sua Antichristum praecurrit I speake it boldely Who so euer calleth him selfe the Vniuersal Prieste or desireth so to be called as doth the Pope in the Pride of his harte he is the forerenner of Antichriste And when Iohn then Bishop of Constantinople had firste entred his claime vnto this title S. Gregorie made answeare vnto the same Ex hac eius Superbia quid aliud nisi propinqua iam esse Antichristi tempora designantur By this Pride of his what thinge els is signified but that the time of Antichriste is euen at hande Againe he saithe vpon occasion of the same Rex soperbiae propè est quod dici nefas est Sacerdotum est praeparatus exercitus The Kinge of Pride that is Antichriste is comminge to vs and an Armie of Priestes is prepared whiche thinge is wicked to be spoken S. Hierome saithe Antichristus omnem Religionem suae subijciet Potestati Antichriste shal cause al Religion to be subiecte to his Power I wil not here take vpon me to discrie either the Person or yâ— dwelling Place of Antichriste Who so hath eies to sée let him sée These CircuÌ„stances agree not vnto many S. Paule saith Antichriste woorketh the Mysterie or secrete practise of Iuiquitie Whereupon the Glose saith Mystica est Impietas Antichristi id est Pieratis nomine palliata The wickednesse of Antichriste is Mystical that is to saie It is not plaine open or easy to be espied of euery body but cloked vnder the name of Godlinesse And for as mutche as M. Hardinge thinketh wee misallege these Writers and violently force them to our side whether thei wil or no S. Bernarde saithe thus Bestia illa de Apocalypsi cui datum lest os loquens Blasphemias bellum gerere cum Sanctis Petri Cathedram occupat tanquam Leo paratus ad praedam That Beaste that is spoken of in the Booke of Reuelations vnto whiche Beaste is geuen a mouthe to speake Blashemies and to keepe warre againste the Sainctes of God is novve gotten into Peters Chaire as a Lion prepared to his praie Ioachimus Abbas saide aboue three hundred yéeres sithence Antichristus iam pridem natus est Romae altiùs se extollet in Sede Apostolica Antichriste is already borne in Rome and shal auaunce him selfe higher in the Apostolique See Arnulphus in the Councel of Remes saith thus Quid hunc ReuereÌ„di Patres in sublimi Solio residentem veste purpurea aurea radiantem quid hunc inquam esse censeris Nimirùm si charitate destituitur solaque scientia inflatur extollitur Antichristus est in Templo Dersedens sese oftendens tanquam sit Deus What thinke you Reuerend Fathers of this man be meaneth the Pope sittinge on highe in his Throne glitteringe in purple and clothe of Golde What thinke you him to be Verily if he be voide of Charitie and be blowen vp and auaunced onely with knowledge then is he Antichrist sitting in the Temple of God and shewing out him selfe as if he were God The Bishoppes in the Councel at Reinspurg saie thus Hildebrandus Papa sub specie Religionis iecit Fundamenta Antichristi Pope Hildebrande vnder a coloure of holinesse by forebiddinge Priestes mariage hath saide the Fundation for Antichriste Dante 's an Italian Poëte by expresse woordes calleth Rome the Whoore of Babylon Fanciscus Petrarcha likewise saithe Rome the Whoore of Babylon The Mother of al Idolatrie and Fornication the Sanctuarie of Heresie and the Schole of Errour I knowe these woordes wil séeme odious vnto many Therefore I wil staie spare the reste The Pope him selfe for that he sawe to whoe 's Person and credite these thinges belonged therefore in his Late Councel of Laterane gaue straite Commaundemente to al Preachers that noman shoulde dare once to speake of the Comminge of Antichriste The Apologie Cap. 17. Diuision 1. And what marueile if the Churche were then carried awaie with errours in that time specially when neither the Bishop of Rome who then onely ruled the roste nor almoste any other either didde his duetie or once vnderstoode what was his duetie For it is harde to be beleeued whiles they were idle and faste asleepe that the Diuel also al that while either fel asleepe or els continually laie idle For howe they were occupied in the meane time and with what faithfulnesse they tooke care of Goddes House though we holde our peace yet I praie you let them heare Bernarde theire owne frende The Bishoppes saith he vvho novve haue the charge of Goddes churche are not Teachers but Deceiuers They are not Feeders but Beguilers They are not Prelates but Pilates These wordes spake Bernarde of that Bishop who named him selfe the higheste Bishop of al and of the other Bishoppes likewise whiche then hadde the place of gouernemente Bernarde was no Lutherane Bernarde was no Heretike he had not forsaken the Catholike Churche yet neuerthelesse he did not lette to cal the Bishoppes that then were Deceiuers Beguilers Pilates Nowe when the people was openly deceiued and Christian mennes eies were craftily bleared and Pilate sate in Iudgement place and condemned Christe and Christes Members to Swerde and Fiere O good Lorde in what case was Christes Churche then But yet tel me of so many and so grosse errours what one erroure haue these menne at any time refourmed Or what faulte haue they once acknowledged and confessed M. Hardinge VVhy Sirs are ye so wel learned and so holy of life your selues that ye take vpon you to iudge the Bishop of Rome Christes chiefe officer in earthe and al other men before the time of your Apostates and Renegate Frters to haue ben both impious for not doing theire dutie and ignorant for not knowinge what was theire dutie VVas al Vertue so farre bannished al necessarie knowledge and Christian learninge so cleane put out that wee muste nowe beginne to learne how to beleue and howe to liue a Christian life of sutche light preachers Wicked vowbreakers lewde Lecherous Lurdens and detestable blasphemers as your deuilishe rable is S. Bernardes wordes to Eugenius be these Age indagemus adhuc diligentiùs quis sis c. VVel goe too Let vs somewhat more diligently examine what manner a man thou art what person thou bearest for the presente time in the Churche of God VVho art thou The greate Preieste the highest Bishop Thou arte the chiefe of al Bishoppes thou arte the heire of the Apostles for primacie thou arte Abel for Gouernement Noë for Patriarkship Abraham for holy order Melchiscdech for dignitie Aaron for Auctoritie Moyses for iudgemente Samuel for power Peter for thy anointinge Christe Thou art heâ—to whom the Keies were deliuered to whom the Shepe were committed There be also other porters of Heauen and Pastours of flockes But thou so mutche farre passinge al other as thou haste inherited bothe names mutche more indifferent They haue theire flockes assigned vnto them
Pope the strengtheninge of the Saracenes and after of the Turkes and the Diuision and dissolution of the state of Christendome Platyna saithe Ab hoc tempore perijt potestas Imperatorum virtus Pontificum After this time the power of the Emperours and the Holinesse of the Popes were bothe loste Touchinge the Quéene of Scotland I wil saye nothinge The Kingedomes and states of the Worlde haue sundrie agreementes and compositions The Nobles and Commons there neither drewe the Swerde nor attempted force against the Prince They sought onely the continuance of Goddes vndoubted Truthe and the Defence of theire owne liues against your Barbarous cruel inuasions They remembred bisides al other warninges your late dealinge at Vassei where as great numbers of theire Brethren were suddainely murthered beinge togeather at theire Praiers in the Churche holdinge vp theire Innocente handes to Heauen callinge vpon the name of God Achab saide sometime to the Prophete Elia Thou arte he that troublest the whole Countrie of Israel But Elias made him answeare It is not I that trouble the Countrie It is thou and thy Fathers house whiche houe foresaken the commeundementes of the Lorde and houe folowed after Baalim The Subiecte is bounde to obey his Prince how be it not in al thinges without exception but so far as Goddes glorie is not touched These Nobles had learned of S. Peter It is better to obey God then man And of the Prophete Dauid Better it is to truste to God then to truste in Princes For they are mortal and shal die theire Sprite shal be taken from them then shal they returne into the Earthe Neither maye a godly Prince take it as any dishonour to his estate to sée God obeied before him For he is not God but the Minister of God Leo saithe Christus quae Dei sunt Deo quae Caesaris sunt Caesari reddenda constituit c. Hoc est verè noÌ„ impugnare Caesarem sed iuuare Christe commaunded that is dewe vnto God to bâ—â—euen to God that is dewe vnto Caesor to be geuen to Caesar Verily this is not to rebel against but to helpe Caesar Likewise S. Ambrose beinge him selfe in manner a Capitaine vnto the people in Goddes quarrel against Valentinian the Emperour Quid praesentius dici potuit à Christianis viris quà m id quod hodie in nobis Spiritus Sanctus Ioquutus est Rogamus Auguste non pugnamus Non timemus sed Rogamus What could be more boldly spokeÌ„ of Christian menne then that the holy Ghoste spake in you this daye Thus ye saide