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 moâstre 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 Iâophete 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 ⪠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 hâââaketh 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 âorgeue 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 ⪠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 Abâdinge 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
Soules of the wicked should not be pounished before the daie of the laste Iudgement Whiche erroure the Vntuersitie of Parise condemned for Heresie and caused the Pope to recante Concil Constantien in Appendice In primis Quin imò Iohannes Papa 22. dixit pertinaciter credidit AnimaÌ hominis cum corpore humano mori ⪠extingui ad instar animalium brutorum Dixitque mortuum semel etiam in Nouissimo Die minimè esse resurrecturum The Apologie Parte 6. Ca. 6. Diui. 1. The Canonistes sale The Pope can doo as mutche as Christe him selfe can doo M. Hardinge 7. Vntruthe The moste parte hereof is very false and sclaunderous Mentiris in your Diuinitie is a Verbe Commune The Replie The woordes be moste manifeste out of al question Excepto peccato Papa potest quicquid Deus ipse potest Extra De translatione Episcopi Quanto Hostien The Apologie Parte 6. Ca. 6. Diui. 1. Somme of them haue saide The Pope is the Lighte that is comme into the worlde And who so is an il dooer fleeth that Lighte M. Hardinge 8. Vntruthe If yee were hardely charged to shewe where he saide it or where he wrote it yee would be founde a Lier as in many other pointes yee are founde already That he neuer wrote it in any of his eloquente Italian Sermons set foorthe in Printe I am assured And more hath he not set foorthe Nowe it remaineth that yee telle vs where he saithe so or els confesse your sclaunderous Lie The Replie In the Oration that Cornelius the Bishop of Bitonto pronounced in the Councel of Tridente yee maie finde these woordes Papa Lux venit in Mundum Sed dilexerunt homines tenebras magis quà m Lucem The Apologie ⪠Parte 4. Ca. 1. Diui. 1. They haue decreed that a Prieste for Fornication ought not to be remoued from his Cure M. Hardinge 9. Vntruthe This is a foule Lie And herein these menne moste shamefully haue sclaundered the Churche as by that I haue saide to any man it maie appeare The Replie But vnto the beste learned Canonistes it appeareth farre otherwise Panormitane saithe Hodiè ex Simplici Fornicatione Clericus non deponitur Extra De Consangui Affini Non debet Likewise it is solemnely noted in great letters in the Margine Fornicationes causa hodiè nemo est deponendus The Apologie Parte 6. Ca. 14. Diui. 1. In the Councel of Chalcedon the Ciuile Magistrate condeÌned iiJ Bishoppes Dioscorus Iuuenalis Thalassius for Heretiques gaue Iudgemente that they shoulde be deposed M. Hardinge 10. Vntruthe That al these three were condemned in that Councel ⪠wee finde not Mutche lesse that they were condemned by any Ciuile Magistrate doo wee finde c. VVhat is impudencie VVhat is licentious Lieinge VVhat is deceiteful dealinge if this be not The Replie These be the woordes pronounced openly in the Councel Videtur nobis iustum esse eidem poenae Dioscorum Reuerendum Episcopum Alexandriae Iuuenalem Reuerendum Episcopum Hierosolymorum Thalassium Reuerendum Episcopum Caesariae Cappadociae subiacere Concil Chalcedonen Actione 1. Pag. 831. Reioinder Fol. 251. b. The B. of Sarisburie M. Harding healpeth it forewarde with a litle prety false translation of his owne For whereas it is written in the Latine Cùm benedixisset SaÌcta He translateth it thus When he had coÌsecrated the Sacrament And likewise these woordes Post finem Orationum he translateth thus After he had donne the Praier of Consecration M. Hardinge 11. Vntruthe Gentle Reader consider how falsely M. Iewel demeaneth him selfe These woordes Post finem Orationum thou findest not at al in al this 32. Diutision If they be not here why reproueth he me for vsinge a prety false translation This is not a prety but a grosse and a shamelesse kinde of falsehed to charge we with that whiche here I saie not The Replie It is in the very next Diuision Therefore this mater needed nothinge so greate adoo The Apologie Parte 2. Ca. 13. Diui. 1. Origen saithe The Breade whiche is sanctified by the Woorde of God c. M. Hardinge 12. Vntruthe Alleginge Origen Sir Defender yee plaie your accustomed false plaie corruptinge his sentence and falsifieinge his woordes He saith Ille cibus not Ille Panis The Replie Yet Origen in the same place calleth it seuen times Panis Therefore this was but a simple mater to make sutche a Tragedie of false plaie The Apologie Parte 2. Ca. 1. Diui. 1. S. Augustine saithe Although the Matestie and Godhedde of Christe be euerywhere yet the Body wherein he rose againe muste needes be in one place M. Hardinge 13. Vntruthe S. Augustine in that Treatie hath not that woorde Oportet but this woorde Potest as the Bookes haue that be not corrupted by the mainteiners of that Heresie The Replie Gratian reportinge this place of S. Augustine vseth this woorde Oportet Thus he saithe in moste plaine wise Corpus in quo Christus resurrexit In Vno loco esse Oportet De Consecr Dist 2. Prima Likewise saithe Petrus Lombardus reportinge the same in Vno loco esse Oportet Lib. 4. Dist 10. Sunt item But before them al S. Peter saide Oportet illum Coelos capere vsque ad tempora restitutionis omnium Actorum 3. These I trowe were not the maineteiners of any Heresie The Apologie Parte 5. Ca. 3. Diui. 11. The Olde Councel of Carthage commaunded nothing to be readde in the Congregation but the Canonical Scriptures M. Hardinge 14. Vntruthe This Booke is ful of Lies and falsified places This Olde Councel is newely falsified The woordes be Vt praeter Scripturas Canonicas nihil in Ecclesia legatur sub nomine Diuinarum Scripturarum It foloweth in the same Decree Liceat etiam legi Passiones Martyrum cùm Anniuersarij dies eoruÌ celebrantur The Replie This Obiection is very true albeit not greatly to the pourpose For as the Decrée cutteth of al secrete or vnlaweful Scriptures so it suffreth nothinge els to be read in the Churche but onely the Passions or deathes of Martyrs and that onely vpon the Martyrs Anniuersarie whiche was for one Martyr but onely one daie in the yeere Nowe lette M. Hardinge telle vs what and howe mutche there remained biside to bee read in the Churche sauinge onely the Canonical Scriptures Howe be it in the same thirde Councel of Carthage there bee other woordes founde sommewhat plainer more pregnante then these For in the saide Councel of Carthage the Councel of Hippo was abbridged In whiche Abbridgemente this Decree is read emoÌgest others Scripturae Canonicae in Ecclesia legendae quae sunt praeter quas alia noÌ legantur These woordes were abbridged and authorized in the saide thirde Councel of Carthage as it is plaine by the Title of the same Concilij Hipponensis Abbreuiationes factae in Concilio Carthaginensi Tertio In mistakinge of whiche woordes I muste needes confesse mine erroure For by ouersight I thought the Councel of Carthage had benne
to be of the Churche For they be not ignorant howe greate the auctoritie of the Churche is Of whose gouernours Christe saied he that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me And againe Tell the Churche They consider in what credite the Churche is with all Christen people howe they staye themselues by it as beinge the pillour and grounde of the truthe howe they Loue her euen as their common Mother howe they honour it as the Body and fulnes of Christe as the spouse of Christe through Faithe accordinge to that is written I will despouse thee to me in faithe As the true Syon whiche our Lorde hath chosen to be his habitation and his restinge place for euer As the safe Arke to keepe vs from drowninge in the dangerous Seas of this worlde out of whiche nolesse then once out of the Arke of Noe is nosaluation Againe they know the Churche must needes be greatly esteemed amonge all the godly for the singular promiser Christe hath made to it that he would be with it all daies to the ende of the worlde That he would pray to his father for the holy Ghost to be giuen to it the spirite of truthe to remaine withit for euer But as Heretikes impugne the lawe by the woordes of the lawe ãâã S. Ambrose saithe so to ouer throwe the Churche they presume to take vnto them the name of the Churche But what doo ãâã when they are vrged and wroonge when by force of argumentes they are straighted and as it were driuen to the walle when it is plainely proued to their face whiche is sone done that they be not in nor of the Churche specially beinge of Heresie openly denounced and by iust Excommunication cutte of from the Churche In this case the practise of the Gospellers is vtterly to sette the Churche as taught and with a hote raging spirite to defie it and to saye that themselues be the Catholike Churche and that the Catholikes be the Papisticall Churche the Churche of Antichrist the where of ãâã a deune of Theeues and I can not tell what The Answeare by the Bishop of Sarisburie TO answeare M. Hardinge to euery parcel of his Booke beinge so longe it would be too tedious Wherefore leauinge many his impertinent speaches other vnnecessarie and waste woordes whiche sundrie his frendes thinke he might better haue spared I wil touche onely so mutche thereof as shal beare somme shewe of substance may any way seeme woorthy to be answeared Firste touchynge the Churche of God we beleue and confesse al that M. Hardinge hath here saide or otherwise can be saide It is the Piller of the Truthe the Body the Fulnesse and Spouse of Christe Al these woordes are vndoubtedly true and certaine And therefore M. Hardinge you are the more blamewoorthy that of the House of God beyng so glorious haue made a caue of Théeues haue turned the beutie of Sion into the confusion of Babylon True it is that Heretiques haue euermore apparelled them selues with the name of the Churche as Antichriste also shal procure him selfe credite vnder the name of Christe Thus did your Fathers M. Harding loÌge agoe They saide then euen as you say now We are the Children of Abraham we are the Euheretours of Goddes promises we haue the Temple of God the Temple of God The Lawe shal neuer passe froÌ the Prieste nor counsel from the wise nor the woorde from the prophete Thus coutinuinge wilfully in the open breache of Goddes commaundement neuerthelesse they chearished them selues then as you doo nowe onely with the bare title of the Churche in whose name what so euer credit ye can any wise winne your meaninge is skilfully to conueigh the same ouer wholy to the Churche of Rome as if that Churche onely were the Churche of God without that there were no hope of Saluation And therefore you defende and holde for trueth that your Churche hath authoritie aboue Goddes Woorde And Pope Nicolas saithe Who so denieth the Priuilege and Supremacie of the See of Rome hath renounced the Faithe and is an Heretique And thus as Leo saithe Ecclesiae nomine armamini contra Ecclesiam dimicatis Ye arme your selues with the name of the Churche and yet ye fight against the Churche Likewise saithe S. Cyprian Diabolus excogitauit nouam fraudem vt sub ipso nominis Christiani titulo fallat incautos The Diuel hath diuised a new kinde of policie vnder the very title of the name of Christe to deceiue the simple Nowe concerninge that hote raginge Sprite wherewith M. Hardinge saithe the Gospellers deste the Churche and set it at naught verily I thinke it a harde matter for any Gospeller be he neuer so hote in suche kinde of eloquence to matche M. Hardinge Neither yet maye he wel condemne al suche as in the like cases haue bene hote earnest Esay the Prophete saithe O ye Princes of Sodome and ye people of Gomorrha Iohn the Baptist saithe to the Scribes and Phariseis O ye Serpentes ye generation of Vipers and Adders Christe saithe vnto them Woe be vnto you ye Scribes and Phariseis ye hypocrites Ye are of your Father the Diuel In these eramples wée sée the Sprite of God can sometimes be hote and earnest against the deceiuers of the people and the professed enimies of the Crosse of Christe Neither did either Esay the Prophete or Iohn the Baptiste or Christe desie the Churche of God and set it at naught as M. Hardinge imagineth of vs but rather by these seruent speaches vttered the vehement zele and iuste griefe they had conceiued against them that vnder the name of the Churche abused Goddes people and defaced the Churche For they are not al Heretiques M. Hardinge that this daie espie your grosse and palpable errours and mourne to God for reformation S. Augustine saithe Non debet Ouis pellem suam deponere quâd Lupi aliquando se ea contegant It is no reason the Sheepe should therefore leaue of his fliese for that he seeth the Woulfe sometime in the same apparel Likewise it is no reason that wée should therfore geue ouer the right and enheritance wée haue in the Churche of God for that you by intrusion and vniuste meanes haue intituled your selues vnto the same It behooueth vs rather to searche the Scriptures as Christe hath aduised vs thereby to assure our selues of the Churche of God For by this trial onely and by none other it maye be knowen Therfore S. Paule calleth the Churche the Spouse of Christe for that she ought in al thinges to geue eare to the voice of the Bridegrooms Likewise he calleth the Churche the Piller of the Truthe for that shée staieth her selfe onely by the Woorde of God Without whiche Woorde yâ Churche were it neuer so bewtiful should be no Churche The Ancient Father Irenaeus saithe Columna firmamentum Ecclesiae est Euangelium Spritus vitae
The Piller and buttresse of the Churche is the Gospel and the Sprite of life S. Augustine saithe Sunt certi Libri Dominici quorum authoritari vtrique consentimus Ibi quaeramus Ecclesiam ibi discutiamus causam nostram There be certaine Bookes of our Lorde vnto the authoritie whereof eche parte agreethe There let vs seeke for the Churche thereby sette vs examine and trie our maters And againe Nolo humanis documentis sed Diuinis oraculis sanctam Ecclesiam demoÌstrari I wil ye shewe me the holy Churche not by decrees of menne but by the woorde of God Likewise saithe Chrysostome Nullo modo cognoscitur quae sit vera Ecclesia Christi nisi tantummodo ' per Scripturas It can no waye be knowen what is the Churche but onely by the Scriptures And againe Christus mandat vt volentes firmitatem accipere Verae Fidei ad nullam rem fugiant nisi ad Scripturas Alioqui si ad alia respexerint Scandalizabuntur peribunt non intelligentes quae sit vera Ecclesia Et per hoc incident in AbominationeÌ Desolationis quae stat in Locis Sanctis Ecclesiae Christe commaundeth that who so wil haue the assurance of True Faithe seeke to nothinge els but vnto the Scriptures Otherwise if they looke to any thinge els they shal be offended and shal perishe not vnderstanding whiche is the True Churche And by meane here of they shal fal into the Abomination of Desolation whiche standeth in the Holy Places of the Churche By these Ancient learned Fathers it is plaine that the Churche of God is knowen by Goddeâ Woorde onely none otherwise And therfore M. Hardinge you so carefully flée the same and condemne it for Heresie and often burne it leste thereby the deformities of youre Churche should be knowen For the il dooer fleeth the light Nowe where as it so wel liketh M. Hardinge to cal vs al Heretiques and for his pleasures sake to liken vs to Apes to Asses and to the Diuel notwithstanding we might safely returne the same whole from whence it came yet I thinke it not séemely nor greatly to purpose to answeare al suche intemperate humours Salomons aduise is good Answeare not folie with like folie Notwithstandinge the poore simple Asse vnto whome wée are compared was hable sometime to sée the Angel of God and to open his mouthe and to speake and to reproue the lewde attempte of Balaam the false Prophete What so euer accoumpt it pleaseth M. Hardinge to make of vs by the grace of God wée are that wée are Yf wée be hable to beare Christe with his Crosse it is sufficient But who they be that haue of longe time ietted so terribly vnder the Lions skinne and onely with a painted Visarde or emptie name of the Churche haue feared al the cattel of the fielde it is néedelesse to speake it the worlde now seeth it it can no longer be dissembled Euen he that lately bare him selfe as the Lion of the tribe of Iuda called him selfe Kinge of Kinges and said he had power ouer the Angels of God and amased the hartes of the simple with the terrour of his Lions pelte onely for that he sate in Peters Chaire is now reuefled and better knowen and estéemed as he is woorthy he may nowe iette vp and downe with more ease and lesse terrour And why so These poore Asses whome M. Hardinge so muche disdeigneth haue stripte of his counterfeite skinne that made him so hardy and haue caused him to appeare euen as he is The Apologie Cap. 1. Diuision 1. It hath bene an olde complainte euen from the first time of the Patriarkes and Prophetes and confirmed by the writinges and testimonies of euery age that the Truthe wandereth here and there as a straunger in the worlde dothe readily finde enimies and sclaunderers amongst those that knowe her not Albeit perchaunce this may seeme vnto some a thinge harde to be beleeued I meane to suche as haue scante wel and narowly taken heede thereunto specially seing al mankinde of natures very motion without a teacher doth coueite the Truthe of their owne accorde and seinge our Saueour Christe him self when he was on earth would be called the Truthe as by a name moste fitte to expresse al his diuine power Yet we whiche haue bene exercised in the holy Scriptures and whiche haue both reade seene what hath happened to al godly menne commonly at al times what to the Prophetes to the Apostles to the Holy Martyres and what to Christe him selfe with what rebukes reuilinges and despites they were continually vexed whiles they here liued that onely for the Truthes sake Wee I saye doo see that this is not onely no newe thinge or harde to be beleued but that it is a thinge already receiued and commonly vsed from age to age Nay truely this might seeme muche rather a merueile and beyonde al beliefe if the Diuel who is the Father of lies enimie to al Truthe would now vpon a suddaine chaunge his nature and hope that Truthe might otherwise be suppressed then by belieinge it Or that he would beginnâ to establish his owne kingdome by vsinge nowe any other practises then the same whiche he hath euer vsed from the beginninge For since any mans remembrance we can skante finde one time either when Religion did first growe or when it was setled or when it did afreshe springe vp againe wherein Truthe Innocencie were not by al vnwoorthy meanes most despitefully intreated Doubtlesse the Diuel wel seeth that so longe as truthe is in good safetie him selfe cannot be safe nor yet maintaine his owne estate For letting passe the auncient Patriarkes Prophetes who as we haue said had no parte of their life free from coÌtumelies sclaunders We knowe there were certaine in times paste whiche saide and commonly Preached that the olde auncient Iewes of whome we make no doubte but they were the woorshippers of the onely true God did worship either a Sowe or an Asse in Goddes steede and that al the same Religion was nothinge els but sacrilege and a plaine contempt of al godlines We know also that the Sonne of God our Saueour Iesus Christe when he taught the Truth was coumpted a Sorcerer an Enchaunter a Samaritane Beelzebub a deceiur of the People a Drunkarde a Glutton Againe who woteth not what woordes were spoken against S. Paule the moste earnest and vehement Preacher maintainer of the Truthe Sometime that he was a seditious and busie man a raiser of tumultes a causer of rebellion sometime againe that he was an Heretique sometime that he was mad sometime that onely vpon strife and stomake he was bothe a blasphemer of Gods lawe and a despiser of the Fathers ordinances Further who knoweth not how S. Steuin after he had throughly and sincerely embraced the truthe and beganne frankly stoutly to preache and set forth the same as
