common weales The B. of Sarisburie Concerning the title of Supreme Head of the Churche wée néede not to searche for Scriptures to excuse it For firste wée diuised it not Secondly wée vse it not Thirdly our Princes at this presente claime it not Your Fathers M. Harding firste entitled that moste Noble and moste Woorthy Prince Kinge Henrie the Eighth with that Vnused and Strange Style as it maie wel be thought the rather to bringe him into the talke and sclaunder of the worlde Howe be it that the Prince is the Highest Iudge Gouernoure ouer al his Subiectes what so euer as wel Priestes as Laie menne without exception it is moste euidente by that hath benne already saide by that shal be saide hereafter by the whole course of the Scriptures and by the vndoubted practise of the Primitiue Churche Verily the Prince as it shal afterwarde better appeare had Bothe the Tables of the Lavve of God euermore committed to his charge as wel the Firste that perteineth to Religion as also the Seconde that perteineth to Ciuile Gouernemente But nowe M. Hardinge if a man would aske you by what VVoorde of God your Priestes and Bishoppes haue exempted them selues from the Iudgement and Gouernement of theire Princes Or by what VVoord of God the Princes hande is restreined more from his Cleregie then from other his Subiectes or by what VVoorde of God yee woulde stablishe Tvvoo Supreme Gouernoures in one Realme I marueile in what Scriptures yée woulde seeke to finde it Your owne Doctoures and Glosers saie as it is before alleged Quaeritur quis exemit Clericum de Iurisdictione Imperatoris cùm priùs esset illi Subiectus Dicit Laurentius quòd Papa de consensu Principis Question is moued who hath exempted the Prieste from the Iurisdiction of the Emperour whereas before he was his Subiecte Laurētius saith not the VVoorde of God but the Pope exempted him by the Consente of the Prince Further M. Hardinge we beséeche you by what VVoorde of God can your Pope claime him self to be the Heade of the Vniuersal Churche of God Where is it recorded Where is it written In what parte of the Testamente Newe or Olde In what Lavve In what Prophete In what Epistle In what Gospel Where is his Headship Where is his Vniuersal Povver If yée can finde it then maie yee shewe it If it cannot be founde then shoulde yée not saie it As for that you and other your Felowes haue alleged before for proufe hereof it is so childish so weake that I thinke yée cannot now comme againe with the same without blusshinge Touchinge the Right that wée saie belongeth vnto al Christian Princes it hath benne inuested and planted in them from the beginninge For to leaue other Authorities of the Scriptures Pope Eleutherius him selfe wrote thus vnto Lucius sommetime Kinge of this Realme of Englande Vos estis Vicarius Dei in Regno iuxta Prophetam Regium You are Goddes Vicare vvithin your ovvne Realme according to the Prophete Dauid Paule the Bishop of Apamea writeth thus vnto the Emperoure Iustinian in a cause mere Ecclesiastical touchinge Religion Transtulit ipsum Dominus vt Plenitudinem directionis vestrae custodiret Serenitati Our Lorde hath taken Pope Agapetus awaie that he might leaue the Fulnesse of order concerninge these Heretiques Dioscorus and Eutyches vnto your Maiestie Tertullian saith Colimus Imperatorem vt hominem à Deo Secundum Solo Deo Minorem Wee Woorship the Emperoure as a man nexte vnto God and inferioure onely vnto God And nothwithstanding the name of Heade of the Churche belonge peculiarely and onely vnto Christe as his onely Right and Enheritance for as the Churche is the Body so Christe is the Heade yet maie the same sommetimes also be applied in sober meaning and good sense not onely vnto Princes but also vnto others far inferiour vnto Princes Chrysostome saithe Videntur mihi istae mulieres Caput fuisse Ecclesiae quae illic erat It seemeth vnto mee that these vveemen vvere the Heade of the Churche that was at Philippi Likewise againe speaking of the Emperoure he saithe thus Laesus est qui non habet parem vllum super terram Summitas Caput omnium super terram hominum Wee haue offended him that in the Earthe hath no peere the Toppe and the Heade of al menne in the VVorlde If he were the Heade of al menne then was he the Heade not onely of Bishoppes and Cardinalles but also of the Pope him selfe Onlesse the Pope were no man To conclude our Princes néede nomore to claime their Lawful Authoritie and Emperial Righte by y◠Exāple of Nero whereof yée haue moued mutche vntimely and wanton talke then your Pope néedeth to claime his Vsurped Coloured Power by the Examples of Annas and Caiphas The Apologie Cap. 11. Diuision 2. For besides that a Christian Prince hath the charge of Bothe Tables committed to him by God to the ende he maie vnderstande that not Temporal maters onely but also Religious and Ecclesiastical Causes perteine to his office c. M. Hardinge You wil proue that Ecclesiastical causes perteine to a Kinges of fice because he hath the charge of bothe tables If you meane that a Kinge is bounde to kepe bothe tables of the lawe so is also euery priuate man And yet as no priuate man is supreme heade of the Churche by kepinge them so neither the Kinge is proued thereby the supreme heade If you meane that the Kinge ought to see others to kepe bothe tables of the lawe that maie he do either in appointinge temporal paines for the transgressours of them or in executinge the saide paines vpon the transgressours But as he cannot excommunicate any man for not apperinge when he is called so can he not iudge al causes of the lawe For if a man sinne onely in his harte as for example in murther or aduoutrie the Kinge cannot haue to do with him And yet the true supreme heade of the Church shal haue to do with him For that malicious and sinful thought shal neuer be foregeuen excepte the party come to be absolued of theire Successours to whom Christe saide whose sinnes ye forgeue ▪ they are forgeuen and whose sinnes ye reteine they are reteined To committe murder in harte is a sinne and it is reteined vntil it be forgeuen Neither can it be forgeuen vntil he that is Iudge by the keie of discretion perceiue that it is to be forgeuen VVhich he cannot know vntil it be confessed with a contrite hart by him who onely knoweth it and is bounde to tel it for absolutions sake If then there be a iudge who can see the lawe kepte in an higher pointe and beyond the reache of the King surely the King shal not be supreme head ▪ sith an other is more like to God then he A◠who is iudge of the inwarde conscience whereunto no Kinge reacheth but onely the minister of Christe ▪
Supreme aboue al other auctoritie in Earthe touchinge the gouernement of the Churche yet was it neuer saide ne thought by the Catholiques that al Religion depended onely thereon as your sclaunderous reporte beareth menne in hande The B. of Sarisburie Lanfrancus Euimondus Abbas Cluniacensis Thomas Waldensis Iohn Fisher and other your like Doctours M. Hardinge are ouer yonge al within the space of this laste fiue hundred yéeres far vnlike S. Augustine S. Hierome S. Ambrose S. Chrysostome and others the Ancient Learned Fathers Doctours of the Churche Neither is there any sufficient cause to the contrarie but that Berengarius Iohn Wicklefe Iohn Hus Doctour Luther Zwinglius Oecolampadius others either for Learninge or for Truthe or for Iudgement in the Scriptures or for Antiquitie maye wel safely be compared with them At the least I hope wée maye saie of them as S. Augustine once saide of the Doctours Fathers of his time Neque quorumliber Disputationes quamuis Catholicorum laudatorum hominum velut Scripturas Canonicas habere debemus vt nobis non liceat salua honorificentia quae illis debetur aliquid in eorum Scriptis improbare aut respuere si fortè inuenerimus quòd aliter selfserint quà m Veritas habet Neither weigh wee the writinges of al meane be they neuer so woorthy and Catholique as wee weighe the Canonical Scriptures but that sauinge the reuerence that is dewe vnto them we maye wislike and refuse somewhat in their writinges if we happen to finde that they haue thought otherwise then the Truthe maye beare Likewise the Councelles ye meane are very Newe therefore beare the lesse authoritie for that they be so many waies contrary to the Olde Hereof hereafter more at large Certainely there is none of your errours so grosse and palpable but by some of your late Councelles it hath benne confirmed Therefore wee maye iustly saie to you as S. Augustine sometime saide to Mariminus the Arian Heretique Nec ego Nicenam Synodum tibi nec tu mihi Ariminensem debes tanquam praeiudicaturus obijcere Scripturarum Authoritatibus res cum re causa cum causa ratio cuÌ„ ratione conceuer Neither maye I saye to thee the Councel of Nice nor maiste thou laye to mee the Councel of Ariminum either of vs thinkinge thereby to finde preuidice against the other But let vs laye mater to mater cause to cause and reason to reason by the Authoritie of the Scriptures Ye graunte there is more lighte and knowledge nowe then was before The greatter is either your faulte or your folie M. Hardinge that in the broade daye open Lighte so busily set foorthe the woorkes of darkenesse S. Chrysostome saithe Hic est multò impudentior Ex furibus enim leges eos grauiùs puniunt qui interdiu furantur He is very shamelesse that woorketh deceite in the open Lighte For of al Theeues the Lawe moste sharpely punisheth them that robbe in the daye time Therefore S. Cyprian saithe vnto you Ignosci poruit simpliciter erranti Post inspirationem verò reuelationem factam qui in eo quod errauerat perseuerat prudens sciens sine venia ignorantiae peccat Praesumptione enim atque obstinatione superatur He that is deceiued and erieth of simplicitie maye be pordoned But after that the Truthe is once reueled who so continueth neuerthelesse in his former errour witingly and willingly sinneth without pardonne of ignorance as beinge ouercome by presumption and wilfulnesse You saie not withstandinge al this greate Light wée talke of yet our liues are nothinge comparable to the liues of them that haue benne before vs. This M. Hardinge hathe euer benne an olde complainte in al ages as maye appeare by S. Cyprian S. Augustine and other Ancient Fathers It was a common Prouerbe in olde times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thinges a yéere paste are euermore better then thinges presente For euery thinge to vs séemeth the greatter as it séemeth nearest to touche our senses And bicause wée féele not our Fathers euilles therefore wée imagine they had no euil at al. The wise man saithe Ne dixeris quae causa est quòd priora tempora meliora fuerint quà m praesentia Stulta enim est huiusmodi interrogatio Neuer demaunde wherefore the times paste were better then the times presente For in deede it is a foolishe question But M. Hardinge wherefore doo you thus condemne our liues in respecte of our Fathers Certainely you must néedes confesse there are fewer blasphemies fewer Othes fewer breaches of Matrimonie fewer Stewes fewer Concubines fewer Fraies fewer Murthers emongst vs this daie then commonly were at any time emonge our Fathers How be it to let our Fathers passe if it shal please you to laye our liues to your liues although we acknowledge many our imperfections yet Goddes name be blessed wee haue no cause to flee the comparison The Popes woordes you saie were neuer taken for Gospel Yes M. Hardinge and somewhat also aboue the Gospel For proufe whereof it maye please you to remember the woordes of certaine your late Doctours Syluester Prieriâs late Maâ—sâ—ter of Pope Leoes Palaice writeth thus Indulgentiae authoritate Scripturae non innotuere nobis sed authoritate Ecclesiae Romanae Romanorumque Pontificum quae maior est Pardonnes are not warrented vnto vs by the authoritie of Goddes Woorde but by the authoritie of the Romaine Churche and of the Bishoppes of Rome whiche is more then Goddes VVoorde Yf this be not sufficient he addeth farther A doctrina Romanae Ecclesiae Romani Pontificis Sacra Scriptura robur authbritatem trahit The Hosy Scripture taketh strength and authoritie of the Doctrine of the Bishop and Churche of Rome Cardinal Cusanus entituleth his Booke De authoritate Ecclesiae Councilij supra contra Scripturam Of the Authoritie of the Churche and Councel aboue and against the Scripture Your greatest Doctour Albertus Pigghius saithe Apostoli quaedam conscripserunt non vt scripta illa praessene Fidei Religioni nostrae sed potius vt subessent The Apostles wrote certaine thinges not to the ende that sutche willinges shoulde he ouer our Faithe and Religion but rather that they shoulde be vnder Your Canonistes saie a Papa potest dispensare coÌ„ira ius Diuinum The Pope maye dispense against the Lawe of God Papa potest dispensare contra Ius Naturae The Pope maye dispense against the Lawe of Nature Papa potest dispensare contra Apostolum The Pope maye dispense against S. Pause the Apostle Papa porest dispensare contra Nouum Testamentum The Pope maye dispense againste the Newe Testamente Papa potest dispensare de omnibus praeceptis veteris Noui Testamenti The Pope maye dispense with al the CommauÌ„dementes bothe of the Olde and also of the Newe Testamente Hereof more hereafter as farther occasion shal be offered These be your owne Doctours woordes M. Hardinge they be truely reported they be
aske me Wherefore would ye haue al sutche other Authorities put away I answeare Bicause I would haue the Holy Churche to he proued not by the Doctrines of menne but by the VVoorde of God So saithe S. Augustine vnto other the Donatistes Auferantur de medio Chartae nostrae procedat in medium Codex Dei Audi Christum dicentem audi Veritatem loquentem Take a waie from emongst vs any our own Bookes Let the Booke of God comme emongste vs. Heare what Christe saithe Herken what the Truthe speaketh Againe he saithe Audi dicit Dominus Non dicit Donatus aut Rogatus aut Vincentius aut Hilarius aut Ambrosius aut Augustinus sed dicit Dominus Heare this The Lorde saithe Heare not this Donatus saithe Rogatus saithe Vincenius saithe Hilarius saithe Ambrose saithe Augustine saithe But herken to this The Lorde saithe In like fourme of woordes saithe S. Ambrose Nolo nobis credatur Scriptura recitetur Non ego dico à me In principio erat Verbum sed audio Non ego effingo sed lego I would not ye should beleeue vs But reade the Scriptures I saye not of mee selfe In the beginninge was the Woorde But I heare it I make it not but I reade it Likewise saithe Chrysostome Oro vos omnes vt relinquatis quid huic aut illi videatur de his à Scripturis haec omnia inquirite I beseeche you al weigh not what this man or that man thinketh but touching al these thinges searche the Scriptures Nowe where as it pleaseth M. Hardinge to telle vs of an Argumente Negatiue from Special to General and so to cal vs to the remembrance of our Logique pleaseth it him also to remeÌ„ber that the Argument that wee grounde of S. Augustines woordes holdeth not as it is here imagined froÌ„ Special to General but froÌ„ the imperfection and weakenesse of the wisedome of man to the stabilitie and certainetie of Goddes Holy Woorde And therefore the Olde Learned Father Origen saithe as it is alleged before Sensus nostri Enarrationes fine his testibus non habent fidem Our iudgementes and Expositions without these witnesses of the Scriptures haue no credite In like sorte S. Hierome Quamuis SaÌ„ctus sic aliquis post Apostolos quamuis disertus sit non habet Authoritatem After the Apostles of Christe notwithstandinge somme man be Holy notwithstandinge he be eloquente yet he wanteth Authoritie Therefore S. Augustine saithe Cedamus consenuamus Scripturae Sacrae quae nec falli potest nec fallere Let vs yeeld and consente to the Holy Scripture whiche can neither deceiue nor be deceiued For this cause M. Hardinge S. Augustine not onely in the mater that laye bitweene him and Pettlianus but also in al other maters what soeuer so often appealed from al Fathers and Councelles vnto the Scriptures The Apologie Cap. 9. Diuision 3. Likewise S. Hierome Al those thinges saithe he whiche without the Testimonie of the Scriptures are holden as deliuered from the Apostles be throughly smitten downe by the Swerde of Goddes Woorde M. Hardinge Ye would falne remoue vs from a good hold I see wel whiche is the Authoritie of the Holy Faâ—thers of Ancient Traditions and of the Vniuersal Churche Al these would ye to be of no force against Heretiques For ye knowe the Fathers and the Churche to be againste you and that so longe as they are beleued your Doctrine shal not be receiued as alwaies founde to be newe and of priuate deuâ—se If we were driuen from these ye doubt not but to matche vs wel yenough in the Scriptures And as ye would handle the mater I thinke so my selfe verely For when al Authoritie and iudgemente of the Fathers and of the Churche is shakeÌ„ quite of in any coÌ„trouersie by whome shal we be tried By the Scriptures ye saie But when bothe ye and we alleage Scriptures to a contrary purpose and when we vary about the sense of the Scriptures by whom then shal we be iudged Perhaps ye wil referre the iudgement of doubtful maters to the Holy Ghoste VVe refuse not tharbitrement and Vmpiership of the Holy Ghoste For the same hath ben promised by Christe to the Churche to remaine with the Churche for euer to teache what thinges so euer he saide to lead men into al Truthe And thus for iudgemente and trial of Truthe we shal be retourned to the Churche and to the Fathers by whom the Holy Ghoste speaketh vnto vs whose Authoritie and due estimation ye go aboute to remooue from vs. But let vs see what force ye bringe to driue vs from this holde Makinge your batterie against it what shoote ye of but VVinde and Paper Your Artillerie makethe a noâ— es but it geueth no blowe As in the laste allegation ye falsified the sense of S. Augustine so in this ye falsifie bothe the sense and woordes of S. Hierome The woordes as ye allege them seeme to be spoken against what so euer Tradition of the Apostles VVhiche woordes or any the like to sutche purpose were neuer vtered by any Catholike Doctour of the Churche mutche lesse by S. Hierome Looke ye againe and vewe better the place ye shal saye your selues that I finde the faulte of falsefyeinge in you not without cause S. Hierome in his Commentaries vpon those woordes of the Prophete Aggaeus Et vocaui siccicitatem super tâ—â—ram super Montes I haue called the drought to come vpon the Earthe and vpon the Hilles c. First she winge the literal sense accordingly as the Hebrew woorde there by him noted signifieth Siccitatem drought theÌ„ treatinge Mystically as the seuenty Interpreters haue turned that woorde into Romphaeam that is a swerde and vnderstandinge by the swerde the VVoorde of God thereof takethe occasion briefly to saie what this swerde doothe how it destroieth the negligent soule whiche is expounded to be drie earthe and howe it plaguethe Montaines that lifte vp them selues against the knowledge of God whereby he meanethe Heretikes Of whom he tellethe howe they flatter the deceiued peoples with theire Breade Wine and Oile by whiche he meaneth theire Heresies as it were with meates and drinkes and refection There Breade saithe he any man maie very aptly cal it the Bread of VVaylinge and theyr VVine the madnesse of Dragons and the madnesse of Serpentes incurable And theire Oile the promisinge of Heauenly thinges wherewith they doo as it were anointe theire Disciples and promise them rewardes of theire labours which the Prophete detesteth sayeinge the Oile of the sinner shal not anoint my head After this folowe the woordes of S. Hierome whiche ye haue falsified to the intent they might seeme to serue your false meaninge Sed alia quae absque Authoritate Testimonijs Scripturarum quasi Traditione Apostolica reperiunt atque coÌ„fingunt percutit gladius Dei But the Swerde of God strikethe also other thinges whiche the Heretiques for of theâ— he speaketh deuise and faine of theire owne
Truthe is euermore one and be it in many or in fewe is euer Catholique Thus M. Hardinge it is written by one of your owne side Etsi non nisi duo Homines remanerent in Mundo tamen in eis saluaretur Ecclesia quae est Vnitas Fidelium Although there were but two men remaining in the world yet euen in them two the Churche whiche is the Vnitie of the Faithful should be soued Luthers dogge eloquence for so M. Hardinge it liketh you of your modestie to cal it were it neuer so rough and vehement the iust zele of Gods glorie and of his Holy Temple whiche you so miserably had defaced so enforcing him yet was it neuer any thing comparable to your eloquence For I beséeche you if ye maie haue leasure harken a litle heare your selfe talke Behold your owne woordes so many so vaine so bitter so firie so furious al togeather in one place This newe Churche ye saie set vp by Sathan Martine Luther and other Apostates his companions This Babylonical Tower Luthers seditious and Heretical preaching Luther brinced to Germanie the poisoned Cuppe of his Heresies Blasphemies and Sathnismes Zuing lius and his rable The gutters of this Doctrine runne out of Luthers sincke Luther would stamps and rage and whette his dogge eloquence vpon you You are the Synagog of Antichriste These be the Figures and Flowers of your speache Yet must we thinke that ye can neither stampe nor rage but vse onely Angelles eloquence How be it I trust no wise man wil iudge our cause the worse for that your tongue can so readily serue you to speake il To the mater ye saie that touching the influence of Erace Christe onely is the Head of the Churche but touching Direction Gouernment the Pope onely is the Head Al this is but your owne tale M. Hardinge Ye speake it onely of your selfe Other Authoritie of Scripture or Doctour ye bringe ve-none And yet notwithstanding ye haue alleged Scriptures too God wote euen as ye haue vsed to doo in other places Ye saie S. Paule saithe Yf I forgaue any thing for your sakes I forgaue it in the personne of Christe Wee are Embassadours in the steede of Christe euen as though God did exhorte you through vs Hereof ye conclude Ergo The Pope vnder Christe and in the steede of Christe is Heade of the Churche Yf ye conclude not thus ye wander idlely and speake in vaine condlude nothing These woordes of S. Paule nothing touche y◠Pope but onely the faithful zelous Preacher of the Gospel For wherein dothe the Pope resemble S. Paule Wherein doothe he reprosente the Personne of Christe What exhorteth he What teacheth he What saithe he What doothe he And yet if he would do any one part of his whole duetie how might this Argument stand for good S. Paule being at y◠Cittie of Philippi in Maerdonia exhorted the Corinthians as in the Personne of Christe Ergo the Pope being at Rome in Italie although he neither exhorte nor preache yet is he the Head of the Vniuersal Churche Although Diuinitie goe harde with you yet ye shoulde haue seens better to your Logique I graunte Bishoppes may be called the Heades of theire seneral Churches So Chrysostome calleth Elias Caput Prophetarum The Head of the prophetee So Amos saith The Princes are the Heades of y◠people So Saul is called the Head of the Tribes of Israel So Dauid was made Caput Gentiū The Head of Nations Sondrie sutch other like examples I alleged in my Former Replie to M. Hardinge As that Cyrillius the Bishop of Alexandria in the Councel of Ephesus was called Caput Episcoporum congregatotum The Head of the Bishoppes that these were assembled That S. Gregorie saith Paulus ad Christum conuersus Caput effectus est Natlonūm Paule being once conuerted to Christe was made the Head of Nation That Prudentius saithe Sancta Bethlem Capur eitorbis Holy Bethlem is the Head of the World In this sense Optatus saithe There be foure sortes of Heades in the Churche the Bishops the Priestes the Deacons The Faithful And al this onely in a certaine kinde of phrase and manner of speache But in déede and verily S. Augustine saithe Paulus ipse non poterat Caput esse eorum quos plantauerat Paule him selfe could not be the Head of them whom he had planted Therefore Gregorie saithe Petrus Apostolus Primum Membrū Sanctae Vniuersalis Ecclesiae est Paulus Andreas Iohannes quid aliud quam singulariū sunt plebium Capita Tamen sub Vno Capite omnes Membra sunt Ecclesiae Arque ve cuncta breui cingulo locutionis astringam sancti ante Legem Sacti in Lege Sancti sub Gratia Omnes hi perficientes Corpus Domini in Membris sunt Ecclesiae constituti Et nemo se vnquam Vniueisalem vocari voluit Peter the Apostle is not the Head but the chiefe Member of the Holy Vniuersal Churche Paule Andrewe and Iohn what are they els but the Heades of seueral Nations Yet notwithstandinge vnder one Head Christe they are al Members of the Churche And to speake shortely the Sainctes before the Lawe the Sainctes in the time of Grace al accomplisshing the Lordes Body are placed emonge the Members of the Churche And there was neuer yet one that would haue him selfe called the Vniuersal Bishop Therfore where as M. Hardinge saithe Al Christian People haue euer taken the Successour of Peter to be the Heade of the Catholique Churche vnder Christ he speaketh it onely of him selfe And though the comparison be odious yet Christe saithe Cùm loquitur mendacium ex proprijs loquitur when he speakethe Vntruthe he speaketh it of his owne S. Gregorie saithe Peter was the chiefe Member of the Churche of Christe but not the Head But the Bishop of Rome and his hired Proctours haue taught vs farre otherwise Panormitane saithe Christus Papa faciunt vnum Consistortum excepto peccaio Papa potest quicquid Deus ipse potest Christe and the Pope make one Consistone and keepe one Courte And sinne onely excepted the Pope can doo what so euer God him selfe can doo This I trowe is that Head of Direction and Gouernmente that M. Hardinge meaneth As for the reste that the Churche is the Kingedome of Christe and the Pope the Prince thereof M. Hardinge in special woordes answeareth nothinge Notwithstandinge some others haue saide Petro Coelestis Terreni Imperij iura commissa sunt Vnto Peter was committed the right both of the Heauenly and also of the Earthely Empiere Last of al he doubteth not but the Pope maye be called the Spouse or Bridegrome of the Vniuersal Churche and yet the same without the Authoritie of any Doctour He allegeth onely S. Bernarde But the same S. Bernarde in the selfe same place saithe and that by M. Hardinges owne confession that the Pope is not the Bridegrome of the Churche
And therefore he was faine to expounde his meaninge and to weigh him downe of the other side with his prety Glose But S. Bernarde without Glose saithe plainely Non sunt omnes amici Spousi qui hodiè sunt Sponsi Ecclesae They be not al the Bridegromes frendes that are this daye the Spouses of the Churche O miserandain Sponsam ralibus creditam Paranymohis Non accici Sponsi sed aemuli sunt O miserable is that Spouse that is committed to sutche Leaders They are not the frendes they are the enimies of the Bridegrome How be it wée néede not greatly to recke what styles and titles the Pope can vouchesaue to allowe him selfe As he may be called the Heade the Prince and the Spouse euen so and by like authoritie and truthe may he be called the Light the Life the Saueour and the God of the Churche God geue him an harte to vnderstande that hée maie be although not the Heade yet a Member of that Body although not the Prince yet a Subiecte in that Kingedome although not the Bridegrome yet a Childe of the Churche of God The Apologie Cap. 3. Diuision 1. Furthermore wee Beleeue that there be diuers degrees of Ministers in the Churche whereof some be Deacons some Priestes some Bishoppes to whom is committed the office to instructe the people and the whole charge and settinge foorthe of Religion M. Hardinge Here it had ben your parte to haue declared your faithe touching the Holy Sacrament of Order agreable to the faith of the Catholike Churche That there be seuen orders in the Churche foure lesser and three greater for so by good reason they are called And as for the institution auctoritie and estimation of the greater specially of Priesthood and Deaconship ye might haue alleged the Scriptures so for the Lesser the example of Christe the Tradition of the Apostles and the testimonies written of the Apostles scholers of those that bothe nexte and sone after folowed them namely Dionys cap. 3. Hierarch Ecclesiast Ignatius epist 8. ad Ecclesiam Antiochenam Tertullian in praescript aduersus Hereticos Gaius Pope and Martyr in Diocletians time Sozimus in S. Augustines time Isychius Eusebius Caesariensis is his Ecclesiastical historie and Epiphanius in the ende of his Booke contra Haereses The B. of Sarisburie Gentle Reader if I should leaue these and other like M. Hardinges woordes vnansweared thou mightest happily thinke he had saide somewhat Here he saithe it had benne our Parte to haue tolde thée of Seuen Orders in the Churche thrée Greatter and foure Lesse Hauing in déede him selfe cleane forgotten his owne Parte For notwithstandinge this controlment and accoumpte of so many Orders yet he nameth no moe Orders then wée haue named And verily if he would haue folowed his owne Authorities it had benne hard for him in any good Order to haue made vp his owne accoumpte For his owne Anacletus saithe Ampliùs quà m isti Duo Ordines Sacerdotum Episcopi Presbyteri nec nobis à Deo collati sunt nec Apostoli docuerunt More then these two Orders of Priestes Bishoppes and Elders neither hathe God appointed vs nor haueÌ„ the Apostles tought vs. And yet of these same Two seueral Orders S. Hierome semeth to make onely One Order For thus he writeth Audio quendam in tantam erupisse vecordiam vt Diaconos Presbyteris id est Episcopis anteferret I heare saye there is a man broken out vnto sutche wilful furie that he placeth Deacons before Priestes that is to saye before Bishops And againe Apostolus praecipué docer eosdem esse Presbyteros quos Episcopos The Apostle Paule specially teacheth vs that Priestes and Bishoppes be al one The same S. Hierome writinge vpon the Prophete Esai reckenethe onely fiue Orders or Degrees in the whole Churche The Bishoppes the Priestes the Deacons the Entrers or Beginners and the Faitheful And other Order of the Churche he knoweth none Clemens saithe Tribus gradibus eommissa sunt Sacramenta Diuinorum SecretoruÌ„ id est Presbytero Diacono Ministro The Mysteries of the Holy Secresies be committed vnto three Orders that is vnto the Priestes vnto the Deacons and vnto the Ministers And yet Deacons and Ministers as touchinge the name are al one Dionysius likewise hathe thrée Orders but not the same For he rekenethe Bishoppes Priestes Deacons And whereas M. Hardinge maketh his accoumpte of Foure of the Lesse or Inferiour Orders meaning thereby Ostiarios Lectores Exorcistas Acoluthos The Doore keepers the Readers the conuerers and the Waiters or Folowers His owne Ignatius addethe thereto thrée other Orders Cantores Laboratores Confitentes The Chounters or Singers the Labourers and the Confessours Elemens addeth thereto Catechistas The Infourmers or Teachers of them that were entringe into the Faithe A litle vaine Booke bearinge the name of S. Hierome De SepteÌ„ Ordinibus Ecclesiae addeth yet an other Order and calleth them Fossarios that is The Sextines or Ouerseers of the Graues And least you should thinke he rekeneth this Order as emongst other necessarie offices to serue the people and not as any parte of the Cleregie his wordes be these Primus in Clericis Fossariorum Ordo est qui in similitudinem Tobiae Sancti sepelire morruos admonet The Firste Order of the Cleregie is the Order of the Sextines whiche as Holy Tobâ—e was woonte to doo casse vppon the people for the burial of the deade Likewise to the thrée greater Orders Isidorus addeth an other distincte seueral Order of Bishoppes vnto whom agréethe Gulielmus Altisiodorensis Gottofredus Pictauiensis as appeareth by Iohannes Scotus Againe of the other Inferiour Orders S. Hierome leaueth out the Coniurers VVaiters S. Ambrose leaueth out the VVaiters and Doore Keepers The Canons of the Apostles leaue out Coniurers VVaiters and Doore keepers al thrée togeather In this so greate dissension darkenesse what waie wil M. Hardinge take to folow By Anacletus there be Two Orders by Clemens S. Hierome Thrée by Hierome Countrefeite SeueÌ„ by others Eight by other Nine by others Tenne At this notwithstandinge he telleth vs our parte had benne to haue shewed that there be iuste Seuen Orders in the Churche Thrée greate and Foure Lesse withoute doubte or question Here gentle Reader it had benne M. Hardinges parte to haue shewed vs the Reasons and Groundes of this Diuinitie These they be as they are alleged by the beste of that side Christe saith I am the Doore Ergo there muste be in the Churche an Order of Doore Keepers Christe saithe I am the Light of the World Hereupon haue thei founded the Order of Acolutes to carrie Tapers And so for the reste Thus mutche maie serue for a taste Now let vs consider what these Orders haue to doo and with how Holy and weighty offices they stand charged in the Churche of God Firste Clemens of whoe 's Authoritie M. Hardinge maket be no smal accoumpte for he calleth
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
Pambus and many other Holy men liuinge in VVildernesse without letters no reste ne quiet at their hartes Nay who had the like And whereas you saie that al thinges needeful for our Saluation be abundantly and fully cōprehended in the Scriptures this is also as false as sundry other partes of your Doctrine For if al thinges necessary to Saluation be conteined in the Scriptures then what so euer is not in them conteined the same is not necessarie If not necessarie why shoulde we be laden with vnnecessarie burdens Then awaie with al Traditions at a clappe be they neuer so Apostolike neuer so Auncient neuer so Healthful neuer so longe time in the Churche continued Remember you not what the moste renoumed Fathers haue written of the necessitie of Traditions Or if you remember them what thought you when you wrote thus Let Learned and Holy Basil be hearde in steede of many if not to reuoke you from your errour yet to discredite you and staye others in the truthe His woordes be these Of the doctrines whiche be preached in the Churche certaine we haue out of the Scripture written certaine we haue receiued in secrete Mistery by tradition of the Apostles whiche bothe be of equal force to Godlines Neither concerninge these any man gainesaieth be he of neuer so smal knowledge For if we goe about to reiect the customes that be not set foorth in writinge as beinge of litle regarde then shal we condemne those thinges also whiche we haue in the Gospel necessarie to Saluation Yea rather we shal bringe the preachinge of the Faithe but to a bare name For so they were taken for Heretikes whiche regarded not the solemne faste of Lente receiued at the Apostles as we reade in S. Augustine De Haer. ad Quoduultdeum cap. 53. and in the Councel of Gangra in an Epistle to the Bishops of Armenia Euen so they whiche denied the distinction of a Bishop and a Prieste were condemned of Heresie as we finde in S. Augustine in the Booke and Chapter aforesaide and in Epiphanius Lib. 3. Cap. 75. In the Councel of Constance the same is to be founde Againe if al thinges necessarie to Saluation be expressed in the Scriptures to what purpose saide S. Paule concerninge order and maner to be vsed at the celebration of the holy Sacramente Coetera cùm venero disponam As for other thinges I wil take Order for them when I come VVhat meaneth S. Iohn to saye Hauinge other thinges to write to you of I woulde not write them in Paper and inke for I truste to be with you and speake to you mouthe to mouthe To conclude muche that might be obiected in fewe woordes for breuities sake what saie you sir Defender shal we finde al thinges necessarie to Saluation in the Scripture Howe thinke you of the Scripture it selfe How knowe you this to be the Scripture How knowe ye the Gospel of Mathewe Marke Luke and Iohn to be theirs whose names they beare This can you not finde in al the Scripture and yet is the same necessary to be beleeued VVhat Scripture have you to admitte these and to refuse the Booke bearinge the name of Peter the Gospel of Thomas of Bartholome we of Nicodeme VVhy admitte you not the Prophetes that Basilides would to be allowed but onely the foure greate and the twelue lesser what auctoritie haue you to staie your selfe by concerninge these but onely that of the Churche for Scripture haue you none for proufe hereof Then hath not Scripture al thinges in it necessarie for a Christen man Is it not necessarie to beleeue the Sonne of God to be Homousion that is to saie of the same Substance with the Father whiche if you denie you restore the olde condemned Heresie of the Arians The same can you not finde in the Scripture VVhere in al the Bible finde you that God the Father is Ingenitus VVhere finde you that the Holy Ghoste proceedeth frō the Father and the Sonne that the blessed Virgin Marie continued in her Virginitie that suche as be Baptized of Heretikes oughte to be Baptized againe That in fantes ought to be Baptized That the Foure Bookes of the Gospels were written by Mathewe Marke Luke and Iohn by what Scripture can you prooue it To ende where finde you expressely in al the Scriptures three Persons to be one God The B. of Sarisburie Here to weighe downe the Authoritie of Goddes Holy Woorde M. Hardinge hath brought in a heape of ordinarie stale quarrelles Of the difference bitwéene Priestes and Bishoppes of Lente of the Communion Booke of the Homilies of the Order of Seruice and of the Perpetual Virginitie of Our Lady His whole drifte herein is to beare vs in hande that there is very litle or none Authoritie in the Scriptures and that the whole Credite and certainetie of our Faithe resteth onely in the Churche of Rome He seemeth to take it in scorne that the Woorde of God shoulde be called the Light Yet notwithstandinge the Prophete Dauid saithe Thy Woorde is a Lanterne to my feete And againe The Commaundement of the Lorde is Lightsome geeuing Light vnto the eies And Theophylacte saith Verbum Dei est Lucerna qua Fur deprehenditur The Woorde of God is the Candel whereby ther Theefe or false Teacher is espied Whereas M. Hardinge demaundeth of vs so pleasauntly what Scriptures we allowe and what wée reiecte he troubleth him selfe with an idle and a néedelesse question For we embrace and reuerence euery parcel and title of the Scriptures without exception not refusinge any parte thereof that hath benne allowed by the Ancient Learned Catholique Fathers of the Churche of God Neither doo wee so scornefully calle Goddes Holy Woorde a Nose of vvaxe a Shipmannes Hose or a Dead letter as sundrie of that side haue delited to cal it Touchinge the Booke of the Machabees wee saie nothinge but that we finde written by S. Hierome S. Augustine other Holy Fathers S. Hierome saithe Machabaeorum Libros legit quidem Ecclesia Sed eos inter Canonicas Scripturas non recipit In deede the Churche readeth the Bookes of the Machabees but shee receiueth them not emonge the Canonical allovved Scriptures Or Praier for y◠Dead wee shal haue place more conuenient to speake hereafter The place of S. Iames touchinge the Iustification of Faithe Woorkes is answeared before Neither doo wee discredite any parte either of the Authoritie or of the Doctrine of that whole Epistle notwithstandinge Eusebius saithe It was written by somme other and not by S. Iames. His woordes be these Istius Iacobi qui lustus Oblias vocabatur dicitur esse Epistola quae prima scribitur inter Canonicas Sciendum autem est illam Epistolam esse Spuriam The Opinion is that the Epistle whiche is reckened the firste emonge the Canonicalles is of this Iames whiche was called Iustus and Oblias But wee muste vnderstande that