Wee beseeche thee Noble Emperour wee fight not Wèe feare thee not but wee beseeche thee To conclude the Quéene of Scotlande is stil in quiet possession of her estate is obeied of her Subiectes so far as is conuenient for godly people to obeye their Prince The Apologie Cap. 2. Diuision 7. That wee haue seditiously fallen from the Catholique Churche and by a wicked schisme and diuision haue shaken the whole worlde and troubled the common peace and vniuersal quiet of the Churche that as Dathan and Abiron conspired in times past against Moyses and Aaron euen so wee at this daye haue renounced the Bishop of Rome without any cause reasonable M. Hardinge Before Luthers time al Christen people came togeather peaceably into one Churche vnder one Heade as Shepe into one folde vnder one Shepeherd and so liued Vnanimes in domo in one accorde But after that SathaÌ„ who at the beginninge begyled Eue had persuaded some to taste of the poisoned apple of Luthers Newe Doctrine they went out froÌ„ vs who were not of vs for if they had ben of vs they had remained with vs forsooke the Catholike Churche of Christ sorted them selues into Synagoges of Antichriste withdrewe them selues from obedience to warde theire Pastor and Iudge and sundred them selues into diuerse Sectes This schisme diuision and conspiracie against the Head Shepherd is nolesse wicked then that of Dathan and Abiron against Moyses and Aaron was For as God commaunded Moyses and Aaron to be obeyed of the children of Israel so Christe coÌ„maunded al his Shepe to obeye and heare the voice of him whom in Peter and succedinge Peter he made Shepeherd ouer his whole stocke The B. of Sarisburie Before the time that Goddes Holy wil was that Doctour Luther should begin to publishe the Gospel of Christe there was a general quietnesse I graunte sutche as is in the night season when folke be asleape Yet I thinke to continewe sutche quietnesse no wise man wil wish to sleepe stil Ye saye They haue forsaken the Catholique Churche They went from vs. who were not of vs. Nay rather M. Hardinge wée are returned to the Catholique Churche of Christe haue forsaken you bicause you haue manifestly foresaken the wayes of God But what if a man would alitle put you frendely in remeÌ„brance Sir it is not so longe sithence your selfe were out of your owne Catholique Churche and so were gonne out from your selfe bicause your selfe were not of your selfe For if your selfe had bene of your selfe you would haue remained better with your selfe It is no wisedome in carpinge others to offer occasion against your selfe I beseche God to geue you grace that you maye Redire ad cor and returne againe to your selfe But here you bringe in a great many Vntruthes in a thronge togeather You saye that as God commaunded the people of Israel to obey Aaron so Christe commaunded al his Shéepe to obey the Pope succedinge Peter You saye Christe made the Pope Shepheard ouer his whole flocke You cal him Our Pastour and our Iudge you cal him the head Shepheard for proufe hereof for some countenance of Truthe ye allege the one and twentith Chapter of S. Iohn in whiche whole Chapter notwithstandinge ye are not able to finde neither any suche commaundement of Christe nor any mention of Peters Successour nor Al his Shéepe nor Shepheard ouer his whole Flocke nor Our Pastour nor Our Iudge nor Our Head-shepheard It is mutche to reporte Vntruthe of a man But to reporte Vntruthe of Christe and of his Holy Woorde and that willingly and witingly and without feare some menne thinke it to be the Sinne against the Holy Ghoste As for these woordes Feede my Sheepe Feede my Lammes they perteine as wel to other the Apostles as to Peter Christe saide generally to al his Disciples Goe ye into al the worlde and preache the Gospel And Paule saithe of him selfe Ego plus omnibus laboraui I haue taken more paines and more fedde the flock then al the rest Surely me thinketh it is a weake kinde of reasoninge to saie thus Christe bade Peter féede his shéepe Ergo he made him headshepheard ouer al the worlde But if this whole Prerogatiue hange of Féedinge the Flocke what then if the Pope Féede not What if he neuer minde to Féede as thinkinge it no parte of his office To
offices it proueth that a Priest may haue both but not cōtrariwise that a King may haue both For the greater may include the lesse but the lesse can not include the greater The office of a Priest is the highest of al. And Christe comming naturally of the Kinges line from Dauid in the tribe of Iuda yet estemed that honor nothinge in respecte of that he was a Prieste according to the order of Melchisedech Therefore Melchisedech also beinge both Prieste and Kinge was not yet saide to be the figure of Christe so mutche concerninge his Kingedome as his Priesthoode For Dauid said of Christe Thou art a Prieste for euer after the order of Melchtsedech As for his Kingedome it was included in his Priestes office And therefore when we speake of Christes Kingedome though in euery respecte he be the very Kinge in dede of al Kinges and Lord of al Lordes yet we assigne it also to haue ben vpon the Crosse vbiregnauit à ligno Deus where God reigned from the woodde Accordinge to the same meaninge whereas the people of Israel were called Regnum Sacerdotale a Priestly Kingedome S. Peter writing to the Christians tourned the order of the wordes calling the Churche of Christ Sacerdotium Regale a Kingely Priesthoode Moses was both a Prieste and a Ciuile Gouernoure as beinge a figure of Christe who ioined both together makinge the tribe of Iuda which was before kingly now also to be Priestly Therefore S. Augustine vpon those wordes of Dauid Psal 98. Moses and Aaron are in the number of his Priestes concludeth that Moses muste nedes haue benne a Prieste For saithe he if he were not a Priest what was he ‡ Nunquid maior sacerdote esse potuit could he be greater then a Prieste ‡ As who shoulde saie there is no greater dignitie then priesthoode And seinge Moses had the greatest dignitie for he ruled al and consecrated Aarō high Bishop and his sonnes Priestes therefore him selfe muste nedes haue ben a Prieste Nowe if Moses were bothe and his chiefe office was Priesthoode it foloweth by that example that the Pope maie rule temporally but not that a Kinge maie rule spiritually This you haue gained nothinge by this example The B. of Sarisburie Here M. Hardinge hath many greate woordes of smal weight The final Conclusion and Summa summarum is this The Pope muste needes be a Kinge And that he proueth as his manner is by these his yonge vntiedy Argumentes Moses being a Ciuile Magistrate or a Prince had also the Priesthoode was a Prieste Ergo saithe he The Pope beinge a Prieste muste haue also the Kingedome be a Kinge And thus he peeceth these maters handsomely togeather as though what so euer were once in Moses ought of necessitie to be also in y◠Pope But if a man shoulde desire him to proue his Argumente to make it good and to shewe vs howe these péeces maie be framed togeather I thinke he would be faine to take a daie Firste whether Moses were a Prieste or no it is not certaine As for that M. Harding allegeth these woordes of Dauid Moses Aaron in Sacerdotibus eius he him selfe wel knoweth that the Hebrewe woorde there is doubteful and signifieth as wel a Prince as a Prieste S. Hierome saithe Vnus Legis alte◠Sacerdotij Regulam tenuit Moses helde the Rule of the Lawe Aaron the Rule of Priesthoode Againe he saithe Emisit ante faciem nostram Mosen Spiritualem Legem Aaron magnum Sacerdotem God sente out before our face Moses not as the Prieste but as the Spiritual Lawe and Aaron the greate Prieste Euen Hugo your owne Doctoure touching the same woordes saithe thus Moses etsi c. Notwithstandinge Moses vvere not a Prieste yet bicause he halowed the peoples praiers c. he was called a Prieste For in the Scriptures Greate and Noble menne are called by the name of Prieste Who so listeth to knowe more hereof let him reade Sanctes Pagninus Dauid Kimchi Nicolaus Lyra c. But if Moses in déede were a Prieste yee shoulde doo wel M. Hardinge to resolue vs Fiest whether he were a Prieste borne or els afterwarde made a Prieste A Prieste borne I trowe yée wil not saie If yée saie he was afterwarde made a Prieste then tel vs by what Bishop or other Creature was he Consecrate At whoe 's handes receiued he Authoritie When where to what pourpose What Priestelike Apparel euer ware he Or in what Office or Ministerie euer shewed he him self to be a Prieste S. Paule saith A Prieste is appointed to offer vp Oblations and Sacrifices for sinne What Oblations or Sacrifices for sinne can yée tel vs that Moses offered If he were neither Borne a Prieste nor made a Prieste nor euer knowen by office to be a Prieste then was he I trowe a very strange Prieste If Moses were the Highest Prieste and Head of the Churche and Aaron likewise the Highest Prieste and in so mutche the Heade of the Churche too as wel as he then had y◠Churche tvvoo highest Bishoppes and tvvoo Heades bothe togeather Whiche thinge were monstrous not onely in speache but also in Nature Notwithstandinge whether Moses at any one