misseliketh much the manner of his speache in that he calleth the Sacrament a Signe whiche woorde as he saithe is straunge and not the accustomed woorde of the Churche Sauinge that he seeketh occasions and quarels without cause as his woonte is otherwise he knoweth that a Sacrament hath beene called a Signe in al times and ages of the Churche Petrus Lumbardus thus defineth a Sacrament Sacramentum est Signum rei Sacrae A Sacrament is the Signe of a holy thinge And as it is thought the very substance and nature of a thinge cannot be better knowen thâ—n by the Definition S. Augustine saith Signa cùm ad res diuinas adhibentur sacramenta vocantur Signes when they be applied to godly thinges be called Sacramentes And againe writinge of the difference that is betwéene the Sacramentes of the Olde Lawe and of the Newe he saithe thus In Signis diuersis eadem fides The Signes beinge diuerse the faithe is one And writinge againste one Adimantus he saithe Non dubitauit Dominus dicere Hoc est corpus meum cùm daret Signum Corporis sui The Lorde doubted not to say this is my Bodie when he gaue the Signe of his Bodie Likewise saithe Chrysostome Si mortuus Iesus non est cuius symbolum ac Signum hoc Sacrificium est If Iesus died not whose token and whose Signe is this Sacrifice And lest any man shoulde be deceiued in the meaninge of this woorde Signe S. Augustine him selfe hath expounded it thus Signum est res praeter speciem quam ingerit sensibus aliud quiddam faciens ex se in cognitionem venire A Signe is a thinge that biâ—ides the sight it selfe whiche it offreth vnto the senses causeth of it selfe some other certaine thinge to come into knowlege Hereby it may appeare that this woorde Signe is not so strange as M. Hardinge would haue it séeme nor so vnaccustomed vnto the Churche Although it misselike him that we should doo as the olde Fathers did yet he might geue vs leaue to vse suche woordes and phrases as the olde Fathers vsed But he saithe Melancthon and Bucer accompted it as a thinge indifferent In deede these godly learned men when they saw that through the malice of their aduersaries they coulde not obteine that Christes Institution might vniuersally be receiued yet they desired at the least it might be leafte free without restrainte for euery Churche to doo therein as they shoulde thinke good and that without murmure or offence of others And thus farre foorthe their desire was it might be iudged free not that they thought Christe had not ordeined the Sacrament to be ministred vnto the people in bothe kindes or that in it selfe it is indifferent but that the faithful of God might indifferently and freely vse it without controlement and that it should not be iudged Heresie to doo as Christe had commaunded So the godly Fathers at the beginninge when they coulde not perswade the Princes of the worlde with their people to receiue the Gospel yet they thought they were gainers and gaue God thankes when they might haue place and libertie for them selues freely and with quiet conscience to meete togeather and to preache the Gospell This libertie M. Hardinge cannot like
with al. He woulde haue it free for the whole Churche to determine of it but not for euery Churche particular This is a shifte to deceiue the ignorant For he knoweth wel that al other Churches throughout the worlde from the firste plantinge of the Gospel vntil this day doo stil minister the Holie Communion in Bothe Kindes as Christe commaunded and that Christes Institution was neuer openly and by consente broaken but onely in the Churche of Rome whiche Churche also is not vniuersal but meere particular and that the same breache in the same Churche of Rome sprange not of any consent of Bishoppes or other learned men but as it is prooued before onely of the simple deuotion of the people And doothe M. Hardinge thinke the people may safely breake Christes Institution without any General Councel and may not safely returne againe to the same without a general Councel Uerely there needeth no Councel where as nothinge is donne by Councel Touchinge the indifferencie of this mater wherupon M. Hardinge hath buâ—lte this whole treatie and in what sorte the breache of Christes Institution may séeme a thinge indifferent I know no better answeare then that is already made by S. Cyprian who in the like case maketh answeare thus Si quis de antecessoribus meis non hoc obseruauit tenuit quod nos Dominus exemplo magisterio suo docuit potest simplicitati eius de indulgentia Domini venia concedi nobis veró non poterit ignosci qui nuÌ„c a Domino admoniti instructi sumus c. If any of my predecessours haue not followed and keapte that thinge whiche the Lorde by his example and commaundement hath taught vs he for his simplicitie may be pardoned but if wee wilfully offende there is no pardon for vs that are already warned and instructed of the Lorde Wee geue God thankes that whiles he instructeth vs what wee shall doo for the time to come he forgeueth vs that is past bicause wee haue eâ—â—ed of simplicitie Thus farre foorthe the breache of Gods ordinance may be borne with al by the iudgement of S. Cyprian But he addeth further Post inspirationem verò reuelationem factam qui in eo quod errauerat perseuerat prudens sciens sine venia ignorantiae peccat praesumptione aâ—que obstinatione superatus After that God hath once opened and reueled his truthe who so continueth stil in his errour willingly and wittingly offendeth without hope of pardon as beinge ouercome with Presumption and Wilfulnesse M. Hardinge The .8 Diuision And where as it was ministred in bothe kindes at Corinth as it appeareth by S. Paule and in sundrie other places as wee finde moste euidently in the writinges of diuers auncient Fathers Yet the Churche hath beene mooued by diuerse and weighty causes to take order that the people should receiue their Communion vnder one kinde not onely in the Councel of Basil but also in that of Constance and longe before them aboue a thousande yeeres in 52 the first Councel of Ephesus as many doo probably geather and namely Vrbanus Regius a Doctour of Luthers schoole confesseth in his Booke De locis Communibus One cause and not the least was that thereby the heresie of Nestorius might the rather be extinguished who amongst other errours helde opinion 53 that vnder the forme of Breade in the Sacrament is conteined the Body of Christe without his Bloud and vnder the forme of the Wine his Bloud onely without his Body Many other causes mooued those Fathers to take that order for the auoiding of many inconueniences daungers and offences whiche might happen in the vse of the Cuppe as vnreuerence of so high a Sacrament whereof Christen people at the beginninge had a maruelous care and regarde the lothesomenesse of many that can not brooke the taste of wine the difficultie of gettinge and impossibilitie of keepinge wine from corruption in countries situated neare to the Northe Pole in that Clyme where is knowen to be greate extremitie of colde biside a number of the like So that it had beene bisides reason to haue bounde al to the necessitie of bothe kindes The B. of Sarisburie He graunteth that S. Paule at Corinthe and sundrie other holy Fathers in their seueral Churches ministred the Sacrament in Bothe Kindes He might as wel haue saide al the Apostles and al the holy Fathers sauinge for hindering of his cause But the Churche afterwarde vpon good causes as it is here alleged tooke order to the contrary and namely to confute the Heretique Nestorius Here must thou marke good Christian Reader The Question is vvhether M. Hardinges halfe Communion vvere euer ministred openly to the people in the Church vvithin the space of sixe hundred yeres after Christe For prooufe hereof he allegeth that this order was allowed in the Councels of Constance and Basil the former wherof was begunne holden in the yeere of our Lorde a thousande foure hundred and fouretenth and the same neither general nor euer generally receiued And what force can he finde herein to prooue his purpose It is also probably geathered saithe M. Hardinge that the same order was taken a thousande yeeres before in the firste Councel of Ephesus Here he is driuen vtterly to leaue his learning as he coÌ„monly doeth only to holde by bare gheasse But if this new diuise were brought in to confute the Heretique Nestorius why then tooke it place first in the Councels of Constance and Basil a thousande yeres after that Nestorius was dead his Heresie quite forgotten If it were so ordred in the Councel of Ephesus why is there no Acte or mention therof extant in that Councel nor any learned man within a thousand yeres after to recorde the same But Vrbanus Regius a Doctour of Luthers Schoole confesseth it First Urbanus Regius departed this life not aboue twéentie yeres agoe and therefore is a very younge witnesse to testifie a thinge doone so longe before Bysides this the Booke of CoÌ„mon Places that is abroade in his name is nothing els but a heape of thinges geathered togeather by longe readinge as the manner of studentes is out of diuers and sundrie bookes and that as wel of the one side as of the other onely for healpe of memorie and increase of knowledge Neither was that Booke euer corrected or publisshed by him but onely deliuered to the Printer as it was by his widowe after his death as appeareth by Pomeranus that dedicated that booke to the Prince of Mensburg And therefore these collections doo witnesse his diligence but not his iudgement As touchinge that note concerninge the Councel of Ephesus it may be thought he had it out of Alardus or Michael Vaehe or some other like writer of this age Nestorius emongst other errours saithe M. Hardinge helde opinion that vnder the forme of Breade in the Sacrament is conteined the Body of Christe without his Bloud and vnder the forme of wyne the Bloud onely
better perceiue the fraude I must doo thée Christian Reader to vnderstande that in the time of the Apostles some that were Baptized receiued the Holy Ghost in sensible signes and were hable immediatly some to speake sundrie tongues some to woorke other miracles Some others receiued no suche miracle but Baptisme onely as they of Samaria that were Baptized by Philip. Therefore saith S. Luke Peter and Iohn praied for them that they also might receiue the Holy Ghost in visible signes as wel as others For the Holy Ghost vntil that time was come vpon none of them but onely they were Baptized in the name of the Lorde Iesus by this woorde Onely excluding nothing els but the outwarde miraculous giftes of the Holy Ghost But M. Harding transposeth and shifteth S. Lukes woordes at his pleasure and placeth this woorde Onely in the ende and therby excludeth the essential forme of Baptisme as if they had béene Baptized in the name of Christe Onely and so not in the name of the Father and of the Holy Ghost This errour must néedes holde by the canâ—asinge of the Scriptures To Baptize In the name of Christe is to Baptize according to the Order Institution Commaundement of Christe Neither doo these woordes In the name of Christe importe that Baptisme was ministred in the name of Christe onely in none other name biside no more then these woordes Paule the seruant of Iesus Christe doo importe that Paule was the Seruant of Christe onely and so not the Seruant of God the Father nor of the Holy Ghost Or these woordes that Paule spake vnto the keeper Beleeue in the Lorde Iesus doo discharge him from beléeuing in the other twoo persons of the holy Trinitie Doubtlesse he must be very bolde with the Scriptures of God that wil presume hereby to prooue either that the Apostles altered the essential forme of Baptisme or that they proclaimed them Heretiques that in Baptizinge woulde folow Christes Institution The obiection of wasshing of féete is common hath been often answeared S. Bernarde calleth it a Sacrament I graunte But S. Bernarde is a Doctour but of late yeres and therefore his authoritie herein must weigh the lighter Neither dooth he so cal it according to the nature and common Definition of a Sacrament For neither was there any certaine element namely chosen nor any special woordes appointed to make it a Sacrament nor any promisse of Grace thereto annexed Onely he calleth it a Sacrament by a general kinde of takinge And in that meaning S. Hilarie saithe The Sacrament of Praieâ— the Sacrament of Fasting the Sacrament of Fulnesse the Sacrament of Thirste the Sacrament of Weeping And S. Bernarde in an other place in like sorte saithe The Sacrament of a painted Crosse and in this place he saith that the washinge of féete betokeneth the washing and purging of venial sinnes whiche signification he calleth a Sacrament But Christe saithe I haue geuen you an example that as ye haue seen me doo ye also doo the like Therefore saith M. Hardinge this commaundement byndeth as wel as the other Drinke ye al of this How may a man trust M. Hardinge in the darke that wil thus deceiue him in the light For he knoweth that the washinge of feete was neither Institution of Christe nor any parte of the Sacrament nor specially appointed to be doone by the Apostles nor the breache thereof euer déemed Sacriledge as Gelasius writeth of this disorder of the halfe Communion Whether the Apostles for any time after Christes Resurrection obserued it or no it appeareth not Neither is there any thing to my remembrance writen of it As wée may perceiue by S. Paule it was an office more belonging vnto wemen then vnto men And it séemeth by S. Augustine that this Ceremonie in the Churche had relation vnto some other cause and not vnto the Institution of Christe neither to the example or practise of the Apostles For thus he writeth vnto his fréende Ianuarius touching the same If thou demaunde vpon what consideration this Ceremonie of washinge feete beganne first notwithstandinge I haue wel thought of it yet can I finde nothinge that seemeth more likely then this for that the bodies of them that had appointed to be Baptized at Easter being il chearished by reason of the LeÌ„ten fast woulde haue had some lothsomnesse in the touchinge onlesse they had beene washte at some time before And that therefore they chose this day chiefely to that purpose vpon whiche day the Lordes Supper is yerely celebrate Here S. Augustine saithe it was the fulsomnesse of the bodies and lothsomnesse of the senses that first began this Ceremonie and not the Institution or commaundement of Christ. But as touchinge the Ministration of the Communion in Bothe Kindes it is most certaine that the Apostles vsed it and that Christ commaunded it to be vsed stil vntil his comminge With what indifferent iudgement then can M. Hardinge thus compare these thinges togeather a Sacrament with no Sacrament an Institution with no institution a thing that in the Primitiue Church was euery where vsed with that thing wherof no proufe can be made that vpon Christes commaundement it was euer vsed Neither did Christe therefore so abase him selfe to washe his Disciples féete to the intente they according to the letter should doo the same but in him selfe to shew them a perfite example of humilitie â–ª For they were yet in a déepe dreame that Christe should come like a Kinge with al worldly Maiestie and that they should be Princes sit with him to rule the worlde Therfore to breake them out of this sleape he tooke vpon him this vile and seruile office that they might sée that his comming was to serue them and therefore might learne humilitie by his example one of them to serue an other In like manner Christe set a childe before his Disciples willed them al to be as children He bad them to shake of the dust from their shoes to carie neither rodde nor scrippe aboute them and to salute no man vpon the way not that they shoulde practise these thinges according to the rigour of the woordes but to the intent that by the same they might be induced to a déeper vnderstanding Such was the Sacrament and meaning of the Washing of féete The reasons that follow are of like value For Christ said not Doo this after supper or sittinge or at a table or beinge so many togeather Neither did the Apostles euer so vnderstande his woordes But when he had Ministred the Sacrament vnto his Apostles in Bothe Kindes he bade them doo the same that he had doone and so they vnderstoode his woordes and Ministred the Sacrament vnto the people in Bothe kindes accordingly The woordes of S. Cyprian here alleged are spoken of sprinkeling or powring on water ouer them that were Baptized which is but a Ceremonie and therefore ought to be at
Communion as he him selfe seeth may be easely answeared and William Wideford a Doctour of his owne learning saith is foolishely and falsely brought in to serue this turne Yet he woulde not passe it ouer without some brauerie But now wil he bringe in suche authorities so cleare so forcible and so inuincible as can not possibly be auoyded How be it God be thanked these authorities be neither so weighty nor so strange I knew them al and had weighed them wel before I spake any thinge in that behalfe Here he doubleth a greate many thinges before by him alleged for his Priuate Masse in déede seruinge as wel to the one purpose as to the other M. Hardinge The .17 Diuision Melciades that Constant Martyr of Christe and Bishop of Rome ordeined that sundrie hostes prepared by the consecratinge of a Bishop shoulde be sent abroade amonge the Churches and Parishes that Christian folke who remained in the Catholike faithe might not through heretiques be defrauded of the holy Sacrament Whiche can none otherwise be taken then for the forme of Breade onely bicause the wine cannot so conueniently be caried abroade from place to place in smal quantitie for suche vse muche lesse any longe time be kepte without corruption The B. of Sarisburie This argument hangeth onely vpon lacke of carriage For if it were possible to diuise a way that the Sacrament might be caried aboute in bothe kindes then were this gheasse soone answeared For otherwise Melciades speaketh not one woorde of the Communion in One Kinde Now that the carriage of bothe kindes is not impossible the examples of antiquitie doo wel declare S. Hierome writeth thus of Exuperius the Bishop of Tholouse in Fraunce Nihil illo diâ—ius qui Corpus Domini in canistro vimineo sanguinem portabat in vitro There was no man richer thâ—n he that carried the Lordes Body in a wickeâ— Basket and his Bloud in a Glasse Likewise Iustinus Martyr declaring the order of the Churche in his time saithe thus Illis quae cum gratiarum actione consecrata sunt vnusquisque participat Eadem ad eos qui absunt Diaconis dantur perferenda Of the thinges that be consecrate that is the Breade Water and Wine euery man taketh parte The same thinges are deliuered to the Deacons to be carried vnto them that be away Here haue we founde not onely a possibilitie but also a common vsage practise of carrieyng the Sacrament in Bothe Kindes This is the first inuincible argument that al the worlde cannot answeare M. Hardinge The .18 Diuision The Councel of Nice decreed that in Churches where neither Bishop nor Priest were present the Deacons them selues bringe foorthe and eate the holy Communion VVhiche likewise can not be referred to the forme of wine for cause of sowringe and corruption if it be longe keapte The B. of Sarisburie This later clause Ipsi proferant edant Let them bringe it foorth them selues and eate neither is in the Gréeke nor in the Decrées nor in the former edition of the Councels Certaine woordes somewhat like are founde in Rufinus in this sorte Praesentibus Praesbyteris Diacoâ—â— ne diuidant Eucharistiam sed illis agentibus Solùm ministrent Si verò praesbiter nullus sit in praesenti tunc demum etiam ipsis liceat diuidere In the presence of the Priestes let not the Deacons diuide or minister the Sacrament but onely serue the Priestes in their office But if there be no Priest present then let it be lawful for the Deacons to minister Here is very smal healpe for M. Hardinges purpose onlesse perhappes he wil say that Proferre or diuidere Is to minister in One Kinde But if he thinke this a very fonde Translation as it is in déede then this authoritie might haue béene spared M. Hardinge vpon occasion of these woordes would haue men beléeue that the Deacon in the absence of the Priest wente to the Pyx and tooke out the Sacrament and receiued it But Rufinus speaketh not one woorde neither of takings foorthe of the Sacrament nor of the receiuing of the Deacon but of Diuidinge or Ministringe to the people And his meaning séemeth to be this that in the absence of the Priest the Deacon might Consecrate and so serue the people Whiche thinge notwithstanding it séeme in some parte contrary to an other Canon of the same Councel namely in the presence of a Priest yet that it was so vsed in the primitiue Churche it appeareth by most manifest and certaine prouâ—es S. Ambrose imagineth S. Laurence beinge a Deacon thus to say vnto Sixtus the Bishoppe when he saw him ledde to his Martyrdome Experire vtrum idoneum ministrum elegeris cui commiseris Dominici sanguinis Consecrationem O â—ather trie whether thou haue chosen a â—itte minister vnto whom thou hast committed the Consecration of the Lordes Bloud By these woordes wée sée that Deacons then vsed to Consecrate Therefore Eutropius was not wel aduised when he without cause corrupted and altered S. Ambroses woordes and for Dominici sanguinis Consecrationem redde Dominici sanguinis dispensationem For it followeth immediatly in S. Ambrose Et consummandorum consortium Sacramentorum That is The fellowship of perfiting the Sacraments And the Emperour Iustinian in his Authentiques De ecclesiasticis diuersis capitulis Let the Bishop appoint vnto the wemen that be vnder his gouernement suche Priest or Deacon as they shal choose to make answears vnto them or to minister vnto them the holy Oblation The same also may euidently be geathered by the seconde Canon of the Councel Ancyrane the woordes be Diaconi similiter qui immolauerunt honorem quidem habeant cessare verò debent ab omni Sacro ministerio â—iue a Pane â—iue a Calice offerendo vel praedicaÌ„do Let the Deacons that haue offered vnto Idoles keepe their estate stil. But they must geue ouer al holy Ministerie both of offring the Bread and Wine and also of preachinge This parte of the Deacons office was afterward in sundrie decrées abrogated First Bergomensis in the life of Honorius saith It was Decreed by Zosimus Bishop of Rome that the Deacon shoulde not minister in the presence of the Bishop or Priest And longe before that time order was taken in the Councel holden at Arle in Fraunce that Deacons should not minister the Sacrament at al. The woordes be De Diaconis quos cognouimus multis locis offerre placuit id minimé fieri debere Touchinge Deacons of whom we heare say that they make the oblation in many places we haue thought it good that they doo so no more M. Hardinge wil not denie but these be proufes sufficient that the Deacons in those daies vsed to minister the holy Communion Therefore the meaninge of the Councel of Nice is not that the Deacon should goe to the Pix and take the Sacrament reserued as M. Hardinge séemeth to geather vpon a false texte being neither in the Gréeke nor in the former
setting foorth of the Councels nor alleged by Gratian but that the Deacon in the absence of the Priest might Consecrate the holy Mysteries and deliuer the same vnto the people as may wel be geathered by the woordes of Rufine But let vs graunt M. Hardinge that the Sacrament was reserued Yet hath he gotten very smal aduantage for his halfe Communion For if he woulde say thus The Sacrament was reserued Ergo it was reserued in one kinde the Sequele of his argument would be to weake No Logique coulde make it good I graunte the holy Mysteries were sometimes keapte in the primitiue Churche vpon sundrie occasions but they were keapte in Bothe kindes as manifestly appeareth by Nicephorus and by the first Epistle of complaint sent by Chrysostome vnto Innocentius This beinge true as it can not be denied that the Sacrament was reserued in bothe kindes what then hath M. Harding gotten by this inuincible argument for his halfe Communion in one kinde M. Hardinge The .19 Diuision VVhere oftentimes wee finde it recorded of the Fathers that Christian people in time of persecution receiued of the Priestes at Churche in fine linnen clothes the Sacrament in sundrie portions to beare with them and to receiue it secretely in the morning before other meate as their deuotion serued them for the same cause and in respect of other circumstances it must of necessitie be taken onely for the kinde or forme of Breade The places of Tertullian and S. Cyprian be knowen Tertullian writing to his wife exhorteth her not to marie againe specially to an Infidel if he die before her for that if she doo she shal not be hable at al times for her husbande to doo as a Christian woman ought to doo VVil not thy husbande knovve saith he vvhat thou eatest secretely before al other meate And in case he doo knovv it he vvil beleeue it to be Breade not him vvho it is called S. Cyprian writeth in his Sermon De Lapsis That when a woman had gonne about with vnwoorthy handes to open her Cofer where the holy thinge of our Lorde was layde vp she was made affraied with fier that rose vp from thence as she durst not touche it which doubtlesse must be taken for that one kinde of the Sacrament The B. of Sarisburie The mater that hangeth in question betwene vs is whether the people being assembled togeather in the Churche at any time within the space limited receiued the Communion vnder one kinde M. Harding answeareth me not of the order of the Churche but of seueral men and Priuate houses Thus he flieth that thinge that should be proued and the thinge that néedeth no proufe as nothinge pertinent vnto the mater he proueth onely to coniecture In the place of Tertullian he vseth a manifest corruption as I haue already shewed His coniectures be these Wemen receiued the Sacrament in a linen clothe Tertullians wife receiued it at home before meates S Cyprian saith A woman keapte it at home in a Cheaste Ergo The Sacrament was ministred in one Kinde These be colde gheasses no prouâ—es To say They had the Breade Ergo They had not the wine is a very fainte reason and hangeth onely of ignorance for that M. Hardinge knoweth not in what order these thinges were keapte But that women and others keapte the Sacrament carried it about them and that in Bothe Kindes it is euident and cannot be denied Gregorie Nazianzene thus writeth of his sister Gorgonia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. If her hande had layde vp any portion of the tokens of the pretious Body and of the Bloude minglinge it with her teares c. Here Nazianzene contrary to M. Hardinges iudgement saith she had laide vp bothe partes And what should I stande longe to heape examples M. Hardinges owne Amphilochius of whome he séemeth to make so greate accompte emonge other his fables whereof he hath good stoare saith That a certaine Iewe came and receiued emonge the Faithful and priuily carried parte of either Kinde home with him How or wherein it is not written Yet wil it not followe M. Hardinge cannot tel wherein the Iewe carried home the wine therefore Amphilochius tale is not true Now if M. Harding had his owne request yet is he farre of from his purpose For if he woulde reason thus One woman receiued the halfe Sacrament in one Kinde at home Ergo The People receiued in like sorte openly in the Churche Which is the thing that should be prooued this argument would hardely holde To be shorte these thrée examples here alleged are nothing els but méere abuses of the Sacrament And therefore as it appeareth by S. Cyprian God shewed him selfe by miracle to be offended with it frayeing the woman that so had keapte it with a â—lame of fier And it was decréed in the CouÌ„cel holden at Câ—saraugusta in Spaine That if any man receiued the Sacrament and eate not the same presently in the Churche he should be accursed for euer Thus M. Hardinges reasons holde onely by gheasse grounded vpon abuse and beinge graunted yet are not hable to proue his purpose M. Hardinge The .20 Diuision The examples of keepinge the holy Sacrament vnder the forme of Breade onely to be in a redinesse for the sicke and for others in time of daunger that they might haue their necessarie vitaile of life or viage prouision with them at their departure hence be in manner infinite Here one or twoo may serue in steede of a number For though M. Iuel maketh his vaunte that wee haue not one sentence or clause for proufe of these articles whiche he so defaceth with his negatiue yet I wil not accumulate this treatise with tedious allegation of authorities S. Ambrose at the houre of death receiued the Communion vnder one Kinde keapte for that purpose as it appeareth by this testimonie of Paulinus who wrote his life And bicause it may be a good instruction to others to die wel I wil here recite his woordes At the same time as he departed from vs to our Lorde from about the eleuenth hovver of the day vntil the houre that he gaue vp the ghost streatchinge abroade his handes in manner of a Crosse he praied VVee savve his lippes mooue but voice vvee hearde none Horatus a Priest of the Churche of Vercels beinge gonne vp to bedde hearde a voice three times of one calling him and sayeing to him arise and haste thee for he vvil departe hence by and by VVho goinge downe gaue to the Saincte our Lordes Body whiche taken and swallowed downe he gaue vp the ghost hauinge with him a good viage prouision so as the soule beinge the better refresshed by the vertue of that meate may now reioyse with the companie of Angels whose life he lead in the earthe and with the felowship of Elias The B. of Sarisburie It is no vaunte to say the truthe Neither did I denie that euer any one man receiued