But the people had a Grace geeuen them to discerne Sprites and to iudge whom thei should receiue into the number of the Prophetes and whom as skilful exchangers they shoulde refuse Euen so nowe in the time of the Newe Testamente Many haue taken in hande to VVrite Gospels But the skilful exchangers and triers of Coines haue not allowed them So saithe S. Augustine Manichaei legunt Scripturas Apocryphas nescio à quibus Sutoribus Fabularum sub nomine Apostolorum scriptas The Manichees reade Secrete Hidden Scriptures written I knowe not by what Cobblers of Fables vnder the name of the Apostles So saithe Eusebius of the Gospel countrefeited vnder the name of S. Peter Nos Petrum reliquos Apostolos sicut Christum recipimus Sed Pseudepigrapha reijcimus Veluti gnari eorum sensus sententiae Scientes quòd talia non recipimus tradita ab Apostolis Wee receiue Peter and the reste of the Apostles as wee woulde receiue Christe him selfe But Countrefeite VVritinges vnder theire names wee refuse vttersy as hauinge vnderstandinge of their sense and meaninge knowinge wel that wee haue receiued no sutche thinges deliuered by the Apostles Thus had the Churche of God the Sprite of Wisedome whereby to discerne the True Scriptures from the False Yet male wée not geather hereof that the Authoritie of the Churche is ouer and aboue the Scriptures S. Augustine saith In istis temporalibus Legibus quamuis de illis homines iudicent cùm eas instituunt tamen cùm fuerint institutae firmatae non licebit ludici de illis iudicare sed secundum eas In these temporal or Worldly Iawes although menne be Iudges ouer thē while they be a making yet after the same Lawes be once made and established it is no senger lawful for the Iudge to Iudge of them Onely it is lawful to Iudge by them Likewise againe he saithe Spirituales siue qui praesunt siue qui obtemperant Spiritualiter iudicant non de cognitionibus Spiritualibus quae lucent in Firmamento id est de Scripturis Non enim oportet de tam sublimi Authoritate iudicare c. Homo enim licet Spiritualis factor ramen Legis esse debet non Iudex De illis dicitur Iudicare in quibus potestatem habet corrigendi Menne Spiritual whether thei ruse or be ruled Iudge accordinge to the Sprite But they Iudge not of the Spiritual knowledge that shineth in the Firmamente that is to saie of the Scriptures For it is not lawful for any man to be Iudge ouer so high Authoritie For be the man never so mutche Spiritual yet muste he be a Dooer and not a Iudge of the Lavve There a Man is saide to be a Iudge where he hath Power and Authoritie to correcte The Apologie Cap. 10. Diuision 1. Moreouer wee allowe the Sacramentes of the Churche that is to saie certaine Holy Signes Ceremonies whiche Christe woulde wee shoulde vse that by them he might sette before our eies the Mysteries of our Saluation and might more strongely confirme the Faithe whiche wee haue in his Bloude and might seale his Grace in our hartes And these Sacramentes togeather with Tertullian Origen Ambrose Augustine Hierome Chrysostome Basile Dionysius other Catholique Fathers wee doe calle Figures Signes Markes Badges Printes Copies Fourmes Seales Signettes Similitudes Paternes Representations Remembraunces and Memories And wee make no doubt togeather with the same Doctours to saie that these bee certaine Visible vvoordes Seales of Righteousnes and Tokens of Grace M. Hardinge VVith what face saie ye that ye allowe the Sacramentes of the Churche Haue ye not abandot ned almoste al the Sacramentes of the Churche Retaine ye any mo by name of the Sacramentes then two Baptisme and your Supper of the Lorde Of whiche the one after that Doctrine as it is by you taught and ministred auaileth nothinge but to your further condemnation The sounde and true Doctrine whiche the Catholike Churche holdeth and beleueth touching this point is this There be seuen Sacramentes in which vnder coouer of visible thinges the Power of God worketh mans helth They be these Baptisme Confirmation the Sacrament of the aulter Penaunce extreme Vnction Order VVedlocke And these so we cal Sacramentes as neuertheles we acknowledge the name of Sacrament may be extended to many other thinges That it be knowen what a Sacrament is this woorde Sacrament signifieth sommetime a holy thinge sometime the signe of a holy thinge instituted by God As it is taken for a signe only so is it found generally not only in the Newe Lawe but also in the Olde Lawe But in the Newe Lawe these signes after a Peculiar and Special manner be called Sacramentes whiche do not only signifie a holy thinge but also do sanctifie and make holy those to whō thei be adhibited being such as by institution of Christe conteine grace in them and Power to sanctifie VVhereof a Sacrament is by the best learned diuines defined to be a visible signe of inuisible grace so as it beare the image of it * and be cause of the same For the plaine vnderstāding of this Definition how a Sacrament beareth the forme signe or image of inuisible grace it appeareth euidently in Baptisme where washinge of the body sheweth the clensinge of the sowle Also in the Sacramente of the Aulter where the formes of Breade and VVine out wardly represent the spiritual nourishing of the soule The like appeareth in other Sacramentes Neither is it a New and straung Doctrine to say that the Sacramētes of the Gospel conteine grace in them for the Fathers teache the same not seldom Chrysostome expounding the Mysterie of the Poole called Bethesda in Hebrewe that was in Ierusalem saith that sicke folke were healed at the mouing of the water to the intent men might be brought to vnderstande the vertue of Baptisme For then was it comming to passe saith he that Baptisme shoulde be ful of power and grace S. Ambrose in his booke de Sacramentis speaking of Baptisme saith it is not euery water that healeth but that water healeth whiche hath the Grace of Christe Cyrillus vpon the foresaide Chapter of S. Iohn saith that in Baptisme it is not VVater simply that worketh but when as it hathe receiued the grace of the Holy Ghoste S. Augustine in a Sermon saith the VVater in Baptisme is enriched with a more gifte in maner then was the Virgine Mary For the saith he deserued Chastitie to her selfe this hath geuen to vs sanctifications She deserued that she sinned not this that it might purge sinnes It is saide vniuersally by S. Cyprian of al the Sacramentes that the fatte of Gods anointinge powereth fulnes of grace into the ministerial sanctifications whereby he meaneth the Sacramentes Yet we meane that they conteine grace and power to sanctifie after suche maner of speakinge as we saie of Potions and drinkes prepared for sicke Persons that thei
no more then if I saide to an impudent and common Harlot fie for shame VVho maie not plainely see the Scripture verified on you Frons mulieris Meretricis facta est vobis Ye haue gotten to you the impudent face of an Harlot The B. of Sarisburie Here M. Hardinge it hath pleased you to bestowe large liueries of youre False Liers Diuelishe Sclaunderers Impudent Faces Common Harlots with Fies and shames c. Wherein no man may iustly grudge you to be so liberal of youre owne First that by youre Doctrine Ignorance highly pleaseth God is sufficient to Saluation bisides the general practise of youre whole Churche yee maie soone cal to minde that one of youre dearest frendes in most honourable Audience not long sithence openly published the same in the name and behoufe of al his Brethren as a Secrete Mysterie and the very bottome of youre Diuinitie Ignorance is the Mother of Deuotion You knowe M. Harding that a greate many bothe worthy and honourable are hable to witnesse that this is neither false Lie nor Diuelishe Sclaunder Concerninge Superstition and Idolatrie what neede we many wordes The thinge it selfe is too wel hable to proue it selfe Who so but looketh into youre Churches maie easily not onely see it with his eies but also feele it with his fingers That Goddes Holy VVorde by youre Learning is mutable and serueth onely for a time youre owne Doctoure Cardinalis Cusanus woulde soone haue taught you Notwithstandinge it maie scarcely seeme lawful for you beinge so learned a man in the Substance of youre owne Doctrine to pleade Ignorance Cardinal Cusanus woordes be these Scripturae adaptatae sunt ad tempus variè intelliguntur Ita vt vno tempore secundum currentem vniuersalem ritum exponantur mutato ritu iterùm Sententia mutetur The Scriptures are applied vnto the time and maie haue sundrie vnderstandinges So that at one time they maie be expouÌ„ded one waie accordinge to the vniuersal current order of the churche and that the same order being broken the meaning of the Scriptures maie be chaunged Looke better on your bookes M. Hardinge and ye shal see that herein is neither Lie nor Sclaunder That the Holy Scriptures of God by youre Diuinitie be not Authentical farther then they be ratified by the Pope ye might haue learned of your Syluester Prierias Maister of the Popes Palaice Thus he writeth A Doctrina Romanae Ecclesiae Romani Pontificis Sacra Scriptura robur trahit authoritatem The Holy Scripture taketh strengthe and Authoritie of the Doctrine of the Romaine Churche and of the Bishop of Rome Againe he saithe Indulgentiae Authoritate Scripturae non innotuere nobis Sed Authoritate Romanae Ecclesiae Romanorumque Pontificum quae Maior est Pardonnes are not knowen to vs by the Authoritie of the Scriptures but by the Authoritie of the Romaine Churche and of the Bishoppes of Rome whiche is greater then the Authoritie of the Scriptures If ye saie these be Lies and Sclaunders ye offer greate wronge to your owne Doctours Neuerthelesse if ye shal happen to crie out in the impatience of your Choler Fy for shame Impudente Faces Common Harlottes remember what you your selfe haue written immediately before touching the same These be your owne wordes Recante them yee maie But denie them yee maie not Thus you saie Christe novve requireth of you not to obeie Peter and Paule that is to saie the Worde of God But to obeâ—e him vvho sitteth in theire Chaire Wee forge not these wordes M. Hardinge They are youre owne Folkes wil thinke yee haue no Modeste Matrones face if ye speake willingly against youre selfe Nowe ye see M. Hardinge who teacheth you That Goddes VVoorde vvas vVritten onely for a time And that Goddes Commaundementes are no further Authentical but as they be ratified by the Pope Therefore hencefoorth ye maie spare these Lies and Sclaunders and crie oute Fy and Shame when somme occasion shal be offered In deede Cardinal Cusanus saithe Veritas adhaeret Cathedrae Quare Membra Cathedrae Vnita Pontifici Coniuncta efficiunt Ecclesiam The Truthe cleaueth faste to the Popes Chaire Therefore the Members vnited vnto that Chaire and ioined vnto the Pope make the Churche The Apologie Cap. 11. Diuision 1. As touching that we haue now donne to departe froÌ„ that Churche whoe 's errours were proued made manifest to the worlde whiche Churche also had already euidently departed from Goddes Worde and yet not to depart so mutche from it selfe as froÌ„ the errours thereof not to doo this disorderly or wickedly but quietly and soberly we haue donne nothing herein against the doctrine either of Christe or of his Apostles For neither is the Churche of God sutche as it maie not be dusked with somme spot or asketh not sometime reparation Els what neede there so many Assemblies Councelles without the whiche as saithe Egidius the Christian Faithe is not hable to stande For looke saithe he hovve often Councelles are discontinued so often is the Churche destitute of Christe M. Hardinge That the Churche is pointes of our Faith necessarie to saluation erreth we denie it and vpon warrant of Christes promise we tel it you al assuredly ye shal neuer be able to proue it Councels are kept and Bishoppes bee made by the same prouidence of God whiche prouideth partly by that meanes and partly by other that the Romaine Faithe Chaire and Rocke shal stande for euer Ad quos saithe S. Cyprian speaking of them of Rome perfidia non potest habere accessum to the whiche vnfaithfulnes can not haue accesse He saithe not onely shal not haue accesse but can not haue accesse The B. of Sarisburie It séemeth M. Hardinge ye haue benne brought vp vnder somme poore vnskilful Surgian For ve applie one salue to euery soare What soeuer bee alleged against you it is sufficient for you to answeare The churche of Rome erreth not hath not erred can not erre And to this pourpose ye haue brought vs in certaine wordes of S. Cyprian farre bisides the Authours meaninge Whereby it appereth that sommetimes ye allege Authorities of the Fathers not considering neither to what ende they spake nor what they meante For where as S. Cyprian saithe Vnto the Romaines vnfaithfulnesse can haue no accesse he speaketh not of the Vnfaithfulnesse of Faithe or Doctrine as you by erroure haue imagined but onely of the Vnfaithfulnesse of reporte The cause of writinge that Epistle in shorte was this Certaine lewde felowes refusinge to stande to the iudgemente of the Bishoppes of their owne Countrie of Aphrica appealed further and fledde to Rome with many vntrue and forged tales to winne somme credite of their cause Hereunto S. Cyprian saithe The Romaines be godly and wise men they wil soone be hable to espie their falsehedde For vnfaitheful reportes and lewde tales can haue no accesse vnto them If ye had considered either the occasion of the writting or
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
knewe What then shal I saie heere O ye principal Postes of Religion O ye Archegouernours of Christes Churche is this that your reuerence whiche yee geue to Goddes VVoorde The Holy Scriptures whiche S. Paule saithe came by the inspiration of God whiche God did commende by so many Miracles wherein are the moste perfite printes of Christes owne steppes whiche al the Holy Fathers Apostles Angels whiche Christe him selfe the Sonne of God as often as was needeful did allege for testimonie and proufe wil ye as though they were vilwoorthy for you to heare did them Auaunt That is wil ye enioine God to keepe silence who speaketh to you moste clearely by his owne mouthe in the Scriptures Or that VVoorde whereby alone as Paule saithe we are reconciled to God and whiche the Prophete Dauid saithe is Holy and Pure and shal laste for euer wil ye cal that but a bare and deade Letter Or wil ye saie that al our laboure is loste whiche is bestowed in that thinge whiche Christe hath commaunded vs diligently to searche and to haue euermore before our eies And wil ye saie that Christe the Apostles meante with suttletie to deceiue the people when they exhorted them to reade the Holy Scriptures that thereby they might flowe in al wisedome and knowledge No marueile at al though these men despise vs and al our dooinges seeinge they set so litle by God him selfe and his infallible saieinges Yet was it but wante of witte in them to the intent they mighte hurte vs to doo so extreme iniurie to the VVoorde of God But Hosius wil here make exclamation and saie that wee doo him wronge that these be not his owne woordes but the woordes of the Heretique zvvenkfeldius But how then if zvvenkfeldius make exclamation on the other side and saie that the same very woordes be not his but Hosius owne woordes For tel me where hath zvvenkfeldius euer written them Or if he haue written them and Hosius haue iudged the same to be wicked why hath not Hosius spoken so mutche as one woorde to confute them How so euer the mater goe although Hosius peraduenture wil not allowe of those woordes yet he dothe not disallow the meaninge of the woordes For welueare in al Controuersies namely touchinge the vse of the Holy Communion vnder Bothe Kindes although the woordes of Christe be plaine and euident yet dothe Hosius disdeinefully reiecte them as no better then Colde Dead Elementes and commaundeth vs to geeue Faithe to certaine Newe Lessons appointed by his Churche and to I wote not what Reuelations of the Holy Ghoste And Pighius saith Mēne ought not to beleue no not the most cleare manifeste woordes of the Scriptures onlesse the same be allowed for good by the Interpretation Authoritie of the Churche whereby he meaneth the Churche of Rome M. Hardinge How ignorantly wickedly and stubbornely the Authour of this Apologie burdeneth the reuerent Father in God and Honourable prelate Cardinall Hosius with that he neuer saide it is not vnknowen to al men who haue readen that Booke whiche he wrote De Expresso verbo Dei of the expresse VVoorde of God Here I aske so muche pardon as to detecte an hereticall touche or twoo before I make direct answeare to the foule slaunderinge of Hosius Firste I note with what fidelitie these newe Holy brethren doo their thinges It maie be thought that the Secretary of this newe Clergie at his penninge of the Apologie sawe not Hosius Booke of the expresse woorde of God But as they haue benne conuersant in S. Augustine Hierome Chrysostome and the Auncient Fathers so vse they Hosius at this time that is to saie they reade neither the Olde Fathers with any diligence neither the writers of our time But by snappes and pieces either them selues write out here and there a line or two or vse that whiche some of their owne secte hath taken out of them So that for moste parte they neuer knowe the true meaninge of the place whiche they alleage But vsinge patched note bookes and bringinge in scattered Authorities they be deceiued themselues and deceiue others And he that tooke the note knewe well they were not the woordes of Hosius and did but onely put the name of Hosius vnto them because they were taken out of his Booke The writer of this Apologie not knowinge or not remembringe so muche when he founde in the note booke the name of Hosius with suche woordes he did rashely put them in printe to his owne greate shame and discredite If this excuse be not true wee muste needes laie maruelous malice to the saide writer who wittingly and of set purpose did impute the woordes to Hosius whiche he reported by waie of mislikinge of them and shewinge whose Heresie they conteined Now let the Defenders chose whether they will haue their Secretarie condemned of ignorance or of malice How so euer it be marke yet the thirde pointe whiche hereof we wil gather The Apologie was skant Printed and published but that grosse errour was out of hande espied and woorde thereof brought to the Authour I meane him that penned it But what did he Did he confesse that he was deceiued Did he crie Hosius mercie No no. That is not the woonte of Heretikes They wil go forewarde with the matter once begonne what so euer come of it VVhat did he then VVhen it shoulde be set foorthe in Englishe and woorde came to him thereof he made an excuse I warraunt you meete for an Heretike whose propertie it is Proficere in peius as S. Paule saithe to proceede to worse and worse to take his degree backewarde and of a great faulte to make a farre greatter For whereas before as Charitiemoueth me to thinke he had made an errour supposinge Hosius to haue saide that whiche he had not after warde by stubborne mainteininge of it he sheweth what spirite he is of And when he mighte reasonably haue excused his ignorance chose rather spitefully to discouer his malice As it shall manifestly appeare by the circumstance of the thinge He laieth to Hosius charge and in his persone to all our charges that we do not esteeme the Holy Scriptures He proueth it by certaine woordes alleaged out of a treatise made by Hosius De Expresso verbo Dei The woordes are here put in the Apologie as the reader maie see The true argumente of Hosius booke is no other then to shewe that all Heretikes haue alleaged the woordes of God as they be written But none of them all haue taken the righte vnderstandinge of Goddes woordes as they doo in deede signifie For that onely the Catholike Churche atteineth vnto because onely it hath the Holy Ghoste All Heretikes haue brought for their opinions the written VVoorde of God so longe vntill at the laste saithe Hosius there were founde who by the woordes of the Scriptures toke vpon them to take away al Auctoritie from Scriptures Natum est saithe he nouum quoddam Prophetarum genus
his owne Iudgemente but onely as in the personne of the Heretique Zuenkfeldius Therefore ye saie wée charge him wrongefully with the allowinge of that thinge whiche he expressely and plainely reproueth Firste of al the Authour of the Apologie protesteth that if there were any ouersight herein it procéeded onely of erroure and not of malice as it maie wel appeare in that he was not deceiued alone For if he were deceiued in mistakinge these woordes diuerse others the beste Learned of this age haue benne deceiued therein as wel as he Nicolaus Gallus hereof writeth thus Hosius Cardinalis Legatus Sanctissimi praesidens Concili◠Tridentini in suo Libro de Expresso Verbo Dei ait Nos verò Dei de Coelo sententiam potiùs expectabimus c. Non oportet Legis aut Scripturae esse peritum sed à Deo doctum Vanus est labor qui Scripturis impenditur Scriptura enim Creatura est egenum quoddam Elementum Cardinal Hosius Legate vnto the most Holy Father and President of the Councel of Trident in his Booke De Expresso Verbo Dei saithe thus We wil rather waite for Goddes wil from Heauen c. It behooueth not a man to be skilful in the Lawe of God or in the Scriptures but to be taught of God It is but loste laboure that is spente in the Scriptures For the Scripture is a Creature and a poore kinde of out warde Elemente Thus Nicolaus Gallus burdeneth your owne Catholique Frende Hosius with these woordes and not the Heretique Zuenkfeldius Likewise saithe Flacius Illyricus speakinge of the same woordes of Hosius Vnum locum ex plurimis proferam in quo Hosius alterius cuiusdam sententiam de hac re citans comprobat Nos Dei de Coelo Sententiam potiùs expectabimus c. vanus est labor qui Scripturis impenditur One place I wil allege out of many where Hosius bringinge in the saieinge of one certaine man meaninge Zuenkfeldius allovveth vvel of the same These woordes saithe Illyricus Hosius vttereth in the name personne of Zuenkfeldius Yet neuerthelesse he alloweth them as his owne To like pourpose writeth Iacobus Andreae who after he had reported al the foresaide woordes in the ende concludeth thus Hactenus Hosius Quae verba siue Hosius suo siue aliorum nomine recitet certè hanc else Asoti Hosij de Sacra Scriptura sententiam non est obscurum Thus farre Hosius whiche woordes how so euer Hosius reporte them either in his owne name or in the name of somme other without al doubte this is the Judgemente that bothe Asotus and Hosius haue of the Holy Scripture So likewise saith that moste Graue and Learned Father Iohannes Brentius Intereà vociferantur Sacram Scripturam else Dubiam Ambiguā Praeceptorem Mutum Literā Occidentem Literam Mortuam adeoque fi Reuerendis illis Patribus libuerit Aesopi Fabulas In the meane while they crie out y◠the Holy Scriptures are Blinde and Doubteful a Doūbe Scholemaister a killinge VVrite a deade Letter yea and if it shal like these Reuerende Fathers no better then Esopes Fables Perhaps ye wil saie of these Learned Menne as yée saie of some others Thei vsed onely their patched Notebookes and scattered Authorities by snappes and peeces here and there a line or twoo and vnderstoode not what they wrote Notwithstandinge what so euer it shal please you to saie as therein your grace is very greate yet you sée by these fewe and muste néedes confesse if the Authoure of the Apologie thouchinge this place of Hosius were happily ouerseene by erroure yet he had to many of the beste Learned of this age to keepe him companie in his erroure Verily they saie not as you saie Thus saithe Zuenkfeldius They saie as wée saie Thus saith Hosius It Hosius were hable to blinde so many wée must thinke he was a skilful Writer The fairest coloure ye can laie hereon is this How so euer these woordes be vttered by Hosius yet was this no parte of his meaninge Yet Iacobus Andreae saith Hanc else Asoti Hosij sententiam non est obscurum Without doubte this is the very meaninge of Alotus and Hosius And Illyricus saith Hosius alleginge the saieinge of one certaine man whereby he meaneth the Heretique Zuenkfeldius allovveth vvel of the same But for as mutche as yée saie This Glose is more maliceous then the Former Erroure and that therein wee spitefully discouer our Malice without Reason without Learninge without VVitte and require vs to repente for shame as if it were a Sinne not againste Hosius but againste the Holy Ghoste I beseche you therefore indifferently to consider with what reuerence and modestie not onely Hosius but also sundrie others your Frendes of that side haue vsed to speake and write of the VVoorde of God Ludouicus a Canon of the Churche of Laterane in Rome in an Oration openly pronounced in your late Chapter at Tridente saithe thus Ecclesia est Viuum pectus Christi Scriptura autem est quasi Mortuum Atramentum The Churche is the Liuely Breaste of Christe But the Scripture is as it were Deade Inke Likewise saide the Bishop of Poiters in the same your Chapter Scriptura est res manimis muta sicut etiam sunt reliquae Leges Politicae The Scripture is a Deade and Doumbe thinge as are al other Politique Lawes Albertus Pigghius saithe Si dixeris haec referri oportere ad Iudicium Scripturarum Communis re sensus ignarum esse comprobas Sunt enim Scripturae Muti Iudices If thou saie These maters muste be put ouer to the Iudgemente of the Scriptures thou she west thee selfe to be voide of common reason For the Scriptures are doumbe Iudges and cannot speake Eckius calleth the Scriptures Euangelium Nigrum Theologiam Atramentariam The Blacke Gospel and Inken Diuinitie Againe Pigghius saithe Ecclesia habet illam potestatem vt possit Scriptis quibusdam impertiri Canonicam Authoritatem quam nec ex se nec ex suis Authoribus habent The Churche hath power to geeue Canonical Authoritie vnto certaine Writinges whiche otherwise they haue not neither of them selues nor of their Authours There maie be certaine Bookes allowed for Scripture saithe he that haue no credite nor Authoritie of them selues Therefore the meaninge hereof must néedes be this The Churche of Rome hath Authoritie to make Scriptures Againe he saithe Sunt Scripturae vt non minùs verè quà m festiuè dixit quidam velut Nasus Cereus qui se horsum illorsum in quancunque volueris partem trahi retrahi fingique facilè permittit As one man bothe truely and merily saide the Scripture is like a Nose of VVaxe that easily suffereth it selfe to be drawen backewarde and forewarde and to be moulded and falshioned this waie and that waie and how so euer yee liste Thus M. Harding yée teache the people to reuerence weighe the
VVoorde of God Ye calle it Deade Inke a Liuelesse mater a doumbe Iudge that cannot speake a Blacke Gospel Inken Diuinitie a Nose of vvaxe and a thinge vtterly voide of Authoritie of it selfe Examine these places weigh these woordes They are no Lies They are no Sclaunders Iudge vprightly remoue affection ye shal finde that Hosius and Zuenkfeldius touchinge the Authoritie and Credite of Goddes VVoorde accorde in one For proufe whereof when obiection was made that Kinge Dauid beinge not a Bishop but onely a Temporal Prince had written Psalmes that is to saie the very kete of the Scriptures Hosius made answeare Quid ni scriberet Scribimus indocti doctique poëmata passim VVrote Dauid Psalmes And why shoulde he not write them Horace saith VVee write Ballades euery body learned and vnlearned tagge and ragge So vnreuerently like an Heathen he scorneth and scoffeth at the scriptures of God and likeneth the Heauenly Ditties of the Holy Ghoste to a Vile Heathenishe Wanton ballade This in Zuenkfeldius had benne great Blasphemie Yée allowe it in Hosius as a vertue S. Luke saithe Pharisaei Iurisperiti spreuerunt consilium Dei in semetipsis The Phariseis and Learned in the Lawe despised the Councel of God in them selues Irenaeus saithe Haeretici accusant Scripturas quasi nō rectè habeant necsint ex Authoritate c. Heretiques finde faulte with the Scriptures as if they were not wel written and as if they were not of sufficient Authoritie c. And thus they doo to the ende to cause the people to lothe doubte the Woorde of Life so to becomme captiue to their owne Traditions Therefore Cardinal Cusanus saithe thus Haec est omnium sanè intelligentium sententia qui Scripturarum Authoritatem intellectum in Ecclesiae approbatione fundant non è conuerso Ecclesiae Fundamentum in Scripturarum Authoritate locant c. Dico nulla else Christi praecepta nisi quae per Ecclesiam pro talibus accepta sunt This is the Iudgemente of al them that meane wel whiche founde the Authoritie and vnderstandinge of the Scriptures in the allowance of the Churche But contrarie wise laie not the Fundation of the Churche in the Authoritie of the Scriptures Thus I saie There are no Cōmaundementes of Christe but onely sutche as by the Churche are allowed for Christes Commaundementes So saithe your highest Doctoure Albertus Pigghius A postoli quaedam conscripserunt non vt Scripta illa praeessent Fidei Religioni nostrae sed potiùs vt subessent The Apostles wrote certaine thinges not that their Writinges shoulde be aboue our Faithe and Religion but rather that they shoulde be vnder Iohannes Maria Verractus saithe Determinatio Ecclesiae appellatur Euangelium The Determination of the Churche is called the Gospel Therefore Hosius by his Episcopal Authoritie pronounceth Sentence Definitiue in this wise Quod Ecclesia docet Expressum Dei Verbum est quod contra Sensum Consensum Ecclesiae docetur Expressum Diaboli Verbum est What so euer the Churche teacheth by the Churche he meaneth the Pope and his Cardinalles and the Churche of Rome c. that is the Expresse VVoorde of God what so euer is taught againste the Meaninge and Consente of the Churche that is the Expresse VVoorde of the Diuel This was sommetime an ordinarie practise of sundrie Olde Heretiques to scorne and to disdeigne the Scripures of God and to grounde them selues vpon other Conclusions and imaginations of theire owne So the Heretique Carpocrates saide He knewe more then either Christe him selfe or his Apostles Tertullian saithe Discipuli Montani dicunt Paracletum plura in Montano dixisse quà m Christum in Euangelio protulisse nec tantùm plura sed etiam meliora atque maiora The Disciples of Montanus the Heretique said that the Holy Ghoste vttered moe thinges in Montanus theire Maister then euer Christe vttered in the Gospel and not onely moethinges but also greatter and better thinges And againe they saide Paulus ex parte sciebat ex parte prophetabat Nondum enim venerat quod perfectum est Paule knewe in parte and prophesied in parte For the perfection that was afterwarde in Montanus was not yet comme Therefore it is not vniuersally true M. Hardinge that you saie Al Heretiques haue alleged the Scriptures For somme Heretiques in whoe 's steppes ye séeme to treade haue made lighte of and disdeigned the Scriptures as wel as you But as somme Heretiques haue alleged the Scriptures as you doo without sense euen so al Heretiques are euermore reproued by the Scriptures as you bée And that is the cause that you and your Felowes for the most parte so fearefully shunne the Scriptures For he that dooth euil fleeth the Light Therefore wereas ye cal vs foorthe and bidde vs humbly to crie you mercie firste bidde Hosius your Scholemaister to recante his Errours wil him to speake more reuerently of Goddes VVoorde for it is Holy Let him confesse repente his Blasphemie in comparing the Scriptures of God with Heathenishe Ballades Recante you the Errours that Pigghius Cusanus Eckius and others your Doctoures and Felowes haue set abroade And the Authoure of the Apologie shal doo what so euer shal behoue him Remember also howe vniuste and vntrue reportes you your selfe and your Felowes haue witingly and willingly published and blased in writinge not sparinge any man whom it pleased you to touche with sclaunder You your selfe in this selfe same Booke haue written thus The Learned Gospellers of the Sea Townes in Saxonie teache that there is no Helle at al. An other of your Companie there thus moste vniustly sclaundereth that godly Father Doctoure Peter Martyr Petrus Martyr negat Christum else nostrum Deprecatorem Peter Martyr denieth that Christe is our Intercessoure Likewise againe with one general sclaunder he misreporteth al the Professours of the Gospel what so euer Omnes Euangelici Pseudomartyres negant Christum venisse in Carne Al the Gospellers whom he thought it better to calle the False witnesses of the Gospel denie that Christe euer came in the Fleashe I wil presse you no further with Examples of your immoderate sclaunders As your vncourteous tongue hath no bridle so your waste woordes haue no ende Al these and other like reportes your conscience knoweth are moste vntrue Yet haue ye not doubted thus to hasarde your whole credite and vainely with the same to féede the world Suffer me therefore M. Hardinge to answeare you with your owne woordes For shame man repente and reuoke that for whiche your owne Conscience stinteth not to barke againste your selfe The Apologie Cap. 21. Diuision 1. And yet as though this were too litle they also burne the Holy Scriptures as in times paste wicked Kinge Aza or as Antiochus or Maximinus did and are woonte to name them Heretiques Bookes And out of doubt as it seemeth thei would doo as Herode in olde time did in Ievvrie that hee
