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
Habitu victu instructu sensu ipso denique sermone Proauis renuÌ„tiastis Laudatis semper Antiquitatem nouè de die viuitis Per quod ostenditur dum à bonis Maiorum institutis deceditis ea vos retinere custodire quae non debuistis cùm quae debuistis non custoditis Where is your Religion where is the reuerence dewe to your forefathers You haue forsaken them in your apparel in your diet in your order in your meaning and in your speeche Ye change your life daily yet ye praise Antiquitie Whereby it appeareth while ye seaue the good orders of your Elders that yee keepe the thinges yee should not keepe seeinge ye keepe not the thinges ye should keepe The Apologie Cap. 2. Diuision 10. And that this mater should not seeme to be donne but vpon priuie sclaunder and to be tossed to and fro in a corner onely to spite vs there haue benne besides wilily procured by the Bishop of Rome certaine persons of eloquence yenough and not vnlearned neither whiche should put theire healpe to this cause nowe almost despaired of and shoulde polishe and set foorthe the same bothe in bookes and withe longe tales to the ende that when the mater was trimly and eloquently handled ignorant and vnskilful persons might suspecte there was somme greate thinge in it In deede they perceiued that theire owne cause did euery where goe to wracke that their steightes were now espied and lesse esteemed and that theire healpes did dayly faile them and that theire mater stoode altogeather in greate neede of a cunninge spokesman M. Hardinge VVee cannot despaire of this cause onlesse wee would forsake our Faithe as ye haue For beleuinge Christe whiche our faithe leadeth vs vnto wee cannot mistruste the continuance of this cause Heauen and Earthe shal passe but my woordes shal not passe saithe Truthe it selfe And his woordes tel vs that he wil be with his Churche al daies to the worlds ende And that he hath besought his Father to geue to it the Sprite of Truthe to remaine with it for euer Then be wee moste assured of this cause VVee tel you therefore it standeth and shal stande by Christes presence and by the Holy Ghostes assistance to the ende Your cause yet standeth not but wauereth and tottereth as that whiche S. Paule termeth a puffe of doctrine and doubtlesse shortely fall it shall as all Heresies haue fallen The authours and professours of them be dead and rotten in Helfire with weepinge and grintinge of teeth The like iudgement lookeye and your folowers to haue if ye repent not and reuoke your Heresies by time The B. of Sarisburie Wee cannot despaire saithe M. Hardinge of the continuance of our cause For Heauen and Earthe shal passe but Christes VVoorde shal not passe He wil be with vs al daies to the worlds ende c. These Woordes M. Hardinge be true and certaine and therefore our hope is the firmer Christe hath promised that the Sprite of Truthe shal remaine for euer but not in the Pope and his Cardinalles For thereof he made no promise Nay rather the Prophete Esai saithe The Sprite of God shal rest vpon the poore and méeke harted that trembleth at the Woorde of the Lorde The Churche of God shal stande stil yea though Rome were possessed with Antichriste It is true that Christe saithe Euery plante whiche my Heauenly Father hath not planted shal be rooted vp Vpon whiche woordes S. Hilarie saithe Significat Traditionem hominum cruendam esse cuius fauore transgressi sunt Praecepta Legis He meaneth that the Tradition of man for whiche Traditions sake they haue broken the Lawe of God shal be taken vp by the rootes Heauen and Earthe shal passe and your fantastes and diuises M. Hardinge shal passe the Lorde hath spoken it But the Woorde of God and his Churche shal endure for euer But M. Hardinges Almanake saithe Our Doctrine shal fal and that very shortly Herein I professe I haue no skil Goddes wil be donne It is his cause what so euer shal happen his name be blessed for euer In like sorte the Heathens in olde times as S. Augustine saithe vaunted them selues against the Faithe of Christe Ad certum tempus sunt Christiani postea peribunt redibunt Idola redibit quod erat anteà Verùm tu cùm expectas miser Infidelis vt transtant Christiani transis ipse sine Christianis These Christians are but for a while â—al they shal and that shortly Then shal our Idols come againe and it shal be as it was before But O thou miserable Infidel while thou lookest that the Christians should passe thou possest awaie thee selfe without the Christians Againe be saithe Ecce veniet tempus vt finiantur non sint Christiani Sicut coeperunt ad aliquo tempore ita vsque ad certum tempus erunt Sed cùm ista dicunt sine fine moriuntur permanet Ecclesia praedicans brachium Domini omni generationi venturae They saie behold the daie wil come when al these Christians shal haue an ende As they had a time to beginne so shal they haue a time to continewe But while they make these crakes they them selues die without ende But the Churche contineweth stil praisinge the almighty arme of God to euery generation that is to come But ye saie The Authours and Professours of our Doctrine be damned in Hel fiere and crie Peccaui This is a very terrible kinde of talke But it is a rashe parte for you M. Harding so suddainely to skip into Goddes Chaire and there to pronounce your Sentence Definitiue like a Iudge But God wil iudge of your iudgemente S. Augustine saithe Alia est sella terrena aliud Tribunal Coelorum Ab inferiori Sententia accipitur à superiori Corona The earthly Chaier is one thinge the Iudgemente seate in Heauen is an other From the one wee receiue Sentence from the other we receiue a Crowne O M. Hardinge God graunte you maie once crie Peccaui lest the time come that ye shal crie out as it is written in the Booke of Wisedome These are they whom wee sometime had in derision and in a parable of reproche VVee fooles thoughte theire life madnesse and theire ende without honoure But nowe are they coumpted emonge the Children of God and theire portion is emonge the Sainctes The Apologie Cap. 3. Diuision 2. Nowe as for those thinges whiche by them haue benne laide againste vs in parte they be manifestly false condemned so by theire owne iudgementes which spake them partly againe though they be as false too in deede yet beare they a certaine shewe and coolour of truthe so as the Reader if he take not good heede maie easily be tripped and brought into errour by them specially when theire fine and cunninge tale is added thereunto And parte of them be of sutche sorte as we ought not to shunne them as crimes or faultes but to acknowledge and confesse them as
diebus vsque ad consuÌ„mationeÌ„ saeculi neque congregatis vbique fidelibus Homo est praesens sed virtus Diuina quae erat in Christo It is not Christe as being Man that is where so euer twoo or three be geathered together in his name neither Christe as being Man is with vs al daies vntil the worldes end nor Christ as being Man is Present with the Faithful euery where geathered together but that Diuine power or Nature that was in Christe And for that cause S. Augustine saithe Videte Ascendentem Credite in Absentem Sperate Venientem Sed tamen per Misâ—ricordiam occultam etiam sentite Praesentem See you Christe Ascending into Heauen Beleeue in him being Absent Trust in Christe that is to come And yet by his secrete Mercie feele him Present Thus M. Hardinge thus haue the Olde Catholique Learned Fathers vsed tograte as ye terme it vpon the Article of Christes Ascension You saie S. Augustine in his Epistle to Dardanus spake not of Christes Body as it is now Present in the Sacrament No marueile For S. Augustine neuer vnderstood any sutch kinde of Presence And who taught you M. Hardinge that Christe hath sutche change of diuers Bodies of one manner in the Sacrament and of an other manner in Heauen Christes Blessed Body when it was borne of the Virgine when it died when it rose againe when it Ascended into Heauen was one and vniforme How became it afterward so diuerse and so vnlike it selfe If either Christe or the Apostles or the Anciente Fathers haue thus taught you why are they not alleged If they haue not thus taught you how came you by this knowledge Or if ye saie ye know that they knewe not who wil beléeue you Ye tel vs that the Body of Christe in Heauen hath the whole Stature and Fourme and Proportion of a Man This is true It is the Doctrine of the Apostles and of the Anciente Doctours of the Churche But ye tel vs farther of your selfe that the Body of Christe in the Sacrament is vtterly voyde of al manner either Stature or Fourme or Proportion that is to saie is neither longe nor short nor high nor low nor thicke nor thinne being as you say a very Natural Body yet hath neither likenesse nor shape of a Body This is your Doctrine M. Hardinge and the more vnlikely to be true the more likely to be yours Sutche fantastical imaginations the Arian Heretiques sometime had of the Godhed of Christe For thus they wrote thereof as saithe Athanasius Creatura est sed non vt vlla ex rebus creatis Opus est sed non vt vllum ex operibus Res condita est sed non vt vlla ex rebus conditis It is a Creature but not as any other of thinges created It is a thinge wrought but not as any other thinge that euer was wrought c. But what saith Athanasius him selfe to al these fantasies his answeare is this Iam videtis vafritiem dolos istius Haereseos quae non ignara quà m amarulenta sit ista sua malitia fotos quaerit â—â—nocinium sibi 〈◊〉 ex verborum disertitudine Nowe ye see the crookednesse and â—subtletie of this Haresae whiche knowinge her owne malice howe 〈◊〉 it is borowith some he waâ— and coloâ—â—e by sleight of woordes This Flauianus repreneth the Heretique Eutyches Adiecit aliam 〈…〉 Corpus Domini quod en Maria factum est non esse nostrae Substantiae He added 〈◊〉 in other wickednesse saieinge that the Body of Christe that was borne of Mary is not nowe of our Substance 〈…〉 the maâ—er thus Caro Christi ipsa est per Essentiam non ipsa per Gloriaâ—â— The Fleash of Christe in Substance is nowe the same it was before but 〈◊〉 Glorie it is not the same Noman hereof writeth either more plainely or more directely then S. Augustine His woordes be these Christus sic Venturus est quemadmodum ire visus est in Ceolum id est in eadem Carnis Forma atque Substantia Cui profectò Immortalitatem dedit Naâ—turam non abstulit Secundum hanc Formam non est putandus vbique diffusus Cauendum est enim ne ita Diuinitatem astruamus Hominis vt Veritatem Corporis auferamus Christe shal come againe to Iudge euen as he was seene goinge into Heauen that is to saie in the selfe same Fourme and Substance of his Fleash Vnto whiche Fleash vndoubtedly he hathe geuen Immortalitie but he hathe not taken from it the Nature of Fleashe For wee muste take heede wee doo not so maineteine the Godhead of Christes Humanitie that we denie the Truthe of his Body And where ye fantasie that the Body of Christe in the Sacramente hathe in it selfe neither Fourme nor Proportion nor Limitation of place nor Distinction of partes S. Augustine telleth you Spatia locorum tolle Corporibus nusquam erunt quia nusquam erunt nec erunt Tolle ipsa Corpota qualitatibus CorporuÌ„ non erit vbi sint ideo necesse est vt non sint Take awaye from Bodyes Limitation of place and the Bodyes wil be no where and bicause they be nowhere they wil be nothing Take awaye from Bodyes the qualities of Bodyes there wil be no place for them to be in and therefore the same Bodies muste needes be no Bodies at al. Hereof wée maye conclude that the Body of Christe whiche you haue imagined to be conteined Grossely and Carnally in the Sacramente for as mutche as by your owne Confession it hathe neither Qualitie nor Quantitie nor Fourme nor Place nor Proportion of Body therefore by S. Augustines Doctrine it is no Body Here it is a worlde to sée what prety sporte M. Hardinge maketh him selfe with the poore Penneman of this Apologie As God woulde the Simple Body vnwares alleged Fulgentius cleane againste him selfe For the woordes of Fulgentius be these Christus cùm Absit à nobis per Formam Serui tamen semper est nobiscum per Formam Dei Whereas Christe is Absent from vs by the Fourme of a Seruaunte yet is he euermore Present with vs by the Fourme of God Whereby saithe M. Hardinges Commentarie he meaneth that Christe is nomore here emonge vs in Fourme and Shape of Man in sutche wise as wée sée menne liue in the Earthe And these woordes saithe he dasshe theire whole purpose and therefore the Prelates of this newe Englishe Churche haue altered the sense of them by shiftinge in this woorde Manhoode insteede of the Fourme of a Seruaunt and this woorde Godhead in steede of the Fourme of God I beséeche thée Gentle Reader spare me a litle thine indifferent eare leaste in these mysty cloudes of M. Hardinges Distinctions thou happen to wander and loose thy way Al this great adoo riseth onely of some notable difference that is fansied to be bitwéene these twoo woordes Fourme and Substance For M. Hardinge would faine haue thée beléeue that the Substance of
One seueral Bishop Ergo ther is One Vniuersal Gouernour ouer the whole Churche of Christe Here is neither order in Reason nor sequele in nature Therefore if any man woulde denie the Argument M. Hardinge were neuer hable to make it good He might as wel and in as good order reason thus Euery Kingdome or Common Weale hathe One Prince or Magistrate to rule ouer it Ergo There is One Vniuersal Prince to rule ouer the whole worlde Or thus Euery Flocke of Shéepe bathe One Seueral Shephearde to ouersée them Ergo al the Flockes through the world are ouerséene by One General Shephearde Otherwise M. Hardinge imagineth this fowle absurditie muste néedes folowe that the parte is better Gouerned then the whole The other thrée Reasons touchinge the Prouidence of God the Debatinge of questions in Faithe and conseruinge of Peace and Vnitie in the Churche are answeared already in my Former Replie to M. Hardinge In déede I remember to auouche al that M. Hardinge hathe here saide one sometimes wel inclined to that side saide thus Non videretur Dominus discretus fuisse vt cum reuerentia eius loquar nisi Vnicum post se talem Vicarium reliquisset qui haec omnia posset Christe our Lorde should not haue seemed to haue dealte discretely to speake it with reuerence onlesse he had leafte One sutche Vicare behinde him that might haue donne al these thinges I graunte Dissension and quarrelles be the sooner ended when al thinges be put ouer to one Man So that the same one Man maye liue for euer and stil continewe in one minde and neuer alter But oftentimes one Pope is sounde contrarie to an other sometimes one Pope hathe benne found contrarie to him selfe Pope Sabinianus would haue burnte al Pope Gregories Bookes And as it is saide before Pope Romanus vtterly abolished al the Actes of his Predecessour Pope Steuin The same Pope Steuin vnburied his Predecessour Pope Formosus and defaced and mangled his naked carkesse and vtterly condemned al that had benne donne by him before And Platina geuethe this general iudgemente of them Nihil aliud isti Pontificuli cogitabant quà m vt Nomen Dignitatem Maiorum suorum extinguerent These litle Petite Popes had none other care in the world but howe to deface the Name and Estimation of other Popes that had benne before them And thus that one Pope liketh an other misliketh that one alloweth an other condemneth And yet by M Hardinges iudgement wée haue none other rule to staie by in doubtful cases but onely the Wil and Pleasure of the Pope Howe be it this I trowe is not the readieste waie to procure Peace and to mainteine Vnitie in the Churche And therefore Gregorie saithe of Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople that claimed to him selfe this Vniuersal Power Si hanc causam aequanimiter portamus totius Ecclesiae Fidem corrumpimus Corruit Vniuersa Ecclesia à statu suo si is qui Vniuersalis dicitur cadit If wee quietly suffer this mater thus to procede that one Man shal be called the Vniuersal Bishop wée seeke not waies to mainteine Vnitie but wee ouerthrowe the Faithe of the whole Churche Yf be that is called the Vniuersal Bishop happen to falle the whole Churche fallethe from her state Thus therefore to allowe any one Man Vniuersal Authoritie ouer the whole Churche is a mater not behoueful and profitable as M. Hardinge fansieth but as Gregorie saithe doubteful and dangerous to the Churche For althoughe al the world either would or could geue eare and credite to one Man yet were not that therefore alwaies Christian Vnitie S. Augustine saithe Habet Superbia appetitum quendam Vnitatis Omnipotentiae Pride it selfe hathe a certaine desire of Vnitie and of Vniuersal Power An other of M. Hardinges Reasons is this The Churche Labouringe here in Earthe must resemble the Churche of the Sainctes Triumphing in HeaueÌ„ But in Heauen God onely is the Gouernoure ouer the whole Therefore in the Churche beneathe the Pope likewise muste needes be Gouernoure ouer the whole Thus God muste be rated to Gouerne aboue and the Pope beneath so as one sometime saide Diuisum Imperium cum loue Caesar habet This is a valiante kinde of Argument It holdeth from Heauen to Earthe from Angelles to Menne from God to the Pope But how knoweth M. Hardinge what Orders of Angelles and Archangelles there be in Heauen what they doo howe they deale who ruleth who are ruled what Lawes and Policies they haue emongste them They saie thei would frame theire Churche accordinge to the Samplar And yet good menne they neuer knewe nor sawe the Samplar But onely of them selues they imagine Common Weales and Orders in Heauen and accordinge to the same they woulde shape and fashon theire owne Churche in Earthe The better waye M. Hardinge had benne seeinge the whole mater hangeth onely vppon your fantasies to saie that God hathe appointed one Principal Archangel to be Pope in Heauen and al other Powers Angelles Dominions to be his Subiectes Thus might ye easily haue made your frame to agree with your Paterne and the one of your fansies to answeare the other For to saie as you saie God ruleth al in Heauen aboue Therefore the Pope must rule al in the worlde beneath it is but a sclender kinde of reasoninge S. Augustine saithe Quid aliud in Pompa huius mundi homo appetit nisi Solus esse si fieri possit cui multa subiecta sint Peruersa scilâ—â—et imitatione Omnipotentis Dei In the Vaine Pompe of this worlde what thinge els is 〈◊〉 â–ª that a man doothe desire but if it were possible to make him selfe alone sutche a one vnto whom many thinges maye be obedient and that by a peeuishe countrefeitinge of God Omnipotente And this is it that Gregorie saithe of Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople Illum videlicet imitatur qui spreta Angelorum societate ascendere conatus est ad culmen Singularitatis He foloweth Lucifer who despisinge the felowship of the Angelles laboured to geate vp to the toppe of Singularitie and saide I wil mounte vp aboue the Northe and wil be like vnto the Highest Verily Dionysius writinge purposely of the Policie and Gouernmente of the Churche comparinge the same withe the Glorious Gouernmente of the Angels and powers in Heauen yet neuer vttered one Woorde of the Vniuersal Gouernmente of the Pope Nay rather in the late Councel of Constance out of this very place is Fourmed an Argumente to the contrarie In Coelesti Hierarchia tota Congregatio Angelorum non habet Caput Vnum praeter solum Deum Ergo à Simili in Ecelesiastica Hierarchia HominuÌ„ noÌ„ debet esse Vnum Caput praeter Solum DeuÌ„ In the Heauenly Gouernemente the whole Companie of the Angels hathe none other One Heade but onely God Therefore of the like in the Ecclesiastical Gouernmente emongste Menne there ought
not to be any One Heade but onely God Neuerthelesse M. Hardinge is wel hable to fortifie al these thinges by the Authoritie of the Scriptures And here in steede of the firste Chapter of the Prophete Osee be allegeth the firste Chapter of the Booke of Iosua And leste thou shouldest thinke it were onely a marginal errour brought in by somme ouersight of the Printer as he vsethe sometimes to excuse and to shifte the mater he hathe thus laide it wide open in his owne texte Hereof the Holy Captaine Iosue seemeth to speake Howe be it one errour maie the better be dissembled emongst so many In deede the Prophete Osee and not the Holy Captaine Iosua speaketh these woordes but not as M. Hardinge imagineth ▪ of the state of al Christendome vnder One Pope but of that Vnitie and Consente that al the Faithful of the worlde as wel Iewes as Gentiles should haue vnder One Christe as it is moste euident by the whole discourse of the texte Thus lie the Woordes The number of the Children of Israel shal be as the Sande of the Sea shoare that cannot be numbred And it shal comme to passe in the place where it was saide vnto them Ye are no people of mine There shal it be saide vnto them Ye are the Children of the Liuinge God And the Children of Juda and the Children of Israel shal assemble togeather and shal appointe vnto them selues one Heade Vppon whiche Woordes S. Hierome Writethe thus Haec omnia fient quia magnus est Dies Seminis Dei qui interpretatur Christus Al these thinges shal comme to passe bicause it is the greate daye of the Seede of God whiche Seede is expounded not the Pope but Christe Likewise Nicolas Lyra Congregabuntur Filij Iuda id est Apostoli Filij Israel id est Gentiles conuersi Pariter id est in Vna Ecclesia ponent sibi Caput Vnum id est Christum There shal assemble togeather the Children of Iuda that is to saie the Apostles and the Children of Israel that is to saie the Heathens conuerted Togeather that is to saie in One Churche and shal appointe vnto them selues One Head that is to saie not one Pope as M. Hardinge woulde haue it but One Christe S. Augustine expoundinge the same wordes saithe thus Recolatur Lapis ille Angularis duo illi parietes vnus ex Iudaeis alter ex Gentibus Let vs remember that Corner Stone that is Christe and not the Pope and the twoo VValles the one of the Iewes the other of the Heathens The other woordes whiche M. Hardinge allegeth out of S. Iohn Christe him selfe expoundeth not of the Pope but of him selfe I am the good Shephearde I yelde my life for my Sheepe I knowe my Sheepe and am knowen of them I haue other Sheepe that be not of this Flocke Them muste I bringe that they maye heare my Voice and so shal there be one Shepheard and one Flocke These woordes Chrysostome expoundeth by the woordes of S. Paule Vt duos conderet in Semetipso in Vnum nouum Hominem That he might woorke twoo people into One newe Man not in the Pope but in him selfe S. Augustine expoundinge the same saithe thus Duobus istis Gregibus tāquam duobus Parietibus Christus factus est Lapis Augularis Vnto these twoo Flockes as vnto twoo VValles not the Pope but Christe was made the Corner Stone And what should I allege any other the Olde Fathers Nicolas Lyra as simple an Interpreter as he was yet he likewise saithe the same Fiet Vnus Pastor id est Christus There shal be One Shephearde that is to saie not the Pope but Christe Neither is M. Hardinge hable to shewe vs any Learned allowed Interpreter Olde or Newe that hathe expounded this place otherwise Al these thinges notwithstandinge as wel these woordes of Christe as also the other of the Prophete Osee M. Hardinge applieth onely to the Pope The Pope muste be the Heade The Pope muste be the Shephearde Bothe Christe and Osee Prophesied these thinges of the Glorie and Kingdome of the Pope Iuda and Israel shal chuse Christe to be theire Heade Al the Faitheful through the worlde are one Flocke and Christe is the Shephearde Ergo the Pope is the General Heade of the Vniuersal Churche of God Sutche Logique M. Hardinge is hable to teache vs and with sutche feare and reuerence can he vse Goddes Holy Woorde And like as the Emperour Caligula sometimes tooke of the Heade of his greate God Iuppiter and set on an other Head of his owne Euen so by these Interpretations and Gloses M. Hardinge smiteth of Christe the Onely Heade of the Churche and setteth on the Pope For Iohannes de Parisijs out of whom or somme other the like he hathe borowed this whole mater nothinge doubteth to telle vs that Christe is not nor cannot be the Heade of this Body or the Shephearde of this Flocke And leste M. Hardinge should charge me with vntrue reporte his woordes be these Congregabūtur Filij Iuda Filij Israel vt ponāt sibi Caput Vnum Et Iohan. 10. Fiet Vnū Ouile Vnus Pastor Quod quidē de Christo intelligi nō potest sed de alio aliquo Ministro qui praesit loco eius The Children of Juda and the Children of Isral shal assemble togeather to appointe vnto them selues One Heade And in the tenthe of Iohn There shal be made One Folde and One Shephearde Whiche thinge doubtelesse cannot be expounded of Christe but muste be taken of some other Minister that maye rule in his steede Thus wée are taught that Christe is neither the Heade of his owne Body the Churche nor the Shephearde of his owne Flocke but onely the Pope And yet Chrysostome saithe Qui non vtitur Sacra Scriptura sed ascendit aliunde id est non concessa via hic non Pastor est sed Fur VVho so euer vseth not the Holy Scripture but commeth 〈◊〉 an other waie that is not lawful whiche is by False Gloses and Corruptions he is not the Shephearde of the Flocke he is the Theefe So saithe S. Augustine Ipsum characterem multi Lupi Lupis imprimunt The note or marke of a Bishop many geue vnto Wolues and be VVolues them selues M. Hardinge saithe farther For as mutche as Christe is Ascendedinto Heauen and is nowe nomore conuersante emongst vs in Visible Forme as he was before it behooued some one man to be put in Commission for bearinge the charge and takinge care of the whole Churche Therefore he saide vnto Peter Feede my Flocke Confirme thy Brethren Firste what Ancient Learned Father euer thus scanned the woordes of the Popes Commission Or why dothe M. Hardinge auouche so greate a mater of him selfe onely without farther Authoritie And if this so large Commission be to Feede to Feede so many why then doothe the Pope Féede so litle Or rather why Feedeth