seorsum Calicis commendatio memoratur VVhere as some deliuer to the people the Sacrament dipte for the ful and whole Communion they haue not receiued this testimonie pronounced out of the Gospel where our Lorde gaue his Bodie and his Bloude For the geuing of the Breâ—d is recorded aparte by it selfe and the geuinge of the Cuppe aparte likewise by it selfe And where as some afterwarde in the time of Vitellianus woulde haue brought in againe this abrogated custome it was in like manner condemned and abolished In tertio Concilio Braccarensi Can. 1. The B. of Sarisburie There haue béene many great abuses aboute the holy Mysteries not onely of late yéeres in the Churche of Rome whereof we iustly complaine but also in the primitiue Churche euen from the Apostles time For some there were that ministred in water onely some that ministred milke in steede of Wine some brused grapes into the Cuppe and so ministred some ministred Breade and Cheese together some dipte the Sacrament of Christes Bodie in the Sacrament of his Bloud But neither this folie whereof Iulius speaketh nor any other like olde folie was euer renewed by any of vs. In déede M. Hardinge and al the reste of that side haue vsed to breake the Breade and to dippe the thirde parte of it into the Wine and for the same haue diuised a solemnâ— Mysterie For some of them say it signifieth Christes risinge from the deade some the faithful that be yet aliue some others the Blissed that be in Heauen And yet M. Hardinge knoweth that Iulius calleth it a Schismatical ambition and a practise contrary to the Apostles Doctrine We bothe herein and in al other cases like followe onely Christes Institution who as the Euangelistes haue written and as Iulius also recordeth first gaue the Breade aparte and afterwarde the Wine likewise aparte and saide not onely Eate this but also by expresse woordes Drinke this Yet Iâ—o saithe that for daunger of sheddinge sometimes the Breade is dipte into the Cuppe and so deliuered to the people This Iulius here alleged standeth fully of our side and therefore I maruel that M. Hardinge woulde séeke comforte at his hande For where he saieth Porâ—igunt Eucharistiam populis they deliuer the Sacrament vnto the people he importeth a Communion where he reproueth the errour of dippinge and rectiâ—ieth the same by Christes Institution and commaundeth Bothe Kindes to be geuen aparte he signifieth the whole Communion expressely in Both Kindes and so quite ouerthroweth what so euer M. Hardinge hath hitherto builte M. Hardinge The .28 Diuision Nowe I referre me to the iudgement of the Reader of what opinion so euer he be whether for proufe of the Communion vnder one Kinde we haue any woorde sentence or clause at al or no and whether these woordes of M. Iuel in his Sermon be true or no where he saithe thus It vvas vsed throughout the vvhole Catholike Church sixe hundred yeeres after Christes ascension vnder Bothe Kindes vvithout exception That it was so vsed yea sixe hundred yeeres and longe after we denie not but that it was so alwaies and in euery place vsed and without exception that wee denie and vpon what groundes wee doo it let M. Iuel him selfe be iudge If some of our allegations may be with violence wrested from our purpose verely a great number of them cannot the authoritie of the auncient Fathers who wrote them remaining inuiolated Whereof it followeth that after the iudgement of these Fathers where as Christe instituted this Blessed Sacrament and commaunded it to be celebrated and receiued in remembrance of his Death 62 he gaue no necessarie commaundement either for the one or for bothe kindes biside and without the celebration of the sacrifice but lefte that to the determination of the Churche â–ª Nowe that the Churche for thâ—â—â—idinge of vnreuerence periles offences and other vveightie and important causes hath decreed it in twoo general Councels to be receiued of the laye people in one Kinde onely we thinke it good with al humblenesse to submitte our selues to the Church herein whiche Churche Christe commaundeth to be hearde and obeyed sayeinge He that heareth not the Churche let him be to thee as a Heathen and as a Publican In doeinge whereof we weigh aduisedly with our selues the horrible daunger that remayneth for them who be authours of schisme and breakers of vnitie The B. of Sarisburie Good Christian Reader now that M. Harding hath said so much as he is hable it behooueth thée as thou wilt iudge indifferently betwéene vs bothe so to consider and marke wel the very state and issue of the mater wherein the whole question lieth The negatiue of our side whiche so muche troubleth him is this That for the space of sixe hundred yeeres after Christe it can not be founde in any old Doctour or Councel that euer the holy Communion vvas ministred to the people in the Church or any open assemblie in One Kinde onely as it is novve ministred in the Churche of Rome The issue therefore of the whole mater betwéene vs standeth vpon the order and vsage of the Churche M. Hardinge for proufe hereof hath brought certaine particular examples of Drouthe Infirmities Sicknesse Age Ineuitable Necessities Impossibilities and Weakenes of nature Uerely good Reader I lookte for other proufes at M. Hardinges handes For al these other like thinges I knew before He hath alleged Christes Breakinge of Bread at Emaus the allegation wherof to this purpose one of his owne Doctours saieth is méere folie He hath alleged twoo Wemen thrée Sicke Folke in their death beddes Personnes Excommunicate Infantes Phrenetiques and Madde Menne He allegeth Naptkins Cheastes Chambers Mountaines and Wildernesse and for further proufe hath brought Coniectures Gheasses Lies and Fables He allegeth abuses that longe sithence haue beene condemned He allegeth Scriptures Doctours and Councels plainely and directly againste him selfe He is learned and hath reade muche he is eloquent and canne vtter muche yea he is hable to make nothinge to appeare somewhat and a little to séeme much He hath had good conference with as many as he thought meete either within this Realme or without He hath seene what so euer hath beene written by Coclaeus Eckius Pigghius Hofmeister Michael Vaehe Hosius Staphylus and suche other of that sorte He hath had fiue whole yeeres and more to order and digeste his Booke It toucheth him very neere that any man shoulde be so bolde to say They haue defrauded the people of halfe the Sacrament and yet can allege nothinge for it He sheweth him selfe muche offended and therefore spareth not his familiar termes Heretiques Schismatiques Aduersaries of the Churche Goddes Enemies and suche like Yet hauinge so muche learninge so muche eloquence so much conference so muche studie so muche leasure beinge so affected and so offended yet hath he not hitherto brought one woorde either of auncient Councel or of olde Doctour to prooue that thinge that is
denied that is that the Sacramente vvas euer Ministred vnto the people in one Kinde Openly in any Congregation or in the open order and vsage of any Churche Yet were there Churches then erected yet were there Priestes and people then yet was the holy Ministration then openly vsed in forme and order and learned men to recorde the same Al this not withstandinge M. Hardinge hath hitherto founde nothinge in the open Ministration in the Congregation and assemblie of the people whereby to prooue his Halfe Communion Wherfore there is no cause yet shewed to the contrary but M. Iuel may say nowe as he truly before saide in his Sermon The vvhole Communion vvas vsed throughout the vvhole Catholique Churche vnder Bothe Kindes sixe hundred yeeres after Christes Ascension in al Congregations and Churches vvithout exception But Christe hathe leaâ—te these maters to the discretion and determination of the Churche By what recorde may that appeare M. Hardinges woorde is no Charter Or if it be true where did the Churche euer so determine of it within the compasse of sixe hundred yeeres S. Augustine in this case is very reasonable his woordes be these Vbi authoritas deficit ibi consuetudo Maiorum pro lege tenenda est Where authoritie faileth there the Custome of our Elders muste holde for a Lawe But hauinge Goddes Woorde and Christes Institution we wante no authoritie The authoritie of the Church is greate I graunte but the causes that moued the Church of Rome to breake Christes Institution as the keapinge of the VVine Beardes and Palsies and suche like are not greate Not withstandinge M. Hardinge enlarge them muche and cal them Importante and vveightie causes The two Councels of Basile and Constance where this mater was firste concluded as they were at the leaste fourtene hundred yéeres after Christe and therefore not to be alleged in this case againste may assertion so the authoritie of them bothe â—angeth yet in question For the Thomistes say the Councel of Basile came vnlawfully togeather and that therefore al their determinations were in vaine And Pigghius saithe the other Councel of Constance concluded againste Nature againste the Scriptures againste Antiquitie and againste the Faithe of the Churche These be the twoo Councels that M. Hardinge woulde haue vs yeelde vnto VVe are bounde to heare the Churche saith M. Hardinge But much more are we bounde to heare God This saieing of S. Cyprian is woorthy déepely to be noted Non iungitur Ecclesiae qui ab Euangelio separatur He hath no felowship with the Churche that is diuided from the Gospel And likewise writinge against certaine that abused the Cuppe of Christe Ministringe therein Water in stéede of Wine he geueth this lesson to al Bishoppes and others toutchinge the Reformation of the Churche Religioni nostrae coÌ„gruit timori ipsi loco officio Sacerdotij nostri custodire Traditionis Dominicae veritatem quod prius apud quosdam videtur erratum Domino monente corrigere vt cùm in claritate sua Maiestate Coelesti venire coeperit inueniat nos tenere quod monuit obseruare quod docuit facere quod fecit It behoueth the Religion that we professe and our reuerence towardes God and the very place and office of our Priesthoode to keepe the trueth of the Lordes Tradition and by the Lordes aduertisement to correcte that thinge that by certaine hath beene amisse that when he shal come in his glorie and Maiestie he may finde vs to holde that he warned vs to keepe that he taught vs to doo that he did M. Hardinge The .29 Diuision Nowe for answeare to M. Iuelles place alleged out of Gelasius whiche is the chiefe that he and al other the aduersaries of the Churche haue to bringe for their purpose in this pointe this muche may be saide Firste that he allegeth Gelasius vntruely makinge him to sounde in Englishe otherwise then he doothe in Latine M. Iuels woordes be theâ—e Gelasius an olde Father of the Churche and a Bishop of Rome saithe that to Minister the Communion vnder one Kinde is open Sacrilege But where saithe Gelasius so This is no syncere handlinge of the mater And bicause he knewe the woordes of that Father imported not so muche guilefully he reciteth them in Latine and dothe not Englishe them whiche he woulde not haue omitted if they had so plainely made for his purpose The woordes of Gelasius be these Diuisio vnius eâ—usdemque Mysterij sine grandi sacrilegio non potest peruenire The Diuision of one and the same Mysterie can not come without great sacrilege Of these woordes he cannot conclude Gelasius to say that to minister the Communion vnder one kinde is open sacrilege Gelasius rebuketh and abhorreth the diuision of that highe Mysterie whiche vnder one forme and vnder bothe is vnum idemque One and the same not one vnder the forme of Breade and another vnder the forme of VVine not one in respecte of the Bodie and an other in respecte of the Bloude but vnum idemque one and the selfe same The woordes afore recited be taken out of a fragment of a Canon of Gelasius whiche is thus as we finde in Gratian. Comperimus autem quod quidam sumpta tantum Corporis sacri portione a calice sacrati cruoris abstineant Qui procul dubio quoniam nescio qua superstitione docentur adstringi aut integra sacramenta percipiant aut ab integris arceantur quia diuisio vnius eiusdemque Mysterij sine grandi sacrilegio non potest peruenire VVhiche may thus be Englished But we haue founde that some hauinge receiued onely the portion VVherein is the holy bodie absâ—eine from the Cuppe of the sacred Bloude who without doubte for as muche as I know not with what supersitition they be taught to be tied either let them receiue the whole Sacramentes or let them be keapte from the whole bicause the diuision of one and the same Mysterie can not come without greate sacrilege Here mighte be saide to M. Iuel â–ª she we vs the whole Epistle of Gelasius from whence this fragment is taken that we may weigh the circumstance and the causes why he wrote it conferringe that goeth before and that followeth and we wil frame you a reasonable answeare But it is not extant and therefore your argument in that respecte is of lesse force â—he B. of Sarisburie Neither are we the aduersaries of the Churche nor Gelasius the chiefest that we bringe for our purpose We follow Christe as he hath commaunded vs whome it became Gelasius also to followe But it is a worlde to sée into howe many faces and fashions M. Harding is faine to turne him selfe to auoide this authoritie of Gelasius He leaueth the whole route of his owne companie and is gladde to renne alone He expoundeth Gelasius by Leo as though they wrote bothe of one thinge And yet others of his owne side say that Leo wrote of Heretiques and Gelasius of Catholikes Leo
euermore béen called Priuate and neuer Common And in this sense Thomas of Aquine thinketh that a Praier made in suche sorte by the Priest and in the Churche may be called Priuate He thinketh That the people vttered their Secrete Praiers in the tongue that they vnderstoode and so he saithe Christian people doo now for the most parte The former parte hereof is vndoubtedly true But for the seconde That Christian people doo so now Goddes name be blessed that hath brought it so to passe not by M. Hardinge or his Catholike Doctours but by suche as they haue withstanded for the same and called Heretiques Touchinge the Publique Seruice pronounced by the Priest wherevnto the people saide Amen some saithe M. Hardinge vnderstoode the language thereof and some vnderstoode it not Here vnawares he implieth a repugnance in reason a manifest contradiction For if some of the people vnderstoode it not how coulde al the people say Amen S. Paules woordes be plaine How shal the vnlâ—arned say Amen to thy thankes geuinge For he knoweth not what thou saiest This tenneth directly against M. Harding Al the people gaue their assent and saide Amen to the Common Praiers in the Churche Ergo al the people vnderstoode the Common Praiers The allegation of the Churche of Englande in the time of Augustine whereof M. Hardinge maketh him selfe so sure and saith with suche affiance It shal be proouâ—d when it shal hereafter come to prouâ—e in déede shal prooue nothinge As concerninge the distinction of Priuate and Common Praiers betwéene whiche M. Hardinge woulde also haue a difference of speache vndoubtedly the tongue that is godly and profitable and wil sturre the minde in Priuate deuotion is also godly and profitable and likewise hable to sturrey â— minde in the open Churche And I maruel what reason can leade any man to thinke the contrary M. Hardinge The .2 Diuision But to speake first of antiquitie and of the compasse of your sixe hundred yeeres it is euident by sundrie auncient recordes bothe of Doctours and of Councels specially of the Councel Laodicene in Phrygia Pacatiana holden by the Bishoppes of the lesser Asia aboute the yeere of our Lorde 364. that the Greeke Churches had solemne seruice in due order and forme set foorthe with exacte distinction of Psalmes and Lessons of Howers Daies Feastes and times of the yeere of Silence and open pronouncinge of geuinge the Kysse of Peace to the Bishop first by the Priestes then by the Lay people of offeringe the Sacrifice of the onely Ministers comminge to the Altare to receiue the Communion with diuers other seemely obseruations As for the Latine Churches they had their Praiers and Seruice also but in suche fixed order longe after the Greekes For Damasus the Pope firste ordeined that Psalmes should be Songe in the Churche of Rome Alternatim enterchaungeably or by course so as now wee singe them in the Quier and that in the â—nde of euery Psalme shoulde be saide Gloria patri filio spiritui sancto sicut erat â–ª c. Which he caused to be doone by Councel of S. Hierome that the faith of the 318. Bishops of the Nicene Councel might with like felowship be declared in the mouthes of the Latines To whome Damasus wrote by Bonifacius the Priest to Hierusalem that Hierome woulde sende vnto him Psallentiam Graecorum The manner of the singinge of the Greekes so as he had learned the same of Alexander the Bishop in the East In that Epistle complayninge of the simplicitie of the Romaine Churche he saithe that there was in the Sunday but one Epistle of the Apostle and one Chapter of the Gospel rehearsed and that there was no Singinge with the voice hearde nor the comelinesse of Hymnes knowen amonge them Aboute the same time S. Ambrose also tooke order for the Seruice of his Churche of Millane and made Holy Hymnes him selfe In whose time as S. Augustine writeth when Iustina the younge Emperour Valentâ—â—ians mother for cause of hir Heresie wherewith she was seduced by the Arrians persecuted the Catholike faithe and the people thereof occupied them selues in deuoute watches more then before time ready to die with their Bishop in that quarel it was ordeined that Hymnes and Psalmes should be songe in the Churche of Millane after the manner of the Eastparties that the good folke thereby might haue some comforte and spiritual reliefe in that lamentable state and continual sorowes Thereof the Churches of the West foorth with tooke example and in euery Countrie they followed the same In his seconde Booke of Retractations he sheweth that in his time suche manner of singinge beganne to be receiued in Aphrica Before this time had Hiâ—â—rius also the Bishop of Poyters in Fraunce made Hymnes for that purpose of whiche S. Hierome maketh mention The B. of Sarisburie Wée may wel suffer M. Hardinge to wander at large in maters that relieue him nothinge If it were lawful for others so to doo it were no greate Maisterie to write Bookes Many maters be here heapte togeather touchinge order of Seruice distinction of Psalmes Lessons Houres Daies Feastes the geuinge of Peace the forme of Communion Singinge in the Churche when it beganne in Grecia when in Rome when in Millane when in Aphrica when in FrauÌ„ce and when in other places These be none of the maters that lie in Question And therefore as they nothinge further M. Hardinge to this purpose so in other respectes they hinder him sundrie waies For in the same Councel of Laodicea it is decréed like as also in the Councel of Carthà ge That nothing be redde in the Church vnto the people sauinge onely the Canonical Scriptures Therefore the Lessons there mentioned were not taken out of the Festiual or Legenda aurea as hath béene vsed in the Churche of Rome but out of the Chapters of the Holy Bible as it is now vsed in the Churche of Englande The Peace geuen to the Bishop was not a litle Table of Siluer or somewhat els as hath beene vsed in the Churche of Rome but a very Cosse in déede in token of perfit peace and vnitie in Faithe and Religion So Iustinus Martyr saith speakinge of the time of the Holy Ministration Wee salute eche one an other with a Cosse So likewise Chrysostome and others Where he saithe that the Churche of Rome beinge as then plaine and simple learned the Psalmodie and other Ecclesiastical Musique and the singing of Gloria patri at the ende of euery Psalme of S. Hierome and the Bishoppes of the East he dooth vs wel to vnderstande that then Rome is not the Mother of al these thinges neither is so to be taken But where he further saithe Damasus ordeined that the Psalmes should be Songe Interchangeably and in sides and euen so as they be now Songe in the Quiere meaninge as it séemeth that onely the Priestes and Clerkes Songue and the people sate stil it is an open and a
Nations biside with many other authorities to like purpose to auoutche the thinge that M. Harding so earnestly prooueth and no man denieth that the Nations of the East parte of the worlde had seueral tongues and spake not al one onely tongue Let M. Hardinge therefore consider better who they be that as he saithe denie the Maiestie Vtilitie and necessitie of the gifte of tongues For we confesse that the knowlege thereof is necessary not onely for the furtherance but also for the continuance of the Gospel neither doo we doubte but by what tongues the Heathens were conuerted vnto God by the same tongues they made their petitions vnto God the contrary whereof M. Hardinge by his silence confesseth he can not prooue Which not withstandinge he passeth ouer the mater by these woordes Hitherto of the Greeke and of the Seruice in that language and so endeth this péece of his treatie with a pretie vntruethe hauinge in deede prooued somewhat of the tongue but of the Seruice whereupon his whole cause resteth not one woorde at al. Whiche thinge that it may the better appeare let vs lay togeather the partes and members of his argument His Maior is this Al Asia the Lesse had the Seruice in the Greeke tongue The Minor But many Countries of the saide Asia vnderstoode not the Greeke tongue The Conclusion Ergo many Countries had their Seruice in an vnknowen tongue The Minor he warranteth but by gheasse onely and none otherwise although bothe S. Luke in the nientienth of the Actes and also the very storie of the times followinge be to the contrary The Maior he toucheth not at al. Therefore his Syllogismus halteth downe right of one side and concludeth onely vpon the Minor And thus M. Hardinge shoareth vp his straunge doctrine with a strange Maior a strange Minor and a strange Conclusion M. Hardinge The .11 Diuision Nowe concerninge the Latine tongue whiche is the learned tongue of the VVeast That the Latine Churche or the VVeast Churche for so it is called had the Seruice in Latine I graunte The chiefe Regions and Countries of the Latine Churche within the foresaide sixe hundred yeeres were these Italie Aphrike Illyrike bothe Pannonies nowe called Hungarie and Austria Gallia nowe Fraunce and Spaine The Countries of Germanie Pole and Swethen and those Northe partes receiued the faithe longe sithence The Countries of Britaine here had receiued the Faithe in moste places but were driuen from the open profession of it againe by the cruel persecution of Diocletian the Emperour at whiche persecution S. Albane with many others suffered Martyrdome After that these Countries had beene instructed in the Faithe as thinges grewe to perfection they had their Seruice accordingely no doubte suche as was vsed in the Churches from whence their firste Apostles and Preachers were sent And bicause .73 the first Preachers of the Faithe came to these VVeast parties from Rome directed some from S. Peter some from Clement some others afterwarde from other Bishoppes of that See Apostolike they planted and set vp in the Countries by them conuerted the Seruice of the Churche of Rome or some other very like and that .74 in the Latine tongue onely for ought that can be shewed to the contrary VVherein I referre me onely to the firste sixe hundred yeeres Nowe that suche Seruice was vnderstanded of those peoples that spake and vnderstoode Latine no man denieth For to some Nations that was a natiue and a Mother tongue as the Greeke was to the Graecians The B. of Sarisburie I finde no faulte with M. Hardinges Cosmographie but I trowe Cosmographie in this case maketh smal proufe His proufe for the Latine Seruice hangeth vpon twoo pointes The first is that al the faithe of the Weast parte of the world came onely from the Bishoppes of Rome The seconde is that the planters of the same Faithe ministred the Common Seruice euery where in the Latine Tongue He knoweth wel that either of these pointes is vntrue and wil neuer be prooued And somewhat to touche hereof by the way S. Paule saith that he him selfe had filled al places with the Gospel of Christe euen as farre as Illyricum and that not from Rome but from Hierusalem and promiseth that he woulde passe by Rome into Spaine as by reporte of some afterwarde he did and Theodoretus saithe that Paule came into this Ilelande nowe called Englande and here planted the Gospel The like is commonly surmised by the writers of the Brittishe Chronicles of Ioseph of Arimathaea And although Coniectures in suche Antiquities be often vncertaine and darke yet it may séeme very likely that the Religion of Christe came first into this Ilelande not from Rome but from the Greekes both for that in the kéepinge of Easter day we folowed the Churche of Graecia not the Church of Rome and also for that when Augustine was sente in hither by Gregorie we woulde in no wise acknowlege or receiue the Bishop of Rome As for Lazarus Nathanael Saturninus that preached firste in Fraunce I haue saide before Auentinus saithe Lucius S. Paules companion wente into Germanie and S. Paule saithe Titus wente into Dalmatia It is knowen that the Churche of Rome for certaine other causes and namely for the greate state and renoume of that Citie euen from the beginninge was notable aboue al others and was careful in enlarginge the Glorie of Christe and yelded many Martyrs vnto God Yet may we not thinke that al thinges therefore came from Rome For Tertullian calleth Hierusalem Matrem Fontem Religionis The Mother and the Springe of Religion And S. Augustine saithe Fides orta est à Graecis The Faithe sprange firste from the Greekes Nowe that he further saithe The planters of the Faithe in al these Weaste Countries made the Common Praiers euery where in the Latine Tongue bisides that it is manifestly false as God willinge hereafter shal wel appeare it hath not no not so muche as any likelihoode or shewe of truethe For Good Reader consider this reason The planters of the Faithe came from Rome Ergo they keapte euery where the order of Rome If this argument woulde holde then woulde I likewise reason thus The Churche of Rome was firste planted by them that came from Graecia or from Hierusalem Ergo Rome keepeth the order of Graecia or of Hierusalem But M. Hardinge presuminge this of him selfe without other proufe that the Churches of these Countries followed the order of the Churche of Rome concludeth further Ergo they had their Seruice in Latine as had the Church of Rome Euery Childe séeth that this is a Fallax or a deceitful argument called A secundū quid ad simpliciter He might as wel haue saide thus They folowed the order of the Churche of Rome Ergo they had their Exhortations and Sermons in Latine for so had the Churche of Rome But is M. Hardinge so vnaduised or so negligent in his maters that he seethe