Behold by the Varietie wee vnderstande the Diuersitie of Tongues and by the Apparel wee vnderstande the Vnitie of y◠Churche Againe he saith Distant inter se Linguae Sed Linguarum distantiae non sunt schismata Tongues are diuided one from an other But the Diuision of Tongues is no Schisme or Diuision in Religion The Apologie Cap. 3. Diuision 10. The olde Councel at Carthage commaunded that nothing should be read in Christes Congregation but the Canonical Scriptures these menne reade sutche thinges in their Churches as them selues knowe for a Truthe to be starke Lies and fonde Fables M. Hardinge A man were better I assure thee good Reader to make two newe Bookes then to correcte one so ful of lies and falsefied places as this Apologie is This olde Councel of Carthage is newely falsefied by our new Cleregie The wordes of the Councel are these Palcuit vt praeter scripturas Canonicas nihil in Ecclesia legatur sub nomine Diuinarum Scripturatum It hath semed good vnto vs that besides the Canonical Scriptures nothinge be read in the Churche vnder the name of the holy Scriptures They leauinge out these foure woordes sub nomine Diuinarum Scripturarum Vnder the name of Diuine Scriptures woulde beare men in hande the Councel willed nothinge to be read in the Churche besides the holy Scriptures Are not these trusty men to whom ye may committe the charge of your soules for your faith and saluation It foloweth in the same decree Liceat etiam Legi passiones Martyrum cùm anniuersarij dies celebrantur Let it be lawful also for the Martyrdomes of Martyrs to be read when theire yerely festes are kept And yet dare they not onely to saie nothing must be read besides the Scriptures but also to alleage that very place for that special lie whiche saithe the contrary Looke in the Booke thy selfe good reader and see how falsely they handle so holy matters An other lie is when they saie we reade those thinges in the Churche whiche our selues knowe to be starke lies and funde fables VVhen they cannot them selues shewe that we haue any sutche it is a vaine lieing rhetorike to saie we doubt not of it or knowe it our selues for a truthe I wonder not if they blushe not in belieng vs who haue belied so many Scriptures Councels and fathers The B. of Sarisburie It standeth wel with your Truthe M. Hardinge so often to charge vs with Lies Falsehedde I truste it wil appeare ye had no great cause to keepe so great reuel vpon so poore a Conqueste In deede these woordes be not founde in the thirde Councel of Carthage Yet are they founde in the Councel of Hippo whiche is the Abbridgemente of the thirde Councel of Carthage as it appeareth by the Title of the same Concilij Hipponensis Abbreuiationes factae in concilio carthaginensi Tertio The woordes of the Councel of Hippo and for so mutche also of the thirde Councel of Carthage be these Scripturae Canonicae in Ecclesia legendae quae sunt praeter quas alia non legantur The Scriptures Canonical whiche are to read in the Churche and besides whiche nothinge els maie be read Here haue you M. Hardinge the plaine woordes of the Councel of Hippo abberidged out of the thirde Councel of Carthage That nothinge maie be read in the Churche but onely the Canonical Scriptures Iudge you therefore howe iuste cause ye had so vnaduisedly for I vate not to saie so vnlearnedly to charge the Apologie with Lies and Falsehedde Hereto maie wée adde the like Decrée of the Councel holden at Laodicea Sabbatjs Euangelia cum alijs Scripturis legenda esse censemus Wee agree that the Gospel with others Scriptures be read vpon the Saboth daie If these woordes séeme not sufficiente it foloweth further in the same Councel Non oportet Libros qui sunt extra Canonem legere nisi solos Canonicos Veteris Noui Testamenti We maie not reade any Bookes that be without the Canon but onely the Canonical Bookes of the Olde and Nevve Testamente To like effecte Chrysostome saith Ideò Christus meusas nummulariorum euertit Significans quòd in Templo Dei nō debent esse nummi nisi Spirituales id est qui Dei imaginem habent Therefore Christe ouerthrewe the Exchangers bakes Meaninge thereby that there maie be no Come in the Churche but onely Spiritual that is to saie that beareth the Image of God Againe he saithe Lectorum officium erat in Ecclesia Sacra Legere ex Scriptis vel Prophetarum vel Apostolorum It was the Readers office to pronounce holy thinges vnto the people out of either the Apostles or Prophetes Erasmus saithe Apparet non nisi Apostolicas Literas olim Legi solitas in Templis aut certè Vitorum Apostolicae Authoritatis It appeareth that in olde time nothinge was vsed to be read in the Churches but onely the Apostles Writinges or at leaste the Writinges of sutche others as were of Apostolical Authoritie Likewise saithe Abbas Ansigisus reportinge the Ecclesiastical Decrees of the Frenche Kinges Levves Charles In Templis tantùm Canonici Libri id est Sacrae Literae legantur Let there he read in the Churches onely the Canonical Bookes that is to saie the Holy Scriptures An other lie Ye saie is this when they saie wee reade those thinges in the Churche whiche our selues knowe to be starke lies and fonde Fables For trial hereof wee shal not néede to trauaile far Your owne Bookes and Legendes are prouse sufficiente Erasmus thereof saithe thus Hodiè quorumlibet somnia imò mulietcularum Deliramenta leguntur inter diuinas Scripturas Nowe a daies euery fooles Dreames yea very wee mennes doctinge fansies are read with the Holy Scriptures Likewise saithe Polydore Vergil Multorum Diuorum vitas recitant tametsi parùm ad Fidem Scriptas They reade many Sainctes Liues although not written accordinge to Truthe Ludouicus Viues writtinge of your Legenda Aurea whiche was the Mother of al your deuoute Ecclesiastical stories or Fables saithe thus Nescio cur Aurea dici debeat cùm scripta sit ab homine ferrei oris plumbei Cordis plenissima sit impudentissimis Mendacijs I see no cause why it shoulde be called the Goulden Legende seeinge it was written by a man of an iron face and a ledden harte and is freight ful of most shamelesse lies If ye knewe not these thinges M. Hardinge your frendes wil thinke ye knowe nothinge Sutche Truthes yée reade and publishe deuoutly and solemnely in your Churches Yet maie wée neither saie nor thinke yée mocke the people The Apologie Cap. 4. Diuision 1. But if there be any that thinke these aboue rehersed Authorities be but weake and selender bicause thei were decreed by Emperours certaine petite Bishoppes and not by so ful perfite Councelles takinge pleasure rather in the Authoritie and name of the Pope let
if you meane absolutely as youre woordes seeme to sounde so no discrete Catholike man euer saide or thought The B. of Sarisburie Here by a prety distinction of Povver Absolute and Povver not Absolute Christe and his Vicare are set togeather to parte tenures Howe be it what manner of Povver it is that the Pope claimeth his owne Proctours and Counsellers can tel vs beste Cardinal Hostiensis saithe Excepto peccato Papa potest quicquid Deus ipse potest Sinne onely excepted the Pope hath Power to doo what so euer God him selfe can doo Stephanus the Bishop of Patraca in youre late Councel at Laterane in Rome saithe thus In Papa est omnis Potestas supra omnes Potestates tam Coeli quà m Terrae Al Power is in the Pope aboue al the Powers as wel of Heauen as of Earthe And to make the mater plaine youre owne Bernarde him selfe saithe Tibi data est omnis Potestas in qua qui totum dicit nihil excludit Al manner of Power is geeuen to thee He that saithe Al excepteth nothing And Abbate Panormitane saithe Plenitudo Potestatis superat omnem Legem positiuam Et sufficit quòd in Papa sit pro Ratione Voluntas The fulnesse of Power passeth al Positiue Lawe and it is sufficieÌ„t in the Pope that Wil stande instede of Reason This is that Power that M. Hardinge here hathe so closely conueied in vnder the Cloude of his Distinction But Baldus that by experience sawe the practise hereof saithe thus Haec Plenitudo Potestatis est Plenitudo Tempestatis This Fulnesse of Power is a Fulnesse of Tempeste An other of youre Doctoures saithe Bernardus nullam Potestatem ponit in Papa quam non ponit in Praelatis inferioribus licet in Papa ponat Summam Bernarde alloweth no Povver vnto the Pope but he alloweth the same to other inferioure Bishoppes Notwithstandinge he alloweth the greatest Povver vnto the Pope S. Bernarde him selfe saithe to like pourpose Sic factuando probatis vos habere plenitudinem Potestatis Sed Iustitiae fortè non ita Thus dooinge and dealinge yee shewe youre selfe to haue the Fulnesse of Power but perhaps not likewise the Fulnesse of Iustice The Apologie Cap. 6. Diuision 7. Whiche of the Ancient Fathers euer saide that neither Kinge nor Prince nor the whole Cleregie nor al the people togeather are hable to be Iudges ouer you M. Hardinge VVhat Shepe shal be iudges ouer their shepherde For as the Fathers of the moste ancient Councel of Sinuessa saide in the cause of Marcellinus the Pope Nemo vnquam iudicauit Pontificem No man euer iudged the Pope nor any Prelate his highe Prieste Quoniam prima sedes non iudicabitur à quoquam * because the first See shal not be iudged of any body The B. of Sarisburie In these twoo pointes standeth the Popes Garde of truste and the keepe and Castel of al his Power Firste the Churche of Rome what so euer waie she take can neuer erre Nexte the Pope what so euer he doo maie neuer be called to any reckening One of your Doctours saithe thus Omne factum Sanctissimi Patris interpretari debemus in bonum Et fiquidem fuerit furtum vel aliud ex se malum interpretari debemus quòd Diuino instinctu fiat Wee muste expounde euery acte of the Holy Father for the beste And if it be thefte or any other thinge that of it selfe is euil as Aduoutrie or Fornication we muste thinke it is donne by the secrete inspiration of God An other saithe Si Papa innumerabiles populos cateruatim secum ducat mancipio Gehennae cum ipso plagis mulus in aeternum vapulaturos huius culpas arguere praesumat mortalium nullus If the Pope drawe infinite Companies of people by heapes togeather with him self into Hel to be pounished with him with many stripes for euer yet let no Mortal man presume to reproue his faultes An other saith Papa solutus est omni Lege Humana The Pope is exempted from al Lawe of Man An other saithe Sacrilegij instar esset disputare de facto Papae Facta Papae excusantur vt homicidia Samsonis vt furta Haebraeorum vt adulterium Iacob It is a sinne as greate as Sacrilege or Churche robbinge to reason of any of the Popes dooinges For his Actes are excused as Samsons Murders as the Ievves Robberies and as the Aduouteries of Iacob An other saithe Nec Totus Clerus nec totus Mundus potest Papam iudicare aut deponere Neither al the Cleregie nor al the whole Worlde maie either Iudge or Depose the Pope And againe Papa in nullo casu quamdiu est Papa propter quodcunque crimen potest deponi nec à Concilio nec à rota Ecclesia nec à toto Mundo The Pope while he is Pope cannot in any case for any offense by him committed be deposed neither by the General Councel nor by al the Churche nor by the whole worlde And al this they are wel hable to proue by good substantial Authoritie of the Scriptures For thus they reason The Scholare is not aboue his Maister The Seruant is not aboue his Lorde And againe The Axe boasteth not it selfe against the CarpeÌ„ter that hevveth vvith it Ergo no man maie accuse the Pope Therefore an other of youre Doctours saithe Iudicare de factis Papae hoc aliqui dicunt esse Tangere Montem ponere os in CoeluÌ„ To Iudge of the Popes deedes this somme menne saie is to touche the Holy Mounte wherein God gaue the Lawe shewed him selfe to Moses and to set the face against the Heauens And the Pope him selfe saithe It is the Sinne againste the Holy Ghost whiche shal neuer be forgeuen neither in this worlde nor in the worlde to comme Thus maie the Pope depose Kinges and Princes and trouble the whole state of the worlde and doo what he liste without Controlmente Yet maie no man dare saie vnto him Sir vvhy doo ye so Therefore the Accusers of Pope Symmachus saide in the presence of King Theodoricus Papa iactat se vnà cum docendi Potestate accepisse licentiam peccandi The Pope maketh his boaste that togeather with the Power of teachinge he hathe receiued free libertie to doo il Pope Marcellinus whose name ye haue alleged out of the Councel of Sinuessa for defence hereof was an Apostata had foresaken Christe and being Pope in Rome had made Sacrifice vnto Diuels Al this notwithstandinge ye saie no mortal man might accuse him Thus hath the Pope a Special Prerogatiue and Premunire to forsake Christe and to committe open Idolatrie and to geeue Honour and Sacrifice vnto Diuels without Controlmente Yet S. Paule accused S. Peter euen vnto his face in the presence of many And S. Cyprian saithe Petrus se non Vindicauit seu aliquid insolenter assumpsit vt diceret se Primatum tenere obtemperari sibi Ã
vs as Life vvith Beggars And yet to my remembrance neither youâ— Priuate Masse nor your Halfe Communion was euer touched in this whole Apologie more then once before this place the Liftinge vp or Shevvinge of the Sacramente not once at al. ye shoulde haue weighed your aduantages better M. Hardinge before ye thus bestowed your lothesome quarrels But thought you in déede M. Hardinge I wil not saie as you saie that with so Lovvsy and Beggerly but that with so poore and simple stuffe ye shoulde be hable to mocke the worde Many fonde tales bothe you and your felowes haue sent vs ouer but a fonder tale then this tale is of your Pardonnes and Purgatories ye haue sente vs none I muste saie to you as S. Augustine sommetime saide to Iulianus the Pelagian Heretique Necessitate compellitur Talibus pannis indui dui tam magna etiam Vestra superbia Your Pride be it neuer so greate euen for very poore neede and beggerie is faine to couer it selfe with sutche soary clowtes I beseche you consider howe aduisedly and reuerently ye vse Goddes Holy VVoorde Thus you saie Nathan saide vnto Dauid Our Lorde hath put awaie thy sinne thou shalt not die Christe saithe The Sinne againste the Holy Ghoste shal not be foregeuen neither in this Worlde nor in the Worlde to comme Or as S. Marke saithe Non habeâ— remissionem in Aeternum Sed reus erit Aeterni delicti He hath not remission for Euer but shal be guilty of Euerlastinge Sinne. S. Paule saithe Beare ye one an others burthen Christe saithe to Peter To thee wil I geeue the Keies of the Kingedome of Heauen c. S. Paule said of him the had liued in shameful inceste with his Fathers wife Let sutche a one be geuen ouer to Satan These be your Scriptures hereof ye ful discretely and learnedly Conclude thus Ergo The Pope hath a vvarrante sufficiente to graunte his Pardonnes and that as vvel to the deade as to the quicke O M. Hardinge God is not to be mocked feare his iudgementes Abuse not his Name or Woord in vaine Ful wel you know that neither Dauid nor Nathan nor Christ nor Paule were PardoÌ„moungers What should I further saie to him that with so greate a countenance and so mutche a doo can saie nothinge Let S. Augustine briefely answeare al these vanities Thus he saithe Hoc quid est aliud nisi diligeÌ„ter pro humana suspicione contendere Scripturas Sanctas negligenter attendere What thing els is this but stoutely to striue for mannes fansie and negligently to consider Goddes Holy VVoorde The Prophete Dauid vpon whom ye woulde séeme to grounde these folies answeareth you thus Narrauerunt mihi iniqui fabulationes Sed non vt lex tua Domine The wicked haue tolde mee many foolishe tales But O Lorde nothinge as thy Lawe S. Augustine if he were nowe aliue he woulde saie of you as he saide of other your Predecessours O Vanitas vendens Vanitatem Vanitatem audituris Vanis Credituris O Vanitie sellinge Vanitie to them that wil heare Vanitie and Vaine are they that wil beleue it Leo saithe In hanc insipientiam cadunt qui cùm ad cognoscendam Veritatem aliquo impediuntur obscuro non ad Propheticas voces non ad Apostolicas Literas nec ad Euangelicas Authoritates sed ad semetipsos recurrunt Into this folie they fal that when they be hindered by some darkenesse from the knowledge of the Truthe goe not to the Voices of the Prophetes nor to the Writinges of the Apostles nor to the Authorities of the Gospelles but onely haue recourse vnto them selues Now somewhat to saie particularely of the mater touching your pardonnes your owne Doctoure Syluester Prieriâs Maister of the Popes Palaice writeth thus Indulgentiae Authoritate Scripturae non innotuere nobis Sed Authorirate Ecclesiae Romanae Romanorumque pontificum quae maior est Pardonnes are not knowen vnto vs by the Authoritie of the Scriptures but by the Authoritie of the Churche of â—ome and of the Popes whiche is greater then the Authoritie of the Scriptures Therefore M. Hardinge by this Doctours iudgemente it was greate folie to allege so many Scriptures for proufe of your Pardonnes For here yée are taught in good sadnesse that your Pardonnes can neuer be proued by any Scriptures It had benne mutche better for you to haue alleged onely the Popes Authoritie For that as your Syluester teacheth you far passeth al the Authoritie of the Scriptures Roffensis saithe Ego respondeo non satis certo constare à quo primùm Indulgentiae tradi coeperint Apud Priscos vel nulla vel certè quà m rarissima fiebat mentio de Purgatorio Quà m diu autem nulla esset cura de Purgatorio nemo quaesiuit Indulgentias Nam ex illo pendet omnis Indulgentiarum aestimatio Si tollas PurgatoriuÌ„ quorsum Indulgentijs opus erit Coeperunt Indulgentiae postquà m ad Purgatorij Cruciatus aliquandiu trepidatum est Thus I answeare It cannot wel appeare from whom Pardonnes first beganne Emonge the Olde Doctours and Fathers of the Churche there was either no talke at al or very litle talke of Purgatorie But as longe as Purgatorie was not cared for there was no man that sought for Pardonnes For the whole price of Pardonnes hangeth of Purgatorie Take awaie Purgatorie and what shal we neede of Pardonnes Pardonnes beganne when folke were alitle fraide with the paines of Purgatorie Iohannes Maior saithe De Indulgentijs pauca dici possunt per certitudinem quia Scriptura de illis expressè non loquitur Nam quod ditur Petro Tibi dabo Claues c. certum est quò'd oporâ—er intelligere illam Authoritatem cum sale Fatuae ergo superstitiosae sunt quaedam Indulgentiae viginti millium annorum of Pardonnes little maie be saide of certainetie for the Scripture expressely saith nothinge of them Touchinge that Christe saith vnto Peter Vnto thee wil I geeue the Keies c. we muste vnderstande this Authoritie with a corne of Salte otherwise it maie be vnsauery Therefore certaine of the Popes Pardonnes that promise tvventie thousande yeeres are foolishe and superstitious Your Schole Doctoures them selues were woonte sommetime to saie Inuentio indulgentiarum est pia fraus dolus non malus quò populus officioso errore trahatur ad pietatem The Diuisinge of Pardonnes is a Godly guile and a hurtelesse deceite to the intente that by a deuoute kinde of Eâ—oure the people maie be drawen to Godlinesse Alphonsus de Castro saithe Nulla res est quam minùs apertè Sacrae Literae prodiderint de qua minus vetusti Scriptores dixerint Non est mentio vlla de Indulgentijs There is nothing that the Scriptures haue lesse opened or whereof the Olde Learned Fathers haue lesse written then Pardonnes Of Pardonnes in the Scriptures and Doctoures there is no mention Of the shamelesse Marchandise and
that he heareth loseth the thinge that he heareth Therefore the Pope him selfe in his Pontifical géeueth this special Charge vnto the Reader Stude Lectiones Sacras distinctè apertè proferre ad Intelligentiam aedificationem Fidelium Endeuoure thee selfe to pronounce the Holy Lessons or Chapters distinctely and plainely not to a Spiritual doumbenesse but to the vnderstandinge and profite of the Faitheful Touching the Praiers that the simple people maketh in a tongue vnknowen Christe saithe This people honoureth me with theire lippes But theire hartes are far from mee The Apologie Cap. 9. Diuision 2. In these thinges haue they set al theire Religion teachinge the people that by the same God maie be duely pacified Spirites be driuen awaie and mens consciences wel quieted M. Hardinge VVhat shal I saie to al this but that ye lie I would saie as the manner is Sauing your worshippes but that your often and vnshamefaste lieing hath quite taken awaie from you al opinion of honestie Al Christes Religion whiche we professe consisteth not in these thinges neither by these be mennes consciences quieted By certaine of these euil and impure sprites be driued awaie in deede VVhich here by sundry Aunciente recordes and Testimonies I woulde declare to be moste true were it not wel yenough knowen by daily experience But as for you whereas neither Breade nor VVater nor Crosse driueth you awaie it semeth ye are worse to be coniured then the deuil himselfe Many of your secte Catholike Princes haue founde so stubborne as they could yet neuer ridde theire Countries of them but by coniuration of fire The B. of Sarisburie Yée saie yée ye neuer sought to quiet mennes Cōsciences by Oile Water Palmes c. And therefore ye stande vp a tipps toe and in your familiare manner crie oute yee lie For shorte trial hereof one example maie suffice in stéede of many Augustine Steuchus one of your special and woorthy Doctoures saithe thus Aquas Sale Orationibus Sanctificamus vt ad earum Aspersum nostra deleātur delicta We halowe VVater with Salte and Praiers that by the Sprinkelinge thereof our sinnes maie be foregeeuen Reade your owne Pontifical and ye shal finde in the halowinge of your VVater your Asshes your Palmes your Candels c. this clause euermore in the ende Vt sint nobis ad Salutem Animae Corporis That they maie be to vs to the Saluation of Body and soule Whereas in the ende ye vaunte your selfe of your Crueltie and so pleasantly make Sporte with the Bloude of your Brethern take it not for il if I answeare you with the Woordes of Salomon Viscera impiorum crudelia The bowelles of the wicked be alwaies cruel Therein M. Hardinge standeth your greateste puissance If ye were no better armed with Fire and Svverde then ye be with Scriptures and Doctoures no wise man woulde greately feare your force As for vs wée maie answeare you now as S. Cyprian sommetime answeared the Heathens Nobis ignominia non est pati à Fratribus quod passus est Christus neque vobis gloria est facere quod fecit Iudas It is no shame for vs to suffer of our Brethren the same violence that Christe suffered neither is it any praise for you to doo the same thinge that Iudas did Tertullian saith vnto your Fathers Crudelitas vestra gloria nostra est Semen est Sanguis Christianorum Your crueltie is our Glorie The Bloude of Christians is the seede of the Gospel I praie God al that innocente Bloude that hath benne sheadde in this cause be not required at your handes in the daie of Wrathe and at the declaration of the iuste iudgemente of God The Apologie Cap. 10. Diuision 1. For these lo be the oriente colours and Pretious sauours of Christian Religion these thinges dooth God looke vpon and accepteth thē thankefully these must cōme in place to be honoured must put quite awaie the Institutions of Christe of his Apostles And like as in times paste when wicked Kinge Ieroboam had taken from the people the right seruing of God had brought thē to woorship the Golden Calues leste perchaunce thei might afterward change theire minde and slippe awaie geatinge them againe to Ierusalem to the Temple of God there hee exhorted them with a longe tale to be stedfast saieinge thus vnto them O Israel these Calues be thy Goddes In this sorte commaunded your God you shoulde woorship him For it shoulde be wearisome and troublous for you to take vpon you a iourney so farre of yeerely to goe vp to Ierusalem there to serue and honoure your God Euen after the very same sorte when these menne had once made the Lawe of God of none effecte through theire owne Traditions fearinge that the people shoulde afterwarde open theire eies fal an other waie and shoulde sommewhence els seeke a surer meane of theire Saluation Iesu howe often haue they cried out This is the same woorshippinge that pleaseth God and whiche hee straitely requireth of vs and wherewith he wil be turned from his wrathe that by these thinges is conserued the Vnitie of the Churche that by these al sinnes be cleansed and consciences quieted and that who so departeth from these hath leafte vnto him selfe no hope of Euerlastinge Saluation For it were wearisome and troublous saie they for the people to resorte to Christe to the Apostles and to the Anciente Fathers and to obserue continually what theire wil and commaundement should be This ye maie see is to withdrawe the people of God from the Weake Elementes of the worlde from the leauen of the Scribes and Phariseis and from the Traditions of menne It were reason no doubte that Christes Commaundementes and the Apostles were remoued that these theire diuises might comme in place O iuste cause I promise you why that Anciente and so longe allowed Doctrine shoulde be nowe abolished and a newe Forme of Religion be brought into the Churche of God M. Hardinge It shoulde haue becomme Scoggin Patche Iolle Harry Pattenson or VVil Sommer to haue tolde this tale mutche better then your Superintendentships And if ye woulde nedes haue plaied the parte your selues it had ben more conuenient to haue donne it on the stage vnder a vices cote then in a booke set abrode to the worlde in defence of al your newe Englishe Churche Ye shal neuer make any reasonoble man beleue your scoffinge tale VVe esteme litle your railinge comparison with your spiteful woordes and so mutche deuilishe villany The Apologie Cap. 10. Diuision 2. And yet whatsoeuer it be these menne crie stil that nothing ought to be changed that mens mindes are wel satisfied here withal that the Churche of Rome the Churche whiche cannot erre hath decreed these thinges For Syluester Prieriàs saith that the Romishe Churche is the Squier and Rule of Truthe that the Holy Scripture hath receiued from thence Authoritie and Credite The Doctrine saith he
of the Romaine Churche is the infallible Rule of Faithe from the vvhiche the Holy Scripture taketh her force And Indulgences and Pardonnes saithe he are not made knovven to vs by the Authoritie of the Scriptures but they are knovven to vs by the Authoritie of the Romaine Churche and of the Bishoppes of Rome vvhich is greater then the Scriptures Pigghius also letteth not to saie that without the licence of the Romaine Church we ought not to beleue the very Plaine Scriptures Mutch like as if any of those that cannot speake pure and cleane Latine and yet can babble out quickely and readily a litle somme sutche Lawe Latine as serueth the Courte woulde needes holde that al others ought also to speake after the same waie that Mammetrectus and Catholicon spake many yeeres agoe and whiche themselues doo yet vse in pleadinge in Courte for so maie it be vnderstoode sufficiently what is said mennes desires maie be satisfied that it is a fondenesse nowe in the later ende to trouble the worlde with a newe kinde of speakinge and to cal againe the olde finenesse and eloquence that Cicero and Caesar vsed in theire daies in the Latine tongue So mutche are these menne beholden to the folie darkenesse of the former times Many thinges as one writeth are had in estimation oftentimes bicause thei haue benne once dedicate to the Temples of the Heathen Goddes Euen so wee see at this daie many thinges allowed highly sette by of these menne not bicause they iudge them so mutche woorthe but onely bicause they haue benne receiued into a custome and after a sorte dedicate to the Temple of God M. Hardinge Ye haue neuer donne with the Churche of Rome I cannot blame you For so long as that standeth without ye repente and tourne ye shal neuer be taken but for sutche as ye be Schismatikes and Heretikes But alas poore soules what thinke ye to ouerthrowe that Churche builded vpon the rocke Peter againste whiche hitherto neither tyrauntes nor Heretikes farre passinge you in lerninge and honestie of common life coulde euer preuaile Trowe ye to extinguishe that faithe of the Romaine Churche whiche is the same that was the faithe of Peter for which Christe praied that it should neuer faile Ye laboure in vaine VVel may Sathan winne you the Churche whiche our Lorde praied for by you shal he neuer winne Geue ouer therefore your vaine and wicked attemptes Trust not in the patches that falsely ye allege out of Canonistes gloses scholemen riminge poetes Heretikes and who so euer be they neuer so bad Some ignorant persons maye ye deceiue whose sinnes deserue the same VVhat Syluester Prierlât saieth I minde not here to discusse Neither where he saithe that you alleage haue you thought good to tel vs lest by perusinge the place we shoulde take you in a lie as we haue almoste in al your other allegations The like sinceritie you use in alleaginge Pighius VVe binde our selues neither to the wordes of Syluester nor of Pighius If they erre what is that to vs Let them beare theire owne burthen If they tel truth we beleue them for truthes sake If otherwise we leaue that parte for you to carpe If Syluester Prierias saide that for pointes of belefe the Doctrine of the Romaine Churche is a squire to trie theire truthe by the same beinge wel vnderstanded is right true Likewise if Pighius saie that the Romaine Churche sheweth vnto vs which be the approued and vndoubted scriptures and whiche be not this is so true as your selfe I suppose wil yelde thereunto As for that the scripture receiued from the Churche of Rome Authoritie credite and force if in your meaninge you exclude God that is your lie not Syluesters sentence If relation be made to vs that we ought not geue credite vnto it onlesse it had ben shewed to be holy scripture by the Romaine Church whiche is the true Churche of Christe in this sense be it Syluester or who els so euer saithe it it is a true saieinge and agreable to S. Augustine Ego Euangelio non crederem nisi me Catholicae Ecclesiae commueret Authoritas I woulde not beleue the Gospel except the Auctoritie of the Catholike Churche moued me And for that you alleage out of him touchinge indulgences truthe it is the ful and whole knowledge of them is not plainely opened vnto vs by expresse and euident wordes of Scripture no more then the mysterie of the blessed Trinitie baptizinge of infantes and many other truthes but rather by the doctrine of the Romaine Churche VVhere you tel vs of Pighius that he letteth not to saie that without the licence of the Romishe Churche for in that word you please your selfe wel we ought not to beleue the very plaine scriptures we wil proclaime you a lyer vntil you shewe vs where he spake so farre beside reason and lerninge The holy Churche doth not wil vs to staie from belefe of the scriptures vntil we haue licence but by al waies and meanes inuiteth and stirreth vs to beleue the truthe in the scriptures vttered The B. of Sarisburie The greatest weight hereof vpon twoo of your Doctoures Syluester Prieriâs and Albertus Pigghius Whoe 's credite notwithstandinge yée woulde faine otherwise saue vpright yet here as it séemeth ye are contente for shame to géeue them ouer VVe binde our selues yée saie neither to the woordes of Syluester nor of Pigghius If they erre what is that to vs This shorte and blunte answeare notwithstandinge it séeme to like wel you yet perhaps Prieriâs and Pigghius it woulde not like I sée no greate cause to the contrarie but either of them might as wel renounce your Authoritie and saie of you Wée are not bounde neither to M. Hardinges woordes nor to his felowes For that yée doubte the Truthe of our allegations reade Syluester Prieriâs Maister of the Popes Palace in his Booke entituled Contra praesumptuosas Martini Lutheri Conclusiones de potestate Papae His wordes there emongest others be these Quicūque nō innititur Doctrinae Romanae Ecclesiae ac Romani pōlificis tanquam Regulae Dei infallibili à qua etiam sacra Scriptura robur trahit Authoritatem Haereticus est Who so euer leaneth not to the Doctrine of the Romaine Churche and of the Bishop of Rome as vnto the infallible Rule of God of vvhiche Doctrine the Holy Scripture taketh force and Authoritie he is an Heretique Againe he saithe Authoritas Romanae Ecclesiae Romanique pontificis maior est c. The Authoritie of the Romaine Churche and of the Bishop of Rome is greater then the Authoritie of Goddes woorde As for that is here alleged of Pigghius it is the very sounde and sense of the greatest parte of his Common place De Ecclesia Of whoe 's iudgemente herein M. Caluine writeth thus Pighius ait Nullius Scripturae Authoritate quantum libet Clarae nostro quidem
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
King 403. The Pope is al and aboue al. 619. The Popes iudgemente aboue al the iudgemeÌ„t of the vvorld â–ª 482. The encreasing of the Popes temporal povver 403. Pope Victor poisoned in the Chalice 40â— The Pope is more then God 397. The Popes stoole of Porphyris stoane 410. Kinges and Princes svveare obedience to the Pope 396. The Pope placeth him self aboue the Empier 398. The Pope him selfe vvoulde not be called the vniuersal Bishop 45â— The Pope can haue no Superioure 424. The Pope is Christe 461. The Pope and his Clergie fallen from God 453. Departing froÌ„ the Pope 430. 431. The Pope had no authoritie to summone Councels 671. The Popes honor preiudicial to to the honor of God 398. The Pope is the onely Lorde of temporal thinges 426. Pope Syluester dead before the Councel of Nice 666. The Emperours place in Councel at the Popes feete 635. A priuate maÌ„ saieing the truthe is to be heard before the Pope 431. Popes and Cardinalles entangled vvith vvorldly affaires 640. It is sufficient for vs to doâ—â—es the Pope vvilleth vs. 431. The Ambition of the Pope 426. The Pope is the light that came in to the vvorlde 619. The Pope is not the head of al Churches 451. 452. The Pope hath inuaded the right of al inferiour Bishoppes 452. Pope Adrian confessâ—th that al euil grevve from the See of Rome 454 455. The Pope and his Clergie Spoilers and Traiâ—â—â—rs 462. 463. Praier in a strange tonge 516. The Pride of Rome 110. 119. Moses a Prieste 651. Priestes Concubines allowed 363. 367 370. Priestes take vpoÌ„ theÌ„ the proude lookes of the Phariseis 153. 154. Laie men in a certaine sense to be called Priestes 652. The Priestes povver in remittinge sinne 158. 159. Priestes or elders 603. Prince of Priestes or hiest Bishop â–ª a title geueÌ„ to many Bishops 121 Godly Princes careful for Goddes causes 34. 35. The Prince the Supreme gouernoure in Ecclesiastical causes 643. 644. 645. 647. The Prince touchinge his obedience tovvardes God is a priuate man 394. The Prince bounde to vvrite out the booke of the Lavve 648. 649. Flatteringe of Princes 591. Priuate Masse coldely auouched by M. Hardinge 225. 226. 227. The Prophetes of God called Heretiques 233. The Popes power ouer Purgatorie 299. Old fantasies of Purgatorie 299. 300. Praier for the dead importeth not Purgatorie 300. Vaine proues for Purgatorie 301. The Bloude of Christe is our true Purgatorie 301. 305. 306. There is no Purgatorie 302. Scriptures disprouing Purgatotie 304 Purgatorie Imagined by the Heathens 305. Contrarie opinioÌ„s of Purgatorie 306. Roffensis confesseth that the olde Fathers made little mention of Purgatorie 307. The Greekes neuer beleeued Purgatorie 302. 307. S. Augustine doubteth of Purgatorie 305. M. Hardinge imagineth double fire in Purgatorie 306. S. Augustine denieth Purgatorie ibid. Paule and Peter muste passe through Purgatorie 301. Q. QuodaÌ„modo miscetur mihi 242. 243 R. Readers 98. Readinge of the Scriptures vvithout praier 195. Children of xiiij yeres of age admitted to be Readers in the Churche 602. Rebellion 16. The Boures RebellioÌ„ in Germanie 388 Recourse to Rome 702. 703. 704. Reconciliation of dissensions 354. Regimente of vveemenne 389. Relikes or dead mennes boanes 705. The Kinge determineth cases in Religion 12. The cause of Resurrection 324. 325. The good man vvoorketh good things vvithout hope of Revvard 320 Our perfection of Righteousnesse is vnperfit 317. 318. The Romaine Religion in many pointes agreable vvith the Manichees 17. The Romaine cleregie deceiuers false teachers and Pilates 461. The Romaine Faith shal neuer faile 22 The Romaine Faithe spoken of thorough the vvorlde 436. The filthie life of the Romaine Clergie 367. 368. Erroures and abuses in the Romaine Churche confessed 24. Rome is Babylon 719. 720. Fond questioÌ„s resolued at Rome 704. The Tragedies of Rome 79. Rome the roote of euil 455. Departure from the Churche of Rome 17. S. Tvvo Sacramentes 202. 214. Sacramentes ministred vvithout vnderstandinge 203. Sacramentes sanctifie and conteine grace 203. 204. Sacramentes be signes 205. Vehement phrases of the SacrameÌ„tes 246. The grace of the Sacramentes 235. The number of Sacramentes 212. 213. Sacramentes be vvoordes visible 145. Sacrament turned into a Diuine substance 252. The Breade and VVine of the Sacrament doo nourishe 205. The Scaramentes of the olde Lavve the nevve 206. The visible partes of Sacramentes are thinges corruptible 257. 260. Goddes special vvoorking in al Sacramentes 254. The Sacrament is a figure 244. Goddes omnipotente povver in the Sacramentes 245. In the Sacramente or by the Sacramente 232. Sacramentes are Seales of Gods promisses 134. SacrameÌ„ts necessarie hovv 149. 150 The diuiding or breaking of the Sacrament 521. Nature Povver Vertue in SacrameÌ„ts 253. 254. M. Harding referreth the Iudgement of Sacramentes to his senses 255. Disdaineful speaches of the SacrameÌ„ts vsed by M. Hardinge 268. Christe is crucified and dieth in the Sacramente 269. The Sacramente changed into the substance of our fleashe 259. Sacramentes are signes 73. Vehement speeches of the Sacrament 239. The Bread changed into a Sacrament 244. The Sacramente vnder bothe kindes of Christes Institution 229. 230. The Sacramentes of the nevve Lavve geue grace in vvhat sense 062. The difference bitvveene the Sacrament and the substance of the Sacramente 222. 224. The Sacramentes vvoorke in vs the hope of Resurrection 221. 222. The carieing about of the Sacrament 293. 295. The Sacramente dependeth not on the Minister 215. The Sacramente is one thinge and Christes Body is an other thing 222 230. 232. 268. The Sacrifice of Melchisedeth 434. Sainctes offices distincted 313. Sale of Masses and of Merites 292. Certaintie of Saluation 75. The Schoole Doctours 19. The Scripture a deade letter 473. 474 The Scriptures translated into diuers tonges 588. 589. The Scriptures preserued by Goddes prouidence 478. The people ought to reade the Scriptures 506. The Scriptures preserued by the Iues 478. The Scriptures inferioure to the Churche 474. The Scriptures take theire force of the Churche of Rome 456. 593. Ignorance of Scriptures is sinne 590. The Scripture standeth in the sense not in the vvoordes 54. 72. 194. Hovve knovve you that these be the Scriptures a fonde question 200. Scriptures at diuerse times diuersely expounded 78. Scripture receaueth authoritie of the Churche 77. The old translation of the Scriptures corrupted 598. The Scriptures fovvly abused 53. 77. 467. Scriptures onely to be read in Churches 519. Scriptures folovve the Churche and not the Churche the Scriptures 78. VVee maie not heare an Angel of God against the Scriptures 485. The Heretiques alleged the Scriptures 72. The simplest of the people in olde times disputed of the Scriptures 507 The Scriptures disclose al errours 481 Grace to discerne Scriptures 201. Boastinge of the Holy Ghoste vvithout the Scriptures 65. Gods Scriptures levvdely scorned 193. Scriptures forged 201. The authoritie of the Scriptures 69. The simple people maie reade the Scrip 〈◊〉 589. 590. The people cannot iudge of the Scriptures because the Scholar is not aboue his