he nothinge at al Or howe can he claime by Féedinge that neuer Feedeth Againe where learned M Hardinge to reason thus Christe is Ascended into Heauen Ergo the Pope is Heade of the whole Worlde Or thus Christe saide to Peter Feede my Flocke Ergo the Pope hath Vniuersal Power ouer the whole Churche of God How can he make these Argumentes to holde I wil not saie by Diuinitie but by any reasonable shifte of Logique But ye saie God speaketh not nowe vnto vs mouthe to mouthe nor sendeth vs downe his Angels from Heauen nor instructeth vs nowe by Visions as he did others in Olde times What of that wil it therefore folowe that al the worlde muste geue eare to the Pope Nay M. Hardinge Chrysostome saithe mutche better Bicause God speaketh not nowe vnto vs in sutche familiare sorte Ergo Suam erga Homines amicitiam innouare volens quasi longè absentibus literas mittit conciliaturus sibi Vniuersam hominum Naturam Therefore God mindinge to renewe his fauour to wardes Man sente his Holy Scriptures as it were his Letters thereby to reconcile to him selfe al Mankinde God speaketh not nowe vnto vs by his Angels but he hath already spoken vnto vs as S. Paule saithe by the mouthe and presence of his Onely Sonne And therefore he saithe againe Yf an Angel from Heauen woulde nowe Preache vnto vs otherwise then wee haue receiued wée shoulde holde him accursed But for the Vnitie and quiet gouernmente of the Churche of God S. Paule saithe Christe Ascendinge aboue al the Heauens hathe geuen not One Vniuersal Pope to rule the whole but some Apostles some prophetes some Euangelistes some Pastours some Doctours for the perfitinge of the Sainctes for the woorke of the Ministerie for the buildinge vp of the Body of Christe that wee maye al comme into the Vnitie of Faithe and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God By these meanes God thought it sufficient to preserue his Churche in Vnitie and neuer made mention of One Vniuersal Pope Therefore S. Cyprian saithe Vnus est Episcopatus cuius à singulis in solidum pars tenetur There is but One Bishoprike parte whereof of euery seueral Bishop is holden in whole And againe Ideò plures sunt in Ecclesia Sacerdotes vt vno Haeresim faciente coeteri subueniant Therefore are there many Bishoppes in the Churche that if one fal into Heresie the reste maye healpe Thus when Peter walked not vprightly to the Gospel Paule came with healpe and reproued him openly euen to his face Thus Irenaeus reprooued Pope Victor thus sundrie godly Fathers haue reprooued others Therefore S. Augustine saithe Deus docuit Petrum per posteriorem Paulum A quocunque enim Verum dicitur illo donante dicitur qui est ipsa Veritas Thus God instructed Peter by Paule his pâ—nâ—e that was called after him For by whom so euer the Truthe is spoken it is spoken by his gifte that is Truthe it selfe Ye saye the Pope succedeth not Christe in al his Substance that is to saie in al his Power neither hath there any sutche fonde sayinge benne vttered saie you at any time by the Diuines Yf this be true wherefore then be these woordes written and so wel allowed of in the Councel of Laterane Tibi data est Omnis Potestas in Coelo in Terra Vnto your Holinesse al Power is geuen as wel in Heeuen as in Earth Wherefore is Bernarde so wel allowed to force the same farther with these woordes Qui totum dedit nihil excludit He that hath geueÌ„ thee Al hath excepted Nothinge Wherefore is Panormitane allowed to saie Papa potest omnia quae Deus ipse potest The Pope is hable by his power to doo what so euer God him selfe can doo For the reste M. Hardinge saithe One Kinge is hable to rule One Kingedome Ergo One Pope is hable to rule the whole Churche This Reason is very simple and is answeared before Of the gouernmente of Princes wée haue dayly Practise But of Popes that euer exercised this Vniuersal Dominion ouer the whole Churche of God M. Hardinge is not hable to shewe vs one Wel were it with him if he were but a Member of Christes Body and a Sheepe of his Flocke S. Gregorie saide sometime to Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople claiminge vnto him selfe the same Title and thinkinge him selfe hable yenough to rule the whole Quid tu Christo Vniuersalis Ecclesiae Capiti in Extremi Iudicij responsurus es examine qui cuncta eius Membra tibimet conaris Vniuersalis appellatione supponere What answeare wilt thou make in the trial of the Laste Iudgemente vnto Christe the Head of his Vniuersal Churche that thus by the name of Vniuersal Pishop seekest to bringe vnder thee al the Members of his Body Laste of al M. Harding concludeth without premisses Who so euer wil not be ruled by this Shepheard the Pope is of the Hearde of Antichriste So saithe one of the Popes hired Proctours Quicquid Saluatur est sub Summo Pontifice VVhat so euer Soule is saued it is vnder the Pope This one thinge beinge graunted M. Hardinges whole cause passeth cleare But God be thanked it appeareth already to al them that haue eles to see that wee haue not departed from the seruile Obedience of that See but vpon iuste cause and good aduise And in sutche sorte the Pope him selfe wil not denie but it is lawful for any Churche to dissente from the Churche of Rome These he his woordes whiche muste be holden for a Lawe Quicquid sine discretione Iustitiae contra Romanae Ecclesiae DisciplinaÌ„ actum fuerit ratum haberi nulla ratio permittit VVhat so euer thinge is donne without discretion of Iustice againste the Order of the Churche of Rome it maye not by any meanes be allowed By whiche woordes it appeareth Ex contrario Sensu By an Argument of the contrarie that what so euer is donne by discretion of Iustice notwithstandinge it be against the Order of the Churche of Rome yet ought it to wel allowed S. Augustine saithe Ne Catholicis quidem Episcopis consentiendum est sicubi fortè falluntur vt contra Canonicas Scripturas aliquid sentiant VVee maye not geue our consente vnto any Bishoppes be they neuer so Catholique if they happen to be deceiued and to determine centrarie to the Scriptures And Pope Pius 2 him selfe saithe Resistendum est quibuscunque in faciem siue Paulus siue Petrus sit qui ad Veritatem non ambulat Euangelij VVee are bounde to withstande any man to the face be it Peter be it Pause yf be walke not to the Truthe of the Gospel To conclude where the Woulfe is broken in it is beste for the poore Sheepe to breake out That the Woulfe was broken in beside the cruel spoile and raueninge of Christian Bloude it is plaine by the woordes of S. Bernarde For thus he speaketh
for M. Hardinge telleth vs that his Power herein was Onely Ertraordinarie Of the other side Peter coulde geue them none for as Heruaeus and Paladensis saie Vntil Christes Ascension he was not Pope But to leaue these vaine Fantasies not woorth the hearinge S. Paule wil soone remooue al these doubtes Thus he writeth of him selfe Paule the Apostle not of Menne nor appointed by Menne but by Jesus Christe and God the Father And S. Chrysostome hereof writeth thus Paulus nihil opus habebat Petro nec illius egebat voce sed Honore Par erat illi Nihil enim hic dicam amplius Paule had no manner lacke of Peter nor stoode in neede of his voice or allowance but in Honour was his Felowe For I wil here saie no more His meaninge is He was his better Howe be it what néede woordes Set contention aparte the case is cleare For it was not Peter that breathed ouer the Apostles It was not Peter that saide vnto them Goe to the loste Sheepe of the house of Israel Receiue the Holy Ghoste Goe into al the Worlde and Preache the Gospel Al this Power was geuen them by Christe alone and not by Peter Nowe where as M. Hardinge teacheth vs that Peter was the Shephearde and the Apostles the Sheepe makinge them al as mutche inferiour vnto Peter as the Shéepe is inferiour vnto the Shepheard S. Hierome saithe Dices Super Petrum fundatur Ecclesia Licerid ipsum in alio loco super Omnes Apostolos fiat cuncti claues Regni Coelorum accipiant Ex Aequo super eos Ecclesiae fortitudo solidetur Ye wil saye The Churche is founded vpon Peter Notwithstandinge in an other place the same thinge is donne vpon al the Apostles and al receiue the keies of the Kingdome of Heauen and the strengthe of the Churche is founded Equally vpon them al. Likewise the Learned Father Origen saithe Quòd si super vnum illum Petrum tantùm existimas aedisicari toram Ecclesiam quid dicturus es de Iohanne Filio Tonitrui Apostolorum vnoquoque Yf thou thinke the whole Churche was builded onely vpon Peter what wilt thou then saie of Iohn the Sonne of the Thunder and of euery of the Apostles Therefore S. Chrysostome of Peter saithe thus Duplex crimen erat ium quia repugnauit tum quia coeteris seipsum praeposuit Peter was in double faulte bothe for that he withstoode Christe and also for that he set him selfe before the reste S. Augustine maketh Peter Felowe and Equal with the other Apostles Inter se concorditer vixerunt Petrus Condiscipuli eius Peter and his Felowes liued agreeably togeather And againe Christus sine personarum acceptione hoc dedit Paulo vt Ministraret Gentibus quod etiam Petro dederat vt Ministraret Iudaeis Christe without any choise of Personnes gaue the same Authoritie to Paule to Minister emongst the Heathens that he gaue to Peter to Minister emongst the Iewes And the very Ordinarie Glose geoeth these woordes to S. Paule Non didici ab alijs tanquam à Maioribus sed contuli cuÌ„ illis tanquam cum amicis Paribus I learned not of Peter and others as of my betters but I had conference with them as with my Equalles and Frendes Likewise Paule him selfe saithe Iacobus Petrus Iohannes qui videbantur Columnae esse dextras dederunt mihi Barnabae Societatis James Peter and John that seemed to be the Pillers gaue vnto me and Barnabas the righte handes of Felowship Whiche the Glose expoundeth thus Societatis id est Aequalitatis Of Felowship that is to saye of Equalitie Therefore notwithstandinge M. Hardinges Ordinarie and Extraordinarie Distinctions S. Cyprians woordes are plaine and true The reste of the Apostles were euen the same in Authoritie that Peter was al endâ—wed with One Felowship bothe of Honoure and of Power The Apologie Cap. 3. Diuision 4. And that it was saide indifferently to them al Feede ye indifferently to them al Goe into the vvhole vvorlde indifferently to them al Teache ye the Gospel M. Hardinge Wee denie that it was saide indifferently to them al Feede ye Yea or that it was saide at al Feede ye To Peter and none els was it saide Feede my Lambes Feede my Sheepe VVhiche Woorde of Feedinge so singularly spoken to Peter in the presence of the other Apostles prooueth that it was not indifferently saide to al Feede ye That they were sente into the whole VVorlde and that they were commaunded to teache and in that respect also to Feede wee confesse vnder the distinction of Ordinarie and Extraordinarie Power before mentioned The B. of Sarisburie It forceth not greately what M. Hardinge denie or graunte hauinge neither Reason nor Authoritie but onely his owne But if Power were not geuen indifferently to al the Apostles tel vs then wherein is the oddes What had Peter more What had the others lesse Or what Olde Doctour or Learned Father euer sawe this Difference Christe saide equally vnto them al Receâ—â—â— the Holy Ghoste Whose Sinnes yee forgeâ—ue they are forgeeuen Goe into the whole Worlde Preache the Gospel to euery Creature These woordes perteine equally vnto al. Peter had nomore the Holy Ghost nomore Power to forgéeue Sinnes nomore Commission to goe into the whole Worlde nomore Authoritie to Preache the Gospel then others had M. Hardinge saithe To the reste of the Apostles it was not saide at al Feede ye To Peter and to none els was it saide Feede my Lambes Feede my Sheepe Yet Christe him selfe saithe Quod Vni dico Omnibus dico That I saie to One I saie to Al. And S. Hierome saithe as it is before alleged Al the Apostles receiued the Keies of the Kingedome of Heauen and the strength of the Churche was builte Equally vpon them al. S. Paule saithe What is Peter what is Paule but the Ministers of Christe through whome ye haue beleeued Paule hath planted Apollo hath watered He that planteth is nothinge He that watreth is nothinge Chrysostome saithe Angeli quamliber magni tamen Serui sunt ac Ministri The Angels of God be they neuer so greate yet are they but Seruantes and Ministers Therefore to conclude he saithe Ne Paulo quidem obedire Oportet si quid proprium dixerit si quid humanum sed Apostolo Christum in se loquentem circumferenti Wee maye not beleeue Paule him selfe if he speake any thinge of his owne or of worldly reason but wee muste beleeue the Apostle bearinge aboute Christe speakinge within him The Apologie Cap. 3. Diuision 5. And as Hierome saithe Al Bishoppes where so euer they be be they at Rome be they at Eugubium be they at Constantinople be they at Rhegium be al of like Preeminence and of like Priesthood And as Cyprian saithe There is but one Bishopâ—ike and a peece thereof is perfitely and wholy holden of euery particular Bishop M. Hardinge The Interpreter not without the wil
doo that moste humble Open Penaunce but onely once in the Churche and neuer more afterwarde leaste the Medicine beinge made ouer common should not bee profitable to the Sicke Thus mutche difference therfore wee see there was bitweene the Churche and Nouatus The Churche graunteth the Open Sinner one onely time of Open Reconciliation and neuer more But Nouatus graunteth none at al. Therefore the whole mater of Nouatus might haue serued M. Hardinge to some other purpose For Confession whether it were Priuate or Publique was no parte of his Erroure The Apologie Cap. 6. Diuision 2. And wee saie that the office of Loosing consisteth in this pointe that the Minister either by the Preachinge of the Gospel offereth the Merites of Christe and ful pardon to sutche as haue lowely and contrite hartes and doo vnfainedly repente them selues pronouncinge vnto the same a sure and vndoubted forgeeuenesse of theire sinnes and hope of Euerlastinge Saluation Or els that the same Minister when any haue offended theire Brothers mindes with somme greate offence or notable and open crime whereby they haue as it were vannished and made them selues straungers from the Common Felowship and from the Body of Christe then after perfite amendement of sutche personnes dothe reconcile them and bring them home againe and restore them to the Companie and Vnitie of the Faithful M. Hardinge The summe of all these gaye woordes abbridged dothe attribute Loosinge or Absolution firste to Preachinge nexte to Assotlinge sutche as be Excomminicate As touchinge the firste these Defenders confounde the offices of Preachinge and of Absolution The Preacher teacheth the hearers and reporteth the woordes of Christe as out of the mouthe of Christe saieinge Thus saithe Christe c The Priest whiche is the Minister of Absolution accordinge to the Authoritie geuen to him by Christe in his owne person assoileth the Penitente saieinge I assoile thee in the name of the Father c. The Preacher in that he preacheth onely dothe not assoile sinners neither geueth he the Merites of Christe nor full pardon by pronouncinge vnto them the Gospell For if that greate benefite consiste in pronouncinge or denouncinge of the Gospell then why might not euery laye man yea womenne yea yonge boyes and gyrles assoile sinners yea why might not euery man assoile him selfe And woulde ye Sirs appointe vnto vs suche for iudges constituted by Christe For the woordes of Christe be so plaine as they cannot be so violently wrested For Christe saide not To whom ye offer by preachinge of the Gospel my Merites and Pardon or whose sinnes ye pronounce by the Gospell to be remitted but quorumcunque remiseritis who soeuers sinnes ye remitte they are remitted to them For as the sonne of man remitted sinnes to him that was sicke of the Palsye and to Mary Maudelen that ye maye knowe saithe he that the sonne of man hathe Power to remitte sinnes c Euen so he hathe transferred the same power vnto Priestes saithe Chrysostome VVhiche Priestes he hathe sente as the Father sente him And if Absolution consiste in pronouncinge of the Gospell whiche profiteth so muche as it is beleeued then the power of the Keies whiche Christe hathe geuen to the Churche consisteth not so muche in the Minister as in the sinner that heareth and beleeueth and so is forgeuen by Luthers Opinion And by this meanes the Prieste hathe no speciall power But wee saie with the Churche that a Sacramente hath his efficacie of the institution of Christe in him to whom it is adhibited In this sense the Catholike Churche of Christe hath euer taughte that God woorketh our Saluation by Sacramentes and in this faithe it hathe alwayes baptized infantes that their sinnes beinge remitted they mighte be made the children of God Like wise by the Keyes of the Churche it hathe assoiled personnes berefte of the vse of speache and reason as the Learned and Auncient Holy Father Leo teacheth in his Epistle ad Theodorum Episcopum Foroiuliensem and S. Augustine de adulterinis conlugijs Lib. 1. Cap. 26. vltimo Finally if the office of Loosinge that is Absolution consisted in Preachinge the Gospell and offeringe the Merites of Christe by pronouncinge the woordes in whiche the remission of our sinnes is expressed as this Denfender teacheth then had not the Catechumens of olde time neither nowe shoulde they be in any danger if they shoulde dye without Baptisme and the grace of reconciliation that is not beinge assoiled For they lacked no preachinge as nowe they lacke not where any suche bee The contrarie whereof the Churche hathe euer taught and for witnesse of the same besides other fathers wee haue the plaine Doctrine of S. Augustine Who saithe that a Catechumen howe mutche so euer he profitethe beareth still the burthen of his iniquitie so longe as he is not baptized I denie not but cases of iuste necessitie be excepted in the one and the other hauinge right and firme willes and desire in eche case VVhen not the contempte of Religion but the pointe of necessitie excludethe the Mysterie of baptisme as S. Augustine saithe Then how dangerous and pernicious is the Doctrine of these Defenders our Newe Ministringe Prelates who more with sweete and Holy woordes then withe truthe teache Christen people that the office of Loosinge consisteth in offeringe by preachinge of the Gospell as they call it the Merites of Christe and full pardon and by pronouncinge I knowe not howe a sure and vndoubted forgeeuenesse of sinnes and hope of Euerlasting Saluation to suche for soothe as haue lowly and contrite hartes and doe vnfainedly repente them The contrition of harte they seeme to speake of sufficethe not for Loosinge of sinnes onlesse it be contrition formed with charitie as the Diuines teache VVhiche charitie seeketh and requireth the Sacrament of Penaunce and the grace of reconciliation whiche cannot be ministred but by a prieste Neither is it possible the prieste to iudge truly who are lowly and contrite of harte and repente them vnfainedly forasmutche as he cannot searche the harte onlesse the penitentes humble them selues vnto him and declare theire repentaunce by simple and lowly confession of their sinnes VVhiche confession these Newe Gospellers haue abandoned out of theire Congregations Howe mutche is more the Catholike and holesome Doctrine of S. Augustine to be embraced and folowed whiche he vttereth in these woordes Doo ye penaunce sutche as is done in the Churche that the Churche maie praie for you Let noman saie to him selfe I do penaunce secretely before God I do It God who forgeeueth me knoweth that I doo it in my harte But what saith S. Augustine hereunto VVhy then saithe he it was saide in vaine What thinges ye Loose in Earthe they shal be Loosed in Heauen Then without cause the Keies be geeuen to the Churche VVe make voide the Gospell of God wee make frustrate the woordes of Christe S. Augustine saithe doo ye