certaine time were a Prieste or no it is a mater not woorthy the striuinge Certaine it is that before the Lavve was written Kinges Princes and the beste borne and Enheritours y◠wealthiest of the people were euer Priestes S. Hierome saithe Hebraei tradunt Primogenitos functos Officio Sacerdotum habuisse Vestimentum Sacerdotale quo induti Deo Victimas offerebant antequam Aaron in Sacerdotium eligeretur The Hebrevve Rabbines saie that the Firste borne children did the office of the Priestes and had the Priestelike Apparel and wearing the same offered vp theire Sacrifices vnto God vntil the time that Aaron was chosen into the Priestehoode Againe he saithe Priuilegium Offerendi Primogenitis vel maximè Regibus debebatur The Priuilege of offering vp Sacrifices was dewe to y◠First borne of the children but most of al vnto Kinges The Heathen Romaine Emperours as Vespasianus Traianus and others to encrease their Maiestie towardes their Subiectes biside the state of the Emprere woulde also be called Pontifices Maximi Therefore wee wil graunte M. Harding séeinge he hath taken so mutch paines about a mater not woorthy so longe talke that Moses for somme litle shorte time was a Prieste Yet neuerthelesse had he no Ordinarie Priesthoode neither was he a Prieste more then for the space of twoo or thrée houres onely vntil he had Consecrated Aaron and his children no lenger Immediately afterward al this greate Priestehoode was at an end One of your owne Doctours M. Hardinge saithe thus Non erant Sacerdotes Legales Dignitate Officio sicut Aaron Licet in necessitate propter defectum Sacerdotum aliquos actus Sacerdotum fecerint vt quòd Moses inunxit Aaron propter quod Moses
Sacerdos dicitur in Psalmo The Firstborne were not Priestes in Office and Dignitie as Aaron was notwithstanding in case of necessitie and for lacke of Priestes they did somme parte of the Priestes Office as that Moses anointed or Consecrated Aaron for whiche thinge Moses in the Psalme is called a Prieste This M. Hardinge is that Fundation that must néedes beare the burthen of your whole Churche of Rome The Pope yée saie muste be a Kinge bicause Moses was bothe Prince and Priest And yet your own Felowes saie Moses by Office and Dignitie vvas neuer Prieste Yée saie The Pope being a Bishop maie be a Kinge But of the other side a King maie in no wise be a Bishop thus either vnwitingely or willingly yée seeme to ouerthrowe your owne Position For the Example that yée grounde vpon of Aaron and Moses proueth quite the contrarie For Moses being a Prince did also the Office of a Bishop But Aaron beinge the Bishop did neuer the Office of a Prince Therefore hereof yée might better Conclude the a Prince maie be a Bishop But a Bishop maie not be a Kinge Streighten your boltes therefore M. Harding shaue thē better before yée so suddainely I wil not saie so rudely shoote them from you Neuerthelesse yée saie the Priesthoode whiche is the more maie conteine the Kingedome beinge y◠lesse In this respecte I trowe your Glose as it is said before compareth the Pope to the Sonne and the Emperoure to the Moone findeth out substantially by good Geometrical Proportion that the Pope is iust seuen and fiftie times greater then the Emperour How be it your owne Doctours saie as I haue likewise shewed before that in the Lavve of Moses the Prince was greater then the Prieste That ye allege of the Priesthoode and Kingedome of Christe serueth you to smal purpose For I beseche you what Crovvne what Scepter what Svverde bare Christe What Ecclesiastical Priesthoode had he but onely that he executed vpon the Crosse Verily touching any Ciuile shewe or outward Office as he was no Kinge so was he no Prieste As he said My Kingdome is not of this world So might he also haue said My Priesthoode is not of this vvorld Otherwise he was bothe King Priest in Power Vertue but not apparētly in outward office One of your Felowes saithe thus Pater per Sanctos Expositores quòd Christus non habuit in Temporalibus Authoritatem vel Iudicium Sed dare potuit dare habuit Virtutis Documentum It appeareth by the Holy Expositours that Christe had neither Authoritie nor Iudgemente in thinges Temporal But he coulde bothe geeue and had to geeue Instructions of Vertue As for these twoo woordes of S. Peter Yee are a Kingely Priesthoode yée woulde not haue alleged them to this pourpose had yée not benne in your dreame For thinke you that S. Peter called the whole Body of the Churche of Christe a Kingely Priesthoode for that you fansie your Pope to be togeather bothe Priest and Kinge Certainely the Churche of God was a Kingely Priesthoode before either the Churche of Rome was a Churche or the Pope of Rome was a Pope Yee should haue somme care to deale more reuerently with the VVoorde of God For it is Holy S. Peters meaninge is this that euery Faithful Christian man is now after a Spiritual or Ghostly meaning not onely a Prieste but also a King and therefore he calleth the whole Churche a Kingely Priesthoode Tertullian saithe thus Nónne Laici Sacerdotes sumus Regnum quoqque nos Sacerdotes Deo Patri suo fecit And wee that be Laiemen are wee not Priestes Truly Christe hath made euen vs a kingdome and Priestes vnto his Father S. Augustine saith Hoc Sacerdotio Regali consecrantur omnes pertinentes ad Corpus Christi Summi Veri Principis Sacerdotum With this Roial Priesthoode al thei are consecrate that perteine to the Body of Christe whiche is the high and true Prince of Priestes Againe he saith Omnes sunt Sacerdotes quia Membra sunt vnius Sacerdotis Al be Priestes because thei are the Members of one Prieste S. Ambrose saith Omnes Filij Ecclesiae Sacerdotes sunt Al the Children of the Churche be Priestes S. Hierome saithe Genus Sacerdotale Regale sumus omnes qui Baptizati in Christo Christi censemur Nomine Al we are that Priestely and Kingely Kinred that beinge Baptized in Christe are called Christians by the name of Christe Chrysostome saith Et tu in Baptismo Rex efficeris Sacerdos Propheta Euen thou in thy Baptisme art made both a King and a Prieste and a Prophete Nowe M. Hardinge let vs take the vlewe of youre Priestely Conclusions Moses once did one parte of the Bishoppes Office to Consecrate Aaron his children that ▪ neuer at any time els ▪ neither after nor before Christ Rath a Spiritual Priesthoode a Spiritual Kingdome for otherwise Ordinarie Priesthood and Earthely Kingedome he had none S. Peter calleth the whole Churche of Christe a Kingely Priesthoode Ergo saie you The Pope beareth bothe the Office of a Prieste and also the Righte and State of an Earthly Kinge To dissemble al other the fonde weakenesse of these folies Christe him selfe saith to the Pope and to al other Priestes and Bishoppes The Kinges of Nations rule ouer them and they that are greate exercise Authoritie ouer the people But it shal not be so emongest you S. Cyprian saithe as he is alleged by Gratian Christus actibus proprijs Dignitatibus distinctis officia Potestatis vtriusque discreuit Christe by seueral deuties and distincte honoures hath set a difference bitweene the Offices of bothe Powers Whereupon your owne Glose saithe Hic est Argumentum quòd Papa non habet vtrunque Gladium Here is a good Argument that the Pope hath not bothe Swerdes S. Bernarde saith thus vnto Pope Eugenius Planū est quòd Apostolis interdicitur Dominatus Ergo tu tibi vsurpare aude aut Dominās Apostolatum aut Apostolicus Dominatum Planè ab alterutro prohiberis Si Vtrunque similiter habere vis perdes vtrunque Alioqui ne te putes exceptum illorum numero de quibus conqueritur Dominus dicens Ipsi regnauerunt non ex me It is plaine that Temporal Dominion is forebidden the Apostles Nowe therefore thou being Pope dare to vsurpe either the Apostleship beinge a Prince or the Princehoode beinge the successoure of the Apostles Doubtelesse from the one of them thou arte forebidden If thou wilte indifferentely haue bothe thou shalte lose bothe Otherwise thinke not thou canste bee excepted from the mimber of them of whom the Lorde complaineth Thei haue made them selues kinges and not by mee Concerninge the place of S. Peter one of your companie saithe it nothinge furthereth the Popes Kingedome Thus he saithe Sacerdotium dicitur Regale à Regno non huius mundi sed Coeli