be confounded Of Abailard and Almarik and certaine other your strange names wée haue no skil They are none of ours Of Iohn Hus Hierome of Prage and Berengarius and other like vertuous Learned men wée haue no cause to be ashamed Theire Doctrine standeth stil and encreaseth daily bicause it is of God But as for yours bicause it is onely of your selues therefore it falleth daily and is now forsaken the worlde through You saie that the simple namè of Secte or Heresie wherewith S. Paule was charged was not so infamous or odious in those daies and that Tertullian called the Religion of Christe a Secte or Heresie without any manner blemmishe or note of euil It was néedelesse for M. Harding to auouche Vntruthe so earnestly without cause I graunte the name of Heresie or Secte emonge the Philosophers was not infamous Cicero saithe Cato in ea Haeresi est quae nullum sequitur florem Orationis But in case of Religion it was euermore emongst al men taken in il parte and condemned and coumpted odious Touchinge S. Paule in howe good parte the Iewes called him Heretique it may easily appeare by these woordes of Tertullus his accuser Inuenimus hunc virum pestilentem mouentem seditionem omnibus Iudaeis per vniuersum orbem ac Principem Sectae Nazaraeorum We haue founde this man to be a Pestilent and a wicked felowe mouinge sedition emonge the Jewes throughout the whole worlde and a Captaine of the Heresie of the Nazareines In sutche good parte they saide vnto Christe Arte thou greater then was our Father Abraham Thou arte a false Prophete and deceiuest the People Thou arte a Samaritane and hast the Diuel The like good parte Christ promised afore hande to his Disciples They shal caste you out of theire Synagoges Ye shal be hated of al men for my names sake In sutche good parte and meaninge was S. Paule called an Heretique And so M. Hardinge bisides others your owne Doctour Nicolaus Lyra would soone haue tolde you But muche more I marueile ye should so vnaduisedly saye that Tertullian called the Christian people a Secte or Heresie in good parte and as you saye without any blemishe or note of euil For the same Tertullian in the same Apologie saithe the Heathens commonly called the Christians Incestos Homicidas Infanticidas Sacrilegos Pessimos Nocentissimos Publicum odium Hostes humani generis Omnium Scelerum reos Deorum Imporatorum Legum Morum Naturae totius inimicos Aduouterours against kinde Mankillers killers of Children Churcherobbers moste wicked moste husteful the publique hatred the enemies of Mankinde guiltie of al kinde of wickednesse Enimies against the Goddes against the Emperours against the Lawes against good order against Nature it selfe Where so euer they sawe them they made an outcrie vpon them Christianos ad Leonem Non licet esse Christianos Haue these Christians to the Lion It is not lawful these Christians shoulde liue So S. Augustine saithe Factum est vulgi Prouerbium Pluuia defecit cause Christianorum It is nowe become a common Prouerbe emonge the people our raine faileth vs bicause of these Christians So Eusebius saithe the Religion of Christe was called Impiorum Christianorum Haeresis The Heresie of the Godlesse Christians These woordes M. Hardinge I trowe were neuer vttered without al manner blemishe and note of euil S. Hierome saithe Quod magis mirum sit etiam illud de Actibus Apostolorum videtur esse relegendum Fidem nostram in Christum Ecclesiasticā Disciplinā iam tunc à peruersis hominibus Haeresim nuncupatam And that wee maye the more marueile wee maye once againe reade this place of the Actes of the Apostles where we finde that the Christian Faithe and Ecclesiastical Discipline was euen then of wicked menne called on Heresie Euen as rightly M. Hardinge and vpon as good groundes you haue againe this daye condemned the same Gospel of Christe and in ans good parte meaninge haue called it Heresie But wée maye truely and simply saye with S. Paule Accordinge to this Secte whiche you calle Heresie wee woorship the God of our Fathers whiche is the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christe The Apologie Cap. 8. Diuision 1. But the more sore and outragious a crime Heresie is the more it ought to be proued by plaine stronge argumentes especially in this time when menne beginne to geue lesse credite to theire woordes to make more diligent searche of their Doctrine then thei were wonte to doo For the people of God are otherwise instructed nowe then they were in times paste when al the Bishoppes of Romes Saieinges were allowed for Gospel and when al Religion did depende onely vpon theire Authoritie Nowe a dayes the Holy Scripture is abroade the writinges of the Apostles and Prophetes are in Printe whereby al Truthe and Catholique Doctrine maye be prooued and al Heresie maye be disproued and confuted M. Hardinge VVhere ye require your Heresie for so muche as it is so hainous a crime by plaine and stronge are gumentes to be prooued it is not vnfoowen how sufficiently and substantially that is perfoormed already by men of excellent learninge as wel of this age as of times paste VVas not Berengarius the first Author of your Sacramentarie Heresie by most plaine and stronge argumentes confuted of Lanfrancus B. of Canturbury and Guinundus B. of Auersa VVere not the Peterbrusians so whose Heresie ye holde against the Blessed Sacrifice of the Masse of the learned Abbot Petrus Cluniaccensis VVas not VVicklef so of Thomas VValden a learned man of Englande hathe not Luther and Oeclampadius benne so confuted in our time of that Holy and learned Father Bishop Fisher But whatshal I speake of particular men were they newer so excellent by whome they haue benne confuted sithe by Publike sentence of the Churche they haue bene condemned bothe in General and Prouincial Councels Therefore we thinke it not noede no we againe to prooue your doctrine so sufficiently condemnèd to be Heresie That the people be no we otherwise instructed then they were in times paste we confesse But whether better nowe then in our Forefathers dayes they that can consider the liues of them no we and of them that were then maye easily Indge The saieinges of the Bishop of Rome were neuer allowed for the Gospel His priuate sayinges and common talke might be erroneous notesse then other mennes But what he saith by waie of iudgement and sentence definitiue in doubteful pointes touchinge Religion suche saieinges of Peters successour for whome Christe prayed that his Faithe might not faile and who was commaunded by Christe to strengthen his Brethren we take for Truthe and the same obediently receiue So the Fathers assembled in Councel at Chalcedon receiued and agreed to the sayinge and writinge of Pope Leo nolesse then if Peter the Apostle and firste Bishop of Rome him selfe had spoken The Popes auctoritie we acknowledge
c. Folo winge the Holy Fathers wee doo al with one accorde teache men to confesse one and him selfe the Sonne our Lorde Iesus Christe persite him selfe in Godhead and perfite himselfe in Manhood And for Auctoritie of the Fathers in high pointes of Faith a Bishop in that reuereÌ„d assemblie named Eudoocius pronounced a notable sentence sayeing thus Euery one that consentethe not to the exposition of the Holy Fathers doothe alienate him selfe from al Pristely Communion and from the presence of Christe Thus wee haue alleaged the foure first general Councels whiche S. Gregorie honourethe as the foure Gospels But the thinge beinge so euident as it is and so welkuorwen euen to your selues if ye be learned the Auctorit it of these chief Councels maie suffice The B. of Sarisburie Here M. Hardinge ye haue taken in hande a néedelesse labour For you knowe right wel wee despise not the Authoritie of the Holy Fathers but rather in this selfe same place haue alleged togeather S. Augustine S. Hierome and S. Ambrose thrée of the moste Auncient and approued Fathers and throughout the whole discourse of this Apologie in the Defence of the Catholique Truthe of our Religion nexte vnto Goddes Holy Woorde haue vsed no prouse or Authoritie so mutche as the expositions and iudgementes of the Holy Fathers Wée despise them not therefore but rather geue God thankes in theire behalfe for that it hathe pleased him to prouide so woorthy instrumentes for his Churche and therefore wée iustly reproue you for that so vnaduisedly and without cause ye haue forsaken the steppes of so Holy Fathers These foure General Councelles wherein you dwel so longe as they make nothinge against vs so in sundrie pointes they fight expressely against you Firste they were summoned by the Emperours Constantinus Theodosius 1. Theodosius 2. and Martianus and not by any right or authoritie of the Pope as hereafter it shal be shewed in place conuenient more at large Iulius the Bishop of Rome was summoned by the Emperours write to appeare at the Councel of Nice as wel as others And Pope Leo afterwarde was charged by like Authoritie to appeare at the Councel of Chalcedon In the Councel of Nice the Bishop of Rome was not President but Eustathius the Bishop of Antioche In the same Councel of Nice the Bishop of Rome hathe his Authoritie and Iurisdiction made equal and leuel with the other thrée Patriarkes And in the Councel of Chalcedon the Bishop of Constantinople is made equal in Authoritie with the Bishop of Roome To be shorte the saide Councel of Chalcedon for this laste and some other like causes Leo the Bishop of Rome would not allowe Which thinge notwithstandinge the Councel standethe stil in force whether the Pope wil or no. These be the foure fiste General Councelles whiche M. Hardinge comparethe in Authoritie with the foure Euangelistes But these Heretiques Arius Nestorius Macedonius and Euiyches in these foure General Councelles vtterly despised al the Auncient Fathers and boasted them selues saithe M. Hardinge of the Scriptures and euermore cried out Scriptures Scriptures Touchinge the Arians that they alleged certaine doubteful and darke places of the Scriptures to serue theire purpose it is certaine and manifeste But that either they despised or that the Catholiques against them auouched the Eropsition and authoritie of any Father M. Hardinges onely woorde muste be our Warrante For neither allegethe he any one Author for prouse hereof nor yet namethe any of al these Fathers Notwithstandinge let vs graunt these Heretiques cried out as M. Hardinge saithe Scriptures Scriptures Euen so did the same Heretiques likewise crie out euen as nowe M. Hardinge doothe Fathers Fathers Socrates saithe Et Ariani Originis libros citabant in Testimonium vt illi quidem iudicabant sui Dogmatis And the Arian Heretikes alleged the Learned Father Origens Bookes as they thought for proufe and witnesse of theire Doctrine The Heretique Eutyches saide Ego legi scripta Beati Cypriani Sanctorum Patrum Sancti Athanasii I haue readde the writinges of S. Cyprian and of other Holy Fathers and of S. Athanafius Likewise the Eutychian Heretique Carosus saide Ego secundum expositionem treceÌ„torum octodecim Patrum sic credo fic Baptixatus sum Aliud quid mihi dicas nescio This is my Faithe accordinge to the exposition of the three hundred and eighteene Fathers in the Councel of Nice In this Faithe was I Baptized What ye should saye more to me I cannot telle Euen so saide Eutyches him selfe Sic à Progenitoribus meis accepi credidi In hac Fide Baptizatus sum signatus vsque and hunc diem in ea vixi in ea opto moti Thus haue I receiued of my Forefathers and thus haue I beleeued In this Faithe was I Baptized and signed and in the same haue I liued vntil this daye and in the same I wish to die Thus S. Augustine saithe the Donatian Heretique Cresconlus alleged the authoritie of S. Cyprian Thus the Nestorian Heretiques alleged the authoritie of the Councel of Nice To be shorte thus the Heretique Dioscorus cried out in the open Councel of Chalcedon Ego habeo Testimonia Sanctorum Patrum Athanasij Gregorij Cyrilli Non transgredior in aliquo Ego cum Patribus cijcior Ego defendo Patrum Dogmata Ego horum habeo testimonia non simpliciter aut transitorie sed in ipsorum libris I haue the Testimonies of the Holy Fathers Athanasius Gregorius Cyrillus I alter not from them in any pointe I am throwen foorthe and bannished with the Fathers I defende the Fathers Doctrine I haue theire iudgementes vttered not by chaunce or vnaduisedly but remaininge expressed in theire Bookes I doubte not M. Hardinge but you maye hereby easily sée that the Heretiques ye speake of cried not onely Scriptures Scriptures as ye saye but had leasure also sometimes to crie as you doo Fathers Fathers that as wel to purpose and as rightly as you of longe time haue vsed to crie hauinge in déede in the cases wée speake of neither Scriptures nor Fathers To come neare the mater wée saie not that al cases of doubt are by manifeste and open woordes plainely expressed in the Scriptures For so there should neede no exposition But wée saye There is no case in Religion so darke and doubteful but it maie necessarily be either proued or reproued by collection and conference of the Scriptures S. Hierome saithe Moris est Scripturarum obscuris manifesta subnectere It is yâ— order of the Scriptures â–ª after harde thinges to ioine other thinges that bee plaine S. Augustine like wise saithe Solet circunstantia Scripturarum illuminare sententiam The Circunstance of the Scripture is woonte to geue light and to open the meaninge The like rule Tertullian also geuethe Oportet secundum pluâ—a intelligi pauclora The fewer places muste be expounded by the moe Therefore touchinge this woorde Homousios whiche
M. Hardinge here moueth and the whole contention of the Arians Epiphanius writethe thus Nomen Substantiae simpliciter nudè in veteri Noua Scriptura non proponitur Sententia autem eius nominis vbique ocâ—urrié This woorde Substance plainely and nakedly is not founde neither in the Olde not in the Newe Testamente But the sense and meaninge of that woorde is founde euerywhere In this conference and Iudgemente of the Holy Scriptures wée néede oftentimes the discretion and wisedome of Learned Fathers Yet notwithstandinge maye wée not géeue them herein greater crediâ—e then is conuenient or then they them selues if it were offered would receiue Wée maye reuerently saye of them as Seneca in the like case sommetime saide Non sunt Domini sed Duces nostri They are our Leaders but not our Lordes They are not the Truthe of God it selfe but onely witnesses vnto the Truthe Therfore S. Augustine saithe Alios Scriptores ita lego vt quanâ—alibet Sanctitate Doctrinaque praepolleant non ideò verum putem quòd ipsi ita senserint sed quòd id mihi vel per alios Authores Canonicos vel probabili ratione persuadere potuerint Other writers or Fathers bisides the Holy Scriptures I reade in this sorte that be theire Learninge or Holinesse neuer so greate I wil not thinke it true bicause they haue thought so but bicause they are hable to persuade me so either by other Canonical writers or els by some likely reason Likewise againe he saithe Hoc genus literatum noÌ„ cum credendi necessitate sed cum iudicandi libertate legendum est This kinde of writinges of the Holy Doctours and Fathers must be readde not with necessitie to beleeue eche thinge but with libertie to iudge of eche thinge And to that ende he saithe Ne Catholicis quidem Episcopis consentiendum est sicubi fortè falluntur vt contra Canonicas Dei Scripturas sentiant Wee maie not consente vnto the Bishoppes notwithstandinge they be Catholique if they iudge contrarie to the Holy Canonical Scriptures In this authoritie and credite wée haue and ought to haue the Holy Fathers Nowe let vs sée whethér the Bishoppes and others in these Councelles confuted these Heretiques as wée saye by the Scriptures or els as M. Hardinge séemethe to saye for wante or weakenesse of the Scriptures vsed therein the Authoritie of the Fathers Firste the Emperour Constantinus in the Councel of Nice instructinge the Bishoppes there howe they might beste debate theire quarrelles and ende al striues saithe thus vnto them Euangelicae Apostolicae Literae Veterum Prophetarum Oracula perspicuè nos instituunt quid oporteat sapere de voluntare sensu Dei. Ponentes ergo contentionem ex diuinitùs inspiraris oraculis quaeramus solutionem eorum quae proponuntur The Euangelistes and Apostles Writinges and the saieinges of the Olde Prophetes doo clearely instructe vs what iudgemente wee ought to haue of the meaninge and wil of God Therefore saieinge a fide al contention out of those Heauenly Oracles let vs seeke for the assoilinge of our questions Socrates also touchinge the same Councel of Nice saithe thus of the Arian Heretiques Explicantes Sacrosanctas Scripturas saepe illos euertimus By openinge and expoundinge the Holy Scriptures oftentimes wee ouerthrewe them Likewise S. Augustine disputinge againste the same Arians refusethe as I haue saide before bothe Councelles and Fathers and appealethe onely to the Scriptures Nec ego Nicenam Synodum tibi nec tu mihi Ariminensem debes obijcere Scripturarum Authoritatibus res cum re causa cum causa ratio cum ratione concertet Neither wil I allege the Councel of Nice against you nor shal you allege the Councel of Ariminum againste me By the Authoritie of the Scriptures let vs weigh mater with mater cause with cause reason with reason Touchinge the Councel holden at Constantinople against Macedonius and the Diuinitie of the Holy Ghoste Athanasius saithe Ne interroges sed solùm ex Sacris literis condiscas Sufficiunt enim documenta quae in illis reperias Neuer mooue question hereof but onely learne of the Holy Scriptures For the onely proufes that ye shal there finde are sufficient to warrant the Godhed of the Holy Ghoste So likewise saithe Euagrius of the other twoo Councelles of Ephesus and Chalcedon Ex Euangelicis Apostolicis de Domino vocibus scimus Viros illos Diuinos constituisse Wee knowe that these Godly Fathers concluded this mater by suche woordes as the Euangelistes and Apostles haue vttered of our Lorde Therefore the Auncient Father Origen saithe Vide quà m propè periculis illi sint qui negliguÌ„t exerceri in Diuinis Literis ex quibus Solis examinationis huiusmodi agnoscenda discretio est Consider in what daunger they be that haue no care to reade the Holy Scriptures For by the same Scriptures Onely the iudgement of this trial must be allowed Euen so saithe Chrysostome Etiamsi in ipsis Veris Ecclesijs quae Dei sunt dixerint Christum apparuisse nolite eis credere dicentibus ista de me Non enim digna est Diuinitatis meae haec notitia OsteÌ„dens per haec quòd ab ipsis saepè Veris Ecclesijs excunt seductores Proptereà ne ipsis quidem credendum est nisi ea vel dicant vel faciant quae conuenientia sint Scripturis Yea if they saie that Christe hathe appeared in the very true Churches of God yet beleeue them not For this is no woorthy or sufficient knoweledge of my Godhed By this he sheweth that out of the very true Churches oftentimes come foor the deceiuers Therefore wee maie not beleeue no not them that speake vnto vs in the name of the Churche onlesse they speake and doo suche thinges as are agreeable to the Scriptures In like manner againe saithe Origen Necesse nobis est in restimonium vocare Sancras Scripturas Sensus quippe nostri enarrationes sine ijs restibus non habent fidem Wee muste needes calle to witnesse the Holy Scriptures For our iudgementes and expositions without those witnesses carrie no credit And to leaue al other like authorities that might he alleged for shorte conclusion S. Augustine saithe Solis Canonicis Scripturis sine vlla recusatione coÌ„sensum debeo I owe my consente without gaine saieinge not vnto the Doctours or Fathers but Onely vnto the Canonical Scriptures But the Bishoppes in those Councelles saithe M. Hardinge brought foorthe and folowed the expositions of the Auncient Learned Fathers And wherefore might they not What man euer taught or saide the contrarie Yet notwithstandinge they alleged them not as the fundations or groundes but onely as approued and faitheful witnesses of the Truthe Whiche thinge if M. Hardinge happily wil denie maie easily appeare by the woordes of Cyrillus pronounced and published openly in the Councel of Chalcedon Gratulamur nobis mutuò quòd nostrae vestrae Ecclesiae Fidem habent
consentientem diuinitùs adspiratis Scripturis Traditionibus Sanctorum Patrum Wee reioice togeather eche of vs in others behalfe for that the Faithe bothe of our Churches and also of yours is agreable bothe vnto the Heauenly inspired Scriptures and also to the Tradition and exposition of our Fathers Whiche woordes of Cyrillus beinge hearde and the consente of the Fathers being knowen the whole Councel for ioye made a shoote togeather Omnes ita credimus Papa Leo ita credit c. Thus wee al beleeue Pope Leo thus beleeuethe Thus beleeuethe Leo and Anatolius Thus Cyrillus beleeuethe This is the Faithe of our Fathers This is the Faithe of the Apostles Thus haue the Apostles taught Thus maye you sée M. Hardinge wée saye not to you as you doo to vs If you be Learned for thereof we haue no doubte God graunte ye maie directe your Learninge to his glorie but thus maye you see to what ende the Bishoppes in the Councelles ye speake of alleged the expositions of the Ancient Fathers and howe farre they weighed them vnder the Authoritie of the Scriptures In like sorte doo wée also this day allege against you the manifeste and vndoubted agreeable iudgementes of the moste Aunciente Learned Holy Fathers and thereby as by apapproued and faitheful witnesses wée disclose the infinite folies and errours of your Doctrine And séeinge you haue forsaken the felowship of the saide Holy Fathers as hereafter shal more â—ully appeare wée saye vnto you as Endoxius saide vnto the Heretique Abbate Eutyches in the Councel of Chalcedon Ye haue remoued your selues bothe from al Priestly Communion and also from the presence of Christe The Apologie Cap. 9. Diuision 2. S. Augustine when he disputed againste Petilian the Donatian Heretique Let not these woordes quod he be hearde betweene vs I saye or you saye Let vs rather speake in this wise Thus saithe the Lorde There let vs seeke the Churche there let vs boulte out the cause M. Hardinge Concerninge this place of S. Augustine it ought not to be stretched to al maters in general that be in question as though wee might not vse the Testimonies and Authorities of the Fathers againste Heretikes but it perteinethe onely to the quaestion in that booke De vnitate Ecclesiae treated of whiche is where the Churche is PetiliaÌ„ the Donatist and the Mainteiners of that Heresie coÌ„tended the Churche to be onely in Aphrike or at the furthest in Parte Donati amonge theÌ„ onely that helde with Donatus The same heresie went they about to proue by Scriptures But when S. Augustine sawe howe weake theire proufes were whiche they brought out of the Scriptures he prouoked them the better to ouerthrow them to come to the trial of the Scriptures And in deede where the Scriptures be manifeste for proufe of any matter what nede is there of Doctours But where the sense of the Scriptures is obscure and may be wrested by euil wittes to the maintenauÌ„ce of an Heresie there the expositions of the Fathers by al Olde VVriters haue ben taken of necessitie to supplie the Scriptures obscuritie and to declare the sense of the Churche whiche the Holy Ghost hathe proÌ„pted And in sutche cases S. Augustine himselfe vsethe the Testimonies of the Fathers not seldome namely against Iulian the Pelagian VVhere beside Scripture touchinge Original sinne he allegethe against the Pelagians a great number of Fathers and at length in one place speakinge of the Authoritie reuerence and credite he had them in he saithe thus Quod credunt credo c VVhat they beleue I beleue what they holde I holde what they teache I teache what they preache I preache From the special to the general negatiuely the argumente holdethe not ye knowe if ye haue not forgotten your Logike The B. of Sarisburie M. Hardinge as wel here as els where thinkethe it an easy mater with a bolde Asseueration to smoothe his vnlearned simple Reader specially sutche a one as hathe no eies to looke after him These woordes of S Augustine saithe he perteine onely vnto the mater he had then in hande and therefore maye not be forced to any other And here he remembrethe vs of a profounde pointe in Logique that a Negatiue CoÌ„clusion from the Special to the General cannot holde Here it were a mater woorthy the hearinge firste howe M. Hardinge coulde enter so déepely to knowe so mutche of S. Augustines meaninge next for as mutche as in respecte of him selfe he euermore fansiethe vs to be vnlearned howe he were hable to teache vs to knowe the same He assuerethe vs vpon his woorde that these woordes of S. Augustine muste néedes be pounded and restreined to that one onely mater maie not in any wise be stretched farther this he imagineth was S. Augustines meaninge Thus good Reader by M. Hardinges handlinge thou haste here a meaninge of S. Augustines that S. Augustine himselfe neuer meante For S. Augustine in the same mater and against the same Heretique Petilian although not in the same Booke writethe thus Siue de Christo siue de eius Ecclesia siue de quacunque re alia quae pertinet ad Fidem vitamque nostraÌ„ noÌ„ dicam Si Nos Sed si Angelus de Coelo nobis annuntiauerit praeterquà m quod in Scripturis Legalibus EuaÌ„gelicis accepistis Anathema sit VVhether it bee of Christe or of his Churche or of any thinge els what so euer perteininge either to our life or to our Faithe I wil not saie If I mee selfe but if an Angel from Heauen shal teache vs otherwise then wee haue receiued in the Bookes of the Lawe and in the Gospelles holde him accursed M. Hardinge saithe S. Augustine meante onely of one mater S. Augustine him selfe saithe he meante of al manner maters touchinge either Faithe or Life M. Hardinge saithe S. Augustine meante this onely of him selfe S. Augustine him selfe saithe be meante it of any other yea eueÌ„ of the Angels of God And shal wee thinke M. Hardinge knoweth S. Augustines meaninge and S. Augustine him selfe knewe it not Verily S. Augustine in an other case concerninge the Arians as I haue touched twise before likewise refuseth the Determinations of al Councelles and Fathers and standeth onely to the Scriptures Neither wil I saithe he â–ª allege againste thee the Councel of Nice nor shalt thou allege againste mée the Councel of Ariminum c. Neither dothe S. Augustine onely saye thus but also yeeldeth a reason why he saithe it These be his woordes Auferantur de medio quae aduersus nos inuicem non ex Diuinis Canonicis Libris sed aliundé recitamus Quaerer fortasse aliquis Cur vis ista auferri de medio Quia nolo humanis Documentis sed Diuinis Oraculis Ecclesiam Sanctam demoÌ„strari Haue away al those Authorities that either of vs allegeth against the other sauinge sutche onely as be taken out of the Heauenly Canonical Scriptures But perhaps somme man wil
heades without the Authoritie and witnesses of the Scriptures as though they came by Tradition from the Apostles He that compareth this place with your flsified allegation maie sone espie greate oddes betwene them For ye make S. Hierome to saie that al those thinges whiche without the Testimonies of Scriptures are holde so your allowed interpreter tourneth Asseruntur as deliuered from the Apostles be throughly smitten downe by the Swerde of Goddes VVoorde By this Swerde of your Goddes Woorde ye woulde quite smite downe al Apostolike Traditions at a blowe But thanked be God that your Swerde is a forged Swerde a paper Swerde a Swerde that neither with Edge cutteth nor with weight beareth downe S. Hierome putteth not al thinges whiche we haue by Tradition from the Apostles without the expresse Scriptures to the Swerde of Goddes Woorde He speaketh not Generally His woorde is Alia other thinges and ye make it Omnia al thinges Againe he speaketh of sutche thinges as be deuised and fained by Heretikes of theire owne braine without Authoritie and Testimonies of the Scriptures vnto whiche they geue Estimation as though they came by Tradition from the Apostles These circumstances and exaggerations doo ye omitte and saye that S. Hierome putteth al Apostolike Traditions to that dreadful Swerde of Goddes VVorde Nowe what S. Hierome saithe wee holde with it and allowe it wel But your saienge we refuse as falsely fathered vpon S. Hierome VVhat he condemneth we condemne Neither can that place be iustly alleaged againste vs For we inuente not no fame not any thinges of our own accorde or of our owne heades as though they were deliuered by the Apostles besides the Scriptures that is the parte of Heretikes specially of the Tatians as in that place S. Hierome saithe VVe finde deuise and faine nothinge in the Catholike Religion We doo but kepe and mainteine thinges Deuised by the Holy Ghoste and leafte to the Churche by the Apostles or by Apostolike men or by the Generall Councelles whose Authoritie is in the Churche most healthful saithe S. Austine But concerninge the force whiche the consent of the Fathers had in the iudgement of S. Hierome it appeareth in his Epistle to Euagrius where by the Authoritie of the Auncient Doctours before his time he proueth against an Heretike that Melchisedech was a man of the Lande of Chanaan and not the Holy Ghost The B. of Sarisburie Faine would M. Hardinge haue his Reader beleeue that wée vtterly despise al Holy Fathers But wée despise them not M. Hardinge as maye partely appeare by that wee haue already saide Wée reade theire woorkes wée reuerence them wée geue God thankes for them wée calle them the Pillers the Lightes the Fathers of Goddes Churche wée despise them not This thinge onely wée saye Were theire Learninge and Holinesse neuer so greate yet be they not equal in credite with the Scriptures of God Thus also saithe S. Augustine Nos nullam Cypriano facimus iniuriam cùm eius quaâ—â—ibet literas à Canonica Diuinarum Scripturarum Authoritate distinguimus Wee offer no wronge to S. Cyprian when wee seuer any his Letters or Writinges from the Canonical Authoritie of the Holy Scriptures And againe ioininge al the Doctours and â—athers togeather he saithe thus Ipse mihi pro his omnibus imò supra hos omnes Apostolus Paulus occurrit Ad ipsum confugio ad ipsum ab omnibus qui aliter sentìunt literarum tractatoribus prouoco In steede of al these Learned Fathers or iather aboue them al Paule the Apostle commeth to my minde To him I renne To him I appeale from al manner Writers Doctours and Fathers that thinke otherwise So likewise S. Hierome Ego Originem propter cruditionem sic interdum legendum arbitror quomodo Tertullianum Nouatum Arnobium Apollinarium nonnullos Ecclesiasticos Scriptores Graecos pariter Latinos vt bona eorum eligamus vitemúsque contraria I thinke that the Auncient Father Origen in respecte of his Learninge maye be readde sometimes as Tertullian Nouatus Arnobius Appollinarius and sundrie other Ecclesiastical VVriters as wel Greekes as Latines that in them wee maye take the good and flee the contrarie Of this iudgemente were S. Augustine S. Hierome and sundrie others whose woordes for shortnesse I passe ouer yet were they not therefore condemned as despisers of the Holy Learned Fathers Wée remoue you not as you saye from your holde M. Hardinge This is nothinge els but a courrage of your countenaunce The Fathers ye speake of are against you I trust it appeareth already by your former writinges that in the Special cases that lie bitwéene vs ye haue but fewe Fathers to holde by Ye saye Wée euermore calle you to the Scriptures This faulte I hope is not so hainous Christe hathe commaunded vs so to doo Searche ye saithe Christe the Scriptures And S. Hilarie saithe vnto the Emperoure Constantius Fidem Imperator quaeris Audi eam non denouis chartulis sed de Dei Libris Doothe youR Maiestie seeke the Faithe Heare it then not out of any newe scrolles but out of the Bookes of God He is rather to be suspected that fléeth the light and wil not be iudged by the Scriptures When the Scriptures be darke and doubteful are alleged of bothe partes then ye saie ye refuse not the Vmpéereship and iudgemente of the Holy Ghoste But ye adde farther The Holy Ghost is promised onely to the Churche Nowe by your opinion there is no Churche but the Churche of Roome And the Churche of Roome is no Churche without the Pope For one of your greate Doctours saithe Potestas Papae solius excedit potestatem totius residuae Ecclesiae The Popes onely power passethe al the power of the whole Churche bisides And an other like Doctour saithe Papa virtualiter est tota Ecclesia The Pope by power and vertue is the whole Churche And thus your reason goethe round aboute à Primo ad vltimum Ergo There is neither Holy Ghoste nor Interpretation or sense of the Scriptures but onely in the Pope This is Summa Summarum whiche thinge being graunted what should a man séeke any farther The whole mater is at an ende It is true As the Scriptures were written by the Sprite of God so must they be expounded by the same For without that Sprite wée haue neither eares to heare nor eies to sée It is that Sprite that openethe and noman shuttethe the same shuttethe and noman openethe The same Sprite prepared and opened the Silk womans harte that shée shoulde geue eare to and consider the thinges that were spoken by S. Paule And in respecte of this sprite the Prophete Esai saithe Erunt omnes docti à Deo They shal be al taught of God But God hathe not bounde him selfe that this Sprite should euermore dwel in Rome but vpon the lowly and humble harted that tremblethe at the Woorde of God Chrysostome saithe Qui propria loquuntur â–ª falsò
doo the very two lines nexte folowinge muste néedes make you blushe at your owne errour The woordes are these Haec autem vniuersa quae dixi possunt de Ecclesiae Rectoribus intelligi Al these thinges that I haue spoken maye be vnderstanded of the Rulers of the Churche Tel vs nomore therefore M. Hardinge of your Tatians For S. Hierome him selfe telleth you he meante not onely them but also the Bishoppes and Rulers of the Churche And a little before he saithe Inferrur gladius super Montes eleuantes se aduersus scientiam Dei The Swerde of Goddes Woorde is laide vpon the Mountaines that lifte them selues vp againste the knowledge of God In this sense writeth S. Cyprian Si ad Diuinae Traditionis Caput Originem reuertamur cessat omnis error humanus Yf wee returne to the Head and beginninge of our Lordes Tradition al errour of Man muste needes geue place In like sense also writeth Tertullian Ipsa Doctrina Haereticorum cum Apostolica comparata ex diuersitate contrarietate sua pronuntiabit neque Apostoli alicuius Authoris esse neque Apostolici The verie Doctrine of Heretiques compared with the Apostles Doctrine by the diuersitie and contrarietie that is bitweene that and the other wil soone pronounce sentence of it selfe that neither Apostle nor Apostolique man was authour of it Euen thus it fareth M. Hardinge with a greate heape of your Doctrine Ye saie ye haue it by Tradition from the Apostles Yet is it vtterly voide of al authoritie or testimonie of the Scriptures And therefore as S. Hierome saithe it is consumed striken downe in the Conscience of the Godly by the onely Swerde of Goddes Holy Woorde as our eies sée this daye and beinge compared with the Apostles Doctrine the difference contrarietie is so greate it easily bewraieth it selfe as Tertullian saithe that it neuer came from any Apostle nor from any other Apostolique Doctour of the Churche The Apologie Cap. 9. Diuision 4. S. Ambrose also to Gratian the Emperour Let the Scripture saithe he be asked the question lette the Prophetes be asked and let Christe be asked For at that time made the Catholique Fathers and Bishoppes no doubte but that our Religion mighte be prooued out of the Holy Scriptures Neither were they euer so hardy to take any for an Heretique whose errour they coulde not euidently and apparantly reprooue by the selfe same Scriptures And wee verily doo make answeare on this wise as S. Paule did Accordinge to this waye whiche they calle Heresie wee doo woorshippe God and the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christe and doo allowe al thinges whiche haue benne written either in the Lawe or in the Prophetes or in the Apostles Woorkes M. Hardinge Gratian the Emperour bucklinge him selfe as it were to encounter with the Heretike at the firste he geueth meaninge to al to be ware of him for that he endeuoureth to prooue his false Doctrine namely for the first pointe that the Sonne is vnlike the Father Versutis disputationibus VVith suttel and craftie reasoninges He alleageth to that purpose S. Paule to the Colossians Cauere ue quis vos depraedetur pes Philosophiam Beware that no man spoile you through Philosophie and vaine deceit c. For saithe be these Heretikes put al the force of theire poisons in Logike or Dialectical disputation whiche by the opinion of Philosophers is desined not to haue power to prooue but an earnest desire to destroie and disproue Hauinge geuen this holesome warninge lest him selfe might seeme to vse that whiche he counselleth others to beware of to withde awe the Emperour and al other from the guileful Logike of Arius at his firste entrie he saithe I wil not that thou geue credite Holy Emperour to argument and to our Disputation then folowe the woordes Whereof the Defenders take holde Scripturas interrogemus c. Let vs aske the Scriptures let vs aske the Apostles let vs aske the Prophetes let vs aske Christe VVhat neede many woordes let vs aske the Father c. And to this pointe of our beleefe whiche is very highe and secrete is that sayinge of S. Ambrose to be restrained But that for confirmation of the Truthe in pointes whiche be nearer to common sense and for confutation of those Heresies whiche be of lesse subteltie of whiche sorte these Gospellers grosse errours be to this ende that wee ought not to vse the Testimonies of the Holy Fathers against Heretikes for whiche purpose they alleage this place S. Ambrose neither in al that Booke neither in al his woorkes speaketh so muche as one woorde But contrarie wise in sundry places of that woorke be alleageth the auctoritie of the Nicene Councel as a Testimonie of good force against the Arians and declareth a diuine Mysterie to haue benne signified by suche special number of the Fathers there assembled Sayinge Sic nempe nostri secundum Scripturas dixerunt Patres Euen thus accordinge to the Scriptures haue the Fathers saide Seruemus Praecepta maiorum c. Let vs keepe the Preceptes of our Forefathers neither with Temeritie of rude boldnes let vs breake the Hereditarie Seales he meaneth the Doctrine sealed by the Fathers and left to the posteritie as it were by Heritage VVhiche of vs wil be so hardy as to vnseale the Priestly Booke sealed by the Confessours and nowe consecrated with the Martyrdome of many a one Lo heare ye not Sirs howe muche S. Ambrose is against you And though he saye touchinge this Mysteries Let vs aske the Scriptures Apostles Prophetes and Christe yet thereby dothe he not quite exclude the Fathers He saithe not let vs reiect the Fathers The Scriptures and the Fathers be not contrary and therefore thallowinge of them is not the disalowinge of these VVho so euer maketh this argument whiche in your VVoorde is implied The Scriptures are to be asked Ergo the Holy Fathers are not to be asked maketh a foolishe argument The B. of Sarisburie The greattest forte hereof is answeared already S. Ambrose ye saye by this appeale to the Scriptures excludeth not the iudgement of the Learned Fathers but onely the cauâ—â—lations and subtileties of Philosophers and Sophisters For S. Ambrose him selfe is the same treatie often allegeth the Authoritie of the Fathers Al this M. Hardinge is true in deede â–ª Notwithstandinge there is a certaine secrete Vntruthe lapped in it For S. Ambrose allegeth the Fathers not as Groundes or Principles or Fundations of the Faithe but onely as Interpreters or Witnesses or Consenters vnto the Faithe Whiche thinge of our parte was neuer denied Nowe whether S. Ambrose meante thus or no let S. Ambrose him selfe he the Iudge His woordes be these Sic nempe nostri secundum Scripturas dixerunt Patres Thus haue our Fathers saide not of them selues but accordinge to the Scriptures He allegeth the Fathers not as hauinge sufficient credite and substance in them selues but onely as Expounders and Interpreters of the Scriptures So saithe the godly