penaunce not sutche as liketh your selues not sutche as Newe fangled selfe pleasinge Preachers teache you but sutche as is done in the Churche whiche consisteth in Contrition of harte confession of mouthe and satisfaction of worke that so ye maie be assoiled and perfitely reconciled Touchinge the seconde pointe wee doo not attribute the Loosinge of sutche as be excommunicate to the offeringe of Christes Merites and pronouncinge of the Gospell vnto them as you doo but to the power of Iurisdiction by Christe geeuen to the Churche By the fathers Excommunication in consideration of the necessitee of it is called neruus Ecclesiasticae disciplinae the sinnowe of Churchely discipline by the Canons Mucro Episcopi the swerde of a Bishop by S. Augustine Episcopalis iudicij damnatio qua poena nulla in ecclesia maior est The condemnation of a man by Bishoply Iudgemente then the whiche there is no greater punishmente in the Churche The B. of Sarisburie Wée commit the Keies of the Kingedome of Heauen onely vnto the Priesteand to none other and to him onely wee saie What so euer thou bindeste in Earthe shal be Bounde in Heauen Yet neuerthelesse hath not euery Prieste the vse of these Keies Peter Lombarde him selfe saithe Sanè dici potest quòd alteram istarum Clauium id est Scientiam discernendi non habent omnes Sacerdotes Wee maie safely saye that al Priestes haue not the one of these twoo Keies I meane the Knowledge to discerne Yf they haue not the Keies them can they neither Open nor Shutte Neither doothe it folowe of Our Doctrine that either Children or Laye menne doo or maie forgéeue sinnes And yet Gods Woorde maie be mighty be the pronouncer of it neuer so simple S. Augustine saithe Cùm Christus Petro dicerer Tibi dabo Claues Regni Coelorum Vniuersam significabat Ecclesiam When Christe saide vnto Peter Vnto thee I wil geeue the Keies of the Kingdome of Heauen he signified thereby the whole Churche And againe Quaecunque ligaueris super Terram erunt ligara in Coelo Coepisti habere Fratrem tuum tanquam Publicanum Ligas illum in Terra Cùm autem correxeris concordaueris cum Fratre tuo soluisti illum in terra Cùm solueris in terra solutus erit in Coelo What so euer thinges thou shalt Binde in Earthe they shal be Bounde in Heauen Thou beinge a Lateman hast begonne to haue thy Brother as a Publicane Thou Bindest him in Earthe But when thou hast corrected him and hast agreed with thy Brother thou hast Loosed him in Earthe And when thou haste Loosed him in Earthe he shal be Loosed in Heauen Likewise Theophylacte saithe Si tu offensus habes eum qui te affecit iniuria sicut Publicanum Gentilem erit ille in Coelo talis Si autem solueris eum hoc est Si illi condonaueris erit illi in Coelo condonatum Non enim solùm quae soluunt Sacerdotes sunt soluta sed quaecunque nos iniutia affecti vel ligamus vel soluimus ipsa erunt ligata vel soluta If thou beinge offended haue him that hathe donne thee wronge as a Publicane and as an Heathen sutche shal he be also in Heauen But if thou Loose him that is to saie if thou pardonne him he shal be pardonned also in Heauen For not onely the thinges that Priestes Loose are Loosed but also what so euer wee being Laimonne hauinge taken wronge doo Binde or Loose the same thinges shal also be Bounde or Loosed This Doctrine maie not séeme so strange to M. Hardinge Onlesse he be a stranger emongest his owne For by the Order of his owne Churche of Rome an Olde wife or a Yonge gyrle maie Minister the Sacramente of Baptisme And I trowe he wil not saie They maie Minister Baptisme without Remission of Sinnes In his Churche of Rome the Power of the Keies is lapped vp oftentimes in a Bulle of Lead and sente abroade into the world by a Laye Pardoner and is thought neuerthelesse good sufficient vnto the Receiuer for Remission of Sinnes notwithstandinge the messenger be no Priest Somme of the late Doctours of his saide Churche haue taught vs that a man maie make his Confession by a bille of his hande and receiue Absolution by a Trusheman or by a Broker Peter Lombarde the Grande Maister of theire whole Schole saithe Si tamen defuerit Sacerdos Proximo vel Socio est facienda Confessio If thou wante a Prieste thou muste make thy Confession vnto thy neighboure or vnto thy felowe And Beda saithe as he is alleged by the saide Peter Lombarde Coaequalibus quotidiana leuia grauiora verò Sacerdoti pandamus Let vs open our smal and daily sinnes vnto our felowes and the greatter vnto the Prieste And to be short vpon the Decretales it is noted thus In necessitate Laicus potest Audire Confessiones Absoluere In case of necessitie a Laie man maie bothe heare Confessions and Absolue This is the Order and Doctrine of M. Hardinges owne Churche His owne Doctours tel him that Laye Menne and Wéemenne maie Absolue the Penitente and Forgeeue Sinnes Therefore hée hathe the lesse cause to mislike it M. Hardinge saithe further Christe saithe not To whom ye offer by preaching of the Gospel my Merites and Pardonne or whose sinnes ye pronounce by the Gospel to be remitted but Quorumcunque remiseritis whose so euer sinnes ye remitte they are remitted Yf M. Hardinge wil Conclude of this Negatiue Ergo Sinnes be not forgeuen by the preachinge of the Gospel I trowe it wil be but a Simple Argumente For Chrysostome saithe Clauicularij sunt Sacerdotes quibus creditum est Verbum Docendi Interpretandi Scriptutas The Keiebearers be the Priestes to whom is committed the VVoorde of Teachinge and Expoundinge the Scriptures And S. Hierome saithe Quaecunque Solueritis super Terram erunt Soluta in Coelo Soluunt autem eos Apostoli Sermone Dei testimonijs Scripturarum exhortatione virtutum What so euer thinges ye Loose vpon Earthe they shal be Loosed also in Heauen But the Apostles Loose them by the VVoorde of God and by the Testimonies of the Scriptures and by exhortation vnto vertue Likewise S. Augustine saithe Iam vos Mundi estis propter verbum quod Ioquutus sum vobis Quare non ait Mundi estis propter Baptismum quo loti estis Nisi quia in Aqua Verbum Mundat Now are you cleane bicause of the VVoorde that I haue spoken to you VVhy saithe he not you are cleane bicause of the Baptisme wherewith ye are wasshed Sauinge that euen in the VVater it is the VVoorde that maketh Cleane Likewise S. Ambrose Remittuntur peccata per Verbū Dei cuius Leuites est Interpres Sinnes be forgeeuen by the VVoorde of God the Expounder whereof is the Leuite or Prieste Al the Power is in the Woorde of God whiche S. Paule
doo with menne that they should heare my Confessions as if they weare bable to beale al my griefes VVhen they heare me speake of mee selfe how can they tel whether I doo saie the truthe or no For noman knoweth what is donne in Man but the sprite of Man that is in Man How be it hereof haue growen many vnnecessarie and curious questions what Yeeres what Monethes what Daies what Houres what Manner what Order of Penance should serue for euer seueral sinne In Resolution of whiche doubtes stoode the Iudgement of the Prieste And therefore Carolus Magnus in in his Lawes straitely commaundeth that the Priestes should be skilful in the Booke of Penance But as touchinge the Iudge of Sinnes S. Chrysostome saithe Ante Deum confitere peccata tua Apud Verum Iudicem cum Oratione delicta rua pronuntia Confesse they sinnes before God Before the True Iudge with praier pronounce thine offenses And againe Cogitatione fiat delictorum exquisitio Sine Teste sit hoc Iudicium Solus te Deus confitentem uideat Let the examination of thy sinnes be wrought in thy Harte Let this Iudgement be VVithout VVitnesse Let God Onely heare thee when thou makest thy Confession And againe he saithe Medicinae locus hîc est non Iudicij non poenas sed peccatorum Remissionem tribuens Deo Soli dic peccatum tuum Heere is place of Medicine and not of Iudgement geuinge not punishement but Remission of Sinnes Open thy sinne to God Alone And therefore in M. Hardinges owne Canons it is noted thus Confessio fit ad ostensionem Poenitentiae non ad impetrationem veniae Confession is made vnto the Prieste not thereby to obteine forgeuenesse but to declare our repentance And againe Confessio Sacerdoti offertur in Signum veniae acceprae non Causam Remissionis accipiendae Confession is made vnto the Prieste in token of remission already obteined and not as a cause whereby to procure Remission And yet is the Prieste a Iudge al this notwithstandinge and pronounceth sentence as a Iudge of Doctrine of Open Sinne of the Offence of the Churche and of the Humilitie and Heauinesse of the Penitent and as a Iudge togeather with the Elders of the Congregation hath Authoritie bothe to Condemne and to Absolue Peter Lombarde him selfe saithe Etsi aliquis apud Deum sit solutus non tamen in facie Ecclesiae solutus habetur nisi per indicium Sacerdotis Al be it a man be Absolued before God yet is be not accoumpted Absolued in the face of the Churche but by the Iudgemente of the Prieste Likewise saithe S. Augustine Horror pritis publica Poenitentia satisfacere Sacerdotis Iudicio reconciliatum Communioni sociari I exhorte you first to make Satisfaction vnto the Churche by open penance and so to be restoared to the Communion by the discretion of the Prieste The order hereof as it is set foorthe by S. Cyprian was this Firste the Sinner by many outwarde gestures and tokens shewed him selfe to be penitent and sorowful for his sinne After that he made humble Confession thereof before the whole Congregation and desired his brethren to praie for him Lastly the Bishop and the Cleregie laide theire handes ouer him and so reconciled him So saithe Origen Qui lapsus est procedit in medium Exomologesin facit He that hathe offended commeth foorthe into the middes of the People and maketh his Confession Sozomenus likewise describinge the same Order saithe thus Rei ad terram sese pronos abijciunt cum planctu lamentatione Episcopus ex aduerso occurrit cum Lachrymis ipse ad Pauimentum lamentando prouoluitur vniuersa Ecclesiae multitudo Lachrymis suffunditur They that haue offended fal downe flat with weepinge and lamentation to the grounde The Bishoppe commeth to him with teares and him selfe likewise falleth downe and the whole multitude of the Churche is powred ouer and ouer with teares I vse the moe woordes herein for that the whole mater is longe sithence growen vtterly out of vse Notwithstandinge this is the Confession and Penance that S. Augustine speaketh of Of Open Confession M. Hardinge hee saithe The Keies were not geeuen to the Churche in vaine Of Open Confession hée saithe VVhat so euer ye Loose in Earthe shal be Loosed in Heauen Of Open Confession he speaketh al these woordes and not of any Auriculare or Priuate dealinge Yf M. Hardinge happen to doubte hereof let him looke better vpon his Bookes There shal he finde euen in the verie same place he hathe alleged these woordes partely goeinge before partely folowinge Agite Poenitentiam qualis agitur in Ecclesia vt oret pro uobis Ecclesia Iob dicit Si erubui in conspectu populi confiteri peccata mea Propterea Deus uoluit vt Theodosius ageret Poenitentiam publicam in conspectu populi Nolite permittere Viros vestros fornicari Interpellate contra eos Ecclesiam Doo Penaunce sutche as is donne in the Churche that the Churche maie praie for you Iob saithe I was not ashamed in the sight of al the people to confesse my sinnes Therefore God would that Theodosius beinge the Emperoure of the worlde should doo Open Penaunce euen in the presence of al y◠people Ye wiues suffer not your Husbandes to liue in fornication Comme before the Congregation and crie against them This is the Confession that S. Augustine speaketh of not Secrete or Priuate or in the Eare but Publique and Open and in the Sight and Hearing of al the people In like manner saithe S. Ambrose Multos necesse est vt ambias obsecres vt dignentur interuenire Fleat pro te Mater Ecclesia culpam tuam Lachymis lauet Thou muste needes humble thee selfe and desire many to intreate for thee Let the Churche thy Mother weepe for thee and let her washe thy offence with her teares This therefore M. Hardinge was no plaine dealinge with sutche sleight to turne Publique into Priuate and the Open audience of the whole people into one onely mannes secrete eare and so mutche to abuse the simplicitie of your Reader Certainely these woordes of S. Augustine Open Penaunce Confesse Openly In the sight of al the people That the vvhole Churche maie praie these woordes I saye wil not easily serue to proue your pourpose for Priuate Confession The Apologie Cap. 6. Diuision 3. Wee saie also that the Minister doth execute the Authoritie of Binding and Shutting as often as he shutteth vp the Gate of the Kingdome of Heauen against vnbeleeuing and stubborne persons denouncing vnto them Gods vengeaunce and Euerlasting punishment Or els when the dooth quite shut them out from the bosome of y◠Churche by open Excommunication Out of doubte what sentence so euer the Minister of God shal geue in this sorte God him selfe doth so wel alowe it that what so euer here in Earthe by theire meanes is Loosed and Bounde God him selfe wil
Loose and Binde and confirme the saine in Heauen M. Hardinge Heare againe you confounde the Power of Bindinge and the office of Preachinge as you did before speaking of the power of Loosinge VVhereto wee saye as wee saide before of that other that Bindinge and Shuttinge consisteth not in denouncinge of Goddes engeaunce but in the exercise of the Keie of Iurisdiction committed to the Churche The Ministers whereof Binde sinners whom for iust cause they Loose not but knowe that they are not to be loosed And to that Keie perteineth excommunication and by the same it is exercised VVhat so euer by them is thus Loosed or Bounde in Earthe God him selfe alloweth for loosed and bounde in Heauen Suche Priestes because ye 1. haue not in your Newe Churche at least after this wise 2. vsinge Priestly Auctoritie 3. and none wil suffer to be made 4. nor suche Auctoritie to be exercised ye 5. defraude the faithful people of the greate benefite of the Sacrament of penaunce kepinge them faste bounde to their sinnes after baptisme committed And so ye cause their Euerlasting Damnation for whom Christe hath shed his Bloud the Price of their Redemption The B. of Sarisburie Wée Confounde not these Keies M. Hardinge but speake plainely and distinctely of either other Wée saie that the Power as wel of Loosinge as also of Bindinge standeth in Gods Woorde and the exercise or execution of the same standeth either in Preaching or els in Sentence of Correction and Ecclesiastical Discipline Of the later hereof there is no question of the former M. Harding pronounceth precisely although as it appeareth not moste aduisedly Bindinge saithe he and Shuttinge standeth not in denouncinge of Goddes Vengeaunce And hereof he certainely assureth vs as of a most vndoubted Veritie How be it in so saieinge he séemeth not to consider the Power and Weight of the Woorde of God Christe him selfe saithe If any man shal heare my Woordes and shal not Bèleèue I condemne him not He that refusethe me and receiueth not my Woordes hath one that condemneth him The Woorde that I haue spoken is it that shal Iudge him at the last daie Like wise saithe S. Paule VVe are the good sauour of Christe in them that be saued and in them that perishe Vnto them that perishe wee are the sauoure of Death vnto Deathe In them that be saued wee be the sauour of Life vnto Life And againe If the Gospel be hidden it is hidden from them that perishe So saith God vnto the Prophete Ezechiel If thou geue warninge to the wicked and he wil not be turned from his wickednesse he shal perishe in the same Yet haste thou discharged thine owne soule To be shorte The whole Scriptures are ful hereof And therefore S. Augustine saithe Praedicatur Euangelium quibusdam ad praemium quibusdam ad Iudicium The Gospel is Preached to somme vnto rewarde to somme vnto Iudgemente For the rest M. Hardinge saithe Suche Priestes bicause ye haue not in your Newe Churche at leaste after this wise vsinge Priestly Auctoritie and none will suffer to be made and suche Auctoritie to be exercised ye defraude the faitheful people of the great benefite of the Sacramente of Penance keepinge them fast bounde to theire sinnes after Baptisme committed And so ye cause theire euerlastinge Damnation for whom Christe hathe shead his Bloud the Price of their Redemption These great woordes are not very wel seasoned They are bigge in sounde and smal in weight they are ful of terroure and voide of witte For the Churche of Englande hath Authoritie this daie by Goddes Woorde to Binde and Lose as mutche as euer Christe gaue any to his Apostles And by the same Authoritie is hable to Binde not onely M. Hardinge and his Felowes as Peter bound Simon Magus or as Paule bounde Elymas the False Prophet but also the Pope himselfe if he be an Open Offender and as S. Paule saithe to deliuer him ouer vnto Sathan And vndoubtedly beeinge so bound in Earthe he shal also stande Bounde in Heauen Our People remaine not Bounde nor perishe in theire sinnes as these menne so vncharitably and fondly haue imagined They be so certaine of the Remission of theire sinnes in the Bloude of Christe as if Christe himselfe were presente and spake it to them They are taught and knowe that The Bloude of Christe the Sonne of God hath made vs cleane from al our sinnes and that there is no name vnder Heauen whereby wee shal be saued but onely the name of Iesus Christe As for Priuate Confession Abuses and Errours set aparte as it is saide before wée condemne it not but leaue it at libertie And therein wée maie séeme to folowe the aduise of Charles the Emperoure in his late Interim For thus he writeth Confessio Peccatorum Enumeratio vt non nimis laxanda est ita uicissim non nimis est astringenda Touchinge the Priestes of your makinge M. Hardinge of whom ye séeme to make so great accoumpte your owne Peter Lombard saith of them as it is saide before Sané dici potest quòd alteram Clauem id est Scientiam discernendi multi Sacerdotes non habent And in like manner saithe your owne Bonauentura Omnes ferè ita sunt Simplices Idiotae post susceptionem Sacerdotij ficut antè Al Priestes for the most parte are as Simple and Vnlearned after the receiuinge of Orders as they were before But be it graunted that your Priest be fully furnished with al his Keies Yet is it not he that by any his Authoritie forgeueth sinnes Your owne Gratian saithe Euidentissime datur intelligi quòd sine Confessione Oris Peccata possunt deleri It is euidently geeuen vs to vnderstande that vvithout Confession of mouthe Sinnes maie be forgeeuen And againe Ore tacente veniam consequi possumus Though vvee saie nothinge yet wee maye haue pardonne Againe Luce clariùs constat Cordis Contritione non Oris Confessione Peccata dimitti It is apparente and more cleare then the light that Sinnes be forgeeuen by Contrition of the Harte and not by Confession of the mouthe And againe Dominus ostendit quòd non Sacerdotali iudicio sed largitate Diuina Peccator mundatur Our Lorde hathe taught vs that the sinner is made cleane not by the Iudgement of the Prieste but by the Mercie of God Thus M. Hardinge it is plaine by the Iudgemente of your owne Doctours that were your Auriculare Confession quite abolished yet might the People notwithstandinge haue ful Remission of theire Sinnes But of you it maie he verified that Christe saide vnto the Phariseis Ye haue taken awaye the Keies of the Kingedome of Heauen And neither doo ye enter your selues nor wil your suffer others that would enter Of your Keies Veselus saide longe sithence Claues Papae Praelatorum non aperiunt Regnum Dei sed claudunt potiùs The Popes and the Prelates Keies doo not Open the
Kingedome of God but rather Shutte it The Apologie Cap. 7. Diuision 1. And touchinge the Keies wherewith they maie either Shutte or Open the Kingdome of Heauen wee with Chrysostome saye They be the Knowledge of the Scriptures with Tertullian we saie They be the Interpretation of the Lawe and with Eusebius wee cal them the Woorde of GOD. M. Hardinge The let where by the whole Nature of man is shutte out of Heauen by the sinne of our Firste Parent is taken a wait by the Passion of Christe But because before that benefite be receiued Heauen yet remaineth shutte bothe for sinne Originall contracted and sinne actual committed wee haue neede of the Sacramentes and Keies of the Churche The Holy Fathers for good considerations grounded vpon Scripture haue diuided the Keies into the Keie of Order and the Keie of Iurisdiction And either of them into the Keie of Knowledge whiche they call also the Keie of Discretion and into the Keie of Power To these Defenders wee saie that they confounde the Keies and seme not to knowe what the Keies are Verely these be not onely the knowledge of the Scriptures nor the Interpretation of the lawe nor the VVorde of God although these also doo open or shute the Kingedome of Heauen in their kinde as Chrysostome Tertullian and Eusebius maye well saye and not onely these but also Miracles and Plagues and all other thinges whiche prepare the will or vnderstandinge of man whereby hee maye receiue the benefite of those moste principall Keies that nowe wee speake of The B. of Sarisburie Gentle Reader for the better vnderstandinge hereof it may please thée to consider that the Woorde of God according to the sundrie effectes and properties thereof hath sundrie names For example For that it encreaseth and multiplieth it is called Seede For that it cutteth the Harte and diuideth the Fleash from the Sprite it is called a Swerde For that it taketh and encloseth vs and bringeth vs togeather it is called a Nette For that it wassheth vs cleane it is called Water For that it Enflameth vs it is called Fire For that it Féedeth vs it is called Breade And euen so for that it openeth and geueth vs an entrie into the House it is called the Keie This House is the Kingedome of Heauen Christe is the Doore the Woorde of GOD is the Keie For thus saieinge M. Hardinge telleth vs Wee confounde maters and séeme not to knowe what wée saie Notwithstandinge herein we imagine nothinge of our owne but onely reporte the very Woordes and Sentences of the Ancient Learned Catholique Fathers Tertullian saithe Quam Clauem habebant Legis Doctores nisi Interpretationem Legis What Keie had the Doctours of the Lawe sauinge the Exposition of the Lawe S. Hierome saithe Duces Ecclesiae habent Claues Scientiae vt aperiant Scripturas creditis sibi Populis Vnde praecipitur vt Magistri aperiant Discipuli ingrediantur The Captaines of the Churche haue the Keies of Knowledge to open the Scriptures vnto the People to them committed Therefore Commaundement is geuen that the Maisters should open and the Scholars shoulde enter S. Ambrose saithe Remittuntur peccata per Dei Verbum cuius Leuites est Interpres Sinnes be forgeuen by the Woord of God the Expounder whereof is the Priest Thus these and other like Ancient Fathers haue opened the meaninge of these Keies And yet were they neuer therfore condemned of ignorance as menne y◠wiste not what they saide Certainely Chrysostome saithe Clauis est Scientia Scripturarum per quam aperitur Ianua Veritatis The Keie is the knowledge of the Scriptures whereby is opened the gate of the Truthe And S. Augustine saithe Clauis est dicenda qua ad Fidem pectorum dura reserantur That ought to be called the Keie where with the hardnesse of mennes hartes is opened vnto Faithe Here hath M. Hardinge wel multiplied and encreased his Keies and hathe brought vs foorthe a whole bunche of them altogeather The Keies of Orders The Keies of Iurisdiction The Keies of Discretion The Keies of Power The keies moste Principal and the Keies not so principal And thus hath he keies of Order without Iurisdiction and keies of Iurisdiction without Order keies of Discretion without Power keies of Power without Discretion And al these prety shiftes of keies hath he diuised to auoide Confusion and to make vp his tale as if the Popes Crosse Keies were not sufficient Plagues and Miracles and I knowe not what thinge els are brought foorthe vnto vs in the likenesse of Keies And this distinction and limitation of Keies saithe he hath vpon good considerations benne diuised by the Holy Fathers And yet of al these Holy Fathers for modesties sake he nameth none What answeare were it beste to make to sutche Vanities In deede when the right Keie of Knowledge was loste and gonne it was time to diuise some other pretie Pikelockes to woorke the feate Bonauentura hereof writeth thus as it is partely alleged before Omnes ferè Sacerdotes ita sunt simplices idiotae post susceptionem Sacerdotij sicut anté Dicendum ergo quòd Scientia non est Clauis Principalis nec per se sed prout iuncta est Authoritati Ligandi vel soluendi Et haec Clauis non est de Esse Ordinis sed de bene esse Al Priestes for the moste parte are as simple and as iude after the receiuinge of Priesthoode as they were before Therefore we must saie that Knowledge is not the Principal Keie not any Keie at al of it selfe but as it is ioined with the Authoritie of Bindinge or Loosinge And this Keie of Knowledge is not of the Substance of the Order of Priesthoode but of the better beinge of the same And therefore to encrease M. Hardinges number of Keies he saithe Quidam habent Scientiam Clauium quidam Clauiculam quidam nullam Somme haue the Knowledge of the Keies somme a pretie litle Keie somme no Keie at al. In this case it were good for M. Hardinge to resolue his Reader when the Prieste hath nothinge els but a Pretie litle Keie or no Keie at al what Authoritie he hath either to Open or to Shutte M. Hardinge replieth farther VVee haue Remission of Sinnes in the Ministration of the Sacramentes Therefore wee haue it not onely by the hearinge of the VVoorde of God This Obiection touched and partely answeared a litle before S. Augustine calleth the Sacramentes Verba Visibilia Woordes Visible for that in them as in liuely Images the Deathe of Christe is sensibly sette before our eies For the woorde of God is the Substance and Life of al Sacramentes and without the same Sacramentes what so euer are no Sacramentes And therefore S. Augustine saithe as it is alleged before Quare non ait vos mundi estis propter Baptismum quo lot◠estis Sed ait propter Verbum quod locutus sum vobis Nisi quia in Aqua