vvith vs And al wee haue receiued the same togeather vvith him Likewise S. Cyprian Christus eandem dedit Apostolis omnibus potestatem Christe gaue vnto al his Apostles like and Equal Power So likewise saithe Beda Potestas Ligandi SolueÌ„di quamuis Soli Petro à Domino data videatur tamen absque vlla dubietate noscendum est quòd Coeteris Apostolis data est The Power of Bindinge and Loosinge notwithstanding it seeme to be geeuen Onely vnto peter yet without al doubte wee muste vnderstande that it was geeuen also to the reste of the Apostles Briefly M. Hardinges owne Scholastical Doctours Confesse that the Power of the Apostles was One and Equal But they saye that the whole multitude of the Churche was committed onely vnto Peter and not likewise to any other and that therein onely standeth al the difference Heruaeus saithe Quamuis Apostoli eandem habuerint à Christo aequalem potestatem Clauium Iurisdictionis tamen Iurisdictionem siuè Materiam subiectam non habuit nisi Petrus cui eam Petrus committere voluit Notwithstandinge the Apostles receiued of Christe equal Povver of the Keies and Iurisdiction yet the Iurisdiction or mater wherein to vse their Power none had but Onely Peter and to whome so euer Peter woulde commit the same And thus he imagineth that al the Apostles sauinge Onely Peter had Keies geuen them but no House to Open and Iurisdiction but no people to gouerne Verily Alphonsus de Castro saithe Quando absoluit Simplex Sacerdos tantùm absoluit de Culpa sicut Papa VVhen a Simple Prieste Absolueth he absolueth as mutche touchinge Sinne as doothe the Pope But touchinge the Pope howe greate so euer he fansie his Keie to be aboue al others if he neuer vse the same if he either knowe not or vtter not the Woorde of God wee saie as before wel maie he shut vp the Kingedome of God before menne but open it he cannot Origen saithe Qui funibus Peccatorum suorum constringitur frustrà vel Ligar vel Soluit He that is bounde with the bandes of his owne Sinnes Bindeth and Looseth but in vaine To conclude S. Augustine saithe Cùm Petro dicitur Omnibus dicitur Amas me Pasce Oues meas These woordes of Christe Louest thou mee Feede my Sheepe when they are spoken vnto Peter they are spoken vnto Al Priestes or Ministers He addeth further traque miseri dum in Petro Petram non intelligunt nolunt credere datas Ecclesiae Claues Regni Coelorum ipsi eas de manibus amiserunt Therefore wretched menne while in Peter they vnderstande not Christe that is the Rocke and while they wil not beleeue that the Keies of the Kingedome of Heauen are geuen not vnto Peter alone but vnto the Churche they haue quite loste the Keies out of their handes The Apologie Cap. 8. Diuision 1. Wee saie that Matrimonie is Holy and Honorable in al sortes and states of Personnes as in the Patriarches in the Prophetes in the Apostles in the Holy Martyrs in the Ministers of the Churche and in Bishoppes that it is an honest and lawful thinge as Chrysostome saithe for a man liuinge in Matrimonie to take vpon him therewith the Dignitie of a Bishop M. Hardinge Matrimonie is Holy and Honorable in al persons and an vndefiled bedde as saithe S. Paule Yet is it not lauful for them to marie whiche either haue by deliberate vowe dedicated al maner their chastitie vnto God or haue receiued Holy Order For the vowed be forbidden Mariage by expresse VVoorde of God Those that haue taken Holy Orders by Tradition of the Apostles and Auncient ordinaunce of the Churche Touchinge the firste the Scripture is plaine because a Vowe is to be performed Vouete reddite Domino Deo vestro Vowe ye and paye or render that ye vowe to your Lorde God Christe also saithe in the Gospel there be some Eunuches that haue made theÌ„ selues Eunuches for the Kingedome of Heauens sake He that can take let him take Againe S. Paule speakinge of younge VVidowes whiche haue vowed and promised Chastitie saithe that when they waxe wanton against Christe they wil marie hauinge danmation because they haue broken their firste Faithe VVhether these Scriptures perteine hereto and be thus to be vnderstanded we referre vs to the Primitiue Churche and to al the Holy Fathers Sutche Mariages or rather slidinges and falles from the holier Chastitie that is Vowed to God S. Augustine doubteth not but they be woorse then aduoutries S. Cyprian calleth this case plaine inceste S. Basile accompteth the mariages of vailed virgins to be voide of no force and Sacrilegious She that hath despoused her selfe to our Lorde saithe S. Basile is not free For her husbande is not deade that shee maye marie to whome she liste And whiles her immortal husbande liueth shee shal be called an Aduoutresse whiche for lustes of the Fleashe hath brought a mortal man into our Lordes Chamber Touchinge the seconde the Apostles forbidde those that come single to the Cleregie to marie excepte suche as remaine in the inferiour Orders and procede not to the greater as we finde in their Canons Can 25. Paphnutius as Socrates and Sozomenus recorde in their Ecclesiastical storie saide at the Nicene Councel that it was an Olde Tradition of the Churche that suche as come to the Degree or Order of Priesthood single should not marie wiues And this is that Holy Bishop Paphnutius whome these Euangelicall Vowebreakers pretende to be their proctour for theire vnlauful Mariages Reade who liste the Epistle of Siricius ad Himerium Tarraconensem Cap. 7. the seconde Epistle of Innocentius to Victricius Bishop of Roen Cap. 9. and his thirde Episitle to Exuperius B. of Tolouse Cap. 1. And weighiâ—ge wel these places he shal perceiue that these Holy Popes forbad the Ministers of the Churche the vse of VVedlocke by the same Reason by whiche the Priestes of Moses Lawe were forebidden to come within their owne houses in the time when their course came to serue in the Holy Ministeries By the same reason also by whiche S. Paule requireth maried folke for a time to forbeare the vse of their wiues that they might attende Prayinge The place of Chrysostome alleaged by this Defender wel considered disproueth no parte of the Catholike Doctrine in this behalfe but condemneth bothe the Doctrine and common Practise of his companions these newe fleashly Gospellers His woordes be these vpon the saieinge of S. Paule that a Bishop ought to be without crime the Husbande of one wife The Apostle saithe he stoppeth the mouthes of Heretikes whiche condemne mariage she winge that it is not an vncleane thinge but so reuerend that with the same a man maye Ascende to the Holy throne or seate he meaneth the state of a Bishop and herewith he Chastiseth and restraineth the Vnchaste persons not permittinge them who haue twise maried to attaine
of Sisters and Brothers there wanted not menne whiche forged false tales vpon the same saieinge that the Christians made no difference amonge them selues either of age or of kinde but like brute beastes without regarde had to doo one with an other And whereas to praie and to heare the Gospel they mette often togeather in secrete and byplaces bicause Rebelles sometime were woonte to doo yâ— like therefore Rumours were euery were spreadde abroade that they made priuie confederacies tooke counsel togeather either to kil the Magistrates or to subuerte the Common Wealthe And whereas in Celebratinge the Holy Mysteries after Christes Institution they tooke Breade and VVine thei were therefore thought of many to woorship not Christe but Bacchus and Ceres for somuche as those vaine Goddes were woorshipped of the Heathen in like sorte after a prophane Superstition with Breade VVine These thinges were beleeued of many not bicause thei were true in deede for what coulde be more vntrue but bicause they were like to bee true and through a certaine shadowe of truthe mighte the more easily deceiue the simple On this fashon likewise doo these menne sclaunder vs as Heretiques and saie that wee haue leafte the Churche and Felowship of Christe not bicause thei thinke it is true for they doo not mutche force of that but bicause to ignoraunte folke it mighte perhaps somme waie appeare true Wee haue in deede put oure selues aparte not as Heretiques are woonte from the Churche of Christe but as al good menne oughte to doo from the infection of naughty personnes and Hypocrites Neuerthelesse in this pointe they triumphe maruciloully that they bee the Churche that their Churche is Christes Spouse the Piller of Truthe the Arke of Noe and that without it there is no hope of Saluation Contrariewise they saie that wee bee Renegates that we haue torne Christes seate that wee are plucked quite of from the Body of Christe haue foresaken the Catholique Faithe And when they leaue nothinge vnspoken that maie neuer so falsely and malitiousâ—y be saide againste vs yet this one thinge are they neuer hable truely to saie that we haue swarued either from the Woorde of God or from the Apostles of Christe or from the Primitiue Churche Surely wee haue euer iudged the Primitiue Churche of Christes time of the Apostles and of the Holy Fathers to be the Catholique Churche neither make wee doubte to name it Noes Arke Christes Spouse the Piller and vpholder of al Truthe nor yet to fixe therein the whole meane of oure Saluation It is doubtlesse an odious mater for one to leaue the felowship whereunto he hathe benne accustomed and specially of those menne whoe though they be not yet at leaste seeme to be and be called Christians And to saie truely wee doo not despise the Churche of these men how so euer it be ordered by them now a daies partely for the names sake it selfe and partely for that the Gospel of Iesus Christe hath once benne therein truely and purely set â—oorthe Neither had we departed therefrom but of very necessitie and mutche againste our willes M. Hardinge VVee graunt that in olde time slaunders were made vpon the Faithefull But no like slaunder is made by vs vpon you in the matter whereof ye speake For let vs graunt that ye haue in deede put your selues aparte and are gone from the contagion of naughtie persons and