Father Athanasius Nos ista Hausimus à Magistris diuinitùs afflatis qui Sacros Libros euoluerunt These thinges haue we learned of our Maisters or Fathers inspired from Heauen whiche haue Readde and perused the Holy Scriptures For S. Augustine very wel saithe Secundum hos Libros de coeteris Literis vel Fidelium vel Infidelium liberè iudicamus Accordinge to those Bookes of the Scriptures wee iudge frankely of al other writinges whether they be of the Faitheful or of the Vnfaitheful Therefore S. Hierome saithe Omni studio legendae nobis sunt Scripturae in Lege Domini meditandum die ac nocte vt probati trapezitae sciamus quis numus probus sit quis adulterinus Wee muste Reade the Scriptures with al diligence and muste bee occupied in the Lawe of our Lorde bothe daie and nighte that wee maye become perfite exchangers and be hable rightly to discerne what Monie is lawful and what is Counterfaite S. Hilarie saithe Hoc proprium est Apostolicae Doctrinae Deum ex Lege ac Prophetis in Euangelijs praedicare This is the very order of the Apostles Doctrine in the Gospel to Preache God out of the Lawe and the Prophetes Otherwise touchinge the discourse of natural reason S. Ambrose saithe No Creature either in Earthe or in Heauen is hable to reache the deapthe of these thinges Thus he saithe Mens deficit Vox silet non mea tantùm sed Angelorum Supra potestates supra Angelos supra Cherubim supra Seraphim supra omnem sensum est The minde is astonned the voice faileth not onely mine but also of the Angelles It is aboue the powers aboue the Angelles aboue the Cherubius aboue the Seraphins and aboue al manner vnderstandinge And therefore he saithe as it is alleaged once before Nolo nobis credatur Scriptura recitetur Non ego dico à me In principio erat Verbum Sed audio I woulde not ye shoulde beleeue mee Lette the Scriptures be readde I saye not of mee selfe In the beginninge vvas the VVoorde but I heare it spoken And againe he saithe in the same Booke vnto the Emperour Gratian Facessat nostra Sententia Paulum interrogemus Let our Iudgemente stande aparte and let vs aske S. Paule the question But M. Hardinge saithe VVhoso euer maketh this argumente whiche in your VVoorde is implied The Scriptures are to be asked Ergo the Holy Fathers are not to be asked maketh a foolishe argumente It seemeth no greate pointe of Wisedome M. Hardinge to vpbraide others with folie without cause God encrease bothe you and vs in al wisedome and vnderstandinge in Christe Iesu How be it our Argumente howe so euer it hathe pleased you to fashon and to handle it as we meante it and made it had no sutche Folie Wherefore what so euer Folie is nowe come to it it is your owne it is not ours For wée denie not the Learned Fathers expositions and iudgementes in doubteful cases of the Scriptures Wée reade them our selues Wée folowe them Wée embrace them and as I saide before wée moste humbly thanke God for them But thus wée saie The same Fathers opinions and iudgementes for as mutche as they are sometimes disagréeable one from an other and sometimes implie contrarieties and contradictions therefore alone and of them selues without farther authoritie and guidinge of Goddes Woorde are not alwaies sufficient Warrantes to charge our Faithe And thus the Learned Catholique Fathers themselues haue euermore taught vs to esteeme and to weighe the Fathers The Ancient Father Origen saithe thus as it is reported before Ex Solis Scripturis examinationis nostrae discretio petenda est The discussinge of our Iudgemente muste be taken Onely of the Scriptures And againe Sensus nostri enarrationes sine Scripturis testibus non habent fidem Our Iudgementes and Expositions without witnesse of the Scriptures haue no credite Likewise S. Augustine Ego Solis Canonicis Scripturis debeo sine vlla recusatione consensum My consent without exception I owe not vnto any Father were he neuer so wel learned but Onely to the Holy Canonical Scriptures His reason is this Nam cùm Dominus â—acuerit quis nostrum dicat Illa vel illa sunt Aut si dicere audet vnde probat For where as the Lorde him selfe hath not spoken who of vs can saie It is this or that Or if he dare saie so howe can he prooue it And therefore he concludeth directly and in like woordes with S. Ambrose Ego vocem Pastoris inquiro Lege hoc mihi de Propheta Lege de Psalmo Recita de Lege Recita de Euangelio Recita de Apostolo I require the voice of the Shephearde Reade me this mater out of the Prophete Reade it mee out of the Psalmes Reade it out of the Lawe Reade it out of the Gospel Reade it out of the Apostles The Apologie Cap. 10. Diuision 1. Wherefore if wee he Heretiques and they as they woulde faine be called be Catholiques why doo they not as they see the Fathers whiche were Catholique men haue alwaies donne Why doo they not conuince and maister vs by the Diuine Scriptures Why doo they not calle vs againe to be tried by them Why doo they not laye before vs howe wee haue gonne awaye from Christe from the Prophetes from the Apostles and from the Holy Fathers Why sticke they to doo it Why are they afraide of it It is Goddes cause Why are they doubteful to commit it to the trial of Goddes Woorde Yf wee be Heretiques whiche referre al our controuersies vnto the Holy Scriptures reporte vs to the selfe same Woordes whiche wee knowe were sealed by God him selfe and in comparison of them sette litle by al other thinges what so euer maye be diuised by menne how shal wee saye to these folke I praye you what manner of men be they and howe is it meete to calle them whiche feare the iudgement of the Holy Scriptures that is to saie the Iudgement of God him selfe and doo preferre before them theire owne dreames and ful colde inuentions and to maintaine theire owne Traditions haue defaced and corrupted nowe these many hundred yeeres the ordinances of Christe and of the Apostles M. Hardinge VVe doo so For they condemned those that went against the Tradition of the Fathers and so doo wee The Scriptures consiste not in inke and paper but in the sense VVhiche sense the Holy Ghoste by Christes promise hath taught the Churche Epiphanius refutinge the Heretikes whiche named them selues Apostolikes saithe that the Scriptures haue neede of Speculation that is to witte to be wel studied and considered to the ende the force and power of euery argument maye be knowen It behoueth vs also saithe he to vse the Tradition For wee can not haue al thinges of the Holy Scripture Thus Epiphanius By Tradition without doubte he meaneth the sense and vnderstandinge receiued of the Fathers For that is the Keie of the VVoorde of God
as S. Peter taught by report of S. Clement This sense and vnderstandinge of the Lawe had the Ministers of the Lawe to whome the Traditions of Moses and of the Elders came as it were by handes Nowe wee require you to admitte this Tradition that is to saye the Catholike sense and vnderstandinge of the Scriptures whiche hathe benne deliuered vnto vs by the Holy Fathers of al Ages and of al Countries where the Faithe hath benne receiued And then we wil calle you againe to be tried by the Scriptures This haue the Catholikes layde before you oftentimes and this doo we shewe you in this Confutation He that despiseth you despiseth mee saithe Christe of his Churche Ye despise the Catholike Churche and therefore ye despise Christe What neede so many questions Sirs Your hote Rhetorike sheweth more courage in woorde then Victorie in deede Ye calle vs foorthe to the Scriptures as it were to the fielde Ye strike vs downe with woordes before ye come to encounter To shewe your brauerie in the moâ—stre ye referre your controuersies vnto the Holy Scriptures ye reporte you vnto the woordes sealed by God himselfe but we the Catholikes as ye pretende sticke at it we be afraide of it we doubte of thâ— mater we feare the Iudgement of Holy Scriptures we preferre our owne dreames and colde inuentions VVel nowe that ye haue tolde your lusty tale heare our sober answeare Oftenâ— times the true Scriptures are stretched foorthe to serue euil and false purposes The Iewes went about by the Scriptures to prooue that Christe was not so muche as a Iâ—ophete For they saide Searche the Scriptures and see that a Prophete riseth not out of Galiley By the Scriptures they would needes shewe him woorthy to die We haue a Lawe quod they and by our Lawe he ought to die because he hath made him selfe the Sonne of God The Diuel by alleaginge Scripture would haue deceiued our Sauiour him selfe and saide vnto him Scriptum est It is written The Arians were ful of the Scriptures and by the same as S. Ambrose writeth went about to prooue that Christe the author of al goodnesse was not good It is written quoth they Nemo bonus nisi vnus Deus None is good but onely God Likewise the Macedonians the Nestorians the Eutychians Now in this case your selues dooinge the like what may wee doo better then honour the Scriptures and seeke for their right Sense and Vnderstandinge Scriptum est It is Scripture saith S. Ambrose to the allegation of the Arians I acknowlege but the letter hath not the errour woulde God the Arians interpretation had not Apices sine crimine sunt sensus in crimine The letters be without crime the sense is in crime From the vnderstanding commeth Heresie not from the Scripture the sense not the woorde becommeth to be a crime saith S. Hilary Sithens then al standeth in the sense let vs agree first vpon the sense and interpretation of the Scriptures and then if we be not as ready as ye come foorth when ye liste vpbraide vs hardely and say lustely as here ye doo why sticke they to doo it why are they afraide of it As for the true sense and interpretation of the Scriptures where shal wee finde it but as before wee saide in the Catholike Churche The Churche hauinge Christe remaininge with it al daies to the ende of the worlde hauinge by promise of Christe the Sprite of truethe remaininge in it for euer hauing by Goddes owne ancient promise bothe the woordes whiche the Father hath put in the mouthe of Christe and the Sprite whiche he putte in him whereby it may vnderstand the meaninge of Goddes woordes wee maie not now seeke for the true sense vnderstanding and interpretation of the Scriptures any where but in the Churche Your owne Doctour Iohn Caluine him selfe â–ª whom ye folowe and esteeme so mutche admonisheth very wel and saithe it is specially to be noted that out of the Churche there is no light of the sounde vnderstandinge of the Scriptures This ground beinge laide on whiche eche parte must stande and be tried in crowe no more againste vs boast your selues no more VVe feare not the iudgement of the Holy Scriptures Nay it is your selues that feare this iudgment For your owne conscience telleth you that on this ground ye are the weaker side Yf ye stande with vs on this grounde ye shal neuer be able to defende your Maister Iohn Caluines doctrine touchinge Baptisme whiche hâ—â—â—aketh to be of so litle force against the manifest Scripture Let euery one of you saithe S. Peter be Baptized in the name of Iesus Christe to Remission of Sinnes Keepinge this grounde ye shal be borne from your Doctrine touchinge Absolution denyinge the Prieste to haue power to absolue penitentes by his Priestly Auctoritie but by Preachinge the Gospel to them contrarie to the plaine Scripture VVhose Sinnes ye â—orgeue they are forgeuen to them VVhose ye retaine they are reteined Yf ye refuse not this grounde ye shal be forced to restore the Sacrament of extreme Vnction â–ª and the vse of Holy Oyle againe whiche ye haue abandoned For what haue ye to saye against the Scripture It any sicke amonge you Let him cause the Priestes of the Churche to come in to him anointinge him with Oile in the name of our Lorde Abâ—dinge in this grounde ye shal be driuen to forsake your Zwinglian doctrine whiche putteth Signes and Figures I onely in the Sacrament of the Aultar for the True and Real Body of Christe there 2 presente contrarie to the 3 cleare Scripture This is my Bodie Beinge on this grounde ye shal soone geue ouer the maintenance of the Doctrine of your special Faithe and of your Iustification by Faithe onely as beinge contrary to the plaine Scripture Man is iustified by woorkes and not by Faithe onely To conclude for to shewe in howe many pointes ye maye be confuted by euident Scriptures it were in maner infinite if ye wil admitte this for a good grounde as ye midste needes admitte then shal ye not mainteine the Presumptuous Doctrine of your certaintie of Grace and Saluation contrary to that S. Paule counselleth VVith feare and tremblinge woorke your Saluation The B. of Sarisburie Whereas wée make reasonable requestâ— that God maye be vmpéere in his owne cause and that al our controuersies maye be iudged and tried by the Holy Scriptures M. Hardinge thereto answeareth thus The Scripture standeth not in the Wordes but in the Sense and the same Sense is continued by Tradition in the Churche Otherwise he saithe the Iewes the Arians the Nestorians the Eutychians and al other Heretiques were alwaies hable to claime by the Scriptures To conclude he maketh vp a greate emptie heape of the force of Baptisme of Holy Oile of Extreme Unction of Absolution of Signes of Figures of Onely Faithe and as it liketh him to calle it of the Presumptuous
Doctrine of the Certainetie of Saluation in euery of whiche thinges he saithe the Scriptures are cleare of his side and directly against vs. To answears al these pointes in particulare it would require an other Booke But briefely to touche so mutche onely as shal be néedeful First that the Substance of the Scriptures standeth in the right Sense and Meaninge and not onely in the naked and bare woordes it is true and generally graunted without exception and needeth no farther proufe S. Hierome saithe Non in Legendo sed in Intelligendo Scripturae consistunt The Scriptures stande not in the Readinge but in the Vnderstandinge And S. Hilarie Non Diuinorum dictorum sed intelligentiae nostrae à nobis ratio praestanda est Wee muste yeelde an accoumpte not of Goddes Diuine Woordes but of our owne Expositions But if that onely be the right Meaninge and Sense of the Scriptures that within these fewe late hundred yéeres is cropen into the Churche of Rome and if it be al Gospel what so euer it bée that arriueth from thence and if they be al Heretiques and Schismatiques and Despisers of Christe and of the Apostles and of the Uniuersal Churche that make staie at it or cānot receiue it then is the whole mater already concluded wée shal néede no more adoo Ye saie The Iewes the Arians the Nestorians and other Heretiques alleged the Scriptures Yea verily M. Hardinge and that euen with like Faithe and in like Sense and to like purpose as you allege them nowe as hereafter I truste it shal appeare By the waye for example hereof in this very place where you allege the woordes of the Pharise is auouchinge the Scriptures it maye please you to remember that either witingly or of some errour and ouersight ye haue manifestly corrupted the Scriptures For whereas you haue translated the place thus Searche the Scriptures the Phariseis saide nothinge els but Scrurare Vide Searche and see and spake not one woorde of the Scriptures And although the mater importe not mutche yet to charge you with your owne rule whiche muste needes be good against your selfe any smal faulte in Goddes Woorde must be counted greate In deede S. Chrysostome and S. Augustine séeme to supplie this woorde Scriptures although it were not in the Texte Touchinge the mater it selfe Nicolas Lyra saithe Hoe Verbum eorum simpliciter falsum est Quia si intelligatur de Prohetis generaliter aliqui fuerunt nati de Galilaea videlicet Elizaeus Tobias Debora Prophetissa fortè plures alij This woorde of the Phariseis is plainely false For if it be taken generally of al Prophetes then were there certaine of them borne in Galilei namely Elizaeus Tobias Debora and perchance others moe In sutche sorte M. Hardinge euen with like Faithe and credite you also haue vsed to allege the Scriptures But whereto driue you al this longe tale Wil you in the ende conclude thus The Iewes and Heretiques alleged the Scriptures Ergo Faitheful Christians maye not allege them Or thus Théeues haue sometimes armed them selues Ergo True menne maye not be armed Nay wée maye rather saye thus vnto you The Iewes and Heretiques alleged the Scriptures What accoumpte then maye wée make of you that flée and condemne and burne the Scriptures Certainely notwithstandinge the Phariseis and Heretiques wickedly misalleged the Scriptures as ye sometimes doo to scrue your purpose yet for al that Christe saide vnto them Scrutamini Scripturas Searche the Scriptures And as it is saide before the Catholique learned Fathers in al theire cases and controuersies appealed euermore to the Scriptures Where you saye The Scriptures are so cleare of your side ▪ and make so directly againste vs would God ye woulde in deede and vnfainedly stande to that trial Your fansies and folies woulde soone come to grounde Touchinge your greate heape of examples of the Sacramente of Baptisme defaced as you saye by M. Caluine of Absolution of Extreme Unction of Holy Oile of Signes of Figures of Onely Faithe of the certainetie of Saluation whiche you calle Presumptuous Firste of the Sacramente of Baptisme M. Caluine euery where writeth with al manner reuerence callinge it a Diuine and an Heauenly Mysterie and the Sacramente of our Redemption Wherein also sometimes he iustly reprooueth you for that ye haue so many waies so profanely and so vnreuerently abused the same Of Absolution wée shal haue occasion to saye more hereafter Touchinge your Oile in déede in shewe of woordes S. Iames séemeth to make somewhat for you Notwithstandinge neither doothe he calle it Holy Oile as ye doo neither doothe he calle it a Sacramente of the Churche nor doothe he saye as ye saie it should serue for the Saluation of Body and Soule nor doothe he teache you to salute it and to speake vnto it as to a liuely and reasonable Creature Aue Sanctum Oleum Alhaile Holy Oile nor with these woordes to minister it vnto the sicke Per hanc Sanctam Vnctionem suam pijssimā Misericordiam ignoscat tibi Deus By this Holy enointinge and his deere mercie God Pardonne thee To be shorte it was a miraculous gifte of Healinge lastinge onely as other like Miracles did for the time not a necessary Sacramente of the Churche to continewe for euer As for the Obiection of Signes and Figures for shortnesse of time I muste referre thée gentle Reader vnto my Former Replie to M. Harding The woordes of Christe whiche are thought to be so plaine the Anciente Learned Father Tertullian expoundeth thus Hoc est Corpus meum Hoc est Figura Corporis mei This is my Body that is to saye This is a Figure of my Body Likewise S. Augustine Non dubitauit Dominus dicere Hoc est Corpus meum cùm daret Signum Corporis sui Our Lorde doubted not to saye This is my Body when he gaue a Signe of his Body To rehearse al other like Ancient Authorities it were too longe O what triumphes would M. Hardinge make if none of al the Olde Learned Fathers coulde be founde that euer had called the Sacrament the Signe and Figure of Christes Body But as before he alleged an imagined Sense of the Scriptures without woordes so nowe he allegeth the woordes alone without sense He shoulde haue remembred better that S. Hierome saithe Ne putemus in Verbis Scripturarum esse Euangelium sed in Sensu Let vs not thinke the Gospel standeth in the VVoordes of the Scriptures but in the Meaninge Twoo other greate quarelles M. Hardinge moueth the one of Onely Faithe the other as he calleth it of the Presumptuous Certainetie of Saluation Wherein iudge thou vprightly good Christian Reader how iuste cause he hath to reprooue our Doctrine As for the firste hereof S. Paule saithe Iustificamur Gratis ex Gratia ipsius Wee be Iustified Freely of his Grace wee Iudge that a man is Iustified by Faithe without the VVorkes of the Lawe Wee knowe that a man
Papae Pecora campi id est homines viuentes in terra Pisces maris id est animas in Purgatorio Volueres Coeli id est animas Beatorum These woordes S. Paule applieth onely vnto Christe meaninge thereby that God hath auanced him aboue al Powers Dominions and that al thinges are subiecte vnto him But the Romaine Sense is far otherwise Thou haste made al thinges subiecte vnto him that is to saye to the Pope The Cattaile of the Fielde that is to saye Menne liuinge in the Earthe The Fishes of the Sea that is to saye the Soules in Purgatories The Birdes of the Heauens that is to saye the Soules of the Blessed in Heauen I leaue M. Hardinges owne peculiar Expositions Drinke ye al of this that is to saye as he geathereth in Conclusion Drinke ye not al of this It is the Substance that is to saye It is the Accidens By sutche prety Senses I wil not saie as S. Hierome saithe De Euangelio Christi facitis hominis Euangelium aut quod peius est Diaboli Of the Gospel of Christe ye make the Gospel of a Man or that is woorse the Gospel of the Diuel I wil not so saye But thus maye I saye with the Prophete Esal Ye make Lighte Darkenesse and Darkenesse Lighte Yet muste wée néedes beléeue vpon M. Hardinges Woorde that the Scripture without the Sense of the Churche of Rome is no Scripture And therefore Hasius saithe Si quis haâ—eat interpretationem Ecclesiae Romanae de loco aliquo Scripturae etiamsi nec sciat nec intelligat an quomodo ' cùm Scripturae verbis conueniat tamen habet ipsissimum Verbum Dei If a man haue the exposition of the Churche of Rome touchinge any place of the Scriptures although he neither knowe nor vnderstande whether and howe it agreeth with the woordes of the Scripture yet he hath the verie Woorde of God So saithe Rabbi Abraham Hispanus speakinge of the expositions of the Rabbines Licet videantur nobis verba nostra esse vera recta nobis tamen Veritas abijcienda est in terram quia Veritas cum illis est Not withstandingâ— our Expositions seeme to vs neuer so True and righte yet muste wee throwe our Truthe to the grounde For the Truthe in deede is with them Lyra likewise reporteth the common opinion the Iewes had of their Rabines Recipienduâ—r est quicquid hoc modo proponatur etiamsi dicant Dextrant esse Sinistram Wee muste needes receiue what so euer they laye vnto vs yea although they tel vs The Righte hande is the Lefte Nowe gentle Reader that thou maiste the better see the constancie and certainetie of these Senses and Expositions whereunto M. Hardinge laboureth so earnestly to haue thee bounde it maye please thee to consider these woordes of Nicolaus Cusanus sometime Cardinal in the Churche of Rome Non est mirum si Praxis Ecclesiae vno tempore interpreâ—atur Scripturam vno modo alio tempore alio modo Nam lntellectus currit cum Praxi Intellectus enim qui cum Praxi concurrit est Spiritus Viuificans Sequuntur ergo Scripturae Ecclesiam non è conuerso It is no marueile though the Practise of the Churche expounde the Scriptures at one time one waye and at an other time an other waie For the vnderstandinge or Sense of the Scriptures renneth with the practise and that sense so agreeinge with the practise is the quickeninge Sprite And therefore the Scriptures folowe the Churche but contrariewise the Churche foloweth not the Scriptures For sutche kindes of Expositions of the Scriptures S. Hilarie saide sometime vnto the Arians Fides ergo temporum magis est quà m Euangeliorum The Faithe therefore foloweth the time and not the Gospel This is the Sense of the Churche of Rome whereby onely M. Hardinge willeth vs to measure and to weighe the Woorde of God But the Ancient Father Origen saithe Sicut omne Aurum quodcunque fuerit extra Templum non est Sanctificatum sic omnis Sensus qui fuerit extra Diuinam Scripturam quamuis admirabilis videatur quibusdam non est Sanctus quia non continetur à Sensu Scripturae As what so euer Golde is without the Temple is not Sanctified so what so euer Sense is without the Holy Scripture although vnto some it seeme wounderful yet is it not Holy bicause it is not conteined in the Sense of the Scripture To conclude where as M. Hardinge saithe wee cannot vnderstande the Scriptures without Tradition the ancient Father Irenaeus saithe This is one special marke whereby wee maye knowe an Heretique These be his woordes Haeretici cùm arguuntur ex Scripturis in accusationem Scripturarum conuertuntur quasi non rectè habeant nec sint ex authoritate quòd variè fint dictae quòd ex his non possit inueniri Veritas ab illis qui Traditionem nesciunt Heretiques when they be reprooued by the Scriptures they falle to the accusinge of the Scriptures as though either they were not wel and perfite or wanted authoritie or were doubtefully vttered or that they that knowe not the Tradition were neuer hable by the Scriptures to finde out the Truthe The Apologie Cap. 10. Diuision 2. Menne saie that Sophocles the Tragical Poete when in his old daies he was by his owne Sonnes accused before the Iudges for a dotinge and sottishe man as one that fondely wasted his owne Substance and seemed to neede a gouernour to see vnto him to the intent he might cleere him self of the faulte he came into the place of Iudgemente and when he had rehearsed before them his Tragedie called Oedipus Colonaeus whiche he had written at the very time of his accusation marueilous exactely cunningly did aske the Iudges in his owne behalfe whether they thought any sottishe or dotinge man coulde doo the like peece of Woorke In like manner bicause these menne take vs to be madde and appeache vs for Heretiques as menne whiche haue nothinge to doo neither with Christe nor with the Churche of God wee haue iudged it should be to good purpose and not vnprofitable if wee doo openly and frankely set foorthe our Faithe wherein wee stande and shewe al that confidence whiche wee haue in Christe Iesu to the intent al menne maye see what is our iudgement of euery parte of Christian Religion maye resolue with them selues whether the Faithe whiche they shal see confirmed by the Woordes of Christe by the Writinges of the Apostles by the Testimonies of the Catholique Fathers and by the Examples of many ages be but a certaine rage of Furious and madde menne and a conspiracie of Heretiques This therefore is our beliefe M. Hardinge The comparison whiche ye make betweene your selues and Sophocles gladly we admitte Yet we acknowledge that as in many respectes ye are like so in some vnlike Sophocles was a Poet that is to saie a fainer and deuiser of thinges that be
One place according to the Nature of his Manhed Wherefore dooth Cyrillus saie Secundum Carnem Solam abiturus Crat Adest autem semper virtue Deitatis According to the Fleash onely he woulde departe But by yâ— power of his Godhed he is euer present Wherfore doth Gregorie saie Verbum Incarnatum Manet Recedit Manes Diuinitace Recedit Corpore The woord Incarnate bothe abideth with vs and departeth from vs. It abideth with vs by the Godhed It departeth from vs by the Body or Manhed Wherefore dooth S. Augustine saie Ibat per id quod Homo erat Manebat per id quod Deus erat Ibat per id quod Vno Loco erat Manebat per id quod vbique erat Christ departed by that he was Man and aboade by that he was God He departed by that that was in One Place He aboad by that that is in al Places If ye wil yet stand in doubte what these Holy Fathers meante by yâ— Manhed of Christe that departed from vs let S. Augustine open bothe his owne and their meaninges Thus he writeth in expresse plaine woordes touching the same Secundum Carnem quam Verbum assumpsit secundum id quòd de Virgine natus est Secundum id quòd à Iudaeis prehensus est quòd ligno confixus quòd de Cruce depositus quod linteis inuolutus quòd in sepulchro conditus quòd in Resurrectione manifestatus me non semper habebitis vobiscum According to the Fleash that the Woorde receiued according to that he was borne of the Virgine according to that he was taken of the Iewes According to that he was nailed to the Tree taken downe from the Crosse lapte in a sheete laide in the graue and was declared in his Resurrection these woordes are true Ye shal not haue me alwaies with you Likewise againe he saithe Dominus noster absentauit se Corpore ab omni Ecclesia Ascendit in Coelum Our Lord as touching his Body Absented him selfe from his whole Churche and Ascended into Heauen To be short if it be so hainous an errour in this case to vse these woordes Godhed and Manhed wherefore is not Fulgentius him selfe reproued for so often vsing the same These be his woordes Secundum Humanitatem suam Localiter erat in Terra Secundum Diuinitatem Coelum impleuit Terram Vera Humanitas Christi Localis es Vera Diuinitas semper immensa est Caro Christi absque dubitatione Localis est Diuinitas tamen eius vbique semper est Permansit in Christo Immensa Diuinitas Suscepta est ab eo Localis Humanitas Quomodò Ascendit in Coelum nisi quia Localis Verus est Homo Quomodò adest Fidelibus nifi quia idem Immensus Verus est Deus Christe according to his Manhoode was placed in Earthe but according to his Godhed he filled bothe Heauen and Earthe The Manhoode of Christe is conteined in Place The Godhed of Christe is Infinite and in al places The Pleash of Christe is doubtelesse in One place The Godhead of Christe is for euer in euery place There remained stil in Christe the Infinite Godhed There was receiued of him a Local Manhoode How Ascended he iâ—to Heauen sauing that he is very Man conteined in Place How is he present with the Faithful sauing that he is Infinite and True God Last of al he saithe Vnus idemque Christus Secundum Humanam Substantiam aberat Coelo cùm esset in Terra dereliquit Terram cùm Ascendisset in Coelum Christe being One accodinge to the Substance of his Manhoode was absent from Heauen when he was in Earthe and forsooke the Earthe when he Ascended into Heauen Thus many times M. Hardinge ye haue these woordes in one place togeather in Fulgentius him selfe The Godhed the Manhoode very God very Man The Fleash of Christe The Substance of the Manhoode And these â—e the selfe same woordes that you reproue Blotte out therefore for shame that vnaduised note in your Margine Looke better to your Booke Woorke hereafter more discretely and trouble not neither Pennemenne nor others without cause Otherwise the Penneman wil tel you what birde bare the feather that made you a Penne. The Apologie Cap. 1. Diuision 2. Wee beleeue that the Holy Ghost who is the thirde Person in the Holy Trinitie is very God not made not created not begotten but proceding from bothe the Father and the Sonne by a certaine meane vnknowen vnto man and vnspeakable and that it is his propertie to mollifie loften the hardnesse of mans hart when he is once receiued thereinto either by the holesome preaching of the Gospel or by any other waye that he doth geue men light and guide them vnto the knowledge of God to al way of Truthe to newnesse of the whole life and to euerlasting hope of Saluation M. Hardinge As wee acknowledge this article to be true and Catholike so we demaunde of these Defenders how they can proue the same Haue they either expresse Scripture for it or any of the first foure general Councels whiche be estemed of most Authoritie VVe are sure they haue not Therefore we do them to vnderstand and if they heare vs not we aduertise the Readers that feare God and loue his truth that al truthe necessarily to be beleued expressed in the Scripture and that other Councels be to be receiued besides the foure first which are allowed in England by Parlament The B. of Sarisburie Consider M. Hardinge notwithstanding ye euermore tel vs of Fathers Fathers yet how contrarie oftentimes ye are in iudgement to the same Fathers You saie that the Godhed of the Holy Ghost cannot be proued by expresse Woordes of the Scriptures and thereof ye saie ye are right sure Yet S. Augustine nothinge douteth but it may wel be proued by plaine Scriptures Thus he saith Spiritus Sanctus est Deus Vnde Petrus cùm dixisserâ— Ausus es mentiri Spiritui Sancto continuò sequutus adiunxit quid esse Spiritus Sanctus ait Non es mentitus Hominibus sed Deo The Holy Ghost is God Therefore Peter when he had saide vnto Ananias thou hast enterprised to lie to the Holy Ghost he followed readily and tolde him what was the Holy Ghost and saide Thou hast not sied vnto Man but vnto God Againe he saithe Ostendit Paulus Deum esse Spiritum Sanctum idò non esse Creaturam S. Paule sheweth vs that the Holy Ghost is God and therefore is no Creature Likewise againe he saith Ne quisquam Spiritum Sanctum negaret Deum continuò sequutus ait Glorificate portate Deum in Corpore vestro Least any man should denie that the Holy Ghost is God Paule added immediately these woordes Glorifie you therefore and beare God in your Body Here haue wée S. Augustines Yea and M. Hardinges Nay S. Augustine assureth vs he hath Scriptures to proue the Godhed of the Holy Ghoste M. Hardinge saithe wée
are sure he hath none at al. Iudge thou nowe Gentle Reader whether of these Doctours thou wilt beléeue But what a vaine vanitie and folie is this wil M. Hardinge haue vs beléeue that God cannot be God onlesse he be allowed by the Churche of Rome and by the Pope Then are wée come againe to that the Tertullian writeth merily of the Heathens Nisi Homini Deus placuerit Deus non erit Homo iam Deo propitius esse debebit Onlesse God please Man wel though he be God he shal be no God And so nowe Man must be frendely and fauourable vnto God Wée beleeue M. Hardinge that the Holy Ghost is very God in déede not vpon the Popes or his Cleregies credite but as S. Augustine saith vpon the special warrante of the Woorde of God And therefore Nazianzene saithe Dicet aliquis non esse scriptum Spiritum Sanctum esse Deū Atqui proponetur tibi examen Testimoniorum ex quibus ostendetur Diuinitatem Sancti Spiritus testatam esse in Sacris Literis nisi quis valde insulsus sit alienus à Spiritu Sancto Some Man wil saie It is not written that the Holy Ghost is God But I wil bring thee foorth a whole Svvarme of Authorities whereby it shal wel appeare that the Godhed of the Holy Ghost is plainely witnessed in the Holy Scriptures Onlesse a Man be very dul and vtterly voide of the Holy Ghoste The Apologie Cap. 2. Diuision 1. We beleue that there is one Churche of God that the same is not shutte vp as in times past emong the Iewes into some One corner or Kingdome but that it is Catholique Vniuersal and dispersed throughout the whole world So that there is now no Nation which may truely complaine y◠they be shutte foorth may not be one of the Churche people of God and y◠this Church is the Kingdome the Body and the Spouse of Christe that Christe alone is the Prince of this Kingedome that Christe alone is the Head of this Body and that Christe alone is the Bridegroome of this Spouse M. Hardinge It is a world to see these Defenders They whiche haue not kepte Vnitie of Spirite in the band of Charitie which S. Paule requireth but haue seuered them selues from the Body of the Church tel vs now forsooth they beleeue that there is one Churche of God But what maie wee thinke this one Churche to be Can they seme to meane any other what so euer they pretend then this new Church of late yeeres set vp by Sathan through the ministerie of Martine Luther and those other Apostates his companions if it maie be named a Churche and not rather a Babylonical Tower For as touchinge that Churche whereof al Christen People hath euer taken the Successour of Peter to be the Heade vnder Christe whiche is the true Catholike Churche in theire Apologie they sticke not to saie plainely that it is clene fallen downe longe agone And therefore the beginning of Luthers Seditious and Heretical preaching they cal Herbam as muche to saie as the greene Grasse or first spring this interpreter nameth it the very first appearing of the Gospel leafe F. 7. And in the leafe F. 8. they saie that fortie yeeres agone and vpward that is at the first setting foorth of Luther and Zuinglius the Truth was vnknowen and vnheard of and that they first came to the knowledge and preaching of the Gospel Likewise in an other place they graunt that certaine and very strange sectes haue ben stirringe in the worlde euer since the Gospel did spring meaning the time when Luther first brinced to Germanie the poisoned Cuppe of his Heresies Blasphemies and Sathanismer Thus hauing condemned the Churche of God whiche was before Luthers time and allowinge that for the true Churche the Gospel whereof first sprang out of Luther how can they auouche theire belefe and by what reason and learning can they make good that there is one Churche of God VVee would faine knowe whiche and where it is Is Luther and his congregation that one Churche of God or Zuinglius and his rable or Osiunder and his sort or Zuenckfeldius and his secte or Stancarus and his band or Balthasar Pacimontane and his rancke For al these and certaine other sectes haue Luther for their founder and for their Radix Iesse as it were from whence they spring And in deede euery learned man easely seeth how the gutters of their Doctrines runne out of Luthers sincke Of al these there is none but stoutly claimeth the name of the Churche Then how saie ye Defenders whiche Churche be ye name the Childe Yf ye name one wee sette the others against you c. How often in his bookes putteth Luther you and your Captaines in the rolle of those that he vtterly condemneth naminge roundly togeather Infidels Turkes Epicures Heretikes Papistes Sacramentaries And nowe if he should heare you chalenge the name of the one Churche of God to you and denie him and his folowers that claimed title would he not thinke ye stampe and rage would he not whetie his dogge eloquence vpon you and cal you worse then these aboue rekened yea and if he wist how worse then some of you be your selues The like courtesie maieye looke for at those other sectes of whiche euery one claimeth the name of this one Churche of God But ye saie that this One Churche is not shutte vp into some one corner or Kingdome but that it is Catholike and Vniuersal and dispersed through out the whole world True it is that ye saie what so euer ye thinke But the Holy learned and auncien Fathers where they cal and beleeue the Catholike Churche they meane as Vincentius Liriuensis declareth the Churche to be Catholike that is to saie Vniuersal for so the word signifieth in respecte of a threefold Vniuersalitie of places whiche this Defender here toucheth of times and of menne whiche he toucheth not In the Catholike Churche we must haue a great care saithe he that we hold that whiche hath euery where euermore and of al persons ben beleeued If these Defenders proue not the Churche they professe them selues to be of to haue this threefold Vntuer salitie then is their Congregation not this one Churche nor of this one Churche of God but the synagog of Antichriste And although the Authours of this Apologie crake of the great increase and spredding abroade of their Gospel and now glorie in the number of Kingedomes Dukedomes Countries common VVeales and Free Cities Yet hath it not gone so farre abroade as the Arians heresie did by three partes of foure VVhiche was at length vtterly extinguished as this shal be That the Catholike Churche is the Kingedome the Body and the Spouse of Christe we acknowledge Of the same Kingdome we confesse and beleeue Christ to be Prince alone so as he is Heade of this Body alone and so as he is Bridegrome of this spouse