we maye gather of his woordes as he meaneth that a Prieste exerciseth not the right of any his owne proper power in remittinge sinnes so in the very place by you alleaged he saith the contrary to your Doctrine For the Right of loosinge and bindinge saieth he is graunted to Priestes onely and therefore the Churche chalengeth it rightly whiche hath true Priestes Lo he vseth the woorde of chalenge Againe in the same place he auoucheth that he whiche receiueth the Holy Ghoste whom Priestes receiue when they be Consecrated in the Sacrament of Order receiue also power to Loose and Binde Sinnes For prouse thereof he alleageth the Scripture Take ye the Holy Ghoste whole sinnes ye remitte they are remitted and whose sinnes ye reteine they are reteined And if you Defender were accustomed to make your humble ConfessioÌ„ and so to be assoiled you should heare some Ghostly Fathers saie to you after certaine other woordes Auctoritate mihi commissa ego te Absoluo c. The B. of Sarisburie In what sense the Prieste without hearinge Confessions maie be a Iudge wée haue sufficiently saide before Neither knowe I what fansie M. Hardinge can haue in so often rehearsal of one thinge With what woordes or coloure of Commission M. Hardinge can furnishe out his Authoritie it forceth not greately Verily without somme shew or countenance his credite would not holde In deede Hugo and Bernarde saie The Iudgemente of God foloweth the Iudgemente of man And Pope Iulius saithe Habet Sacrosancta Romana Ecclesia Potestatem singulari sibi Priuilegio Concessam Aperire Claudere ianuas Regni Coelestis quibus voluerit The Holy Churche of Rome hath Power grounted vnto her by Singulâ—re Priuilege to Open and to Shutte the gates of the Kingedome of Heauen to vvhom she listeth And Cardinal Cusanus saithe Haee Ligandi â—oluendi Potestas non minor est in Ecclesia quà m in Christo This Power of Bindinge and Loosing is no lesse in the Churche then it is in Christe But it is no greate wisedome to geue ouer mutche credite vnto them that so often haue deceiued vs. If theire Authoritie be so greate as they make it let them shewe the woordes of theire Commission The saieing of S. Ambrose is cleare and plaine Verbum Dei dimittit Peccata Sacerdos est Iudex Sacerdos quideÌ„ officium suum exhibet Sed nullius potestatis iura exercet The Woorde of God foregeeueth Sinnes The Prieste is the Judge The Prieste executeth his office But he exerciseth the right of no Povver And to this ende in an other place he allegeth the woordes of the Prophete Esai spoken in the person of God Ego sum ego sum qui deleo iniquitates tuas I am he I am he that put a waie thine iniquities And to laie more weight to S. Ambroses woordes S. Augustine saithe in like sense Officium Baptizandi Dominus concessit multis Potestatem verò Authoritatem in Baptismo remittendi peccata sibi Soli reseruauit Our Lorde hath graunted the office of Baptizinge vnto many but the Power and Authoritie in Baptisme to foregeeue Sinnes he hath reserued Onely to him selfe So saithe S. Ambrose Nostrum est onera remittere Illius est resuscitare Illius est educere de Sepulchro It is our parte to remoue the stone from the graue by Preachinge by Counsel and by Exhortation But it is the Lordes woorke to raise vp the deade It is the Lordes woorke to bring him from the pitte Likewise againe he saithe Neque Legatus neque nuntius sed ipse Dominus saluum fecit populum suum Solus remanet quia non potest hoc cuiquam hominum cum Christo esse commune vt peccata condonet Solius hoc munus est Christi qui tulit peccata mundi It is not the Embassadoure It is not the Messenger but the Lorde him selfe that hath saued his people The Lorde remaineth alone For noman can be partener vvith God in foregeeuinge of Sinnes This is Christes Onely office that hath taken awaie the sinnes of the World And yet is not the Priestes office voide of Power He hath Power and Commission to open the Wil of God and as S. Paule saith to speake vnto the people euen as in the Person of Christe So Tertullian saithe Dandi Baptismi ius habet Summus Sacerdos id est Episcopus The Chiefe Prieste that is to saie the Bishop hath Right and Power to geeue Baptisme But S. Augustine saithe Ministerium dedit seruis Potestatem sibi retinuit God gone the Ministerie of Remission of Sinnes vnto his Seruâ—untes But the Povver thereof he reteined to him selfe So when Christe sent out his Disciples to Preache the Gospel he gaue them Authoritie Power If M. Hardinge wil saie There is no Power or Authoritie in the Reading or Publishinge of Goddes Woorde his owne Doctour Hosius wil telle him that when the Bishop Ordereth a Reader euen after the manner of the Churche of Rome he saithe vnto him Habe Potestatem legendi Epistolas in Ecclesia Sancta Dei tam pro viuis quà m pro defunctis Haue thou Power to Reade the Epistles in the Holy Churche of God as wel for the quicke as for the Deade In deede this is a very special Power sutche as I trowe Christe and his Apostles neuer taught vs. Neither woulde I haue noted it in this place sauing that Hosius the profoundest Proctour of that side thought it a mater woorthe the notinge Sutche power therefore belongeth to Priestes and Ministers in the Churche of God But the Power of Geuinge Remission of Sinne belongeth to God alone and to none other If any man wil presume further S. Hierome saithe as it is alleged before He hath put on the proude looke of the Phariseis And saithe further that sutche Priestes and Bishoppes vnderstande not the Woordes of Christe For saithe he It is not the Iudgemente or Absolution of the Prieste but the Life of the Penitente that is regarded before God And therefore S. Augustine saith Inde nata sunt Schismata cùm homines dicunt Nos Sanctificamus immundos Nos Iustificamus impios nos petimus nos impetramus Hereof grow Schismes and Diuisions in the Churche when menne saie wee Sanctifie the vncleane wee Justifie the wicked wee desire wee obteine Howe he it here commeth in Richardus de Sancto Victore God wate with a ful colde distinction For thus he saithe Christus potuit Dimittere Peccara Nos vero ' non possumus Dimittere Peccata sed tantùm Remittere Peter Lombarde saithe mutche better Christus Sacerdotibus tribuit potestatem Ligandi Soluendi id est ostendendi hominibus Ligatos vel Solutos Christe hath geuen Power vnto Priestes to Binde and to Loose that is to saie to declare vnto menne whoe be Bounde whoe be Loose Sa saithe Bonauentura of the Priestes vnder the Lawe of Mases Mundare dicebantur quia mundatum ostendebant
the B. of Rome whom for al the spite ye beare towarde him ye must acknowledge to be a Bishop to haue the Keies at al onlesse he preache in his own Personne ye declare your greate ignorance and fowle temeritie Know ye not that a Power annexed to an Order and Vocation is not taken away from one by not exercisinge the same in his owne Person The B. of Sarisburie The effecte hereof besides other ordinarie idle talke standeth in twoo pointes Firste M. Harding saithe The Pope though he doo nothing him selfe in his owne Personne yet he maye sufficiently féede the Flocke of Christe and Binde Loose and discharge al dewties by his Deputies and Vnderuicars that is to saye by his Cardinalles and Bishoppes whiche are as careful and zelous for their offices and tender theire charge as mutch as he This ground I trow is not false and therefore what so euer M. Harding shal builde thereon it can neuer faile Notwithstanding I doo not remember that either Christe or his Apostles euer vsed to doo yâ— like One saide sommetime Impudens est Imperator qui cùm alienis oculis omnia ei agenda sint postulat sibi aliorum Capita Fortunas coÌ„mitti He is a shamelesse Captaine that whereas he must guide al thinges by the eies of others wil require other mennes liues ad goodes to be committed to his handes Pope Damasus saithe Illi Episcopi qui talia sibi praesumunt videntur mihi similes esse Meretricibus quae starim vt pariunt infantes suos alâ—s nutricibus tradunt educandos vt suam citiùs libidinem explere valeant Sic isti Infantes suos id est populos sibi Commissos alijs educan dos tradunt vt ipsi suas libidines expleant id est vt pro suo libitu Saecularibus curis inhient quod cuique visum fuerit liberitis agant Sutche Bishoppes takinge sutche maters vpon them selues seeme like vnto Hâ—rsottes Whiche as soone as they be once deliuered streight waie deliuer out theire Children vnto Nâ—urces that they maie the rather folow their pleasures Euen so these Bishoppes diliuer ouer theire children that is to saie the people committed to theire Charges to be reared and brought vp by others â–ª that they maie the better accomplishe theire pleasures that is to saie that they maie geeue them selues ouer to worldly cares and doo what so euer shal like them beste Further saith M. Harding Christ said vnto Peter To thee wil I geeue the Keies Feede my Sheepe Confirme thy Brethren Ergo the Pope is a Lorde Paramounte and hathe a Power Pierclesse ouer al the world Peter of Palus hereof writeth thus Christus dixit Apostolis Quaecunque ligaueritis in terra erunt ligata in Coelo Non dixit In Coelis sicut Petro dixerat Sed in Coelo Vno Vnde non sunt tantae perfectionis sicut Petrus Christe saide vnto the Apostles what so euer ye shal Binde in Earthe it shal be bounde in Heauen He saide not It shal be bounde in Heauens as he saide to Peter But in One Heauen Therefore the other Apostles were not of sutche perfection as Peter was Againe he saithe Illa verba Quaecunque ligaueris intelliguntur de Vtroque Foro de Vtraque Potestate Illa autem Verba Quorumcunque ligaueritis intelliguntur anúm de Foro Conscientiae These woordes spoken vnto Peter VVhat so euer thou shalt Binde are vnderstoode of bothe Courtes as wel of the Courte of Judgemente as of the Courte of Conscience But these other woordes Spoken vnto the other Apostles VVhat so euer you shal Binde c. are vnderstoode onely of the Courte of Conscience This fantasie it séemeth he learned out of these woordes of Origen Non modica differentia est quòd Petro quidem datae sunt Claues non Vnius Coeli sed multorum Caelorum vt quaecuque I gauerit super tertam sint ligata non tantùm Vno in Caelo sed euam in omnibus Coelis Ad alios dicit vt soluant ligent non in Coelis sicut Petrus sed in Vno Caelo quia noÌ„ sunt in tanta perfectione sicut Petrus vt ligeÌ„t soluaÌ„t in omnibus Coelis The difference is greate For vnto Peter are geeuen the Keies not of one Heauen but of many Heauens that what so euer he bindeth in Earth shal be bound not onely in One Heauen but also in al the heauens But vnto the reste he geeueth Power to Binde and Loose not in the Heauens as Peter doo the but in One Heauen for that they were not in sutche perfection as Peter was to Binde or Loose in al the Heauens This Multiplication of Heauens as I haue saide is but a fantasie and yet to M. Hardinges pourpose it maketh nothing For Origen by this woorde Peter meante not Peter the Apostle but any other Godly Learned Prieste or Bishop whom he expresseth here vnder the name of Peter For it foloweth immediately Ergo quantò melior fuerit qui soluit tantò beatior erit qui soluitur quoniam in omnibus solutus est Coelis Therefore the better man he is that looseth the moore blessed is he that is Loosed for that he is Loosed in al the Heauens Againe he saithe Quod si nos idem loquimur quod Petrus locutus est efficimur Petrus Et nobis dicetur Tu es Petrus Petra enim est quisquis est Discipulus Christi If wee speake the same that Peter spake wee are made Peter And vnto vs it shal be saide Thou arte Peter For he is the Rocke that is the Disciple of Christe And againe he saithe Hoc dictum Tibi dabo Claues Regni Coelorum Coeteris quoque commune est Et quae sequuntur velut ad Petrum dicta sunt omnium Communia This saieinge To thee wil I geue the Keies of the Kingdome of Heauen is common to the reste of the Apostles And the woordes that folow as spoken vnto Peter are common vnto al. So saith S. Augustine Petrus quando accepit Claues Ecclesiam SanctaÌ„ significauit Peter when he receiued the Keies signified the Holy Churche So saithe S. Basile Petre inquit amas meâ— Pasce Oues meas Et consequenter Omnibus Pastoribus Doctoribus eandem potestatem tribuit Cuius signum est quo'd omnes ex Aequo ligant Absoluunt quemadmodum ille Christe saide vnto Peter â—ouest thou me Feede my Sheepe And in like sorte vnto Al Pastours and Doctours he gaue the same Povver A tokeÌ„ wherof is this that al others Binde Loose Equally as vvel as he Likewise saithe S. Ambrose Dominus dixit Petro Pasce Oues meas Quas Oues quem Gregem non solùm tune Beatus Petrus suscepit sed nobiscum eas suscepit cum illo cas nos suscepimus omnes Our Lorde saide vnto Peter Feede my Sheepe Whiche Sheepe and Flocke not Onely Blessed Peter then receiued but he receiued the sa ne togeather
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
admitted Judas vnto his Table whereat he gaue and deliuered vnto his Disciples a Figure of his Body Againe S. Augustine saithe as in the Personne of Christe Qui in me non manet in quo ego non manco ne se dicat aut existimet manducare Corpus meum aut Sanguinem meum bibere He that abideth not in me and I in him let him not saie or thinke that he either eateth my Body or drinketh my Bloude The obiection that ye make of the Resurrection of our bodies is light and vaine and to smal pourpose For if noman shal haue parte in the Resurrection but onely they that haue receiued the Sacramente of Christes Body then are al the Holy Fathers Patriarches and Prophetes of the Olde Testamente Abraham Isaac Iacob Moses Aaron and sutche others then are infinite numbers of Christian Children then are many Godly Martyrs whiche beinge Baptized in the Bloude of Christe were taken out of this life before they coulde receiue the Sacramente vtterly excluded for euer from al hope of Resurrection But Christe when he spake these Woordes meante not the reciuinge of the Sacramente but the Spiritual Eatinge of his Very Body and the Spiritual Drinkinge of his Very Bloude Whereof he is made partetaker vnto Resurrection and Life Euerlastinge who so euer beleeueth in the Death of Christe And therefore S. Basile saith of the Sacramente of Baptisme Baptisma est vis efficacia ad Resurrectionem Baptisme is a Povver and a strength vnto Resurrection But hereof wee shal haue occasion offered to saie more hereafter Further Howe can ye assure your selues saye you that your Faithe receiueth the Body of Christe VVhiche was neuer promised to your Faithe By the waie I beséeche you M. Hardinge when or where was Christes Body euer promised to your Mouthe Verily Christe promised his Body to he receiued by Faithe and by Faithe Onely and none othervvise For thus he saithe Ego sum Panis ille Vitae qui venit ad me non esurier qui credit in me non sitiet vnquam I am that Breade of Life He that commeth vnto me shal neuer hunger and he that Beleeueth in me shal neuer thirste Here haue you M. Hardinge a plaine promisse made vnto our Faithe But of your Mouthe wée heare nothinge If you haue ought to shewe out of the Scriptures Doctours or Councelles let it appeare that in plaine woordes without coloure Otherwise if ye cauil in woordes wée muste saie ye haue nothinge Therefore the Auncient Father Origen saith Idcircò dicitur Panis vitae vt habeat Gustus Animae quod deguster Therefore is Christe called the Breade of Life that our Faithe whiche is the Taste of our soule maie houe what to taste Clemens Alexandrinus saithe Comedite Carnes meas Bibite Sanguinem meum Euidenter Fidei Promissionis quod est Esculentum Poculentum dicens allegoricè Eate my Fleashe and Drinke my Bloude Meaninge hereby vnder an Allegorie or by vvaie of a Figure the Meate and Drinke that is of our Faithe and his Promisse Tertullian saith Eundem Sermonem Christus etiam Carnem suam dixit quia Sermo Caro factus est Proinde in causa vitae recipien dus Deuorandus auditu Ruminandus intellectu Fide Digerendus est The same Woorde Christe called his Fleashe For the Woorde was made Fleashe Therefore he muste be receiued in cause of Life He muste be Deuoured by hearing He muste be chevved by vnderstandinge He muste be Digested by Faithe S. Cyprian saithe Quod est esca Carni hoc est Animae Fides As Meate is to the Fleashe so is Faithe vnto the Soule S. Augustine saithe Credere in eum hoc est Manducare Illud Eibere quid est nisi viuere To Beleeue in him is to Eate him That Drinkinge of him what is it els but to liue by him I truste M. Hardinge it maie appeare hereby there is somme promisse made hereof vnto our Faithe Nowe shewe you as euidente Promisse made to your Mouthe and Belly and then your Reader happily wil beleeue you The Apologie Cap. 14. Diuision 2. And therefore in celebratinge these Mysteries the People are to good pourpose exhorted before they comme to receiue the Holy Communion to lifte vp theire Hartes and to directe theire mindes to Heauen warde bicause he is there by whom wee muste be fedde and liue M. Hardinge I praie you Whiche these Mysteries meane ye Those that ye haue in your newe communion or those that we haue at the aulter of God in the Catholike Churche of Christe If ye meane your owne newe deuised toye thereof ye cannot bringe any sufficient reason againste the Churche pardy whiche condemneth the same If ye meane the Holy Mysteries of the Catholike Churche ye misreporte the mater For by that exhortation ye speake of the people are not prepared to receiue the Communion onely nor chifely but to dispose them selues accordingly and as it becommeth them to praie for to that ende be these woordes Sursum corda vp with your hartes pronounced by the Prieste in the Preface before prayer Reade S. Cyprian in Sermone 6. De Oratione Dominica And ye shal finde him to referre the whole to praier But what if we admitte your woordes refusinge your Heretical meaninge VVe graunte the people are to good purpose so exhorted as ye saie and that he is in Heauen whose fleash we feede on in this Sacramente thereby to attaine to life Euerlastinge VVhat conclude ye of this Ergo he is not here For at that marke ye shoote euery man maye see Here we tel you that your Rhetorike is better stuffe then your Logike for your argumente is foolishe VVith the one ye maie leade the simple perhaps with the other ye moue the Learned to laugh at you For Christe is in Heauen and also here as Chrysostome saithe Et hic plenus existens illic plenus Vnum Corpus He is here fully and there fully one Body These two propositions Christe is in Heauen and Christe is here may wel stande togeather without iuttinge the one the other out of place He is there at the right hande of the Father visibly he is here vnder the Formes of Breade and VVine inuisibly there in glorie here in Mysterie ▪ yet as truly and fully here as there concerninge his Substance as Chrysostome saith Ye procede foorth and saie The B. of Sarisburie It maye becomme you M. Hardinge as wel to cal the reuerende Ministration of Christes Holy Mysteries a Toie as to cal the Gospel of Christe Erroure and Heresie So likewise Libanius the Heathen although a man I trow not of your Profession saide sommetime that al the Bookes either of the Scriptures or of any y◠Christian Fathers in comparison of Iulianus the Renegates Bookes were toies and trifles Howe be it Our Toies be the same Toies that were once vsed and allowed vniuersally throughout the Catholique
beseeche you what remaineth there then further to be Purged in Purgatorie Howe be it to proue the Imperfection and corruption of Nature that euermore hangethe in our Fleashe ye might in my Iudgemente haue alleged many other Authorities far more pregnante and clearer then these Esai saithe Al our righteousnesse is like vnto a fowle stained cloute Iob saithe Inter Sanctos eius nemo est Fidelis Et Coeli non sunt mundi in Conspectu eius Emonge the Sainctes of God there is none Faitheful The Heauens are not Cleane in his sight S. Paule saithe I knovve there is no good thinge in my Fleashe S Augustine saithe Let the Apostles of Christe them selues saie O Lorde foregeeue vs our offences Sutche imperfections and Corruptions while wee liue wee euermore carrie in our Fleashe Therefore saie you To be Purged hereof that wee maie be cleane and fitte to enter into Heauen wee muste needes passe thoroughe the Fieres of Purgatorie By this meane ye haue wel enlarged the Popes Iurisdiction For this beinge true neither is there nor neuer was there any Creature neither Prophete nor Apostle nor Martyr nor Angel nor Archangel nor Heauen it selfe Christe onely excepted but of force muste be cleansed in your Purgatorie And therefore Origen a greate fautoure of this erroure saith thus Vt ego arbitror Omnes nos necesse est venire in illum Ignem etiamsi Paulus aliquis sit vel Petrus As I suppose al vvee muste needes comme into that Fiere Yea althoughe it be Paule or Peter And therefore he saithe as it is alleged before Ego puto quòd post Resurrectionem ex Mortuis indigebimus Sacramento eluente nos atque Purgante Nemo enim absque sordibus Resurgere poterit Neque vllam puto posse animam reperiri quae vniuersis statim vitijs careat I thinke that after the Resurrection from the deade vvee shal neede the Sacramente of Baptisme to vvashe vs and to make vs cleane For noman can rise againe vvithout filthe Neither doo I thinke there can any Soule be founde voide from al manner of Sinne. But al these be vaine fantasies I meane as wel these of M. Hardinge as also the other of Origen S. Iohn saith Sanguis Iesu Christi Filij Dei purgat nos ab omni Peccato The Bloude of Iesus Christe the Sonne of God Purgeth vs and maketh vs cleane from al our Sinnes The Prophete saithe In what hourre so euer a sinner shal repente and mourne for his sinnes he shal be safe Esai saithe If your Sinnes shal be as redde as Scarlet yet shal they be made as white as snowe S. Paule saithe Christus Purgationem Peccatorum nostrorum fecit Christe by his Bloude hathe vvrought the Purgation of our Sinnes Therefore S. Cyprian saithe Sanguis tuus Domine non quaerit vltionem Sanguis tuus lauat crimina Peccata condonat Thy Bloud ô Lorde seketh no reuenge Thy Bloude vvassheth our Sinnes and Pardoneth our trespasses And whereas you telle vs out of somme Heathenishe fantasie that Sinnes cannot be washte awaie but with longe tracte of time and paine in Purgatorie S. Cyprian saithe In eodem articulo temporis cùm iam anima festinet ad exitum egrediens ad labia expirantis emerserit Poenitentiam Clementissimi Dei benignitas non aspernatur Nec Serum est quod Verum est In that very moment of time euen vvhen the Soule is ready to passe and is euen at the lippes of the partie ready to yelde vp the Sprite the goodnesse of our moste merciful God refuseth not repentance And vvhat so euer is truely donne is neuer too late S. Chrysostome saithe Latro in Cruce neque vno die opus habebat Et quid dico vno die Neque breui hora. Tanta est Dei erga nos Misericordia The Thiefe on the Crosse needed not so mutch as one daie to repeÌ„te him selfe What speake I of one daie No he needed not one houre So greate is the Mercie of God towarde vs. Of the other side if any man departe hence without repentance S. Augustine saithe Imparatum inueniet illum Dies Domini quem Imparatum inuenerit suae vitae huius vltimus dies Him shal the daie of the Lorde finde vnprouided whom the laste daie of this life findeth vnprouided S. Ambrose saithe Qui hîc non accipit Remissionem Peccatorum ibi non erit He that here in this life receiueth not Remission of his Sinnes shal not be there And S. Hierome expoundinge these woordes of Christe Thou shalt not goe foorthe thence vntil thou haue paide the laste farthinge saithe thus Significat semper non exiturum else quia semper soluat nouissimum quadrantem dum sempiternas Poenas terrenorum Peccatorum luit Christes meaninge is that he shal neuer comme out for that he muste euermore paie the laste farthinge whiles he suffereth euerlastinge pounishemente for his Sinnes committed in this worlde So saithe S. Augustine Donec soluas nouissimum quadrantem Miror si non cam significat poenam quae vocatur Aeterna Vntil thou paie the laste farthing I marueile but he mâ—â—â—eth that paine vvhiche is called Euerlastinge Hereby M. Hardinge I thinke it maie partely appeare that you mainteine your painted Fire and Paper VValles with painted Authorities and Paper Reasons Verily the Christian people of the Easte Churche of God whiche sommetime was as greate and as famous as the Churche of the Weast notwithstandinge they beleeued in God and his Christe and knewe there was boothe Hel and Heauen yet in your Purgatorie thei had no skil One of your Doctoures saithe Vsque in Hodiernum diem Purgatorium non est a Graecis creditum Vntil this daie of the Grecians or of the Easte Churche Purgatorie vvas neuer beleued Therefore ye cannot iustely saie that your fantasie herein was euermore accoumpted Vniuersal or Catholique The Apologie Cap. 16. Diuision 2. Augustine in deede sommetime saith there is sutch a certaine place sommetime he denieth not but there maie be sutch a one sommetime he doubteth sommetime againe he vtterly denieth there is any at al and thinketh that menne are therein deceiued by a certaine Natural good wil they beare theire frendes departed But yet of this one Erroure hathe there growen vp sutche a haruest of those Massemongers that the Masses beinge solde abroade commonly in euery Corner the Temples of God became shoppes to geate monei and selie soules were borne in hande that nothing was more necessarie to be bought In deede there was nothinge more gaineful for these menne to selle M. Hardinge VVel railed If your reasons or Authorities were so piththy as your mockes and scoffes be spiteful ye were to be hearde But thankes be to God that sutche shrewed beastes haue shorte hornes Nowe to S. Augustine And as Festus sayde to S. Paule Haste thou appealed to Caesar to Caesar shalt thou goe So saie wee to you though not