Hypocrites This is the very thinge we laie to your charge For though we were suche as for a great number ye shall neuer be able to prooue yet by Christes owne sentence ye muste doo that whiche they that sit in the chaire of Moses bid you doo although they be Hypocrites as the Scribes and Phariseis were of whome Christe spake c. But it shal be inoughe for you to doo as the Successours of Peter bid you to doo and so to folowe their saieinges and not their dooinges The Primitiue Churche is continewed with our time by the Successours of S. Peter for whose Faithe neuer to faile Christe praied and whome onely he made Shepeherde to feede all his Flocke of Sheepe and Lambes Christe now requireth of you not to obeie Peter and Paule but to obeie him who sitteth in their chaire VVhere ye saie it is an odious matter to forsake vs and yet haue foresaken vs where ye confesse that ye despise not the Churche we be of and yet graunt that ye haue departed from it how standeth this togeather Remember ye what ye saie Knowe ye what ye doo VVho will regarde your woorde whiche with one breathe saie and vnsaie If it be odious why doo ye it If ye despise not the Churche why departe ye from it The B. of Sarisburie Christe saithe The Scribes and Phariseis sitte in Moses Chaire Doo that they saie but doo not that they doo Ergo saie you Wee maie not departe awaie from the Pope How so euer it fare with your Conclusion M. Hardinge verily in your premisses yée compare the Pope and his Cardinalles with the Scribes and Phariseis And yet the Scribes and Phariseis sate in the Chaire and taught the Lavve Your Pope and Cardinalles sitte stil and teache nothinge Notwithstandinge let vs wel allowe of this Comparison Ye maie remember that Christe also saithe Woe be vnto you yee Scribes and Phariseis that shutte vp the Kingedome of Heauen before menne and neither doo you enter in your selues nor wil you suffer other that faine woulde enter Woe be vnto you yee blinde Guides Woe be vnto you that haue taken awaie the keie of Knovvledge Likewise he saithe of them vnto his Disciples Beware of the leauen of the Scribes and Phariseis Let them goe Blinde they are and the Leaders of the blinde To sitte in Moses Chaire was truely and rightly to instructe the people and to open vnto them the Lawe of Moses S. Augustine saithe Hoc ipsum quòd bona dicebant ea quae dicebant vtiliter audiebantur fiebant non erat ipsorum Cathedram enim inquit Mosi sedent That they spake good thinges vnto the people and that the thinges that they saide were profitable to the hearers and dooers of the same it was not of them selues For Christe saithe They sitte vpon Moses Chaire Againe he saithe Sedendo super Cathedram Mosis legem Dei docent Ergo per illos Deus docet Sua verò illi si velint docere nolite audire nolite facere Certè enim tales sua quaerunt non quae Iesu Christi Sittinge vpon Moses Chaire they teache the Lawe of God Therefore it is God that teacheth by the meane of them But if they wil teache you thinges of their owne then heare them not then doo it not For certainely sutche menne seeke their owne and not the thinges that perteine to Christe Jesus Ye sée therefore M. Hardinge wée are bounde to heare the Pope and his Cardinalles and other like Scribes and Phariseis not absolutely or without
further Hoc valdè verisimile est Quoniam verissimum Regnum hoc habet vocabulum S. Gregorie saith He is Antichriste that shal claime to be called the Vniuersal Bishop and shal haue a Garde of Priestes to attende vpon him Againe Irenaeus saithe Antichristus cùm sit Seruus tamen adorari vult vt Deus Antichriste notwithstandinge he be but a slaue yet he wil be woorshipped as if he were God Ioachimus Abbas saithe Antichristus iampridem natus est Romae altiùs extolletur in Sede Apostolica Antichriste is longe sithence borne in Rome and yet shal be higher anaunced in the Apostolique See Thus is he described that shal sitte in the place of Christe and shal maineteine possession againste Christe But Christe shal comme vvith his holy Angels and shal destroie him vvith the breath of his mouthe That ye allege of the Priesthoode of Melchisedech serueth you here to smal pourpose Wee knowe that not the Pope but Christe alone is a Prieste for euer accordinge to the Order of Melchisedech S. Augustine saithe Ipse est Sacerdos noster in aeternum secundum Ordinem Melchisedech qui semetipsum obtulit holocaustum pro peccatis nostris eius Sacrificii Similitudinem celebrandam in suae Passionis Memoriam commendauit Christe is oure Prieste for euer after the Order of Melchisedech whiche hath offered vp him selfe a Sacrifice for oure sinnes and hath deliuered vnto vs a Similitude or Likenesse of that Sacrifice to be donne in remembraunce of his Passion Likewise againe he saithe Holocausti eius Imaginem ad Memoriam Passionis suae in Ecclesia celebrandam dedit vt esset Sacerdos in aeternum non secundum Ordinem Aaron sed secundum ordinem Melchisedech Christe hathe geuen an Image or Resemblaunce of that Sacrifice to bee keapte in the Churche in Remembraunce of his Passion that he might be a Prieste for euer not after the Order of Aaron but after the Order of Melchisedech Howe be it touchinge this whole mater I haue answeared more at large in my Former Replie The Apologie Cap. 9. Diuision 4. Wherefore like as it is written that Hercules in olde time was forced in striuing with Antaeus that huge Giant to lifte him quite vp from the Earth that was his Mother ere he coulde conquert him euen so muste our Aduersaries be heaued from their Mother that is from this vaine colour and shadowe of the Churche wherewith they so disguise and defende them selues otherwise they can not bee brought to yelde vnto the Woorde of God And therefore saithe Ieremie the Prophete Make not sutche great boaste that the Temple of the Lorde is with you This is but a vaine confidence these are but lies The Angel also saithe in the Apocalyps They saie they be Ievves but they bee the Synagog of Sathan And Christe said to the Phariseis when they vaunted them selues of the kinred and bloude of Abraham Ye are of your father the Diuel For you resemble not your Father Abrahā As mutche to saie as Ye are not the menne yee would so faine be called ye beguile the people with vaine titles and abuse the name of the Churche to the ouerthrowing of the Churche M. Hardinge Heaue at vs whiles ye wil and whiles ye may ye shal neuer remoue vs. In whiche stedfastnes we truste to stande by Gods grace to the last breath Heaue at vs with al the forces of your cunning of your malice of your flatterie of your policies and with what so euer ingens ye haue ye shal neuer be able to ouerthrowe the house of our consciences builded vpon the sure rocke Let the gourders of raine come downe from you and al other Heretikes let the floudes of worldly rages thrust let the windes of Sathans temptations blowe their worste this house shal not be ouerthrowen The B. of Sarisburie O M. Hardinge S. Paule saith vnto you Noli altum Sapere sed time Presume not of your selfe but stande in awe Sutche woordes woulde rather haue becommed them that said sommetime vnto the Prophete Hieremie Verbum quòd locutus es nobis in Nomine Domini non audiemus Sed faciendo faciemus omne verbum quòd egredietur de ore nostro Wee wil neuer heare the woorde that thou speakest vnto vs in the name of the Lorde But wee wil surely doo what so euer thing shal passe out of our owne mouthes Thus it is written of them that saide The Lorde shal not beare rule ouer nor maister vs. With like mildenesse of spirite the wilful Philosopher saide Non persuadebis etiamsi persuaseris Ye shal not make me beleue it no though I doo beleue it As Constancie in good thinges is a vertue so frowardnesse and wilfulnesse is a vice Vowe not thus youre owne destruction He that is fallen maie rise againe The Lorde is hable to raise you vp and to make you a vessel of his glorie Ye knowe not to what good pourpose God hath appointed you Speake not ouer mutche of the strength of your Mounte You knowe vpon howe light occasions it hath benne moued Folowe rather S. Paules counsel and with feare and tremblinge woorke youre owne Saluation The waie ye walke in is not youre owne Your harte is in the hande of God Suffer Goddes Truthe to preuaile And vnderstand that the kingedome of God is come vnto you The Apologie Cap. 10. Diuision 1. So that these mennes parte had ben first to haue clearely and truely proued that the Romishe Churche is the true and right instructed Churche of God and that the same as they doo order it at this daie doothe agree with the Primitiue Churche of Christe of the Apostles and of the Holy Fathers whiche wee doubte not but was in deede the True Catholique Churche M. Hardinge Ye would vs to proue that the Romaine Churche is the true Churche of God Ye graunt that once it was the true Churche of God And the Gospel sheweth that Christe praied for it in S. Peter who made his successours there VVhat followeth hereof but that it must needes abide as true as euer it was except Christes praier were not heard S. Paule likewise wttnesseth that the Romaine Faithe is preached in the vniuersal worlde geuing a manifest prophecie that the Romaine Faithe and the Catholique Faithe should be alone S. Cyprian calleth the agreing with the Bishop of Rome and communicating with him Catholicae Ecclesiae vnitatem c. The allowing and firme holding of the vnitie of the Catholique Churche And writing to Antonianus in the same booke he accompteth it for one thing to Communicate with Cornelius the B. of Rome and to Communicate with the Catholique Churche For you it is vaine to saie that it hath erred when the holy ghost hath signified that it can not erre The B. of Sarisburie I wil not saie Where were youre wittes M. Hardinge when yee wrote theise thinges But wel maie I saie where was your Logique As for Diuinitie