him the Apostles folowe writeth thus Vnus Hypodiaconus det aquam manibus Sacerdotum Duo Diaconi ex vtà que parte Altaris teneat flabellum confectum ex tenuibus membranis vel ex Pauonum pennis quibus leuiter abigant praeteruclantes bestiolas ne in Pocula incidant Let one of the Subdeacons geue Water to the Priestes handes Let two Deacons stande at the two endes of the Austore either of them with a fanne made of fine Parchemente or of Pecockes taises therewith softely to chase awaie the flâ—es that they fal not into the Communion Cuppes The offices of other Inferioure Orders be these as they be noted by one of M. Hardinges owne side Ad Minores Ordines haec spectant Portare Cereos Vrceolum Canes expellere de Ecclesia To the sesse Orders these thinges belonge to carrie Tapers and Holy Water stockes and to drâ—ue Doogges of the Churche These I trowe be the Mystical Holy Orders whereof M. Hardinge saithe Our parte had benne to haue made somme songe discourse beinge him selfe ashamed as it maie appeare by his silence either to name them in particulare or to open the Secretes of theire offices Howe be it in deede good Christian Reader sundrie of these offices in the Primitiue Churche were appointed to very good sober purposes The Doore keepers office was then to keepe out Excommunicate personnes that they should not presse in emonge the Faithful The Psalmistes or Singers office was to singe the Psalmes thereby to moue the peoples hartes to deuotion The Exorcistes office was by a special gifte of God â–ª seruinge onely for that time to cal foorth soule Sprites out of the Bodies of them that were possessed The Readers office was openly and plainely and distinctely to pronounce the Scriptures vnto the people and to this vse the Bishop deliuered vnto him a Booke with this charge Accipe esto relator Verbi Dei Take thou this Booke and be thou a pronouncâ—r of the Woorde of God And therefore Isidorus saithe Tanta â—am clara erit eius vox vt quamuis longâ— positorum aures adimpleat The Readers voice muste be so sowd and so cleare that it maye be hable to fille the eates of them that stande far of The Acolothes or VVaiters office was to attende vpon the Bishop as a witnesse of his conuersation To sutche good vses these offices then serued in the Churche of God But now there is nothinge leafte sauinge the bare name onely without any maner vse or Office For neither doothe the Ostiarius kéepe out the Excommunicates Nor doothe the Acoluthus waite vpoÌ„ the Bishop Nor doothe the Exorciste cast foorthe Diuels Nor doothe the Psalmiste Singe the Psalmes Nor doothe the Reader openly pronounce the Scriptures I might yet steppe alitle farther to open the whole bewtie of the Cleregte of Rome nor doothe the Deacon make prouision for the poore nor doothe the Bishop preache the Woorde of God This had benne our parte to haue opened at large And for leaning of the same we were woorthy by M. Hardinges iudgemente to be reproued The Apologie Cap. 3. Diuision 2. Yet notwithstanding wee saie that there neither is nor can be any one man whiche may haue the whole Superioritie in this Vuiuersal state for that Christe is euer presente to assiste his Churche and needeth not any man to supplie his roome as his onely heire to al his Substance and yâ— there caÌ„ be no one mortal creature whiche is hable to comprehend or conceiue in his mind the Vniuersal Churche that is to wite al the partes of the world mutche lesse hable rightly and duely to put them in order and to Gouerne them The B. of Sarisburie M. Hardinges answeare hereto is longe and tedious The Substance therof in short is this Where wée saie No one Mortal Man is hable to wealde the burthen of the whole Churche of God M. Hardinge answeareth VVhere any thinge is in deede there whether it may be or no â–ª to discusse it is needlesse Therefore whether any one man can be superiour and chiefe ouer the whole Churche wee leaue to speake that so it is thus wee proue Euery Parrishe hathe his seueral Vicare or Personne And euery Dioces his owne Bishop Ergo what reason is it there be not one Chiefe Gouernoure of the whole Christen people VVhen questions be moued in maters of Faithe throughe diuersities of iudgementes the Churche should be diuided onlesse by Authoritie of One it were kepte in Vnitie They that saie otherwise take from Christe the Glorie of his prouidence and the praise of his greate loue towardes his Churche The Peace of the Churche is more conueniently procured by one then by many It is moste meete that the Churche Militante touchinge Gouernment resemble the Churche Triumphante But in the Triumphante Churche one is Gouernoure ouer the whole that is God Therfore in the Churche Militant order requireth that one beare rule ouer al accordinge to that the Holy Captaine Iosue seemeth to speake The Children of Iuda and the Children of Israel shal aessemble togeather and they shal make to them selues one Head Thereof our Lord saithe in S. Iohn There shal be One Folde and One Shephearde In deede Christe is Heade of his Body Yet neede it is for as mutche as Christe nowe dwelleth not with vs in Visible Presence his Churche haue one Man to doo his steede of outwarde rulinge in Earthe And therefore he saide vnto Peter Feede my Flocke Confirme they Brethren Thus wee see these Defenders Negatiue Doctrine That no One Man maie haue the Superioritie ouer the whole state of the Churche disproued as vtterly false To theire seconde reason we graunt Christe needed not any man to supplie his roome that should succede in his whole Substance Neither is Man of Capacitie of sutche succession neither hathe there any sutche fonde saieinge ben vttered by the Diuines But bicause Christe sawe the knot of Vnitie should be moste surely kepte knit by Gouernmente of one he committed the regimeÌ„t of the whole Churche vnto One whoe 's Visible Ministerie he might vse in steede of him selfe To the thirde we saye that Man is not onely hable to comprehende in his minde and conceiue the Vniuersal Churche but also to put it in order and to Gouerne it so far as is expedient Laste of al who so euer wil not be fedde nor ruled by this one Shepheard and breaketh out of this one Folde he is not of the Flocke of Christe but of the Hearde of Antichriste Here Gentle Reader M. Hardinge hathe brought thée not the Authoritie of any one Catholique Doctour or Learned Father but onely a few colde Reasons of his owne with certaine Scriptures vnaduisedly alleged and violently forced from theire meaninge as shal soone appeare His firste Reason concludeth very weakely Euery parishe is gouerned by One Vicare or Personne euery Diocese is gouerned by
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
They were saide to cleanse the Leprosie bicouse they shewed who was cleansed So saith S. Augustine Nec voluntas Sacerdotis obesse vel prodesse potest sed Meritum Benedictionem Poscentis The vvil of the Prieste can neither further nor hinder But the Merite of him that desueth Absolutiō Thus therfore S. Ambrose meaneth The Prieste is a Iudge to discerne bitweene sinne and sinne as wel Priuate as Publique But Right Power or Authoritie to foregeeue fianes he hath none The Apologie Cap. 7. Diuision 4. And therefore our Saueour Iesus Christe to reproue the Negligence of the Scribes and Phariseis in teachinge did with these woordes rebuke them saieing Woe be vnto you Scribes Phariseis whiche haue taken away the Keyes of knowledge haue shutte vp the Kingedome of Heauen before menne Seeinge then the Keie whereby the way and entrie to the Kingdome of God is opened vnto vs is the Woorde of the Gospel and the Expoundinge of the Lawe and Scriptures wee saie plainely where the same Woorde is not there is not the Keie M. Hardinge By this wee are induced to graunte that the knowledge of the Scripture is a Keie whereby the gate to the Truthe is opened the vse whereof consisieth in expoundinge of the Lawe and Prophetes as they shewe Christe But wee say this not to be the special Keies whiche Christe gaue to the church but one Keie alone And so Christe calleth it where he rebuked the Scribes and Phariseis Though you haue put it otherwise then the Gospel hath in the Plural number And this Keie is common to the Lawe and to the Gospel But the Keies whiche we speake of are another thinge By the name of these leies We vnderstande the whole spiritual Power whiche Christe firste promised to Peter and afterwarde gaue to the Apostles and from them is transferred to al Bishoppes and Priestes By whiche Power Priestes teache the Gospel Consecrate the Body and Bloude of Christe and Minister the Sacramentes through Auctoritie of the VVoorde Absolue Penitētes and excommunicate Publike and hainous sinners The Keie that you confusely speake of naminge it to be the VVoorde of the Gospel and Expoundinge of the Lawe and Scriptures is one parte perteininge to this spiritual Power it is not the whole Power And where this VVoorde is not that is to saie where the Scriptures be not taught and the Gospel preached there is not the Keie saie ye there is not the exercise of that Keie saie we Yet ther is this spiritual Power that is to witte ther be the Keies Ye we say that a simple Prieste though he haue no greate learninge yet hath he the Keies though he might do better and more worthely vse them hauinge learninge and knowledge The B. of Sarisburie M. Hardinge mutche and often complaineth of the Confusion of the Keies that wée appointe not distinctly eche Keie to his seueral office Marke therefore I beseche thée Gentle Reader hewe distinctly and plainely M. Hardinge him selfe intreateth of the same Firste of the twoo Keies that Christe hath deliuered vs in the Gospel he hathe made a greate many of Keies The Keie of knowledge The keie of Order The Keie of Power The Keie of Discretion The Keie of Sacramentes And for as mutche as Sacramentes by his Doctrine be Seuen in number there muste also be of this sorte Seuen other seueral Keies And yet ouer and bisides al these Keies béeing so many the Pope hath also One Special Maister Keie Afterward by a sleight and by nimblenesse of his fingers he conueigheth al this heape of Keies into twoo Onely Keies whereof the One he calleth the Keie of knowledge and the other the Keie of Power Whiche twoo Keies notwithstandinge in the ende are suddainely consumed both into One onely Keie For where as the Keie of knowledge is lost there by M. Hardinges Iudgement Power onely remaineth without knowledge And that Keie alone dischargeth al offices and is vtterly al in al. This Keie of Power without knowledge muste néedes be y◠Keie of Ignorance Or as they them selues haue vsed to cal it Clauis Errans The Keie of Errour Or whiche Keie vndoubtedly Christe saide sommetime Hoc est tempus vestrum Potestas Tenebrarum This is your time and the Power of Darkenesse Peter Lombarde him selfe saithe Many Priestes be Ignorante and haue not the Keie of knowledge Alexander of Hales saithe Scientia non est Clauis Knowledge is no Keie at al. Yet M. Hardinge answeareth vs that the simple ignorant Prieste that knoweth nothinge hath not onely One Keie but both Keies for so he calleth them in the Plural number that is to saie as wel the Keie of knowledge as the Keie of Power And thus haue they forged a Keie of knowledge without knowledge and with the same keie they expounde and open the Scriptures they Minister the Sacramentes they Binde they Loose and breake vp a by way into the Kingedome of Heauen Yet muste wée beleue that they speake simply and plainely of these Keies and without confusion The Apologie Cap. 7. Diuision 5. And seeinge one manner of Woorde is geuen to al and one onely Keie belongeth to al wee say there is but one onely Power of al Ministers as concerning Openinge and Shuttinge And as touchinge the Bishop of Rome for al that his Flatteringe Parasites singe these woordes in his eares To thee wil I geue the Keies of the Kingedome of Heauen as though these Keies were fitte for him alone and for no body els excepte he goe so to woorke as Mennes Consciences maie be made pliaunte and be subdued to the Woorde of God wee denie that he doth either Open or Shutte or hath the Keies at al. And although the taught and instructed the People as woulde God he might once truely doo and perswade him selfe it were at the leaste any peece of his dewtie yet wee thinke his Keie to be neuer a white better or of greater force then other mennes For who hath seuered him from the reste Who hath taught him more conningely to Open or better to Absolue then his bretherne M. Hardinge Your grounde beinge false what ye buylde thereon some faileth The whole Power of the Keies pardy howe often times muste we tell you one thinge standeth not in preachinge onely but in sundry other excellent ministeries also as wee haue proued If the Bishop of Rome preache not he doth neis the Open nor shut by preachinge wee graunte Yet mens Consciences beinge made plaint and subdued by the VVoorde of God by others that preache at his appointement he maie by vertue of the Keies either Open or Shut Loose or Binde as by discretion he seeth cause And whereas Christe saide to Peter and therefore to the Bishop of Rome Peters Successour To thee wil I geue the Keies of the Kingdome of Heauen wil ye call them flatteringe Parisites that yelde to him that whiche Christe gaue to him Sutche vomite sheweth what humour your stomake is charged withal Denyinge
hauinge that Auctoritie ouer you whiche Festus had ouer S. Paule To Augustine ye referre this mater and by Augustine shall ye be iudged I woulde alleage vnto you sundrie places of the Scriptures whiche maie Sufficiently proue Purgatorie to a Christen man that is not contentious but that wil we doo hereafter as occasion serueth Nowe to Saincte Augustine VVe saie plainely that S. Augustine affirmeth Purgatorie and that it cannot be shewed where he doubteth of it mutche lesse where he vtterly denyeth any sutche to be In sundry places of his woorkes he expoundeth the woordes of S. Paule to the Corinthians of Purgatorie where the Apostle saithe that the woorkes whiche be builded vpon the fundation whiche is Christe shal be tried by Fire In the 21. Booke de Ciuitate Dei after that he hathe declared his iudgemente touchinge paines of diuerse sortes whiche men suffer for Sinnes committed he saithe thus But paines temporal some suffer in this life onely some after theire Death some both now and also then yet before that moste seuere and laste iudgemente May it therefore please you Syrs to reade S. Augustine in some sutche places for to reade al that he hathe written to that ende were very mutche and a greate lette to your domestical cares and I thinke verily ye wil secretly agree in iudgemente with vs thoughe for shame and consideration of the stage ye plaie your parte on openly the same ye wil not confesse And therefore in his booke de Haeresibus ad Quoduultdeum he condemneth Aërius of Haeresie and so consequently al others that be of his opinion because to the Heresies of the Arians he had added this also that none ought to praie or make oblation for the deade VVhere ye make S. Augustine very vncertaine in this pointe as though he saide sommetime there is sutche a certain place sometime there maie be sutche a one sometime he doubted of it sometime plainely denied any sutche to be either ye vnderstande not S. Augustine or ye saie contrary to your owne knowledge Verily ye be too bolde with him Firste that he denieth Purgatory that is false And where ye alleage Hypognostica in the margent of your booke reade it once againe at my request and your selues wil saie the place proueth not your purpose The Author of that woorke whether he were S. Augustine whiche Erasmus beleueth not or who so euer he was denieth not Purgatory but that after the daie of general iudgemente there is any place of Euerlastinge rest or paine but the Kingdome of Heauen and Hel that he denieth VVhiche we also denie And there he speaketh againste the Pelagians who as S. Augustine writeth of them ad Quoduultdeum promised to infantes dyinge without Baptisme a certaine euerlastinge and blessed life without and besides the Kingedome of God VVhiche Heresie in sundry places he reproueth It seemeth the woorde Purgatorium noted in the margent of that booke by thunlearned Printer begiled you VVhiche sheweth howe profoundely ye be seene in the Doctores The thinge he doubted of touchinge this matter is this VVhether those temporal paines do onely punishe for the Satisfaction of the Iustice of God or also do purge and correcte the soules of the deade in sutche wise as temporal paines are wont to do in this life But nowe whether the smarte and sorowe of thinges lefte behinde whiche proceded in this life of Carnal affection remaine also to the soules after theire departure from the Body whereof S. Augustine sheweth him selfe to stande in doubte in Enchiridio ad Laurent cap. 68. 69. and whether the fyre whiche soules feele in Purgatory as it paineth them so also do by degrees diminishe and correcte those venial and Secular affections whiche they carried with them at theire Deathe or whether deathe it selfe do so ende them as there remaine not any correction of the minde yet beinge vicious but onely the punishemente of the sinne paste that is the thinge whereof S. Augustine semeth to haue doubted In effecte his question is whether the Fire of Purgatorie be not double The one whiche punisheth the Venial sinne past the other whiche diminisheth and taketh awaie thaffection of sinne yet remaininge Of the firste he doubteth not of the other he saith non redargno quia forsitan verum est I saye not againste it for per aduenture it is true The B. of Sarisburie Wée raite at you M. Hardinge euen as Christe railed at certaine others in whoe 's steppes ye séeme to treade for that they had made of the House of God a Caue of theeues The places of the Scriptures whiche ye thought it beste to passe ouer and whereby your Purgatorie by your iudgemente vndoubtedly maie be proued if a man be not very contentious I trowe be these Verily Verily I saie vnto you he that heareth my Woorde and beleeueth in him that sente me hath Euerlastinge Life and shal not comme into damnation but hathe passed from Deathe vnto Life Or that Esai the Prophete saithe of Christe He was wounded for our transgressions He was broken for our iniquities The chastisemente of our Peace was vpon him and with his stripes wee were made whole Or that S. Paule saith Christe hath taken the Obligation that was againste vs and hathe fastened it vnto his Crosse Or that S. Iohn saith Blessed be the Deade that die in the Lorde Euen so saithe the Sprite For they reste from theire laboures and theire Woorkes folowe them He saithe not they be in Purgatorie but they reste from theire Laboures And againe They shal hunger nomore They shal thirste nomore For the Lambe whiche is in the middes of the throne shal gouerne them and shal leade them not into Purgatorie but vnto the liuely Fountaines of VVaters and God shal wipe a waie al teares from theire eies These or sutche other like Places I trowe they be whereby ye assure your selfe so certainely of your Purgatorie But vnto S. Augustine wée haue appealed and to S. Augustine ye saie wée shal goe Howe be it if ye consider the mater wel ye shal finde that our appeale liethe not vnto S. Augustine It had benne more indiâ—ferente dealinge to haue saide with S. Bernarde Ad Euangelium appellasti ad Euangelium ibis Ye haue appealed vnto the Gospel and vnto the Gospel ye shal goe As for S. Augustine notwithstandinge his Authoritie be greate and his learninge deepe yet in these cases as it shal wel appeare he can be but a doubteful Iudge And a doubteful Iudge so far foorthe as he doubteth is no Iudge Your owne Canon telleth you In erroris Labyrinthum nonnulli intricando impingunt cùm ante iudicant quà m intelligant Many menne geuinge Iudgemente before they can vnderstande by entanglinge them selues fal into a Maze of errour For howe can he pronounce sentence of that he confesseth he knoweth not Or how can he assure vs that
petere debeamus The Pelagians thinke them selues Cunninge menne when they saie God vvoulde not commaunde that thinge that he knovveth a man is not hable to doo And who is there that knoweth not this But therefore God Commaundeth vs to doo somme thinges that vvee are not hable to doo that wee maie vnderstande what wee ought to craue of him S. Hierome saithe vnto one of the same Pelagians Facilia esse dicis Dei mandata tamen nullum proferre potes qui vniuersa compleuerit Ye saie Goddes Commaundementes be easy And yet ye are hable to shewe vs noman that euer fulfilled them al togeather Therefore againe he saithe vnto them Noli ponere in Coelum os tuum vt per Esse Esse posse stultorum auribus illudas Quis enim tibi concedit posse hominem facere quod nullus vnquam hominum potuerit Sette not thy face againste Heauen to mocke fooles eares with these woordes Be and Can be For who wil graunte you that a man can doo that thinge that noman euer vvas hable to doo Likewise S. Augustine saithe Dixi fieri posse vt sit homo sine peccato si Voluntas ei non desit ope Diuina adiuuante Sed tamen Praeter Vnum in quo omnes uiuificabuntur neminem vel fuisse vel fore in quo hîc viuente esset ista Perfectio I saide It is possible that a man maie bee vvithout Sinne if he wante not wil the Power of God assistinge him And yet I saide that bisides Onely Christe in whom al menne shal be quickened to Life there vvas neuer man nor neuer shal be who beinge in this life shal haue this Perfection S. Augustine saithe Noman can atteine to this Perfection and he speaketh of the Perfection that is required not of Angels but of Menne Ye wil saie as the Pelagians did wherefore then doothe Christe saie Be ye Perfite Wherefore doothe S. Paule saie As many of vs as be Perfite c. Hereto S. Hierome answeareth thus Quid ergo sapimus imo quid sapere debemus qui Perfecti non sumus Imperfectos nos esse Confiteri nondum comprehendisse nec dun acccepisse Haec est hominis vera Sapientia imperfectum esse se nosse Atque vt ita loquar Cunctorum in Carne Iustorum Imperfecta Perfectio est VVhat then doo wee thinke or what ought wee to thinke that be not Perfite Wee ought to Confesse that vvee are Vnperfite and that wee haue not yet gotten nor taken that Perfection that is required This is the true wisedome of a Man to knowe him selfe to be Vnperfite And as I might saie the Perfection of al Iuste menne liuinge in the Pleashe is Vnperfite Againe he saithe Iusti appellantur non quòd omni Vitio careant sed quòd Maiori parte Virtutum commendentur They are called Juste menne not for that they be voide of al manner Sinne but for that they are furnisshed with the greatter parte of Vertues So likewise saithe S. Augustine Virtus quae nunc est in homine Iusto hactenus Perfecta nominatur vt ad eius Perfectionem pertineat etiam ipsius Imperfectionis in Veritate agnitio in humilitate Confessio The Vertue that is nowe in a iuste man so farre foorthe is called Perfite that it perteineth to the Perfection thereof bothe in truthe to knovve and in humilitie to Confesse that it is Vnperfite Againe he saithe Omnia mandata facta deputantur quando quicquid non fit ignoscitur Al the Commaundementes of God are accoumpted to be donne when that thinge that is not downe is forgeeuen To conclude he saithe Multùm in hac vita ille profecit qui quà m longè sit à Perfectione Iustitiae proficiendo cognouit He hathe mutche profited in this life that by his profitinge hathe learned howe farre he is from the Perfection of Righteousenesse Yet neuerthelesse wee maie truely vse S. Hieromes woordes vttered in the defence and right of this same cause Haec dicentes non adulamur vitijs sed Authoriratem sequimur Scripturarum quòd nullus homo sit absque Peccato Sed conclusit Deus omnia sub Peccato vt Omnium misereatur Notwithstandinge we saie thus yet wee flatter not Vices but wee folowe the Authoritie of the Scriptures that there is nothinge vvithout Sinne. But God hathe shutte vp al thinges vnder Sinne that he maie haue Mercie of Al. Againe he saithe Perspicuum est omnem hominem quamuis ad Perfectionem venerit tamen indigere Misericordia Dei plenam Perfectionem ex Gratia non ex Merito possidere It is moste certaine that euery man yea although hee be growen to Perfection yet needeth the Mercie of God and that he enioieth ful Perfection not of his ovvne Deseruinge but of Grace Euen so S. Augustine saithe Ipsa Iustitia nostra tanta est in hac vita vt potius peccatorum Remissione constet quà m Perfectione Virtutum Our very Righteousenesse it selfe is so greete in this Life that it standeth rather in Forgeeuenesse of Our Sinnes then in Perfection of Righteousenesse The Apologie Cap. 20. Diuision 1. Bisides though wee saie wee haue no meede at al by our owne woorkes and deedes but appointe al the meanes of Our Saluation to be in Christe alone yet saie we not that for this cause menne ought to liue loosely and dissolutely nor that it is yenough for a Christian to be Baptized onely and to Beleeue as though there were nothinge els required at his hande For True Faithe is liuely and can in no wise be idle Thus therefore teache wee the people that God hathe called vs not to folowe riot and wantonnesse but as S. Paule saithe vnto good vvoorkes to vvalke in them That we are deliuered from the Povver of Darkenesse to the end that vvee shoulde serue the Liuinge God to cutte awaie al the remnauntes of Sinne and to vvoorke Our Saluation in feare and tremblinge that it maie appeare that the Sprite of Sanctification is in Our Bodies and that Christe him selfe dwelleth in Our Hartes M. Hardinge VVith what face can these Defenders affirme that they teache the people to walke in good woorkes whereas beginninge the treatise of woorkes in this presente Apologie they saie that wee haue no helpe or aide in our woorkes and deedes For so their Latine woorde Praesidium doothe signifie whiche in the Englishe is tourned into Meede VVhat Maisters is this the waie to make menne woorke wel to tel them before hande that their woorkes be nothing worth and that they helpe them neuer a whitte VVhy then let the Labourers Prouerbe take place I had rather plaie for nothinge then woorke for nothinge Is there any Labourer so madde as to woorke for nothinge Firste ye tell the Labourers that there is no helpe for them in their woorkes and then ye crie vnto them to laboure yea forsoothe as harde as thei liste Is not this to mocke God and the
treasurie of the Popes breasâ—te it were absurde and vnreasonable Mary to saie that the Lawes reste in the Popes breaste after a certaine meaninge as hereafter shal be declared it is not altogeather beside truthe and reason But Sirs what if some meane writer or Gloser vpon the Canon Lawe speake somewhere out of square if al should be exactly tried by Scripture wil ye laie that to our charge Shal the Faithe of the Catholike Churche thereby be called in doubte and question VVe take not vpon vs to Defende al that yâ— Canonistes or SchoolemeÌ„ saie or write c. In this kinde or order be many things whiche may rather be called rules of maners then Principles or such as we terme Axiomata of our Faithe These although they be founde written in the Scripture for asmuche as they haue benne commaunded by an occasion and for some cause they maie for cause and occasion and as we finde in C. Lector for necessitie by Gods depute and Vicare be supplied holpen expounded And if the case so require he in the same for a certaine cause with a certaine persone for a certaine time with certaine circumstances maye dispense by the same spirite they were firste founded and instituted withal and with the same intention to witte for some speciall good and furtherance of Godlinesse Suche administration of Gods Lawe and suche dispensation thereof as of a precious Treasure not free or at Libertie and pleasure but an euen iuste and good dispensation they do attribute to Gods Vicare whome this Defender calleth the Popes Parasites Pages and Clawbackes him selfe a very Page Slaue and clawbacke to the Diuel The B. of Sarisburie Here M. Hardinge ye rome and wander goe masket as a man that were benighted and had loste his waie In somme cases ye saie the Pope maie dispense against Goddes VVoorde In somme cases he maie not Faine woulde ye for shame somewhat limite restraine his Immoderate Authoritie but ye knowe not where to laie the boundes Ye make smal accompte of your Schoole Doctoures and Canonistes that is to saie of the Principal Pillers of your Catholique Churche and thinke them not woorthy to be your guides How be it your laboure cannot al be loste For they wil thinke as light of you But for as mutche as ye saie they flatter not the Pope nor be his Pages or Parasites but speake roundely to him and tel him his owne it shal not be mutche amisse to herken a litle what they saie One of them saithe thus Papa potest Dispensare contra Ius Naturale The Pope maie Dispense againste the Lavve of Nature An other saith Papa Dispensat contra Canones Apostolorum The Pope Dispenseth against the Canons or Rules of the Apostles An other saithe Papa potest mutare formam Verborum in Baptismo The Pope maie change the fourme of VVoordes in Baptisme An other saithe Priuilegium dari potest contra Ius Diuinum The Popes Priuilege maie be graunted againste the Lavve of God An other saithe Papa ex Maxima Causa potest Dispensare contra Nouum TestamentuÌ„ The Pope vpon a very great cause maie dispense againste the Nevve Testamente An other saith Papa potest Dispensare de omnibus praeceptis veteris Noui Testamenti The Pope maie Dispense for any commaundemente of the Olde or Nevve Testamente An other saithe Papa potest Dispensare contra Epistolas Pauli The Pope maie Dispense againste the Epistles of S. Paule And somewhat to qualifie the outrage of the mater an other saithe Papa potest Dispensare contra Ius Diuinum in Particulari non in Vniuersali The Pope maie Dispense against the Lavve of God in Particulare not in General And againe Papa potest tollere Ius Diuinum ex Parte non in Totum The Pope maie abolishe the Lavve of God in parte but not in vvhole An other saithe Martinus Papa 5. Dispensauit cum quodam qui acceperat Germanam suam in Vxorem Pope Martine the. 5. dispensed with a man yâ— had taken to VVife his ovvne Sister Whether this reporte be true or false I referre mée selfe to the credite of the Authoure An other saith Papa potest Dispensare cum omnibus Personis nisi cum Patre Matre The Pope maie dispense vvith al Personnes touchinge Marriage sauinge onely vvith Father and Mother to Marrie or to be Married to theire Children An other saith Papa potest supra Ius Dispensare Et de Iniustitia potest facere IustitiaÌ„ Sententiam quae nulla est facere aliquam Et de nihilo facere aliquid The Pope maie dispense aboue the Lawe the Pope of VVronge maie make Right The Pope of no Sentence maie make a Sentence The Pope of nothinge maie make somme thinge The cause hereof as an other saith is this Quia Papa potest excepto Peccato quicquid Deus ipse potest Sinne onely excepted the Pope maie doo vvhat so euer God him selfe maie doo An other saithe Papa habet Authoritatem declarandi Scripturas ita vt non liceat oppositum tenere vel opinari The Pope hath Authoritie so to expounde and to declare the Scriptures that it maie not be lawful for any man to hold or to thinke the Contrarie For Cardinalis Cusanus saithe as it saide before Scripturae ad tempus adaptatae sunt variè intellectae ita vt vno tempore secunduÌ„ currenteÌ„ Vniuersalem ritum exponaÌ„tur mutato ritu iterum sententia mutetur The Scriptures are applied vnto the time and are diuersly derstanded so that at one time they are taken accordinge to the Vniuersal Currente order whiche order being changed the meaninge of the Scripture is changed too An other demaundeth a question Vtrùm Papa ex Plenitudine Potestatis possit omnia Whether the Pope by the Fulnesse of his Power maie doo al thinges An other saithe Si totus mundus sententict contra Papam videtur quòd standum esseâ— sententiae Papae If al the VVorlde vvoulde geue sentence contrarie to the Pope yet it seemeth vvee ought to stande to the sentence of the Pope These M. Hardinge by your Iudgemente are neither Pages nor Parasites but good sadde and earnest frendes sutche as loue roughly and plainely to vtter theire minde without flatterie This doubtelesse is it that Daniel so longe before Prophesied of him Dabitur illi os loquens grandia He shal haue a mouthe geuen him vtteringe greate and presumptuous maters For in déede notwithstandinge al this glorious glitteringe of painted Authoritie yet one of the Popes owne menne saithe Papa non potest facere de quadrato rotundum The Pope caÌ„not make a square thing rouÌ„de S. Bernarde saith An Regula non concordat cum Euangelio vel Apostolo Alioqui Regularam non est Regula quia non est recta Dooth not the Rule agree with the Gospel or with the Apostle Otherwise that Rule is no Rule at al for it is crooked it