proue by the Prophete Dauid Transiuimus per Ignem Aquam eduxisti nos in Refrigerium Wee haue passed through Fire and VVater and thou haste brought vs foorth into a Place of refreasshinge Albertus and Roffensis saie The Executioners and Ministers of Purgatorie be Holy Angels Sir Thomas Moore saithe Out of doubte they be no Angels but very Diuels So handesomely these dreames agrée togeather To returne to the mater where ye saye Wée mutche mistooke the place of S. Augustine being deceiued by the Ignorante note in the Margine where also ye so pleasantly sporte your selfe with our Profounde knovvledge in the Doctoures the Woordes of S. Augustine that ye meane be these Primum Locum Fides Catholicorum Diuina Authoritate Regnum credit esse Coelorum vnde non Baptizatus excipitur Secundum Gehennam vbi omnis Apostata à Christi Fide alienus Aeterna Supplicia experietur Tertiū Penitùs ignoramus imò nec esse in Scripturis Sāctis inueniemus The First Place the Catholique Faithe by Goddes Authoritie beleeueth to be the Kingdome of Heaune From whence who so euer is not Baptized is excluded The Seconde Place the same Catholique Faithe beleueth to be Hel Where al Renegates and who so euer is without the Faithe of Christe shal taste Euerlasting Pounishement As for any Thirde Place vvee vtterly knovve none neither shal vvee finde in the Holy Scriptures that there is any sutche If these woordes make not against your Purgatorie yet truely in any appearance they make but sclenderly for your Purgatorie S. Augustine saithe Any other Thirde place after this life bisides Heauen and Helle vvee vtterly knovve none Neither can vve finde in the Holy Scriptures that there is any sutche But if al these three places Heauen Hel and Purgatorie had benne certainely knowen and Vniuersally receiued in the Churche yet bisides these three places the Pelagian Heretiques would haue diuised as you imagine an other seueral Place to receiue the Soules of sutche Children as departed out of this life without Baptisme then coulde not S. Augustine haue truely saide Tertium locum ignoramus VVee knovve no Thirde place But rather he shoulde haue saide Quartum locum ignoramus Fourthe place wee knowe none For by your iudgemente the doubte had benne not of the Thirde place but of the Fourthe And it had benne a greate ouersight for S. Augustine in the reckeninge onely of Foure places to haue forgotten One and specially sutche a One too as hath benne founde more gaineful of late yéeres then the other Three But his woordes be plaine Heauen vvee knovve and Hel vvee knovve But any Thirde place bisides Heauen and Hel vvee knovve none This woorde Purgatorium was noted in the Margine not by the Printer as you saie but by Erasmus a man of famouse memorie whose name for learninge iudgemente hath at al times emonge the Learned benne mutche estéemed with whom your yonge Louanian Cleregie maie not wel compare in the profounde knowledge of the Doctours without great blusshinge And thus mutche touchinge this one place of S. Augustine wherein it hath pleased you so déepely to charge vs with grosse ignorance But for better trial of his iudgemente herein ye should haue considered what he hath written otherwheres to like purpose In his Epistle to Hesychius he saithe thus In quo quenque inuenerit suus nouissimus dies in hoc eum comprehendet mundi nouissimus dies Quoniam qualis in die isto quisque moritur talis in die illo iudicabitur In what state his ovvne laste daie shal finde eche man in the same state the laste daie of the vvorlde shal finde him For sutche as euery man in this daie shal die euē sutche in that daie shal he be iudged Againe Qualem inuenit Dominus cùm hinc vocat talem iudicat As our Lorde findeth a man vvhen he calleth him hence euen so he iudgeth him And againe Qui in hac vita Deo nō placuerit habebit quidem Poenitentiam in Futuro Soeculo de malis suis sed indulgentiam in conspectu Dei non inueniet Quia etsi erit ibi stimulus poenitudinis nulla tamen erit correctio voluntatis Who so in this life shal not please God shal in the worlde to comme haue Repentance for his Sinnes but Pardonne in the sighte of God he shal not finde For although there shal be there the pricke of Repentance yet there shal be no amendemente of the wil. Againe he saithe Vnusquisque cum causa sua dormiet cum causa sua resurget Euery man shal die with his owne cause and rise againe vvith his ovvne cause Olympiodorus saith In quocunque loco c. deprehendetur homo cùm moritur in eo gradu atque ordine permanet in Aeternum In what place or state so euer a man shal be founde when he dieth in the same state and degree he shal remaine for euer But to recken vp al that might be saide in this behalfe it woulde be longe A simple man M Harding without any profounde knovvledge of the Doctoures maie easily sée that these saieinges wil hardly stande with your Doctrine of Purgatorie Your owne Roffensis saithe Nemo nunc dubitat Orthodoxus in Purgatorium sit De quo tamen apud Priscos vel nulla vel quà m rarissima fiebat mentio Sed Graecis ad hunc vsque diem non est Creditum Quamdiu enim nulla esset cura de Purgatorio nemo quaesiuit Indulgentias No Catholique man now doubteth of Purgatorie Whereof notwithstandinge emonge the Ancient Fathers there is either no mētion at al or very seldome Yea euen vntil this daie the Grecians Beleue it not For so longe as there vvas no care for Purgatorie noman sought after Pardonnes By whiche witnesse it appeareth that Pardonnes and Purgatorie were brought in iointely bothe togeather And as the case nowe standeth and as moste menne thinke the Pope could be contented to lose bothe Heauen and Helle to saue his Purgatorie The Apologie Cap. 17. Diuision 1. As touchinge the multitude of vaine superfluous Ceremonies wee knowe that S. Augustine did greuousely complaine of them in his owne time therefore haue we cutte of a great number of them bicause wee knowe that mennes consciences were encumbred aboute them and the Churches of God ouerladen with them Neuerthelesse wee keepe stil esteeme not onely those Ceremonies whiche wee are sure were deliuered vs from the Apostles but somme others too bisides whiche wee thought mighte be suffered without hurte to the Churche of God for that we had a desire that al thinges in the Holy Congregation might as S. Paule commaundeth be donne with comelinesse in good order But as for al those thinges whiche wee sawe were either very superstitious or vtterly vnprofitable or noisome or mockeries or contrarie to the Holy Scriptures or els vnseemely for sober discreete people whereof there be infinite numbres nowe a daies
exception what so euer they liste to saie but onely so longe as they teache the Lavve of God Further then that S. Augustine saithe VVee maie neither heare them nor folovve theire Counsel Hereunto ye thought it good to adde more force as a supplie to aide youre wantes Christe saide vnto Peter I haue praied for thee that thy Faithe shal neuer faile Ergo saie you The Pope can neuer erre This waie of reasoninge I trowe yee Learned of Peter de Palude a woorthy Doctoure of your side For so he reasoneth Ego rogaui pro te Petre vt Fides tua non deficiat Ex quo habetur quòd Romana Ecclesia in Fide errare non potest nec de eius Fide dubitare licet Sed in omnibus est sequenda Peter I haue Praied for thee that thy Faithe maie not faile By these woordes wee are taught that the Churche of Rome cannot erre in Faithe Neither is it lawful to doubte of the Faithe of that Churche but in al causes wee are bounde to folowe it But S. Augustine saithe Nunquid pro Petro rogabat pro Iohanne Iacobo non rogabat Vt coeteros raceam To leaue the reste did Christe Praie for Peter and did he not Praie for Iohn and Iames Againe he saithe Hac nocte postulauit Satanas vexare vos ficut triticum egorogaui Patrem pro vobis ne deficiat Fides Vestra This nighte hath Satan begged to threashe you as if it were wheate but I haue Praied to my Father not for Peter onely but for you that your Faithe maie not faile So saithe Origen Nunquid audebimus dicere quòd aduersus vnum Petrum non praeualiturae sint portae Inferorum aduersus coeteros autem Apostolos ac Praefectos Ecclesiae sint praeualiturae An Petro Soli dantur à Christo Claues Regni Coelorum Nec alius Beatorum quisquam eas accepturus est Omnia quaeque priùs dicta sunt quaeque sequuntur Velut ad Petrum dicta sunt omnium Communia Maie wee dare to saie that the gates of Helle shal not preuaile Onely againste Peter but shal preuaile againste the other Apostles and Rulers of the Churche Were the Keies of the Kingedome of Heauen geuen onely to Peter And shal no Holy man els receiue the same Nay al the thinges bothe that were saide before and also that folowe after as spoken to Peter are Common and belonge vnto al. Therefore as ye saie of the Churche of Rome so maie wée saie likewise of the Churche of Hierusalem where S. Iames was and of the Churche of Ephesus where S. Iohn was and of other the like Apostolique Churches notwithstandinge they be now in the possession of the Turke and haue receiued the Religion of Mahomete yet bicause Christe hathe once praied for them The Faithe of them shal neuer faile Further ye tel vs It shal be yenough for you to doo as the Successoures of Peter bid you to doo Christe now requireth not of you to obeie Peter and Paule but to obeie him that sitteth in their Chaire If this waie be as sure as it is shorte then is there no doubte but al is wel Though wée beléeue neither Peter nor Paule nor what so euer is writtē in Goddes Woorde yet saie you If vve folovve the Pope vvee cannot erre For thus mutche M. Harding ye are hable to warrante vs by your Gospel y◠Christe requireth not vs now to be obedient to Peter and Paule but onely to the Popes Holinesse y◠keepeth Residence in theire Chaire This is your Diuinitie these are your woordes If ye euer recante the same ye marre the flower of your Market Wée néede not now to saie Thus saithe the Lorde it shal be sufficient for vs to saie Thus saithe the Pope Yet S. Paule so far aduentureth the Truthe and certainetie of his Doctrine that he doubteth not to saie If an Angel from Heauen preache vnto you any other Gospel then wee haue Preached accursed be he Vpon whiche woordes S. Chrysostome hathe noted thus Non dixit Si Contraria annuntiauerint aut totū Euangelium subuerterint verùm Si paulùm Euangelizauerint praeter Euangelium quod accepistis etiamsi quiduis labefactauerint Anathema sint S. Paule saithe not If they Preache Contrarie to the Gospel or ouerthrowe the whole Gospel but If they Preache any little thinge bisides the Gospel that ye haue receiued if they ouerthrovve any thinge vvhat so euer it be accursed be they Therefore S. Hierome saithe Ea doceat Episcopus quae à Deo didicerit non ex proprio Corde c. Let the Bishop teache those thinges that he hath learned of God and not of his owne harte or fansie Chrysostome saithe Plus aliquid dicam Ne Paulo quidem obedire oporret si quid dixerit proprium si quid humanum sed Apostolo Christum in se loquentem circumferenti I wil telle you a greatter mater Wee maie not obeie no not S. Paule him selfe if he speake any thinge of his owne or if he speake onely as a man But wee muste beleeue the Apostle of Christe carrieinge Christe aboute speakinge within him And therefore Panormitane saithe In concernentibus Fidem etiam dictum vnius priuati esset praeferendum dicto Papae si ille moueretur melioribus rationibus Noui Veteris Testamenti quà m Papa In maters concerninge Faithe the saieinge of one Priuate man were to be hearde before the saieinge of the Pope if the same Priuate man were moued with better reasones of the Newe and Olde Testamente then the Pope But that vvee should no lenger obeie Peter and Paule but geeue eare onely to him that is cropen into theire Chaire it is suche Diuinitie as neither Peter nor Paule euer taught vs. Laste of al as vpon somme good aduauantage ye beginne to Triumphe Remember yee saie ye what ye saie knowe yee what ye doo who wil regarde youre woorde whiche with one breathe saie and vnsaie If it be odious to leaue our felowship why doo yee it If yee despise not the Churche why departe ye from it To Saie and Vnsaie it is your propertie M. Harding it is not oures Yée haue Saide Vnsaide yet were it not for shame it is thought yée woulde be contente to Saie againe Wee despise not the Churche it is the House of God But we mislike your defacinge and disorderinge of the Churche Christe reproued the Priestes and Phariseis for that they had turned the Temple of God into a caue of Theeues And yet neuerthelesse he despised it not but saide it was his Fathers house To leaue the wicked felowship of them that beare a name and shewe of Godlinesse it seemeth odious before menne but before God it is not odious S. Iohn saithe VVho so euer is sutche a one bidde him not God speede For who so saithe God speede vnto him is partetaker of his il S. Paule saithe I warne you that you receiue no meate with any
Againe S. Augustine saithe Non tamen propter hos remanebit Christus sine Haereditate Nouit Dominus qui sint sui c. Yet shal not Christe bicause of the wicked remaine without his Enheritance The Lord knovveth vvho be his ovvn The Apologie Cap. 13. Diuision 1. But leste somme man should saie that the foresaid thinges happened onely in the time of the Lawe of Shadowes and of Infancie when the Truth lay hid vnder Figures and Ceremonies when nothing as yet was brought to perfection when the Lawe was not grauen in mennes hartes but in stone And yet were that but a foolishe distinctiō for euen at those daies there was the very same God that is nowe the same Spirite the same Christe the same Faith the same Doctrine the same Hope the same Enheritaunce the same Couenaunt and the same Efficacie and Vertue of Gods Woorde Eusebius also saith Al the Faithful euen from Adam vntil Christe were in dede very Christians though they were not so termed But as I said leste menne should thus saie stil Paule the Apostle founde the like faultes falles euen then in the prime and chiefe of the Gospel in the greattest perfection in the light so that he was compelled to write in this sorte to the Galathians whom he had wel before instructed I feare me quod he leste I haue laboured amongest you to smal pourpose and leste ye haue heard the Gospel in vaine O my litle Children of vvhom I trauaile anevve til Christe be fashoned againe in you And as for the Churche of the Corinthiās how fowlely it was defiled it is nothing needeful to rehearse Now tel me might the Churches of the Galathians and Corinthians goe amisse and the Churche of Rome alone may it not faile nor goe amisse M. Hardinge VVe aunswere that in partes of the churche faultes may be founde and sundrie men that seme to be of the Churche and be in the Churche in deede maie fal and perish al this we graunt But that the whole catholique and vniuersal Churche whose faith we professe may erre fall and faile that we denie vtterly whiche had ben this Defenders part to proue els he talketh to no purpose And where S. Paule rebuketh al the Galathians in general as though al had forsaken their faith he doth it after the wonte of the Prophetes both in that and other epistles for the greater partes sake reprehending al though some deserue praise As for the Corinthians though many among them were faulty yet who considereth how be beginneth his epistle to them shal finde that he acknowleged a Churche among them For thus he writeth Paule by vocation by Apostle c. to the churche of God which is at Corinth c. The B. of Sarisburie That in any particulare Churche faultes may be founde that ye saie ye wil confesse But that the whole Catholique Vniuersal Churche may erre and faile that you saie ye denie vtterly Notwithstandinge it is certaine that the Churches of Corinthe and Galatia and sundrie others are nowe not in any Particulare portion but thorowly departed from the Faith and are nowe wholy subiecte to the Turke This therfore muste needes be your meaning that al be it al other Particulare Churches throughout the worlde happen to erre yet the Churche of Rome that is to saie the Pope and his Cardinalles can neuer erre This Lesson I trowe ye learned of Petrus de Palude For neither Christe nor any of his Apostles euer taught it you This woorthy Doctour saith thus Tota Ecclesia Petri non potest à Fide deficere Omnes autem Ecclesiae Apostolorū omniū possunt deficere à Fide totaliter indigentes ab Ecclesia Petri confirmari The whole Churche of Peter cannot wholy faile from the Faithe But al the other Churches of al the Apostles may faile wholy from the Faithe hauinge neede to be confirmed by the Churche of Peter And to this ende you your selfe cal the Romaine Faith the Catholique Faith making no maner difference betweene either other And therefore Pope Nicolas thus auaunceth and thundreth out his owne Authoritie Non quaelibet Terrena Sententia sed illud Verbum quo constructum est Coelum Terra per quod denique omnia condita sunt Elementa Romanam fundauit Ecclesiam Not any worldly Sectence but the selfe same Woorde where by Heauen and Earthe was made and whereby al the Elementes were created was it that founded the Churche of Rome By whiche woordes he meaneth that the Romaine Faithe shal stande as faste as the Fundations of Heauen and Earthe Euen so Peter assured his promisse vnto Christe Although saide he al others denie thee yet I alone wil not denie thee No though I shoulde presently die with thee yet I onely wil neuer denie thee Neuerthelesse when it came to trial the same Peter denied him firste Nowe that the Churches of Rome whiche you cal the Catholique Churche maie erre be foresaken of God it is euident by the plaine woordes of S. Paule For thus he writeth euen vnto the Churche of Rome Quòd si aliqui ex ramis fracti sunt c. If any of the boughes be broken of and thou beinge a wilde Oliue tree arte graffed into the natural Oliue and made Partaker of the roote and of the fatnesse thereof boaste not thee selfe againste the boughes If thou boaste remember thou bearest not the Roote but the roote beareth thee Thou wilte saie The boughes are broken of that I might be graffed in Wel they are broken of for theire Infidelitie but thou standest faste by Faithe Be not highe minded but stande in awe Seeinge God hath not spared the Natural boughes leste happily he spare not thee See therefore the goodnesse and the sharpenesse of God His sharpenesse towardes them that are fallen awaie but his goodnesse towardes thee if thou continewe and remaine in goodnesse Othervvise thou beinge the Churche of Rome shalte likevvise be smitten of Hereby it is plaine that the Churche of Rome maie faile and fal from God no lesse then other like Churches For otherwise this aduertisement of S. Paule had benne in vaine Therefore Hormisda beinge him selfe Bishop of Rome writeth thus Dilectissimi Fratres continuas preces ad Dominum fundamus iugi deprecatione poscamus vt institutione opere illi cuius esse membra cupimūs adhaereamus nec vnquam ab illa via quae Christus est deuio tramite declinemus ne ab eo iustè quem impiè reliquerimus deseramur My dearely beloued Brethren let vs Praie vnto God that bothe by profession and by order of life we maie cleaue to him whose Members we desire to be and that by any crooked path we neuer turne from that waie whiche is Christe leste vvee beinge the Churche of Rome be iustely forsaken of him vvhom vvickedly vvee haue forsaken Thus would not the Pope him selfe haue written in the behoufe of the Churche of Rome yf