with their owne Traditions and Truthe with Falsehed maketh moste plainely against your selfe For you knowe that this is the general compiainte of al the Godly this daye throughout the whole Churche of God that you haue mingled your Leade with the Lordes Goulde and haue filled the Lordes Haruest ful of your Darnel that you haue broken Goddes manifest coÌmaundementes to vpholde mainteine your owne Traditions That you haue damned vp the Springes of the Water of Life haue broken vp puddles of your owne suche as be hable to holde no water That for your dreames sake you haue caused the people to forgeat the name of God haue ledde them from that simplicitie that is in Christ Iesu This is the mingling of Traditions with the Scriptures of God I marueile ye coulde so fréely vtter so muche and so directly against your selfe As for the example of the Manicheis it was vtterly impertinent and from the purpose Yet Good Reader that thou maiste vnderstande what manner of Heretiques theise Manicheis were and what errours they defended first thy forebade lawful mariage and allowed fornication as M. Hardinges Catholiques doo nowe So saith S. Augustine of them Nuptiarum aditus intercludunt promiscuâ conuenire hortantur Secondly they receiued ministred the Holy Mysteries vnder one kinde contrary to the general order of the Catholique Churche And so doeth M. Harding now Thirdly they yelded more credite to their owne diuises then to Goddes Holy woorde And where as the Scriptures were plaine against them they saide euen as M. Hardinge saithe the Scriptures were falsified and ful of errours Fourthly they abstained from fleashe and yet in their faste they had vsed al manner delicate and strange fruites with sundrie sortes of Spices in greate abundance They absteined from Wine yet vsed other liquours more deintie and pretious then any Wine and thereof dranke while their bellies would holde S. Augustines woordes thereof be these Distenti et crepantes I leaue the rest Nowe iudge thou gentle Reader whether partie séemeth best to resemble the Manichets But whereas he thus vpbraideth vs By their fruites ye shal knowe them Verily whiles the Bishop of Rome euen in the Cittie of Rome mainteineth his houses of Ribaudrie and open Stewes and M. Hardinge is ready hable by his eloquence and Diuinitie to defende the same they haue no iuste cause greatly to boaste them selues of their fruites Howe be it it maye be thought Christ gaue vs this lesson not thereby to trie the true Doctrine from the false but a true professour from an Hypocrite Otherwise our liues muste be tried by the Gospel not the Gospel by our liues Nowe let vs examine that Horrible Heresie that M. Hardinge hathe espied in the Rules of Rhetorique by whiche saithe he the Secretaries vnskil is betraied euen in the foreheade of our Booke This entrie saithe M. Hardinge touchinge the complainte of Truthe is so indifferent and common to bothe the parties that either maie vse it as wel as other Whiche kinde of beginninge saithe he is called Exordium commune and by the learned in Rhetorique is misliked as faultie First of al M. Hardinge this séemeth to me a strange kinde of beginninge in so déepe a disputation of Diuinitie to make your first quarrel vnto Rhetorique Bilike for lacke of better Entrie ye thought it good to rushe in as you might In déede either of vs maie séeme to stande in defence of Truthe I denie it not For as we haue the substance and Truthe it selfe so are you contente to claime the name And so far forthe Truthe is common to vs bothe So the wicked Heathens Celsus Antiphon notwithstandinge they published their Bookes against the Truthe yet they entituled the same ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Booke of Truthe S. Hierome saithe Mendacium semper imitatur Veritatem Falshed euermore beareth a shewe of Truthe In this sorte Truthe is common to either partie Origen saithe Veritas Christus simulata Veritas Antichristus Christ is the Truth it selfe Antichrist is the Truth countrefeite Al this notwithstandinge Christ refused not to vse the same kinde of entrie that M. Hardinge so muche mistiketh but saide vnto the Phariseis Ye seeke to minder me a man that haue tolde you the Truthe And S. Paule to the Romaines saithe They haue turned the Truthe of God into falshed The like might I saie of Tertullian Cyprian and other Fathers Yet I trowe M. Hardinge wil not therfore reproue either Christ or Paule or Tertullian or Cyprian nor saie they vsed suche a Beginninge as their aduersaries might haue vsed as wel as they and had forgotten their Rules of Rhetorique Lothe I am so longe to stande in so light a mater But I marueile mutche that M. Harding being so great an Artificer in so smal cases had no better eie to his owne Entrie For if in writing the Defence of Truthe it be a faulte in Rhetorique to beginne with the il intreatinge coÌplainte of Truthe what then may we thinke it to be in the Defence of manifest knowen errour to beginne as M. Hardinge dooth with Whoores with Théeues with Apes with Asses with Children of the Diuel and with many other like vnséemely scoffes and scornes What Rhetorique what Eloquence what Arte what Skil is this What Oratour euer vsed it what Rhetorician what Sophiste Gréeke or Latine euer taught it Verily this was sometime accouÌpted an old rule in Rhetorique which it séemeth M. Hardinge had quite forgotten Scurrilis Oratori dicacitas magnoperé fugienda est This Secretaries Beginninge by M. Hardinges owne confession is sutche as either partie indifferently might wel haue vsed But M. Hardinges Beginninge is sutche as neither partie with any modestie might haue vsed M. Hardinge also might haue remembred that the skilful in Rhetorique as they mislike Exordium Commune so they also mislike Commune Argumentum that is a Reason or Proufe so Common that it may indifferently serue bothe parties Whiche kinde of proufes if M. Hardinge woulde haue wéeded out of his Bookes he should haue lefte very litle to trouble the Printer Where he saithe in grosse that our Apologie is nothing els but a lumpe of Lyes the Truthe therof I trust shal appeare by this Treatie In the meane season good Christian Reader it may please thée to consider that M. Hardinges mouth is no iuste measure in this behalfe For some men thinke it wil oftentimes vtter vntruthe without measure But he saithe we haue falsified Tertullians meaninge placinge this woorde Ignotos in stéede of Extraneos and so at our pleasure makinge exchange of woordes and geuinge the olde Father a newe Liuerie and thereby empairinge our whole credite A greate outcrie in so smal a matter This greate exchange of woordes is nothinge so haynous as it is pretended For bothe Ignotus is Extraneus and Extraneus also in Tertullians meaninge is Ignotus And M. Hardinge wel
by Peter his predecessour are sufficient And the Glose vpon the same Petrus fecit Papam haeredem bonitatis suae Peter hath made the Pope Heire of his goodnesse But S. Hierome saithe farre otherwise Non sanctorum filij sunt qui tenent loca sanctorum They be not euermore Holy mennes Children that sitte in the roumes of Holy menne Likewise saithe Alphonsus de Castro a special assistante of that syde Quamuis teneamurââx Fide credere verum Petri Successorem esse Supremum totius Ecclesiae Pastorem tamen non tenemur eadem Fide credere Leonem aut Clementem esse verum Petri Successorem Notwithstanding we be bounde by Faithe to beleue that the true Successour of Peter is the highest Shepheard of the whole Churche yet are we not bounde by the same Faithe to beleue that Leo or Clement being Eishoppes of Rome are the true Successours of Peter The woordes that Christe spake vnto Peter importe no Souerainetie but were common to al the rest S. Cyprian saithe Hoc erant vtique coeteri Apostoli quod fuit Petrus pari cosortio praediti Honoris Potestatis The rest of the Apostles were euen the same that Peter was aâ endewed with like felowship both of Honour and of Power What special priuilege then can the Pope claime by the Succession of S. Peter Or what talketh he of féeding the whole flocke of Christe that neuer feedeth any parte therof wherin is the Pope like S. Peter or wherein euer was S. Peter like the Pope Yet M. Hardinge doubteth not to geue his Definitiue Sentence vvhat so euer Sheepe is not obedient to the Headshepheard is not of the flocke of Christ The Pope also him selfe boldely warranteth the same Thus he saithe of him selfe Quicunque praeceptis nostris non obedierit peccatum Idololatriae Paganitatis incurrit Who so euer obeieth not our commaundementes falleth into the sinne of Idolatrie and Infidelite And therefore Pope Steuin thus auanceth the authoritie of his owne See Sacrosancta Domina nostra Romana Ecclesia Our Holy Lady the Churche of Rome But Christe speaking of him selfe saithe I am the True Sheepheard And Who so heareth these woordes of myne and doeth the same I wil liken him to a wise man S. Paule beinge but one of the shéepe saithe thus I withstoode Peter as M. Hardinge saithe the Head shéepheard euen vnto his face for that he walked not vprightly to the Gospel of Christe Yet was he a shéepe of the flocke of Christe Hostiensis in this case seemeth reasonable His woordes be these Omnes debent obediâe Papae quicquid praecipiat nisi sequi possit peccatum Al men must obey the Pope what so euer he commaunde so there folowe no sinne of his commaundement Likewise Feliuus a notable Canoniste Non obstante Plenitudine Potestatis quae est in Papa non est obediendum ei peccato imminente Notwithstandinge the fulnesse of power that is in the Pope when sinne shal folowe his biddinge we may not obey him Yf the Pope wil claime the Headpast ourship ouer the whole flocke of Christe or rather if he wil be taken for any Pastour at al let him then féede the Flocke Let him breake the breade of Life without Leauen Let him speake the woorde of God truely without fables and wée wil heare him Otherwise S. Augustine hath warned vs Sua si docere velint âolite audire nolite facere Certè enim tales sua quaerunt non quae sunt Iesu Christi If they wil teache you Doctrines of theire owne see ye heare them not and what so euer sutche thing they commaunde you see ye doo it not For vndoubtedly sutche men seâke for their owne maters and not the thinges that perteine to Jesus Christe The Apologie Cap. 5. Diuision 6. If so be that Pope Pius were the man wee saie not whiche he would so gladly be called but if he were in deede a man that either would accoumpt vs for his brethren or at least would take vs to be men he would first diligently haue examined our reasons and would haue seene what might be saide with vs what against vs would not in his Bul whereby he lately pretended a Councel so rashly haue condemned so great a part of the worlde so many Learned Godly men so many common wealthes so many Kinges so many Princes onely vpon his owne blinde preiudices foredeterminations that without hearing of them speake or without shewing cause why M. Hardinge Speake of Pope Pius what ye wil and what ye can Neither your praise can aduaunce his estimation nor your dispraise abase it His singular vertues be wel knowen God is highly to be praised for that he hath prouided for his flock so good a shepheard As for you as âe taketh you to be men so not his brethren bicause ye haue cut of your selues from the Catholike churche Your reasons haue ben diligently and exactly examined already In respect of your reasones Learning and Holy Scriptures whiche ye bring ye are founde suche as Balsasar Kinge of Babylon âas signified by the hande that appeared writing before him in the wall What it is Heretikes to be admitted to reasoning it is and hath ben euermore too wel knowen Be they neuer so throughly confuted they yelde not Ouercome they may be reformed thââ wil not be Therein no good lightly is done The B. of Sarisburie Yf Pope Pius wâte so good ãâã who so ãâ¦ã thy a Passout for the Churche of God why then did his Cat dââlles of thee ãâã so ãâã by treason and conspiracie to oppose him ãâ¦ã you say ⪠so good a man ⪠ãâ¦ã it were not so why then did he himselfe ãâã thereof so vtterly in ân Oration pronounced openly in Rome in the Consistââte ⪠Is it not lauful for so good a man to liue in Rome Is the same Proclamation nowe practised emong the Cardinalles in Rome that was sometime vsed in the Councel house at Ephesus Nemo nostrum frugi esto Let no good man be emongste vs Ye safe Pope Pius would not vouchesaue to cal vs his Brethren No marueile séeing his owne dèere and first begotten Children the Cardinales would no lenger haue him to be theire Father It is sufficient for vs that Christe the Sonne of God is contente to cal vs his Brethren Ye haue Excommunicate vs as the Phâriseis did the Apostles bicause wée speake vnto you in the name of Christe But your owne Lawe saithe Excommunicaâus non poiest Excommunicate He that is Excommunicât him selfe cannot geue Sentence to Excommunicate others And your owne Gelasius saithe Neminem ligate debet iniqua Sententia A wicked Sentence of Excommunication bindeth noman But before al others God him selfe saithe Ego Benedicam Maledictionibus vestris I wil Blesse that you Curse saithe the Lorde You saie you haue weighed our Reasons and haue founde them too light Now surely
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 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã 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 Maâsâter 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 coÌira 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 CommauÌdementes 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