reporteth of him And further I trust it wil be prooued that the thinges that M. Hardinge allegeth stande without the compasse of sixe hundred yéeres and therefore not withstandinge they were true yet cannot greatly further his purpose This Augustine vpon his arriual into England had a place allotted him in Kent There he and his companie songe and praiâ—d and saide Masse this Masse was a Communion as shal appeare and preached and Baptized In what language it is not noted by Beda But be it in Latine Hereof M. Hardinge formeth vp this argument Augustine and his companie praied togeather in Latine for that they were strangers newly sente in out of Italy and vnderstoode not the Englishe tongue Ergo the Englishe people had the Latine Seruice M. Hardinge shoulde not thus mocke the worlde He knoweth wel a Childe woulde not make suche reasons For Augustine was no Parishe Prieste ne serued no Cure but onely had a place seuerally appointed to him selfe Neither did any Englishe man resorte to his Seruice onlesse it were to sée the strangenesse of his dooinges He might as wel reason thus The Iewes this day in Venice haue their Seruice in the Hebrewe tongue Ergo the people of Italy haue their Seruice in the Hebrewe Hitherto I trowe this matter is but simply prooued M. Hardinge The .22 Diuision VVhere as S. Augustine after that the Englishe Nation had receiued the faith and he had beene Archebishop ouer them hauinge founde the Faithe beinge one diuersitie of customes in diuerse Churches one maneâ— of Masses in the holy Romaine Churche an other in that of Fraunce for this and certaine other purposes sent two of his Clergie Laurence and Peter to Rome to be aduertised amongst other thinges what order maner and custome of Masses it liked S. Gregorie the Churches of the Englishe nation shoulde haue Hereunto that holy Father answeared that what he espied either in the Romaine or Frenche or any other Churche that might be most acceptable to almighty God he should choose out and geather togeather and commende the same to the Church of Englande there to be leafte in custome to continue Li. 1. Ca. 27. If it had then ben thought necessarie the Seruice of the Masse to be in Englishe or if it had beene traÌ„slated into the Englishe tongue it is not to be thought that Bede who declareth al thinges concerninge maters of Religion so diligently specially professing to write an Ecclesiastical storie woulde haue passed ouer that in silence And if the Masse had beene vsed in the Englishe tongue the Monumentes and Bookes so muche multiplied amonge the Churches woulde haue remained in some place or other And doubtelesse some mention woulde haue beene made of the time and causes of the leauinge suche kinde of Seruice and of the beginninge the newe Latine Seruice As certaine of S. Gregories vvoorkes tourned into Englishe by Bede him selfe haue beene keapte so as they remaine to this daie The B. of Sarisburie Here was a shorte victorie Peter and Paule coulde neuer so easely conquere Kingdomes But this mater stoode not so muche in winninge the vnfaithful as in killinge the Godly After that was once donne streight waies Augustine had the conqueste and was out of hande made Archebishop and wrote to Rome bothe thereof and also for resolution of certaine questions méete as he saithe for that rude people of Englande As whether a woman might be Baptized while she were great with Childe or after her deliuerie and how longe after she shoulde forbeare the Church with certaine other secrete questions toutchinge bothe man and wife so Childishe and so rude that a man may wel doubte whether Augustine were ruder or the people Amonge other thinges he demaunded Counsel toutchinge the Masse for that in diuerse Countries he had seene diuers orders of Masses and yet good Reader of them al he had seene no Priuate Masse For the Masse in Rome at that time was a Communion as I haue already shewed and as it appeareth by these woordes whiche the Deacon pronounced at euery Masse alowde vnto the people He that receiueth not the Communion let him geue place The difference stoode in addition of certaine Ceremonies For the Countries abroade as we may iudge keapte stil that simple order that they had first receiued But the Churche of Rome was euer alteringe For Gregorie him selfe vnto whome this Augustine writeth added the Introite and the Antemes and Alleluia and willed the Introite to be doubled twise and the Kyrie eleeson nientimes and added also a certaine portion to the Canon Of these and other like differences Augustine demaundeth and of the same Gregorie maketh answeare Hereof M. Hardinge gheasseth thus It appeareth not by Beda The Seruice vvas in Englishe Ergo the Seruice vvas in Latine What kinde of Logique haue we here Or howe may this reason holde It concludeth ab authoritate negatiuè I beleue M. Harding him selfe wil not allow it By the like forme of reasoninge a man might as wel say It appeareth not by Beda that the preachers instructed or exhorted the Englishe people in Englishe Ergo they instructed and exhorted the Englishe people in Latine Yet againe he gheasseth further There is no Booke to be founde of the Englishe Seruice in that time Ergo the Seruice vvas in Latine O what folie is this Who is hable to shewe any Booke written in Englishe a thousande yeeres agoe Or if it coulde be shewed yet who were hable to vnderstande it There is no booke to be founde of the praiers that the Druydes made in France or the Gymnosophistae in India and wil M. Hardinge thereof conclude that therefore the Druydes or the Gymnosophistae praied in Latine Suche regarde he hath to his Conclusions M. Hardinge The .23 Diuision S. Gregorie him selfe is a witnesse of right good authoritie vnto vs that this lande of Englande whiche he calleth Britaine in his time that is almost a thousande yeeres paste had the common praiers and seruice in an vnknowen tongue without doubte in Latine muche in like sorte as we haue of olde time had til nowe His woordes be these Ecce omnipotens Dominus penè cunctarum gentium corda penetrauit ecce in vna fide Orientis limitem Occidentisque coniunxit Ecce lingua Britanniae quae nihil aliud nouerat quà m barbarum frendere â—am dudum in diuinis laudibus Hebraeum coepit Halleluia resonare Beholde our Lorde Almightie hath now perced the hartes almost of al Nations Beholde he hath ioyned the borders of the East and the Weast in one Fâ—ithe togeather Beholde the tongue of Britaine that coulde nothinge els but gnass he barbarously hath begonne now of late in diuine Seruice to sounde the Hebrewe Halleluia The B. of Sarisburie S. Gregorie in that place vpon Iob speaketh not one woorde neither of the Latine nor of the Englishe Seruice Onely he sheweth the mighty power of God that had conuerted al the worlde to the obedience of his Gospel These be
Primitiue Churche this vvas necessary vvhen the Faithe vvas a learninge And therfore the Praiers vvere made then in a common tongue knovven to the people for cause of their further instruction VVho beinge of late conuerted to the Faithe and of Painimes made Christians had neede in al thinges to be taught But after that the Faithful people was multiplied and increaced in greate numbers and had beene so wel instructed in al pointes of Religion as by their owne accorde they conformed them selues to the Ministers at the Common Praiers in the Latine Churche the Seruice was set out in Latine and it was thought sufficient parte of the people in the Quier to answeare for the whole And this hath beene esteemed for a more expedite and conuenient order then if it were in the Vulgare tongue of euery Nation The B. of Sarisburie Who so wil mainteine an vntruthe ought to be circumspecte and to remember wel how his tales may stande togeather M. Hardinge a litle before wrote thus Cicero saith Tongues be in number infinite Of them al Neither M. Iuel nor any one of his side is hable to shew that the publique Seruice of the Churche in any Nation was euer for the space of sixe hundred yeeres after Christe in any other tongue then in Greeke or Latine Now contrarywise either of forgeatfulnesse what he hath saide before or of some other better aduise he saith thus Verily in the Primitiue Churche this was necessary when the Faithe was a learninge And therefore the praiers were made then in a Common tongue knowen to the people for cause of their further instruction By these woordes he vtterly ouerthroweth that he so confidently saide before and very wel confirmeth my assertion M. Iuel may now take his ease For M. Hardinge him selfe is hable to prooue against him selfe that in the Primitiue Churche the Seruice was ministred in the Common tongue and that he confirmeth for a veritie and saith It was necessary so to be and coulde not be otherwise These saieinges of M. Hardinges beinge directely contrary cannot possibly stande bothe togeather If the one be true the other of necessitie must néedes be false The reason that he geathereth in this place standeth vpon the diuersitie of times Then saith he the people vvas ignorant and needed of al thinges to be taught Novv they are instructed and vnderstande the Faithe and are increased in multitude Therefore it is better novv for expedition the Seruice be saide in a strange Language and that onely the Clerke make answeare to the priest in steede of the vvhole Congregation Thus saith M. Hardinge not by the authoritie of S. Ambrose S. Augustine S. Hierome S. Chrysostome or any other like olde Catholique Doctour but onely by warrant of late Doctours Thomas of Aquine and Nicolas Lyra the former of whiche twoo liued at the least twelue hundred yéeres after Christe His reason in shorte is thus The people novv is instructed ▪ Ergo They ought to haue their Seruice in a strange tongue If M. Hardinge minde to perswade the worlde he had neede to bringe other argumentes But what if the people be not instructed What if they know nothing no not the Articles of the Christian Faithe What if there be noman to instructe them What if the Priest be euen as is the people the blinde leade the blinde Yet I trowe M. Hardinge wil not alter his new Decrée but his strange Seruice must continue stil. Uerily the vnderstanding of God is the soule life of Gods Churche and as it was necessary at the first plantinge thereof so is it alwaies necessary for the continuance of the same S. Hilarie saith Ecclesiae in quibus verbum dei non vigilar naufragae fiunt The Churches wherein Goddes woorde is not watcheful suffer wrecke Neither did S. Paule say let this order holde for the time while the faithe is a learninge as M. Hardinge woulde haue him say but thus he saith Haec quae scribo Domini sunt mandata Omnia ad ae dificationem fiant The thinges that I write are the commaundementes of the Lorde Let al thinges be doone to edifie The edifieinge of the people whiche is the final cause hereof continueth stil therefore ought the vnderstandinge of the people which is the efficient cause hereof to continue stil. M. Hardinge The .29 Diuision I graunte they cannot say Amen to the blessinge or thankes geuinge of the Priest so wel as if they vnderstoode the Latine tongue perfitely Yet they geue assent to it and ratifie it in their hartes and doo conforme them selues vnto the Priest though not in special yet in general that is to witte though not in euery particular sentence of praise and thankes geuing or in euery seueral petition yet in the whole For if they come to Churche with a right and good intent as the simple doo no lesse then the learned their desier is to render vnto God glory praise and honour and to thanke him for benefites receiued and with al to obteine of him thinges behooueful for them in this life and in the life to come And without doubte this godly affection of their mindes is so acceptable to God as no vnderstandinge of woordes may be compared with it This requisite assent and conforminge of them selues to the Priest they declare by sundrie outwarde tokens and gestures as by standing vp at the Gospel and at the preface of the Masse by bowinge them selues downe and adoringe at the Sacrament by kneelinge at other times as vvhen pardon and mercie is humbly asked and by other like signes of deuotion in other partes of the Seruice The B. of Sarisburie Yet once againe M. Hardinge woulde make the worlde beléeue that the ignorant people vnderstandeth the Latine tongue although not perfitely and that they may in general geue their consent vnto what so euer the Priest saithe although they know not one woorde what he saieth And so betwéene S. Paule and M. Hardinge there appeareth a plaine contrarietie For S. Paule saith The vnlearned cannot say Amen to thy praier bicause he knoweth not what thou saiest Yes saithe M. Hardinge although he know not what thou saiest yet may he neuerthelesse say Amen But hereto he laieth his correction I graunt saith he they cannot say Amen to the blissing and thankes geuinge of the Priest So vvel as if they vnderstoode the Latine tongue O M. Hardinge who taught you thus to qualifie the peoples duties Why doo you thus openly deceiue your brethren Why teache you them to say Amen To edifie them selues to be thankeful and to conforme their hartes vnto God Nor so vvel but in woorse wise as you your selfe confesse then you know they are bounde to doo Your owne tongue confesseth against your selfe that you leade the people of God from the better vnto the woorse I know the humble affection and deuotion of the harte is more pretious before God then any vnderstanding or sounde of woordes For that in déede is the praieing
nullum ex his quae non intelligitis fructum facientes abibitis credo Nam quae vtilitas esse ex voce non intellecta potest Onlesse I speake that you maie plainely and clearely vnderstande but onely shewe me selfe to haue the gifte of tongues ye shal departe away hauinge no fruite of those thinges that ye vnderstande not For of a voice that ye know not what profite canne ye haue Againe he saithe Et vos nisi significantem sonum dederitis verba vento hoc est nemini facietis And you onles ye vtter a sounde with vnderstandinge ye shal speake to the winde that is to say ye shal speake to no Bodie And to passe by al others Nicolas Lyra saithe thus Si tu Sacerdos benedixeris spiritu id est absque hoc quod populus intelligat quid proficit populus simplex non intelligens If thou beinge the Prieste doo blisse with thy Sprite that is to saie if the people vnderstande thee not what profite hath the simple people thereby not vnderstandinge thee Therefore as M. Hardinge saithe M. Caluine in this pointe was a scorner so might he as wel haue saide S. Augustine S. Chrysostome Nicolas Lyra and others are al scorners If al praiers saithe M. Hardinge made in a strange tongue be a mockinge of God as Beza saithe then were the praiers vttered by Miracle in the primitiue Churche with tongue whiche the vtterers them selues vnderstoode not after the minde of Chrysostome a mockinge of God This exposition of Chrysostome is very strange and agreeth with fewe others and yet is the same here by M. Hardinge vntruely reported For Chrysostome saithe not that who so euer in the Primitiue Churche vttred the praiers with tongue vnderstoode not him selfe what he saide but plaine the contrary For thus he saithe Linguis loquens se ipsum aedificat quod quidem fieri non potest nisi quae loquatur norit He that speaketh with tongues profiteth him selfe whiche cannot be onles he vnderstande what he saieth And he addeth further Et hactenus quidem disputat de illis qui ea quae loquuntur intelligunt Hitherto S. Paule disputeth of them that vnderstande what they saye Hereby it is plaine that M. Hardinges general proposition is not generally true But others Chrysostome saithe there were that abused the gifte of tongues and knewe not them selues what they saide And whether this were a mockinge of God or no let M. Hardinge iudge Chrysostome saithe It was a Confusion of the Churche a bragginge and ostentation of them selues without consideration either of them selues or of others that suche a one was Simon Magus that suche were the Iewes that betraied them selues vnto the Diuel And S. Augustine compareth them vnto Owselles Pies and Rauens that crie and chatter they know not what Therefore I doubte not but M. Bezaes exposition wil stande bothe before God and also before any good Catholique Bishop M. Hardinge The .35 Diuision If our newe Maisters condemne the Latine Seruice in the Latine Churche for that the people vnderstande it not thereof must it folowe that the Englishe Seruice so muche of it as consisteth of Dauides Psaelmes whiche is the moste parte be also condemned The like may be saide of other Nations For howe many shal we finde not of the people onely but also of the beste learned men that vnderstande the meaninge of them in what tongue so euer they be set foorthe S. Hilarie compareth the Booke of Psalmes to a heape of keyes that be to open the doores of euery house of a greate Citie layed togeather Amonge whome it is harde to finde whiche keye serueth whiche locke and without the righte keye no doore can be opened S. Augustine likeneth the people of Aphrica singinge the Psalmes whiche they vnderstoode not to Owselles Popiniayes Rauens Pies and suche other byrdes whiche be taught to sounde they knowe not what and yet they vnderstoode the tonge they sange them in And therefore he exhorteth them to learne the meaninge of them at his preachinge least they shoulde singe not with humane reason as it is before recited but with voice onely as byrdes doo The B. of Sarisburie Al our mater is fully answeared and confuted For M. Harding hath called vs Newe Maisters euen with the same authoritie and spirite that Haman saide vnto kinge Darius The Iewes troubled his countrie and professed and vsed a Nevve Lavve Certainely our Doctrine is Christes Doctrine hath the Testimonie not onely of the Lawe the prophetes but also of the auncient Councels and Olde Fathers The greatest proufe for the Latine Seruice that M. Hardinge can finde standeth vpon the bare name of the Latine Churche And yet in that whole Churche this day there is not one nation that either speaketh or vnderstandeth the Latine Tongue Let M. Hardinge onely leaue his portuise and Latine Seruice then hath he no further cause to bragge of his Latine Churche For as it now fareth his Seruice taketh not name of his Churche but his Churche of his Seruice Uerily as it is meete the Seruice shoulde be in Latine in the Latine Churche so is it meete the Seruice should be in Englishe in the Englishe Churche We graunte the Psalmes be harde as it is alleged for the déepe senses and highe Mysteries and secrete prophecies of Christ and of his Churche therein conteined Bisides that M. Hardinge hath founde out a buntche of keies in S. Hilarie wherewith to shutte out al the people Not withstanding the right vse of keyes is rather to open then to shutte Chrysostome saithe Clauis est Verbum scientiae Scripturarum per quam aperitur hominibus ianua Veritatis The keie is the woorde of knowledge of the Scriptures by the whiche the gate of the Trueth is opened vnto men And Tertullian likewise saithe Clauis est interpretatio Legis The keye is the exposition of the Lawe And therefore Christe saithe Woe be vnto you ye Scribes and Pharisees that shutte vp the Kingedome of God before menne for ye enter not your selues neither suffer others that would enter And thus they doo saith Tertullian Docentes poâ—iùs praecepta doctrinas hominum Teachinge rather the Commaundementes and Doctrines of menne But if there be so many keyes bounde togeather what if M. Hardinge haue missed in his choise and haue taken one keye for an other His reason standeth thus The simple people vnderstandeth not the deepe meaninge of the Psalmes Ergo they vnderstande nothinge in the Psalmes By this keye M. Hardinge may happen to shutte out him selfe This is a false kinde of reasoninge whiche in the Schooles is called A secundum quid ad simpliciter For albeit the people vnderstande not al the highe Mysteries of the Scriptures yet it foloweth not that therfore they vnderstande nothinge in the Scriptures For in the Scriptures there is bothe Stronge meate for Menne and also Milke for Children And in the same saithe S. Gregorie
not preuaile against it And vnto thee I wil geue the Keies of the kingedome of Heauen And what so euer thou bindest vpon earth shal be bounde also in Heauen and what so euer thou lowsest on earth shal be lowsed also in Heauen Beholde he receiueth the keyes of the heauenly Kingdome the power of bindinge and lowsing is geuen to him the charge of the whole Church and principalitie is coÌ„mitted to him Thus farre Gregorie But biâ—ause our aduâ—rsaries though without iust cause refuse the witnesse of the Bishoppes of Rome in this Article as vnlawful witnesses in their owne cause vvere they neuer so holy Martyrs or learned Confessâ—urs they may vnderstande vvee are hable to allege sundrie other authorities to the confirmation hereof that be aboue al exception The B. of Sarisburie If S. Gregorie were now aliue he woulde charge M. Hardinge with open iniurie not onely for alteringe his whole meaninge but also for manglinge and maiming his very woordes M. Harding to prooue that the Bishop of Rome was called the Uniuersal Bishop allegeth these woordes of S. Gregorie Ecce Petrus claues Regni Coelorum accipit Et potestas ei ligandi soluendique tribuitur Cura ei totius Ecclesiae principatus committitur Beholde Peter receiueth the keyes of the Kingedome of Heauen To him is geuen power bothe to binde and to loose The charge and chiefe rule of the Churche is committed vnto him Thus farre Gregorie saith M. Hardinge And why no farther was he staied with the Choynecough and forced to breake of his tale in the middest But marke wel gentle Reader and thou shalt see S. Gregorie set to Schoole and keapte in awe and not suffred to vtter one woorde more then M. Hardinge wil geue him leaue The next woordes that immediatly folow in the same sentence are these Tamen Petrus Vniuersalis Apostolus non vocatur Yet Peter is not called the Vniuersal Apostle M. Hardinge saith The Bishoppe of Rome was called the Vniuersal Bishop But S. Gregorie euen in the selfe same sentence that M. Hardinge hath here so hastily broaken of saithe Peter him selfe beinge the Apostle of Christe yet was not called the Vniuersal Apostle And woulde M. Hardinge haue the worlde beléeue that the Popes power is greater and more vniuersal then S. Peters These woordes M. Hardinge thought good to nippe of in the middes Suche is his dealing in the allegation of the Auncient Fathers If I liste to vse his owne termes I might wel cal this Foystinge or Cogging or I know not what Certainely the holy Fathers in the Councel of Constantinople saie thus Non conuenit orthodoxis ita circumtruncatas Sanctorum Patrum voces deflorare Haereticorum potiùs hoc proprium est It is nâ—t meete for Catholique men thus to choppe and to pare the sâ—â—einges of the holy Fâ—thers It is rather the very propertie of Heretiques M. Hardinge wil say Gregorie misâ—iked this name of Uniuersal Bishop onely in Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople that so ambitiousely so greadily sought for it and yet neuerthelesse claimed the same vnto him selfe as a title onely belonginge to the Sée of Rome and that wee therefore doo wrongefully racke S. Gregorie forcinge his woordes otherwise then he euer meante For answeare hereunto it shal behooue vs to consider bothe what S. Gregorie hath written in general of this title and also what special claime he hath layde vnto it for him selfe Thus therefore generally he writeth of it Ego fidenter dico quisquis se vniuersalem sacerdotem vocat vel vocari desiderat in elatione sua Antichristum praecurrit quia superbiendo se coereris praeponit I speake it boldely who so euer calleth him selfe Vniueâ—sâ—l Bishop or desireth so to be called is in his pride the Forerâ—nnâ—r of Antichriste bicause in his pride he setteth him selfe before others Hac in re à fratre Conâ—acerdoâ—e meo contra EuangelicaÌ„ sententiam c. Herein my Brother and felow Bishop dooth against the meaning of the Gospel against S. Peter the Aposâ—le against al Châ—rches and againste the ordinance of the Canons In this pride of his what other thinge is there tokened but that the time of Antichrist is euen at hande For he foloweth him that despisinge the equalitie of ioye amonge the Angels laboured to breake vp to the toppe of singularitie saieing thus I wil auance my throne aboue the starres of Heauen I wil sit in the Mounte of the Testament euen in the corners of the Northe I wil geate me vp aboue the light of the cloudes and wil be like vnto the highest Againe Rex superbiae in foribus est c. The kinge of pride is euen in the Gates and a horrible thinge to speake an armie of Priâ—stes is made ready For now they play the Souldiers and beare then heades on high that were ordeined to be Captaines of humilitie Againe I woulde haue al men to be greate and honorable so that there honour be no de derogation to the honour of God For who so wil be honoured against God shal not be honourable vnto me Againe Neither may you say that the vsinge of this Title is nothinge For if wee beare this mater quietly wee ouerthrow the Faith of the whole Church The agreeing vnto this wicked Title is the loosinge of the Faith Thus therfore S. Gregorie iudgeth generally of the name of Vniuersal Bishop whiche name not withstanding the Bishoppes of Rome haue sithence chosen and taken to them selues that is to say That it is Vaine and Hurteful the Confusion the poyson and Vtter and Vniuersal destruction of the Churche The corruption and loosinge of the Faithe against the holy Canons against S. Peter the Apostle against the very sense and meaninge of the Gospel against al the Churches of God and against God him selfe that neuer good or holy man woulde vse suche titles that who so euer vseth them in so dooinge foloweth Lucifer and is the very Forerennâ—r and Messinger of Antichriste Perhappes M. Hardinge wil say This name belonged peculiarly and onely to the Bishop of Rome and therefore Gregorie reprooued Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople for that he so presumptuousely and by way of intrusion claimed the same as a right and interest that was not his But S. Gregorie calleth the same title of Uniuersal Bishop Typhum superbiae Nomen nouum Vocabulum Temerarium Stultum Superbum Pompaticum peruersum Superstitiosum ProfanuÌ„ Scelestum Nomen erroris Nomen singularitatis Nomen vanitatis Nomen Hypocriseos Nomen Blasphemiae That is to say A puffe of Arrogancie A new name a Râ—she a Poolishe a Proude a Pompouse a Peruerse a Superstitious an Vngodly and a Wicked title A name of Erroure a name of Singularitie a name of Vanitie a name of Hyprocrisie and a name of Blasphemie And doothe M. Harding thinke or woulde he
vnto them aboue al others Noli altum sapere sed time Be not highe minded but stande in awe Wherefore it is the lesse to be marueled if they haue so ambitiousely at al times attempted dominion ouer others But M. Hardinge saithe the preeminence of power and authoritie of the Bishop of Rome is commended to the worlde by many and sundrie Councelles Wherein I maruel he allegeth not the Councel of Carthage of Hippo Regius and of Aphrica in whiche it was decreed thus Vt primae sedis Episcopus non appelletur Princeps sacerdoâ—um aut Summus sacerdos aut aliquid huiusmodi sed tantùm primae Sedis Episcopus That the Bishop of the firste See be not called the chiefe of Priestes or the highest Prieste or by any other like name but onely the Bishop of the firste See Or the Councel of Aphrica where toutchinge appeale to Rome it was specially prouided thus Si prouocandum putauerint non prouocent nisi ad Aphricana Concilia vel ad primates prouinciarum suarum Ad transmarina qui putauerit appellandum à nullo intra Aphricam in CoÌ„munionem suscipiatur If they thinke it needeful to appeale from their owne Bishoppes let them not appeale but onely vnto Councelles to be holden within the countrie of Aphrica But who so euer shal thinke it needeful to appeale to the iudgement of any beyonde the Sea that is to the Bishop of Rome let no man within Aphrica receiue him to his Communion Why doothe M. Hardinge so warily leaue these Councelles that be ertant and to be séene the authoritie whereof was neuer doubted of and allege onely a patche of the Councel of Nice whiche he him selfe confesseth was burnte and al the Bishoppes of the East parte who are supposed to haue made it protest openly vnder their handes and seales it was neuer made But M. Hardinge herein doothe muche like vnto the Arrians that accused Athanastus who were not ashamed to bringe in the names of certaine menne as beinge aliue to witnesse againste him and yet not withstandinge charged Athanasius with the same menne that he had slaine them Neither doo I sée wherefore M. Hardinge shoulde néede in this case to leane to the authoritie of any Councel For his Anacletus thought it better to make men beleeue he had his superioritie Not from the Apostles but from Christe him selfe And Faustinus Episcopus Potentinus claiminge for the Bishop of Rome in the Councel of Carthage and findinge him selfe to haue smal holde in this Canon of the Nicene Councel alleged rather Custome and prescription These be his woordes Tractandum est cum vestra beatitudine de Nicenis Canonibus vt conseruentur constituta eoruÌ„ Consuetudo Quia aliqua ordine Canone tenentur aliqua Consuetudine firmata sunt â–ª We must deale with your holines of the Canons of the Councel of Nice that thei maie be keapte both the Constitutions thereof and also the Custome For certaine thinges are holden by order and by Canon and certaine thinges are made good by Custome But Pope Nicolas the first vtterly refuseth not onely the Councel of Nice and al other Councelles in this behalfe but also the authoritie of Prescription and Custome For thus he saithe Animaduertendum est quia non Nicena non denique vlla Synodus quicquam Romanae contulit Ecclesiae priuâ—legij quae in Petro nouerat eam totius iura potestatis pleniter meruisse cunctarum Christi ouium regimen accepisse Ye muste consider that neither the Councel of Nice nor any other Councel euer gaue any priuilege to this Churche of Rome For this Churche knoweth that in Peter she hath fully deserued the right of al power and hath atteined the gouernement of al the sheepe of Christe But touchinge the forgerie of this Councel of Nice the very beginninge of the quarel and the whole storie standeth thus One Apiarius a Priest of the Churche of Sicca in Aphrica as it appeareth a very il man beinge iustly excommunicate bothe by his owne Bishop and also by a great number of other Bishoppes togeather in the Councel there appealed from them al vnto Zosimus then Bishop of Rome Zosimus without further knowlege of the cause neuer hearinge the other partie pronounced Apiarius to be innocent restoared him to the CoÌ„munion And vnderstandinge there was a Councel geathered in Aphrica touchinge the same sent thither Faustinus the Bishop of Potentia with twoo other priestes of Rome Philippus Asellus not onely to sée that the saide Apâ—arius without any further trial might be restoared vnto his right but also to make plea in the open Councel that it should be lawful for any prieste to appeale from his owne ordinarie or Metropolitane or Councel vnto the Apostolique See of Rome The Bishoppes of Aphrica answeared there was no law it shoulde be so Faustinus laide foorth this Canon of the Councel of Nice not made by the authoritie of the Bishops there but onely diuised by the Bishop of Rome The Bishops there emonge whome was S. Augustine that famous learned Father thought it was a forged mater therfore saide they woulde sende vnto Alexandria Antioche Constantinople for the very Original copies of the saide Councel and desired the Bishop of Rome to doo the same and saide that in the meane while they woulde doo as they had done before Upon this Message and returne of the answeare with the true Authentique copies from Cyrillus the Bishop of Alexandria Atticus the Bishop of Constantinople it appeared plainely vnto the worlde that the Canons were corrupted that the Pope had falsified the holy Councel and to thintent to auaunce his Apostolique Sée of Rome had diuised Priuileges and Prerogatiues of his owne Here mightâ— M. Hardinge wel bestowe his termes Here mighte he truely say The Pope coggeth and foisteth the die The Pope bombasteth the Canons of Councelles and the Decrees of holy Fathers vvith his counterfeite stuffinge The Bishoppes in the Councel of Aphrica hauinge thus throughly examined the trueth hereof wrote vnto Coelestinus beinge then Bishop of Rome in this wise Decreta Nicena c. The Decrees of the Councel of Nice haue committed both the inferior Clerkes and also the Bishopes vnto their Metropolitanes For it was discreetely and rightly considered that al maters are to be determined in the places where they began and that no Prouince canne lacke the Holy Goste whereby the Bishoppes of Christe may be hable bothe wisely to see and also constantely to mainteine the right and specially for that it is lawful for euery man that shal mislike the discretioÌ„ of his Iudges to appeale either to a Particular Councel within the same Realme or elles to the vniuersal Councel of the whole worlde Onles perchaunce some man wil saie God is hable to inspire the trial of Iustice into one man alone bicause he is Bishop of Rome and vvil not inspire the same into a