ech man one Al are committed to thee the one whole flocke to one Neither arte thou onely the Pastour of al the Sheepe but also the onely Pastour of al the Pastours VVherefore accordinge to thine owne Canons other are called into parte of care thou into falnes of power The Auctoritie of others is restrained to certaine prescripte boundes thine is extended euen vpon those who haue receiued power ouer others Canst not thou if there be cause why close vp heauen gates againste a Bishop depriue him of his Bishoprike and geue him vp to the Deuil Nowe heare an other reason whiche confirmeth that prerogatiue to thee as wel as the other The Disciples rowed and our Lorde appeared vnto them on the shore and that in his Body nowe againe restored vnto life whiche was more confortable vnto them Peter knowing that it was our Lorde leapte into the sea and so came vnto him and the reste came by bote VVhat meaneth this Forsooth it was a signe of the singulare Popedome of Peter by whiche he tooke into his Gouernemente not one onely one Shippe as the other did eche man his owne but the whole worlde The B. of Sarisburie Apostates Renegates Lecherous Lurdaines Detestable Diuelishe rable O M. Hardinge the Vessel that helde this liquoure was not cleane Wee condemne not your Cleregie either for life or for Learning but onely reporte therein the iudgemente of others youre special frendes And therefore if any thinge mislike you herein the faulte is in them not in vs. S. Bernarde saith Your Bishoppes in his time were not Doctoures but Deceiuers Not Feeders but Defrauders Not Prelates but Pilates Iudge you nowe in what case the Churche of God stoode then when the Bishoppes that were the Guides and Leaders of the people might be compared to Pilate that gaue Sentēce in iudgement against Christe Iohannes Vitalis a Cardinal of Rome and therefore in no wise of your parte to be refused saithe thus De Sacerdotibus modernis dicit Hieremias Stupor mirabilia facta sunt in terra Prophetae praedicabant mendacium Sacerdotes applaudebant manibus Et populus meus dilexit talia Concerninge the Priestes that nowe be Hieremie saith Honoure and woonders are wrought vpon the Earth The Prophetes haue preached Lies the Priestes haue clapte theire handes at it for ioie and liked it wel and my people hath loued sutche thinges Albertus Magnus saith Illi qui modo ' praesunt in Ecclesijs plurimùm sunt Fures Latrones plùs Exactores quà m Pastores plùs Spoliatores quà m Tutores plùs Mactatores quà m Custodes plùs Peruersores quà m Doctores plùs Seductores quà m Ductores Isti sunt Nuntij Antichristi Subuersores Ouiū Christi They that nowe gouerne the Churche for the most parte be Theeues and Murtherers more Catches then Feeders more Spoilers then Defenders more Killers then Keepers more Deceiuers then Doctoures more Beguilers then Cuiders These be the vauntcurrers of Antichriste the Subuerters of the Sheepe of Christe VVilliam Holcote saithe Sacerdotes moderni sunt similes Sacerdotibus Baal sunt Angeli Apostatici sunt similes Sacerdotibus Dagon sunt Sacerdotes Priapi sunt Angeli Abyssi The Priestes of this time are like the Priestes of Baal Thei are the Renegate Angels They are like the Priestes of Dagon They are the Priestes of Priapus They are the Angels of Helle. S. Bernarde saithe Dicimini Pastores cùm sitis Raptores Fratres Iesus hodiè elegit sibi multos Diabolos Episcopos Non sunt Pastores sed Traditores Ye are called Bishoppes but ye are Rauenners O my Brethren Iesus at this time hath chosen vnto him many Diuels to be Bishoppes thei are not Feeders thei are Traitours Iohannes Sarisburiensis saide boldely vnto Pope Adrian the fourth Ideò mea opinione Papae frequentiùs moriūtur ne totam corrumpant Ecclesiam Therefore in my iudgemente the Popes die the oftener leste if they should continew longe they shoulde infecte the whole Churche Againe S. Bernarde saithe Pudeat Successores Apostolorum Lucem non esse Mundi sed Modij Mundi autem tenebras Dicamus eis Vos estis tenebrae Mundi Let it shame the Successours of the Apostles not to be the Lighte of the Worlde but the Light of the Busshel and rather the Darkenesse of the VVorlde Let vs therefore saie vnto them yee are the Darkenesse of the VVorlde Through these spectacles wée maie beholde the state of the Churche of Rome For Christe saithe If the Lighte it selfe that is in thee be made Darkenesse how greate then wil the Darkenesse it selfe be How can the Cittie be keapte in safetie if the Watcheman be blinde and sée nothinge If the Blinde leade the Blinde bothe falle into the pitte Christe saithe Dormientibus illis creuerunt Zizania While the Husbandemenne were asleepe then the Cokle and Darnel grewe S. Hilarie saithe Ecclesiae intra quas Verbum non vigilat naufragae sunt The Churches wherein Goddes VVoorde watcheth not suffer shipwracke and are drowned But Bernarde ye saie stoutely maineteineth the Popes Supremacie I graunte you Neither did wée euer allege him to proue the contrarie He defendeth also other greate and grosse errours as liuinge in a time of déepest Darkenesse But the Reason he vseth seeme very weake specially to winne so great a mater For thus he saithe Peter leapte into the vvater and came to Christe The reste of the Disciples came by bote Ergo The Pope hath the Iurisdiction of al the vvorlde Sutche other prety Reasons made in the Popes behalfe ye maie finde many Peter Crab that lately compiled the Bookes of Councelles reasoneth thus Peter paide the tribute monie for Christe and him selfe Christe saide vnto Peter Folowe thou me Againe he saide Lanche foorthe into the deepe Againe Peter arte thou asleepe Couldest thou not watche with me one houre And againe From hencefoorthe thy name shal be Peter And Peter drewe his Swerde and cutte of Malchus Eare Ergo saithe he The Pope hath Vniuersal Authoritie ouer the whole Churche of God Notwithstandinge how so euer these Reasons holde Bernarde saithe The Popes are the Heades of the Churche True it is But againe the same Bernard saith The same Heades are the Ministers of Antichriste Deceiuers Defrauders Rauenners Traitours the Darkenesse of the Worlde VVoulfes Pilates and Diuels And this was sufficient for our pourpose S. Gregorie saithe Considerate quid de Gregibus agatur quando Lupi sunt Pastores When the VVoulfe is becomme the Sheephearde consider then what maie becomme of the Flocke As for that S. Bernarde saithe The Pope is Abel The Pope is Noë The Pope is Abraham The Pope is Melchisedek The Pope is Aaron The Pope is Moses The Pope is Samuel The Pope is Peter The Pope is Christe I doubte not but your owne Conscience wil answeare it is too mutche Yet is that a greate deale more likely that others haue saide as I haue alleged before The
Pope is Antichriste For bothe Heauen Earthe knoweth he is not Christe The Apologie Cap. 18. Diuision 1. But forsomutche as these menne auouche the Vniuersal possession of the Catholique Churche to be their owne and cal vs Heretiques bicause we agree not in iudgemente with them let vs know I beseeche you what proper marke and badge hathe that Churche of theirs whereby it maie be knowen to bee the Churche of God Yewis it is not so harde a matter to finde out Goddes Churche if a manne wil seeke it earnestly and diligently For the Churche of God is sette vpon a highe glisteringe place in the toppe of an Hille and builte vpon the Fundation of the Apostles and Prophetes There saithe Augustine lette vs seeke the Churche there lette vs trie oure maters And as he saithe againe in an other place The Churche muste be shevved out of the Holy and Canonical Scriptures and that vvhiche can not be shevved out of them is not the Churche Yet for al this I wote not how whether it be for feare or for conscience or despaire of victorie these menne alwaie abhorre and flee the VVoorde of God euen as the Theefe fleeth the Gallowes And no woonder truely For like as menne saie the Cantharus by and by perisheth dieth as soone as it is laide in baulme notwithstandinge Baulme be otherwise a moste sweete smellinge ointemente euen so these men wel see their owne matte is damped and destroied in the VVoorde of God as if it were in poison Therefore the Holy Scriptures whiche oure Saueour Iesus Christe did not onely vse for Authoritie in al his speache but did also at laste seale vp the same with his owne Bloude these menne to the entent they mighte with lesse businesse driue the people from the same as from a thinge daungerous and deadly haue vsed to cal theim a Bare Letter Vncertaine Vnprofitable Doūbe Killinge Deade whiche seemeth to vs al one as if they shoulde saie The Scriptures are to no pourpose or as good as none at al. Hereunto they adde also a Similitude not very agreeable how the Scriptures be like to a Nose of VVaxe or a Shipmans Hose how thei may be fashioned and plied al manner of waies and serue al mennes turnes M. Hardinge VVhere ye saie the Churche is builded vpon the Fundation of the Apostles and Prophetes and shewed by the Holy Canonicall Scriptures we confesse the same with S. Augustine VVhen ye adde the Churche whiche can not be shewed out of the Scriptures to be no Churche we saie that though S. Augustine haue no suche woordes in the Chapters whiche ye alleage in the Margent yet were it neuer so muche graunted that he had those woordes in that place they shoulde make nothinge for your pourpose S. Augustine in that Booke disputeth againste the Donatistes who would restraine the Catholike Churche to the onely Countrie of Aphrike denieinge other Christen menne to be members thereof S. Augustine refutinge their Heresie declareth the Sonne of God to be Heade and all the true Faithfull to be the Body of the Churche and that it is not sufficient to holde with the Head alone or with the Body alone but we muste holde with bothe together if we will be saued The Donatistes did graunte the Heade Iesus Christe and denied his Body the Churche For this cause saithe S. Augusiine Ipsum Caput de quo consentimus ostēdat nobis Corpus suum de quo dissentimus Let the Heade vpon whom we agree shewe vnto vs his Body whereupon we disagree The Head is Christe who spake firste by his Prophetes afterwarde by him selfe and laste of all by his Apostles In his igitur omnibus quaerenda est Ecclesia In all these saithe he the Churche muste be sought If thou marke good Reader that whiche I haue here rehersed out of S Augustine it is to be seene that he bindeth not the proufe of the Churche simply to the Holy Scriptures but onely in a case when he hath to doo with an Heretike who wil not admitte the auctoritie of the Churche Therefore a true Churche maie be founde whiche is not shewed in the Scriptures so the contrarie thereof be not shewed in the Scriptures Now if these Defenders will haue that to be no Churche which can not be shewed out of Scriptures they shall vnderstande that as therein they plaie the Donatistes so we must needes folow's Augustine in bringinge Scripture against them not as the onely proufe in deede whiche they falsely saie but as a very good and chiefe kinde of proufe moste profitable in all cases and necessary at suche time as the aduersarie will admitte none other proufe c. VVherefore it remaineth that it is the Synagog of Antichriste and Lucifer VVho as he fell out of Heauen like a lightninge so he maketh a blase and shewe of a Churche in the Earthe for a time But as we can tell when it was not borne so shall it not be longe but that through Gods power it will vanishe awaie dispersed and be scattered by the lightsome Maiestie of Christes true Churche whiche from S. Peters time to this daie florisheth in her Head the Bishop of Rome and in her members throughout the worlde vvhiche abide in the Vnitie of the same Bishop VVee esteeme and vnderstande the Scriptures to be the sense and the woorde If they can pretende the bare woorde they thinke themselues good inough to make a sense of their owne VVhiche bare woorde as they misuse it Pighius perhaps compareth to a nose of waxe But the Scriptures he neuer meante to dishonour with that similitude If it were lawfull for vs to vse Scripture after our owne interpretation as they doo we shoulde not lacke sufficient matter in the Holy Bookes to ouerthrowe by our owne applieinge all theire false opinions and Heresies But we are bounde to that religious awe and reuerence of them that excepte we haue an Authour to auouche the sense whereof we take holde we dare bringe foorthe nothinge And yet reade our Bookes who will he shall lacke neither Scriptures in them nor witnesses of our interpretation in any controuersie of this age Let it be agreed that for decision of controuersies suche sense of the Scriptures be taken for Scripture whiche the Holy Ghost hath taught the Churche and then let the worlde iudge who flieth the woorde of God as the Theefe dothe the Gallowes The B. of Sarisburie Contrarie to that wée haue here alleged of S. Augustine ye saie A true Churche maie be founde whiche is not shewed in the Scriptures Whereby it appeareth ye are lothe your Churche shoulde comme to the trial of this Standerde But for as mutche as this quarrel groweth of S. Augustine let S. Augustine him selfe be the Iudge And to allege a fewe woordes in stéede of many thus he saithe Vtrùm ipsi Ecclesiam teneant Diuinarum Scripturarum Canonicis Libris ostendant Ecclesiam Christi
sicut ipsum Caput Christum in Scripturis Sanctis Canonicis debemus agnoscere VVhether they haue the Churche or no let them shewe by the Canonical Bookes of the Holy Scriptures VVee muste knowe the Churche of Christe euen as wee likewise knowe Christe whiche is the Heade of the Churche in the Holy Canonical Scriptures Againe he saithe Ecclesiam sine vlla ambiguitate Sancta Scriptura demonstrat The Holy Scripture sheweth the Churche without any doubtefulnesse Againe Quaestio est vhi sit Ecclesia Quid ergo facturi sumus Vtrùm in verbis nostris eam quaesituri an in Verbis Capitis sui Domini nostri Iesu Christi Futo quòd in illius potiùs Verbis eam quaerere debemus qui Veritas est optimè nouit Corpus suum The question or doubte is where the Churche should be What then shal we doo VVhether shal wee seeke the Churche in our owne woordes or in the VVoordes of her Heade whiche is oure Lorde Iesus Christe In my Iudgemente wee ought rather to seeke the Churche in his VVoordes for that he is the Truthe and beste knoweth his owne Body Againe Non audiamus Haec dico Haec dicis Sed audiamus Haec dicit Dominus lbi quaeramus Ecclesiam Ibi discutiamus causam nostram Let vs not heare these woordes This saie I This saiste thou But these woordes set vs heare Thus saithe the Lorde there let vs seeke the Churche there let vs discusse oure cause And againe Nolo Humanis Documentis sed Diuinis Oraculis Sanctam Ecclesiam demonstrari I wil not haue the Holy Churche to be shewed by Mannes Iudgemente but by Goddes VVoorde Likewise saithe S. Chrysostome Nunc nullo modo cognoscitur quae sit vera Ecclesia Christi nisi Tantummodò per Scripturas Now can noman knowe whiche is the true Churche of Christe but Onely by the Scriptures Againe he saithe in like fourme of woordes Volens ergo quis cognoscere quae sit Vera Ecclesia Christi vnde cognoscat in tanta confusione similitudinis nifi Tantummodo ' per Scripturas If a man be desirous to knowe whiche is the true Churche of Christe how can he know it in sutche a confusion of likenesse but Onely by the Scriptures These woordes be so euident and so plaine that noman with modestie maie wel denie them And whereas you saie Al this notwithstandinge A true Churche maie be founde whiche is not shewed in the Scriptures S. Ambrose saithe Ecclesia fulget non suo sed Christi Lumine The Churche shineth or is knowen not by her owne Lighte but by the Light of Christe whiche is by the VVoorde of God And chrysostome saithe Qui Sacra non vtitur Scriptura sed ascendit aliunde id est non concessa via hic Fur est Latro Who so vseth not the Scripture but geateth vp an other waie that is by a waie that is not lawful he is a Theefe and a Murtheier Againe he saithe Hierusalem hîc semper Ecclesiam intellige quae dicitur Ciuitas Pacis cuius Fundamenta posita sunt super Montes Scripturarum Here by Hierusalem euermore vnderstande thou the Churche whiche is called the Cittie of Peace The Fundations whereof are saide vpon the Mountaines of the Scriptures Ye magnifie your Churche of Rome and saie It shieth on highe vpon the Mounte Yet S. Bernarde saithe to the Pope and his Cleregie as it is alleged before Vos estis Tenebrae Mundi Ye are the Darkenesse of the VVorlde Therefore ye maie not wel vaunte your selues so mutche of the brightnesse of your Beames As for that ye cal our Churche the Synagoge of Lucifer and Antichriste we maie wel suffer it to blowe euer as the vaine vnsauery smoke of somme impatiente Cholerique humoure Our cause is not the woorse M. Hardinge in the Iudgemente of the wise for that you haue learned so readily to speake il But what Louanian vanitie is this to saie The Members of the Churche of Christe abide in the Vnitie of the Pope What Scripture or Doctoure or Father euer tolde you of sutche Vnitie S. Paule saith Wee are alone not in the Pope but in Christe Iesu And what so greate Vnitie can you saie there is or hathe benne in your Popes Platyna saithe Post Stephanum semper haec consuetudo seruata est vt acta Priorum Pontificum sequentes ant infringereat aut omnino ' tollerent It hathe benne an ordinarie custome emonge the Popes euer sithence the time of Pope Steuin that the Popes that folowed afterworde would euermore either breake or abolishe the Actes of the Popes that had benne before them Erasmus saith Iohannes 22. Nicolaus totis Decretis inter se pugnāt idque in his quae videntur ad Fidei negotium pertinere Pope Iohn 22. and Pope Nicolas in theire whole Decrees are contrarie the one againste the other yea and that in maters that seeme to belonge to cases of the Faithe To be shorte the Popes haue fouly corrupted the Scriptures they haue corrupted the Decrees Canons of Councelles they haue benne Sorcerers Idolaters Scribes Phariseis Thei haue benne Arian Heretiques Nestorian Heretiques Monothelite Heretiques Montaniste Heretiques thei haue mainteined damnable Heresies against y◠Godhed of Christe against y◠Personne of Christe against y◠VVil of Christe against the Immortalitie of the Soule they haue henne contrarie to themselues one directly and expressely againste an other Yet muste the Pope beare vp the whole Churche of God euen as Atlas beareth vy the Heauens and onlesse al the worlde abide in him is there no Vnitie in the Churche Thus saith Hosius Vnum praeesse toti Ecclesiae vsque ade ò est necessarium vt absque hoc Ecclesia Vna esse non possit It is so necessarie a thinge that one haue the gouernmente of the whole that otherwise the Churche of God cannot be One. Likewise it is noted in the Popes ovvne Gloses vpon his Decretalles Constat Ecclesiam ideo esse vnam quia in Vniuersali Ecclesia vnum est caput Supremum scilicet Papa It is plaine that the Churche is one for that in the Vniuersal Churche there is one Supreme Heade that is the Pope An other of your Doctours doubteth not to steppe yet a litle farther and thus to expounde the woordes of Christe Fiet Vnū Ouile Vnus Pastor Quod quidem de christo intelligi non potest Sed de aliquo alio Ministro qui praesit loco eius There shal be one Folde and one Shepehearde These vvoordes vvee maie not vnderstande of Christe but of somme other Minister that ruleth in his roome By whiche Doctours Catholique Iudgemente wée finde that the Vnitie of the Churche hangeth not of Christe but of the Pope But these be ouer vaine and grosse vanities For though the Pope were no Pope yea though Antichriste were the Pope yet is Christe hable to holde his Churche in perfite Vnitie S. Paule saithe Christus est
Popes breaste Thus maie wee set aparte Scriptures Doctoures Councelles and what so euer is biside The Popes breaste maie serue for al. The Apologie Cap. 21. Diuision 8. Worthily ought that mater seeme suspicious whiche fleeth trial and is afraide of the light For he that dooth euil as Christe saith seketh darkenesse and hateth the light A cōscience that knovveth it selfe cleere commeth vvillingly into open shevve that the vvoorkes vvhiche proceede of God maie be seene Neither bee they so very blinde but they see this wel yenough that theire Kingdome streightwaie is at a pointe if the Scriptures once haue the vpper hande and that like as menne saie the Idolles of Diuelles in times paste of whome menne in doubtful maters were then woonte to receiue answeares were suddainly striken doumbe at the sight of Christe when he was borne and came into the worlde euen so they see that nowe al their suttle practises wil soone fal downe hedlonge euen vpon the sight of the Gospel For Antichriste is not ouerthrowen but with the brightnesse of Christes comming The Apologie Cap. 22. Diuision 1. As for vs wee renne not for succour to the Fire as these mennes guise is but wee renne to the Scriptures neither doo wee reason with the Swerde but with the VVorde of God and therewith as saithe Tertullian doo vvee feede our Faithe by it doo vvee stirre vp oure hope and strengthen our Confidence M. Hardinge Ye flie not to the Fire as wee doo saie ye but vnto the Scriptures Neither doo ye reason with vs with the sworde but with the VVoorde of God Ah good woorde of God thou seruest to many purposes And is it in deede the woorde of God Sirs that keepeth so many reuerende Fathers in prison these many yeeres It is the woorde of God that hath depriued so many menne some of their liuinges some of theire countries whose life ye can not blame Is it the woorde of God that by crueltie of imprisonmente of late yeeres gaue moste certaine occasion of death to those holy learned and worshipful menne who for their singular vertue beinge wel knowen neede not here to be named Is it the woorde of God that made so mutche adoo in youre late parlament for establishinge of youre bloudy lawe whereby ye woulde haue power to put menne to death for the Faithe of Christendome The Turkes and Saracenes haue alwaies suffered them to liue in their dominions but our Gospellers by their woorde of God are taught to kil them Blessed be God who hath geuen to our noble and moste clement Queene Elizabeth a better spirite to vnderstande his woorde in this point then these Gospellers haue yet attained vnto If any of you doo saie that the newe Superintendentes doo not keepe the olde Bishoppes and leanred Clergie in prison but the Lawe of the Realme I answere firste that the Lawe is a crabbe of your owne stocke next that neither the Bishoppes before time burnt Heretiques but the Lawe of the Realme the lawe of the Prince the lawe of al Christendome Neither was the same made by Papistes of late yeres as ye woulde youre deceiued disciples to beleue but of olde time thought necessarie by Princes to be enacted for the better maintenance of quiet in their dominions The B. of Sarisburie It is no newe practise ye saie to kille Heretiques I graunte you Neither is it a newe practise to condemne godly menne by the name of Heretiques You re Fathers sommetime cried out againste Christe the Sonne of God Wee haue a Lawe and by the Lawe he ought to die And Christe him selfe saide sommetime to Hierusalem the Cittie of bloude O Hierusalem Hierusalem that killest the Prophetes and stoanest them to death that he sent vnto thee But S. Augustine saithe Nullis bonis in Catholica hoc placet si vsque ad Mortem in quenquam licet Haereticum saeuiatur It seemeth good vnto no good man in the Catholique Churche that crueltie vnto death be shewed vnto any man no though he be an Heretique Notwithstanding it agreeth wel with youre Religion M. Hardinge though your mouthes now be mousled yet to rampe and gape stil after bloude Fulfil ye the measure of youre Fathers Let it not greeue you to heare what Salomon saithe Viscera impiorum crudelia The very bowelles of the wicked are ful of crueltie When youre Fables and folies be espied then ye flee to Swerde and Fire Whiche beeinge once wreasted from you youre whole Religion muste needes comme to grounde S. Hierome saithe of other youre peeres Pugnant Epicherematis ex carnificum officinis They fighte with Argumentes taken from the Bouchers shoppes Ye haue wreakte youre angre longe yenough vpon innocente bloude Beginne once to knowe the hande of God It is harde for you to kike stil against the pricke Wee maie truely saie vnto you with S. Cyprian Sacerdos Dei Euangelium tenens Christi Praecepta custodiens Occidi potest Vinci non potest The Prieste of God holding the Gospel and keeping the Commoundementes of Christe maie wel be killed But conquered he cannot be Wee maie saie with Tertullian Crudelitas vestra Gloria nostra est Plures efficimur quoties metimur à vobis Youre Crueltie is oure Glorie When ye comme to recken vs ye finde vs moe and moe Truethe aboue al thinges vvil preuaile There is no Counsel againste the Lorde As for oure parts wee were neuer yet guilty to one droppe of youre bloude Wee seeke no aide at Fire or Swerde Wee wil rather saie with S. Hierome Vtiuam filios Haereucorum omnium qui decepti sunt interficiamus Sagittis Spiritualibus id est Testimonijs Scripturarum Woulde God wee maie rather kille the Children of Heretiques and of al them that be deceiued with Spiritual Arrowes that is to saie with the Testimonies of the Scriptures And with S. Augustine O fi occidas eos de gladio bis acuto non sint Hostes tui Sic enim amo eos occidi sibi vt vitrani tibi Woulde God thou wouldest kille them O Lorde with the twoo edged sworde that is with thy Holy Woorde That they maie no lenger be thine Enimies For so I wisshe them to bee killed vnto them selues that they maie liue vnto thee And againe Vindicet nos Deus de vobis vt ipsum errorem vestrum in vobis occidat nobiscum de Veritate gaudeatis God so reuenge oute cause againste you that he maie kille youre erroure in you that ye maie reioice togeather with vs of the Truethe The Apologie Cap. 22. Diuision 2. For we knowe that the Gospel of Iesus Christe is the power of God vnto Saluation and that therein consisteth Eternal Life And as Paule warneth vs we doo not heare no not an Angel of God though he came from Heauen if he goe aboute to pul vs from any parte of this Doctrine M. Hardinge Boaste no more of the Gospel VVe I meane the catholique Churche had it