Iudges nor of the Bishoppes And al be it the Apostolique See of Rome withstande it stil yet the Decree of the Councel by the Emperours warrante continueth in force But you neuer taught vs ye saye yâ the whole state of the Churche dependeth of the Pope It is not your Doctrine you neuer spake it And therefore wée are railers and sclaunderers that so reporte you If it be so in deede M. Hardinge as you saye wherefore then suffer you Cardinal Cusanus to write thus Veritas adhaeret Cathedrae Quare meÌbra Cathedrae vnita Pontifici coniuncta efficiunt EcclesiaÌ The Truthe cleaueth faste to the Popes Chaire Therefore the members vnited to the Chaire and ioined to the Pope make the Churche Wherefore suffer you Iohannes de Parisijs one of your Catholique Doctours to write thus Fiet vnum Ouile vnus Pastor Quod quidem de Christo intelligi non potest Sed de aliquo alio Ministro qui praesit loco cius There shal be one Plocke and one shepheard Whiche thinge cannot be taken of Christe We must needes vnderstande it of some other Minister that ruleth in his steede Wherefore suffer you Nosius your Grande Captaine to write thus Vnum toti praecsse Ecclesiae Vsque adeò est necessarium vt absque hoc Ecclesia vna esse non possit It is so necessarie a thinge that one onely man oueruse yâ who le Churche that without the same the Churche cannot be one Wherefore suffer you your Canonistes to saie Constat Ecclesiam ideo esse vnam quia in Vniuersali Ecclesia vnuÌ est Caput SupremuÌ Scilicet Papa It is plaine that therefore the Churche is one bicause that in the whole Vniuersal Churche there is one Supreme Head that is the Pope To be shorte why doo you your selfe M. Hardinge allege S. Hieromes woordes directly as ye woulde haue vs beleue to this purpose Ecclesiae salus à Summi Sacerdotis dignitate pendet Which woordes into Englishe ye haue turned thus The safetie of the Churche hangeth of the VVoorship of the Highe Prieste He meaneth the Pope Peters Successour In whiche laste clause ye misconstrue and racke S. Hieromes woordes far contrary to his meaninge For S. Hierome meante not bereby the Bishop of Rome but euery seueral Bishop within his owne Charge euery whiche Bishop he calleth the Highest Prieste as in my Former Replie it is declared more at large If these thinges be true why are they nowe deuied If they be false why are they not condemned I truste it maye appeare by these fewe that wée reporte the Truthe truely and are no sclaunderers The Apologie Cap. 8. Diuision 2. Sithence then they bringe foorthe none of these for them selues and cal vs neuerthelesse Heretiques whiche haue neither fallen from Christe nor from the Apostles nor yet from the Prophetes this is an iniurious and a very spiteful dealinge M. Hardinge Nay Sirs ye shal not so carie awaye the conclusion with a lie But contrarywise sithens wee bringe foorthe many Scriptures for the Truthe whiche ye impugne as your selues shal see when we come to confute your doctrine whiche here foloweth and sithens not withstandinge that ye wil not yeelde to the Scriptures but peruert the True meaninge of them with Gloses and interpretations of your owne Heades frame newe opinions contrary to that ye haue receaued and that the Churche hathe euer taught the Catholikes wilful cal you Heretikes and the Churche wil condemne you for Heretikes and so accompt you vntil ye recant and repent But ye haue not fallen from Christe ye saye nor from the Apostles nor yet from the Prophetes As though they that departe from the Romaine Churche whiche is the Catholike Churche which diuerse times in the Apologie ye confesse fell not from Christe and consequently from the Apostles and Prophetes Saithe not Christe in the Gospel He that heareth not the Churche let him bee to thee as an Heathen and a Publicane Saieth he not also He that despiseth you despiseth mee The B. of Sarisburie Whether parte rightly and reuerently vseth the Scriptures of God and whether peruerteth them by shiftes and Gloses I truste it shal in parte appeare by this conference In déede M. Hardinge it is no great maisterie by your interpretations and handelinges to haue stoare yenough and plenette of Scriptures For this is one special grounde of your Diuinitie Papa potest ex nihilo facere aliquid Sententiam quae nulla est facere aliquam The Pope is hable of nothinge to make some thinge and of no Sentence to make some Sentence By your Doctrine it is lawful and good Logique to reason thus An gloriabitur serra aduersus eum qui trahit illamâ Shal the sawe boaste against him that draweth it Non est Seruus supra Dominum There is no Seruant aboue his Lorde Ergo Noman maye dare to Iudge the Pope Or thus Omnia munda mundis Coinquinatis autem infidelibus mihil est mundum Al thinges are cleane to the cleane but vnto the filthy and Infidelles nothinge is cleane Ergo It is not lawful for Priestes to marry Or as you M. Hardinge sometimes haue delited to reason Nolite dare Sanctum Canibus Geeue not Holy thinges to Dogges Ergo It is not laweful for the Christian vulgare People to Reade the Scriptures Thus maye you easily be wel stoared and ful freight of Scriptures yenough and as S. Hierome saithe maye carrie them captiue to serue your turne But S. Hierome coulde also haue tolde you Non in verbis Scripturarum est EuaÌgelium sed in sensu The Gospel standeth not in the bare woordes of the Scriptures but in the meaninge Therefore wée maye saye vnto you as S. Cyprian once saide to the Nouatian Heretiques Audite Nouatiani apud quos Scripturae Coelestes leguntur potiùs quà m intelliguntur Hearken hereto ye Nouatian Heretiques emongst whome the Heauenly Scriptures are readde rather then wel perceiued You saye the Churche of Rome by our owne Confession is the Catholique Churche whiche Churche for as mutche as wée haue forsaken wée haue forsalten Christe and his Apostles For saithe not Christe in the Gospel saye you He that heareth not the Churche let him be vnto thee as an Heathen and a Publicane And He that despiseth you despisethe mee Wée graunte M. Hardinge the name of the Churche of Rome is Catholique but the Errours and abuses thereof are not Catholique Neither is it the Churche that wée finde faulte withal but the greate corruptions and foule deformities that you haue brought into the Churche Howe be it your policie herein is apparent Your Reader be he neuer so simple maye soone sée your whole drifte Ye magnifie the Churche with al manner titles of Authoritie not for any special regarde ye beare the Churche in déede but onely to settle your selues in an infinite Tyrannie and to make vs beleue that you
onely are the Churche to geue credite to al your fantasies yea although ye be the defacers enimies of the Churche Verily the bare name of the Churche is not sufficient S. Paule saithe that Antichriste the Man of sinne shal sitte in the Temple of God whereby no doubte he meante the Churche But M. Hardinge Heare you the voice of God leaue your Fables speake Goddes Holy Woord and speake it truely be ye faitheful Ministers of the Truthe Then who so euer shal be founde to despise your Doctrine be he kinge or Emperour wée will not doubte to calle him an Heathen and Publicane But if he be an Heathen that wil not beare your Churche what is he then that wil not heare Christe Aeneas Syluius beinge afterwarde Pope him selfe saithe thus Si Romanus Pontifex non audiet Ecclesiam Christum quoque non audiet tanquam Ethnicus Publicanus haberi debet If the Bishop of Rome wil not heare the Churche he wil not heare Christe and therefore muste be taken as an Heathen and Publicane S. Augustine saith Oues meae vocem meam audiuÌt sequuntur me AuferaÌtur chartae Humanae sonent voces Diuinae My Sheepe heare my voice and folowe me Awaie with Mannes VVrittinges Let the Voice of God sounde vnto vs. Surely Doctour Luther him selfe againste whom M. Hardinge so vehemently and so often inflamethe his choler in humble and reuerent manner writethe thus Nos colimus Romanam Ecclefiam in omnibus Tantùm illis resistimus qui pro Ecclesia obtrudunt Babyloniam VVee honour the Churche of Rome in al thinges Onely wee withstand them that in steede of the Churche haue thruste in the CoÌsusion of Babylon In like sense S. Cyprian saithe Non est pax sed bellum nec Ecclesiae iungitur qui ab Euangelio separatur It is not peace It is VVarre Neither is he ioined to the Churche that is dinided from the Gospel Nowe howe carefully the Churche of Rome is leadde by the Gospel of Christe wee maie easily learne by Nicolaus Cusanus a Cardinal of the same Churche of Rome Thus he saithe Sequuntur Scripturae Ecclesiam non è conuerso The Scriptures of God folowe the Churche but contrary wise the Churche folowethe not the Scriptures To conclude wée maye saye vnto you as S. Augustine saide sometime to PeÌtilian the Donatian Heretique Vtrùm nos Schismatici simus an vos nec ego nec tu sed Christus interrogetur vt iudicet Ecclesiam suam Whether of vs be Schâmatiques wee or you aske you not me I wil not aske you Let Christe be asked that he maie shewe vs his owne Churche The Apologie Cap. 9. Diuision 1. With this swerde did Christe put of the Diuel when he was tempted of him with these weapons ought al presumption whiche doothe auaunce it selfe againste God to be ouerthrowen and conquered For al Scripture saithe S. Paule that commethe by the Inspiration of God is profitable to teache to confute to instructe and to reproue that the man of God may be perfite and throughly framed to euery good woorke Thus did the Holy Fathers alwaie fight againste the Heretiques with none other force then with the Holy Scriptures M. Hardinge That the Holy Fathers did euer more fight against the Heretiques with nowe other force then with the Holy Scriptures that weè denie For What did the Fathers in the first general Councel holden at Nice did they fight against Arius and the mainteiners of his Heresie with no other force then with the Scriptures When those Heretikes refused the woorde Homousion whereby is signified the sonne of God to be of one and the same substance with God the Father for that it was not to be found in the Scriptures besides whiche they stiffely denied as ye doo that any thinge ought to be receiued did not the Caetholike Bishoppes of thother side flie to the Ancient Fathers did thei not appeale to the iudgementes of those Fathers which had geuen sentence of the mater then beinge in controuersie before that Arius and those that helde of his side were borne In the seconde Councel assembled at Constantinople were not the Heretikes of sundry sectes by a wittie and a godly policie contriued betwene Nectarius the Bishop and Theodosius the Emperour through the suggestion of the greate Clerke Stsinnius driuen to receiue the Doctours who liued before theire Heresies were heard of as witnesses of true Christian Doctrine woorthy of credite Macedonius in that Councel was condemned who therefore denied the Holy Ghost to be God bicause the Scriptures geue not vnto him that name But the Bishops there assembled as Photius that learned Bishop writeth declared out of the teaching of the Fathers and Diuines before theire time that the Holy Ghost is to be adored worshipped and glorified as beinge of one nature and substance togeather with the Father and the Sonne In the thirde Councel kept at Ephesus the Heretike Nestorius boasted at ye doo of the Scriptures sayinge they were of his side and would neither speake nor heare ought but Scriptures Scriptures And alleaginge a place or twoo out of the Gospel where Marie is called the Mother of Iesus stoutely finde me in all Scripture quoth he wher Marie is called the Mother of God Hereto what said that holy and learned Bishop Cyrillus chiefe in that Councel Hanc nobis fidem diuini tradidere Discipuli licet nullam fecerint dictionis huius mentionem ita tamen sentire à sanctis Patribus edocti sumus This Fatthe saith he the Disciples of God haue by tradition lefte vnto vs. And although they haue made no expresse mention of this woorde Deipara yet so to thinke we haue benne taught of the Holy Fathers When they reasoned about rules touchinge faithe to be made saithe Vincentius Lirinensis writinge of that Councel to al the Bishoppes there assembled to the number almost of two hundred this seemed most Catholike most faitheful and beste to be done that the sentences of the Holy Fathers should be brought foorthe amonge them to th end that by theire consente and Decrce the Religion of the Olde Doctrine should be confirmed and the blasphemie of the Prophane nouelâie condemned Behold Sirs what weapons the Fathers haue vsed against Heresies besides the Holy Scriptures In the fourthe Councel whiche was celebrated at Chalcedon the Heretike Eutyches as ye and al Heretikes haue done câaked mutche of the Scriptures and required his matter to be discussed by Scriptures Tel me quoth he mockingly to euery one that reasoned with him in what Scripture lie the twoo natures But let vs heare what the Learned Bishoppes of that Councel saide thereto VVee finde in the first action of the Councel that they cried out aloude Ea quae sunt Patrum teneantur The thinges that the Fathers haue taught let them be kept Againe when they come to the definitiue sentence they saie Sequentes igitur Sanctos Patres
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 ocâurrié 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 crediâe 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 quanâalibet 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 negliguÌt 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 OsteÌdens 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 coÌsensum 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 âully 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 coÌtended 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 maintenauÌce 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 proÌpted 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 CoÌclusion 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 EuaÌgelicis 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 ⪠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 demoÌstrari 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
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 remeÌber 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 SaÌctus 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 Faâthers 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 deuâse 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 coÌtrouersie 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 tââram 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 coÌfingunt 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
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 quaââibet 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 âathers 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 ⪠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 cauââlations 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 ⪠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 âacuerit 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
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 caÌnot 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 pijssimaÌ 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
is not Iustified by the VVoorkes of the Lawe but by the Faithe of Christe M. Hardinge wil saie Yet hitherto of Sola Fides that is of Onely Faithe wée heare nothinge Notwithstandinge when S. Paule excludeth al manner Woorkes bisides Onely Faithe what els then leaueth he but Faithe alone How be it if it be so horrible an Heresie to saye Wée be Iustified before God by Onely Faithe that is to saie Onely by the Merites Crosse of Christe let vs sée what the Holy Learned Fathers of the Churche so many hundred yéeres agoe haue taught vs thereof S. Ambrose saithe Iustificati sunt Gratis quia nihil Operantes neque vicem reddentes Sola Fide Iustificati sunt dono Dei They are Iustified Freely Bicause woorkinge nothinge and requitinge nothinge they are Iustified by Onely Faithe through the gifte of God Againe Sic decretum est à Deo vt cessante Lege Solam Fidem Gratia Dei posceret ad Salutem This was Goddes determination that the Lawe surceasinge the Grace of God shoulde require Onely Faithe vnto Saluation And againe Sola Fides posita est ad Salutem Onely Faithe is saide or appointed vnto Saluation S. Bastle saithe Nouis se esse inopem Verae Iustitiae Sola autem Fide in Christum esse Iustificatum He knoweth him selfe to be voide of True Righteousnesse and to be Iustified by Onely Faithe in Christe Theodoretus saithe Non vllis Operibus nostris sed per Solam Fidem Mystica bona consequuti sumus Not by any VVoorkes of ours but by Onely Faithe we haue gotten the Mystical good thinges Nazianzenus saithe ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Credere solum est Iustitia Onely Beleeuinge is Righteousnesse Origen saithe Vbi est gloriario tua Exclusa est Dicit sufficere Solius Fidei Iustificationem ita vt credens quis TantuÌmodo Iustificetur etiaÌsi Nihil boni Operis fecerit VVhere nowe is thy boastinge of thy good Woorkes It is shutte out Paule saithe that the Iustification of Onely Faithe is Sufficiente So that a man Onely Beleeuinge maye be Iustified although he haue donne no good woorke at al. Hesychius saithe Gratia ex Misericordia atque Compassione praebetur Fide comprehenditur Sola The Grace of God is geuen onely of Mercie and Pauoure and is embraced and receiued by Onely Faithe I leaue a greate number of others that haue written the like as wel Gréekes as Latines In steede of them al S. Chrysostome saithe thus Illi dicebant Qui Sola Fide nititur Execrabilis est Hic contrà demonstrat eum qui Sola Fide nititur Benedictum esse They saide who so staieth him selfe by onely Faithe is accursed Contrarâewise S. Paule prooueth that who so stayeth him selfe by Onely Faithe he is Blessed Touchinge the woordes of S. Iames yf M. Hardinge wel considered the Equiuocation or double vnderstanding of this woorde Iustification he might soone and easily haue espied his owne errour For when S. Paule saithe Abraham was Iustified by Faithe without VVoorkes of the Lawe he teacheth vs how Abraham was receiued into fauour and Iustified before God Of the other side S. Iames when he saithe Abraham was Iustified by VVoorkes and not by Faithe Onely he speaketh of the woorkes that folowe Iustification of the Fruites of Faithe Without whiche Fruites Abrahams Faithe had benne no Faithe S. Augustine saithe Non sunt contrariae duorum Apostolorum Sententiae Pauli Iacobi Cùm dicit Paulus Iustificari hominem sine Operibus Iacobus dicit inanem esse Fidem sine Operibus Quia Paulus loquitur de Operibus quae Fidem praecedunt Iacobus de ijs quae Fidem sequntur The saieinges of the twoo Apostles Paule and Iames are not contrarie where as Paule saithe A man is Iustified without Woorkes and Iames saithe Faithe without Woorkes is in vaine For Paule speaketh of the VVorkes that goe before Faithe James speaketh of the VVorkes that folowe after Faithe Yf M. Hardinge shal thinke S. Augustines authoritie herein is not sufficient Thomas of Aquine wil auouche the same His woordes be these Iacobus hic loquitur de Operibus sequentibus Fidem quae dicuntur Iustificare non secundum quod Iustificare dicitur Iustitiae infusio sed secundum quod dicitur Iustitiae Exercitatio vel Ostensio vel Consummatio Res enim dicitur fieri quando perficitur vel innotescit Iames in this place speaketh of sutche woorkes as folowe Faithe whiche woorkes are saide to Iustifie not as Iustification is the procuring of Righteousnesse but in that it is an Exercise or a shewinge or a Perfitinge of Righteousnesse For wee saye A thinge is donne when it is perfited or knowen to be donne Nowe concerninge the assurance or Certainetie of Saluation the Scriptures are fulle S. Paule saithe There is no damnation to them that be in Christe Iesu The Sprite of God beareth witnesse to our Sprite that wee are the Children of God I knowe that neither Deathe nor Life nor Angels nor Powers nor Principalities nor thinges presente nor thinges to come nor Highth nor Deapthe nor duy Creature els shal be hable to remooue me from that Loue that God beareth to wardes mee in Christe Iesu our Lorde But for as mutche as these woordes perhaps haue not the Sense of the Churche of Roome without whiche in M. Hardinges iudgemente the Scripture of God is no Scripture let vs sée the Sense and Exposition of the Holy Fathers Tertullian saithe Vt certum esset nos esse Filios Dei misit Spiritum suum in corda noâtra clamantem Abba Pater That wee might be certified that we bee the Children of God he hath sente the Holy Ghoste into our hartes crieinge Abba Father Clemens Alexandrinus saithe Re vera Sanguis Fidei est Spes in qua continetur vt Fides in anima Cùm autem Spés expirauerit perinde acsi sanguis effluxerit vltalis Fidei facultas dissoluitur In deede Hope is as it were the Bloudde of Faithe in whiche Faithe Hope is conteined euen as Faithe is conteined in the Soule And when Hope is gonne then is al the Liuely power of Faithe dissolued as if the Bloudde were sheadde out of the Body S Cyprian saithe Et tu dubitas fluctuas Hoc est Deum omninâ non nosse Hoc est Christum Credentium Magistrum peccato incredulitatis offendere Hoc est in Ecclesia constitutum Fidem in Domo Fidei non habere And dooste thou stagger and stande in doubte of thy Saluation That were as mutche as not to knowe God that were as mutche as with the sinne of vnbeliefe to offende Christe the Maister of Beleeuers That were as mutche as beinge in the Churche in the House of Faithe to haue no Faithe Prosper saithe Securi diem Iudicij expectant quibus in Cruce Domini gloriantibus mundus Crucifixus est ipsi Mundo They vnto whome the worlde is Crucified and are Crucified vnto the worlde waite for the daye