yet Goddes highe goodnesse hath so ordeined as eche thing may be prouided for according to his owne condition and nature Therfore where as mankinde dependeth most of sense and receiueth al learninge and institution of sensible thinges therefore it hath neede of a man to be a gouernour and ruler whome it may perceiue by outwarde sense And euen so the Sacramentes by whiche the Grace of God is geuen vnto vs in consideration of mannes nature beinge so made of God as it is are ordeined in thinges sensible Therefore it was behooueful this gouernement of the Churche to be committed to one man whiche at the firste was Peter and afterwarde â—che successour of Peter for his time as is afore declared Neither can this one man haue this power of any consent or companie of men but it is necessarie he haue it of God .104 For to ordeine and appointe the Vicare of Christ it perteineth to none other then to Christe For where as the Churche and al that is of the Churche is Christes as wel for other causes as specially for that we are bought with a greate price euen with his Bloude as S. Paule saithe howe can it perteine to any other then to him to institute and appointe to him selfe a vicare that is one to doo his steede The B. of Sarisburie M. Hardinge standeth very longe in discoursinge this mater by natural reason â–ª And for that he knewe S. Augustine saithe Si ratio contra Diuinarum Scripturarum authoritatem redditur quamlibet acuta sit fallit verisimilitudine Nam veta esse non potest If natural reason be alleged against the authoritie of the holy Scriptures be it neuer so suttle it beguileth menne by a likenes or colour of the Trueth for true it cannot be And for that he also sawe the reasons he hath brought are very simple and carrie no weight he hath therefore thrust a great many of them in a thronge togeather bothe to fil the Hearers senses also that the one might the better aide the other For his entrie in mirthe and game he calleth vs Gospellers God open the eies of his harte that he may sée the brightnesse of Goddes Gospel and consider what it is that he hath refused Surely it is an horrible thing for a Christian man thus to make mockerie of the Gospel of Christe S. Paule saithe Si opertum est Euangelium in illis qui pereunt est opertum If the Gospel be couered it is couered from them that perishe It misliketh him that we builde the vnitie of the Churche vpon Christe onely and not also vpon the Pope and this he calleth these New Gospellers Doctrine God be thanked these Gospellers haue good warrant for their Doctrine S. Paule saithe Eum dedit Caput super omnia ipsi Ecclesiae quae est Corpus eius God hath geuen Christe to be Heade ouer al euen to the Churche whiche is his Bodie And againe Ille est Caput qui dat salutem Corpori Christe is the Heade that geueth health vnto the Bodie Christe is our peace Al we are one in Christe Iesu. Therefore S. Gregorie saithe Nos quoque à vobis non longè sumus quoniam in illo qui vbique est vnum sumus Agamus ergo â—i gratias qui solutis inimicitijs in Carne sua fecit vt in omni orbe terrarum vnus esset Grex vnum Ouile sub se Vno Pastore We are not farre away from you bicause in him that is euery where we are al one Therefore let vs geue him thankes that enemitie beinge broken in his Fleashe hath caused that in al the worlde there shoulde be one Flocke and one Folde vnder him selfe beinge the one Shepehearde These places and infinite other like are good warrantes of our Doctrine Nowe if M. Hardinge be hable by the Scriptures or Holy Doctours to say as muche for the Bishop of Rome that he is the Heade of the Churche that is to say the Heade of Christes Bodie or that the Church receiueth influence or health from him Or that he is our Peace or that we are al one in him or that al the worlde is one Flocke and one Folde and he the one Sheepehearde Or that S. Paule as he saide There is one Lorde one Faithe one Baptisme so he saide also There is one Pope then haue we some cause to thinke accordinge to M. Hardinges fantasie that the vnitie of the whole Churche is founded and builte vpon the Pope Certainely it seemeth S. Augustine woulde not geue this priuilege vnto S. Paule His woordes be plaine Nec Paulus radix eorum erat quos plantauerat sed ille potius qui ait Ego sum vitis vos estis Sarmenta Caput etiam eorum quomodo esse poterat cum dicat Nos omnes vnum esse Corpus in Christo ipsumque Christum Caput esse vniuersi Corporis Neither was Paule the roote of them whome he had planted but rather he that saith I am the vine and you are the sprigges But the Heade of them how coulde he be seeinge he him selfe saithe Al we in Christe are one Bodie and That of the whole Bodie Christe him selfe is the Heade If S. Paule as S. Augustine saithe coulde not be Heade of the Churche howe may we then thinke that the Bishop of Rome may be Heade of the Churche But mankinde saithe M. Hardinge dependeth moste of sense Therefore the whole Churche must haue one man to rule and gouerne ouer it and that man is Peters successour and Christes Vicare in Earthe I maruel that none of the Olde Fathers coulde euer vnderstande either the necessitie of this reason or this special name and title of Christes Uicare How be it one true woorde M. Harding hath vttered amongst many others that is that to apointe Christe Uicare it perteineth onely vnto Christe and to none other Of whiche grounde we may wel reason thus Christe neuer ordeined nor appointed nor once named the Bishop of Rome or his Successoure to be his Uicare that is to be an Uniuersal Bishop ouer the whole Churche therefore by M. Hardinges owne position the Bishop of Rome hath of longe time vsurped a power againste Christe without Commission and in déede is not Christes Uicare S. Hierome saithe generally of al Bishoppes Nouerint Episcopi se magis Consuetudine quà m dispositionis Dominicae Veritate Presbyteris esse maiores Lette Bishoppes vnderstande that they be greater then the priestes by order and Custome of the Churche and not by the trueth of Goddes ordinance If Christe as S. Hierome saithe appointed not one priest aboue an other howe then is it likely he appointed one Priest to be as M. Hardinge saithe Prince and ruler ouer al Priestes throughout the whole worlde As for the Uniuersal supplieinge of Christes roome Tertullian saithe The Holy Ghoste is Christes Vicare For thus he writeth Sedet ad dextram Dei Patris misit Vicariam vim
M. Hardinge meaneth it is a vile subiection and seruitude it is no vnitie S. Hierome saithe Nomine vnitatis Fidei infidelitas scripâ—a est Nam illo tempore nihil tam pium nihil tam conueniens seruo Dei videbatur quà m vnitatem sequi à totius mundi communione non scindi Infidelitie hath beene written vnder the name of Faithe and Vnitie For at that time nothinge seemed either so godly or so meete for the Seruant of God as to folow vnitie and not to be diuided from the Communion of the whole worlde They séemed saithe S. Hierome to folowe vnitie and yet notwithstandinge they honge in infidelitie So likewise saithe the wise man In tanto viuentes ignorantiae bello â—ot tanta mala pacem appellabant Where as they liued in suche a warre of ignorance so many and so greate mischiefes they called Vnitie M. Hardinge The .20 Diuision But here perhappes some wil say it can not appeare by the euente of thinges and practise of the Churche that the Pope had this supreme power and Auctoritie ouer al Bishoppes and ouer al Christes flocke in matters touchinge Faithe and in causes Ecclesiastical Verily whosoeuer peruseth the Ecclesiastical stories and vie weth the state of the Church of al times and ages can not but confesse this to be most euident And here I might allege first certaine places of the New Testament declaring that Peter practised this preeminence amonge the Disciples at the beginninge and that they yelded the same as of right apperteininge vnto him As when he first and onely moued them to choose one in the steede of Iudas and demeaned him selfe as the chiefe auctour of al that was donne therein when he made answeare for al at what time they were gased and wondered at and of some moâ—kte as being dronken with new wine for that in the .50 day thei spake with tonges of so many Nations when hevsed that dreadful seueritie in punishing the falsehead and hypocrisie of Ananias and Saphira his wife when variance being risen about the obseruation of certaine pointes of Moyses lawe he as chiefe and head of the rest saide his minde before al others Amonge many other places lefte out for breuitie that is not of least weight that Paule beinge returned to Damasco out of Arabia after three yeeres wente to Ierusalem to see Peter and abode with him fiftene dayes 105. But because our aduersaries doo wreathe and wreaste the Scriptures be they neuer so plaine by their Priuate and strange constructions to an vnderstandinge quite contrary to the sense of the Catholike Churche I wil referre the reader for further proufe of this matter to the stories bearinge faithful witnesse of the whole state and condition of the Churche in al ages In whiche stories the practise of the Churche is plainely reported to haue ben suche as thereby the primacie of Peters Successour may seeme to al menne sufficiently declared For perusinge the Ecclesiastical stories with writinges of the Fathers beside many other thinges perteininge hereto we finde these practises for declaration of this special auctoritie and power Firste that Bishops 106 of euery Nation haue made their appeale in their weightie affaires to the Pope and alwaies haue sued to the see Apostolike as wel for succour and healpe against violence iniuries and oppressions as for redresse of other disorders Also that the malice of wicked persons hath beene repressed and chastised of that auctoritie by Excommunication Eiection and Expulsion out of their dignities and roomes and by other censures of the Churche Furthermore that the ordinances and elections of Bishoppes of al Prouinces haue beene confirmed by the Pope Beside this that the approuinge and disallowinge of Councelles haue perteined to him Item that Bishoppes wrongefully condemned and depriued by Councelles by him haue beene assotled and restored to their Churches againe Lastly that Bishoppes and Patriarkes after longe strifes and contentions haue at lengthe vpon better aduise beene reconciled vnto him againe The B. of Sarisburie Here M. Hardinge assaieth to prooue the Possession and Occupation of this Uniuersal Authoritie by the Practise bothe of S. Peter him selfe and also of other Bishoppes in Rome that folowed after him And touchinge S. Peter he thinketh it sufficient to saie thus Peter beinge amonge the rest shewed his aduise firste before al others and at the sounde of his woordes Ananias and Saphira fel downe deade Ergo Peter was the Heade and had an Vniuersal power ouer the whole Churche Here be very weake proufes to mainteine so greate a Title I thinke M. Hardinge him selfe doothe not beleue that who so euer firste vttreth his minde in any Councel or woorketh any strange miracle by the power of God is therefore the Heade of al the worlde For oftentimes in greate Councelles the yongest or lowest beginneth firste and the eldest and Heade of al speaketh laste Certainely in this assemblie of the Apostles after that S. Peter had opened his minde al the reast had donne last of al not S. Peter but S. Iames pronounced the Sentence whiche thinge belonged onely to the Heade and President of that Councel He must be very simple that wil be leadde with suche simple gheasses But who so euer wel and throughly considereth S. Peters whole dealinge at al times emonge his Brethren shal soone see that neither he bare him selfe nor the reast receiued or vsed him as the Heade of the Uniuersal Churche He calleth the reast of the Disciples his Brethren he calleth himselfe Compresbyterum Felowe elder He commaundeth not nor chargeth any man but heareth and intreateth others as his equalles and felowes Beinge sente into Samaria by his brethren he repined not as beinge their Heade gouernour but went his way as their Messenger And beinge reproued for goeinge to Cornelius and dealingâ— with Heathens he excused him selfe and came to his answeare The reast of the Apostles no doubte honoured S. Peter as the special member of Christes Bodie with al reuerence But it appeareth not that any of them euer tooke him or vsed him as their Heade or yelded him this Infinite or Uniuersal power S. Paule compareth him selfe with him in Apostleship and saithe Mihi concreditum est Euangelium Praeputij sicut Petro Circuncisionis â–ª To mee is committed the Gospel amonge the Heathens euen as vnto Peter emonge the Iewes And Iames Peter and Iohn which seemed to be the pillers gaue vnto me and Barnabas the right handes of felowship And afterwarde he saithe I withstoode Peter euen vnto the face for that he was woorthy to be rebuked And againe vnto the Corinthians Arbitror me nihil inferiorem esse eximijs Apostolis I take me selfe to be nothinge inferiour vnto the chiefe Apostles Hereby it plainely appeareth that Paule estéemed and tooke Peter as his Felowe and not as his Heade Where as it liketh M. Hardinge to say that we wreathe and wreast the
Scriptures if it woulde haue pleased him also particularly to shewe how and wherein he might haue had the more credit But it is commonly saide Dolosus versatur in generalibus He that walketh in generalities meaneth not plainely I truste the indifferent Reader séeth the Scriptures are plaine yenough of our side and neede no wreastinge And therefore touchinge this case S. Cyprian saithe as is before alleged Idem erant alij quod Petrus The reast were the same that Peter was And Origen likewise Nos quoque efficimur Petrus nobis dicetur illud quod hunc sermonem sequitur Tues Petrus super hanc Petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam Petra enim est quisquis est Discipulus Christi Euen we are become Peter and vnto vs the same shal be saide that foloweth these woordes Thou arte Peter and vpon this Rocke I vvil builde my Churche For he is the Rocke who so euer is Christes Disciple And so it is written in S. Augustine againste the Donatistes Clarus à Mascula dixit Manifesta est sententia Domini nostri Iesu Christi Apostolos mittentis ipsis solis potestatem à Patre sibi datam permittentis quibus nos successimus eadem potestate Ecclesiam Domini gubernantes The saieinge of oure Lorde Iesus Christe sendinge out his Apostles and geuinge vnto them onely the same power that he had receiued of his Father is plaine into whiche Apostles roomes we haue succeeded gouerninge the Churche with the same power that thei did These be good witnesses that wée wreaste not Goddes woordes but vse them simply as they were spoken Nowe it were a longe labour to shewe at ful howe M. Hardinge with others of that side haue dealte herein The woordes that be specially and onely spoken of God him selfe and of his Christe it is lawful for them to applie the same vnto the Pope without any wreathinge or wreastinge of the Scriptures Cornelius a Bishoppe in the laste Councel of Trident vseth these woordes Papa lux venit in mundum sed dilexerunt homines magis tenebras quà m lucem The Pope beinge the light is come into the worlde but menne loued the darkenes more then the lighte And Stephanus the Archebishop of Patraca in the Councel of Laterane directeth these woordes vnto the Pope Tibi data est omnis potestas in Coelo in terra Vnto thee is al power geuen bothe in Heauen and Earth Likewise saithe Pope Bonifacius Spiritualis à nemine iudicatur The man that is spiritual is iudged of no man Ergo no man may iudge the Pope And againe Quae sunt potestates à Deo ordinatae sunt The powers that be are ordeined of God Ergo The Pope is aboue the Emperour Nowe to passe by other like places whiche are innumerable whether this be wreastinge of the Scriptures or no I leaue it to the discrete Reader to consider Uerily as I haue saide before Camotensis thus reporteth of them Vim faciunt scripturis vt habeant plenitudinem potestatis To thintent thei may haue the fulnes of power they doo violence to the Scriptures and diuise strange constructions contrary to the sense of the Churche of God But for as muche as M. Hardinge vtterly leaueth the Scriptures wherein he séethe he hath so simple holde and referreth the whole right of his cause to the continual practise of the Churche I truste it shal not seeme neither tedious nor vnprofitable vnto the Reader onely for a taste and by the way to touche somewhat concerninge the same nothinge doubtinge but euen thereby it shal wel appeare that within the compasse of sixe hundred yéeres after Christe the Bishop of Rome was neuer neither named nor holden for the Heade of the Uniuersal Churche Firste of al The Bishoppes of other countries writinge to the Bishoppe of Rome cal him not their Heade but their Brother or Felowe S. Cyprian vnto Cornelius writeth thus Cyprianus Cornelio Fratri Cyprian vnto Cornelius my Brother The Bishoppes in the Councel of Carthage vnto Innocentius Honoratissimo Fratri To our most honourable Brother And Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople vnto Hormisda Frater in Christo Charissime My deere Brother in Christe So likewise Dionysius the Bishop of Alexandria calleth Stephanus and Sistus Bishoppes of Rome his louing Brethren So the Bishoppes of Aphrica cal Anastasius Consacerdotem their felow Bishoppe Like as Cyrillus also calleth Coelestinus and Marcellus the Bishoppe of Ancyra calleth Iulius Comministrum his Felowe seruant These woordes Brother and Felowe séeme rather to signifie an Equalitie betwéene Bishoppes then any suche Soueraine Power or Uniuersal Authoritie as the Bishop of Rome nowe claimeth Further toutchinge the order of outwarde gouernement the Councel of Nice limiteth vnto the Bishoppe of Rome not the Iurisdiction of the whole worlde but his owne seueral portion emonge other Patriarkes The Councel of Aphrica straitely forbiddeth any man out of that Countrie to appeale to Rome The foure Patriarkes of Rome of Constantinople of Antioche and Alexandria vsed to write letters of conference betweene them selues thereby to professe their Religion one to an other whiche was a token of Felowship and not of Dominion The Councel of Alexandria committed ful authoritie to Asterius to visite and to redresse al the Churches in the Easte Parte of the worlde and to Eusebius to doo the like in the Weast and so seemed to haue smal regarde to the Bishop of Rome or to acknowledge him as the Uniuersal Bishop And what needeth many woordes Aeneas Syluius beinge him selfe afterwarde Bishop of Rome for certaine proufe hereof writeth thus Ad Episcopos Romanos aliquis sanè sed tamen paruus ante Nicenum Concilium respectus erat Some regarde there was vnto the Bishoppes of Rome before the Councel of Nice although but smal To be shorte I truste it shal appeare euen by M. Hardinges owne proufes that is to say by the order of Appeales by Excommunications by the Allowance of Elections by the Approuinge of Councelles by restoaringe of Bishoppes and by receiuinge of Schismatikes into fauoure that the Bishoppe of Rome was not taken for the Heade of the Churche nor had any suche absolute authoritie as is supposed And so M. Hardinges sixefolde proufe whiche is noted in the Margin in Conclusion wil appeare but single soulde M. Hardinge The .21 Diuision Firste for the appellation of Bishoppes to the see Apostolike beside many other we haue the knowen examples of Athanasius that woorthy Bishoppe of Alexandria and light of the worlde who hauinge susteined greate and sundrie wronges at the Arianes appealed firste to Iulius the Pope and after his deathe to Felix of Chrysostome who appealed to Innocentius against the violence of Theophilus of Theodoretus who appealed to Leo. Neither made Bishoppes onely their appeale to the Pope by their Delegates but also in certaine cases beinge cited appeared before him in their
shal afterwarde be shewed more at large Donatus a Casis nigris was by the Emperour lawfully remooued from the Bishop of Rome to the Bishop of Arle in Fraunce Ostiensis woordes be these Non nocebit error si appelletur ad Maiorem quà m debuerit vel ad parem The errour shal not hurte if the appeale be made either to a higher Iudge then was meete or to an equal Where also it is thus noted in the Margin Appellari potest ad parem si de hoc sit consuetudo Appeale may be made vnto the equal if there be a custome of it Hereby it is plaine that the right of appeale by fine force of Law concludeth not any necessarie superioritie muche lesse this infinite power ouer the whole Uniuersal Churche But M. Harding might soone haue foreséene that this his first principle of Appeales woulde easily be turned against him selfe First for that it is wel knowen that Appeales then euen in the Ecclestastical causes were made vnto the Emperours and Ciuile Princes Secondely for that the Bishop of Rome determined suche cases of Appeale by warrant and Commission from the Emperour Thirdly for that maters beinge once hearde and determined by the Bishop of Rome haue béene by appeale from him remooued further vnto others As touchinge the first that appeales in Ecclesiastical causes were lawfully made vnto the Prince it is cleare by Eusebius by Socrates by Nicephorus and by S. Augustine in sundrie places Donatus beinge condemned by thréescore and tenne Bishops in Aphrica appealed vnto the Emperour Constantinus was receiued S. Augustine saith Parmenianus vltrò passus est suos adire CoÌ„stantinuÌ„ Parmenianus willingly suffered his felowes to goe vnto Themperour Constantinus Againe he saith Infero adhuc verba Constantini ex literis eius vbi se inter partes cognouisse innocenteÌ„ CaecilianuÌ„ comperisse restatur Here I bringe in the woordes of Constantine out of his owne letters wherein he confesseth that he hearde the parties and founde Caecilianus to be innocent Likewise he saith An fortè de Religione fas non est vt dicat Imperator vel quos miserit Imperator Cur ergo ad ImperatoreÌ„ legati vestri venerunt What is it not lawful for the Emperour or for such as shal be sent by the Emperour to pronounce sentence of Religion Wherefore then came your Embassadours vnto the Emperour And so likewise againe Si nihil debent in his causis Imperatores iubere Si ad Imperatores Christianos haec cura pertinere noÌ„ debet quis vrgebat maiores vestros causam Caeciliani ad lmperatoreÌ„ mittere If Emperours haue nothing to commaunde in these cases or if this mater nothing touche a Christian Emperours charge who then forced your predecessours to remoue Caecilianus mater vnto the Emperour Therefore the Emperour Constantinus summoned the Bishops of the East that had béene in the Councel of Tyrus to appeare before him to rendre accompte of their dooinges His woordes be these Vt re ipsa quà m sincerè ac rectè iudicaueritis oftendatis idque Coram me I wil you to make your appearance and to shew in deede how sincerely and iustly ye haue dealte And that euen before me By these few examples it may wel appeare that appeales in Ecclesiastical causes in those daies were made vnto the Prince and that it was thought lawful then for the Prince to haue the hearinge of the same Yet was not the Prince therefore the Head of the Uniuersal Churche Certainely S. Gregorie thought it not amisse to commit a Spiritual mater touching the purgation of a Bishop to Brunichilda the Frenche Quéene Notwithstanding it be noted thus in the Glose Fuit tamen hic nimiuÌ„ papaliter dispensaâ—um As touching the Bishop of Romes power herein it is certaine he hearde suche maters of appeale by warrant of the Emperours Commission and not as hauiâ—ge authoritie of him sâ—lfe S. Augustine openinge the contention betweene Caecilianus and Donatus a Casis nigris vttereth this mater at large in this wise An forte non debuit Romanae Ecclesiae Episcopus Milâ—iades cum Collegis transmarinis Episcopis illud sibi vsurpare iudicium quod ab Aphris septuaginta vbi Primas Tigisiâ—anus praesedit fueâ—at terminaâ—um Quid quòd nec ipse vsurpauiâ— Rogatus quippe Imperator Iudices misit Episcopos qui cum eo sederent But shoulde not the Bishop of Rome Miâ—â—icdes with otâ—er hâ—s fellowes Bishopâ—es beyonde the seas ioined togeatâ—er in Commission take vpon him tâ—e iudgeâ—ent of that thinâ—e that was determined before by threâ—score and tenne Bishoppes of Aâ—hrica emongest whom the Primate of Tigiâ—ita sâ—te as President And what if he never tooke it vpon him as of him selfe For the Emperour beinge intreâ—ted by the partie sente other Bishoppes to sitte with him The very copie of this Commission is yet to be seene bothe in Eusebius and also in Nicephorus Neither was the Bishop of Rome alone in that Commission but ioined togeather with Rheticius Maternus Marinus and Marcus whom the Emperour calleth his Commission fellowes The woordes of the Commission be these Constantinus Imperator Miâ—tiadi Episcopo Romano Marco c. Constantâ—nus the Emâ—erour vnto Miltiades the Bishoppe of Rome and vnto Marcus For as muche as sundrie letters haue beene sente vnto mee from Amlâ—inus â—ur moste Noble President of Aâ—hrica whâ—â—ein Caecilianus the Bishoppe of Carthage is â—ccused of many mateâ—s by ceâ—taine his fâ—lowes of the same Countrie c. Therefore I haue thought it good thâ—t the â—aide Caeciliâ—nus togeather with tenne Bishoppes his accusers and other tenne such as he shâ—l thâ—nke meete saâ—le to Rome that there in your presence togeather with Rheticius and Mâ—ternus and Marâ—nus your Felow Commissioners whom for that cause I haue wâ—lled to trâ—vel to â—ome he may be heâ—rde c. Here it is euident to be seene that the Bishop of Rome was the Emperours Delegate and in Ecclesiastical Iurisdiction had his authoritie and power not from S. Peter but from the Emperour Whereby it is easie to be geathered that the Bishoppe of Romes power was not so Uniuersal then as M. Hardings woulde séeme now to make it and that the worlde then vnderstoode not this Decrée of Pope Clemens the fifth whiche as it is reported he afterwarde published in the Councel of Uienna Omne ius Regum pendet a Papa Al the right of the Prince is 〈◊〉 frâ—m thâ— Pope Neither was the Bishop of Romes determination of suche force but that it was lawful then for the partie greeued to refuse his Iudgement and to appeale further And therefore Donatus beinge condemned before Miltiades appealed from him and vpon his complaint vnto the Emperour was put ouer vnto the Bishop of Arle in Fraunce and to certaine others And in conclusion vnderstandinge that iudgement there woulde passe against him last of al he appealed to the Emperours owne pâ—rson And the Emperour him selfe confesseth by