is not streight And therefore Pope Zosimus in more sober wise saithe thus Contra Statuta Patrum condere aliquid vel mutare ne huius quidem Sedis Authoritas potest The Authoritie of this See cannot order or change any thinge contrarie to the orders of our Fathers Isidorus saithe Is qui praeest si praeter voluntatem vel praeter quod in Scripturis Sanctis euidenter Praecipitur vel dicitaliquid vel imperat tanquam Falsus Testis Dei Sacrilegus habeatur He that is in Authoritie if he speake or Commaunde any thinge besides the wil or meaninge of Goddes Woorde or otherwise then is expressely commaunded in the Scriptures let him be taken as a Churcherobber and as a false vvitnesse against God The Apologie Cap. 1. Diuision 3. Wee for our parte haue learned these thinges of Christe of the Apostles of the Deuoute Fathers and doo sincerely with good faithe teache the people of God the same Whiche thinge is the onely cause why wee at this daie are called Heretiques of the chiefe Prelate no doubte of Religion O immortal God hath Christe him selfe then the Apostles so many Fathers al at once gonne astraie Were then Origene Ambrose Augustine Chrysostome Gelasius Theodoretus foresakers of the Catholique Faithe Was so notable a consent of so many Auncient Bishoppes and Learned menne nothinge els but a conspiracie of Heretiques Or is that nowe condemned in vs whiche was then commended in them Or is the thing now by alteration onely of mennes affectioÌ„s sodainely becomme schismatique whiche in them was coumpted Catholique Or shal that whiche in times paste was vndoubtedly true now by and by bicause it liketh not these menne be Iudged false Let them then bringe foorth an other Gospel let them shewe the causes why these thinges whiche so longe haue openly benne obserued wel allowed in the Churche of God ought nowe in the ende to be called in againe Wee know wel yenough theâ— the same Woorde whiche was opened by Christe and spreadde abroade by the Apoistles is sufficiente bothe to our Saluation also to vphold mainteine al Truthe to confound al maÌ„ner of Heresie By that Woorde onely doo wee condemne al sortes of the Olde Heretiques whom these menne saie wee haue called out of Hel againe As for the Arians the EutychiaÌ„s the Marcionites the Ebionites the Valentinians the Carpocratians the Tatians the Nouatians and shortely al them whiche haue a wicked opinion either of God the Father or of Christe or of yâ— Holy Ghost or of any other pointe of Christian Religion for so mutche as they be confuted by the Gospel of Christe wee plainely pronounce them for destable damned Personnes and defie them euen vnto the Diuel Neither doo wee leaue them so but wee also seuerely and streitely hold them in by lawful and politique pounishementes if they fortune to breake out any where and bewraie them selues M. Hardinge VVe for our parte knowe as nowe we haue proued that ye haue not learned these thinges of Christe nor of the Apostles nor of the Fathers but of Luther Zwinglius Oecolampadius Caluine Peter Martyr Bucer and sutche other Apostates and that ye do moste falsely and wickedly leade the people into the Pitte with you And therefore ye are iustly condemned by the Churche and demed Heretikes c. How condemne ye the Donatistes seinge with them ye breake and throwe down the Holy Aulters of God on whiche as Optatus writeth the Body and Bloude of Christe was wonte to be laid c. The B. of Sarisburie Hereto M. Hardinge the whole grosse summe of your Answeare in effecte is this Ye Falsely and wickedly leade the people ye are Apostates ye are Heretiques ye are Impupudente and rebellious Children ye are Despisers of God Mockers of your Mother and peruerters of the Apostles ye vtter Lies ye speake blasphemies At the laste ye saie The Diuel dwelleth in our hartes as in his shoppe This is a hasty kinde of Logique M. Harding He muste needes be harde harted that wil not yelde to sutche Argumentes To leaue other your waste woordes of Vigilantius Iouinian Manichee Aërius and sutche others in the ende ye pronounce your Definitiue Sentence as a Iudge and condemne vs for Heretiques for that wée haue taken downe your Shoppes and gaineful Boothes whiche ye cal the Holy Aultars of God Verily this muste néedes be thought either extreme rigoure or greate folie of the remoninge of a stone to make an Heresie Sutche Heresies I trowe S. Augustine S. Ambrose Optatus and other Learned Fathers knewe but fewe Neither is there any good sufficiente reason to be shewed wherefore it should more be Heresie in vs to take downe your néedelesse and Superstitious Walles whiche ye had erected of your selues without Commission then it was lately in you to teare in sunder and to burne our Communion Tables in the erection and vse whereof wée had the vndoubted example bothe of Christe him selfe and also of the Aunciente Catholique Fathers I saie nothinge of your Crueltie in burninge so many Bibles and Bookes of Goddes Holy Woorde so many of your Bretherns Bodies so many Temples of the Holy Ghoste As for the Aultars whiche Optatus saithe the Donatistes brake downe they were certainely Tables of VVood sutche as wée haue and not Heapes of stones sutche as ye haue as in my Former Replie made vnto you it maie better appeare S. Augustine reportinge the same storie saithe the Donatistes in theire furie brake downe the Aultare Bourdes His woordes be these Lignis eiusdem Altaris effractis Likewise saithe Athanasius of the like furie of the Arians Subsellia Thronum Mensam Ligneam Tabulas Ecclesiae coetera quae poterant foras elata combusserunt They carried foorthe and burnte the Seates the Pulpite the VVoodden Bourde the Churche Tables and sutche other thinges as they coulde gâ—ate Touchinge your Stone Aultars Beatus Rhenanus saithe In nostris Basilicis Ararum Superaddititia structura nouitatem prae se sert In our Churches the buildinge vp of Aultars added to the reste declareth a noueltie Wée haue sutche Aultars M. Hardinge as Christe his Apostles S. Augustine Optatus and other Catholique and Holy Fathers had and vsed whoe 's examples to folowe wée neuer thought it to be sutche Heresie But Optatus saithe The Body and Bloude of Christe was woonte to be laide vpon the Aultare and with these woordes ye would faine affonne your simple Reader as if Christes Body laie there Really Fleashely Verily and in déede But ye should remember that S. Augustine saithe Sacramentum Corporis Christi secundum quendam modum Corpus Christi est Et Sacramentum Sanguinis Christi secundum quendam modum Sanguis Christi est The Sacramente of Christes Body not verily and in deede but after a certaine manner of speache is Christes Body and the Sacramente of Christes Bloude after a certaine manner of speache is the Bloude of Christe This manner of Speache
the Frenche Kinge the Kinge of Spaine or any other Prince for sufferinge them in their dominions It remaineth wee seeke whether they haue also the lowest and vilest place in that Citie or no lest perhaps although they be a necessarie euil yet beinge promoted aboue their degree they make an euil shewe in the body where they rest Their place maie be considered two waies in respect of the temporal or of the Ecclesiastical order or lawe For temporal order thus they stande Not to haue free libertie of dwellinge in the most haunted streetes and Palaices where them list but onely to be in suche corners and bylanes and smal outhouses as are most fitte shoppes for the vile marchandize of suche occupiers Againe they can not without a very great forfeit ride in Coches or Chariots as Matrones there doo but are constrained either to keepe their homely homes or to walke a foote in the streetes And then also by order they must be in suche apparel that as Iewe by theire red cappes so they by theire shorte vailes a note of dishonestie be knowen to al and be subiect to all shrewdnes of the boies of the streetes who vse commonly to mocke and reuile them And here I can not but mislike with that malice whiche appeareth to be in the makers of this Apologie For it is a vertue in the Prince to set greate burdens and paimentes vpon so filthy a profession to the ende he maie feare women from it and make them the soner weary of it c. In good soothe maisters ye are too yonge to controll the Cittie of Rome in her doinges Besides al this if in that sinneful state they continewe to their ende without repentance it is not lauful for them to make any testamente or last will for bestowinge of their goodes but as condemned and infamous persons they must leaue al to be confiscated and disposed at the Princes pleasure But on thother side if they turne and repent there are houses called Monasteries of the Conuertites and speciall prouision and discipline for them where they are taught howe to be waile their vnchaste life so sinnefully past ouer The B. of Sarisburie Touchinge the number of your Courteghianes of Rome whether they be twentie thousande or more or lesse wee wil not striue They be leased out in see farme The Popes rentes are alwaies certaine For Fornication is fineable in Rome and a goode â—aleable kinde of sinne But this you saie is an other Lie as false and as sclounderous as the reste For ye saie they paie no yeerely pension for theire sufferance in that trade of Life but onely the common taxes whiche are likewise raised vpon other Citizens Whether it be so or no M. Hardinge it is sufficiente for you so to saie Otherwise he that raiseth sutche fines vpon baudrie might wel bee thought to be the baude Howe be it your owne Doctours herein wil soone condemne you For thus it is written by them in your owne Glose Videtur quod crimen Meretricij Ecclesia sub dissimulatione transire debeat Nam Mareschallus Papae de facto exigit tributuÌ„ à Meretricibus It seemeth that the Churche ought to dissemble the fault of whooredome For the Popes Marshal in deede receiueth a tribute or pension of VVhoores Whereas ye saie Cornelius Agrippa was the first Authour of this sclaunder it is vntrue For your owne Glose laste before alleged auoucheth it by the Authoritie of Iohannes Andreas a notable Canoniste that liued welneare twoo hundred yeeres before Agrippa was borne And Nicolaus de Clauengijs that liued in the time of yâ— Emperour Sigismunde in his Booke intituled De Corrupto Ecclesiae statu hathe one special Chapter De Exactionibus pro concubinis tolerandis Of Exactions for the sufferinge of Concubines But al this ye wipe awaie easily with one woorde For ye saie The Courteghianes in Rome paie these impositions not as a portion of theire vnthrifty gaistes but onely as a pounishemente for theire wicked life For it is not laweful there to commit sinne freely without paiemente And thus is the mater wel defended So it is noted vpon your Decrees Quòd dicitur Sacerdos non potest percipere mercedem prostibuli potest dici quòd non debet recipi Oblatio Meretricis licet Eleemosyna possit inde fieri Whereas it is saide The Prieste maie not receiue the revvarde or Oblation of the Stevves wee maie saie that the Oblation of an Harloâ— maie not be receiued notwithstandinge wee maie make an almouse of the same That is to saie A Harlottes monie maie be taken by yâ— waie of Almouse but not by the waie of Oblation Thus are wee taught and it behooueth vs to beleeue that the Pope maie liue not by the Oblations of the Courteghianes but by theire Almouse Nowe for as mutche as M. Hardinge woulde so faine haue this mater to passe by the name of a pounishemente of these il weémenne I beseeche thee good Reader to consider howe greeuousely and with what extremitie and rigoure of Lawe they haue diuised to haue them pounished In a Prouincial Councel holden at Oxforde it is written thus Concubinae Sacerdotum moneantur ab Archidiacono c. Let Priestes Concubines be vvarned by the Archedeacon c. If they vvil not amende then let them be forebidden to Kisse the Pax and to take Holy Breade in the Churche With sutche extremitie and crueltie they keepe the people from dooinge il It was neither for your profession M. Hardinge nor for your grauitie to become a Proctoure for the Stevves Although it might wel becomme Leontium an Heathen Courteghiane of lewde conditions that wai to bestow her witte and Eloquence againste Theophrastus in the defence of that filthy state yet may not the same likewise becomme a Christian man and a professoure of Diuinitie Ye cal your Courteghianes a Necessarie Euil but by what Authoritie of the Scriptures I cannot tel That the whole trade and life of them is il we take it as your graunte But that thei be Necessarie in any Christian Common wealth I recken it very harde for you to proue Yee allege the heate of the Countrie as if that weere a sufficiente warrante for your Stewes And yet I trowe the towne of Louaine and the Countrie of Brabante where ye nowe inhabite is not so hote The heates of Ievvrie are thought farre to passe al the heates of Italie Yet God saithe vnto the Ievves Non erit vlla Meretrix de filiabus Israel nec Scortator de filijs Israel There shal be no Whoore of the Daughters of Israel Nor Whoorekeeper of the Sonnes of Israel And euen nowe where so euer the Gospel of Christe is openly and freely receiued notwithstandinge the heate of the Countrie your Stewes and Bordelles flee awaie as the night clowdes before the Sonne But after that your Priestes were once forbidden laweful Marriage then was it needeful that your
qui non sunt veriti Scripturarum auctoritate Scripturis auctoritatem omnem detrahere En quò perduxit rem tandem Saranas A certaine newe kinde of Prophetes is risen who sticke not by the Authoritie of Scriptures to take away al auctoritie from Scriptures See whither at the length the Deuill hath brought the matter Now afterwarde expoundinge this matter more at large he declareth the Capitaine of that Heresie to haue benne Zwenkfeldius He sheweth that by a Texte of Scripture where Dauid saithe I will heare what our Lorde speaketh in me Zwenkfeldius wente aboute to wil men to heare what God telleth euery man by inspiration rather then to geue attendance to the written woorde of God And whiles Hosius reporteth what Zwenkfeldius saide for the maintenance of his fonde Heresie amonge other his woordes these are which be brought in this Apologie against Hosius and againste the Catholikes whereas it is neither Hosius nor any Catholike that speaketh them but onely Zwenkfeldius him selfe Hitherto we haue shewed that the woordes alleaged in the Apologie vnder the name of Hosius make neither againste him nor against vs as not beinge his woordes nor ours but onely the woordes of Zwenkfeldius VVell what credite maie we geue to this man in expoundinge the VVoorde of God whose true meaninge he maie falsisie at his pleasure because we can not bringe foorthe God him selfe to declare his woordes seeinge he dareth to burthen Hosius with these woordes whiche Hosius him selfe beinge yet aliue can declare to haue another meaninge as the Booke it selfe doothe witnesse to all that liste to reade the same This was a greate faulte to impure so horrible an Heresie to Hosius vniustly This was a greate ignorance to charge him with that Heresie whiche he refuteth and impugneth They are greate crimes and yet suche as might riâ—e of misreporte and ignorance But when he was tolde of them he shoulde of reason haue corrected them He should haue repented with Peter and not despaired with Cain and Iudas But what did he when he vnderstoode he had erred He addeth a Glose farre more malicious then the former errour was For graunâ—inge that Hosius setteth out the matter so as though neither he nor any of his side but the Heretikes Zwenkfeldians spake so this not withstandinge he burtheneth bothe him and the Catholikes with it saieinge that he dissembleth and hideth what he is Syr was this the waie to amende your faulte to graunt that Hosius spake against the Zwenkfeldians and yet to beare men in hande he fauoured them If he had fauoured their Heresie what needed he to refell it But how saie you that Hosius dissembleth and hideth what he is sith that euen here in two places in moste plaine woordes you laie the Zwenkfeldian Heresie to his charge Reade your owne Booke Before the allegation of Zwenkfeldius Heresie saie you not thus VVe saithe he will bid away c. And after the allegation haue you not these woordes This is Hosius saieinge How standeth all this togeather You haue forgotten the Prouerbe that biddeth a lier to be mindefull I can not tell howe to name this kinde of your dealinge lieinge or detraction slaunderinge or malicious speakinge But Sir if Hosius haue spoken euill why geue you not witnesse against him of euill If he haue spoken well euen by your owne confession in reputinge the Zwenkfeldians for Heretikes why finde you faulte with him for his good woordes suche I saie as your selfe confesse to be good You reprooue him who speaketh not against Zwenkfeldius and againe you graunt he speaketh against him and yet because you had once reproued him you will contine we in it without reason learninge or witte But it must needes so be for without pertinacie no man is either a perfite Heretike or a perfite slaunderer If yet you stande in Defence of it all the worlde will accompte you for a desperate persone For no man that euer sawe Hosius woorkes can thinke that he was gilty of that you burthen him with But some man might thinke you were deceiued and mistooke Hosius But sith you graunt you doo not now mistake him and yet charge him with auouchinge that whiche he holdeth for Heresie he that vnderstandeth thus muche of you maye assure him selfe that you are disposed to belie and slaunder Hosius though it coste you the damnation of your Soule For shame man repente and reuoke that for whiche your owne conscience stinteth not to barke at you But Hosius saie they peraduenture will not allowe the woordes of Zuenkfeldius yet he doothe not disallowe the meaninge of the woordes VVell and clerkely reasoned As though woordes were allowed or disallowed for any other so principall a cause as for theire meaninge And therefore he that disalloweth woordes hath muche more disallowed the meaninge of them Yet saie they of the Holy Communion vnder Bothe Kindes he reiecteth the plaine woordes of Christe as Deade and colde Elementes Verely a man mighte thinke this Booke was set foorthe by some ennemie of our newe Englishe Clergie it is so mutche to their defacinge had not theÌ„selues at diuerse times acknowleged it for a whelpe of their owne littour A maÌ„ for his life can not finde one leafe in it without many Lies The B. of Sarisburie I cannot greately blame you M. Hardinge though yée shewe your selfe hote and vehement in defence of Hosius For of him you and somme of your Felowes maie saie as Carneades saide sommetime of Chrysippus Nisi Chrysippus fuisset ego non essem If Chrysippus had not benne then had I neuer benne For had not Hosius benne good vnto you and spared you parte of his furniture sutche as it was your Diuinitie had benne ful bare Ye saie wée reade neither the Olde Writers nor the Newe but are vtterly ignorante and voide of al learninge and in respecte of the Beames of your knowlege knowe nothinge It were a very ambitious and a childishe vanitie to make vauntes of Learninge For as motche as ye seeme desirous of the same of greate Readinge ye shal haue the whole praise and glorie of it M. Hardinge without contention Wée wil rather saie with S. Paule Wee knowe nothinge but onely Iesus Christe Crucified vpon his Crosse Yet notwithstandinge wée are neither so ignorant nor so idle but that wee are hable and haue leasure to reade as wel the Olde Doctours the Fathers of the Churche as also your lighte vnciuile Pamflettes and blotted Papers whiche God wote in al respectes are very Newe And for either of them wee are mutche ashamed in your behalfe For the Olde Doctours Fathers to see them of your parte either of wilfulnesse or of forgeatefulnesse or of ignorance so fowly misused of your owne Papers Nouelties to see them with vntruthe and other vncourteous speache so fully freighted But touchinge Hosius yée condemne vs vtterly either of ignorance or of malice For the woordes wherein wée finde sutche faulte were vttered by him as you saie not as any parte of
that meanes Heretiques fal into Erroure S Augustine saithe Omne Figuratè aut factum aut dictum hoc enuntiat quod Significat Euery thinge that is either donne or spoken in a Figure sheweth foorth the same thinge that it Signifieth S. Hierome saithe Ne puremus in Verbis Scripturarum esse Euangelium sed in Sensu Let vs not thinke that the Gospel standeth in the VVoordes of the Scripture but in the Meaninge Againe he saithe Cùm Seniores putentur in Ecclesijs Principes Sacerdotum Simplicem sequentes Literam occidunt Filium Dei Whereas thei be taken for the Elders of the Churche and the Chiefe of the Priestes folowinge the Plaine Letter as it is written and not regardinge the meaninge they kille the Sonne of God Let vs sée therefore in what sense the Holy Catholique Fathers haue in Olde times expounded these Woordes of Christe First Tertullian saithe thus Christus acceptum Panem distributum Discipulis Corpus suum illum fecit Hoc est Corpus meum hoc est Figura Corporis mei Christe taking the Breade and diuiding it to his Disciples made it his Body saieing This is my Body that is to saie This is a Figure of my Body S. Augustine saith Non dubitauit Dominus dicere Hoc est Corpus meum cùm daret Signum Corporis sui Our Lorde doubted not to saie This is my Body when he gaue a Token of his Body I leaue infinite other Authorities to like pourpose By these fewe we maie easily perceiue in what sense the Holy Fathers in Olde time vnderstoode these Wordes of Christe This is my Body Yet were thei neuer therefore condemned of Heresie nor thought to denie any parcel of the Scriptures S. Augustine saith Solet res quae Significat eius rei nomine quam Significat nūcupari Hinc est quod dictum est Petra erat Christus Non enim dicit Petra Significat Christum Sed tanquam hoc esset quoód vtique per Substantiam non erat sed per Significationē The thinge that Signifieth is Commonly called by the name of that thinge that it Signifieth Therefore is it that S. Paule saithe The Rocke vvas Christe For he saithe not The Rocke signified Christe but The Rocke is Christe As if the Rocke had benne Christe in deede whereas touchinge the Substance it was not so but so it was by Signification In this sorte is the Breade Christes Body not verily and in déede but as S. Augustine saithe after a certaine phrase or manner of speache And so is it noted euen in your owne Glose Vocatur Corpus Christi id est Significat Corpus Christi The Breade is called the Body of Christe that is to saie The Breade Signifieth the Body of Christe Thus wée denie not Christes Woordes M. Hardinge But we denie the fonde and fantastical senses that you haue imagined of Christes VVoordes Therefore where you allege these woordes as spoken by S. Augustine He is a burner of the Scriptures that consenteth not vnto the Scriptures Yée might haue remembred that the same S. Augustine likewise saithe Ille credatur Testamentum tradidisse flammis qui contra Voluntatem litigat Testatoris He is to be thought to haue deliuered the Testamente to the fire that quarrelleth as you doo againste the wil and meaninge of him that made the Testamente S. Gregorie saithe Facilè in verbis agnoscimus aliud esse quod intimant aliud quod sonant Tanto ' autem quisque notitiae illius Extraneus redditur quāto ' in Sola eius Superficie ligatur In wordes wee doo wel perceiue that there is one thing that they Signifie and an other thing that they sound And the more a man bindeth him selfe to the ovvtvvarde sight and shevve of the Letter the further of is he from the vnderstandinge of the same The obiection of difference that ye make bitwéene S. Iames and S. Paule S. Augustine saithe is made by thē y◠vnderstand neither S. Iames nor S. Paule The whole force thereof is answeared before It is easy to sée that S. Paule speaketh of one Kinde of VVoorkes and S. Iames of an other againe S. Paule of one kinde of Iustification and S. Iames of an other Therefore this difference is soone auoided Certainely wee denie neither S. Paule nor S. Iames nor thinke the one of them to be contrarie to the other Touchinge the Woordes of Christe that ye haue alleged out of S. Iohn it appeareth ye were in somme baste and therefore were faine to take that came firste to hande For I wil not saie M. Hardinge what Doctoure or Father but what drifte or discretion of Common sense euer taught you to reason thus Christe saithe He that Eateth of this Breade shal liue for euer Ergo The people muste receiue the Communion vnder One kinde Freere Eckius your Felow reasoneth with like discretion to like pourpose Geue vs saithe he our daily Breade Ergo VVee maie restraine the people from the Cuppe Perhaps ye wil saie The name of Breade belongeth to Eatinge onely and not to Drinkinge This maie be graunted wel without preiudice Notwithstandinge S. Cyprian doubted not to saie Manducauerunt Biberunt de eodem Pane They did bothe Eate and Drinke of one Breade And againe he saithe Manducamus Bibimus eius Sanguinem Wee Eate and Drinke his Bloude How be it in déede these woordes of Christe in the sixthe of S. Iohn belonge onely to the Spiritual Eatinge and drinkinge of Christes Body and Bloude that is wrought not by the Mouthe but onely by Faith and nothinge to the outward Ministration of the Sacramente Your owne Doctoure Nicolas Lyra saith Haec verba nihil directè pertinent ad Sacramentalem vel Corporalem Manducationem Nam hoc verbum dictum fuit antequam Sacramentum Eucharistiae esset institutum Ex illa igitur Litera de Sacramentali Communione non potest fieri Argumentum efficax These Woordes of Christe in the sixth Chapter of S. Iohn directely perteine nothing to the Sacramental or Corporal Eatinge For these woordes were spoken longe before the Sacramente was ordeined Therefore of this place there can be made no good sufficiente Argumente touching the Sacramental Communion You saie your proufe taken of these woordes is sufficient therewith ye deceiue the Ignorant Lyra saithe It is not sufficient Now let your indifferente Reader Iudge whether of you twoo is deceiued And whereas ye woulde seeme to saie Christe gaue no Commaundemente of Bothe kindes to be receiued of the people Euen so and with lyke truethe yee might also saie Christe gaue no Commaundemente no not of one kinde at al to be receiued of the people For there was no man present but onely the Apostles at the Institution as wel of the one kinde as of the other Therefore that the people maie claime any one parte of the Sacramente they haue it not of any right but onely of youre mere and
Authoritie of the Scriptures be remoued that eche man maie be leadde by his owne fantasie what he liste either to allowe in the Holy Scriptures or to disallowe that is to saie that he submitte not him selfe touchinge his Faithe to the Authoritie of the Scriptures but that he make the Scriptures subiecte vnto him Not that he wil allowe any thing bicause it is written in that high Authoritie of the Scriptures but that he wil thinke it wel written bicause he alloweth it By meane hereof it commeth to passe that S. Hilarie writeth Qui quae scripta sunt negas quid superest nisi vt quae non scripta sunt probes For as muche as thou deniest the thinges that be written what remaineth there but that thou muste allowe the thinges that be not written Concerninge the Authoritie and Credite of Councelles wee shal haue cause to saie more hereafter But where ye require but a man of common sense to sitte as Iudge in this cause it appeareth that either ye remember not or els ye weighe not that ye immediately said before For in this selfe same Chapter ye saie The people maie not iudge of theire Bishoppes and that as ye tel vs by Christes own Doctrine For the Scholar is not aboue his Maister Yet now suddainely as hauinge foregotten youre owne woordes ye cal foorthe the Scholare yea and as it maie be thought one of the meanest of al youre Schole as a man onely endewed with common sense to sitte in Iudgement ouer his Maister Notwithstandinge God is no accepter of personnes Goddes Holy Sprite is not bounde to Councelles or Companies but breatheth freely where it listeth And therefore as youre owne Doctour Panormitane saithe in Cases of Religion the Iudgement of one Simple plaine man ought sommetimes to bee receiued before the Iudgemente of the Pope Here endeth the Fourth Parte The Fifthe Parte The Apologie Cap. 1. Diuision 1. BVt here I looke they wil saie though they haue not the Scriptures yet it maie chaunce they haue the Auncient Doctours and the Holy Fathers with them For this is a high bragge they haue euer made howe that al Antiquitie a Continual Consent of al ages dooth make on their side and that al our cases be but Newe and yester daies woorke and vntil these fewe late yeeres were neuer hearde of Questionlesse there can nothing be more spitefully spoken against the Religion of God then to accuse it of Noueltie as a mater lately founde out For as there can be no chaunge in God him selfe so ought there to be no chaunge in his Religion Yet neuerthelesse we wote not by what meanes but we haue euer seene it come so to passe from the firste beginninge that as often as God did geeue but somme light did open his Truthe vnto menne though the Truthe were not onely of greatest Antiquitie but also frō Euerlasting yet of wicked menne of the Aduersaries it was called Newfangled and of late diuised That vngraceous and bloudthirsty Haman when he sought to procure the kinge Assuerus displeasure against the Ievves this was his accusation to him Thou hast here saithe he a kinde of people that vseth certaine nevve Lavves of their ovvne but stifnecked and rebellious againste al thy Lavves When Paule also began firste to preache and expounde the Gospel at Athenes he was called a tidinges bringer of Nevve Goddes as mutche to saie as of a Nevve Religion For saide the Athenians maie wee not knowe of thee what Nevve Doctrine this is Celsus likewise when he of set pourpose wrote againste Christe to the ende he might more scornefully scoffe out the Gospel by the name of Noueltie VVhat saithe he hath God after so many ages novve at laste and so late bethought him selfe Eusebius also writeth that the Christian Religion from the beginning for very spite was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saie Nevve and Strange After like sorte these menne condemne al our maters as Strange and Nevve but they wil haue their owne whatsoeuer they are to be praised as thinges of longe continuance M. Hardinge They had saide somme what if they had proued that the doctrine of Christe had benne called nowe by them who were the professours and folowers of it But nowe reportinge that the Gentils who knewe not God as A man as the Athenians as Celsus the Ethnike and suche the like called the right and true Religion of God newe they saie nothing to any purpose But let them shewe that before the comminge of Christe any suche Religion was allowed that was newe Or that sithens Christes incarnation amonge Christian menne what so euer Religion was not shunned and reiected as heretical whiche was newe Here are they domme And yet for shewe of learning in a matter not necessarie they bringe foorth their store and declare that the doctrine and Religion of truthe was newe to them whiche knewe not God nor Christe the sonne of God whiche no man denieth Thus al menne of any iudgement maie see how fondly they reason VVe tel them that al nevve doctrine nowe in the Churche of Christe is naught and they proue that infidels haue in the time of Moses lawe and at the first preachinge of the Gospel impugned Goddes euerlastinge truthe with the odious terme and reproche of newnes Newe doctrine was good to vs at our firste conuersion from infidelitie But since that we receiued the true faithe from S. Gregorie the Bishop of Rome who conuerted the Realme of Englande to the faithe by S Augustine his legate and others sent for that godly purpose worthely we shunne and abhorre al new Gospels new faithes new doctrines new religions The B. of Sarisburie The Truthe of God neither is furthered by the face of Antiquitie nor hindered by the opinion of Noueltie For oftentimes the thinge that in deede is Nevve is commended as Olde and the thinge that in dede is Olde is condemned as Nevve If Nevvnesse in Religion in al respectes and euery waie were il Christe would not haue resembled his Doctrine to Nevve VVine nor woulde he haue saide to his Disciples I geue you a Nevve Commaundemente Neither woulde he haue called the Cuppe of Thankesgeuinge The Nevve Testamente in his Bloude Arnobius saithe Religionis Authoritas non est tempore aestimanda sed numine nec quo die sed quid colere coeperis intueri conuenit Quod Verum est Serum non est The Authoritie of Religion muste be weighed by God and not by time It behoueth vs to consider not vpon what daie but what thinge wee beganne to worship The thinge that is true is neuer too late S. Augustine saithe Quod Anterius est inquiunt Ethnici falsum esse non potest Quasi Antiquitas Vetus Consuetudo praeiudicet Veritati The Heathens saie The Religion that was firste can not be false As though Antiquitie and Olde Custome coulde preuaile againste the Truethe Againe he saithe Nec dici
sutche a one knowe that Pope Iulius doothe eâ—idently forebidde that a Priest in ministring the Communion should dippe the Bread in the Cuppe These menne contrarie to Pope Iulius Decree diuide the Breade and dippe it in the wine M. Hardinge Ye maie be sure many men thinke this your homely stuffe not onely weake and slender but also corrupt venemous and lothsome But nowe by like ye wil amende your faulte But how Surely by going from very euil to as bad or worse if ye can do worse then hitherto ye haue donne Iulius the Pope saie ye doth euidently forbidde that a Prieste in Ministringe the Communion shoulde dippe the Breade in the Cuppe Nowe verely your former fault of lieing is wel amended For where before ye best out cast in or changed some of those wordes whiche ye pretende to alleage nowe ye make euery whit newe of your owne VVhere hath Iulius these woorde I speake not of your false alleaging of places in your Bookes margent I forgeue you the puttinge of Cum enim nemo in stede of cum omne These be smal and slipper faulies which if thei were alone might be wincked at in such slipper merchaÌ„tes as ye are But let vs heare what Pope Iulius saith Alios quoque audiuimus intinctaÌ„ EucharistiaÌ„ populis pro complemeÌ„to coÌ„munionis porrigere VVe haue hearde also of others who geue to the people the Euchariste dipped or stiped for makinge vp of the Communion It is to be vnderstanded that whereas Christe gaue the blessed Sacrament of the Aulier to his Apostles he gaue it vnder both kindes And when the Priestes in some countries either for lacke of wine at al times ready either for somme priuate fansie vsed to dippe or stipe the sacred body of our Lord vnder forme of Breade in the consecrated bloude and so to geue it to the people Pope Iulius findeth faulte therewith for that neither Christe ordeined so nor the Apostles lefte sutche order to the Churche So that Iulius meaneth nothinge els but to reproue and reforme that vse of dippinge or stiping the one kind in the other in the Administration of the Communion vnto the people Reade the place who listeth he shal finde the same sense more largely vttered a litle after But what sense make these Defenders a Gods name They saie Iulius forebiddeth the Prieste ne dum peragit mysteria panem immegat in Calicem that in ministringe the communion so the lady tourneth he shoulde dippe the Breade in the Cuppe There is no sutche word in the wholde decree Iulius nameth Eucharistiam they cal it Breade Iulius hath intinctam porrigere populis that no Prieste ‡ geue the Sacrament dipped to the people they leauing out geuing it to the people saie he forbad the Prieste to dippe it They leaue out also the chiefe cause of the whole whiche is pro complemento communionis for making vp of the communion For he for ebiddeth to geue vnto the people onely the coÌ„secrated hoste dipped in the Chalice as though it were the whole CoÌ„munion nolesse then if the Bloude were geuen aparte These men saie they contrary to the decree of Pope Iulius diuide the Bread and dippe it in the wine VVe in the Masse breake the hoste in three partes not without signification of a Mysterie two we receiue aparte the thirde we put into the Chalice and receiue it togeather with the bloude VVhal haue ye to saie againste this The B. of Sarisburie Euery parte hereof is largely answeard in my Former Replie to M. Hardinge True it is the faulte that Iulius here findeth in Dippinge and Ministring the Sacrament agréeth not fully with the present disorders of the Churche of Rome Yet notwithstanding in condemning the one he muste néedes condemne the other Ye saie wée leaue out these woordes Intinctam porrigunt Eucharistiam populis They dippe the Sacramente and deliuer the same vnto the people And againe these woordes Pro complemento Communionis For the accomplishemente of the Communion The more matter wée haue leafte out the more haue wée conceled your faultes and so mutche yâ— more are you beholden to vs. For what meante you M. Harding to mention any of al these woordes What néeded you to burthen your selfe with moe Abuses and so mutche to bewraie your folie Iulius saithe They dipped the Sacramente into the Cuppe and deliuered it vnto the people You dippe the Sacramente as they did but vnto the people ye géeue nothinge Iulius saithe They meante by dippinge to make it a ful and a perfite Communion Contrariewise you defraude the people of the Holy Cuppe and deliuer them onely the Halfe Communion And therefore ye are mutche more blame woorthy then euer were they whom Iulius reproued For they offended onely of Simplicitie and you of wilfulnesse But touchinge the matter it selfe the faulte that wée finde with you and the faulte that Iulius founde with others your Predecessours is al one You dippe the Breade into the Cuppe so did they They brake Christes Institution and so doo you And therefore Iulius saide vnto them Hoc quà m sit Apostolicae Euangelicae Doctrinae coÌ„trarium consuetudini Ecclesiasticae aduersum non difficilè ab ipso Fonte Veritatis probatur à quo ordinata ipsa Sacramentorum Mysteria processerunt Howe far contrarie this is to the Apostolical and Euangelical Doctrine and to the Custome of the Churche it is easy to proue by the Fountaine of the Truthe by whom the Mysteries of the Sacramentes were ordeined and from whom they firste proceeded Ye thinke the mater wel discharged for that ye deliuer not the Sacramente so dipped vnto the people but minister it onely vnto your selfe Here by the waie it were a mater of skil to vnderstande by what Authoritie either of scripture or of Councel or of Doctoure it maie appeare that it is lawful for the Prieste so to vse and receiue the Sacramente and vnlawful for the people If the people maie not as safely and as lawfully so receiue the Sacramente as maie the Prieste wherefore theÌ„ are these woordes written in your Masse Bookes euen in yâ— Canon Secretes of your Masse Haec Sacrosancta Commixtio Corporis Sanguinis Domini nostri Iesu Christi fiat mihi omnibus sumentibus salus animae Corporis This Holy minglinge of the Body and Bloude of our Lorde Iesus Christe be vnto me and vnto al that receiue it the health of Soule and Body Verily these woordes Omnibus sumentibus cannot by any shifte possibly be expounded of One Onely Prieste but muste néedes be extended vnto the people Yée woulde faine tel vs of certaine special Mysteries that ye haue founde out in yâ— Breakinge of the Sacramente if ye wiste what thei were But ye are in case as sommâ—time was Nabuchodonozor Yee are not hable wel to tel vs your own dreame Sammetime ye saie The Breade is broken sommetime ye saie The Accidentes remaine alone by Miracle and they are broken Sommetime ye