of Iudgemente without feare But to leaue the Ancient Fathers of olde time and to put the mater quite out of doubte One Antonius Marinarius in the late Councel of Tridente in open audience saide thus Si Coelum ruat si Terra euanescat si Orbis illabatur praeceps ego in eum erectus ero Si Angelus de Coelo aliud mihi persuadere contendat dicam illi Anathema O Foelicem Christiani pectoris fiduciam Yf the Heauen shoulde fal yf the Earthe shoulde vanishe yf the whole worlde shoulde come downe headlonge yet woulde I stande preste and bolde before God Yf an Angel from Heauen woulde tel mee otherwise I would accurse him O the Blessed truste and certainetie of a Christian Harte Certainely M. Hardinge it were a very Presumptuous parte to saye that these Fathers Greekes Latines Newe Olde your owne and ours were al Presumptuous Yf it be so Presumptuous a mater to put affiance in the Merites of Christe what is it then to put affiance in our owne Merites S. Paule hath taught vs to saye God forebidde that I shoulde glorie but onely in the Crosse of Christe S. Basile saithe Qui non fidit suis Meritis nec expectat ex Operibus Iustificati VnaÌ Solam spem habet salutis suae Misericordias Domini Who so trusteth not in his owne Merites nor looketh to be Iustified by his owne Woorkes hath his onely hope of Saluation in the Mercies of our Lorde So saithe Iob in al his miseries Etiamfi me occiderit sperabo in eum Veruntamen vias meas in conspectu eius arguam Although he kisse mee yet wil I put my trust in him Notwithstandinge I wil reprooue my waies before his sighte So yâ Prophete Dauid In thee O Lorde haue I trusted I wil neuer be confouÌded This is no Presumption but a patiente and an humble waitinge for the Redemption of the Children of God It is moste true that S. Paule saithe Wee must woorke our owne Saluation with feare and tremblinge But this feare riseth in consideration of our owne weakenesse and vnwoorthinesse not of any distruste or doubte in Goddes mercie But rather the lesse cause wée finde to truste in our selues the more cause wée haue to truste in God Therefore S. Augustine saithe Praesume non de Operatione tua sed de Christi Gratia Gratia enim saluati estis inquit Apostolus Non ergo hic Arrogantia est sed Fides Praedicare quod acceperis non est Superbia sed Deuotio Presume thou not of thine owne woorkinge but of the Grace of Christe For the Apostle saithe Ye are saued by Grace Heere therefore is not Presumption but Faithe To proclaime that thou haste receiued it is no Pride it is Deuotion Againe he saithe Non mea Praesumptione sed ipsius Promissione in iudicium non venio It is not of my Presumption but of his Promisse that I shal not comme into Iudgemente S. Basile saithe Paulus Gloriatur de contemptione Iustitiae suae Paule presumeth and boasteth of the contempte of his owne Righteousnesse So saithe S. Ambrose Non gloriabor quia iustus sum sed quia redemptus sum gloriabor Non quia vacuus sum à peccatis sed quia mihi remissa sunt peccara Non gloriabor quia profui neque quia profuit mihi quisquam sed quia pro me Aduocatus apud Patrem Christus est sed quia pro me Christi Sanguis effusus est I wil not glorie for that I am a iuste man But for that I am redeemed thârefore wil I glorie Not for that I am voide of sinne but for that my Sinnes be forgeeuen mee I wil not glorie for that I haue donne good to any man nor for that any man hath donne good to wee but for that Christe is my Aduocate with the Father and for that Christes Bloudde was shead for mee Therefore S. Augustine saithe Quid retribuam Domino quo'd recolit haec memoria mea anima mea non meruit inde VVhat shal I reâder vnto our Lorde for that I calle to remembrance al these my sinnes and yet my Soule thereof is not afraide To be shorte thus saithe S. Bernarde Vbi tura firmaque infirmis securitas requies nisi in vulneribus Saluatoris Tantâ illic securior habâto quantâ ille potentior est ad saluandum c. Peccaui peccatum grande turbatur conscientia sed non perturbabitur quoniam vulnerum Domini recordabor Nempe vulneratus est propter iniquitates nostras What safe teaste or surâtie can the weake Scule finde but in the wâââdes of our Saueour As he is mightier to saue so dwel I there with more safetie c. I haue committed a greate Since My conscience is troubled Yet shal it not bee shaken downe bicause I wil remember my Lordes woundes For he was wounded for our Sinnes Thus M. Hardinge to be assured of our Saluation S. Augustine saithe it is no arrogante stoutenesse It is our Faithe It is no Pride It is Deuotion It is no Presumption It is Goddes Promisse But your whole Doctine of the truste in Mennes Merites leadeth directly to Desperation And therefore S. Cyprian saithe wel of you Asserunt Noctem pro Die Interitum pro Salute Desperationem sub obtent Spei Perfidiani sub praetexâu Fidel Antichristum sub vocabulo Christi They teachâ vs Nighte in steede of Daie Dei struction in tleede of Healthe Desperation vnder the coloure of Hope Infidelitie vnder the pretense of Faithe Antichriste vnder the name of Christe Nowe a litle to viewe the groundes of M. Hardinges longe discourse whereas he so often and so earnestly telleth vs of the Sense of the Scriptures as if wee had Scriptures without Sense his meaninge thereby is onely to leade vs awaye to the Sense of the Churche of Rome Whiche Sense Albertus Pigghius saithe Is the Infallible and Inflexible Rule of Truthe Echius saithe Scriptura nisi Ecclesiae Authoritate non est Authentica The Scriptures of God are not Authentical or of credite but onely by the warrante and Authoritie of yâ Churche And Hosius in like manner Apostoli cùm Symbolum traderem nunquam dixerunt Credo Sancta Biblia aut Sanctum Euangelium sed dixerunt Credo Sanctam Ecclesiam The Apostles when they deliuered the Crede they neuer saide I beleeue the Holy Bible or the Holy Gospel but they saide I beleeue the Holy Churche Thus nowe the mater is sure yenough for euer Wee haue neither Scriptures nor Sense of Scriptures but onely from Rome I wil not here reporte the vnsauerie Senses that they haue imagined of the Scriptures One example or twoo for a taste maye be sufficient Pope Boniface saithe thus Ecce duo Gladij hâc Beholde here are twoo Swerdes That is to saye The Pope hath the power bothe of the Spiritual Swerde and of the Temporal An other saithe Omnia subiecisti sub pedibus eius id est
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 haâeat 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 Recipienduâr 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 interpreâatur 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
alone For Head and Spouse alone he is in one respect not alone in an other respect According to the in ward influence of Grace Christe properly and onely is Head of his Mystical Body the Churche But as touching the outwarde Gouernment the being of a Head is common to Christe with others For in this respect certaine others maie be called Heads of the Churche as in Amos the Prophete the great States be called the Heads of the People So the Scripture speaketh of Kinge Saule VVhen thou were a litle one in thine owne eies thou wastinade Head emong the Tribes of Israel So Dauid saithe of him selfe he hath made me Head of Nations Men be called Heads in as muche as they be in stede of Christe and vnder Christe after which meaning S. Paule saith to the Corinthians For if I forgaue any thing to whom I forgaue it for your sakes forgaue I it In persona Christi In the Person of Christe And in an other place VVee are Ambassadours in the stede of Christe as though God did exhort you through vs. To conclude in fewe according to inwarde influence of grace into euery faithful member Christe onely is Head of the Churche according to outward gourning the Pope vnde Christ and in sted of Christ is hed of yâ same As touching the Bridegromesbip we saie and beleeue that if we would speake properly Christ is the onely Bridegrome of the Church his spouse of whom it is said he that hath a spouse is a Bridegrome For from one of the Churche he begetteth children to himselfe But others are called Bridegromes Working together with Christe outwardly to the begetting of spiritual children whom neuerthelesse they begette not to them selues but to Christe And suche are called the ministers of the Bridegrome in as muche as they done his stede And therefore the Pope who is instede of Christe the Bridegrome of the whole Churche is called also the Bridegrome of the vniuersal Churche a man maie terme him the vicegerent Bridegrome The B. of Sarisburie I trust Gentle Reader thou wilt not looke I should answeare al M. Hardinges ordinarie idle talke So should I lose good time without cause and be ouer troublesome to thine eates O saithe he VVhat a world it is to see these Defenders They whiche haue not keapt the vnitie of the Sprite in the band of Charitie whiche S. Paule requireth but haue seuered them selues from the Body of the Churche tel vs nowe for soothe that they beleeue that there is one Churche of God O M. Hardinge if wée haue herein saide il then beare witnesse of the il If wée haue saide wel wherefore make you these vitter outcries What so euer ye haue conceiued vs to be yet might ye suffer vs quietly to saie the Truthe specially sutche Truthe as you imagine maketh so mutche for your selfe Ye say wée confesse that our Churche beganne onely about fourtie yeeres sithence and was neuer before No M. Hardinge wée confesse it not and you your selfe wel knowe wée confesse it not It is your tale it is not ours Wée saie and haue sufficiently proued and you knowe it right wel if ye would be knowen of that ye know yâ our Doctrine is yâ Olde yours is yâ Newe Yf ye wil néedes force your selfe to the denial it may easily be proued that by sutch Authoritie as your selfe may not wel denie onlesse ye wil once againe do now as ye haue twise done before Wée saie that our Doctrine the order of our Churches is older then yours by fiue hundred whole yeeres and more If ye wil not beleeue vs yet beleeue M. Hardinge he wil tel you euen the same Marke wel his woordes These they be It standeth not with Christe his promises made to the Churche that he should suffer his Church to continue in darkenesse these thousand yeeres past And thus by secrete confession he leaueth vs fiuehundred three score and sixe whole yeeres at the least that is to saie the whole time of Christe of his Apostles and of al the Godly Learned Doctours and Fathers of the Primitiue Churche Whiche time notwithstanding is thought a great deale better and purer then al the time that hath folowed afterwarde In this Diuision M. hardinge being attente and eger vpon his cause and claiming as mutche as he thought with any modestie he might be hable hath claimed to him selfe onely a thousand yeeres of the night and hath leafte vs welneare sixe hundred yeeres of the daie This is your owne witnesse M. Harding Consider wel of it It is your owne Therefore ye doo your selfe great wronge and mutche deface your owne credite so suddainely to saie our Doctrine is Newe Gods name be blessed it hath the Testimonie not onely of Christe and his Apostles but also of the olde Learned Catholique Fathers of the Churche And this is it that so mutche greeueth you that wee refourme our Churches nowe according to the paterne and samplar of Christes and his Apostles firste Institution For thereby the disorder and deformitie of your Churches the more appeareth Lirinensis saithe That thing must be holden for Catholique that euerywhere euermore and of al menne hath benne beleeued These general notes must be limited with this special restrainte VVhere as the Churches vvere not corrupted For otherwise there was neuer any Doctrine so Catholique ne not the Confessed Doctrine of Christe him selfe that hath benne receiued Euermore Eueryvvhere and of al menne without any exception But M. Hardinge these selfe same notes of Lirinests vtterly euerthrowe the greatest part of that whole Doctrine that you would so saine haue counted Catholique For neither reacheth to within fiue hundred yeeres of the Apostles time nor hath it that Antiquitte indeed that in face and countenance is pretended as it is plaine by your owne former Confession nor was it euer vniuersally receiued as herafter by Particulares it shal be proued It had neuer that vniuersalitie neither of al times and ages nor of al places and countries nor was it euer vniuersally receiued allowed of al men Therefore what so euer ye cal it ye cannot by your owne Definition cal it Catholique The Catholique Churche of God standeth not in multitude of Persones but in weight of Truthe Otherwise Christe him selfe and his Apostles had not ben Catholique For his flocke was very litle the Catholique or Vniuersal consent of the World stoode against it The Churche of God is compared to the Moone for that she waxethe and waneth as the Moone dothe sometime is ful sometime is emptie and therefore as S. Augustine saith is called Catholica quia Vniuersaliter perfecta est in nullo claudicat per totum Orbem diffusa est Bicause she is Vniuersally perfite and halteth in nothing and is not now shut vp in one onely Countrie as was the Churche of the Iewes but powred throughout the whole World Though the hartes of men haue often changes yet Gods
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 yâ 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 yâ 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 yâ people So Saul is called the Head of the Tribes of Israel So Dauid was made Caput GentiuÌ 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 NatlonuÌm 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 MembruÌ Sanctae Vniuersalis Ecclesiae est Paulus Andreas Iohannes quid aliud quam singulariuÌ 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 Tobâe 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