ruleth ouer them And Pope Nicolas hath straitely commaunded vpon paine of Excommunication that no man shoulde be present to heare Masse saide by a Priest that he knoweth vndoubtedly to liue in aduoutrie How be it in déede it is not their life onely that the Churche of God is offended withal but also and specially the filthe and corruption of their Religion the oppressinge of Gods Woorde the open deceiuinge of the people and the manifest maintenance of Idolatrie And what if the Syluer of Rome be turned into Drosse What if the Citie that was Faithful be become an Harlot What if they can abide no sounde Doctrine What i◠they haue made the House of God a Caue of Theeues What if Rome be become the greate Babylon the Mother of Fornication imbrewed and dronken with the Bloud of the Sainctes of God And what if Abomination sit in the holy Place euen in the Temple of God Yet may wee not departe from thence Yet must that be the Rule and Standarde of Gods Religion Truely Christe saithe Take heede of the leauen of the Scribes and Phariseis And God him selfe saith Exite de illa populus meus ne participes sitis delictorum eius de plagis eius ne accipiatis O my people come away from her least yee be partakers of her sinnes and so receiue parte of her plagues Irenaeus saith Presbyteris illis qui sunt in Ecclesia obaudire oporter qui successionem habentab Apostolis qui cum Episcopatus successione charisma Veritatis certum secundum placitum Patris acceperunt Wee ought to obey the Bishoppes in the Churche that haue their Succession from the Apostles which togeather with the Succession of the Bishoprike haue receiued the certaine gifte of the Truthe accordinge to the wil of the Father This holy Father saith Bishops must be heard and obeied with a limitation that is not al what so euer they be or what so euer they say but that haue the vndoubted gifte of Goddes Truthe And for that M. Hardinge séemeth to claime by the Authoritie of the Scribes and Phariseis sayeinge They sit in Moses Chayre and that therefore wee ought to doo that they say S. Augustine expoundeth the same place in this sorte Sedendo in Cathedra Legem Dei docent Ergo per illos Deus docet Sua verò si illi docere velint nolite audire nolite facere By sittinge in the Chayre is meante they teache the law of God Therefore it is God that teacheth by them But if they wil teache any thinge of their owne as the Churche of Rome hath doone and yet doothe aboue number then saith S. Augustine heare it not then doo it not M. Hardinge The .23 Diuision Now that the Bishop of Rome had alwaies cure and rule ouer al other Bishops 109. speacially of them of the East for touchinge them of the weast Churche it is generally confessed beside a hundred other euident argumentes this is one very sufficient that he had in the East to doo his steede three Delegates or Vicares now commonly they be named Legates And this for the commoditie of the Bishoppes there whose Churches were farre distant from Rome The one was the Bishop of Constantinople as wee finde it mentioned In Epistola Simplicij ad Achatium Constantinopolitanum The Seconde was the Bishop of Alexandria as the Epistle of Bonifacius the Seconde to Eulalius recordeth The thirde was the Bishop of Thessalonica as it is at large declared in the 82. Epistle of Leo ad Anastasium Thessalonicensem By perusinge these Epistles euery man may see that al the Bishoppes of Grece Asia Syria Egypte and to be shorte of al the Orient rendred and exhibited their humble obedience to the Bishop of Rome and to his arbitrement referred their doubtes complaintes and causes and to him onely made their appellations The B. of Sarisburie What wée may thinke of the other Hundred proufes whiche M. Hardinge as he saith hath leafte vntouched it may the sooner appeare for that this one proufe that is here brought foorth in stéede of al is not onely vntrue but also vtterly without any shadow or coloure of truthe These authorities of Leo Symmachus and Bonifacius for as muche as they are alleged without woordes may likewise be past ouer without answeare Howbeit this Bonifacius the seconde in defence of this quarel is forced to saye that S. Augustine that Godly Father and al other the Bishops of Aphrica Numidia Pentapolis and other countreis adioyninge that withstoode the proude attempte of the Bishops of Rome and founde out their open forgerie in falsifieinge the Nicene Councel were altogeather inflamed and leadde by the Diuel But howe doothe this appeare to M. Hardinge that the Bishop of Rome had al the Bishops of the East in Subiection to vse and commaunde them as his Seruantes In what Councel was it euer Decréed it shoulde be so who subscribed it who recorded it who euer sawe suche Canons The best Plea that Pope Nicolas can make in this behalfe is that Peter was firste Bishop of Antioche and after of Rome and S. Marke his Scholar Bishop of Alexandria Hereof he thinketh it may verie wel and substantially be geathered that the Bishops of Rome ought to haue al the worlde in Subiection In déede in the counterfaite Chartar ▪ or Donation of the Emperour Constantine authoritie is geuen to the Bishop of Rome ouer the other foure Patriarkes of Antioche of Alexandria of Constantinople and of Hierusalem But the Bishops of Rome them selues and of them selues diuised and forged this Chartar and that so fondely that a verie Childe maye easily espie the folie For biside a greate number of other vntruethes at that very time when it is imagined that Chartar was drawen there was neither Patriarke nor Bishop nor Priest nor Churche in Constantinople nor the Citie it selfe yet builte nor knowen to the worlde by that name This notwithstandinge the Bishop of Rome vpon this simple title hathe besette his Miter with thrée Crownes in token that he hath the Uniuersal power ouer the thrée Diuisions of the worlde Europa Asia and Aphrica And so as the Kinge of Persia in olde tymes intitled him selfe Frater Solis Lunae euen so Pope Nicolas calleth him selfe The Prince of al Landes and Countreis But what dutie the Bishops of the East partes owed to the Bishops of Rome whosoeuer hath read and considered the storie and practise of the times may soone perceiue Firste the Councel of Nice appointed euery of the thrée Patriarkes to his seueral charge none of them to interrupte or trouble other and willed the Bishoppe of Rome as Rufinus reporteth the storie to ouersee Ecclesias Suburbanas which were the Churches within his Prouince and therefore Athanasius calleth Rome the Chiefe or Mother Citie of the Romaine Iurisdiction And for that cause the Bishops of the East in their Epistle vnto Iulius calle him their Felowe Seruante and
of the Catholique or Uniuersal Churche like as also euery Godly man is a member of the same Thus writeth Calixtus Calixtus Archiepiscopus Ecclesiae Catholicae Vâ—bis Romae Thus Marcellus Marcellus Episcopus Sanctae Apostolicae Catholicae Vrbis Romae In these places Rome is called â–ª a Catholique that is to saye an Vniuesal Cittie partely to exclude the Churches of Heretiques whiche were méere Particular and partely also to signifie that the Churche there was then a Churche of the Catholique and Uniuersal Doctrine So likewise it is written in the Councel of Constantinople Clerici Monachi Apostolici Throni Antiochenae magnae Ciuitatis Catholicae Sanctae Ecclesiae Dei The Clerkes and Monkes of the Apostolique Throne of the greate Cittie of Antioche of the Catholique or Uniuersal Holy Churche of God Againe euery Bishop maye be called the Bishop of the Uniuersal Churche for that it is his duetie to care not onely for his owne flocke but also for al others of the whole Churche of God So saithe Origen Qui vocatur ad Episcoparum vocatur ad Seruitutem totius Ecclesiae Who so is called to a Bishoprike is called to the seruice of the whole Churche So Chrysostome exhortinge the whole people togeather saithe vnto them Vniâ—ersae Ecclesiae curam geramus Let euery one of vs take the care of the Vniâ—ersal Churche So likewise Pope Eleutherius writeth vnto the Bishops of Fraunce Huius rei gratia Vniuersalis vobis a Christo commissa est Ecclesia vt pro omnibus laboretis cunctis opem ferre non negligatis For that cause the whole Vniuersal Churche is committed vnto you that you shoulde trauayle for al and not be negligent to healpe al. Thus many wayes the Bishops both of Rome and of Antioche and of France were called the Bishops of the Uniuersal Churche But the Uniuersal Bishop none of them al was euer called Of Iohn of Constantinople that firste began to vsurpe that name Gregorie the Bishop of Rome writeth thus Despectis omnibus solus conatur appellari Episcopus Despisinge al other Bishoppes he woulde onely be called a Bishop So likewise saithe Pope Pelagius If the chiefe Patriarke be called Vniuersal then the reast haue lost the name of Patriarkes This is the meaninge of an Uniuersal Bishop and the very selfe same Infinite and Immoderate Power that M. Hardinge claimeth for the Bishop of Rome For so he hath already saide That the other three Patriarkes are no Patriarkes in deede but onely his Delegates and Seruauntes to doo that shal please him to commaunde them In stéede hereof M. Hardinge hath founde out a Bishop of the Uniuersal Churche and so leauinge the thinge that is demaunded he answeareth to that is not in question and priuily confesseth by his silence that hitherto he hathe not founde nor can finde his Uniuersal Bishop This answeare maye serue to that is here alleged of the Councel of Aphrica and the Epistle of Athanasius sauing that the Epistle bearinge that holy Fathers name as it is already prooued is nothinge elles but apparante forgerie The Bishoppes in the Councel of Aphrica bisides that they vtterly denied the Popes Uniuersal Power forbiddinge their Clerkes vpon payne of Excommunication to appeale to him sundrie times in the same Councel writinge vnto him they vse the name of Familiaritie and equalitie and cal him their Brother Now for a surplussage for as much as M. Harding with al his studie and conference with his frendes cannot yet â—inde out his Uniuersal Bishop in the Churche of Rome let vs see whether we may finde him in some other place and that not by the witnesse of a simple Priest or a Deacon but by the authoritie of Catholique Emperours and Councels and of the Bishop of Rome him selfe and that not by shiftinge of termes one for an other as M. Hardinge is driuen for wante in stéede of an Uniuersal Bishop to bringe in a Bishop of the Uniuersal Churche but in plaine manifest expresse woordes and such as in no wise may be denied In the Councel of Constantinople the Bishop there is scarcely saluted or intitled by other name For this is his common stile Oecumenico Patriarchae Iohanni To Iohn the Vniuersal Patriarke To Iohn the Father of Fathers and Vniuersal Bishop The holy Vniuersal Archebishop and Patriarke Mennas Nicephorus saithe The Bishoppe of Alexandria was intitled Iudex vniuersi orbis The Iudge of the whole worlde Clement vnto S. Iames the Bishop of Hierusalem writeth thus Clemens Iacobo Fratri Domini Episcopo Episcoporum regenti Hebraeorum Sanctam Ecclesiam Hierosolymis sed omnes Ecclesias quae vbique Die prouidentia fundatae sunt Clement vnto Imaes the Brother of our Lorde the Bishop of Bishops gouerning the holy Churche of the Iewes at Hierusalem and bisides that al the Churches that be founded euerywhere by Gods prouidence The Emperour Iustinian writeth thus Vnto Epiphanius the Archebishop of this Emperial Cittie Constantinople and Vniuersal Patriarke To conclude The Bishop of Rome him selfe thus saluteth the Bishop of Constantinople Therasio Generali Patriarchae Adrianus Seruus Seruorum Dei Vnto Therasius the General Patriarke Adrian the Seruant of Gods Seruantes And in the last Councel holden at Florence Ioseph the Bishop of Constantinople beinge there vsed the same title and wrote him selfe The Archebishop of New Rome and the Vniuersal Patriarke If M. Hardinge had so good euidence for the Bishoppe of Rome I beléeue he woulde not thus passe it away in silence M. Hardinge The .31 Diuision Concerninge the other name Heade of the Churche I meruaile not a litle that M. Iuel denieth that the Bishop of Rome was then so called Either he dooth contrary to his owne knowledge wherein he must needes be condemned in his owne iudgement and of his owne conscience or he is not so wel learned as of that side he is thought to be For who so euer trauaileth in the Readinge of the auncient Fathers findeth that name almost euery where attributed to Peter the firste Bishop of Rome 121 and consequently to the Successoure of Peter that name I saye either in termes equiualent or expressely Firste the Scripture calleth Peter Primum The first amonge the Apostles The names of the twelue Apostles saithe Matthewe are these Primus Simon qui dicitur Petrus First Simon who is called Peter And yet was not Peter first called of Christe but his brother Androwe before him as is before saide Dionysius that auncient writer calleth Peter sometyme Supremum decus The highest honoure for that he was most honourable of al the Apostles sometime Summum Sometime verticalem the chiefest and the highest apostle Origen vpon the beginninge of Iohn saith Let no man thinke that we set Iohn before Peter VVho maie so doo for who shoulde be higher of the Apostles then he who is and is called the toppe of them Cyprian calleth the Churche of
Iohn beinge a younge man and in manner a Childe shoulde be placed before men of yeeres This therfore is S. Hieromes meaninge that Christe to auoide confusion whiche lightly happeneth in al companies where as is none order appointed S. Peter for that he was the eldest man to speake to deale for the reaste as the Chiefe Heade of al his brethren Which order also was afterwarde vniuersally taken throughout the worlde that in euery congregation of Priestes one shoulde haue a special preeminence aboue others and be called Episcopus the Bishop This was thought a good politique way to avoide contention in the Churche and not as M. Hardinge imagineth To make one man the Vniuersal Ruler ouer al the worlde But touchinge this whole mater I haue answeared more at large in the .15 Diuision of this Article In the allegation of S. Augustines woordes M. Hardinge for his pleasure hath vttered manifest corruption in the stéede of this woorde Eorum purposely vsinge this woorde Omnium For where as S. Augustine saith Ipsum constituit Caput eorum Christe appointed him to be the Head of them M. Hardinge thought it better to allege it thus Ipsum constituit Caput Omnium Christe appointed him to be Head of al. He saw right wel that corrupte Doctrine woulde not stande without some corruption Further I doubt not but M. Harding dooth wel remember that the question that lieth betwéen vs riseth not of any extraordinarie name once or twise geuen vpon some special affection but of the vsual and knowen stile of the Bishoppes of Rome For Theophrastus saith Quae semel aut bis accidunt contemnuÌ„t Legislatores The law makers haue no regarde to suche thinges as neuer happen but once or twise Neither what so euer name is geuen to any man of fauour or admiration of his vertue is therefore to be reckened as his ordinarie title S. Chrysostome writeth thus of the Emperour Theodosius Laesus est qui non habet parem vllum super terram Summitas Caput omnium super terram hominum He is offeÌ„ded that in the Earth hath no peere the Toppe and the Head of al men in the worlde Eleutherius the Bishop of Rome gaue this title vnto Lucius the Kinge of this Ilelande Vos estis Vicarius Christi You beinge the King are Gods Vicar Chrysostome speakinge of Elias calleth him Prophetarum Caput The Head of the Prophetes The Councel of Ephesus writing vnto the Emperours Theodosius and Ualentinianus expresseth Cyrillus the Bishop of Alexandria by this title Caput Episcoporum coÌ„gregatorum Cyrillus Cyrillus the Heade of the Bishops there assembled Likewise Gregorie intitleth S. Paule in this wise Paulus ad Christum conuersus Caput effectus est nationum Paule beinge conuerted vnto Christ was made the Head of Nations And to take nearer view of the Bishop of Romes owne special titles Pope Nicolas thereof writeth thus Constat Pontificem a Pio Principe Constantino Deum appellatum It is wel knowen that the Pope of that Godly Prince Constantinus was called God And further they say Papa est in primatu Abel in zelo Elias in mansuetudine Dauid in potestate Petrus in vnctione Christus The Pope in Primacie is Abel in zeale is Elias in mildenesse is Dauid in power is Peter in anointinge is Christe These names as I haue saide of Affection and fauour haue been geuen yet wil not M. Hardinge therefore say that either the Emperour ought to be called the Head of al men vpon earth Or the Kinge Christes Uicare Or Elias the Head of the Prophetes Or Cyrillus the Head of the Councel Or S. Paule the Head of Nations Or the Bishop of Rome God or Christe as by an vsual and ordinarie Title And although as I haue saide S. Peters titles be nothinge incident to this Question yet wée may examine M. Hardinges argument touchinge the same Peter saith he was Head of the Apostles Ergo He was Head of other inferiour people And so Head of the Vniuersal Churche This is a deceiteful kinde of argument and riseth by degrees and steppes and in the Schooles is called Sorites In like sorte M. Harding might conclude thus Elias as Chrysostome saith was Head of the Prophetes Ergo He was Head of the inferiour people And so of the whole Vniuersal Church But the errour hereof wil better appeare by that argument that The mistocles the gouernour of Athens sometimes made of him selfe his wife his childe Thus he saide The people of Athens is ruled by mee I am ruled by my wife My wife is ruled by my childe Ergo The people of Athens is ruled by my Childe In this Reason this one woorde Rule hath thrée significations For Themistocles ruled as a Gouernour His wife as a Shrew his Childe as a wanton And therein standeth the errour of the argument So likewise this woorde Head signifieth sometime the chiefe in learninge sometime the chiefe in dignitie sometime the chiefe in Gouernement And hereof also in reasoning riseth great errour For it were greate folie to reason thus Paule in learninge and dignitie was the Head of al others Ergo He was the Head in Gouernment ouer al others Touching Uictor that wrote the Storie of the Uandales he is neither Scripture nor Councel nor Doctour nor writeth the Order or Practise of the primitiue Churche nor is it wel knowen either of what credite he was or when he liued nor dooth he cal the Bishop of Rome the Head of the Uniuersal Churche Onely he saith Rome is the Chiefe or Head Churche of al others Whiche thinge of our parte for that time is not denied as may better appeare by that is written before in sundrie places of this Article So dooth Prudentius cal Bethleem the Head of the World Sancta Bethlem Caput est Orbis So likewise Chrysostome geuing instructions vnto Flauianus touchinge the Citie of Antioche saith vnto him Cogita de totius Orbis Capite Thinke thou of Antioche that is the Heade of al the Worlde Hereby is meante a Head of Dignitie or Honour and not of Rule M. Hardinge findinge not one of the whole number of the Bishops of Rome once named the Heade of the whole Churche therfore thought it best to founde his proufe vpon S. Peter And for that cause others of his side haue auanced S. Peter aboue al Creatures Boniâ—acius saith That God tooke Peter in Consortium Indiuiduae Trinitatis into the Felowship euen of the Indiuisible Trinitie and that from him as from the Heade he powreth al his giftes into the Bodie Hereof M. Hardinge forceth his argument thus Peter was the Heade of the Apostles and so of al other inferiours Ergo The Bishop of Rome is the Heade of the Vniuersal Churche Thus as Iulianus the Emperour in his phrenesie sometimes imagined that the Great Aleranders Soule was come by Succession to dwel in him euen so now the Bishops of Rome imagine by like fantasie or phrenesie
goinge against this wil withdrawe them selues from the auctoritie of the Bishop of Rome Lo this is one chief inuincible reason that maketh me to be vnder the Bishop of Rome and compelleth me to confesse his primacie This farre Luther Thus I haue briefely touched some deale of the Scriptures of the Canons and Councelles of the Edictes of Emperours of the Fathers saieinges of the reasons and of the manifolde practises of the Churche whiche are wonte to be alleaged for the Popes primacie and supreme auctoritie VVith al I haue proued that whiche M. Iuel denteth 125 that the Bishop of Rome Withein sixe hundred yeeres after Christ hath beene called the Vniuersal Bishop of no smal number of menne of greate credite and verie ostentimes heade of the Vniuersal Churche both in termes equiualent and also expressely Nowe to the nexte article The B. of Sarisburie The case goeth somewhat hardely of M. Hardinges side when he is thus driuen for wante of other authorities to craue aide at Luthers hande Touchinge alteration in religion whiche it pleaseth him to name lightnes if he woulde soberly remember his owne often chaunges and the light occasions of the same he shoulde finde smal cause to condemne others Certainely D. Luther after God had once called him to be a minister of his Trueth neuer lookte backewarde from the plough nor refused the Grace that God had offred him notwithstandinge he sawe al the powers of the worlde were against him His argument is taken of the effectes or tokens of Goddes wil. The Pope saide he is auanced vnto a Monarchie or Emperial state of a Kingedome But he coulde neuer be so auanced without Goddes wil Ergo it was Goddes wil it shoulde be so Argumentes that be taken of Goddes permission or of the tokens of his wil make no necessary proufe either that the thinges in them selues be good or that God is pleased with them For God suffred Nabucodonozor Sennacherib Pharao and others and their very estates procéedinges were euident tokens of Goddes wil. For if his wil had béene otherwise they coulde not haue reigned Yet neither were they good men nor was God pleased with their dooinges So shal God suffer Antichriste to sitte euen in the holy place Daniel saithe Faciet prosperabitur He shal take his pleasure and shal prosper And againe Roborabitur fortitudo eius non in viribus suis. His power shal be confirmed but not through his owne strength but through the strength of God Yet shal not God therefore loue or fauour Antichriste or delite in his wickednes For S. Paule saith The Lorde shal kil him with the sprite of his mouth and shal destroy him with the brightnes and glorie of his comminge Now for as muche as it hath pleased M. Harding for the Conclusion hereof to touche the Effects of Godes wil I trust it shal not be paineful to thée gentle Reader likewise shortely to consider the effectes and sequeles of this Uniuersal power It is graunted that the Churche of Rome for sundrie causes before alleged was euermore from the beginninge the chiefe and moste notable aboue al others Notwithstandinge Eneas Syluius beinge him selfe a Bishop of Rome saith Ad Romanos pontifices ante Nicenum Concilium aliquis sanè si non magnus respectus fuit Verily there was some respecte had to the Bishoppes of Rome before the Councel of Nice although it were not great S. Cyprian in his time complained That Pride and Ambition seemed to lodge in priestes bosomes Origen in his time complained that the Ministers of Christe seemed euen then to passe the outrage of worldly Princes Yet was the Churche of God in those daies euerywhere vnder cruel and vehement persecution Therefore to abate this ambitious courrage order was afterwarde taken in the Councel of Carthage that no man shoulde be intitled the Highest Bishop or the Prince of Bishoppes or by any other like name The Greeke Bishoppes in the Councel of Antioche and the Bishoppes of Aphrica beinge in number twoo hundred and seuentéene in the Councel there founde them selues greeued with the Pride and Arrogancie of the Sée of Rome For that Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople tooke vpon him to be called the Uniuersal Bishop therefore Gregorie the Bishop of Rome called him Lucifer and the Messenger of Antichrist and saide He had chosen vnto him a proude and arrogant a pompous and a blasphemous name But after that by great sute made vnto the Emperour Phocas the Bishoppes of Rome them selues had once obteined the same title and had possessed enioied the same a longe while in the ende their pride was suche that it seemed intolerable Then they beganne to decrée and determine That euery mortal man is bounde to be subiecte to the Sée of Rome that vpon paine of damnation and that without the Obedience of that Sée noman is saued That the Bishop of Rome is an Uniuersal Iudge ouer al men and that he him selfe may be iudged by noman neither by Emperour nor by Kinge nor by al the Cleregie nor by the whole people For that it is written by the Prophets Esaie The Axe shal not glorie against him that heweth with it That what so euer he doo noman may presume to say vnto him Domine cur ita facis Sir why doo you thus That he hath al manner Lawe and Right in Scrinio pectoris sui in the Closet of his breaste That al other Bishoppes receiue of his fulnes That no Councelles can make lawes for the Churche of Rome and that the Bishop of Romes authoritie is plainely excepted out of al Councelles That notwithstandinge the Pope drawe innumerable companies of people after him into Helle yet no mortal man may dare to reâ—roue him That the Popes wil or pleasure standeth as a lawe In illis quae vult est ei pro ratione voluÌ„tas And that there is none other reason to be yéelded of his dooinges but onely this Quia ipse voluit For he woulde For of that that is nothinge he is hable to make some thinge Quia deâ—eo quod nihil est potest facere aliquid That he hath the right of bothe sweardes as wel of the Temporal as of the Spiritual That the Temporal Prince may not drawe his swearde but onely at his becke and sufferance ad nutum Patientiam Ecclesiae That he is Haeres Imperij the Heire apparent of the Empier and is seuen and fiftie degrees greater then the Emperour and that bicause in suche proportion the Sunne is greater then the Moone That it is lawful for him to depose kinges and Emperours as he did the Emperoure Henry the sixthe and Chilpericus the Frenche Kinge Then he made the Emperour of Christendome to lie downe flatte before him and spared not to sette his foote vpon his necke addinge withal theise woordes of the prophete Dauid Thou
shalt walke ouer the aspe and the cockatrise Then he was contente that the Emperoure should be called Procurator Ecclesiae Romanae The Proctoure or steward of the Churche of Rome Then as if had béene Nabucodonozor or Alexander or Antiochus or Domitian he claimed vnto him selfe the name and title of almighty God and said further That beinge God he might not be iudged of any Mortal man Then he suffred menne to saie Dominus Deus noster Papa Our Lord God the Pope Tu es omnia super omnia Thou art al and aboue al. Al power is geuen vnto thee as wel in Heauen as in Earthe I leaue the miserable spoile of the Empier the loosinge of sundrie great Countries and Nations that sometimes were Christened the weakeninge of the Faithe the encourraginge of the Turke the ignorance and blindenes of the people These other like be the effectes of the Popes Uniuersal power Would to God he were in deede that he would so faine be called woulde shewe him selfe in his owne particular Churche to be Christes Uicare the Dispenser of Gods Mysteries Then shoulde godly men haue lesse cause to coÌ„plaine against him As nowe although that he claimeth were his very right yet by his owne iudgement he is worthy to loose it For Pope Gregorie saith Priuilegium meretur amittere qui abutitur potestate He that abuseth his authoritie is worthy to loose his priuilege And Pope Syluerius saith Etiam quod habuit amittat qui quod non accepit vsurpat He that vsurpeth that he receiued not let him loose that he had Nowe briefely to laye abroade the whole contentes of this Article Firste M. Hardinge hath wittingly alleged suche testimonies vnder the names of Anacletus Athanasius and other Holy Fathers as he him selfe knoweth vndoubtedly to be forged and with manifest Absurdities and Contradictions doo betraye them selues and haue no manner colour or shewe of trueth He hath made his claime by certaine Canons of the Councel of Nice and of the Councel of Chalcedon and yet he knoweth that neither there are nor neuer were any suche Canons to be founde He hath dismembred and mangled S. Gregories woordes and contrary to his owne knowledge he hath cutte them of in the middest the better to beguile his Reader He hath violently and perforce drawen and rackte the Olde godly Fathers Ireneus Cyprian Ambrose Cyrillus Augustine Theodoretus Hierome and others contrary to their owne sense and meaninge Touchinge appeales to Rome the gouernement of the East parte of the worlde Excommunications Approbations of orders allowance of Councelles Restitutions and Reconciliations he hath openly misreported the whole Uniuersal order and practise of the Churche Al this notwithstandinge he hath as yet founde neither of these two glorious Titles that he hath so narrowly sought for notwithstandinge greate paines taken and greate promises and vauntes made touchinge the same Therefore to conclude I must subscribe and rescribe euen as before That albeit M. Hardinge haue trauailed painefully herein bothe by him self and also with conference of his frendes Yet cannot he hitherto finde neither in the Scriptures nor in the olde Councelles nor in any one of al the auncient Catholique Fathers that the Bishop of Rome within the space of the firste sixe hundred yéeres after Christe was euer intitled either the Uniuersal Bishop or the Heade of the Uniuersal Churche FINIS THE FIFTHE ARTICLE OF REAL PRESENCE The B. of Sarisburie Or that the people was then taught to beleue that Christes Bodie is Really Substantially Corporally Carnally or Naturally in the Sacrament M. Hardinge The .1 Diuision 126 Christen people hath euer ben taught that the Bodie and Bloude of Iesus Christ by the vnspeakeable workinge of the grace of God and vertue of the holy Ghoste is present in this most holy Sacrament and that verily and in deede This doctrine is founded vpon the plaine wordes of Christ â–ª which he vttered in the institution of this Sacrament expressed by the Euangelistes aâ—d by S. Paule As they were at Supper saieth Matthewe Iesus tooke breade and blissed it and brake it and gaue it to his Disciples and saith Take ye eate ye This is my Bodie And takinge the Cuppe he gaue thankes and gaue it to them saieinge Drinke ye al of this For this is my Bloude of the Newe Testament which shal be shedde for many in remission of sinnes VVithe like wordes almost Marke Luke and Paule doo describe this diuine institution Neither saide our Lorde onely This is my Bodie but least some sholde doubte how his wordes are to be vnderstanded For a plaine declaration of them he addeth this further VVhiche is geuen for you Likewise of the Cuppe he saith not onely This is my Bloude but also as it were to put it out of al doubte whiche shal be shedde for many Nowe as faithful people doo beleue that Christ gaue not a figure of his Bodie but his owne true and verie Bodie in substance and likewise not a figure of his Bloude but his verie pretious Bloude it self at his passion and death on the Crosse for our Redemption so they beleue also that the wordes of the institution of this Sacrament admitte no other vnderstandinge but that he geueth vnto vs in theise holy Mysteries his self same Bodie and his selfe same Bloude in trueth of substance â–ª which was crucified and sheadde forth for vs. Thus to the humble beleuers Scripture it self ministreth sufficient argument of the trueth of Christes Bodie and Bloude in the Sacrament against the Sacramentaries who holde opinion that it is there but in a figure signe or token 127 onely The B. of Sarisburie I knowe not wel whether M. Hardinge doo this of purpose or elles it be his manner of writinge But this I see that beinge demaunded of one thinge he alwaies turneth his answeare to an other The question is here moued whether Christes Bodie be Really and Corporally in the Sacrament His answeare is That Christes Bodie is ioyned and vnited Really and Corporally vnto vs And herein he bestoweth his whole treatie and answeareth not one woorde vnto the question In the former Articles he was hable to allege some forged Authorities Some contrefeite practise of the Churche Some woordes of the ancient Doctours although mistaken Some shewe of natural worldly reason or at the leaste wise some coloure or shifte of woordes But in this mater for directe proufe he is hablâ— to allege nothinge no not so muche as the healpe and drifte of natural Reason Where he saieth Christen people hath euer beene thus taught from the beginninge It is greate maruel that either they shoulde be so taught without a teacher or theirs teacher shoulde thus instructe them without woordes or such woordes shoulde be spoken and neuer written Uerily M. Hardinge by his silence and wante herein sécretely confesseth that theisâ— woâ—rdes Really Carnally c. in this mater of the Sacrament were