Authoritie of the Scriptures be remoued that eche man maie be leadde by his owne fantasie what he liste either to allowe in the Holy Scriptures or to disallowe that is to saie that he submitte not him selfe touchinge his Faithe to the Authoritie of the Scriptures but that he make the Scriptures subiecte vnto him Not that he wil allowe any thing bicause it is written in that high Authoritie of the Scriptures but that he wil thinke it wel written bicause he alloweth it By meane hereof it commeth to passe that S. Hilarie writeth Qui quae scripta sunt negas quid superest nisi vt quae non scripta sunt probes For as muche as thou deniest the thinges that be written what remaineth there but that thou muste allowe the thinges that be not written Concerninge the Authoritie and Credite of Councelles wee shal haue cause to saie more hereafter But where ye require but a man of common sense to sitte as Iudge in this cause it appeareth that either ye remember not or els ye weighe not that ye immediately said before For in this selfe same Chapter ye saie The people maie not iudge of theire Bishoppes and that as ye tel vs by Christes own Doctrine For the Scholar is not aboue his Maister Yet now suddainely as hauinge foregotten youre owne woordes ye cal foorthe the Scholare yea and as it maie be thought one of the meanest of al youre Schole as a man onely endewed with common sense to sitte in Iudgement ouer his Maister Notwithstandinge God is no accepter of personnes Goddes Holy Sprite is not bounde to Councelles or Companies but breatheth freely where it listeth And therefore as youre owne Doctour Panormitane saithe in Cases of Religion the Iudgement of one Simple plaine man ought sommetimes to bee receiued before the Iudgemente of the Pope Here endeth the Fourth Parte The Fifthe Parte The Apologie Cap. 1. Diuision 1. BVt here I looke they wil saie though they haue not the Scriptures yet it maie chaunce they haue the Auncient Doctours and the Holy Fathers with them For this is a high bragge they haue euer made howe that al Antiquitie a Continual Consent of al ages dooth make on their side and that al our cases be but Newe and yester daies woorke and vntil these fewe late yeeres were neuer hearde of Questionlesse there can nothing be more spitefully spoken against the Religion of God then to accuse it of Noueltie as a mater lately founde out For as there can be no chaunge in God him selfe so ought there to be no chaunge in his Religion Yet neuerthelesse we wote not by what meanes but we haue euer seene it come so to passe from the firste beginninge that as often as God did geeue but somme light did open his Truthe vnto menne though the Truthe were not onely of greatest Antiquitie but also frō Euerlasting yet of wicked menne of the Aduersaries it was called Newfangled and of late diuised That vngraceous and bloudthirsty Haman when he sought to procure the kinge Assuerus displeasure against the Ievves this was his accusation to him Thou hast here saithe he a kinde of people that vseth certaine nevve Lavves of their ovvne but stifnecked and rebellious againste al thy Lavves When Paule also began firste to preache and expounde the Gospel at Athenes he was called a tidinges bringer of Nevve Goddes as mutche to saie as of a Nevve Religion For saide the Athenians maie wee not knowe of thee what Nevve Doctrine this is Celsus likewise when he of set pourpose wrote againste Christe to the ende he might more scornefully scoffe out the Gospel by the name of Noueltie VVhat saithe he hath God after so many ages novve at laste and so late bethought him selfe Eusebius also writeth that the Christian Religion from the beginning for very spite was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saie Nevve and Strange After like sorte these menne condemne al our maters as Strange and Nevve but they wil haue their owne whatsoeuer they are to be praised as thinges of longe continuance M. Hardinge They had saide somme what if they had proued that the doctrine of Christe had benne called nowe by them who were the professours and folowers of it But nowe reportinge that the Gentils who knewe not God as A man as the Athenians as Celsus the Ethnike and suche the like called the right and true Religion of God newe they saie nothing to any purpose But let them shewe that before the comminge of Christe any suche Religion was allowed that was newe Or that sithens Christes incarnation amonge Christian menne what so euer Religion was not shunned and reiected as heretical whiche was newe Here are they domme And yet for shewe of learning in a matter not necessarie they bringe foorth their store and declare that the doctrine and Religion of truthe was newe to them whiche knewe not God nor Christe the sonne of God whiche no man denieth Thus al menne of any iudgement maie see how fondly they reason VVe tel them that al nevve doctrine nowe in the Churche of Christe is naught and they proue that infidels haue in the time of Moses lawe and at the first preachinge of the Gospel impugned Goddes euerlastinge truthe with the odious terme and reproche of newnes Newe doctrine was good to vs at our firste conuersion from infidelitie But since that we receiued the true faithe from S. Gregorie the Bishop of Rome who conuerted the Realme of Englande to the faithe by S Augustine his legate and others sent for that godly purpose worthely we shunne and abhorre al new Gospels new faithes new doctrines new religions The B. of Sarisburie The Truthe of God neither is furthered by the face of Antiquitie nor hindered by the opinion of Noueltie For oftentimes the thinge that in deede is Nevve is commended as Olde and the thinge that in dede is Olde is condemned as Nevve If Nevvnesse in Religion in al respectes and euery waie were il Christe would not haue resembled his Doctrine to Nevve VVine nor woulde he haue saide to his Disciples I geue you a Nevve Commaundemente Neither woulde he haue called the Cuppe of Thankesgeuinge The Nevve Testamente in his Bloude Arnobius saithe Religionis Authoritas non est tempore aestimanda sed numine nec quo die sed quid colere coeperis intueri conuenit Quod Verum est Serum non est The Authoritie of Religion muste be weighed by God and not by time It behoueth vs to consider not vpon what daie but what thinge wee beganne to worship The thinge that is true is neuer too late S. Augustine saithe Quod Anterius est inquiunt Ethnici falsum esse non potest Quasi Antiquitas Vetus Consuetudo praeiudicet Veritati The Heathens saie The Religion that was firste can not be false As though Antiquitie and Olde Custome coulde preuaile againste the Truethe Againe he saithe Nec dici
greater then al these mennes policie For sutche is their Life their Doctrine and their Diligence that for al them the Churche maie not onely erre but also vtterly be spoiled and perish◠No doubte if that Churche maie erre whiche hath departed from Goddes VVoorde from Christes Commaundementes from the Apostles Ordinaunces from the Primitiue Churches Examples from the Olde Fathers and Councelles Orders and from their owne Decrees and whiche wil be bounde within the compasse of none neither Olde nor Newe nor their owne nor other folkes nor Mannes Lawe nor Goddes Lawe then it is out of al question that the Romishe Churche hath not onely had power to erre but also that it hathe shamefully and moste wickedly erred in very deede M. Hardinge A man would haue thought you woulde haue brought some substantiall Argumente whereby to prooue that the Churche erreth Neither make you excuse in that you speake of the Romaine Churche In this accompte wee make no difference betwene the Romaine Churche and the Churche But all your proufes depende vpon your iffes whiche beinge denied you haue nomore to saie No doubte saie you if that Churche maie erre whiche hath departed from Goddes VVoorde from Christes Commaundementes c. then it hath erred in very deede But Syr what if a man denie your supposal and staie you in your firste if VVhat haue you to prooue it All that you haue saide hitherto We knowe and of litle force it is But no doubte saie you if that Churche maie erre which hath departed from Goddes VVoorde c. Yea forsoothe if all iffes were true then if Heauen fell wee shoulde catche Larkes And if a bridge were made betwene Douer and Calys wee mighte goe to Boleine a foote as VVilliam Somer once tolde Kinge Henry if it be true that I haue