Kingedome of God but rather Shutte it The Apologie Cap. 7. Diuision 1. And touchinge the Keies wherewith they maie either Shutte or Open the Kingdome of Heauen wee with Chrysostome saye They be the Knowledge of the Scriptures with Tertullian we saie They be the Interpretation of the Lawe and with Eusebius wee cal them the Woorde of GOD. M. Hardinge The let where by the whole Nature of man is shutte out of Heauen by the sinne of our Firste Parent is taken a wait by the Passion of Christe But because before that benefite be receiued Heauen yet remaineth shutte bothe for sinne Originall contracted and sinne actual committed wee haue neede of the Sacramentes and Keies of the Churche The Holy Fathers for good considerations grounded vpon Scripture haue diuided the Keies into the Keie of Order and the Keie of Iurisdiction And either of them into the Keie of Knowledge whiche they call also the Keie of Discretion and into the Keie of Power To these Defenders wee saie that they confounde the Keies and seme not to knowe what the Keies are Verely these be not onely the knowledge of the Scriptures nor the Interpretation of the lawe nor the VVorde of God although these also doo open or shute the Kingedome of Heauen in their kinde as Chrysostome Tertullian and Eusebius maye well saye and not onely these but also Miracles and Plagues and all other thinges whiche prepare the will or vnderstandinge of man whereby hee maye receiue the benefite of those moste principall Keies that nowe wee speake of The B. of Sarisburie Gentle Reader for the better vnderstandinge hereof it may please thée to consider that the Woorde of God according to the sundrie effectes and properties thereof hath sundrie names For example For that it encreaseth and multiplieth it is called Seede For that it cutteth the Harte and diuideth the Fleash from the Sprite it is called a Swerde For that it taketh and encloseth vs and bringeth vs togeather it is called a Nette For that it wassheth vs cleane it is called Water For that it Enflameth vs it is called Fire For that it Féedeth vs it is called Breade And euen so for that it openeth and geueth vs an entrie into the House it is called the Keie This House is the Kingedome of Heauen Christe is the Doore the Woorde of GOD is the Keie For thus saieinge M. Hardinge telleth vs Wee confounde maters and séeme not to knowe what wée saie Notwithstandinge herein we imagine nothinge of our owne but onely reporte the very Woordes and Sentences of the Ancient Learned Catholique Fathers Tertullian saithe Quam Clauem habebant Legis Doctores nisi Interpretationem Legis What Keie had the Doctours of the Lawe sauinge the Exposition of the Lawe S. Hierome saithe Duces Ecclesiae habent Claues Scientiae vt aperiant Scripturas creditis sibi Populis Vnde praecipitur vt Magistri aperiant Discipuli ingrediantur The Captaines of the Churche haue the Keies of Knowledge to open the Scriptures vnto the People to them committed Therefore Commaundement is geuen that the Maisters should open and the Scholars shoulde enter S. Ambrose saithe Remittuntur peccata per Dei Verbum cuius Leuites est Interpres Sinnes be forgeuen by the Woord of God the Expounder whereof is the Priest Thus these and other like Ancient Fathers haue opened the meaninge of these Keies And yet were they neuer therfore condemned of ignorance as menne yâ wiste not what they saide Certainely Chrysostome saithe Clauis est Scientia Scripturarum per quam aperitur Ianua Veritatis The Keie is the knowledge of the Scriptures whereby is opened the gate of the Truthe And S. Augustine saithe Clauis est dicenda qua ad Fidem pectorum dura reserantur That ought to be called the Keie where with the hardnesse of mennes hartes is opened vnto Faithe Here hath M. Hardinge wel multiplied and encreased his Keies and hathe brought vs foorthe a whole bunche of them altogeather The Keies of Orders The Keies of Iurisdiction The Keies of Discretion The Keies of Power The keies moste Principal and the Keies not so principal And thus hath he keies of Order without Iurisdiction and keies of Iurisdiction without Order keies of Discretion without Power keies of Power without Discretion And al these prety shiftes of keies hath he diuised to auoide Confusion and to make vp his tale as if the Popes Crosse Keies were not sufficient Plagues and Miracles and I knowe not what thinge els are brought foorthe vnto vs in the likenesse of Keies And this distinction and limitation of Keies saithe he hath vpon good considerations benne diuised by the Holy Fathers And yet of al these Holy Fathers for modesties sake he nameth none What answeare were it beste to make to sutche Vanities In deede when the right Keie of Knowledge was loste and gonne it was time to diuise some other pretie Pikelockes to woorke the feate Bonauentura hereof writeth thus as it is partely alleged before Omnes ferè Sacerdotes ita sunt simplices idiotae post susceptionem Sacerdotij sicut anté Dicendum ergo quòd Scientia non est Clauis Principalis nec per se sed prout iuncta est Authoritati Ligandi vel soluendi Et haec Clauis non est de Esse Ordinis sed de bene esse Al Priestes for the moste parte are as simple and as iude after the receiuinge of Priesthoode as they were before Therefore we must saie that Knowledge is not the Principal Keie not any Keie at al of it selfe but as it is ioined with the Authoritie of Bindinge or Loosinge And this Keie of Knowledge is not of the Substance of the Order of Priesthoode but of the better beinge of the same And therefore to encrease M. Hardinges number of Keies he saithe Quidam habent Scientiam Clauium quidam Clauiculam quidam nullam Somme haue the Knowledge of the Keies somme a pretie litle Keie somme no Keie at al. In this case it were good for M. Hardinge to resolue his Reader when the Prieste hath nothinge els but a Pretie litle Keie or no Keie at al what Authoritie he hath either to Open or to Shutte M. Hardinge replieth farther VVee haue Remission of Sinnes in the Ministration of the Sacramentes Therefore wee haue it not onely by the hearinge of the VVoorde of God This Obiection touched and partely answeared a litle before S. Augustine calleth the Sacramentes Verba Visibilia Woordes Visible for that in them as in liuely Images the Deathe of Christe is sensibly sette before our eies For the woorde of God is the Substance and Life of al Sacramentes and without the same Sacramentes what so euer are no Sacramentes And therefore S. Augustine saithe as it is alleged before Quare non ait vos mundi estis propter Baptismum quo lotâ estis Sed ait propter Verbum quod locutus sum vobis Nisi quia in Aqua
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 SolueÌdi 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 weighiâge 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
Hierome saithe Quid prodest Corporis pudicitia animo constuprato VVhen the Minde or Harte is defloured what auaileth the Chastitie of the Body S. Ambrose saithe Non imperari potest Virginitas sed optari Nam quae supra nos sunt in Voto magis sunt quà m in Magisterio Wee maie vvishe for Virginitie but commaunde it wee cannot For the thinges that be aboue vs and out of our power are rather of desire then of Commaundement Hereof Epiphanius maketh this Conclusion Vt ne confundantur apud homines occultè scortantur sub Solitudinis aut continentiae specie libidinem exercent Melius est itaque lapsum à cursu palà m sibi vxorem accipere secundum Leges Leste they should be shamed before menne they keepe Harlottes priuily and vnder the colour of Solitarie or Continent Life they practise theire filthy pleasure Better is it therefore for a man beinge fallen from his course openly to take vnto him selfe a vvife accordinge to the Lavve So saithe S. Hierome as I haue before alleged Huiusmodi Virginibus apertè dicendum est vt aut nubant si se non possunt continere aut contineant si nolunt nubere To sutche virgins wee muste saie plainely that either they Marrie if they cannot Conteine Or els that they Conteine if they wil not Marrie So saithe S. Bernard vnto his Sister Quod incautè vouisti ne impleas Impia est promissio quae scelere adimpletur That thou haste vnaduisedly Vowed see thou keepe it not It is a vvicked promisse that is perfourmed vvith vvickednesse To be shorte Iohannes Scotus saithe Si votum Continentiae est annexum Ordini Sacro solùm ex praecepto Ecclesiae sequitur quòd non simpliciter illegitimat ad contrahendum If the Vowe or promisse of Chastitie be annexed vnto Holy Orders Onely by force of the Constitution or Commaundement of the Churche then dooth it not of necessitie and fine force vnhable a man to contracte Matrimonie How be it hereof wée haue saide already so mutche as to a reasonable man maie seeme sufficient The Apologie Cap. 9. Diuision 1. Wee receiue and embrace al the Canonical Scriptures bothe of the Olde and Newe Testament geuinge thankes to our God who hath raised vp vnto vs that Light whiche wee might euer haue before our eies leaste either by the suttletie of man or by the snares of the Diuel wee should be carried awaie to errours and lies Also that these be the Heauenly Voices whereby God hath opened vnto vs his wil and that onely in them mannes harte can haue settled reste that in them be aboundantly and fully comprehended al thinges what so euer be needeful for our Healthe as Origene Augustine Chrysostome and Cyrillus haue taught That they be the very mighte and strength of God to attaine to Saluation That they be the Fundations of the Prophetes Apostles whereupon is builte the Churche of God That they be the very sure and infallible Rule whereby maie be tried whether the Churche doo swarue or erre and whereunto al Ecclesiastical Doctrine ought to be called to accoumpte and that against these Scriptures neither Lawe nor Ordinaunce nor any custome ought to be hearde no though Paule him selfe or an Angel from Heauen should comme teache the contrarie M. Hardinge But why doo yee not here plainely declare whiche be the Bookes of the Scriptures that ye allowe and whiche be they that ye reiecte In general ye saie that ye embrace al the Canonical Scriptures Yet if a man presse you with the place of the Machabees for Praier to be made for the Deade and with the woordes of S. Iames Epistle againste your Iustification of Faithe onely and likewise with certaine other places of the Scriptures whiche be accompted in the Canon of the Churche againste certaine other your false doctrines in this case your wonte is to denie those Scriptures to be Canonical Yet here ye beare the worlde in hande ye allowe al. VVould God there were in you either more truthe or lesse crafte VVel ye geue thankes to God for the Scriptures for that hauinge them before your eies ye are staied in Truthe assured that by the suttelty of man or snares of the Diuel ye be not caried awaie into Errours and Lies And is it so in deede I praie you syrs of what secte be ye or of whiche secte is eche one of you For I dare boldely saye and so the worlde seethe that yee agree not al in one If yee saie yee be Lutherans then muste I further demaunde of you of whiche sorte of Lutherans For that puddle runneth out by many sinckes Be yee Zuinglians Arians Osiandrines Libertines Adiaphoristes Anabaptistes Caluinistes or Sathanisâes VVhat Priuiledge haue ye before your felowes a matche beinge made betwene you I meane that newe Cleregie of Englande and the other sectes of our time c. If yee haue this lighte of the Scriptures before your eies how is it that ye agree not within your selues yea how is it that eche one of you oftentimes disagreeth with him selfe howe is it that so many times ye haue chaunged your Commânion Booke the order of your Seruice your doctrine of the blessed Sacrament your Homilies c. VVho knoweth not how in the matter of the Sacrament your chiefe Capitaines haue shewed them selues inconstant and mutable and contrary to them selues I meane Cranmere Ridley Latimer and that greate Rabbin Peter Martyr him selfe As for the resâ they be not woorthy to be named But what saie ye be these the Heauenly Voices whereby God hath opened vnto vs his wil Then howe dare yee to transgresse his wil declared in these Voices where ye reade expressely that he whiche heareth not the Churche is to be taken for no better then a Heathen and a Publicane As yee procede ye saye that onely in the Scriptures mans harte can haue setled reste and that in them be abundaÌtly and fully comprehended al thinges what so euer be needeful for our Saluation as Origen Augustine Chrysostome and Cyrillus haue taught Either you knowe not what you saie sir Defender nor the thinges of whiche you make affirmation as S. Paule saile of suche as ye are writinge to Timothe or you are fowly ouerseene If the harte of man haue setled rest in the Scriptures onely as you saye then in nothinge els but in the Scriptures By this you seeme to trouble and disqutet many hartes For if this be true then had good Abel no better reste in his harte then wicked restlesse Cain VVhen the Holy Booke of Scripture was loste whiche God restored by Esdras were there none in al that time whose hartes had setled reste VVhat foolishe and absurde doctrine is this VVhat if it had pleased God there had neuer benne letter written of the Olde or Newe Testament shoulde not Gods frendes haue founde his peace that passeth al sense as S. Paule saieth Had Paule Antony Hilarion
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 coÌprehended 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 froÌ 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 yâ 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
it is a Bastarde Epistle and not written by S. Iames. Likewise S. Hierome saithe Epistola Iacobi ab alio quopiam sub eius nomine edita asseritur It is saide that the Epistle of S. Iames was set foorthe by somme other man vnder his name This therefore is no Newe fantasie but the Iudgemente of the Ancient Learned Fathers Neuerthelesse wee doo bothe receiue the same Epistle and also reade it in Oure Churches and allowe euery Clause and Sentence that therein is written M. Hardinge saithe If yee haue this Lighte of the Scriptures before your eies howe is it that yee agree no better emongest your selues And here he reckeneth vp by rote a many of names of his owne makinge Lutherans Zuinglians Arians Osiandrians Libertines Adiaphoristes Anabaptistes Caluinistes and Sathanistes In whiche his so pleasante fansie he maie haue leaue to sporte him selfe while he listeth God be thanked wée agrée thorowly togeather in the whole Substance of the Religion of Christe and altogeather with one harte and one Sprite doo glorifie God the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christe Certainely S. Augustine S. Hierome S. Chrysostome Epiphanius and Theophilus as it appeareth by theire writinges agreed no better togeather in theire time then wee doo nowe Yet had they and euery of them the Woorde of God and the same Woorde of God was a Light vnto their feete It was not for any greate stoare of better mater I trowe that M. Hardinge thus chargeth vs with so often changinge the Communion Booke For of more then of one Onely Change he cannot tel vs. And if there had benne lesse then that there had benne no change at al. And yet for that One change he him selfe in the meane season hath changed thrise But the Holy Communion Booke and the Order of the Holy Ministration standeth and by Goddes Mercie shal stand stil without any further Change How be it Gentle Reader if thou wilt knowe the often Alterations and Changes of the Masse reade I beseche thée Platyna and Polydore Vergil touchinge the same There shalte thou finde howe and by whome and vpon what occasion and in what processe of time al the partes of the Masse were peeced and sette togeather and that in the space of seuen hundred whole yéeres scarcely and with mutche adoo it was made vp at laste and brought to somme perfection Christes Commaundement of Hearinge the Churche is answeared before S. Augustine saithe Credimus Sanctam Ecclesiam non Credimus in Sanctam Ecclesiam VVee beleeue that there is a Holy Churche But wee Beleue not in the Holy Churche For the Churche is not God nor is hable of her selfe to make or alter any one Article of the Faithe The Prophete Esay saithe Ad Legem potiùs ad Testimonium Si non responderint secundum Verbum hoc non erit illis Lux Matutina To the Lawe rather and to the Testimonie If they answeare not accordinge to this VVoorde they shal haue no Morninge Light M. Hardinge saithe further If quietnesse of Conscience comme of the VVoorde of God onely then had Abel no more quietnesse of Conscience then wicked restlesse Cain Then should Paule the Eremite and Antonie and Hilarion and Pambus and other Holy menne liuinge in Wildernesse without Letters haue had no reste ne quiet at theire hartes And why so Bicause they had no Woorde written Who woulde thinke that M. Hardinge bearinge sutche a countenance of Diuinitie woulde thus goe aboute to deceiue him selfe with a pointe of Sophistrie Chrysostome saithe Deus Conditor Humani Generis ab initio per seipsum homibus loquebatur God the Creatour of Mankinde froÌ the beginninge spake vnto menne by him selfe in his owne personne And S. Paule saithe Deus olim multifarià m multisquemodis Patribê° locutus est In Old times God spake many vvaies and in sundrie sortes vnto the Fathers And doothe M. Hardinge thinke when God him selfe in his owne personne and presently spake vnto Abel that Abel bearde not then the Woorde of God Wée speake not so precisely and nicely of Goddes Woorde written in Paper For so it is a Creature Corruptible and shal consume and perishe as other Corruptible Creatures doo But the VVoorde of God whiche wée speake of endureth for euer S. Hierome saithe Quomodò Aeternae erunt Scripturae Diuinae si Mundus certo fine est terminandus Verum est quidem quòd Librorum pelliculae cum ipsis Literis abolendae sunt Sed quia subiungit DnÌs Verba verò mea non praeteribunt proculdubio quod illis apicibus pollicetur erit Aeternum Howe shal the Holy Scriptures he Euerlastinge seeinge the Worlde shal haue on ende True it is that the parchement or leaues of the Bookes with the letters and al shal be abolished But for as mutche as our Lorde addeth My Woordes shal neuer passe doubtelesse though the Papers and Letters perishe yet the thinge that is promised by the same letters shal laste for euer So Chrysostome saithe Paulus Praedicationem non Scripâam appellat Euangelium Preachinge not vvritten Paule calleth the Gospel That M. Hardinge addeth of Antonius and Paulus Hilarion other Eremites that they liued in Wildernesse vvithout Letters and therefore presumeth they liued vvithout the VVoorde of God it is very vnaduisedly spoken and vtterly vntrue For proufe whereof to name onely One in stéede of the reste S. Augustine saithe that Antonius the Eremite was notably Learned and perfite in the Scriptures His woordes be these Antonius sine vlla scientia Literarum Scripturas Diuinas memoriter audiendo tenuisse prudenter cogitando intellexisse praedicatur It is reported that Antonius without knowledge of Letter bothe Learned the Holy Scriptures and bare them vvel in minde by hearinge and also by Wisedome and studie vnderstoode them And whereas M. Hardinge woulde séeme to make sutche an accoumpte of Praier and Holinesse without knowledge S. Augustine saithe Lectio sine Meditatione arida est Meditatio sine Lectione erronea est Oratio sine Meditatione tepida est Readinge without Meditation or studie is drie and barren Meditation or studie vvithout Readinge is erroneous And Praier without Cogitation or studie is halfe colde and vnfruiteful Thus wée sée by S. Augustines Iudgement that the Force and Substance bothe of Praier and of Meditation dependeth of Readinge How be it what Comforte and peace of Conscience wée haue by Hearinge the Woorde of God S. Paule can tel vs somewhat better then M. Hardinge Thus he saithe Quaecunque Scripta sunt c. What so euer thinges are written they are written for our learninge that by Patience and Comforte of the Scriptures we maye haue hope Euen so saithe Christe him selfe O Father this is the Euerlastinge Life that they maye know thee the onely and very God and Iesus Christe whome thou haste sente But S. Paule saithe Keepe the Traditions whiche ye haue receiued either by Epistle or by VVoorde And S.