woulde conclude thus The Pope was Head of the Churche Ergo he had Authoritie to calle Councelles Wee maie rather and mutche better turne youre tale backewarde and saie thus The Pope hadde no Authoritie to calle Councelles Ergo he vvas not Headde of the Churche The Apologie Cap. 6. Diuision 4. Whiche of the Auncient Fathers or Doctours euer saide The vvhole vvorlde is but your Diocese M. Hardinge He that saide to Peter fede my Lambes and fede my Shepe whiche Lambes and shepe al Christen menne be through the worlde The B. of Sarisburie The Canonistes that is to saie the Popes Pages of Honoure haue not doubted to infeaffe their Maister with the possession of al the worlde One saithe thus Dominus Papa est Ordinarius omnium hominum Oure Lorde the Pope is the Ordinarie or Bishop of al menne An other saithe Papa totius mundi obtinet Principatum The Pope hath the Princehoode of al the worlde An other saithe Papa est Episcopus totius Orbis The Pope is the Bishop of the whole worlde An other saithe Papa etiam cessante negligentia Praelatorum potest conferre beneficia totius Oribis Quia ipse est Ordinarius totius mundi Though there be no defaulte or negligence in any Bishop yet maie the Pope bestowe the benefices of al the worlde For that he is the Bishop of al the worlde Therefore when the Chiefe Deacon inuesteth or enrobethe the Pope at his Consecration he saithe vnto him Ego inuestio te de Papatu vt praesis Vrbi Orbi I do inueste thee with the Popedome that thou maiste rule bothe the Cittie and the worlde Of this infinite Ambition and inordinate tyrannie manie good menne haue often complained Franciscus Zarabella beinge him selfe a Cardinal of Rome saithe thus Ex hoc infiniti sequuti sunt errores Quia Papa occupauit omnia iura inferiorum Ecclesiarum Et nisi Deus succurrat statui Ecclesiarum Vniuersa Ecclesia periclitatur Hereof haue ensued infinite errours for that the Pope hathe inuaded the right of al inferiour Churches And onlesse God healpe the state of the Churches the Vniuersal Churche is in ieoperdie The learned Lady Anna Daughter vnto the Emperoure Alexius and Irene in her Storie that she wrote in Greeke emonge many other thinges to like pourpose writeth thus Papa est Dominus totius Mundi quemadmodum Latini quidem putant praedicant Est enim etiam haec pars quaedam illorum insolentiae The Pope is the Lorde of al the worlde as the Latines thinke and speake of him For this is a peece of theire Ambition This hath benne the late wanton Claime of the Popes Canonistes Otherwise the Ancient Learned Fathers haue euermore bounded and limited the Pope within his owne particular Iurisdiction Ruffinus saithe the Fathers in the Councel of Nice appointed the Pope to ouersee the Churches of his ovvne Suburbes Vt Romanus Episcopus Suburbicarum Ecclesiarum sollicitudinem gerat Athanasius saith Roma est Metropolis Romanae ditionis Rome is the Mother Churche not of al the vniuersal worlde but of the Romaine particulare Iurisdiction The Bishoppes in the Councel of Rome write thus to the Bishoppes of Illyricum Par est omnes qui sunt in Orbe Romano Episcopos conuenire It is conuemente that al the Bishoppes that be within the Iurisdiction of Rome shoulde accorde togeather S Hierome speakinge of the vsage and order of the Churche of Rome saithe thus Quid mihi profeis Vnius Vrbis Consuetudinem What allegeste thou me the Custome of one Cittie So mutche he abbridgeth the Popes Iurisdiction that he extendeth it not vnto the Listes endes of al the worlde but restreineth it only to the limites of one Cittie Likewise againe speakinge of the Bishop of Rome he saithe thus Non solùm Vnius Vrbis sed etiam totius Orbis errant Episcopi Then not onely the Bishop of One Towne whiche was the Bishop of Rome but also the Bishoppes of al the worlde are deceiued Thus therefore writeth Gennadius togeather with the Councel of Constantinople vnto the Bishop of Rome Curet Sanctitas tua Vniuersas tuas Custodias tibique subiectos Episcopos Let youre Holinesse see vnto not al the whole worlde but al your owne charge and sutche Bishoppes as he subiecte vnto you By these fewe we see the Bishop of Romes power was not Vniuersal or infinite ouer al the Churches and Kingedomes of the worlde but certaine and limited within his owne particulare Iurisdiction As for the reasons yee vse for proufe hereof I marueile ye would euer trouble the worlde with so Childishe folies Christe saide vnto Peter Feede my sheepe Ergo saie you the vvhole vvorlde is the Popes Diocese A good Sheepe woulde haue made a better Arguments The Apologie Cap. 6. Diuision 5. Whiche of the holy Ancient Fathers euer saide that al Bishoppes haue receiued of youre fulnesse M. Hardinge Besides others so hath S. Bernarde saide in his booke de consideratione ad Eugenium VVhere he saithe that he is called in plenitudinem potestatis into the fulnes of power The B. of Sarisburie There is no folie so vaine but by some shift maie be mainteined In your Glose M. Hardinge it is written thus Omnes subiecti sunt motioni Papae sunt in illo quasi Membra de Membro Al men are subiecte vnto the Popes wil and are in him as mēbers of a member An other saithe Ecclesia non habet Potestatem aliquam Iurisdictionis nisi à Petro The Churche hath no Power of Iurisdiction but onely from Peter And againe A Petro post Christum Spiritualis Gratia Potestas deriuatur Nexte after Christe Spiritual Grace and Power is deriued from Peter And therefore an other of your Doctours saithe Omnes Episcopi descendunt à Papa quasi Mēbra à Capite de eius Plenitudine omnes accipiunt Al Bishoppes are deriued from the Pope as Members from the Head and al they receiue of his fulnesse that is to saie Power of his Power and Grace of his Grace Al these vanities M. Hardinge thinketh maie be wel borne out by two bare woordes of S. Bernarde But S. Augustine many hundred yeeres before Bernarde was borne wrote thus Nos quidem accipere possumus hoc donum pro modulo nostro Fundere autem illud super alios non possumus Sed vt hoc fiat Deum super eos à quo hoc efficitur inuocamus In deede we maie receiue the gifte of God accordinge to our portion but to poure the same vpon others we are not able Notwithstanding in theire behalfe wee cal vpon God that is the worker hereof that he wil doo it The Apologie Cap. 6. Diuision 6. Whiche of al the Ancient Doctours euer saide that al Power is geuen to you as wel in Heauen as in Earthe M. Hardinge Al they whiche speake of the ministerial Power whereby vnder Christe the militant Churche by him is gouerned But
our belefe no we preached and receiued in the Catholike Church ‡ neither shoulde be altered ‡ nor coulde be bettered ‡ For it is the same he taught him selfe And that we doubt not of it accordinge to his promise he hath sente the holy Ghoste to enforme the Churche of al truthe Remember you not who saide I am God and am not changed againe that the worde of God remaineth for euer This beinge true it is euident that we haue the sound and weighty wheate whiche no persecution of tyraunces and blasies of heretikes no contagion of euil manners for these fiften hundred yeeres could either blowe from the floore of our Lordes berne the Churche or corrupt VVe haue accordinge to the Apostles counsel kepte that hath ben committed vnto vs. VVe haue enioyed the fountaine of the water of life Ye charge vs soare that we haue plucked awaie from the people the holy communion the worde of God the true worshippinge of God the right vse of Sacramentes and praier VVho so euer taketh these fiue awaie wherein chiefly standeth our saluation the same is Antichrist VVere not that ye haue already done so mutche for vs as the worlde maie take you for impudente liers we would not quietly beare so greauous a matter But nowe that ye haue tried your selues so false of your worde we litle esteme it your railinge is no slaunder Lastly concerninge praier what hath ben ordeined by our holy forefathers of al ages directed with the sprite of God for the maintenance and encrease of it to Gods honoure al that in fewe yeres by the instincte of Sathan to promote his Kingedome ye haue vtterly abolished and by wicked violence brought the people from deuotion to a carelesse idlenesse from speaking to God with hartes and lippes to ‡ a spiritual dummesse from praiers ‡ to chapters from holy thinkinge to ‡ vnprofitable harkeninge Ye can not abyde salte water oyle palme the crosse incense c. no maruel No more can not the deuil who possesseth you and rideth you and after his owne wil driueth you from truthe from Christen Religion and from al Godlines VVere it so that your sprite coulde a waie with those thinges then were it not agreeing with his sprite Vntil ye geue place to the spirit of God who maie driue out of you the spiritie of Sathan we looke to heare no better tidinges of you The B. of Sarisburie Ye were sommewhat angrie M. Hardinge when ye thus besturred your selfe It pitieth me in your behalfe Christe and his Apostles yée saie neuer ruled the Churche in better order then it is nowe ruled by the Pope and his Cardinalles Euen so might they haue saide that had turned the House of God into a Caue of Theeues One of your frendes saith Apostolorū temporibus rudis adhuc erat Ecclesia In the time of the Apostles the Churche as yet was rude and Barbarous and out of order And being afterward reproued for his blasphemous speache he answeared lewdly in his pleasance Rudis indigestaqueue moles Others of you saie Christus in Coelo praesidet Papa in Terris residet Christe ruleth in Heauen the Pope in Earthe An other saithe Omnes Sanctiones Sedis Apostolicae sic accipiendae sunt tanquam ipsius Diuina voce Petri firmatae Al the Lawes of the Apostolique see of Rome muste so be taken as if they were confirmed by the Diuine voice of Peter him selfe An other saith Sicut ostium regitur Cardine ita Ecclesia Romana regitur Consilio Cardinalium As the doore is ruled by the hooke so is the Churche of Rome ruled by the Counsel of Cardinalles Therefore the Pope him selfe saithe thus vnto them Vos eritis Senatores vrbis Regum similes veri Mundi Cardines super quos militantis ostium Ecclesiae voluendum regendum est Ye shal be the Senatours of my Cittie and like vnto Kinges the very bookes and staies of the worlde vpon whom the very doore of y◠Churche Militante muste be turned and ruled Sutche are they whom S. Hierome imagineth thus to saie Non est Vir in domo Non est Christus Corporaliter in Ecclesia Surgens enim à mortuis Ascendit in Coelum nobisque Ministerium gubernandae Ecclesiae suam videlicet Domum reliquit My Husbande is not at home That is to saie Christe is not nowe Corporally in the Churche For beinge risen from the deade he is Ascended into Heauen and hath leafte vnto vs the gouernmente of his Churche that is the whole orderinge of his House True it is as you saie God is one and is not Changed And his Woorde endureth for euer But the Change is in you and not in God Goddes Woorde is the Woorde of Life your Woorde is the Woorde of Vanitie God the Father hath not planted it Therefore it shal be plucked vp by the rootes God saithe by the Prophete Malachie The lippes of the Prieste shal keepe knowledge and the people shal require the Lawe at his mouthe For he is the Angel of the Lorde of Hostes Vos autem recessistis de Via c. But you are gonne backe from the VVaie you haue offended many a one in the Lavve you haue broken the Couenante of Leui saith the Lord of Hostes And therefore haue I made you to be despised Yee haue changed the moste parte of the Apostles Doctrine And of al that euer they ordeined yée haue in a manner leafte nothinge standinge S. Bernarde saithe of your owne Churche of Rome A planta pedis vsque ad verticem Capitis non est sanitas vlla From the sole of the foote vnto the Crowne of the heade there is not one whole place And yet ye beare vs strongely in hande that Christe and his Apostles neuer ruled the Churche in better order then it is nowe ruled by the Pope and his Cardinalles Al the reste of your emptie talke is answeared sufficiently before Yet one pange of your Eloquence I maie not in any wise leaue vntouched Thus ye saie By the instincte of Satan ye haue brought the people from deuotion to carelesse idlenesse from speakinge to God with hartes and lippes to a spiritual doumbenesse from Praiers to Chapters from Holy thinking to vnprofitable hearkeninge If I were not wel acquainted with your speache M. Hardinge I could not thinke ye would so vnaduisedly bestowe your woordes I doubte not but euen hereby it shal soone appeare whether of vs hath wilfully broken the Apostles Orders refused the Godly Examples of the Holy Primitiue Churche of God Yee telle vs that the Readinge of the Scriptures vnto the people in the Churche of God is a Spiritual doumbenesse and a thinge vnprofitable as onely diuised of our selues and that as you saie by the instincte of Sathan and neuer before either knowen or vsed by any Catholique Learned Father Yet the Aunciente Father Origen saithe Iudaicarum Historiarum Libri traditi sunt ab Apostolis Legendi in
iudicio euidentis aduersus Claram consonantemque Orthodoxorum Patrum SeÌ„tentiam aduersus communem Ecclesiae Definitionem aliquid credere cuiquam licere Pighius saithe that noman maie lawfully beleeue any thinge by the Authoritie of any Scripture be the same in our iudgement neuer so plaine and euidente againste the cleare and agreeable iudgemente of the Catholique Fathers and againste the Common determination of the Churche By whiche he meaneth onely the Churche of Rome Therefore M. Hardinge it maie please you nowe a litle to spare your voice and to staie your Proclamation But for as mutche as yée séeme so litle to estéeme these twoo Doctoures Prieriâs and Pigghius beinge otherwise not longe sithence the chiefe Leaders and Captaines of al your bandes ye maie therefore ioine others to them to better theire credite and to encrease the Companie And for as mutche as wée speake of the Churche of Rome let vs heare the iudgement of a Cardinal of the Churche of Rome notwithstandinge otherwise alleged before Cardinal Cusanus therefore hereof saithe thus Haec est omnium sanè intelligentium Sententia qui Scripturarum Authoritatem intellectum in Ecclesiae approbatione fundant non è conuerso Ecclesiaeâ— Fundamentum in Scripturarum Authoritate locant Nulla sunt Christi praecepta nisi quae per Ecclesiam pro talibus accepta sunt Sequuntur igitur Scripturae EcclesiaÌ„ non è conuerso This is the iudgemente of al them that thinke rightly that founde the Authoritie and vnderstandinge of the Scriptures in the allowance of the Churche and not contrariewise laie the Fundation of the Churche in the Authoritie of the Scriptures There be no Commaundementes of Christe but sutch onely as so be taken and holden by the Churche Therefore the Scriptures folovve the Churche but contrarievvile the Churche folovveth not the Scriptures Likewise saithe Iohannes Maria Verractus Humiliter confitemur Ecclesiae Authoritatem esse Supra Euangelium We doo humbly confesse that the Authoritie of the Churche is aboue the Authoritie of the Gospel Likewise Albertus Pigghius saithe Apostoli quaedam Scripserunt non vt Scripta illa praeessent Fidei Religioni nostrae sed potiùs vt subessent Scripturae sunt Muti Iudices Scripturae sunt veluti Cereus Naâ—us The Apostles haue written certaine thinges not that theire saide Writinges shoulde rule our Faithe or Religion but rather that they should be vnder and be ruled by our Faith The Scriptures are doumbe Iudges The Scriptures are like a Nose of vvaxe By theise and other like vnreuerente and godlesse speaches they séeke to leade the poore simple deceiued people from the Holy Scriptures and Voice of God to the Authoritie of theire Churche by whiche Churche they vnderstande onely the Pope and his Cardinalles But yée saie These be the Priestes of the House of Leui The Pope is the Iudge for the time in the place that our Lorde hath Chosen Somme others of you sale Papa est tota Ecclesia Virtualiter The Pope is by Power and vertue the whole Churche What so euer these shal happen to saie wée maie not swarue from theire Iudgemente neither to yâ— Right hand nor to the Lefte hand Whereupon the Hebrevve Glose noteth thus Si dixerint tibi quòd Dextra sit Sinistra aut quòd Sinistra sit Dextra talis Sententia tenenda est Although they tel thee yâ— thy Right hande is thy Lefte hande or that thy Lefte hande is thy Right hande yet sutche a Sentence muste be holden as good S. Augustine ye saie holdeth harde of your side He saithe Non crederem Euangelio nisi me Ecclesiae Catholicae Authoritas commoueret I woulde not beleue the Gospel excepte the Authoritie of the Catholique Churche moued me These fewe poore woordes haue benne tossed of your parte and wroonge and pressed to the vttermoste to yeelde out that was neuer in them For hereby yée would faine proue that the Authoritie of the Churche whereby yee euermore vnderstande your Churche of Rome and none other is aboue the Authoritie of Goddes VVoorde that is to saie that the Creature is aboue the Creatoure that made Heauen and Earthe But what if S. Augustine as he saithe I beleue the Gospel bicause of the Churche haue likewise saide I beleue the Churche bicause of the Gospel Then I trowe yee muste turne your tale and saie The Gospel is aboue the Churche His woordes be plaine Ex ore Veritatis Ecclesiam agnosco participem Veritatis By the Mouthe of God that is the Truthe I knowe the Churche that is partetaker of the Truthe Againe he saithe Nolo Humanis Documentis sed Diuinis Oraculis Ecclesiam Sanctam demonstrari Ecclesiam quaerere debemus in Verbis Christi qui est Veritas optim è nouit Corpus suum Ecclesiam sine vlla ambiguitate Sancta Scriptura demonstrat In Scripturis Sanctis Ecclesia manifestè cognoscitur Ecclesiam sicut ipsum Caput in Scripturis Sanctis Canonicis debemus agnoscere I woulde the Churche shoulde be shewed not by the Decrees of Menne but by the Heauenly Oracles or VVordes of God VVee muste seeke the Churche in the VVoordes of Christe whiche is the Truthe and beste knoweth his owne Body The Holy Scripture sheweth vs the Churche without doubtinge In the Holy Scripture the Churche is plainely knowen VVee muste knowe the Churche by the Holy Canonical Scriptures as we know Christe that is the Heade Likewise saithe Chrysostome Nullo modo cognoscitur quae sit Vera Ecclesia nisi tantummodò per Scripturas It is not any waies knowen whiche is the True Churche of Christe but Onely by the Scriptures And thus for as mutche as wée knowe bothe Christe by the Churche and the Churche by Christe the one geeuinge euidence to the other by this reckeninge M. Hardinge and by your shiftinge of turnes wee muste sometimes place Christe aboue the Churche and sommetimes the Churche aboue Christe Now be it S. Augustines minde was not to commence an Action bitwene Christe and his Churche in comparison of theire Dignities or for trial and keepinge of their boundes or to teache vs that the Truthe of God taketh Authoritie of the Churche but onely to shewe vs that the Churche is a witnesse to Goddes Truthe And certainely it hath greate weight of persuasion to moue the Conscience of any man to sée so many Kingedomes Countries to ioine togeather in yâ— profession and obedience of one Truthe And I doubte not but euen this daie many thousandes are the sooner leadde to humble them selues vnto the Gospel of Christe for that they see the whole worlde that is to saie the whole Churche of God is contented so willingly so humbly to embrace the same Dauid to testifie the Truthe and certainetie of the Gospel saithe thus The sounde of the Apostles wente oute into al the Barthe and the VVoordes of them into the endes of al the VVorlde This is