ipsum honorificè Conseruarent sed dedit in sui vsum dicens Accipite Manducate Christe gaue not the Sacrament to his Disciples that they shoulde reuerently reserue it but he gaue it for theire vse saieinge Take and Eate Thus many olde Doctours and yet many moe wee haue on our side Therefore M. Hardinge was somewhat ouerseene for folowing of them to cal vs Newe Doctours I knowe the Sacrament in olde times in some places was reserued as it maie appeare by Tertullian S. Cyprian S. Hierome S. Basile Eusebius and others S. Cyprian saith wâ—men vsed to keepe it at home in theire Cheastes Tertullian saith The Faithful vsed then to haue it in their priuate houses to eate it before other meates S. Hierome saith that Exuperius the Bishop of Tolouse vsed to carrie it abroade in a basket S. Basile saith That in Egypte and specially about Alexandria euery man for the most parte had the Sacrament in his house Eusebius seemeth to saie The Priest had it in his Chamber S. Ambrose saith Menne vsed then to carrie it aboute them not onely by Lande but also by Sea in theire Naptkins Al these were Abuses of the holy Mysteries and therefore afterwarde were abolished Thus was then the Sacrament reserued In priuate Houses in Cheastes in Baskettes and in Naptkins Nowe if M. Hardinge be hable truely to shewe any suche like Ancient Authoritie for his Canopie then maie he saie he holdeth by the Olde Catolique Fathers But for as muche as M. Hardinge hath leisure to cal to minde his Olde Fable of Momus Uenus and suche like In deede they saie Momus was woonte to espie faultes and to control al the Goddes without exception euen the Greate Iuppiter him self that sate in Rome in the Capitol and therefore his office oftetimes was not so thankeful as some others But one greate faulte he founde with Uulcane for the makinge of man for that he had not sette a grate or a windowe at his breaste that others might piere in and espie some parte of his secrete thoughtes If M. Hardinge had suche a grate or windowe at his breaste and menne might looke in and see his conscience I doubte not but they shoulde sée many moe sparkes of goddes trueth then as nowe outwardly doo appeare As for his faire Ladie Uenus whereby he meaneth his Churche of Rome the worlde seeth he him self knoweth she hath beene taken in open aduoutrie Phebus the Sonne of God with the heauenly beames of his holy Woorde hath reueiled it O Woulde to God we had no cause iustly to saie with the Prophete Esaie Quomodo facta est Meretrix Ciuitas Fidelis O howe is that Faithful Cittie become an Harlot Uerily Momus shal not neede nowe to reprooue her Slipper He shal rather haue cause to saie A planta pedis vsque ad verticem capitis non est in ea sanitas From the Sole of the foote to the toppe of the heade there is no whole parte in her For so S. Bernarde complaineth of her miserable state in his time M. Hardinge The .2 Diuision VVhereto we saie that if he with the rest of the Sacramentaries woulde agree to the kepinge of the Sacrament then woulde we demaunde why that manner of kepinge were not to be liked And here vpon proufes made of defaulte in this behalf and a better waie shewed in so smal a mater conformitie to the better woulde soone be persuaded In other Christen Countries we graunte it is kepte otherwise vnder locke and keie in some places at the one ende or side of the Aultar in some places in a Chappel builded for that purpose in some places in the vestrie or in some in warde and secrete roome of the Churche as it was in the time of Chrysostome at Constantinople In some other places we reade that it was kepte in the Bishoppes Palace neare to the Churche and in the holy daies brought reuerently to the Churche and set vpon the Aultar whiche for abuses committed was by order of Councelles abrogated Thus in diuerse places diuersely it hath ben kepte eueriewhere reuerently and suerly so as it might be safe from iniurie and villanie of miscreantes and dispisers of it The hanging vp of it on high â–ª hath bâ—en the manner of Englande as Lindewode noteth vpon the Constitutions prouincial on high that wicked dispite might not reache to it vnder a Canopie for shew of reuerence and honour The. B. of Sarisburie Here M. Harding sheweth that this Reseruation of the Sacrament in diuers Countries hath béene diuersely vsed Under locke and key At the Aultars ende In a Chapel In the Uestrie In the Bishoppes Palace And al this of the vsage of late yeeres for of Antiquitie sauinge onely the Epistle of Chrystome to Innocentius whiche also as it shal appeare maketh much against him he toucheth nothinge But emongst al these diuersities of keepinge he hath not yet founde out his Canopie And touchinge that he allegeth of the Reseruation of the Sacrament in the Bishoppes Palace it seemeth very litle to further his purpose For where as the Sacrament was reserued onely in the Bishops Custodie it foloweth necessarily that there in â—ther parish churches and Chappels was no suche Reseruation Chrysostomes epistle to Innocentius is good witnesse that the Sacrament was Reserued to be receiued of the people at the Communion the nexte day or in very shorte time after For it was Reserued in bothe Kindes as it appeareth plainely by his woordes But it is cleare bothe by the iudgement of Reason and also by their owne Cauteles in that behalfe that the Wine in suche sorte and quantitie cannot be keapte any longe time without sowering And the manner in Graecia was during the time of Lente to Consecrate onely vpon the Satursdaies Sonnedaies and yet neuerthelesse to Communicate of the same vpon the other wéeke daies For the ende of this Reseruation in olde times was not that the Sacrament should be Aâ—oured but that it should be receiued of the people and specially that persons Excommunicate for whose sake it was reserued beinge suddainely called out of this life vpon their repentance might at al times receiue the Communion and departe with comforte as the Members of the Churche of God But me thinketh M. Hardinge dooth herein as Apelles the Painter sometime did in setting out Kinge Antigonus physenomie For vnderstandinge that Antigonus was blinde of the one side he thought it best to painte him out onely with halfe face and so he conningly shadowed the deformitie of the other eye Euen so M. Hardinge sheweth vs certaine varietie of keepinge the Sacrament and other smal maters of like weight but the danger of Idolatrie and other like horrible deformities he dissembleth conningly and turneth from vs. Lothe I am to vse the comparison But S. Hierome saith it Diabolus nunquam se prodit aperta facie The Diuel neuer sheweth him selfe openly with his
my Bodie Take ye Eate yee In these four woordes lieinge in order al togeather He Tooke He Blissed He Brake He Gaue They imagine thrée sundrie Figures expounde the same in this wise He tooke the Breade He Blissed He transubstantiated or turned the Breade He brake the Accidentes or shevves He gaue His Bodie Hoc facite Doo ye this in Remembrance of me They expounde thus Sacrifice this Whiche also they floorishe out with other Figures in this wise Sacrifice me in Remēbrance of me In this one woorde Panis Breade They haue founde a swarme of Figures Sometimes they saie It is called Breade bicause it was Breade before Sometimes bicause the Infidel taketh it to be Breade Sometimes bicause there remaine stil the Accidentes and Formes of Breade Sometimes bicause the same Accidentes feede the Bodie miraculousely as if it were Breade Sometimes bicause it is that Supernatural Breade that came from Heauen Likewise in this one woorde Frangimus or Frangitur they haue a number of Figures For sometimes they expounde it thus The Breade that we Breake that is The Accidentes that vve Breake Sometimes The Breade that we Breake That is to saie The Breade that vve take to be Broaken Sometimes this woorde Frangere is not to Breake but onely to make a Feaste In their Masses they saie Frangitur id est Frangebatur It is Broken That is to saie It vvas Broken Sometimes they saie Frangitur id est videtur Frangi It is Broken That is to saie It seemeth to be Broken The meaninge whereof is this Frangitur id est non Frangitur It is Broken That is to saie It is not Broken In these woordes Non bibam amplius de hoc fructu vitis I wil drinke no more of this fruite of the Vine The Fruite of the Uine whiche is a Substance they expounde The Accidentes And to leaue that miraculous Figure of al Figures Concomitantia whereby one is made two and two are made one Consider good Reader the strangenes of the Figures and the wonderful shiftes that M. Hardinge hath imagined in this litle treatie to defeate and auoide the manifest woordes of the Holy Fathers Sometimes the Formes and Accidentes are the Sacrament Sometimes Christes Bodie it selfe is the Sacrament Sometimes Both togeather are the Sacrament Sometimes the Breade is a Figure of Christes Bodie before Consecration And so by meane of M. Hardinges Figures there is a Sacrament before it be a Sacrament and a Figure before it be a Figure Sometimes the Holy Accidentes and outwarde Holy Shewes are a Figure of Christes Bodie Inuisible vnder them secretely conteined Sometimes the same Bodie Inuisible is a Figure of the Bodie of Christe Uisible And so there is Figure vpon Figure and a kinde of demonstration whiche they calle Notum per ignotum Or rather Verum per Falsum Sometimes the Sacrament is a Figure of the life to come And sometimes as Hosius fansieth it is a Figure of the Churche Sometimes Tertullian vnderstoode not no not so much as the Grāmatical sense of Christes Woordes Sometimes Christes Uery Bodie is not Aptly and Fitly called the Bodie of Christe but onely Impropriè and After a manner Thus M. Hardinge rometh and wandereth vp and downe as a man that had loste his waie Suche shadowes and coloures he canne caste Into so many formes and shapes and figures he canne turne him self So many and so monstrous Figures maie he forge in the Institution of the Holy Sacramente onely to auoide one simple plaine vsual and knowen Figure And yet he abuseth not the simplicitie of the people There he forceth his Figures where as is no neede of Figures And without suche vaine Figures this vaine Doctrine cannot holde That one Figure that we vse is plaine and cleare vsed by al the Ancient learned Fathers and agréeable to the tenoure of Goddes Woorde But M. Hardinges Figures as they be many so be they vnnecessarie and Fantastical neuer vsed or once mentioned by any Ancient Doctoure of the Churche and serue onely to breede darkenes and to dimme the light Howe muche better were it for him to leaue these shiftes and childishe fables and plainely and simply to saie as Tertullian saith Hoc est Corpus meum Hoc est Figura Corporis mei This is my Bodie that is to saie This is a Figure of my Bodie Or as Maximus the Greeke Scholiast saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These be Tokens but not the Trueth Or as S. Augustine saith Figura est praecipiens Passioni Domini communicandum esse suauiter atque vtiliter recondendum in memoria quòd pro nobis Caro eius Crucifixa Vulnerata sit It is a Figure commaundinge vs to Communicate with the Passion of Christe and comfortably and profitably to laie vp in our Remembrance that his Fleashe was Crucified and wounded for vs. FINIS THE THERTEENTH ARTICLE OF PLVRALITIE OF MASSES The B. of Sarisburie Or that it was lawful then to haue xxx.xx xv x or v. Masses saide in one Churche in one daie M. Hardinge The .1 Diuision As M. Iuel here descendeth by diuerse proportions and degrees from xxx to v. firste by takinge away x. the thirde parte of the whole and then v. from the reste three times so it might haue pleased him also to haue taken away three frō v. the laste remanēt and so to haue lefte but two in al. VVhiche if he had done then shoulde we so haue made vp that number as in this audite he might not otherwise doo in regarde of his owne free promisse but allowe our accompte for good and sufficient For that number we are wel hable to make good And what reason hath moued the auncient Fathers gouernours of the Churche to thinke it a godly and a necessary thinge to haue two Masses in one Churche in one day the same reason in cases either hath or mighte haue moued them and their successours after them likewise to allowe three or foure Masses and in some cases fiue or moe The B. of Sarisburie M. Hardinge of his courtesie shoulde geue vs leaue to lay out our owne reckeninges as we thinke beste hauinge him selfe the aduantage of controlment if errour happen to fal out Of so great a number of Masses as they haue this daie in their Churches and say they haue had and continewed from the beginninge euen from the Apostles time if I require of him onely the proufe of fiue I offer him no wronge But if he of that whole number be hable to shewe but onely two and if the same two in the ende be founde no Masses neither but onely publique Communions suche as be now vsed in Refourmed Churches then is he a greate dissembler and dooth no right Upon what occasion M. Hardinges Masses grewe firste to this plentie and to so great waste Cochlaeus one of the chiefe patrones of that cause declareth it thus Quòd olim tam frequentes non fuerint Missae neque tot Sacerdotes quot
hodiè inde accidisse arbitror quòd olim omnes tum Sacerdotes tum Laici quicunque intererant Sacrificio Missae peracta oblatione cum Sacrificante communicabant sicut ex Canonibus Apostolorum ex Libris atque Epistolis antiquissimorum Ecclesiae Doctorum perspicuè cognoscitur That in olde times there were not so many Masses nor so many Priestes as be nowe I recken the cause thereof to be this for that in olde times al that were present at the Sacrifice of the Masse as wel Priestes as Laye men did Communicate togeather with the Minister as it is plaine to be seene by the Canons of the Apostles and by the Bookes and Letters of the most Ancient Doctours of the Church He addeth further Nunc verò c. But now seeinge the order of Communion is no more obserued emongst vs and that through the negligence and slouthfulnes as wel of the Laye people as of the Priestes the Holy Ghost by the often saieinge of Priuate Masses hath founde out â— godly remedie for this wante Here wée sée that Negligence and Slouthfulnesse Lacke of Deuotion bothe in the people and in the Priest is a good leare to bréede Masses And that the Priestes as many as were present did then Communicate with the Priest that Ministred it is plaine by the Canons of the Apostles and by sundrie other good Authorities which now I purposely passe by And to this purpose it is written thus in a litle booke set abroade vnder the name of S. Hierome Non debet Episcopus repudiare Eucharistiam Presbyteri The Bishop ought not to refuse the Sacrament of a Prieste But M. Hardinges Priestes vtterly refuse to Communicate one with an other and be they neuer so many in one Churche togeather yet wil they saie seueral Masses at sundrie Aultars And not onely thus but also as it appeareth by the Councel of Toledo in Spaine one Priest hath sometimes said foure fiue or moe Masses in one day Pope Leo saide some daies .vij. some daies eight Masses and some daies moe The excesse and oultrage whereof was so greate that they haue benne forced to prouide Lawes and Canons to the contrary For thus they haue decreed Presbyter in die non amplius quà m tres Missas celebrare praesumat Let not any one Priest presume to saie more then three Masses in one daie We maie wel thinke that priestes then saide good stoare of Masses when it was thought sufficient to stinte them at thrée The cause that mooued Leo and other Ancient Fathers to appoint twoo Communions to be Ministred in one daie was as it shal wel appeare that the whole people might Communicate al togeather quietly and without disturbance Whiche thing of it self vtterly ouerthroweth the whole abuse of Priuate Masses But the causes that haue increased the number of M. Hardinges Priuate Masses as they are alleged by Innocentius the .3 and others are these That there maie be one Masse saide Of the Daie and an other For the Deade and That there maie be regarde had to honestie and Profite For so they saie Causa Honestatis vel Vtilitatis vt si dicta Missa de die superueniat aliqua magna persona quae velit audire Missam As if any notable personage happen to come to Churche after that Masse is donne and be disposed to heare Masse These be very easy causes Upon the same the Priest maie saie twentie Masses as wel as thrée M. Hardinge The .2 Diuision Nowe if that rekeninge coulde duely be made of our parte M. Iuel perhaps woulde then saie as commonly they saie that confesse their erroure in numbringe that he had mystolde him self Al be it here it is to be marueiled that he appointeth vs to prooue a number of Masses in one Churche in one daie that vtterly denieth the Masse and woulde haue no Masse in any Churche any daie at al. And standinge in the denial of the whole so peremptorely as he dooth it maie seeme strange that he shoulde thus frame this Article For what reason is it to chalenge vs for proufe of so greate a number sith he taketh awaie altogeather The B. of Sarisburie I haue keapte my rekeninge wel yenough as I trust it wil wel appeare But if M. Hardinge of so greate a number of his Masses be hable to proue no more but two and the same two in the ende be founde Publique Communions and no Priuate Masses at al then maie we iustly saie That he hath both muche misrekened the people and also shamefully mistolde him self As before I vtterly denied that any Priuate Masse was euer vsed within sixe hundred yeeres after Christe so in this Article that the simple that so longe haue benne deceiued might the better vnderstande both the greate disorder that M. Hardinge mainteineth and also howe farre the Churche of Rome is growen from the primitiue Churche of God I thought it not amisse to sette out the mater by partes in suche plaine diuision Therefore the marueil that M. Hardinge raiseth hereof is not so greate The mater considered his Reader wil rather marueil at his marueil M. Hardinge The .3 Diuision It appeareth that beinge not vnwittinge howe good proufes we haue for the Masse it self he thinketh to blanke vs by puttinge vs to the proufe of his number of xxx.xx.xv.x or .v. Verily this kinde of men fareth with the Churche muche like vnto stronge Theeues who hauinge robbed an honest wealthy man of al his money saie afterwardes vnto him vncourtuously ah Carle howe camest thou by so muche Olde Golde Or if it like not them to be compared with Theeues in regarde of the roume they haue shuffled them selues into they may not vnfittely be likened to a Iudge of the Stemerie at Lâ—dforde in Deuonshire who as I haue hearde it commonly reported hanged a felone amonge the tinners in the forenoone and sate vpon him in iudgement at afternoone And thereof to this daie suche wrongeful dealinge in a common Prouerbe is in that Countrie called Lydforde Lawe Sithe that you M. Iuel and your felowes that nowe sitte on the benche require of vs the proufe of moe Masses in one Churche in one day as it were a verdite of twelue men of equitie and right ye shoulde haue hearde our verdite er ye had geuen sentence and condemned the Masse The B. of Sarisburie Howe good cause M. Hardinge hath to make these vauntes of his proufes for his Priuate Masse it may soone appeare vnto the discrete Reader vpon the viewe But here he thought it proufe sufficient for the multitude of his Masses to cal vs Théeues and wicked Iudges and to charge vs with the Lawe of Lydforde and so to solace him selfe with an olde Wiues tale and to make holy day out of season How be it this comparison of his Théeues is not so greately agréeable to his purpose For the coyne that is taken from him was neither Golde nor so Olde as he maketh it nor was
that most Reuerende Father D. Cranmere at Rome in a mummerie before he euer sawe him or hearde him speake and yet that notwithstandinge they arreigned him in Oxforde and iudged him afterwarde to be burnte They firste tooke and imprisoned the innocent that had broken no lawe and afterwarde diuised a lawe to condemne him With such courtesie Cyrillus saithe Christ was intreated of the Iewes Primùm ligant deinde causas in eum quaerunt Firste they binde him and afterwarde they imagine mater against him And to passe by many other like disorders and horrible extremities of that time firste they scattered and forced their Masses through the Realme againste the Lawes afterwarde they stablished the same by a Lawe laste of al the nexte yéere folowinge they summoned and had a solemne Disputation in Oxforde to trie whether their lawe were good or no. Uerily this séemeth muche like the Lawe of Lydforde For in order of Nature the Disputation should haue béene firste and theÌ„ the Lawe laste of al the Execution of the same amonge the people But Tertullian saithe Haeretici ex conscienâ—ia infirmitatis suae nihil vnquam tractant ordinariè Heretiques for feare of their owne weakenes neuer proceede in dewe order M. Hardinge The .4 Diuision Nowe touchinge the number and iteration of the Masse firste we haue good and auncient auctoritee for 197 two Masses in one Churche in one daye That eloquent and Holie Father Leo the firste writeth thus to Dioscorus the Bishoppe of Alexandria Volumus illud quoque custodiri vt cum solennior Festiuitas conuentum populi numerosioris indixerit ad eam â—anta multitudo conuenit quae recipi Basilica simul vna non possit Sacrificij Oblatio indubitanter iteretur ne ijs tantùm admiâ—sis ad hanc Deuotionem qui primi aduenerint videantur ij qui postmodum confluxerint non recepti Cùm plenum pieâ—atis atque rationis sit vt quoties Basilicam in qua agitur praesentia nouae plebis implâ—uerit totiâ—s Sacrificium subsequens offeratur This order we wil to be kepte that when a number of people commeth to Churche togeather at a solemne feaste if the multitude be so greate as maye not wel be receiued in one Churche at once that the Oblation of the Sacrifice hardely be doone againe leste if they onely shoulde be admitted to this Deuotion who came firste they that come afterwarde maye seeme not to be receiued For as muche as it is a thinge ful of Godlinesse and reason â—hat howe oftentimes the Churche where the seruice is doone is filled with a newe companie of people so oftentimes the Sacrifice there efâ—soones be offred By this Father whom the greate 198 General Councel of Chalcedon agnised for Supreame Gouernour of the Churche of Christe and honoured with the singular title of Vniuersal Bishoppe it is ordeined that if anywhere one Churche coulde not conueniently holde al the people togeather at one time they that came after the firste companie shoulde haue their Deuotion serued by hauinge an other Masse celebrated againe And least perhaps some might doubte whether that were lawful so to be doone or no or because then some doubted thereof as nowe likewise some seeme to doubte of it to put the mater out of doubte he saithe assuredly Sacrificij Oblatio indubitanter iteretur Let them not sticke to iterate or doo againe the Oblation of the Sacrifice that is to saye Let the Masse be celebrated againe indubitanter without castinge peril without stickinge staggeringe or doubtinge In that epistle he sheweth two greate causes why more Masses then one maye be doone in one Churche in one daye The one is leaste the aftercommers shoulde seeme reiâ—cted non recepti not receiued The other is that the one parte of the people be not defrauded of the benefite of their Deuotion as himselfe saithe Necesse est autem vt quaedam pars populi sua deuotione priuetur si vniâ—s tantum Missae more seâ—uaâ—o Sacrificium offeâ—â—e non possint nisi qui prima diei parte conuenerint It must needes be that a parte of the people be beâ—efie of their deuotion if the custome of hauinge one Masse onely kepte none maye offer the Sacrifice but such as came to Churche togeather in the morninge or firste parte of the daie Nowe the people maye neither be reiected whom God hath chosen nor sparckled abroade whom our Lorde hath gathered togeather neither ought they to be defrauded of their Deuotion by withdrawinge the Masse from them but rather to be styrred thereunto by their deuoute presence at the celebration of the same where the Deathe and Passion of our Lorde is liuely represented before their eies the very same Bodie that suffered on the Crosse of theÌ„ by the Ministerie of the Priest offered to the Father in a Mysterie but truely not to be a newe redemption but in CoÌ„memoration of the RedeÌ„ption alreadie perfourmed By this testimonie we finde that it was lawful within sixe hundred yeeres after Christe for Leo liued aboute the yeere of our Lorde 450. to haue two Masses in one Churche in one daie for so muche the woorde iteretur doothe importe at leaste and if there were moe the case so requiringe the woorde wil beare it wel inough Nowe by this Holie Bishoppes Godly wil the custome of hauinge one Masse onely in one daye was abrogated and this decreed that in time of two sundrie resortes of people to Churche two sundrie Masses shoulde be celebrated for the auoidinge of these two inconueniences leaste the aftercommers shoulde seeme not receiued but reiected like excommunicate personnes and that a parte of the faithful people shoulde not be put beside their Deuotion VVhereupon I make this reason The causes standinge the effectes folowe But the danger of the peoples seeminge to be reiected and the defraudinge of their Deuotion whiche are causes of iteratinge the Masse in one daye did in that age in some Holy daies of likelihoode thrise yea fower or fiue times happen and in our time certainely dooth commonly so often or oftener happen wherefore the Masse maye so many times be saide in a daye in one Churche VVhere great multitude of Christen people is as in townes wee see some resorte to Church earely in the morninge making their spiritual oblations to the intent to serue Godâ— er they serue man in their worldely affaires al cannot come so earely Others come at their conuenient opportunitie some at sixe some at seuen some at eight some at nine or tenne of the Clocke If they which through lawful lettes cannot come at the firste houres comminge afterwarde be roundely tolde by the Priest come ye at suche or at suche houres or els ye get no Masse here shal not they accordinge to Leo his sayeinge seeme to be reiected and defrauded of their deuotion Al wel disposed people aboute Powles cannot come to Postels Masse at foure or fiue of the Clocke in the