Basile reckeneth Traditions to be One and Equal with the Woorde of God Firste that S. Basile worte those woordes rather of zele then of Iudgement it maie easily appeare by that the selfe same Traditions that he there specially nameth and so highely commendeth are for the greattest parte already abolished and quite foregotten yea and that euen in the Churche of Rome Yet the Woorde of God endureth stil and shal endure for euer For example by one of S. Basiles necessarie Traditions It is not lawful for any man to kneele in the Churche vpon the Sonnedaie But euery man is bounde by the same Tradition at Sermon at Praier at the Communion to stande vpright And this he saithe was geuen vnto vs in Secrete Charge by the Apostles of Christe This so necessarie and so Apostolique Tradition is now dissolued and broken and vtterly foregotten not onely in Louaine but also in Rome S. Augustine saithe By Tradition of the Apostles bitwéene Easter and Witsondaie it was not lavvful for any man to Faste Yet now wée Faste within the same daies so forebidden and the same kinde of Faste is thought lawful the Apostles Tradition to the contrarie notwithstandinge The reste of S. Basiles Traditions stande in halowinge of VVater in Blessinge of Oile in Praieinge towardes the Easte in vtteringe certaine woordes of Inuocation at the shewinge foorthe of the Breade of Thankesgeuinge vnto the people These thinges I beléeue M. Hardinge him selfe neuer thought to be Equiualente with the Woorde of God But if these and other like Traditions be so weighty and so necessarie as he séemeth to make them then let him tel vs in good soothe and without fable what were these Mystical Solemne VVoordes of Inuocation that S. Basâle saithe were spoken by the Prieste at the Openinge or shewinge foorthe of yâ Sacrament If they be so necessarie to be vsed and continued in the Churche of God why hath he his whole Romaine Cleregie quite foregotten them If he and his Cleregie haue foregotten them and vse them not and care not for them how can he saie or maie wée thinke they are so necessarie to Saluation This is the Simplicitie and plainenesse of M. Hardinges dealinge He telleth vs many tales of the Apostles Traditions being him selfe the manifeste despiser and breaker of the same Traditions Touchinge the woordes of S. Paule I marueile that M. Hardinge could so easily be deceiued For S. Paule him selfe euen in the same woordes in the selfe same line would haue tolde him that by the name of Traditions he meante not vnvvritten Verities and Liuelesse Ceremonies as he supposeth but the selfe same Substance of Religion Doctrine that he had vttered vnto the Thessaloniens before either by Epistle or by Preachinge These be his Woordes Holde the Traditions whiche ye haue receiued either by Epistle or by Woorde He calleth them Traditions although they were conteined in his Epistles and deliuered to them by Writinge For the Apostles preachinge writinge in grounde and substance were al one Nicephorus saithe Paulus quae praesens oratione sua dilucidè docuerat eadem absens per compendium in memoriam scripta Epistola reuocare voluit Paule what thinges beinge presente he had plainely taught by Mouthe the same thinges afterwarde beinge absente he shortely called to their remembrance by writinge of an Epistle The like he writeth also of S. Mathewe Matthaeus discedens aliò praedicatum absentiam suam scripto praesenti compensauit S. Mathewe departinge to preache in other places recompensed his absence by presente vvritinge S. Paule vnto the Philippians saithe thus Eadem scribere mihi quidem non pigrum vobis auâem necessarium To write vnto you the selfe same thinges vnto me it is not paineful but in your behalfe it is necessarie These woordes S. Hierome expoundeth thus Eadem scribere hoc est eadem repetere quae praesens dixeram To write the same thinges that is to saie to make rehearsal of the same thinges that I tolde you by Mouthe wheâ I was presente So saithe Theophylacte speakinge in the personne of S. Luke Priùs te sine Scripto institui nunc scriptum tibi trado Euangelium Atque ita mentem tuam munio vt ne obliuiscatur eorum quae priùs sine scriptis Tradita sunt Before this time I haue instructed thee vvithout vvritinge Nowe I deliuer vnto thee a vvritten Gospel And so I furnishe thy minde that it forgeate not the thinges that vvere deliuered thee before vvithout vvritinge So saithe Irenaeus Apostoli tunc Euangelium praeconiauerunt Posteà verò per Dei voluntatem illud in Scripturis nobis tradiderunt Fundamentum Columnam Fidei nostrae futurum Then the Apostles preached the Gospel And afterwarde by Goddes wil they deliuered the same to vs in vvritinge to be a Fundation and a Piller vnto our Faithe And therefore Chrysostome saithe Paulus etiam non Scriptam Praedicationem vocat Euangelium S. Paule calleth his Preachinge not vvritten by the name of the Gospel But me thinketh M. Hardinge so stoutely striuinge for the bare name of Traditions should better haue Learned S. Hieromes lesson touchinge the same Thus he writeth vpon these woordes of S. Paule Holde the Traditions whiche ye haue learned either by Our Epistle or by Our VVoorde Quando sua vult teneri non vult extranea superaddi Whereas S. Paule wil haue his ovvne thinges to be keapte he wil haue no strange thinges thereto to be added And that S. Paule by this Woorde Traditions meante not Ceremonies or certaine Secrete vnknowen Verities but the very Substance of the Gospel of Christe as it is saide before if M. Hardinge wil not beleue vs yet let him beléeue S. Paule him selfe Thus he writeth Tradidi vobis in primis quod etiam accepi quòd Christus mortuus est pro peccatis nostris secundum Scripturas Firste I haue deliuered to you or geuen to you by Tradition the same thinge that I receiued that is that Christe died for our sinnes accordinge to the Scriptures Here by S. Paules Woordes the Deathe of Christe is called a Tradition So saithe S. Basile Hoc palà m impugnat Salutaris Baptismatis Traditionem Baptismus noster iuxta ipsam Domini Traditionem est in Nomine Patris Filij Spiritus Sancti Per ipsam Baptismi Traditionem habemus Confessionem Fidei This thinge is plainely againste the Tradition of Healtheful Baptisme Our Baptisme accordinge to the Tradition of our Lorde is in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghoste By the very Tradition of Baptisme wee haue the Confession of Faithe S. Cyprian saithe Vnde est ista Traditio Vtrum ne de Dominica Euangeliea Authoritate descendens an de Apostolorum Mandatis atque Epistolis veniens c. Si igitur aut in Euangelio praecipitur aut in Apostolorum Epistolis Actis continetur obseruetur etiam haec
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 theÌ 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 whoÌ 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 vnderstaÌding 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 SacrameÌtes 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
Hardinge be hable easily to winne the price He saithe Our Doctrine is but in a Corner of the worlde and that therefore Christe hathe geuen this watche woorde of vs Beleeue them not How be it if he would aduisedly consider the mater and looke wel about him he shoulde finde that so many Kingdomes and Countries and Commonweales as this day professe the Gospel of Christe would make a good large Corner in the Churche of God Certainely in respecte thereof Rome it selfe were a very poore Corner Vnto whom Christe specially pointed when he saide these woordes Beleeue them not bicause it is a Prophesie it is harde to iudge But it is very likely he meante Antichriste that Man of Sinne the Childe of destruction that auanceth him selfe aboue al that is called God Verily Chrysostome thereof saithe thus Non dico si dixerint vobis Ecce in Haereticis Ecclesijs illis vel in illis apparuit Christus sed etiam si in ipsis veris Ecclesijs quae Dei sunt id est domus vestrae dixerint vobis Christum apparuisse nolite eis credere dicentibus ista de me quia non est digna Diuinitatis meae notitla haec Ostendens per haec quomodò ex ipsis Ecclesijs veris frequenter exeunt Seductores Proptereà nec ipsis omninò credenduÌ est nisi ea dicant vel faciant quae conuenientia sint Scripturis I saie not if they tel you Behold Christe hathe appeared in these or these Churches of Heretiques But if they shal saie vnto you that Christe bathe appeared in the very true Churches that are of God that is to saie that are your houses Beleeue them not if they saie thus of me for this is no woorthy knowledge of my Diuinitie By these he sheweth hovv that out of the very true Churches oftentimes come foorthe deceiuers Therefore wee maie not beleue no not them onlesse they speake or doo those thinges that are agreeable to the Scriptures Verily how so euer M. Hardinge wil shifte this mater the plaine woordes séeme rather to touche him and his companie then either Luther or Zuinglius or any other For they can pointe with theire fingers and saie Here is Christe and There is Christe Behold In this Pyre are three Christes in that fiue in that seuen in that moe Therefore it is likely that Christe géeueth vs this special watche woorde of them and sutche others Beleeue them not Here M. Hardinge maketh mutche adoo about Consecration and yet are not his Felowes wel agreed what to make of theire owne Consecration Gabriel saithe Chritus potuit sine verbo tanquam verus Deus Substantiam Panis Vini Consecrare Vel potuit verba quaedam secretò proferre per illa Consecrare Vel per haec Verba Hoc est Corpus meum Consecrare potuit Vel potuit priùs Consecrare posteà distribuere Vel primùm distribuere posteà Consecrare Quid autem horum fecerit ex Sacris Scripturis non constat Christe as beinge very God might Consecrate the Substance of Breade and VVine vvithout vvoorde Or els he might speake certaine wordes in secrete and by them Consecrate Or els he might Consecrate by these woordes This is my Body Or els he might firste Consecrate and after deliuer Or els firste deliuer and after Consecrate But vvhiche of al these he did in deede by the Holy Scriptures it appeareth not Cardinal Bessarion saithe that in the Latine Churche Consecration is wrought by the vvoordes of Christe in the Gréeke Churche by other Praiers that folowe afterwarde Catharinus intreatinge pourposely hereof saithe Christe Consecrated not vvith the same vvordes that are nowe vsed in the Masse This is my Body Durandus saithe Christe Consecrated by his Diuine povver and after Consecration saide This is my Body Petrus Alliacensis yeldeth this reason hereof Quia nisi antè fuisset Corpus Christi Christus non verè dixisset Hoc est Corpus meum If it had not benne Christes Body before Christe coulde not haue said truely This is my Body It is concluded in a Booke called Antididagma lately set foorth by the Chapter of Colaine that the bare woordes of Christes Institution without the woordes of the Canon of the Masse are not sufficient to woorke Consecration Bonauentura saithe To haue the true Fourme of Consecration wée muste séeke not to the Gospel of Christe but to the Canon Howe be it thereof groweth a greate inconuenience that Christe and his Apostles for that they had not the woordes of the Canon had therefore no Consecration Againe Bonauentura saithe that these woordes Noui Aeterni Testamenti are not of the substance of Consecration but are vsed onely as a fourniture Iohannes Scotus saithe Quod ergo est consilium Dico quòd Sacerdos intendens facere quod facit Ecclesia legens distinctè verba Canonis à Principio vsque ad finem verè consicit nec est tutum alicui reputare se valde peritum in scienua sua dicere volo uti praecisè istis verbis pro Consecratione The mater beinge so doubteful what then is your Counsel I saie that the Prieste intendinge to doo what so euer the Churche doothe and readinge the woordes of the Canon distinctly and plainely from the beginninge to the ende doothe verily Consecrate Neither is it good for a man to recken him selfe very skilful in his knowledge and to saie I vvil vse precisely these or these vvoordes to vvoorke Consecration Where also these woordes are specially noted in the Margine Nota quòd de hae materia Doctor nihil hîc asserit sed probabiliter aliquid dicens sub dubio relinquit Here marke that touching this mater of Consecration the Doctour auoucheth nothing but speakinge sommewhat by the waie of likelyhoode he leaueth the vvhole mater vnder doubte In the ende Scotus vncertainely and doubtefully concludeth thus Vnde dicunt aliqui quòd Forma Graecorum Forma nostra quaecunque scripta in Euangelijs sufficiens est ad Consecrationem Whereof somme saie thus that the Fourme of vvoordes that the Greekes vse and the Fourme that vvee vse and any Fourme els vvritten in the Gospels is sufficient to Consecration The like certainetie Bonauentura teacheth vs For thus he endeth De hoc est vtilius dubitare Quis enim potest scire vtrùm Euangelistae aut Apostolus ipse intenderint describete Formam Igitur melius est hîc piè dubitare quà m praesumptuosé definire Hereof it is best to stande in doubte For who can tel whether the Euangelistes or the Apostle Paule him selfe meante to write vs the Fourme of Consecration Therefore in this pointe it is better Soberly to doubte then presumptuously to determine By these fewe good Christian Reader thou maiste sée the grounde and certainetie of M. Hardinges Doctrine He saithe Wée haue no Consecration for that wée lacke a Thing but what Thinge it should be he and his Felowes cannot tel How be it in deede wée vse the
neuerthelesse passe vnder the general name of a Sacramente But thus wee saie It cannot be proued neither by the Scriptures nor by the Ancient Learned Fathers that this Number is so specially appointed and Consecrate to this pourpose or that there be neither moe nor lesse Sacramentes in the Churche but onely Seuen As for the Reasones that they of M. Hardinges side haue brought vs for proufe hereof they are too Childishe to be remembred For thus they saie The Booke in the Apocalyps hathe Seuen Seales The Seuen Angels there haue Seuen trumpettes Christe hath in his right hande Seuen starres Christ vvalketh in the middes of Seuen golden Candlesticks Zacharie savve Seuen eies vpon a stone There vvere Seuen Candlestickes in the Tabernacle Ergo saie they there muste needes be iuste Seuen Sacramentes in the Churche of God But vnto euery necessarie Sacramente of the Churche twoo thinges specially are required that is a Sensible outwarde Elemente and the Woorde of Institution And without either of these there is no Sacramente Therefore S. Augustine saithe Accedat Verbum ad Elementum fit Sacramentum Ioine the Woorde of Christes Institution vnto the sensible Creature or outwarde Elemente and thereof is made a Sacramente The Element or Creature in Baptisme is Water the Elementes or Creatures in Our Lordes Supper are Breade Wine The woordes of Institution are common and knowen The other fiue Sacramentes want either the Woorde or the Elemente or bothe togeather As for example Matrimonie Order and Penance haue the Woorde of God but they haue no outwarde Creature or Elemente Extreme Vnction and Confirmation haue neither VVoorde nor Elemente Therefore these fiue later in proper vse of speache are not taken for Sacramentes of the Churche For thus Alexander of Hales saithe Sacramentum Confirmationis vt est Sacramentum neque Dominus instituit neque Apostoli Sed postea institutum est in Concilio Meldensi The Sacramente of Confirmation as it is a Sacramente was not ordeined either by Christe or by the Apostles but afterwarde in the Councel of Melda So likewise Durandus saithe Matrimonium strictè proprié loquendo non est Sacramentum Matrimonie in dewe and proper kinde of speache is no Sacramente Nowe to that wée make accoumpte onely of Tvvo Sacramentes as instituted by Christe wherewith M. Hardinge findeth him selfe so mutche offended it maie please him to vnderstande that the Anciente Learned Fathers Irenaeus Iustinus Martyr Tertullian S. Ambrose Cyrillus Alexandrinus and others hauinge occasion to intreate of pourpose and specially hereof speake onely of Tvvo Sacramentes Baptisme and Our Lordes