his owne Notarie He killed a yonge man beinge a Widowes Sonne And of these crimes he was accused before the Emperoure Sutche Vertue and sutche Holinesse the worlde founde in them Therefore the Godly Emperoure in remouinge of them vsed neither Extraordinarie Violence as you saie nor Iniurious Tyrannie Your owne felowes saie Si Papa sit incorrigibilis nec Cardinales possint per se amouere scandalum de Ecclesia tunc in subsidium iuris deberent supplicando inuocare Brachium Saeculare Et tunc Imperator requisitus à Cardinalibus deberet procedere contra Papam If the Pope be vncorrigible and the Cardinalles be not hable of them selues to remoue the offense from the Churche then ought they for aide of the Lawe by waie of intreatie to calle vpon the Seculare Power And then the Emperoure beinge thus desired ought to proceede orderly againste the Pope Franciscus Zarabella saithe as he is alleged before Papa potest accusari coram Imperatore de quolibet crimine notorio Et Imperator requirere potest à Papa rationem Fidei The Pope in any notorious crime maie be accused before the Emperoure And the Emperoure maie require the Pope to yelde a reckeninge of his Faithe The Apologie Cap. 15. Diuision 1. Lette vs see then sutche menne as haue Authoritie ouer the Bishoppes sutche menne as receiue from God Cōmaundementes cōcerninge Religion sutche as bringe home againe the Arke of God make Holy Hymnes ouersee the Priestes builde the Temple make Orations touchinge Diuine Seruice cleanse y◠Temples destroie the Hil Aultars burne the Idolles Groues teache the Priestes their duetie write them out Preceptes how they should liue kille the wicked Prophetes displace the High Priestes cal togeather the Councelles of Bishoppes sitte togeather with the Bishoppes instructinge them what thei ought to doo condemne and pounishe Heretical Bishopes be made acquainted with maters of Religion whiche Subscribe and geeue Sentence doo al these thinges not by any other Mans Commission but in their owne name and that bothe vprightly and Godly Shal we saie It perteineth not to sutche menne to haue to doo with Religion Or shal wee saie A Christian Magistrate whiche dealeth amongest others in these maters doothe either naughtily or presumptuously or wickedly The moste Aunciente and Christian Emperours Kinges that euer were did occupie them selues in these maters and yet were they neuer for this cause noted either of wickednesse or of Presumption And what is hee that canue finde out either more Catholique Princes or more Notable Examples M. Hardinge Now then Kinges and Emperours who haue their firste auctoritie by the positiue Lawe of Nations not by supernaturall grace from God as Priestes haue who can haue no more power then the people hath of whome they take their Temporall iurisdiction VVho haue euer benne annoincted and Blessed by Bishoppes who so euer blesseth beinge greater then he that is blessed Shall wee saie that suche Kinges and Emperours haue auctoritie to rule the Churche whose Sonnes they are To be Supreme Heads ouer them whome they ought to kneele vnto for Absolution To controll their spirituall Iudges whome if they Sinne by humaine frailtie they ought to couer with their clokes as the Greate Constātine saide to degrade them of whome they must be Baptized Anoincted Crowned and Buried The B. of Sarisburie Nowe M. Hardinge yée huddle vp hastily your poore Argumentes in heapes togeather One or twoo of them onely I minde to touche The reste are not woorth the sturringe Firste yée saie The Popes Power is of God The Princes Power is onely of Man The one Supernatural the other Natural In sutche sorte your Pope Nicolas adourneth magnifieth his owne Chaire For thus he saith with a ioily courrage Illud Verbum quo constructum est Coelum Terra quo denique omnia ficta sunt Elementa Romanam fundauit Ecclesiam The Woorde of God whereby Heauen and Earthe was made and whereby al the Elementes were fashioned the same Woorde founded the Churche of Rome As if the Churche of Rome and other Churches were not al of one Fundation An other of your Popes Reteiners saithe Papatus est Summa Virtus Creata The Popedome is the Highest Vertue or Power that euer God made that is to saie the Popedome is aboue Angels Archangels Thrones Dominations and al the Povvers in vnder or aboue the Heauens An other saithe euen as you saie and as I haue partely saide before Rex per Hominem fit Sacerdos autem proximè nascitur ex Deo ipso Quantùm Deus praestat Sacerdoti tantùm Sacerdos praestat Regi The Kinge is made by Man But the Prieste is immediately begotten of God As mutche as God excelleth the Prieste so mutche the Prieste excelleth the Kinge And notwithstandinge al this Supernatural Povver be as wel in the Simplest Prieste as in the Pope yet an other of your Doctours saithe Papa eligitur secundum Ius Diuinum alij verò Episcopi secundum Ius Humanum The Pope is chosen by the Lavve of God But other Bishoppes are chosen by the Lawe of Man Thus yee thinke no coloure too deere to painte oute the Popes face and to make it faire and glorious But the Princes Power yee saie is Temporal and Natural and onely from beneathe and onely of Man and therefore can be no greatter then Man maie geeue him This is youre Louanian Diuinitie M. Hardinge So highely yée esteeme the Dignitie Maiestie of the Prince But God him selfe saithe Per me Reges regnant Kinges rule by me and not by Man S. Paule saithe Non est Potestas nisi à Deo There is no Povver or Princehoode but from God Likewise Christe him selfe said vnto Pilate Thou couldest haue no Power ouer me onlesse it were geuen thee not from man but from aboue To like pourpose the Emperoure Iustinian saith Maxima in omnibus sunt Dona Dei à Superna collata Clementia Sacerdotium Imperium c. Ex vno codemqúe Principio vtraque procedentia Humanam exornant vitam Priestehoode and Princehoode be in al thinges the greattest giftes of God geuen vnto vs from the Mercie aboue These two floweinge not the one onely from Man the other from God but bothe from one Original doo adourne and bewtifie the Life of Man Vpon whiche woordes it is noted in your Glose Idem Principium habent parum differunt Priestehoode and Princehoode haue one Original and smal difference He saithe not as you saie The oddes bitwéene these twoo is so greate as is bitweene Natural and Supernatural bitweene Heauen Earthe or bitweene God and Man But he saithe plainely Priestehoode and Princehoode haue one Original and little oddes and smal difference And therefore an other of your Doctours saithe Supponunt quòd Potestas Regalis sit Corporalis non Spiritualis quòd habeat Curam Corporum non Animarum quod falsum est They
haue had ere nowe in Englande Prouincial Synodes and haue gouerned our churches by home made Lavves What shoulde one saie more Of a truthe euen those greatest councelles and where moste Assemblie of people euer was whereof these menne vse to make sutche an exceedinge rekeninge compare them with al the churches whiche thoughout the worlde acknowledge professe the Name of christe and what els I praie you can they seeme to bee but certaine Priuate councelles of Bishoppes and Prouincial Synodes For admitte peraduenture Italie Fraunce Spaine Englande Germanie Denmarke and Scotlande meete togeather if there wante Asia Graecia Armenia Persia Media Mesopotamia Egypte Ethiopia India and Mauritania in al whiche places there bee bothe many christian menne and also Bishoppes howe can any man beinge in his right minde thinke sutche a councel to be a General councel And where so many partes of the worlde doo lacke howe can they truely saie they haue the consente of the whole worlde Or what manner of councel weene you was the same laste at Tridente Or howe might it bee termed a General Councel whereas out of al Christians Kingedomes and Nations there came vnto it but onely fourtie Bishoppes and of the same somme so conninge that they might be thought meete to bee sente home againe to learne theire Grammare and so wel learned that they had neuer studied Diuinitie M. Hardinge Your waitinge for a general Councel was not vncertaine For at the settinge foorthe of your Apologie it was farre and wel entred and almost ended VVhat so euer successe thereof should folow ye ought not to haue refused it beinge in al respectes lawful Your assurance of Gods wil is none That is but your common biewoorde as it hath alwaies benne of Heretikes Ye ought to haue shewed good euidence for your beinge sure of Gods wil before ye attempted these greate and dangerous changes in Religion Neither becommeth it you to cal the determinations of a General Councel the iudgementes of mortal men so mutche as concerneth declaration of necessarie pointes of faithe but the promptinge and teachinge of the Holy Ghoste As for your prouincial Synode it was none Synodes cannot be keapte without Bishops Before ye claime the name of a Synode for your packinge and hudlinge togeather ye muste proue your selues Bishops whiche ye are not able to doo VVhat so euer ye saie there were neuer good men nor Catholike Bishops that kepte prouincial Synodes contrarie to approued and lawful General Councels as your Synode is moste contrary Neither can ye pretend that ye folowed any olde fathers puttinge thinges in experience before the comminge to an Vniuersall Councel Your Councel prouincial holden in Germanie by Charles the greate againste the seconde Nicene Councel general is a false forged matter as the Booke againste Images is whiche one Eli Phili the man in the Moones sonne Caluine Illyricus and other Heretikes haue fathered vpon that moste godly and Catholike Emperoure The Councel whiche you meane was a Godly and a Catholike Councel holden at Franck forde by Pope Adrian and Charles the greate againste the wicked Councel of the Heretikes named * Imagebreakers whiche they helde a litle before that at Constantinople whiche of those Heretikes was called the seuenth and general of the Catholikes Pseudosynodus that is to saie the false or forged Councel Of bothe these Councels thus writeth Abbas Vrspergensis so mutche commended of Melanchthon The Councel whiche a fewe yeeres before was assembled at Constantinople in the time of Irene and Constantine her sonne of them called the seuenth and Generall in this Councel holden at Frankforde was repealed and put awaie by consente of al as voide and superfluous so as from thence foorthe it shoulde be named neither the seuenth nor ought els If you beleue not this as the witnes of a Catholike writer then beleue Anselmus Rid an erneste professour of your owne the newest Gospell VVho writeth that Adrian the Bishop of Rome and Kinge Charles at the Councel holden at Frankforde execrated and accursed as Heretical the Councel of the Empiere of Constantinople and of the Greekes whiche they helde for thabolishinge of Sainctes Images Those be his very woordes Beleue Peucerus Philip Melancthons sonne in lawe writinge that the Councel of Nice was kepte by common consente of the Greeke Emperoure and of Charles If the seconde Councel of Nice whiche was altogeather for Images was holden by consente of Charles howe helde he a Councel in Germanie for puttinge awaie Images againste the Councel of Nice Beleue Carion and specially Pantaleo of Zurich a man of your owne the moste Euangelical Religion who vpon warrante of thauthoritie of Regino writeth that the Councel of Frank forde abrogated and disanulled the Greekes Councel that was againste the woorship of Images Briefely howe falsely you and sundrie other of your secte haue herein belied that woorthy Prince Charles the greate it maie easely appeare by that Paulus Aemylius writeth of him That he sente twelue Bishops out of Fraunce to the Councel then holden at Laterane in Rome in whiche the Imagebreakers false named and forged Councel was abrogated VVhere of General Councels ye make priuate and prouincial Synodes ye doo bisides learninge reason and custome of the Churche A Councel is not accompted general bicause Bishops of al Countries vnder Heauen be assembled but bicause many be assembled and al be lawfully called Els in times when Heresies raigne the Churche should neuer haue the necessarie remedie of a general Councel for alwaies Heretikes woulde refuse to come to it as ye haue to come to the late Councel at Trente In Persia Media Egypte Mauritania I wene ye finde fewe Bishops at this daie nor many in the other Countries whiche ye recken and those in manner altogeather ignorant and schismatikes Yet the Patriarkes of Assyria or Syria Orientalis and of Armenia who of late yeres were at Rome haue for theire Prouinces bothe subscribed to the Councel of Trente and receiued the whole Decrees of the same for theire peoples Your reporte of fourty Bishops onely present at the Councel of Trent and of their slender lerning is as true as your Doctrine contrary to that Councel is that is to saie in plaine termes starke false It is wel knowen there were at this late Councel of Trent in this Popes time wel neare two hundred Bishops The B. of Sarisburie What hope wee might conceiue of your Late Chapter of Tridente wée were sufficiently warned by the former holden vnder Pope Paulus 3. and Pope Iulius 3. wherein notwithstandinge your many yéeres studie and greate conference of so many and so Learned and so excellente and so mutche a doo yet in the end yée were neuer hable neither to suppresse your open stewes nor to auoide your Priestes Concubines nor to cause your Bishoppes to be residente vpon theire Charge and to doo theire deuties nor to resolue vs whether the Pope be aboue the Councel or the
to see maie easily finde that this is youre owne onely sense M. Hardinge and not S. Hieromes For I beseeche you howe was Niniue fully destroied or what Gospelles were there written at the Firste Comming of Christe into the vvorlde S. Hieromes meaninge and speache is plaine The people before the seconde Comminge of Christe vvhiche shal be in Glorie shal leaue theire negligente and idle Scholemaisters vvhiche haue of longe time deceiued them and shal flee to the Mountaines of the Scriptures And al be it they finde not one to teache them yet shal theire desire and endeuoure be accepted before God for that thei haue sought vnto these Mountaines and the negligence and slouthefulnesse of theire Maisters shal be reproued To like pourpose S. Chrysostome saithe Fieri non potest vt is qui Diuinis Scripturis magno studio feruentique desiderio vacat semper negligatur Licet enim desit nobis hominis Magisterium tamen ipse Dominus supernè intrans in corda nostra illustrat mentem rationi iubar suum infundit detegit occulta doctorque fit eorum quae ignoramus tantùm si nos ea quae à nobis sunt afferre velimus It cannot possibly be that he that with earneste studie and feruente desire readeth the Scriptures shoulde euermore be foresaken For although wee wante the instruction of man yet God him selfe from aboue entringe into our hartes lighteneth our minde poureth his beames into our wittes openeth thinges that were hidden and becommeth vnto vs a Scholemaister of that wee knowe not onely if wee wil doo so mutche as in vs lieth So saithe S. Hierome Postquà m conuersi fuerint Clarum Christi Lumen aspexerint pascent in vijs in semitis sanctarum Scripturarum dicent Dominus pascit me nihil mihi deerit When they shal be turned and shal beholde the cleare light of Christe they shal feede in the pathes and waies of the Holy Scriptures and shal saie The Lorde feedeth me and I shal vvante nothinge Againe he saithe Circundabit sibi quasi murum firmissimum Scripturarum doctrinam ne ad interiora eius possit hostis irrumpere He wil enclose him selfe with the Doctrine of the Scriptures as with a stronge walle that the Enimie maie not enter into his harte Againe he saithe Haec est via Ambulate in ca. Neque ad Dextram neque ad Sinistram Tunc omnes Errores Idola Similitudines Veritatis comminnes atque disperges ita iudicabis immunda vt â—a menstruatae mulieris sordidissimo Sanguini compares This is the waie walke in it Goe neither to the Right hande nor to the Leafte Then shalt then breake and scatter al Errours and Idoles and Countrefeite likenesse of the Truthe and shalt iudge them to be so filthy that thou shalt liken them to moste vile and lothesome bloude But for as mutche as yee saie Al these woordes of S. Hierome perteiue vnto somme other mater I know not what and not vnto the ouerthrowe of Babylon or fal of Antichriste that shal be before the ende of the worlde notwithstandinge S. Hieromes woordes of them selfe be plaine yenough yet maie it please you to consider these woordes of S. Chrysostome touchinge the same Thus he saithe Tunc qui in Iudaea sunt fugiant ad Montes id est qui sunt in Christianitate conferant se ad Scripturas Montes sunt Scripturae Apostolorum Prophetarum c. Sciens Dominus tantam confusionem rerum in nouissimis diebus esse futuram ideò mandat vt Christiani qui sunt in Christianitate volentes firmitatem accipere Fidei verae ad nullam rem fugiant nisi ad Scripturas Alioqui si ad alias res respexerint scandalizabuntur peribunt non intelligentes quae sit Vera Ecclesia Et per hoc incident in abominationem desolationis Then let them that be in Ievvrie flee vnto the Mountaines that is to saie let them that be in Christes profession flee to the Scriptures The Scriptures of the Apostles and Prophetes be the Mountaines c. Our Lorde knowinge that there shoulde be sutche confusion in the laste daies therefore commaundeth that Christian menne that beleue in Christe willinge to haue an assurance of the True Faith shoulde haue recourse to nothinge els but vnto the Scriptures Otherwise if they haue regarde to any other thinge they shal be offended and perishe not vnderstandinge what is the true Churche And by meane hereof they shal falle into the Abomination of desolation Here M. Hardinge no Glose wil serue Certainely these woordes were spoken not of the Firste comminge of Christe into the worlde as you imagine but of the Kingedome of Antichriste and of the Ende consummation of the worlde Hereof S. Gregorie saithe thus Ecclesia post eosdem dies quibus deprimitur tamen circa finem temporum grandi praedicationis Virtute roborabitur The Churche after these daies of her affliction shal afterwarde notwithstandinge be strengthened with greate Power and mighte of preachinge The Apologie Cap. 20. Diuision 1. But by youre fauoure somme wil saie these thinges ought not to haue benne attempted without the Bishop of Romes commaundemente forsomutche as he onely is the knotte and bande of Christian Societie He onely is that Prieste of Leuies order whom God signified in the Deuteronomie from whome counsel in maters of weight and true iudgemente ought to be sette and who so obeieth not his iudgemente the same man ought to bee killed in the sight of his brethren and that no Mortal Creature hathe Authoritie to be Iudge ouer the Pope whatsoeuer he doo that Christe reigneth in Heauen and the Pope in Earthe that the Pope alone can doo as mutche as Christe or God him selfe can doo bicause Christe and the Pope haue but one Consistorie That without him is no Faithe no Hope no Churche and who so goeth from him quite casteth awaie and renounceth his owne Saluation Sutche talke haue the Canonistes the Popes Parasites but with smal discretion or sobrenesse For they coulde scantly saie more at leaste they coulde not speake more highly of Christ him selfe M. Hardinge VVhat somme wil saie wee knowe not VVee tel you that your change of Religion and manifolde Heresies ought not to haue benne attempted at al neither without the Bishop of Romes commaundemente nor with his commaundemente Touching the Bishop of Rome him selfe you haue neuer donne with him He is a great blocke in youre waie And so hath he euer bene in the waie of al Heretikes Yet could he neuer by you or them be remoued To your scoffes againste him and belieinge of the Canonistes before by you vttered and here idly repeted my former answeare maie suffise The Apologie Cap. 20. Diuision 2. As for vs truely we haue fallen from the Bishop of Rome vpon no manner of worldly respect or commoditie And would to Christe he so behaued him selfe that this falling away needed not But so the case stoode that onlesse we
that falleth out bitweene vs VVhether any one of al the Anciente Learned Fathers c. euer saide your Priuate Masse c. This is it that is denied If yee proue not this what so euer ye proue yee proue nothinge Bringe out somme Learned Father shewe somme Catholique Doctoure keepe them no lenger foorthe comminge The worlde looketh yee shoulde deale plainely Denie nomore the manifeste Truthe auouche nomore the open Falsehedde Let there be somme probabilitie and likelihoode in your saieinges Leaue your immoderate and vncourteous talkes They are tokens of stomake and not of Learninge Therein yee haue deserued the honoure aboue al others In sutche kinde of Eloquence noman can matche you but your selfe A good cause mighte haue benne pleaded with better woordes The more vntemperate and firy yee shewe your selfe without cause the more in the ende wil appeare your folie If yee haue hitherto taken any pleasure in speakinge il at my hande by hearinge il yee shal not lose it If yee bringe vs moe Fables of your Pardonnes and Purgatories If yee feede vs as yee haue donne with Vntruthes If yee depraue the Scriptures If yee falsifie the Doctoures If yee Conclude without Premisses If yee place your Antecedente at Rome and your Consequente at Louaine If yee stuffe so mutche paper and blotte so many leaues and shewe vs nothinge briefely if yee write none otherwise then yee haue donne hitherto no wise man wilgreately feare your force Deceiue not the simple They are bought with price They are the people of God for whome Christe hath sheadde his Bloude Your shiftes be miserable Yee trouble your selfe as a birde the lime The more yee sturre the faster yee cleaue the longer yee striue the weaker yee are Yee cannot bridle the flowinge Seas yee cannot blinde the Sonnebeames Kicke not stil againste the spurre Geeue place vnto the Glorie of God VVil yee nil yee the Truthe wil conquere God geeue vs bothe humble hartes and the people eies to see that al fleashe maie be obediente to his wil. Amen From London 27. Octobris 1567. Iohn Sarisburie ¶ A Table of the principal maters Conteined in this Booke A ABsolutioÌ„ of madde men 139. Absolution standeth not in the vvil of the Prieste 139. The Abomination of desolation 446. Abuses in the masse confessed by Pigghius 456. Refourminge of Abuses 133. Accidentes vvithout subiecte 253. Adoration of the SacrameÌ„t 269. VVee neede no Aduocates vnto God 316. Agreement in Religion 194. Altars or Communion Tables 333. S. Ambrose refused the Emperours iudgement in Ecclesiastical causes 689. Ambition in the Cleargie the cause of greate euil 409. Anacletus fondely misconstrued by M. Hardinge 226. 227. Antichriste 446. Antichriste in the Churche of God 447. 448. Antichriste shal couÌ„terfaite Chastitie 482. Antichriste in the Temple of God and vvhat Antichriste shal be 434. Antonius learned in the Scriptures 195. VVeemen dissemblinge themselues in mens Apparrel 376. Choise of Apparrel for Religions sake 346. 347. No difference in Apparrel 346. 347 348. Superstitious holinesse in Apparrel 344 345. Ecclesiastical brauerie in Apparrel 641. The Apostles equal vvith Peter 106 107 108. The Apostles aboue Kinges and Princes 397. The Apologie authorized 17. Athenes standinge 376 â–ª 377. S. Augustines iudgement refused â—98 Augustine the Italian Monke 11. Augustine the ItaliaÌ„ MoÌ„ke aliue at the time of the vvarre 493. Augustine the Italian Monke inflamer of the vvarre ibidem Augustine the Italian monke Bishop in Englande 492. The authoritie of the Doctours and Fathers 18. 19. Pretence of Antiquitie 495. 496. B. Bacon 454. Baptisme 203. Baptisme of Infantes 150. By Biptisme vvee are vnited vnto Christe 241. VVee are partakers of Christes Body and Bloude in the Sacramente of Baptisme 271. Christe is he that Baptiseth 215. The Povver of Baptisme 217. Baptisme is the Povver of Resurrection 221. Baptisme receiued vvithout Faith 216. Beleeue them not spoken of Antichrist and his follovvers 208. To Beleeue in God 84. The recantation of Berengarius 348. The Bernates lavvful vvarre against the Duke of Sauoye 389. Binding standeth in vvilful refusing of the VVoord of God 142. Bishoppes called and conuented before the Prince 637. 638. 639. A Bishop maie not put avvaie his vvise vnder pretence of holinesse 185. Bishoppes svvorne vnto the Pope and the fourme of the Othe expressed 43. Difference bitvveene Bishop and Prieste 198. Bishoppes vvithin the Princes checke 398. A Bishop bearing ciuile office 512. Bishoppes proude and disdeigneful in olde times 409. Bishoppes no Bishoppes 117. The substance of Breade remaineth in the Sacramente 231. The Bread is the body of Christ in vvhat sense 246. 255. 257. 479. 480. The Bread of the Sacrament passeth by natural digestioÌ„ by the Iudgement of Origen 258. 261. The Bread remaineth in substance as it vvas before 247. 248. 249. 251. 252. 257. The Bread chaÌ„ged in vvhat sense 247 248. 249. The Breade not annihilate 248. The Breade hath a certaine likenesse of Christes Body 254. The Buildinge and repairinge of Goddes Churche 716. Burninge of the Scriptures 477. C. Calixtus for Anacletus 226. The Calendar of Bishops names 374. 375. Carnal libertie 335. 336. Cathechumeni or Beginners in the Faâ—the 139. Catholike in many or in fevv 93 Catholike Churche and vvhat is meant thereby 49. Ceremonies 308. S. Augustine founde faulte vvith the multitude of Ceremonies 308. 309. Ceremonies more estemed then the commaundementes of God 308. 310. Vaine Ceremonies ought to be remoued vvith al speed conuenient 309. Ceremonies haue povver to quiet the conscience and to remitte sinne 554. Diuersitie of Ceremonies 309. Vovve of Chastitie and lavvful to breake the same 168. 169. 170. Counterfaite Chastitie a marke of Antichriste 183. Chastitie the gifte of God may not be commaunded by any man 167. No one Chiefe but Christe 340. Christes humanitie in one place 85 87 88. 89. Christe and the Pope haue one place of Iudgemente 95. Christes Body neuer promised to our bodily mouth 274. To touche or to holde Christ 288 Christe the onely Pope 106. Christes Bloude not in the holy Cuppes 265. Christes Body in one place 276. 277. Christians hated sclaundered 49. To approche vnto Christe 288. To receiue or beare Christe 285. 286. The spiritual receiuing of Christs Body 348. Christes Body crusshed torne vvith teeth 349. Christes Body geeueth life 241. Christes Body in Heauen 233. Christes Body verily presente in the holy supper in vvhat sense 271. 273. 276. The Christians in Graeciae and Asia abhorre the Pope and his Cleregie 457. The Churche of Rome is departed froÌ„ the primitiue Churche of God 566. The deformities of the Churche of Rome 568. The Churche in fevve 571. The Churche knovven by Gods vvoorde 3. The Churche of Rome can neuer erre true or false 430. 436. 437. 439. 440. 444. 445. Readinge of Chapters in the Churche 552. 553. The Churche is aboue the vvorde of God 557. 558. 559. 560. The Churche of Rome can not faile 565. The miserable state of the Churche of Rome 462. 463. The