hearde saie The B. of Sarisburie Here in nothinge els but onely the Canonization of poore VVilliam Sommer While your Bookes M. Hardinge shal liue al his sage sawes shal neuer die The Apologie Cap. 12. Diuision 2. But saie they ye haue benne of our Felovvship but novve ye are becomme foresakers of your Profession and haue departed from vs. It is trewe We haue departed from them for so dooinge we bothe geeue thankes to Almighty God greatly reioice on our owne behalfe But yet for al this from the Primitiue Churche from the Apostles and from Christe wee haue not departed True it is Wee were brought vp with these menne in darkenesse and in the lacke of the knowledge of God as Moses was brought vp in the Learning in the bosome of the Egyptians VVe haue benne of your Companie saithe Tertullian I confesse it and no marueile at al For saith he menne be made and not borne Christians M. Hardinge VVee saie as ye reporte that ye haue benne once of our Felowship but now ye are become Apostates and foresakers of your Profession and haue wickedly departed from vs. By the name of vs we meane not some one particular companie but Christes Catholike Churche VVe saie of you as S. Ihon saide of the like whome he calleth Antichristes Ex nobis exierunt sed nō erant ex nobis Nam si fuissent ex nobis permansissent vtique nobiscum They are departed from out of vs but they were not of vs. For if they had benne of vs they had doubteles remained still with vs. But what is your answeare hereunto It is desperate foolishe and lieinge Firste ye confesse the thinge and not onely that but also thanke God for it and greatly reioice in it And therein ye folowe the woorse sorte of Sinners of whom Salomon saithe Laetantur cùm malè fecerint exultant in rebus pessimis They be glad when they haue donne euil and reioice in the worste thinges that are Ye haue diuided the Churche of God ye haue rente our Lordes nette ye haue cut his whole wouen cote which the wicked Souldiers that Crucified him could not finde in their hartes to doo Dionysius Alexandrinus writinge to Nouatus the greate Heretike who did as ye haue donne saithe thus vnto him as Eusebius reciteth whereby yee maie esteeme the greatnesse of your crime Thou shouldest haue suffered what so euer it were that the Churche of God mighte not be diuided And martyrdome suffered for that the Churche shoulde not be diuided is no lesse glorious then that which is suffered for not dooinge Idolatrie Yea in mine opinion it is greater For there one is martyred for his owne onely Soule and here for the whole Churche Thus it foloweth that by your Apostasie and by your diuidinge of Goddes Churche yee haue donne more wickedly then if yee committed Idolatrie But yet for all this saie they from the Primitiue Churche from the Apostles and from Christe we haue not departed VVhat can be saide more foolishly VVhy Syrs is not the Primitiue Churche and this of our time one Churche Dothe it not holde togeather by continuall Succession till the worldes ende VVhat hath Christe moe Churches then one Is the Primitiue Churche quite donne and now muste there beginne a newe Is not Christe his Apostles and all true beleuers in what time or place so euer they liue his one mysticall Body whereof he is the Head all other the members As Christe is one the Holy Ghoste one one Faithe one Baptisme one Vocation one God so is the Churche one whiche beganne at the firste man and shall endure to the laste whereof the liuinge parte on earthe before the comminge of Christe into Fleashe was sometime broughte to small number after his comminge and after that the Apostles had Preached and spreadde the Gospell abroade the number neither was euer nor shal be other then greate though sometime accompted small in respect of the vnbeleuers vntil the comminge againe of the Sonne of Man at what time he shall skantly finde Faithe specially that whiche woorketh by Charitie in the Earth Against whiche time busely ye make preparation For some parte of excuse of your forsakinge the Churche ye saie ye were brought vp with vs in darkenesse and in the lacke of knowledge of God as Moses was amonge the Aegyptians For that ye bringe out of Tertullian helpeth you nothinge at all I praie you Syrs what darkenesse meane ye Speake ye of Sinne VVee excuse not our selues But when tooke ye out the beame of your owne eies that yee espie the mote of our eie It were well ye proued your selues honest menne before ye required vs to be Angels If ye meane the darkenesse of ignorance as peraduenture ye doo and the lacke of knowledge of God Now that ye are departed from vs and haue set chaire against chaire I see not cause why to saie Aulter against Aulter what more and better knowledge of God haue ye then we haue and euer haue had Doo we not know the Articles of our belefe Tell vs whiche doo we lacke This is life Euerlastinge saithe our Sauiour in the
neuerthelesse drawe his Swerde and strike when and whom so euer the Prieste biddeth and blindely execute his wicked wil In déede M. Hardinge you saie precisely If the mater decreed be Spiritual and apperteininge to Faithe the Prince ought to obeie without question or grudge Likewise againe yée saie It shal be yenough for you to doo as the Successoures of Peter bid you to doo Christe nowe requireth of you not to obeie Peter and Paule but to obeie him that sitteth in theire Chaire What so euer he saie True or false For this no doubte muste be your meaninge The Kinge was bound to write out the Booke of the Lavve This yée saie proueth not the Kinges Superioritie ouer the Priestes No verily M. Hardinge Neither was it alleged by vs to that pourpose Neuerthelesse hereby it appeareth that God woulde haue the Kinge to be learned in his Lavves But the Kinge muste receiue the Booke of the Prieste and of none other Therefore saie you the Prieste is aboue the Kinge Mée thinketh M. Hardinge euen for your credites sake yée shoulde looke better to your Logique For what auaileth the deliuerie of a Booke to make the Prieste either higher or lower When the Pope is at his Consecration the Cardinal that is his Orderer deliuereth him a Booke of the Epistles and Gospelles And wil ye thereof conclude that the saide Cardinal is aboue the Pope Mary God forebidde Goddes meaning touching this Ceremonie was this that the Kinges Booke shoulde he true and fautlesse And therefore God commaunded him to take a Copie thereof out of the Registrie or Recordes whiche were thought to be voide of al corruption and were euermore keapte in the Temple vnder the Custodie of the Priestes Paulus Phagius saithe Euery Priuate man was commaunded to haue one Booke seuerally to him selfe But the Kinge was commaunded to haue twoo And for as mutche as the Kinge was a Publique Persone therefore God willed him to take his Copie out of the publique Recordes of the Temple Your owne Hugo cardinalis saithe Accipiet exemplar à Sacerdotibus non à quibussibet sed à bonis Vbi nihil fucatum est nihil corruptum He shal take his Copie of y◠Priestes not of euery Prieste what so euer but of the good that in the same Copie there be nothing neither coloured nor corrupted Al this M. Hardinge wil hardely proue your strange Conclusion that the Prieste vvas Superioure to the King It séemeth mutche better to proue the contrarie that the Prieste vvas the Kinges Inferioure and his Subiecte and his Clerke of Recordes as beinge appointed to keepe his Bookes So S. Augustine saithe the Ievves this daie kéepe the very true Bookes of the Scriptures Al be it not for theire owne vse but onely for ours And therefore he saithe they be not our Superiours but our Seruantes Certainely concerninge the Kinges and Priestes of the Olde Lavve one of your owne frendes whom for many causes yée maie not wel refuse saithe thus In Veteri Lege Sacerdotium indignius erat Potestate Regia ei Subiectum In the Olde Lavve the Priestes Office was Inferioure to the Prince and Subiecte Vnto him Yée saie If the Prieste muste geeue the Holy Scriptures to the Kinge then verily muste he take sutche as they geeue him and with sutche meaninge as they geeue vnto it Yea I trowe though they teare theire roabes againste Christe as Caiphas did and crie out He blasphemeth yet muste wee by your Iudgemente euermore seeke to them for the sense and meaninge of the Scriptures For this is the grounde and Fundation of your Diuinitie The Scripture of God hathe none other sense but as it shal please the Prieste to geeue vnto it But S. Chrysostome speakinge of the same Priestes and Bishoppes from whome we haue receiued the selfe same Scriptures saithe thus Literae quidem Legis apud illos sunt Sensus autem apud nos The Letters or woordes of the Scriptures are with them but the true meaninge of them is with vs. Here you mutche disaduantage your selfe and as yée saie omitte that we reade Librum Legis whereas the Churche readeth Deuteronomium for that as yée saie it were too longe for you to enter into that disputation Therefore M. Hardinge we wil patiently abide your leasure vnt il yée haue founde out the whole mysterie and cōsidered it better In the meane season it shal not be good for you to be ouer ranke