Supper and name none other S. Cyprian saithe Tunc demùm planè sanctificari esse Filij Dei possunt si vtroque Sacramento nascantur Then maie they be throughly Sanctified and become the Children of God if they be newe borne by both the Sacramentes S. Augustine saith Quaedam Pauca pro multis eademque factu facillima intellectu augustissima obseruatione castissima ipse Dominus Apostolica tradidit disciplina sicuti est Baptismi Sacramentum Celebratio Corporis Sanguinis Domini Our Lorde and his Apostles haue deliuered vnto vs a fevve Sacramentes in steede of many and the same in dooing moste easy in signification moste excellent in obseruation most reuerende as is the Sacrament of Baptisme and the Celebration of the Body and Bloude of Our Lorde Againe speakinge of Baptisme and the Supper he saithe thus Haec sunt Ecclesiae Gemina Sacramenta These be the Tvvoo Sacramentes of the Churche Paschasius saithe Sunt Sacramenta Christi in Ecclesia Catholica Baptismus Corpus Sanguis Domini These be the Sacramentes of Christe in the Catholique Churche Baptisme and the Body and Bloud of our Lorde To be short Cardinal Bessarion saithe Haec Duo Sola Sacramenta in Euangelijs manifestè tradita legimus Wee reade that these Onely tvvoo Sacramentes were deliuered to vs plainly in the Scriptures Here hath M. Hardinge in expresse woordes Bothe the Sacramentes and the tvvo sacramentes and the Onely tvvo Sacramentes of the Churche Iudge thou nowe therefore good Christian Reader what truthe thou maiste recken to be in him that saithe Beza and they of this side are manifestly founde liers Al these thinges notwithstanding the late pretensed Councel of Tridente with moste horrible threates and great Curses concludeth the contrarie Si quis dixerit Sacramenta Nouae Legis non fuisse omnia à Iesu Christo Domino nostro instituta aut esse Plura vel pauciora quà m septem aut etiam aliquod horum non esse veré propriè Sacramentum Anathema sit If any man shal saie that the Sacramentes of the Newe Lawe were not al ordeined of Our Lorde Jesus Christe or that there be fevver or moe then seuen or that any one of the same verily and in proper vse of speache is not a Sacramente accursed be he But ye saie Luther and the Germaines admitte three Sacramentes Baptisme the Lordes Supper and Penance And Philip Melancthon afterwarde founde out the fourthe O M. Hardinge what is it that thus enflameth your tongue to speake Vntruthe Yf it had pleased you to haue séene it Luther Melancthon plainely expressed theire owne meaninge and vtterly remoued al manner occasion of sutche cauilles Luther writeth thus Propriè ea visum est vocare Sacramenta quae annexis Signis promissa sunt Coetera quia Signis alligata non sunt nuda promissa sum Quò fit ut si rigidè loqui velimus tantùm duo sint in Ecclesia Dei Sacramenta Baptismus Panis cùm in his Solis institutum diuinitùs signum promissionem Remissionis Peccatorum videamus In Proper speache those wee cal Sacramentes whiche are promissed with signes annexed The reste that haue no Signes are bare promisses Wherefore speakinge hereof precisely and strictely there are Onely tvvo Sacramentes in the Churche of God Baptisme and the Breade for as mutche as in these Onely we finde bothe the Signe ordeined by God and also the Promisse of Remission of Sinnes Likewise Melancthon saithe He can wel cal Order a Sacrament so that it be knowen from Baptisme and the Supper whiche in Proper speache and verily be called Sacramentes The Apologie Cap. 11. Diuision 3. Wee saie that Baptisme is a Sacramente of the Remission of Sinnes of that wasshing which we haue in the Bloud of Christe and that no person whiche wil professe Christes name ought to be restreined or keapte backe therfrom no not the very Babes of Christians forsomutche as they be borne in sinne and doo perteine vnto the people of God M. Hardinge As ye acknowldege fewe Sacramentes so ye speake of them very slenderly Baptisme ye saie is a Sacramente of the remission of sinnes and of that wasshinge whiche wee haue in the Bloude of Christe Now whereas ye meane as within fewe lines ye declare by the name of a
Sacramente no more but a Token or Signe specially sith ye teache in your articles that Baptisme at the best is but a Signe and Seale of our newe birthe ye seme not to attribute to Baptisme so mutche as the Scripture dothe Neither is Baptisme onely a Signe or TokeÌ that sinnes be remitted but wee beleeue as the Catholique Churche according to the Scriptures teacheth that in and by Baptisme sinnes be fully and truely remitted and put awaie and that not through the Faithe onely of the geuer or receiuer or of any other though hereunto it be necessarie in thâse that be come to age of discretion but through the power and vertue of the Sacrament and Gods promise And therefore to whom it is geuen of them it is rightly saide that they be Baptized for remission of their sinnes The scriptures be plaine Firste Ezechiel speakinge of this Holy Sacrament saithe in the person of God I wilshed vpon you cleane water and ye shal be made cleane from al your defilinges and from your Idols wil I clense you Nexte S. Paule saithe That God hath saued vs by the wasshinge of Regeneration and of the renewing of the Holy Ghoste whom he hath powred vpon vs aboundantly by Iesus Christe our Sauiour That I maie adde to these manifest Scriptures the Auctoritie of a Learned Father not whereby to strengthen the truthe of them but to witnesse our right vnderstandinge of them S. Augustine Lib. 3. contra duas epist Pelagian Cap. 3. shewinge the sclaunder of the Pelagians againste the Catholikes saithe thus in theire Persone Againe they that is after theire meaninge the Catholikes auouche that Baptisme maketh not in deede newe menne againe that is to witte that it geueth not ful remission of sinnes c. Thereto eftsones answearinge S. Augustine saithe Mentiuntur iusidiantur tergiuersantur They lye they studye howe to deceiue they seeke shiftes wee saie not this And after certaine sentences retourninge to Baptisme he concludeth thus VVherefore Baptisme wassheth awaie al sinnes vtterly al of dedes wordes thoughtes be they Original or Actual be they done ignorantly or wittingly But it taketh not awaie the infirmitie whiche the regenerate resisteth c. VVhiche place doth not onely set foorthe the vertue of Baptisme but also destroieth the Doctrine of our New Gospellers that affirme concupiscence whiche remaineth after Baptisme to be verily sinne ⪠VVherein they erre manifestly againste the Scripture and sense of the Fathers The B. of Sarisburie Il wil is euer plenetiful of ili wordes M. Hardinge here maketh him selfe mutche mater without cause He teacheth our Newe Cleregie that Baptisme is not onely a Signe or a Token of Remission of sinnes He telleth vs of the Faithe of the Geeuer of the Faithe of the Receiuer Of the Povver of the Sacramente Of Concupiscence that it is no sinne And more I trowe he would haue saide if more had presently comme to minde Verily the poore Newe Cleregie speaketh not one woorde in al this whole place neither of Signe nor of Token nor of the Receiuer nor of the Geeuer nor of the Povver of the Sacrament nor of Concupiscence whether it be Sinne or not Sinne nor of any other like thinge Yet in yâ ende he taketh S. Augustines vvoordes vvithout his meaninge and crieth againste vs They lie they studie to deceiue they seke shiftes And why so Certainely bicause wée saie Baptisme is a Sacrament of Remission of Sinnes And that the Children of the Faitheful for that they be borne in Sinne and perteine to the people of God ought therefore to be Baptized Other causes then these in any Our Woordes he can finde none True it is that the Sacramente dependeth not neither of the Minister nor of the Receiuer nor of any other For though they be al the Children of sinne yet is Baptisme the Sacramente of Remission of Sinne. S. Augustine saithe Securum me fecit Magister meus de quo spiritus eius dicit Hic est qui Baptizat Christe my Maister hath assured me of whom his owne Sprite saithe this is he that Baptizeth Neuerthelesse concerninge the Faithe of the Parentes and others the Holy Doctours haue sommetimes written otherwise S. Augustine saithe Satis piè recteque creditur Prodesse paruulo eorum Fidem à quibus Consecrandus offertur It is good and Godly to beleue that the Child is holpen by the Faithe of them by whom he is offered or brought vnto Baptisme Againe he saithe Accommodat illis Mater Ecclesia aliorum pedes vt veniant aliorum Cor vt credant Our Mother the Churche lendeth them other mennes fecte that they maie comme ⪠and other mennes hartes that they maie beleeue The like saieings might be alleged out of Iustinus Martyr S. Cyprian S. Hierome and others For thus they write Howe truely I wil not saie But theire woordes be plaine The Prophets Abacuc saithe Iustus ex Fide sua viuet The Juste man shal liue not by the Faithe of his Parentes but by his ovvne Faithe Of this Faith S. Hierome saith Qui plena Fide non suscipiunt Salutare Baptisma accipiunt quidem Aquam sed non accipiunt Spiritum They that receiue not Baptisme with perfite Faithe receiue the VVater But the Holy Ghoste they receiue not S. Augustine saithe Verus Baptismus constat non tam ablutione Corporis quà m Fide Cordis Sicut Apostolica Doctrina tradidit dicens Fide mundans Corda eorum Et alibi Saluos facit Baptisma non Carnis depositio sordiuÌ sed conscientiae bonae interrogatio in Deum per Resurrectionem Iesu Christi True Baptisme standeth not so mutche in wasshinge of the Body as in the Faithe of the harte As the Doctrine of the Apostles hathe tought vs saieinge By Faithe purifieinge theire hartes And in an other place Baptisme maketh vs safe not yâ putting awaie of the filth of the Fleash but the examining of a good conscience before God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christe Likewise againe he saith Vnde ista tanta Virtus Aquae vt corpus tangat Cor abluat nisi faciente Verbo Non quia dicitur sed quia creditur VVhence is al this so greate Vertue or Power of the VVater that it toucheth the Body and wassheth the Harte but by the woorkinge of the VVoord Not for that it is spoken by the Minister but for that it is beleeued of the Faitheful Somme man wil saie Children or Infantes beléeue nothinge but are vtterly voide of Faithe S. Augustine answeareth Qui non crediderit condemnabitur Sicut eos renasci per Ministerium Baptizantium ita etiam eos credere per corda ora confitentium confitemur He that beleeueth not shal be damned VVee confesse that as they be borne againe by the Ministerie of the Baptizers so they beleue by the hartes and mouthes of the Confessours Againe he saithe Habent Fidem propter Fidei Sacramentum Theie haue Faithe bicause they haue
stringe of spiritual eatinge and shunninge the Faithe of the Catholike Churche touching the true presence of the Body and Violently wresting the Holy Scripture and Auncient Fathers to a contrary sense admittinge Figures for Truthe tropes for the letter shadowes for thinges plaie vs many a false lesson and teache horrible lies to the vtter subuersion of those that be lead by them The B. of Sarisburie Here is no mention saithe M. Hardinge of Real Presence and thereupon he plaieth vs many a proper Lesson Notwithstandinge here is as mutche mention made of Real Presence as either Christe or his Apostles euer made or in yâ Primutiue Catholique Churche of God was euer beléeued Farther he saithe VVhat reason or Scripture haue ye that a Peece of Breade and a Cuppe of VVine can sette the Death and Resurrection of Christe as it were before your eies Verily when al your tale is tolde ye seeme to saie nothinge els but that the Body of Christe remaineth in Heauen and that wee muste sende vp our soules thither to eate it there by a certaine imagination whiche ye cal Faithe Here ye doo greate wronge M. Hardinge to cal the Faithe of Christe an Imagination or as I trowe ye meane a fansie S. Paule saithe Fides est Substantia rerum sperandarum Faithe is not an Imagination but the Substance and grounde of the thinges that wee hope for If ye trauaile once againe to Rome being thus far instructed already ye wil easily learne the Lesson that one of your late Popes there as it is reported taught his Cardinalles O quantum nobis profuit illa Fabula de Christo That wée ought to sende vp our Faithe into Heauen and there to embrace the Body of Christe it is S. Augustines Doctrine it is not ours These be his woordes Dices Quomodò tenebo Christum Absentem Quomodò in Coelum manum mittam vt ibi sedentem teneam Fidem mitte tenuisti Parentes tui tenuerunt Carne tu tene Corde Thou wilt saie howe shal I holde Christe beeinge Absente Howe we shal I reache my hande into Heauen that I maye holde him sittinge there Sende vp thy Faithe and thou holdest him Thy Fathers the Iewes helde him in the fleashe Holde him thou in thy harte But for as mutche as H. hardinge thought it sufficient so pleasantly to passe ouer this mater with his Imaginations and fansies I thinke it therefore so mutche the more néedeful to shewe the iudgemente of the Auncient Learned Fathers in that behalfe First therefore S Augustine saithe Rerum Absentium Praesens est Fides rerum quae foris sunt intus est Fides rerum quae non videntur videtur Fides Of thinges that be Absente Faithe is Presente of thinges that be without Faithe is within and of thinges that be not seene Faithe is seene Againe be saithe Cùm non obliuiscimur munus Saluatoris nonne nobis quotidiè Christus immolatur Ex ipsis reliquijs cogitationis nostrae id est ex ipsa memoria Christus quotidiè nobis sic immolatur quasi quotidiè nos innouet When wee foregeate not the gifte of our Saueoure is not Christe offered vnto vs euery daye Of the very remanentes of our thoughtes that is to say of our very memorie Christe is so daily offered vnto vs as though he renewed vs euery daie And the more liuely to expresse this mater S. Hierome saith Tibi Conuiuium Christus est Cogitatio Christus est Gaudium Christus est Desiderium Christus est Lectio Christus est quies Christus est Christe is thy banket Christe is thy thought Christe is thy ioie Christe is thy desire Christe is thy readinge Christe is thy reate Likewise S. Ambrose In animis vestris quotidiè pro Redemptione Corporis Christus offertur In your mindes Christe is daily offered for the Redemption of the Body And to passe ouer others for that it pleaseth M. Hardinge to make himselfe sutche mirthe with Imaginations Euthymius a Gréeke Authour writing pourposely of this mater saith thus Non oportet simpliciter ea intueri sed aliud quiddam imaginari interioribus oculis ea perspicere tanouam Mysteria Wee maie not sooke barely vpon these thinges that is vpon the Breade and Wine but muste thereof imagine somme other mater and behold the same with our in vvarde Spiritual eies as it is meete to beholde Mysteries And leaste M. Hardinge shoulde saie This Imagination is vaine and fantastical as is the greatteste parte of his Religion S. Augustine saith Magis sunt illa quae intelligimus quà m ista quae cernimus The thinges that wee vnderstande or imagine by Faithe are more certaine then the thinges that wee see vvith our eies Neither maie you thinke M. Hardinge that these thinges beinge graunted the Ministration of the Holy Supper woulde be superfluous For these twoo Kindes of Eatinge muste euermore necessarily be ioined togeather And who so euer commeth to the Holy Table auaunceth not his Minde vnto Heauen there to feede vpon Christes Body at the Right hande of God he knoweth not the meaninge of these Mysteries but is voide of vnderstandinge as the Horse or the Mule and receiueth onely the bare Sacramentes to his Condemnation Therefore the Mystical Supper of Christe notwithstandinge this Doctrine is not superfluous But your Transubstantiation your Real Presence and a greate parte of this your idle talke is moste vaine and moste superfluous But ye saie Howe can Breade and VVine bringe vs to the hope of Resurrection or of Euerlasting Life and why maie not a man in like manner demaunde of you Haw can a fewe Droppes of colde VVater bringe vs to the hope of Resurrection If VVater maie doo it why maie not Breade and VVine likewise doo it Touchinge the VVater S. Basile saith Baptismus est Potentia Dei ad Resurrectionem Baptisme is the Povver of God to Resurrection Againe he saith Resurrectionis Gratiam in Die Resurrectionis recipiamus Vpon the Daie of Resurrection let vs receiue Baptisme whiche is the Grace of Resurrection S. Hierome saith Non solùm propter Remissionem Peccatorum Baptizamur sed etiam propter Resurrectionem Carnis nostrae Wee are Baptized not onely for Remission of Sinnes but also for the Resurrection of our Fleashe And therefore the Greekes calle Baptisme ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã That is the VVeede of immortalitie Here M. Hardinge it were somme pointe of skil to shewe vs howe so greate Power maie be in so litle VVater Howe be it it is not the VVater in déede that woorketh the force of Resurrection but the Bloude of Christe that is Signified by the VVater And therefore S. Ambrose saithe Baptismus Resurrectionis Pignus Imago est Baptisme is the Pleadge and Image of Resurrection Likewise Ignarius Credentes in Mortem eius per Baptisma Participes Resurrectionis eius efficimur Beleeuinge in the Death of Christe by Baptisme wee are made Partakers of