of him selfe but of Freere Eckius that disputed against him Eckius and his felowes neuer beganne this mater for Goddes sake nor for Goddes sake wil they ende it For he sawe they had begonne were bente to ende it againste God as beinge enflamed with ambition and malice and procured and hired by the Pope Euen so M. Hardinge maie wée also truely saie You and your Felowes haue not begonne these your Contentious Vanities for Goddes sake nor for Goddes sake wil you ende them The Apologie Cap. 16. Diuision 8. Wherefore if thei wil weigh al these thinges with a quiet minde fully bente to heare to learne thei wil not onely allowe this determination of ours whoe haue foresaken Errours folowed Christe and his Apostles but themselues also wil foresake their owne selues and ioine of theire owne accorde to our side to goe with vs. Here endeth the Fifthe Parte The Sixthe Parte The Apologie Cap. 1. Diuision 1. BVt peraduenture they wil saie it was treason to attempt these maters without a sacred General Councel For that therein consisteth the whole force of the Churche there Christe hath promised he wil euer be a presente assistant Yet they themselues without tarrienge for any General Councel haue broken the Commaundementes of God and the Decrees of the Apostles and as wee said a little aboue they haue spoiled and disanulled almoste al not onely the Ordinaunces but euen the Doctrine of the Primitiue Churche And where they saie It is not lawful to make a chaunge without a Councel what was he that gaue vs these Lawes or from whence had they this Iniunction M. Hardinge If general Councels continewe in that estimation and Auctoritie they haue euer had theire priuate conspiracies and false conueiances in corners be like to be dasshed Nowe priâ—keth foorth theire Secretary who thinketh him self a fresh souldier in Rhetorike and geueth the onsette vpon vs with a blinde peraduenture But Sir what so euer you imagine vs to saie touchinge a General Councel we are not so simple as to graunt whiche your Peraduenture semeth to surmise of vs that your Heretical and moste vngodly matters whiche you speake of might without blame be attempted by licence of any Councel Sutche wicked changes in religion as ye haue made neither is it lawful to make with a Councel nor without a Councel The Apologie Cap. 1. Diuision 2. In deede King Agesilaus did but fondely who when he had a determinate answeare made him of the opinion and wil of mighty Iuppiter woulde afterwarde bringe the whole matter before Apollo to knowe whether he woulde allowe thereof as his Father Iuppiter had donne or no. But yet shoulde wee doo mutche more fondely when we heare God him selfe plainely speake to vs in his most Holy Scriptures and maie vnderstande by them his wil and meaninge if wee would afterwarde as though this were of none effecte bring our whole cause to be tried by a Councel which were nothinge els but to aske whether menne would allowe as God did and whether menne woulde confirme Goddes Commaundemente by theire Authoritie M. Hardinge For as mutche as the scriptures wherein God speaketh vnto vs be in sundrie places not moste open and plaine to humaine senses and many by mistakinge them be deceiued were it not wel done of you for the more suretie and better vnderstandinge of that ye goe about I meane in matters concerninge religion to folowe the iudgemente of the Catholike Churche represented in general councels Yea we saie boldely that surer it is in pointes of faithe to leane to the exposition of the Fathers agreinge togeather and to folowe the tradition of the Churche then to trust to your selues or to the letter of the scriptures scanned onely by your owne wittes For the Churche is promised to be lead into al Truthe by the holy Ghost Ye cannot saie any such promise hath ben made to your particulare company Therefore it were not fondly done as ye saie but wisely saie we if ye tried and examined your Doctrine which ye pretende to be according vnto the Scriptures by the rule of Ecclesiastical Tradition which is the chiefe rule to trie euery Doctrine by The B. of Sarisburie Wée neuer despised the iudgemente of the Learned and Holy Fathers but rather take them and embrace them as the Witnesses of Goddes Truthe And therein wée finde you the more blame woorthy M. Hardinge for that hauinge without cause renounced the iudgemente and orders of the Primitiue Churche and Anciente Fathers as to the wise and Learned it maie soone appeare yet neuerthelesse yée euermore make vaunte of your Antiquitie and fraie the world with a visarde of the Churche a shewe of Olde Fathers as if a poore Sommonere that had loste his Commission would serue Citations by the vertue of his emptie bore And thus haue ye set al your vaine fantasies in place of Goddes Churche and your Churche in place of God as by the woordes and witnesse of your owne Felowes I haue before shewed more at large For example Cardinal Cusanus saith Nulla sunt Christi Praecepta nisi quae per Ecclesiam pro talibus accepta sunt The Commaundementes of Christe are no Commaundementes Onlesse they be so allowed by the Churche Thus yée leaue Iuppiter and renne to Apollo or rather yée foresake God séeke to Man as it is written in the Prophete Hieremie Yee leaue the Fountaine of the Water of Life and rippe vp broken and filthy Cesternes that can holde no Water Tertullian thus vpbraideth the Heathens Apud vos de humano arbitratu Diuinitas pensitatur Emonge you the right of God is weighed by the iudgemente of menne But Clemens Alexandrinus saithe Quoniam ipsum Verbum ad nos venit de Coelo noÌ„ est nobis ampliùs eundum ad Humanam Doctrinam For so mutche as the Worde it selfe that is Christe is comme to vs from Heauen wee maie not nowe any more seeke vnto the Doctrine of Man Likewise S. Chrysostome saithe Fuisset extremae absurditatis eum qui edoctus fuerat à Deo postea cum hominibus communicate It had benne greate folie for S. Paule hauing receiued his Doctrine from God him selfe afterward to conferre thereof with menne that is to saie with Peter or Iames or with any others The Apologie Cap. 1. Diuision 3. Why I beseche you except a Councel wil and commaunde shal not Truthe be Truthe or God be God If Christe had meante to doo so from the beginninge as that he woulde preache or teache nothinge without the Bishoppes consente but referre al this Doctrine ouer to Annas Caiphas where shoulde nowe haue benne the Christian Faithe Or who at any time shoulde haue hearde the Gospel taught Peter verily whom the Pope hath oftener in his mouthe more reuerently vseth to speake of then he dooth of Iesus Christe did boldely stand against the Holy Councel saieing It is better to obey God then Men. And after yâ— Paule
swaie of Authoritie doo wreaste the Scriptures which thing as camotensis saith is an vsual custome with the Popes Howe if he haue renounced the Faithe of christe becoÌ„me an Apostata as Lyranus saithe many Popes haue benne And yet for al this shal the Holy Ghoste with turninge of a hande knocke at his breaste and euen whether he wil or no yea and wholy againste his wil kindle him a light so as he maie not erre Shal he streight waie be the Headespring of al Right and shal al the treasures of Wisdome Vnderstanding be found in him as it were laide vp in stoare Or if these thinges be not in him can he geeue a right and apte iudgemente of so weighty maters Or if he be not hable to iudge woulde he haue that those maters shoulde be brought before him alone M. Hardinge To your howe ifs and what ifs I coulde sone make an answeare by the contrary And Sir how if the Pope haue sene al these thinges the Scriptures Fathers and Councels VVhat haue you then to saie Is not your tale then at an ende VVere your matter good and your selfe wise you woulde nor so commonly vse that weake kirde of reasoning But to a number of your how ifs and what ifs for the readers sake to put awaie al seruple I geue you this answeare Gods wisedome as the Scripture saithe disposeth al thinges sweetly and in one instant forseeth the ende and meanes that be necessary to the end If he promise any man life euerlasting withal he geueth him grace also to do good dedes whereby to obteine the same VVhom he hath glorified saith S. Paule theÌ„ he hath iustified and called So whereas he hath by force of his praier made to the Father promised to Peter and for the safetie of the Churche to euery Peters Successour that his faithe shal not faile and therfore hath willed him to confirme his brethren that is to remoue al doubtes and errours from them we are assured he wil geue him sutche witte diligence learninge and vnderstandinge as this firmnes and infallibilitie of faithe and confirminge of brethren requireth Shal we stande in doubte whether that happeneth in thinges supernatural whiche we see to be in thinges natural that who geueth the ende he geueth also thinges that perteine to the atteininge of the ende If God woulde promise vs abundance of corne for the nexte yeere to come what were more folish then to doubte and saie like to this Defender howe if and what if men wil not til the grounde nor so we any seede Doubtles if they so we they shal reepe if they sowe not neither shal they reepe But what VVe maie gather of the promise of God that we shal haue not onely faier and ceasonable wether wherby the fruites of the earth maie proue plentiful but also that the husbandmen shal emploie theire endeuour paines and labour For the abundance of corne so promised shal not be geuen but to sutch as til so we and truail Euen so wheras Christe hath promised to the Successours of Peter firmnes of Faithe to the Apostles and theire Successours the spirite of Truthe and likewise to Councels gathered in his name we muste perswade our selues that nothinge shal wante necessary for the controuersies touchinge faithe to be decided That you saie of Liberius the Pope is starke fâ—lse He neuer fauoured the Arians The moste ye can finde againste him is that he was compelled by the greate persecution of Constantius the Emperoure to subscribe to the Arians Neither is that by the Aunciente writers of the Ecclesiastical stories constantly affirmed but of the chiefe of them not spoken of where moste occasion was to signifie it if it had so ben of some denied of some mentioned not as true but as a false rumoure bruted abroade of him By whiche rumour it semeth S. Hierome was deceiued remaininge in the Easte farre from the places where the Truth might more certainely be knowen But were it true that he subscribed as Peter denied Christ yet beinge done for lacke of Charitie and not by erroure in faith wel might that facte be slaunderous to the Churche but it was not a decre made in fauour of the Arians neither to confirme that heresie That you reporte of Pope Iohn the 22. is likewise moste false The worste that Marsilius of Padua and VVilliam Ockam Heretikes wrote of him to flatter the Emperour Lidouicus of Bauaria is that he had taught openly whiche also is referred to the time before he was Pope that the soules of the iuste see not God vntil the daie of iudgemente That he had a wicked and a detestable opinion of the immortalitie of the soule there was no sutche his opinion but it is your false slaunder by whiche your wicked and detestable malice imagined to deface the Churche and specially the Auctoritie of the holy See Apostolike No storie of any estimation mentioneth that he was of that firste opinion after he came to be Pope much lesse that he gaue any definitiue sentence of such matter But contrariwise when as he prepared him selfe to goe to the definition of that question concerninge the seeinge of God whiche iuste soules haue before the daie of iudgement as Benedictus theleuenth in sua extrauagante saieth he was preuented by death so as he might not do it You belte Zosimus be corrupted not the Councel of Nice But signified to the Bishops of Aphrike assembled in Councel at Carthage the Truthe concerninge the Canons of the Nicene Councel The same maie be proued by Iulius the first by the Epistle of Athinasius and other Bishops of Egypt Thebats and Libya written to Marcus the Pope of the Original of the 72. Canons of the Nicene Councel that remained in safe custodie in the Churche of Rome subscribed with the handes of the Fathers that at the same Councel were present And what credite was to be geuen to the contrary informatioÌ„ of only twenty Canons that was retourned from the Bishops of Constantinople and Alexandria when Hereikes before had burned the Bookes where the whole number was conteined and lefte but those twenty that al Bookes nowe commonly haue If we shoulde alleage Camotensis and Lyre you woulde cal them the blacke garde and set litle by them First she we vs where they haue that you alleage out of them M Iuel alleageth that of Canotensis in an other place But where it is he kepeth it to him selfe and of him selfe it is likely it proceded For his dealinge is sutche as any false practise in respecte of him maie seme credible Albeit what worshipful Doctour ye meane by Camotensis I knowe not Peraduenture ye meane Carnotensis otherwise called Iuo I haue cause to gesse that so it should be And yet foure Bookes of sundry Printes bothe Englishe and Latine so haue If there be any sutche as I suppose there is not he is
Disorder or Deformitie of so many Disorders and Deformities in your Churche What one vaine Ceremonie What one Childishe Fable What Appeale to Rome What Simonie What Pardonne What Stevves What Courteghianes What Concubines haue yee refourmed If yee redresse not those grosse and sensible Abuses that yee see with youre eies howe then wil yee redresse other more secrete maters that perteine onely to Faithe and be not seene If ye wil not refourme your open Stevves when wil yee refourme the Churche of God But yee are bolde to assure vs that there is no kinde of Idolatrie nor euer was any in youre whole Churche of Rome Notwithstanding somme others of youre beste Learned Frendes haue thought otherwise as it shal appeare Firste Epiphanius saithe of certaine Persians named Magusaei Idola quidem detestantur tamen Idolis cultum exhibent Thei abhorre the sight of Idolles yet thei fal downe and woorship Idolles Againe he reporteth certaine woordes of S. Paule as vttered of him by the Sprite of Prophesie Erunt Mortuis Cultum Diuinum praestantes quemadmodum etiam in Israel impiè coluerunt Thei shal geue godly honoure vnto deade menne like as also thei did in Israel What opinion yee haue had of Sainctes departed I neede not here to remember Cardinal Bembus in an Epistle vnto the Emperour Charles 5. calleth the Blessed Virgine Dominam Deam nostram Our Lady and Goddesse You re greate Hercules Lipomanus crieth out in his marginal agonie Ecce quà m potentissima est sancta Dei Genitrix quomodò nullus saluus fieri possit nisi per eam Beholde howe mighty is the holy Mother of God and howe noman maie be saued but by her It seemeth this Erroure beganne to springe longe sithence euen in the time of the Olde Fathers and that hereof Faustus the Heretique tooke occasion thus to charge the Catholiques for the same Idola vertistis in Martyres Yee haue changed the Heathen Idolles into youre Martyrs Further yee saie the Reuerence that yee geeue vnto Sainctes Images is no Idolatrie Yet Polydorus Vergilius speaking hereof saithe thus Quia Sacerdotes populum non docent vulgo ex vsu suo tacere putantur idcirco ' eo ' insaniae deuentum est vt haec pars Pietatis parùm differat ab Impietare For that the Priestes iustructe not the people and are thought to holde theire peace for gaines sake the mater is brought to sutche a dotage that this parte of Deuotion differeth but litle from Extreme Wickednesse And Ludouicus Viues saithe he seeth no greate difference bitweene many Christian menne woorshipping their Images an Heathen man adouring his Idolles Catharinus one of your greate Doctours of Tridente saithe thus An licet Adorare Imagines ipsas illis cultuÌ„ praebere Sunt qui hoc omnino ' negent clament esse Idololatriam Videntur autem non futilibus Argumentis moueri nec absque Maiorum imo ' etiam Scripturarum Authoritate Whether is it lawful to Woorship the very Images or no Somme menne saie nay and calle it Idolatrie And thei seeme to be moued with no light Argumentes nor without the Authoritie as wel of the Fathers as of the Scriptures Iacobus Nanclantus saithe Non solùm fatendum est Fideles in Ecclesia Adorare coram Imagine sed Adorare Imaginem fine quo volueris scrupulo quin â—o illam venerari cultu quo prototypon eius Propter quod si illud habet Adorari Latria illa habet Adorari Latria We must graunte that the Faithful people in the churche do not onely vvoorshippe before the Image but also vvorshippe the Image it selfe and that without any manner scruple of Conscience whatsoeuer And further Thei vvorshippe the Image vvith the selfe same honoure vvherevvith thei vvoorshippe the thinge it selfe that is represented by the Image As if the thing it selfe be vvoorshipped vvith godly honoure then muste the Image it selfe likevvise be vvoorshipped vvith godly honoure Hereto agreeth one other of your late Writers Iacobus Payua And an other of your like Doctours saithe This is the very vse and practise of your Churche of rome But Robertus Holcote saith This kinde of vvorshippinge is plaine Idolatrie Yee wil saie Yee knovve the Image is no God And this ye thinke is excuse sufficiente But so likewise saide the Heathens of theire Idoles yet as S. Augustine saith thei were Idolaters notwithstanding Yee wil saie It is the Image of an Apostle of Christe or of God him selfe and therefore it can be no Idolatrie But S. Augustine saithe Marcellina colebat Imaginem Iesu Pauli Homeri Pythagorae Adorando Incensumque ponendo Marcellina Woorshipped the Image of Iesus and of Paule and of Homere and of Pythagoras by kneelinge vnto them and burninge Incense before them Yet neuerthelesse she was an Idolater The Saracenes this date make theire Sacrifices in Mounte Mecha not to Diuels or Heathen Goddes But to Abraham and Isaac and S. Thomas yet ace thei not therefore excused of Idolatrie Gregorius the Bishop of Nyssa S. Basiles Brother saithe thus Qui Creaturam Adorat etsi in Nomine Christi id faciat tamen Simulachrorum Cultor est Christi Nomen Simulachro imponens He that woorshipper a Creature notwithstandinge he doo it in the Name of Christe yet is he a woorshipper of Images as geeuing the name of Christe vnto an Image By these fewe M. Harding it maie soone appeare that your Churches are not voide of al Idolatrie The Apologie Cap. 7. Diuision 3. And therefore we knowe that diuers times many good men and Catholique Bishoppes did tarrie at home would not come when sutche Councelles were called wherein menne so apparently laboured to serue factions to take partes bicause thei knewe thei should but lose their trauaile and doo no good seeinge wherevnto theire enimies mindes were so wholy bente Athanasius denied to comme when he was called by the Emperoure to his Councel at Caesaria perceiuinge plainely he should but coÌ„me among his enimies whiche deadly hated him The same Athanasius when he came afterwarde to the Councel at Syrmium and foresawe what woulde be the ende by reason of the outrage and malice of his enimies he packed vp his cariage and went away immediately Iohn Chrysostome although the Emperoure Constantius commaunded him by foure sundrie letters to come to the Arians Councel yet keapte he him selfe at home stil When Maximus the Bishop of Hierusalem sate in the Councel of Palestine the Olde Father Paphnutius toke him by the hand and leadde him out at the doores saieinge It is not lavvful for vs to conferre of these maters vvith vvicked menne The Bishoppes of the Easte woulde not comme to the Syrmian Councel after they knewe Athanasius had gotten him selfe thence againe Cyril called menne backe by letters from the Councel of them whiche were named Patropassians Paulinus Bishop of Trier and many others moe refused to comme to the councel at Millaine
who is the spiritual Kinge and hath geuen the keies of his Kingdome to his minister The B. of Sarisburie Here M. Hardinge yée roaâ—e and wander without a marke and replie to that that was not spoken I marueile whereof yée can spinne your selfe sutch idle talke For wée neither calle our Princes the Heades of the Churche of Christe it was your Fathers inuention and not ours nor saie wée They haue Power either to Excommunicate or to Binde or to Loose nor haue wée leasure to make sutche vaine Conclusians Thus wée saie the Prince is put in truste as wel with the Firste as with the Seconde Table of the Lavve of God that is to saie as wel with Religion and with Temporal Gouernemente not onely to kéepe and perfourme the contentes of Bothe Tables in his owne Persone for so mutche euery priuate man is bound to doo but also to sée that al others his Subiectes as wel Priestes as Laiemenne eche man in his callinge doo dewly kéepe them This is it that no Priuate man is hable to doo Therefore S. Augustine saithe In hoc seruiunt Domino Reges in quantum sunt Reges cùm ea faciunt ad seruiendum illi quae non possunt facere nisi Reges Herein Kinges serue the Lorde in that they be Kinges when they doo those thinges to serue him that noman can doo but onely Kinges Wee saie not the Prince is bound to doo the Bishoppes deutie And therefore it is the greatter solâ—e of your parte M. Hardinge to obiecte it so often Wise menne vse not so to aduenture their woordes in vaine But thus wée saie The Prince to bounde to see the Bishoppes to doo theire deuties But what meante you so far out of season to talke so fondly of your Priuie Confessions of Bindinge and Loosinge and Povver of Keies For as it is saide before wée saie not that Princes maie either Binde or Loose or Minister Sacramentes or Preache the Gospel or sitte downe and Heare Confessions Therefore with al this greate adoo yée foine onely at your owne shadowe and hit nothinge Yée saie ful discretely Yf a man sinne onely in his harte the Kinge cannot haue to doo with him for that be cannot enter to knowe his secretes Here I beséeche you M. Hardinge what entrance hath the Pope to knowe the secretes of the Harte Perhaps yée wil saie the Pope maie knowe al the worlde by Confession But S. Augustine saithe Quid mihi est cum hominibus vt audiant Confessiones meas c. Vnde sciunt cùm à me ipso de me ipso audiunt an verum dicaÌ„ quaÌ„doquidem nemo scit hominuÌ„ quid agatur in homine nisi Spiritus hominis qui in ipso est What haue I to doo with these menne that they shoulde heare my Confessions c. Howe knowe they when they heare mee report of mee selfe whether I saie true or no For noman knoweth what is in man but the Sprite of man that is within him Againe he saithe vnto the people Intrantes vos exeuntes possumus videre Vsqueadeò autem non videmus quid cogitetis in cordibus vestris vt neque quid agaris in domibus vestris videre possimus Wee maie see you comminge in and goeinge foorth But wee are so far from seeinge the thoughtes of your hartes that wee cannot see what you doo at home in your houses Likewise againe he saithe Quid singulorum quorumque modò conscientiae dixerint ad aures meas quia homo sum peruenire non potuit Ille qui Absens est praesentia Corporis sed Praesens est Vigore Maiestatis audiuit vos What euery of your Consciences hath saide it coulde not enter into my eares for that I am but a Mortal man Notwithstandinge Christe that is Absente as touchinge the Presence of his Body but presente by the Power of his Maiestie hath hearde you wel It is not the Pope but God onely that trieth the reines and searcheth the harte Yet yée saie the True Supreme Heade of the Churche shal haue to doo with him that sinneth onely secretely in his harte For that malitious and sinful thought saie you shal neuer be foregeuen excepte the partie comme to be Absolued of theire Successours to whom Christe said VVhoes sinnes yee foregeue c. This M. Hardinge is the Supreme Folie of al others Folies For firste where euer hearde you that the Pope would lonce vouchesaue to Heare Confessions And if he woulde yet by yours owne Doctoures Iudgemente the Pope hath nomore Power to Binde and to Loose then any other Poore Simple Prieste As I haue shewed you before Alphonsus de Castro saithe Quando Absoluit Simplex Sacerdos tantum Absoluit de Culpa sicut Papa When a Simple Prieste Absolueth he Absolueth as mutche touchinge the faulte as if it were the Pope him selfe Origen saithe Quae sequuntur velut ad Petrum dicta sunt omnium communia c. Quod si nos idem loquimur quod Petrus loquutus est efficimur Petrus The woordes that folowe as spoken vnto Peter are common vnto al. If wee speake the saine that Peter spake then are wee made Peter Euen in the Popes owne Glose vpon his Decretalles it is noted thus In necessitate Laicus potest Audire Confessiones Absoluere In case of necessitie a Laieman maie bothe heare Confessions and also geue Absolution Yet wil yée not saie that euery Laieman is Peters Successoure To what pourpose then serueth al this your vaine talke M. Hardinge The true Supreme Head of the Churche shal haue to doo with him that sinneth onely in his harte For euery Simple Prieste hauinge the keie of Goddes Woorde entreth into the harte hath to doo with the same as wel and as mutche as the Pope in respecte of beinge Iudge of yâ— Conscience is aboue Kinges Princes nolesse then he But where yée saie The malitious and sinful thought shal neuer be forgeuen except the partie comme to be Absolued of theire Successours to whom Christe said whoe 's sinnes yee foregeue c. this Doctrine is not onely strange and false but also ful of Desperation Your owne Gratian saith Latentia peccata non probantur necessariò Sacerdoti confiteÌ„da It is not proued by any sufficieÌ„t Authoritie either of Scriptures or of Doctours that Secrete Sinnes are of necessitie to be vttered in Confession vnto the Prieste Againe he saithe Datur intelligi quòd etiam ore tacente veniam consequi possumus It is geuen vs to vnderstand that wee maie obteine pardone although wee vtter nothing with our Mouth And againe Non Sacerdotali iudicio sed largitate Diuinae Gratiae peccator emendatur The Sinner is cleansed not by the Iudgemente of the Prieste but by the abundance of Goddes Grace Againe he saithe Confessio Sacerdoti offertur in signum veniae non in causam Remissionis accipiendae Confession is made vnto the Priest in token of Foregeuenesse already obteined
Sanctae synodo quae apud Nicaeam congregata est Constantinus the Emperoure beinge Presidente of the Holy Councel that was keapte at Nice These be not our woordes but the Popes registred euen in his owne Recordes Therefore I truste yee wil not refuse to geeue them credite But you saie The Emperoure determined and defined nothinge Yet the Emperoure him selfe contrarie to youre saieinge saithe thus Ego suscepi perfeci res salutiferas persuasus Verbo tuo O Lorde I tooke in hande and broughte to passe vvholesome thinges beinge persvvaded by thy VVorde And againe writinge hereof vnto the Bishoppes of sundrie Churches he saithe Ego vobiscum interfui tanquà m vnus ex vobis Non enim negauerim conseruum me vestrum esse Qua de re mihi maximè gratulor I was presente at the Councel with you as one of you For I cannot denie mee selfe to bee youre Felovve Seruante In whiche thinge I moste reioise Likewise againe he saithe Ego Nicaeam contraxi magnum numerum Episcoporum Cum quibus cùm essem vnus ex vobis Conseruus vester vehementer esse cuperem etiam ipse suscepi inquisitionem Veritatis I caused a greate companie of Bishoppes to come to Nice with whome togeather I tooke in hande the Examination of the Truthe beinge mee selfe one of you and mutche desieringe to be therein youre Felowe Seruante Likewise saithe Eusebius Imperator quasi Iuculentam facem accendens ne quae occultae Erroris reliquiae superessent oculo Regio circumspexit The Emperoure as hauing enkendled a greate flame lookte wel aboute with his Princely Eie that no priuie remnantes of erroure shoulde reaste behinde The Bishoppes in the same Nicene Councel beinge at variance emongeste them selues offered vp theire Bookes of accusation not vnto the Pope or to his Legates of whom they had then no greate regarde but vnto the Emperoure Neither did the Emperoure put ouer theire quarelles vnto the Popes Iudgemente but vnto the Iudgemente of God Againe the same Emperoure Constantine saithe If any Bishop vvickedly offende by the hande of Goddes seruante that is to saie by my hande he shal be pounished To be shorte Cardinal Cusanus saithe Sciendum est quòd in vniuersalibus octo Concilijs vbi Imperatores interfuerunt non Papa semper inuenio Imperatores Iudices suos cum Senatu Primatum habuisse officium Praesidentiae per interlocutiones ex consensu Synodi sine mādato conclusiones iudicia fecisse Et non reperitur instantia in octo Concilijs praeter quam in tertia Actione Concilij Chalcedonensis Wee muste knowe that in the Eight General Councelles where the Emperoures were present and not the Pope I euermore finde that the Emperoures and theire Iudges with the Senate had the Gouernemente and Office of Presidence by hearinge and conferring of maters and that they made Conclusions and Iudgementes with the consente of the Councel and without any further Commission And there is no manner instance or exception to be founde in the firste Eight Councelles sauinge onely in the thirde Action of the Councel of Chalcedon Here yee see plainely by the Authoritie of Cardinal Cusanus one of youre owne special Doctours that in the Eight firste General Councelles the Emperoure was Presidente and not the Pope Where as the Emperoure willed the Bishoppes to conclude theire maters by the Apostolical and Prophetical Scriptures He speaketh not saie you so generally as wee reporte him nor frameth his tale in that sorte as wee saine vniuersally of the vvil of God but of the Godhedde For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in your fansie signifieth onely the Substance and Nature of God and not Goddes VVil or his Religion Here M. Hardinge it were somme pointe of Learninge to knowe what skilful Greke Reader told you this tale Verily Cassiodorus in plaine wise trāslateth it thus Euangelici Apostolici libri erudiunt nos quid de Sacra Lege sapiamus The Bookes of the Euangelistes and Apostles teache vs what wee ought to thinke not onely of the Substance and Nature of God but also of the Holy Lavve Therefore Theodoretus addeth further these woordes Accipiamus Explicationes quaestionum nostrarum ex dictis Sancti Spiritus Let vs take the resolution of our questions out of the woordes of the Holy Ghoste And immediately before he saithe De rebus Diuinis disputantes praescripram habemus Doctrinam Sancti Spiritus In our Disputations not onely of the Godhedde but also of Godly maters wee haue laide before vs the Doctrine of the Holy Gospel In like sense S. Hilarie saithe Non est relictus hominum eloquijs de Dei rebus alius praeterquam Dei Sermo Omnia reliqua arcta conclusa impedita sunt obscura In maters touchinge God there is no speache leafte vnto menne but onely the woorde of God Al other Authorities be shorte and narrowe and darke and troublesome Beleue them not hencefoorth therefore M. Hardinge that tel you that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth onely the Substance and Nature of Goddes Diuinitie For as yee maie easily see your Glose is vaine and fighteth directely againste the Texte The Apologie Cap. 13. Diuision 2. The Emperoure Theodosius as saithe Socrates did not onely sitte amongest the Bishoppes but also ordered the whole argueinge of the cause and tare in peeces the Heretiques Bookes and allowed for good the Iudgemente of the Catholiques M. Hardinge It is wonder to see howe these menne abuse the Ecclesiastical histories VVhereas thei talke a litle before of the sitting of Emperours in general Councelles a man would thinke that now also Theodosius had benne saide to haue sitten among Bishoppes in some general Councel But there is no sutche mater Theodosius the Emperour conferred with Nectarius the Bishop of Constantinople howe al Christen men might be brought to an vnitie in Faithe And after that Nectarius had lerned of Sisinnius a greate Clerke the best way to be if al the heades of eche Heresie and Secte might be induced to be iudged by the olde Fathers and Doctours of the Churche the godly Emperoure hearing this aduise caused bothe the Heretikes and Catholiques also to write eche of them sutche thinges as eche of them had to saie for his Belefe And after praier made reading ouer al the writinges he reiected the Arians the Macedonians and the Eunomians ‡ embracing onely thier sentence who agreed vpon the Consubstantialitie of the sonne of God Here saie these Defenders Theodosius did not onely sitte amongest the Bishoppes but also ordered the whole arguing of the cause tearing the papers of the Heretikes and allowing the Iudgemente of the Catholiques To whiche obiection I make this answeare First that Theodosius here tooke counsel of Nectarius the Bishop and folowed it Secondely that he intended not to Iudge whether opinion of al the Sectes were truer but onely sought howe to ridde the Churche of cōtrouersies Otherwise
Councel aboue the Pope In the Summone and firste Entrie of your Assemblie there Pope Paule had forgotten Christe and leafte him quite out of Companie and supplied the wante of him with the Authoritie of Peter and Paule An other of your Reuerende Fathers there maketh Marie the Blessed Virgine Equal vvith Christe and calleth her his most Faithful Felovve Fidelissimam Christi Sociam An other of the same Companie telleth vs that the Pope is the Light that is comme into the vvorlde Papa Lux venit in Mundum To be shorte the whole Issue and Conclusion of al your dooinges there by the ful agréemente of al your Fathers hangeth vpon the Popes onely pleasure And by your Doctrine the Pope maie not be controlled what so euer he doo neither by the Cleregie nor by al the whole Worlde And what so euer the Pope shal wil to staie or passe your Doctoures telle vs His onely Wil muste stande for Lavve For these and other like causes bothe the Emperoure Charles 5. also Francise the Frenche King biside sundrie other Christian Princes made open Protestatiō against your said Tridentine Conuenticle being then remoued to Bononia and said it was no lawful General Councel but onely an Assemblie of a fewe certaine personnes to serue one mans affection and to seeke for gaine Sutche is the opinion that your owne Princes haue of your Assemblies It becommeth vs not yée saie to calle the determinations of your General Councelles the Iudgementes of Mortal menne Yet it became S. Augustine to calle the same Concilia Contendentium Episcoporū The Councelles of quarrelling Bishoppes And againe Humanarum contentionum animosa perniciosa certamina The bolde and hurteful Contentions of worldly quarrelles But what néede wée many woordes Your owne Panormitane saith Leges Summorum Pontificum Conciliorū appellantur Statuta Humana fic strictè non possunt dici Ius Diuinum The Lawes and Determinations of Popes and Councelles are called the Determinations and Lavves of menne and so in streite manner of speache they cannot be called the Lavves of God Yee saie wée are no Bishoppes and therefore haue no Authoritie to holde a Synode Euen so your Fathers in olde time saide that S. Paule was no Apostle and that S. Basile and S. Hilarie were no Bishoppes Of S. Paule it is plaine S. Hilarie saithe of him selfe Auxentius de Persona mea calumniatus est damnatum me à Saturnino audiri vt Episcopum non oportere The Heretique Auxētius laith a quarrel to my personne and for as mutche as Saturninus the Heretique hath condemned me he saithe I maie not be hearde as a Bishop Likewise the Arian Heretiques vsed to saie that S. Basile and other like Learned and Catholique Fathers of that time were no Bishoppes S. Basile thereof writeth thus They calle the Councel of Catholique Bishoppes a Councel of vvicked menne neither wil they once vouchesaue to name them Bishoppes leste they should seeme to allowe the Decrees that they haue made againste them And they challenge them to be no Bishoppes for that as they saie they are the Captaines of a wicked heresie In like sorte he writeth vnto Patrophilus of the Heretique Eustathius He taketh greate heede leste he shoulde happily be forced to calle vs Bishoppes Thus M. Hardinge in denieing vs to be Bishoppes yée doo none otherwise but as other your Predecessours haue donne before you Of the Bishoppes and Prelates of your side I wil saie nothinge What your owne frendes haue thought of them I haue saide before As for vs it shal be sufficient if wée be onely the voice of a Crier in the Wildernesse S. Paule to auouthe his Apostleship saide openly thus Gratia Dei sum id quod sum By the Grace of God I am that I am Yée saie a Prouincial Councel maie not repeale a Councel General as if the Authoritie of your Councelles stoode onely in number and not in Truthe Howe be it the Simple Truthe of God shal ouerweigh Falsehedde be it neuer so General But euen thus saide Auxentius the Arian Heretique againste S. Hilarie These be his woordes Ego quidem pijssimi Imperatores existimo non oportere sexcentorum Episcoporum Vnitatem post rantos labores ex contentione Paucorum hominum refricari My moste Graceous Lordes in my Iudgemente it is not meete after so greate paines taken for the contentions striuinge of a fewe to hazarde the consente and Vnitie of Six hundred Bishoppes Thus the Heretique Auxentius alleged greate multitudes of his Companions againste S. Hilarie and the Catholiques whiche he saide were but a fewe Notwithstandinge it were no harde mater to shewe euidente Examples of General Councelles that haue benne ouerruled by Particulares The General Councel of Nice determined as you saie that al appeales out of al partes of the worlde shoulde lie to Rome Yet the Particulare or Prouincial Councel of Aphrica saithe Si prouocandum putauerint non prouocent nisi ad Aphricana Concilia Ad transmarina autem qui putauerit appellandum à nullo intra Aphricam in Communionem recipiatur If they shal thinke it good to appeale let them not appeale but onely to Coūcelles that shal be holden within Aphrica But who so euer shal appeale beyonde the Seas that is to saie to Rome let noman within Aphrica receiue him to his Communion The General Councel of Nice durste not to dissolue Priestes Marriage The Particulare Councel of Carthage dissolued it vtterly The order of Priuate or Auriculare Confession whiche in your fantasie was receiued generally throughout the whole Churche of God was notwithstandinge quite abolished in the Churche of Constantinople onely by the Particulare aduise of Nectarius Your Blacke Freers in theire Particulare Chapters haue controlled and cut of the General Determination of the Councel of Basile touchinge the conceiuing of our Lady in Original Sinne. And Albertus Pigghius by his like Particulare Authoritie telleth you that as wel this Councel of Basile as also the Councel of Constance beinge bothe General in that they saide The Councel is aboue the Pope Decreed plainely againste Nature againste the manifeste Scriptures againste al Antiquitie and againste the Catholique Faithe of Christe Certainely the Truthe of God is not bounde neither to Personne nor to Place Where so euer it be either in fewe or in many it is euermore Catholique euen bicause it is the Truthe of God In the Councel of Constantinople it is written thus Definierunt pariter vt si quid in Prouincia qualiber emergeret Prouinciae Concilio finiretur The Fathers agreed al togeather that if any mater should happen to growe in the Prouince by a Councel of the Prouince it shoulde be ended Likewise saith Isidorus Manifestum est quo'd illa quae sunt per vnamquanque Prouinciam ipsius Prouinciae Synodus dispenset sicut Niceno constat decretum esse Concilio It is cleare that maters happeninge in euery Prouince by a