with your Commentaries vntil yée better vnderstande the Texte Certainely the wise and learned thinke that herein yée are mutche deceiued For whereas the Woordes are these Describet sibi Deuteronomium Legis huius they thinke that Deuteronomium in this place is not put for any one certaine seueral Booke of the Fiue Bookes of Moses as it is otherwise commonly vsed but rather for a Copie or a Draught of the Whole Lavve And in this sense they saie that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is none other but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saie a Copie or a Double The Italian Translation hathe thus Esso si scriuera questo Doppio de la Legge The Frenche Translation hath Le double Leo Iudas translateth it thus Describet sibi Exemplum Legis huius He shal write out for him selfe a Copie of this Lawe And for somme proufe hereof it is thus written in the Booke of Iosua Afterwarde Iosua readde out of the woordes of the Lavve bothe the Blessinges and the Curses accordinge to euery thinge that is written in the Booke of the Lavve And there was not one woord of al the thinges that Moses Commaunded but Josua readde the same before the whole congregation of Israel Where we allege the woordes of the Prophete Esai Kinges shal be thy Fosterers and Queenes thy Nurces yée saie Euery Nurce or Fosterer is not aboue him that is nourished A faitheful seruante oftentimes fostereth his Maister Yet is not he aboue his Maister So lothe yee are the Kinge shoulde be Superioure to a Prieste And thus hanc yée brought about by your handsome Conclusions that your Priestes be the Maisters and Kinges theire Seruantes And therefore it is discretely noted in your Glose Imperator Romanus est Procurator siue Defensor Romanae Ecclesiae The Emperoure of Rome is the Stewarde or Bailife of the Churche of Rome The Apologie Cap. 11. Diuision 4. 5. I saie bisides al these thinges we see by Histories by Examples of the beste times that good Princes euer tooke the Administration of Ecclesiastical maters to perteine to theire duetie Moses beinge a Ciuile Magistrate and chiefe Guide of the people bothe receiued from God and deliuered to the people al the order for Religion and Sacrifices and gaue Aaron the Bishop a vehemente and soare rebuke for makinge the Golden Calfe and for sufferinge the Corruption of Religion M. Hardinge Moses was not onely a Ciuile Magistrate but also a Prieste In that he had both
The B. of Sarisburie Al this whole mater touchinge as wel Kinge Iehosophat as also Amarias the Highe Prieste is answeared in that is paste before The Apologie Cap. 11. Diuision 11. Kinge Iosias with greate diligence put the Priestes Bishoppes in minde of their dueties Kinge Iohas bridled the Riote and Arrogancie of the Priestes Iehu put to deathe the wicked Prophetes M. Hardinge The puttinge of Priestes and Bishoppes in minde of their dutie is not a Supremacie in determininge Ecclesiasticall causes And whereas you saie that Kinge Ioas bridled the râ—ot and arrogancie of the Priestes if it were so it was well donne But I finde not those woordes in the texte Concerninge that Iehu did it is a mere temporall Office to put false preachers and Heretikes to death Neither can it belonge to Priestes onlesse they haue also ciuill iurisdiction Muche lesse dothe that acte proue that Kinges be Supreme heades ouer the Churche and ought to be Iudges in controuersies and questions of Religion The B. of Sarisburie Concerninge the storie of Kinge Iohas I reporte me to that is written of him in the Booke of Kinges He sequestred the Oblations of the people whiche the Priestes had bestowed lewdely and wantonly vpon them selues and by his owne Authoritie turned the same to the Reparations of the Temple Of Kinge Iosias it is written thus Constituit Iosias Sacerdotes in officijs suis Kinge Iosias appointed the Priestes to minister in theire seueral Offices And againe Mundauit Iudam Hierusalem ab Excelsis Lucis Kinge Iosias cleansed and ridde Iuda and Hierusalem from their Hille Aultars and their Groaues But yée wil saie He did al thinges by yâ— discretion of the Priestes Bishoppes This thinge in deede is necessarie while the Priestes and Bishoppes be learned and godly But Kinge Iosias did far otherwise for he sent the Bishop him selfe vnto Olda the Prophetisse to learne the discretion and Iudgemente of a VVooman and so was directed in maters of Highest Religion by a VVooman and not by a Prieste These Examples be so manifeste that one of your Felowes there is faine thus to excuse the mater by ouer mutche Antiquitie If we woulde in these daies saithe he vse in all pointes the Examples of the Olde Lawe there woulde folowe an huge number of inconueniences It is no good reason to saie that therefore our Kinges nowe a daies muste haue the like Authoritie Thus saithe he As though the Princes righte were now abated and altered as the Ceremonies of the Lawe were otherwise nowe then it was before Or as if the Comminge of Christe into the worlde and the Preachinge of the Gospel had pourposely benne to represse and pulle downe the State of Kinges The Apologie Cap. 12. Diuision 1. And to rehearse no more Examples out of the Olde Lawe let vs rather consider sithence the Birthe of christe howe the churche hath benne gouerned in the time of the Gospel M. Hardinge If we consider the Office of a Kinge in it selfe it is one euery where not onely amonge Christen Princes but also amonge Heathen * The definition of a Kinge whiche agreeth to Iulius Cesar or to Alexander the Greate as they were Monarkes and Princes is one with the definition of a Kinge whiche agreeth to Henry the Eight or to Charles the Fifthe So that no more could Kinge Henry as Kinge meddle with Religion then Alexander or Iulius Cesar * His place is chiefe amonge the laie euen when they are in the Churche at the Seruice of God and without the Churche in all Temporall thinges and causes he is ouer the Priestes themselues And because all these examples are taken out of the Olde Testamente I will geeue thee a true resolution out of the same Booke what auctoritie Priestes had and what auctoritie Kinges had Moses gaue this rule concerninge the same matter If saithe he thou perceiue an harde and doubtfull iudgement to be with thee betweene bloude and bloude cause and cause Lepre and Lepre and seest the woordes of the iudges within thy gates to varie arise and goe vp to the place whiche thy Lorde God shall chose and thou shalte come to the Priestes of the stocke of Leui and to the Iudge that shall be for the time and thou shalte demaunde of them who shall shewe the truthe of iudgemente to thee But neither the Prieste by this place may medle with that iurisdiction whiche belonged to the Temporall iudge neither the Iudge with that whiche was spirituall and belonginge onely to the Prieste For of such causes Azarias the Priest and Bishop saide to Kinge Ozias It is not thy office Ozias to burne incense vnto our Lorde It is the office of the Priestes That is to saie of the Sonnes of Aaron VVho are consecrated to doo suche Ministeries But this the Kinge mighte doo euen in matters of Religion VVhen the High Priest had geuen sentence he might see the execution thereof to be donne But otherwise what so euer Kinge or Temporal iudge might not doo in his owne person ‡ muche lesse mighte he iudge whether an other did well therein or no. And this concerninge the Olde Testament The B. of Sarisburie The Office of a Kinge yée saie was no more in Kinge Henry the Eighth or in Charles the Fifthe then it was in the Heathen Princes Iulius Caesar or Alexander the Greate And therefore yée saie a Christian Princes Office standeth onely in Maters Temporal and for that cause yee so often calle him a Mere Laie Temporal Prince as if he were in Authoritie not mutche better then an Heathen Magistrate Euen so M. Harding is your Pope no more a Bishop or perhaps mutche lesse a Bishop then Annas and Caiphas Neither is your Prieste more a Prieste then the Prieste of Dagon or Baal The difference standeth not in Office but onely in Truthe Yet neuerthelesse yée knowe that Heathen Princes had euermore a Soueraine Authoritie not onely ouer theire Priestes and Bishoppes but also ouer al Cases of Religion Aristotle saithe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Kinge that is Lorde and Ruler of thinges that perteine vnto the Goddes And therefore Socrates in his storie saithe Imperatores vnà complexi sumus c. Wee haue also herein comprised the Emperours Liues for that sithence the Emperours were first Christened the affaires of the Churche haue hanged of them and the greatest Councelles bothe haue benne and are keapte by theire aduise Yee saie The Prince in doubteful Cases was commaunded to take Counsel of the Highest Prieste This is true But wil yée conclude hereof that the Highest Prieste maie saie doo what he listeth without controlmente What if the Highe Prieste woulde answeare thus as he answeared sommetime in déede This Christe is a Samaritane a deceiuer of the people and hath a Diuel What if he teare his owne roabes for anger and crie oute He Blasphemeth he is vvoorthy to die Yet