morninge neither at high Masse there Shal al suche in a Terme or Parlement time when greate resorte is be denied that spiritual conforte And if they be shal they not seeme reiected and put from their deuotion VVhich inconuenience that it might not happen Leo willeth not onely twoo but three foure or moe Masses to be doone on a day for his wordes reporte no lesse Cùm plenum pietatis atque rationis sit vt quoties Basilicam in qua agitur praesentia nouae plebis impleuerit toties Sacrificium subsequens offeratur Let there be no stickinge at the iteratinge of the Masse for as muche as saithe he it is a thinge ful of godlinesse and reason that how often the Churche where the seruice is doone is filled with a new companie of people so often the Sacrifice there eftsoones be offered Here he willeth plainely that Masse be doone Toties quoties at euery new resorte of the wel disposed people and that for these weightie causes least parte of the people shoulde seeme not receiued and that they be not defrauded of their deuotion The B. of Sarisburie I marueile with what honest countenance M. Hardinge coulde allege this godly Father so vnaduisedly to prooue his Masse For he knoweth wel and being learned cannot choose but know that Leo bothe elswhere in al other places and also specially in this same place beareth witnesse directly against his Masse But as Alcumistes professe a skil to turne al manner Metalles into Golde so these men seeme to haue learned a skil to transubstantiate and to turne al thinges what so euer into their Masse It is euident by S. Augustine and S. Hierome that liued not longe before Leo that then in Rome where Leo was Bishop the whole people receiued the Holy Communion euery day Whiche Communion Leo calleth Missa by a Latine woorde then newly receiued in the Latine Churche In which Churche like as also in the Churche of Graecia and Asia there was onely one such Masse or Communion saide vpon one day onlesse it had otherwise beene thought necessary vpon occasion of the multitude of Communicantes vntil the time of Pope Deusdedit whiche was in the yeere of our Lorde six hundred and fifteene as it shal appeare in the nexte diuision of this Article Uerily in these woordes of Leo there appeareth no manner token neither of Priuate Masse nor of Sole Receiuinge nor of Single Communion nor of sundrie Aultars nor of moe Pristes then one in one Churche And notwithstandinge these woordes of Leo be plaine yenough of them selfe yet by conference and sight of other places wee may the better be assuered of his meaning In the Councel holden at Agatha in the time of Coelestinus the first whiche was aboute the yeere of our Lorde foure hundred and fourtie it was decreed thus In Paschate Natali Domini Epiphania Ascensione Pentecoste Natali S. Iohannis Baptistae si qui maximi dies in Festiuitatibus habeÌ„tur non nisi in Ciuitatibus aut Parochijs Missas reneaÌ„t Vpon Easter day the day of our Lordes Birthe the Epiphanie the Ascension Witsonneday the Natiuitie of S. Iohn Baptist and likewise vpon other greate Solemne Feastes let the countrie people holde their Masses or Communions no where els but onely either in greate parisshes or in the Citties The like Decrée was made in the Councel of Aruerâ—e That al Countrie Priestes and al wealthy and chiefe Citizens should vpon solemne Feastes resorte to the Citties and Communicate togeather with their Bishoppes Upon suche Solemne Daies the resorte oftentimes was so greate that the Churche was not hable to receiue the whole companie Therefore order was taken and that agréeable to natural courtesie to the intent no parte should be excluded from the Holy Mysteries that the whole people shoulde come in partes in suche wise as the Churche might easily receiue them and that to that ende it should be lawful for the Priest to Minister the Communion twise or oftener vpon one day Upon like occasion to increase the number of M. Hardinges witnesses S. Augustine saith the Communion in some places was twise saide in his time Thus he writeth In quibusdam locis vbi maior frequentior est populus Dei Quinta Sabbati Hebdomadae vltimae Quadragesimae bis offertur mane ad vesperam alijs autem in locis ad finem tantùm diei mos est offerri In certaine places where as the resorte of people is greater vpon Shyre thursday the Oblation is twise made first in the morninge and after towardes night but in other places where as the people is not so greate the same oblation is made onely before night And this M. Hardinge cannot denie S. Augustine speaketh of the Communion and not of the Masse To the same ende S. Gregorie ministred the holy Communion at three sundrie times vpon Christmasse daye Thus vpon occasion of greate resorte the Masse or Communion that day was twise or thrise or oftener saide not that the people shoulde heare Masse as M. Hardinge witingly mistaketh it but that the whole people might Communicate Whiche thinge of late yeeres bicause through disuse they knew not what it meante they turned it onely to a fantastical Mysterie that the First Masse signified the time of ignorance before the Law the Seconde the time in the Law the Thirde the time of Grace Thus hast thou good Christian Reader this learned Fathers vndoubted meaninge confirmed plainely bothe by the knowen storie and Circumstance of that time as may appeare by the twoo Councelles of Aruerne and Agatha and also by the euident witnesse of S. Augustine and S. Gregorie Now let vs sée what large Commentaries and Coniectural Gheasses M. Hardinge hath here diuised to transforme the Holy Communion into his Priuate Masse First he saithe The greate Vntuersal Councel of Chalcedon offered the Title of Vniuersal Bishop vnto this Leo beinge then the Bishop of Rome This note is bothe impertinent to the cause and also woorthily suspected of greate vntrueth For that greate Councel is extant whole and perfit and yet in the same no suche Canon or Title to be founde Onely Gregorie reportetâ— it but the same Gregorie reporteth further withal that Leo woulde neuer suffer him selfe to be called the Uniuersal Bishop and saith It was a Proude and a Glorious Title and meete for Antichriste Where as Leo saithe The aftercommers should seeme reiected he meaneth from the receiuinge of the Holy Communion and not as M. Hardinge imagineth from the hearinge of Masse And here wée haue by the way specially to note these woordes of Leo Sacrificium offerre non possunt By whiche woordes Leo teacheth vs plainely that the Sacrifice whereof M. Hardinge maketh so greate accoumpte is offered no lesse by the People then by the Priest And where as M. Hardinge noteth further that this Latine woorde Iteretur may stande as wel with three or foure or moe Masses as with twoo
whiche thinge is not denied he might also as wel haue noted that the same woorde Iteretur importeth likewise one and the selfe same Minister and none other For if the Seconde Communion be Ministred by an other Priest and not by the same it cannot rightly be saide Iteratur And further the same woorde necessarily signifieth that one Communion was then in suche cases ministred successiuely and in order after an other and not twoo Masses or thrée or foure or sixe or tenne togeather al at once as the manner is now in the Churche of Rome Hereof M. Hardinge frameth vs this formal Syllogismus The cause that mooued Leo to take this order was that al and euery of the deuoute people might heare Masse But it is likely the people resorted to the Churche at sundrie times some rather some later and not al at once Ergo It is likely that to satisfie the peoples deuotion there were sundrie Masses saide in one day It is likely that M. Hardinge neuer examined the partes and likelyhoode of this Argument For first the Maior or Head Proposition is apparent false grounded as it is termed in Logique A non causa vt causa Presuming that thing to be the cause whiche in déede is no cause For the cause that mooued Leo was not the hearinge of Masse as it is already prooued but the receiuinge of the Holy Communion The Minor or Seconde Proposition notwithstandinge in some parte it may seeme true yet it is nothinge agréeable to Leoes meaning For Leo speaketh not of one man or twoo nor of the ordinarie course of euery daye but onely of greate Solemne Feastes and of suche resorte of people as might fil vp the whole Churche His woordes be plaine Cùm solennior Festiuitas conuentum populi numerosioris indixerit And Quoties Basilicam praesentia nouae plebis impleuerit Therefore to beare vs thus in hande that Leo had suche a special care either for the Terme time in London or for the people aboute Paules or for hearinge the Postels masse it is a very vaine and a childishe fantasie like as this also is that he addeth The people should be denied that Spiritual Comforte For alas what Comforte can the people receiue where as they can neither see nor heare nor vnderstande nor know nor learne but stande onely as men amased vtterly berefte of al their senses Let M. Hardinge once lay aparte dissimulation and tel vs by what waies or meanes the people at his Masse can possibly receiue this Spiritual Comforte If he woulde speake truely and that he knoweth as he seldome dooth he shoulde rather cal it Spiritual Blindenesse And where as he pleadeth his toâ—ies quoties and thereby woulde erecte a whole totquot of Masses sans number if he had aduisedly considered out the whole sentence he shoulde better haue espied out his owne folâ—e and haue had lesse occasion to deceiue the people For Leo saithe not as M. Hardinge woulde force him to say As often as any deuoute people cometh to Churche but as it is saide before Quoties Basilicam praesentia nouae plebis impleuerit As often as the presence of â— newe companie shal haue filled vp the whole Churche In suche cases it was lawful to beginne againe the whole Communion and not otherwise By these woordes M. Hardinges Totquot is muche abbridged In the ende he concludeth not onely against Leo his Authour but also against the very expresse order of his owne Churche That one Priest for Leo speaketh onely of one and of no moe may say Masse boldely without stickinge or staggeringe as often as any people resorteth to him For now it is thought sufficient for one Priest to saie one Masse vpon one day and no moe So it is determined by Pope Alexander Sufficit Sacerdoti vnam Missam in vno die celebrare It is sufficient for a Prieste to say one Masse vpon a day Onlesse it be in case of great necessitie whiche the Glose as it is before alleged wel expoundeth Causa Honestatis vel vtilitatis In case of Honestie or of Profite as if some greate personage happen vpon the suddaine to come to Churche Likewise the Councel of Salesgunstadium hath straitely charged that no Priest presume to say more then three Masses vpon one daie the one in course Of the Day Present the other For the Deade the third to pleasure some noble personage whiche also is a great stopple to M. Hardinges Totquot In these prouisoes there is no manner consideration had to the Deuotion of the people but contrary to M. Hardinges Newe Canon they are vtterly leafte without their Spiritual Comforte And therefore Pope Clement the seuenth caused one Frier Stuppino in Rome to be whipte naked through the streates for that he had saide v. or vi or moe Masses in one day to satisfie the Deuotion of the people Thus good Reader thou maiest see bothe the partes and the force of M. Hardinges Syllogismus The Maior is false The Minor farre from Leoes purpose The Conclusion contrary to him selfe Certainely if it had then beene thought lawful to saie so many Corner Masses as sithence that time haue béene vsed in the Churche of Rome it had béene greate folie either for Dioscorus to moue this question or for Leo to take this order M. Hardinge The .5 Diuision VVherefore they that reprooue the pluralitie of Masses in one Churche in one daie after the iudgement of this woorthy Father be reiectours of the Faithful people and robbers of their deuotion But they that haue vtterly abrogated the Masse whiche is the outwarde and euer enduringe Sacrifice of the Newe Testamente 199 by verdite of Scripture be no lesse then the forerenners of Antichriste The B. of Sarisburie The former parte of this Conclusion is already answeared But for the Seconde parte If they that haue refourmed the horrible Abuses of the Masse be the Forerenners of Antichriste what then may we thinke of them that haue wilfully and of purpose inuented and erected al those Abuses That haue taken from the people of God not onely the Holy Communion but also the vnderstandinge and swéetenes and comforte of the same That haue spoiled Goddes Children of the Breade of Lyfe and haue feadde them with the Breade of Confusion that is with Ignorance Superstition and Idolatrie That haue mangled and corrupted Christes Blissed Mysteries and haue wickedly defiled the Campe of the Lorde And hauinge thus donne yet notwithstandinge haue faces to mainteine and vpholde al their wilful doinges What maie Goddes people thinke of them And before whome doo they renne Uerily Gerardus Lorichius M. Hardinges owne Doctour saithe thus Missae priuatae quae absente populo Catholico fiunt abominatio veriùs quà m Oblatio dicendae sunt Priuate Masses whiche are saide without presence of the people are rather an Abomination then a Sacrifice And S. Augustine saith Si Iohannes ita diceret Si quis peccauerit me habetis Mediarorem apud Patrem
Eusebius Absoluto Templo Altari in medio constituto The Churche beinge finished and the Aultar or Communion Table placed in the middest S. Augustine likewise saithe thus Mensa Domini est illa in medio constituta That is the Lordes Table that standeth here in the middest In like manner it is written in the Councel of Constantinople Tempore Diptychorum cucurrit omnis multitudo cum magno silentio circum Altare audiebant When the Lesson or Chapter was in reading al the people drew togeather with silence rounde aboute the Aultar and gaue attendance If M. Hardinge wil contende for that hitherto there is no mention made of one Aultar alone and therefore wil say there might be many he may also remember that Eusebius saithe in the place before alleged Augustum Magnum Vnicum Altare The Reuerende the Greate and the One Onely Aultar So Ignatius Vnum est Altare â—oâ—i Ecclesiae There is but one Aultare for the whole Churche So S. Chrysostome Baptismus vnus est Mensa vna There is one Baptisme and one Table So likewise Gentianus Heruettus describing the manner of the Greeke Churche as it is vsed at this day faithe thus In Graeâ—oruÌ„ templis vnuÌ„ tantùm est Altare idque in medio Choro aut Presbyterio In the Greeke Churche there is but one Altar and the same standinge in the middest of the Queere And the Queere also was in the middest of al the people By these it may appeare that M. Hardinge is not hable to finde his pluralitie of Masses before the Councel of Antiâ—â—odorum whiche was without the listes of the first sixe hundred yéeres and therfore can stande him in litle steede As for these principles of the law that are here brought in as a surcharge vnto the reast they may be safely receiued without danger I graunte the law that forbiddeth in special case generally graunteth al that is not specially forbidden Thiâ— I saye may wel be graunted It is commonly called in Schooles ArgumeÌ„tum a contrario sensu Notwithstandinge this Rule beinge so general may receiuâ— exception although perhaps not in Law yet in some cases of Diuinitie For example God saith Thou shalt not commit Vsurie to thy Brother Let there be no Harlot of the daughters of Israel Thou shalt not marrie thy wiues Syster whiles thy wife liueth Thou shalt not commit Aduouterie S. Paule saith Be ye not dronken with wine Of these special Prohibitions by M. Hardings Rule or Principle wée may reason thus These cases are specially forbidden and what so euer is not excepted in special prohibition as vnlawful is permitted as lawful Ergo ex contrario sensu by the contrary sense It is leafte as lawful To commit Vsurie to a stranger It is leafte as lawful To haue a Harlot so that she be not of the daughters of Israel It is leafte as lawful To marrie thy wiues syster if thy wife be deade It is leafte as lawful To commit Fornication For Fornication in this special prohibition is not forbidden but onely Aduoutrie It is leafte as lawful To be Dronken with Ale or Beere for onely Wine is excepted And why so for M. Hardinges Principle must needes stande That a prohibition forbiddinge special cases permitteth al the reaste and generally leaueth al that as lawful that is not specially forbidden I speake not this to the intente to reprooue the Principle of the Lawe that here is alleged but onely to shewe that General Rules muste sometimes and in some cases be taken with exception M. Hardinge The .7 Diuision But I wil not bringe M. Iuel out of his professed studie to farre to seeke Lawes For in deede wee neede not goe to law for these maters wherein the Churche hath geuen sentence for vs but that our Aduersaries refuse the iudge after sentence VVhiche if they had doone when order permitteth it at the beginninge and had plainely as I feare me some of them thinke denied them selues to be Christians or at leaste of Christes Courte in his Catholique Churche wee shoulde not haue striued so longe aboute these maters VVee woulde haue imbraced the trueth of God in his Churche quietly whiles they sought another Iudge accordinge to their appetites and fantasies as Turkes aud Infidelles doo The B. of Sarisburie It were more for M. Hardinges purpose for proufe of these maters to goe rather to Diuinitie then to Law How be it the state of his case beinge so féeble and so deadly diseased it were good Counsel for him to leaue bothe Professions to goe to Phisicke But here once againe in his impatient heates he vttereth his inordinate and vnaduised Choler thinketh to prooue him selfe a good Catholike man onely by comparinge others with Turkes and Infidelles Notwithstandinge herein wée shal neede no longe defence For Goddes Holy Name be blissed it is nowe open to the hartes and consciences of al men that bothe in life and Doctrine wée professe the same Gospel of Iesus Christe that they of M. Hardinges side haue of longe time oppressed and burnte for Heresie Neither doo wée refuse the Iudge either after Sentence or before Him onely wée refuse as no competent Iudge in these cases that teacheth the Commaundementes and Doctrines of men and hath infected the Worlde with the Lcauen of the Scribes and Pharisies and wee appeale vnto Christe the onely Iudge of al Iudges vnto whom God the Father straitely bade vs to geue eare Ipsum audite Harken vnto him Vnus est Magister noster Christus Christe is our onely Maister and onely Iudge As for the Determinations of the Churche they are sundrie and variable and vncertaine and therefore sometimes vntrue and for that cause may not alwaies stande of necessitie as mater of iudgement The Greeke Churche neuer vsed the Priuate Masse but onely the Communion The Latine Churche hath vtterly abolished the Holy Communion sauinge onely at one time in the yéere when also shée vseth it with foule disorder and as Gelasius saith with open Sacrilege and vseth onely the Priuate Masse The same Latine Churche for the space of sixe hundred yeeres and more from the beginninge onlesse it had benne vpon greate occasion of many Communicantes vsed onely one Communion or as M. Hardinge rather deliteth to cal it one Masse in one Daie But the Latine Churche that nowe is hath in euery Corner of the Temple erected Aultars and therefore nowe is ful of Corner Masses In the Olde Latine Churche it was not lawful to saie the Seconde Communion but onely when the Churche was ful of people In M. Hardinges Newe Latine Churche there be oftentimes moe Masses saide togeather then there be hearers of the people to gase vpon them Thus the iudgement of the Latine Churche disagreeth from the Greeke the Newe Latine Churche likewise disagreeth in iudgement from the Olde Touchinge this Newe Latine Churche S. Bernarde mourneth and complaineth thus Nunc ipsi
obseruinge of the Gospel and for the keepinge of the Feaste of the true and firme Easter and for thy reuerent and pure Image whiche thy holy Apostles haue leafte to me by Tradition to haue and keepe for a representation of thine Incarnation Then quod our Lorde if this be the mater for whiche thou arte inuaded and set against be not dismaied be of good comforte in harte and minde being assured hereof that who so denieth Easter or my cleane Image I shal deny him before my heauenly Father and his chosen Angels And he that suffereth persecution with me for keepinge of Easter the same shal also be glorified with me Hast not thou heard what I commaunded Moyses the Lawgeuer to doo Make me saide I twoo Cherubins iâ— the Tabernacle of the Testimony to be a prefiguration or foretokening of my Image c. The B. of Sarisburie I trowe This good Olde Monumente of Antiquitie hath laine longe in the dust at Uerona with M. Hardinges Amphilochius The Churche piteously bemoaneth her selfe vnto Christe that she is soare persecuted and vexed for his Image Christe to comforte her with al saith Who so denieth mine Image shal be denied before my Father In the ende he confirmeth the vse of suche Images by the Example of the Cherubines Here M. Hardinge to increase some credite to his new Doctour shoulde haue shewed vs when the Churche was thus vexed for hauinge the Image of Christe and whoo vexed her and what kinde of vexation it was and how longe it continewed and in what countrie and when it ceassed The Churche is builte vpon a Mounte her Persequutions cannot be hidden If she euer were thus vexed for hauinge of Images I meane before the time of Athanasius it must néedes appeare If neuer then was she a very Wanton thus to complaine without cause If these threates be true that who so denieth the grauen or painted Image of Christe shal be denied before God the Father then must Epiphanius the Bishop of Cyprus and Serenus the Bishop of Massilia both Godly and Zelous Bishops and a greate number of other godly Learned Fathers that rente brake downe and defaced Christes Images be vtterly denied before God To be shorte to say that God commaunded Moyses to make the golden Cherubines purposely to be Figures of these Images of Wood or Stoane it is a very Fabulous and a Childish fantasie without any grounde how be it good yenough to mainteine and colour a Childishe Doctrine Notwithstanding if there be any weight either in this hidden Athanasius or in his sayeinges then may wee wel coniecture that he vseth this Worde Image in this place not for any suche material forme painted or grauen by mans hande but for the whole Conuersation of the Sonne of God in this mortal life whiche is as muche as Verbum Caro factum est The woorde became Fleashe and is expressed and set foorthe as an Image before our eies in the whole Doctrine and Policie of the Churche as the déepest grounde and very fundation of the Christian Faithe And thus S. Paule saithe Christus est Imago patris Christe is the Image of the Father Otherwise God is Inuisible S. Iohn saithe Noman euer saw God But the Sonne that is in the Fathers bosome he hath reueled the Fathers wil. In his conuersation in the Fleashe as in an Image wee beholde God the Father So in the booke of the Apocalyps Imago bestiae The Image of the Beast is called not any material Image Painted or Grauen but the Doctrine the Seduction the Errours the Lies the Blasphemies the Idolatrie and the whole Conuersation of Antichriste So S. Basile saith Christe called his Fleashe and Bloud the whole Mystical Doctrine of his Gospel whiche he published in his dispensation in the Fleashe So S. Augustine séemeth to saye Eius Passionis Imaginem in Ecclesia Celebrandam dedit He gaue the Image of his Passion to be frequented in the Churche And Pachymeres the Gréeke Paraphrast expoundeth this woorde Imago thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He calleth Pictures the Images or inwarde and deepe considerations of our Mysteries For this Image of Christe the Churche of God was often persecuted This Image as some of the Olde Fathers saye was represented and figured by the Cherubines and vndoubtedly who so euer denieth this Image Christe shal denie him before God his Father This Exposition is agréeable bothe to the tenour of Goddes Woorde and also to the storie of the Time and therefore wée may safely iudge if this were Athanasius in déede that this was his very meaninge Otherwise the common and knowen Athanasius that is extant and abroade writeth thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The inueÌ„tion of Images is of il and not of good And the thinge that hath an il beginning can neuer be iudged good in any thinge as beinge in al respectes and altogeather il This is this holy Fathers moste cleare iudgement not cast vp in corners and hidden in the dust but open to the eies and sight of al the Worlde M. Hardinge The .9 Diuision Of al the Fathers none hathe a plainer testimonie bothe for the vse and also for the woorshippinge of Images then S. Basile whose auctoritie for learninge wisedome and holinesse of life beside antiquitie is so weightie in the iudgemente of al men that al our Newe Maisters laied in balance against him shal be founde lighter then any feather Touchinge this mater makinge a confession of his faithe in an Epistle inueighinge against Iulian the renegate he saithe thus Euen as we haue receiued our Christian and pure Faithe of God as it were by right of heritage right so I make my confession thereof to him and therein I abide I beleeue in one god father almightie God the Father God the Sonne God the Holy Ghoste One God in substance and these three in personnes I adore and glorifie I confesse also the Sonnes Incarnation Then afterwarde S. Mary who accordinge to the Fleashe brought him foorthe callinge her Deiparam I reuerence also the holy Apostles Prophetes and Martyrs whiche make supplication to God for me that by their mediation our moste benigne God be merciful vnto me and graunte me freely remission of my sinnes Then this foloweth Quam ob causam historias imaginum illorum honoro palam adoro hoc enim nobis traditum à Sanctis Apostolis non est prohibendum sed in omnibus Ecclesijs nostris eorum Historias erigimus For the whiche cause I doo bothe honour the stories of their Images and openly Adâ—â—re them For this beinge deliuered vnto vs of the holy Apostles by tradition is not to be forbidden And therefore we set vp in al our Churches their stories Lo M. Iuel here you see a sufficient testimonie that Images were set vp in the Churches longe before the ende of your sixe hundred yeeres and that they were honoured and woorshipped not onely of the simple Christian people but of Bishop
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
honoured with Doulia bicause that honour as he saithe is Dewe vnto our Lady This determination of Thomas is reprooued by Holcot And his reason is this Latria or Godly honour is dewe onely vnto God But the Image of God is not God Therefore Latria or Godly honour is not dewe vnto an Image Otherwise saith he the Creatoure and the Creature shoulde bothe be Adoured with one honoure And notwithstandinge Henricus de Gandauo Petrus de Aquisa Iohannes de Guiuerra Durandus and other Schoole Doctours agree with Holcot and their iudgement seeme very agreeable vnto Reason Yet he that wrote Fortalitium Fidel saithe The Common opinion and practise of the Churche holdeth the contrarie And one Iacobus Payua a greate stickler of that side doubtâ—th not to write thus Non tamen inficiamur hac nos Latriae Adoratione Christi praeclaâ—issimam Crucem colere venerari Yet wee denie not but wee doo woorship and Adoure the moste noble Crosse of Christe euen with this Godly honoure that wee calle Latria And where as M. Hardinge referreth the whole Adoration vnto the thinge represented by the Image â–ª One Iacobus Nanclantus the Bishop of Clâ—gium in Italy telleth him that the Image and the thinge represented by the Image must bothe be worshipped with one kinde of Adoration His woordes be these Ergo non solum faâ—endum est Fideles in Ecclesia Adorare coram Imagine vt nonnulli ad cauâ—elam forte loquuntur sed Adorare Imaginem sine quo volueris scrupulo quin eo illam venerari cultu quo prototypon eius Propter quod si illud habet A doâ—ari Latâ—ia illa habet Adorari Laâ—â—ia Therefore wee must confesse that the faithâ—ul people in the Churche dooth not onely worshâ—p before the Image as some men vse to speake for more assurance but that they woorship the Image it selfe and that without any manner scruple of conscience what so euer Yea and further they woorship the Image with the same honoure wherewith they woorship the thinge represented As if the thinge represented by the Image he woorshipped with godly honoure then must the Image it selfe likewise be woorshipped with godly honour If M. Hardinge wil say these errours be olde longe sithence controlled by his Church of Rome it may please him to vnderstande that Nanclantus was printed in Uenece Anno. 1557. and that Payua was printed in â—oleine Anno. 1564. bothe wel allowed without controlment The case standinge thus what then auaileth M. Hardinges distinction of Latria and Doulia I feare me wee may say of him and his felowes as S. Augustine sometime saide of the Heathens Nemo mihi dicaâ— Non est Numen non est Deus Vâ—inam ipsi sic norint quomodo nouimus nos Sed quid habeant pro qua re habeant quid ibi faciant Ara testatur Let noman say vnto mee It is no Diuine Power it is no God I woulde to God they so knewit as wee know it But what they haue and in what sorte they haue it and what they doo aboute it the Aultar beareth witnesse Marcellina the Heretique is much reprooued by S. Augustine for that emonge other Images she offered vp incense to the Image of Christe And Origen saith Fieri non potest vt quis Deum Simulachrum colat It is not possible that any man may woorship God and an Image bothe togeather And Polydorus Uergâ—lius a man of late yéeres vttering the greate abuse that he saw in the Churche in his time writeth thus Nunc de Simulachâ—orum culâ—u agamus quem non modò nostrae Religionis expertes sed teste Hieronymo omnes ferè Veteres Sancti Patres damnabant ob metuÌ„ Idololatriae Now let vs intreate of the woorshippinge of Images whiche not onely the Heathens that were voide of our Religion but also as S. Hierome saithe al the Olde Godly Fathers condemned for feare of Idolatrie And of the abuse and disorder of the Churche herein in his time he writeth thus Eò insaniae deuentum est vt haec pars Pieâ—atis parùm differat ab Impietate The worlde is come to suche oultrage and meere madnesse herein that this parte of Holinesse differeth now very litle from open Wickednesse To this passe the Churche of God was brought by M. Hardinges distinction of Latria and Doulia The best remedie in this behalfe and moste agreeable with Gods Woorde is vtterly to abolishe the cause of the il So the godly Kinge Ezechias tooke downe and brake in peeces the Brasen Serpente Notwithstandinge Moses him selfe by Goddes special Commaundement had erected it notwithstandinge it were an expresse Figure of Christe hanginge vpon the Crosse notwithstandinge it had continued so many yéeres notwithstandinge God by it had wrought so many Miracles So the godly Bishoppe Epiphanius rente in sunder the Image of Christe Painted in a Clothe and saide It was against Gods Commaundement a thinge Superstitious and vnmeete for the Churche and people of God notwithstanding it were the Image of Christe So the godly Emperour Theodosius made his Proclamation ouer al his Dominions in this sorte Signum Seruatoris nostri quocunque loco reperitur tolli iubemus Wee streitely commaunde that the Image of our Saueoure be taken downe in what place so euer it shal be founde notwithstandinge it were the Image of our Saueour So it is Decreed in the late Councel of Mens that when Images happen to be abused by the people they be either notably altered or vtterly abolished Neither dooth God throughout al his holy Scriptures anywhere condemne Image breakers but expressely euerywhere he condemneth Image woorshippers and Imagemakers God saithe They are snares to catche the ignorant He knoweth the inclination of the harte of man And therefore he saith Accursed be he that leadeth the blinde out of his way And accursed be he that laieth a stumblinge blocke to ouerthrow the blinde FINIS THE XV. ARTICLE OF READINGE THE SCRIPTVRES The B. of Sarisburie Or that the Laie People was then forbidden to reade the VVoorde of God in their owne tongue M. Hardinge The .1 Diuision That the laie people was thea forbidden to reade the VVoorde of God in their owne tongue I finde it not 204 Neither doo I finde â–ª that the laie people was then or at any other time commaunded to reade the woorde of God in their owne tongue beinge vulgare and barbarous By vulgare and barbarous tongues I vnderstande as before al other beside the three learned and principal tongues Hebrew Greke and Latine VVhiche as they were once natiue and vulgare to those three peoples so nowe to none be they natiue and vulgare but common to be obteigned by learninge for meditation of the Scriptures and other knowledge The B. of Sarisburie M. Hardinge fully dischargeth this whole mater in one woorde I finde it not saith he that the Laie People was then forbidden to reade the VVoorde of God in their
Crosse is become a perpetual and continual oblation not in the same manner of offeringe but in the same vertue and power of the thinge offered For since that time the same Body of Christe appearinge alwaies before the face of God in Heauen presenteth and exhibiteth it selfe for our reconciliation And likewise it is exhibited and offered 237 by his owne commaundement here in earthe in the Masse where he is bothe Prieste and Sacrifice offerer and oblation verely and in deede though in Mysterie and by way of commemoration that thereby we may be made pertakers of the reconciliation performed applyinge the same vnto vs so farre as in this behalfe man may applie through Faithe and deuotion no lesse then if we sawe with our eies presently his Body hanginge on the Crosse before vs and streames of Bloude issuinge foorthe And so it is a Sacrifice in very deede propitiatorie not for our acte or worke but for his owne woorke already done and accepted To this onely we must ascribe remission and remoouinge of our Sinnes The B. of Sarisburie Here M. Hardinge is driuen to make woonderful harde shifte and to leaue al the whole companie of his Schooledoctours and to goe alone The Masse saithe he sometime signifieth the Bodie of Christe Sometime saie you And at what time I beseeche you And if at one time why not at al times what Ancient Doctour or Holy Father euer tolde vs this tale But let vs geue M. Hardinge leaue to make somewhat of him selfe and to vpholde his strange Religion with strange phrases and Formes of speache For he hopeth that what so euer he liste to say the ignorant people wil beléeue him But wherefore allegeth he not either the Scriptures or some Olde Councel or some Ancient Doctour at the leaste some one or other of his owne Schooledoctours Innocentius Thomas Scotus Alexander Henricus de Gandauo Robertus de collo torto or some other like in this behalfe Is there none of al these that euer coulde vnderstande that the Masse is the Bodie of Christe And muste wée néedes beléeue M. Hardinge in so strange a mater without witnes Uerily if the Masse accordinge to this newe Doctrine be Christes Bodie and that verily and in déede without shifte or healpe of Figure then was the Masse Borne of the Blissed Uirgin then was it Crucified then was it Buried in the Graue For al these thinges happened to the Bodie of Christe Then who so euer denieth the Masse denieth Christes Bodie and who so euer beléeueth Christes Bodie beléeueth the Masse But what shoulde M. Hardinge doo A monstrous Doctrine requireth a monstrous kinde of woordes In deede Christes Bodie Crucified was the Price and Propitiation for al our Sinnes Christe with one Oblation hath made perfite for euer al that be Sanctified For in his Fleashe he was that Lambe of God that hath taken awaie the Sinnes of the Worlde And nowe in the same Fleashe he appeareth before God and euermore intreateth for our Sinnes But M. Hardinge what is al this to your Masse Who euer bade you to Sacrifice Christe vnto his Father Who euer warranted you that your Sacrifice diuised by your selues should be of the same vertue and power as you saie that was the Sacrifice of Christe him selfe vpon his Crosse who euer tolde you that your Sacrifice shoulde be the Price and Propitiation for the sinnes of the whole worlde Or that Christe in your Masse shoulde euermore appeare before God and intreate for vs But why adde you farther this Special exception of your selfe And this not for that it is offered of the Prieste in the Masse Specially What needeth you with this so Special prouiso so finely to mince this mater Why shoulde you so Specially dishable or discredite the Unblouddy Sacrifice of the Churche If the Fleashe of Christe be not Specially auaileable for that as you saie it is offered by the Prieste howe then beinge so offered can it be propitiatorie for our sinnes If it be propitiatorie in deede and if the Prieste offer vp Christe vnto his Father and that in al respectes of power and Uertue as effectual and auaileable as that Christe him selfe offered vpon the Crosse howe then is it not Specially profitable for that as you saie it is offered by the Prieste Ye shoulde haue brought some Daniel with you to expounde your dreame or some skilful Surueiour to parte tenures bitweene Christe and the Prieste and to limit eche parte Generally and Specially his owne right O M. Hardinge what a miserable Doctrine is this Remooue onely this vaine shewe of strange Woordes wherewith ye delite to astonne the simple and the reste that remaineth is lesse then nothinge M. Hardinge The .3 Diuision If the terme Masse be taken for the acte of the Prieste in respecte of any his onely dooinge it is not able to remooue Sinne. For so we shoulde make the Prieste Goddes peere and his acte equal with the Passion of Christe as our aduersaries doo vniustly sclaunder vs. Yet hath the Masse vertue and effecte in some degree and is acceptable to God by reason of the oblation of the Sacrifice whiche in the Masse is done by the offerer without respecte had to Christes institution euen for the faithful praier and deuotion of the partie that offereth whiche the Schooledoctours terme ex opere operantis For then the oblation seemeth to be moste acceptable to God when it is offered by some that is acceptable Now the partie that offereth is of two sortes The one offereth immediatly and personally the other offereth mediatly or by meane of an other and principally The firste is the Prieste that consecrateth offereth and receiueth the Sacrament who so dothe these thinges in his owne person yet by Goddes auctoritie as none other in so offeringe is concurrent with him The partie that offereth mediatly or by meane of an other and principally is the Churche militant in whose person the Prieste offereth and whose minister he is in offering For this is the Sacrifice of the whole Churche The firste partie that offereth is not alwaies acceptable to God neither alwaies pleaseth him because oftentimes he is a Sinner The seconde partie that offereth is euermore acceptable to God because the Churche is alwaies Holy belooued and the onely spouse of Christe And in this respecte the Masse is an acceptable seruice to God Ex opere operantis and is not without cause and reason called a Sacrifice Propitiatorie not for that it deserueth mercie at Goddes hande of it selfe as Christe doothe who onely is in that principal and special sorte a Sacrifice Propitiatorie but for that it mooueth God to geue mercie and remission of Sinne already deserued by Christe In this degree of a Sacrifice propitiatorie wee maye put Praier a contrite Harte Almose forgeuinge of our neighbour c. This may easely be prooued by the holy Fathers Origens woordes be very plaine Si respicias ad illam commemorationem de qua dicit Dominus Hoc
Communion The .12 vntruthe It is the very expresse order of the communioÌ„ It is no priuate Masse In mystagogicis orationibus Esai 11. 1. Iohan. 4. Matthe 7. Iohan. 10. Matthe 23. Forerunners of Antichriste Actor 7. Matthae 26. Ad ConstantiaÌ„ August epist 78. li. 4. Ad Mauritium Imperat. lib. 7. epist. 197. Iohan. 1. Actorium 4. Commonly called the Masse For confirmation of faithe Genes 14. Malachiae 1. Matthae 26. Clemens Clemente Hierony de ecclesiast scriptoribus Bookes counterfeited in S. Clementes name Petrus Crabbe in 1. tomo Concil Abdias Decretal Leon. 1. Can. 15. Dist. 15. Sancta Romana Petrus Crabbe 1. tomo Concil Bessarion de Sacramen eucharistiae Abdias Marci 16. Abdias in vita Matthaei Abdias Martialis Caguinus Paulus Aemylius August contraâ— Faustum lib. 11. Et lib. 22. ca. 80. August contra Adimantum cap. 16. August de fide contra Manichaeos cap. 30. Augustin coÌ„tra Aduersarium Legis ProphetaruÌ„ ca. 20. Dist. 15. Sancta Romana Martialis Dionysius Erasmus contra Parisienses Liturgia Iacobi Liturgia Chrysostomi Edita a Claudio du Sanctes Pope Iohane Folio 11. a. linea 1. Dumbe witnesses M. Hardinge allegeth witnesses againste him selfe Liturgia Iacobi M. Hard. vvitnesses againste him selfe Dishes and Cuppes Abdias in vita S. Thomae Apost Abdias in vita S. Matthaei Apost Iustinus Martyr in 2. Apologia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dionysius Eccles Hierarâ—hiae cap. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 M. Hard. vvitnesses againste him selfe Liturgia Basilij Et sic communicant omnes Liturgia Chrysostomi Ignatius ad Philadelphien Hippolytus Martyr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Thessaloni 2. Reuelabitur homo peccati Hippolyt Martyr Hostien in summa De celebratione missarum 1. Petri. 2. Priuate Masse proceeded first of the negligence and misdoinge of the people Lacke of deuotion cause of Priuate Masse The 13. Vntruthe Thei inuitâ— no man M. Hardinge coÌ„fesseth that in the Primitiue Churche there was no Priuate Masse M. Hardinge articulo 15. diui 7. folio 155. b. Concil Bracar 2 Cap. 84. Pro luxuria sua Chrysostome in Epistolam ad Ephesios homil 3. The cause of the peoples negligence The Pope and his Cardinalles as negligent as the people Preparation of the minde before the Communion Ecclesi 18. Clemens Epist. 3. Augustin tract 10. 11. in Iohan. Augusti de bono perseuerantiae lib 2 ca. 13. A Sent. li. 4. dis 17 B Innoc. 3. in Con. LateraneÌ„ ca. 21. Hugo de potestate Ecclesiae Chrysost. De poenitentia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysostom in Psal. 50. ho 2. Chrysostom De Lazaro hom 4. De poeniten dist 1. Quidam deo Chrysost. ad po Antiochen ho. 61. Ambrosi de sacramentis li. 6. cap. 4. Leo Epist. 81. Esaias 24. â—onifacius De Con. dis 1. vasa Bernardus de conuersione Pauli Bernardus in Concilio Remensi The neglig of the people Iohan. Vitalis Cardinalis in speculo Esai 50. Augustinus De Trinitate lib. 3. cap. 4. Authen Collat. prima Vt determinatus sâ—â— numerus Clericor The .14 vntruthe The Sacrifice is specialy named in the CommunioÌ„ booke And in the Masse it selfe Consecration is not named The .15 vntruthe For S. Basil thinketh the number is parte of Christes InstitutioÌ„ Exercitationis ad piâ—â—ateÌ„ Sermone 4. Epist. 118. * The Apostles vsed and ordeined the CoÌ„munion of a nuÌ„ber and neuer any priuat receiuinge of the priest alone The .16 vntruthe Christe appointed a number although no certeine fixed nuÌ„ber 1. Cor. 11. Ye shal shew foorth the Lordes death Consecration Consecr Thom. Bonauen in 4. Sent. Bessarion de SacrameÌ„to Eucharistiae In the tenthâ— Article 1. Corinth 10. 1. Corinth 11. Augustinus in Iohan. tractaâ—u 80. Accedat VerbuÌ„ ad Elementum sit SacrameÌ„tum Tertulli contra Marcionem li. 4 aduersus Iudaeos Eusebius de Demonstratione lib. 1. Hebraeos 10. M. Hardinge ieasâ—eth at the ordinance of Christe Alexander De Hales 4. q. 35. mem 2. Ibid. solu 2. M. Hardinge hath forgotten himselfe Matthae 26. Luke 22. 1. Corinth 11. August epist. 118 ad Ianuarium August in eadeÌ„ epist. ad Ianuarium 118. 1. Corin. 11. Inuicem expect â–ª August de â—ermone Dom. in monte li. 2. In Iohan tract 26. Hierony ad â—ucinium Idem in Apolog aduersus Iouintanum 1. Corint 11. August in IohaÌ„ tractatu 97. M. Hardinges Argumente Matthae 20. Luc 22. 1. Corin. 11. M. Harding concludeth against him selfe Bessarion de Sacramen â—ucharistiae Biel lect 26. â—iel lectione 38. M. Hard. refuseth Christes example The .17 â–ª Vntrueth For number iâ— not onely of congruence but also of institution The .18 â–ª Vntrueth The Churche of Rome hath taken no suche order * A vveake reason This is onely M. Hard. gloso Hilar. ad Constantium Augustum Matthae 26. Luke 22. 1. Corin. 10. Chrysostom ad popul Antiochenum hom 61 Hebrae 4. 2. Timoth. 2. Daily Sacrifice Daily Sacrifice Daily bread Deverb Dom. in Euang. secundum Lucam Serm. 28. Hieron in 1. ad Corin. cap. 6. Germanus in Ecclesi rerum Theoriâ— Irenaeus li. 4. Cap. 34. Tertullian ad uersus Iudâ—â—os Artiâ—ulo 2. diuisi 23. fol. 44. b. Sexta Synod cap. 52. Coâ—cil Lacdicâ—Ì„ can 49. Ambro. in 1. ad Timo. ca. 2. Non quotidiè De Con. dist 2. Relatum est 1. Corinth 11. Hieron in 1. Corin. 11. The .19 vntruth For of CoÌ„municating to geather it vvas called CoÌ„munio Ecclesiasti Hieâ—arch ca. â— De eaena DnÌ„i 1. Timoth. 3. Inter Epistolas Augustini Epistol 14. The .20 Vntruthe Râ—singe of the ambiguitie or doubtful taking of this vvorde CoÌ„munion Communio Cala. 3. Chrysostom in â—pistol ad â—phe Homi. 20. 1. Cor. 12. Contra 〈◊〉 Manichae li. 19. cap. 11. Communio Dionys. Ecclesiast Hierarch cap. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysostom Ad popul Antiochen homil 61. Roman 4. August In Sermone ad Infantes Beda 1. Cor. 10. Cyprian de Coena Domini Cyprianus de Coena Domini Inter epistolas August epist. 14. August in epist. ad Eusebium August Retractar lib. 1. ca. 21. Hieronymus ad Damasum Actor 4. Iohan. 17. â—hilippen 2. â—alatas 3. Roman 15. Cyprian De Coena Domini Psalm 54. Apocalyp 2. Matth. 23. Luke 11. Hugo Cardinalis Hieron Aduersus 10. Hierosolymitan As muche as 〈◊〉 vs lieth 4. Regum 5. 1. Corinth 5. Cyprianus ad Magnum 1. Corinth 10. Hieron 1. Cor. 11. Chrys. 1. Corin. hom 27. August in Iohan tracta 26. Chrysost. 1. Corin hom 24. Significat Pachymeres in DionysiuÌ„ cap. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dicitur Communio quia oeÌ„s Communicant Haimo in 1. ad Corin. 10. Hugo Cardinalis in Speculo Ecclesiae De missa publica proroganda Micrologus de Eccles. objeruationib apud Cassand de Liturgijs cap. 22. Basil. Exercit. ad pieta Serm. 4. The .21 vntruthe M. Hardinge saithe The Priest doth Communicate and not CoÌ„municate both togeather VVhiche is a CoÌ„tradictioÌ„â—n nature The .22 vntruth This order vvas taken not for euery
Constitution the law saithe Generaliter dictum generaliter est accipiendum The thinge that is spoken generally must be taken generally And it is commonly saide Vbi lex non distinguit nos distinguere non debemus Where the Lawe maketh no distinction there ought wee to make no distinction And what reason hath M. Hardinge or what witnesse more then his owne that this onely law tooke no place in the Churche of Rome Certainely the reast of the same Nouel Constitutions were made not onely for Constantinople or for Rome but also for the whole Empier And the Emperour Iustinian in the same Title saith thus What so euer thinges touchinge this mater were needeful for this Imperial Citie of Constantinople wee haue comprised in a special Law for the same But what néedeth many woordes The Emperour him selfe calleth the Constitution that concerneth the Cleregie a Law General by these woordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wée haue enacted by a General and a Common Law And in the Code intreatinge namely of Bishoppes and Clerkes he hath these woordes Et hoc non solum in veteri Roma vel in hac Regia Ciuitate sed in omni terra vbicunque Christianorum nomen colitur obtinere sancimus This law we wil haue to take place not onely in the Citie of olde Rome or in this Imperial Citie of Constantinople but also in al the worlde where so euer the name of Christians is had in honour And how can M. Hardinge make him selfe so sure that the Churche of Rome was neuer subiecte to this Law Certainely bothe by Leo Bishop of Rome and also by S. Ambrose Bishop of Millane and other holy Fathers it appeareth otherwise S. Augustine saithe of the Churche of Rome Vnum Psalmum canâ—amus vnum Amen respondemus wee singe one Psalme and wee answeare one Amen S. Hierome saith Euen in Rome at the ende of the Praier the people so sounded out Amen as if it had been a Thunderclappe Againe if this Constitution serued onely for the Gréeke Churche and onely the Priestes there spake alowde and the others of the Latine Churche spake in silence how then doothe M. Hardinge expounde this Lawe of Iustinian by the woordes of S. Augustine who as he supposeth did the contrary and was neuer subiecte vnto that Law Or how can he make contrarieties agrée togeather Hath he so soone forgotten him selfe Or wil he expounde Speakinge by Silence Or singinge out by whisperinge To conclude Iustinian saith These Constitutions were general M. Hardinge alone saithe They were not general Iustiuian saith They tooke place in al the worlde M. Hardinge alone saithe They tooke place onely in Constantinople S. Ambrose S. Augustine S. Hierome Leo and others say They were obserued in the Churche of Romeâ— M. Hardinge alone saithe They were neuer obserued in the Churche of Rome If he wil thus deceiue vs in plaine thinges how may wée then trust him in doubtful thinges Gregorius Haloander whom M. Hardinge séemeth to touche with corruption of these lawes was a learned man and a faithful Translatour and for his diligence deserued thankes and therefore néedeth no excuse He addeth nothing morâ— then is to be founde in the Original In M. Hardinges olde Translation euen in this same very title De Ecclesiastiâ—is diuersis capitulis There wanteth a whole leafe or more at the beginninge that is founde extant in the Grâ—eke Touchinge Cogginge and Foystinge I maruel M. Hardinge beinge so graue a man woulde borrow Ruffians termes to scoffe withal As for the Sacrifice of Christe vpon the Crosse whiche is represented vnto vs in the holy Communion Wee beléeue it with our hartes and confesse it with our mouthes Concerninge this woorde Oblatio he knoweth wel I translated not yâ— place but onely touched it neither had I then any manner occasion to speake of the Sacrifice but onely of Praiers whiche thinge also I did without any Cogging or any other â—â—â—ight folowinge these very woordes of Iustinian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to say To offer vp other praiers also with lowde voice Neither did I avouche any vntruth by Iustinian as M. Hardinge hath here dâ—one by Iustinian and S. Augustine bothe togeather I know the Holy Ministration is named of the holy Fathers sundrie waies The Supper of the Lorde The Lordeâ— Table The Communion The Mysterie The Sacrament The Mystical Table The Tankes geuinge The Oblation and the Sacrifice Neither is there any of these names but wée vse indifferently as occasion serueth Now for so muche as M. Hardinge taketh occasion for that I past this place of Iustinian so shortely ouer onely touchinge it with one woorde as the time then forced mée I thinke it not amisse for the better contentation of the Reader to lay it out fully as it lieth His woordes be these Wee commaunde al Bishops and Priestes to minister the Holy Oblation and the praier at the Holy Baptisme not vnder silence but with suche voice as may be hearde of the faithful people to the intente that thereof the heartes of the hearers may be sturred to more deuotion and honour geuinge to God the Lorde For so the holy Apostle teacheth sayeinge in the firste Epistle to the Corinthians For if thou only blisse vvith the spirite hovv shal he that supplieth the roume of the ignorant saye Amen to God at thy thankes geuinge For he knovveth not vvhat thou saiest Thou geuest thankes vvel but the other is not edified For these causes therefore it behooueth that the praier at the holy Oblation and also other praiers be offred with lowde voice of the holy Bishoppes and Priestes vnto our Lorde Iesus Christe with the Father and the Holy Ghost And let the holy Priestes vnderstande that if they neglecte any of these thinges they shal make answeare therefore at the dreadful iudgement of the greate God and our Sauiour Iesus Christe And yet neuerthelesse wee vnderstandinge the same wil not passe it ouer nor leaue it vnpunisshed Here wée sée it is lawful for a godly Prince to commaunde Bishoppes and Priestes To make lawes and orders for the Churche To redresse the abuses of the Sacramentes To allege the Scriptures To threaten and punishe Bishops and Priestes if they offende Now if these woordes of Iustinian make not for vs and that without Foistinge or Cogginge muche lesse make they for M. Hardinge onlesse he wil forme his reasons thus The Priest must speake a lowde Ergo He may speake in an vnknowen tongue Or thus The people must heare the Praier and answeare Amen Ergo They neede not to vnderstande it To be shorte where as to the intente to bringe Goddes truthe out of credite and to make it odious emonge the ignorant he saith Wee haue refused to be the members of the Churche of God This is onely a bitternesse of talke inflamed with malice whereof it seemeth he wanted no stoare and neither furthereth his
cause emonge the wise nor hindreth ours If wée be no members of the Churche that wishe al the people euery where to vnderstande what they Praie to ioyne their hartes togeather and to be lifted vp vnto God what then be they that wishe al the Churche to be drowned in ignorance and the people to know nothinge If S. Paule were now aliue he woulde answeare him as sometime he answeared Elymas For certainely he him selfe knoweth That he wilfully peruerteth the manifest way of the Lorde M. Hardinge The .15 Diuision That Emperour had dominion ouer some Nations that vnderstoode not the Greeke commonly Yet no man can tel of any Constitution that euer he made for Seruice there to be had in their Vulgare and Barbarous tongue So many Nations hauinge beene conuerted to the Faith the common people whereof vnderstoode neither Greeke nor Latine if the hauinge of the Seruice in their Vulgare tongue had beene thought necessary to their Saluation The Fathers that stickte not to bestow their Bloud for their Flockes woulde not haue spared that smal paine and trauaile to put their Seruice in Vulgare tongues If it had beene necessary it had been doone if it had beene doone it had beene mentioned by one or other It appearâ—th by Arnobius vpon the Psalmes by Epiphanius writinge against Heresies and by S. Augustine in his Bookes De Doctrina Christiana that by accompte of the antiquitie there were 72. tongues in the worlde Cicero saithe that they be in number infinitie Of them al 78. neither M. Iuel nor any one of his side is able to shew that the Publike Seruice of the Churche in any Nation was euer for the space of sixe hundred yeeres after Christe in any other then in Greeke and Latine The B. of Sarisburie Arnobius S. Augustine and Epiphanius saye there be thréescore and twelue sundrie Languages in the worlde Cicero saith they be infinite Here must I note by the way that Ciceroes woordes wel alleged doo vtterly confounde M. Hardinges Doctrine of hearing that thinge that the hearers vnderstande not in suche sorte as he mainteineth the hearinge of Masse For thus he saithe In his linguis quas non intelligimus quae sunt innumerabiles surdi profectò sumus In those tongues that wee vnderstande not which be innumerable certainely wee be deafe By which woordes M. Hardinge might perceiue that the simple people hearing him at his Masse is starke deafe and heareth nothinge Yet saithe M. Hardinge is not M. Iuel hable to shew that euer the Publique Seruice was in any other tongue then in Greeke or Latin And thus beinge required by mée to shew any one example that the people had their Common Seruice in a strange tongue and as it appeareth not hable to shew any he altereth cunningly the whole case and willeth mée to shew Which thinge notwithstandinge I might iustely refuse to doo by the order of any Schooles yet am I wel contente to yéelde to his request bothe for the goodnesse and pregnancie of the cause and also specially good Christian Reader for the better contentation of thy minde not doubtinge but of thée selfe thou wilte be hable to finde some distrust and wante in M. Hardinges side who notwithstandinge so many woordes and so greate vauntes yet is hable to shew nothinge And to auoide multitude of woordes the case beinge plaine Eckius saithe The Indians had their Seruice in the Indian tongue Durandus saithe The Iewes that were Christened had their Seruice in the Hebrew tongue Yet was neither of these tongues either Greeke or Latine Nicolaus Lyra and Thomas of Aquine saye The Common Seruice in the Primitiue Churche was in the Common Vulgare tongue By these few it may appeare it was but a brauerie that M. Hardinge saide Neither M. Iuel nor any one of that side is hable to shew that the Publique Seruice was in any other tongue then in Greeke or Latine For it is easy to be shewed euen by the Doctours of his owne side But what if Doctour Hardinge him selfe haue in plaine woordes confessed the same Although he haue wantonly denied Christe yet I trow he wil not denie him selfe Consider good Reader his owne woordes hereafter folowing in this selfe same Article But S. Paule say they requireth that the people geue assent and conforme them selfe vnto the Priest by ansvvearinge Amen to his praier made in the congregation Herevnto M. Hardinge answeareth thus Verily in the Primitiue Churche this vvas necessary vvhen the faith vvas a learninge and therefore the praiers vvere made then in a coÌ„mon toÌ„gue knovveÌ„ to the people What can there be more plainely spoken Here M. Hardinge not onely confesseth that the Common Praiers were pronounced in a Common tongue knowen to the people but also further saith the same at that time was necessary and auoucheth it with his warrant Verily Now quite contrary as a man that had vtterly forgotten him selfe he saith The Common Seruice was neuer saide but either in the Gréeke tongue or in the Latine and therein he offreth stoutely to stande against M. Iuel and al others of this side Whiche thing is easy for him to doo séeing he dareth to stande so stoutely against him selfe Uerily his sayeinges cannot stande bothe togeather If he be true in the one in the other he must néedes be false Yet good Christian Reader for thy better satisfaction it may please thee to know that in the Primitiue Churche the Common Seruice was not ministred by one man alone but by the Priest and whole Congregation altogeather as may appeare by the general consent of the olde Fathers Clemens Alexandrinus saith In orationibus veluti vnam vocem habent Communem vnam mentem In the Common praiers they haue al as it were one voice and one minde S. Chrysostome saith Not onely the Priest geueth thankes to God but also al the people And what doost thou maruel to see the Priest and people in the Praiers talke togeather And here to leaue S. Augustine S. Hierome S. Basile Nazianzenus Dionysius Ariopagita with many other like Fathers Isidorus describinge the order of the Churche in his time writeth thus Oporâ—es vt quando psallitur ab omnibus psallatur Et cùm oratur vt ab omnibus oretur cumque Lectio legitur facto silentio aequé audiatur à cunctis When they Singe they must Singe altogeather when they praie they must Praie altogeather and when the Lesson is readde silence beinge commaunded they must here altogeather It were very muche for M. Hardinge to say Al these thinges were doone in a learned tongue and that the Vulgare people in euery Countrie vnderstoode either the Greeke or the Latine Yet for that nothinge séemeth harde for him to say let vs sée what the olde Fathers wil reporte in that behalfe I haue already shewed by Theodoretus Sozomenus and S. Hierome that the Seruice was in the Syrian tongue Olde Father Origens woordes in my iudgement