and maketh mery But when he is awakte his soule is emptie Good menne saithe M. Hardinge withdrawe them selues and are contented to be presente onely to stande by but receiue not the Sacramente But Chrysostome saithe to sutche a good deuoute man If thou stande by and doo not Communicate thou arte vvicked thou arte shamelesse thou arte impudente Thou wilte saie I am vnvvoorthy to be partaker of the Holy Mysteries Then arte thou vnvoorthy to be partaker of the Praiers Thou maiste no more stande here then an Heathen that neuer was Christened Here gentle Reader maiste thou sée a marueilous change in the Churche of God The thinge that in olde times was coumpted Heathenishe Impudencie and VVickednesse is nowe by M. Hardinges Newe Diuinitie becomme Godlinesse and greate Deuotion But God wote here foloweth a very colde Asseueration Not Seldome ye saie the Prieste at the Masse whan none other were disposed receiued alone O M. Hardinge the worlde wel seethe your woorde is no Gospel It appeareth by your so many Vntruthes ye care not greately what you saie Thus yée tel vs Not Seldome the Prieste receiued alone Not Seldome what is that why speake you so nicely what meaneth this colde and doubteful eloquence specially in him that otherwise hath acquainted his voice to speake so bigge why saie you not The Prieste vsed daiely and commonly so to doo Or if yée coulde not auouche so great Vntruthe for very shame why saide you not The Prieste oftentimes or at some certaine times receiued alone at the leaste at foure or three or tvvoo sundrie times within the space of sixe hundred yéeres At the woorste if yee had saide but Once it had benne somwhat As for Not seldomme it is too base it is too simple it disgraceth the whole course of your pleadinge and in plaine speache soundeth as mutche as Neuer It had rather benne your parte takinge vpon you this countenance of credite and grauitie to haue tolde vs Substantially and plainely what manner of man this Prieste was where he dwelte what was his name when and where and in what Companie he saide this Masse who sawe it who hearde it who bare witnesse to it by what Recorde or Authoritie it maie be proued The matter beinge so great and of sutche Antiquitie is there noman leafte behinde to witnesse the same but M. Hardinge In your Former Answeare ye bringe vs in Boies Girles Sicke folke Laie people and VVemen and vpon sutche groundes ye sticke not to founde your Priuate Masse And doubtelesse these examples might haue seemed to stande you in somme prety stéede yf in those daies Boies and VVemen had benne Priestes For Prieste or Bishop that euer receiued the Sacrament alone in the Churche before the people ye are not yet hable to shewe vs one As for your Leontius and Amphilochius S. Basiles Masse at Midnight and other like folies and fables it seemeth by the silence ye vse in your late Reioinder ye are contented wisely and quietly to geue them ouer Yee saie wee are deceiued by Gratian and haue placed Calixtus in steede of Anacletus Here firste of al ye confesse that Gratian your greate Rabbin the Father and Fountaine of your Decrees might be deceiued And verily sutche plainenesse in dealinge if ye would vouchesaue to vse it oftener were woorthy of some commendation For in déede your Gratian as he was a man of great readinge and smal iudgement so he allegeth oftetimes he knoweth not what Hierome for Origen Cyprian for Augustine Beda for Ambrose Iuuencus for Vincentius Greeke for Latine Newe for Olde As for this authoritie wherein you saie wee are deceiued he allegeth it in twoo sundrie places firste vnder the name of Anacletus nexte vnder the name of Calixtus meaninge I trowe yf there were errour in the one at leaste to redresse it by the other Therefore M. Hardinge yf ye had looked better vpon your Booke what so euer opinion ye haue of your Gratian ye should haue founde that wée were nothinge deceiued Haw be it your Gratian in steede of one errour hath made twoo For in deede as it is true yâ these woordes were neuer written by Calixtus so of the other side it is likewise true they were neuer written by Anacletus but were manifestly forged and falsified by others that folowed afterwarde as in my Former Replie I haue declared more at large But it is a world to see what wiles shiftes these menne can finde to beare out erroure Firste ye saie these woordes were spoken of the Priestes Deacons Subdeacons seruinge the Prieste at Masse vpon Solemne Feastes Pardonne me M. Hardinge to saie the Truthe For verily notwithstandinge this solemne tale it seemeth ye knowe not what ye saie For it maie please you to remember that your Anacletus whose forged Authoritie ye haue alleged was Bishop in Rome in the time of S. Peter shortely vpon the Deathe of Christe when the Churche was euerywhere vnder persecution ful of Bloude Nowe I praie you who euer tolde you either of any office that your Subdeacons had in the Holy Ministerie or of any greate highe Holy Daies of Duplex or magis Duplex or principal Solemne Feastes in the Churche of God in al that time Maye wee thinke that the Blessed Virgins and the Apostles daies were keapte Highe and Holy while the same Blessed Virgin and Apostles were yet aliue Though ye had none other regarde either to God or to your selfe yet shame shoulde force you to foresee more aduisedly what yée saie But your greattest folie appeareth in yâ shiftinge glostnge of these woordes For you saie this Calixtus or Anacletus speaketh onely of the Priestes the Deacons and the Subdeacons and neuer a woorde expressely of the Laie people and therefore ye saie wâe deceiue the vnlearned Reader with a lie Touchinge your vncourteous speache I weigh it none otherwise but as it is The Truthe wil be hable euermore to beare it selfe But that these woordes of Anacletus or Calixtus touche not the Laie people but onely the Priestes and the Ministers the very Gloser him selfe was neuer either so vnskilful or so impudent so to saie For whereas the woordes be these Let them al Communicate onlesse they wil be remoued out of the Churche he setteth there to this Exposition Hoc antiquum est Nam hoc hodiè relictum videtur arbitrio cuiuslibet This vvas the olde manner For novve adaies it is free for euery man to doo therein vvhat he vvil The like Decree is founde vnder the name of the Apostles Canons Quicunque fideles ingrediuntur in Ecclesiam Scripturas audiunt non autem persuerant in Oratione nec Sanctam Communionem percipiunt velut qui ordinis perturbationem commouent ab Ecclesiae CoÌmunione arceri conuenit As many not onely of the Priestes and Ministers but of the Faitheful as comme into the Churche and heare the Scriptures but continewe not out the Praiers
nor receiue the Holy Communion let them be put from the Communion of the Churche as menne that woorke the breache of Order Likewise it is noted in the Margin vpon the same Canons Omnes olim qui intererant Communicabant In olde times al that vvere presente did Communicate In the Councel of Antioche it was decreed thus Omnes qui ingrediuntur in Ecclesiam Dei Sacras Scripturas audiunt auersantur autem perceptionem Dominici Sacramenti c. ab Ecclesia abijci oportet c. Al that comme into the Churche of God and heare the Holy Scriptures and refuse the receiuinge of the Lordes Sacramente let them be put from the Churche These Decrees reache not onely to the Ministers of the Churche but also to the whole people Clemens that was Bishop in Rome as it is thought nexte after this Anacletus saithe thus Tanta in Altario Holocausta offerantur quanta populo sufficere debeant Let so many loues be offered at the Aultar as maie suffise to serue not onely the Ministers but also the People S. Ambrose saithe Munus oblatum totius populi fit quia in vno Pane omnes significantur Per idem enim quòd vnum sumus de vno Pane omnes sumere oportet The oblation offered is made the vvhole peoples for that in one Breade al are signified For in that wee are al one vvee must al receiue of one Breade S. Chrysostome saithe vnto the people Neque nos abundantiùs vos autem minùs de Sacra Mensa participamus Sed pariter ex aequo illam vtrique degustamus ââ either doo wee receiue more and you lesse of the Holy Table but wee taste thereof equally bothe togeather The like might be alleged out of S. Hierome S. Augustine Dionysius and others But for as mutche as ye so bitterly tel vs that wée misconstrue these woordes of Anacletus and deceiue the vnlearned Reader with a lie maie it therefore please you farther to heare what your owne late Scholastical Doctours haue written and iudged in this behalfe Thomas of Aquine saithe In Primitiua Ecclesia quando magna vigebat deuotio Fidei Christianae statutum fuit vt Fideles quotidiè Communicarent In the Primitiue Churche when greate Deuotion of the Christian Faithe was in strength it was ordeined that the Faitheful should receiue the Communion euery daie Durandus saithe In Primitiua Ecclesia omnes Fideles quotidiè Communicabant In the Primitiue Churche al the Faitheful daiely receiued the Communion Hugo Cardinalis saithe In Primitiua Ecclesia omnes quotquot intererant Canoni Missae singulis diebus Communicabant Et si nollent communicare egrediebantur post Offertorium In the Primitiue Churche as many as vvere presente at the Canon of the Masse did daiely Communicate and if they woulde not they departed foorthe after the Offertorie If ye thinke these authorities are not sufficient Iohannes Cochlaeus saithe Omnes olim tum Sacerdotes tum Laici cum Sacrificante Communicabant sicut ex Canonibus Apostolorum ex Libris antiquissimorum Ecclesiae Doctorum perspicuè cognoscitur Hic vnicum hac de re Canonem recitabo qui Calixto adscribitur Peracta c. In olde times bothe al the Priestes and al the Laie people receiued the Communion with the Minister that had made the Oblation as it is plainely perceiued by the Canons of the Apostles and by the Bookes of the Ancient Doctours of the Churche One Canon hereof I wil allege written by Calixtus c. Likewise saithe Iudocus Clichthoueus In Primitiua Ecclesia Fideles quotidiè sumebant Communionem secundum illam Calixit sanctionem Peracta c. In the Primitiue Churche the Faitheful receiued the Communion euery daie accordinge to this Decree of Calixtus c. Here you maie sée not onely that these woordes are alleged by your owne Doctours vnder the name of Calixtus wherein you haue noted so greate an errour but also that the same woordes by the iudgement of the same Doctours are thought to perteine no lesse to the Laie people then to the Prieste Nowe M. Hardinge these thinges considered I referre the indifferent iudgement hereof to your owne knowledge and Conscience whether of vs twoo hath deceiued the Reader with a lie The Apologie Cap. 12. Diuision 3. More ouer when the People commeth to the holy Communion the Sacrament ought to be geueÌ them in Bothe Kindes for so bothe Christe hath commaunded and the Apostles in euery place haue ordeined and al the Ancient Fathers and Catholique Bishoppes haue folowed the same And who so doothe contrarie to this he as Gelasius saithe committeth Sacrilege And therefore wee saie that our Aduersaries at this daie who hauinge violently thruste out and quite forebidden the Holy Communion doo without the woorde of God without the Authoritie of any Ancient Councel without any Catholique Father without any ExaÌple of the Primitiue Churche yea and without reason also defende and maineteine their Priuate Masses and the manglinge of the Sacramentes and doo this not onely against the plaine expresse Commaundemente of Christe but also againste al Antiquitie doo wickedly therein are very Churcherobbers M. Hardinge Softe and fayre Maisters Ye shewe more heate then witte more stomake then learninge more anger then reason Ye saie muche and prooue little But saie ye and saie againe what ye wil we tel you boldely that neither Christe euer commaunded * nor the Apostles ordeined * nor al the Ancient Fathers obserued that the Sacrament be geuen to the people none otherwise but vnder bothe Kindes onely If Christe had expressely commaunded it the Churche of Rome had not so longe time receiued and kepte the vse of one Kinde The Apostles and sundry Holy Fathers Ministred bothe Kindes we confesse That the one Kinde was not also by them Ministred and that it is vtterly vnlawful we denie and the same shal ye neuer be able to proue Touchinge this whole pointe and how litle that ye alleage out of Celasius maketh for you and concerninge Masse not to be omitted for lacke of Companie to communicate Sacramentally with the Prieste I haue saide yuongh in my answeare to your fellowe M. Iuel his chalenge Bringe ye other stuffe and better then this or els al the worlde wil see your haltinge and the feblenesse of your side That we haue violently thruste out and quite forbidden the Holy Communion onlesse ye meane your owne Schismaticall mutable and polluted Communion if there were any sparke of shame or harted of liynge in you ye woulde neuer impute it vnto vs. God dothe knowe and the Worlde is not vnwittinge how muche howe often and how earnestly the Catholike Churche exhorteth her Children to prepare themselues to receiue their Maker And though the people of Englande of late yeeres resorted not commonly thereto yet the deuotion of Christen folke in this Countrie of base Almaigne in Fraunce in Italy in Spaine
and in sundrie other Christen Prouinces is so feruent in frequentinge the Holy Communion as if ye sawe it ye would be ashamed of your sclaunderous reporte Let wise men and good men iudge whether we be Churcherobbers or ye vnshamefaste liers The B. of Sarisburie Where nothinge is answeared it were not amisse to replie nothinge If M. Hardinge can onely vouchesaue to calle vs sclaundârous Reporters â vnshamefast Liers and the Lordes Supper a Schismatical Mutable pollutted Communion it is sufficient the mater needeth no farther proufe To this whole matter M. Hardinge saithe He hath sufficiently answeared M. Iewel He hath answeared I graunte but how sufficiently the mater it selfe wil declare How be it he maie not in any wise forgeate that in the same twoo shorte Treaties to M. Jewel conteininge onely twoo and fourtie litle leaues of Paper he hath sente vs ouer and published threescore and foure notable and greate Vntruthes whereof I thinke he hath no greate cause so mutche to glorie He saithe That the Sacramente shoulde be deliuered to the peple in bothe kindes neither Christe euer commaunded it nor the Apostles euer ordeined it Thus M. Hardinge saithe onely bicause it liketh him thus to saie Yet this owne Catholique Doctours the Chiefe Champions of that side saie far otherwise Gerardius Lorichius saithe Ipsius Sacramenti Institutio vult vt Omnes vnà manducemus bibamus The very Institution of the Sacramente it selfe willeth that vvee Eate and Drinke al togeather And Ruardus Tapper the Deane of Louaine saithe thus Habito respectu ad Sacramentum eiusque perfectionem magis conueniret sub Vtraque specie fieri Communionem quà m sub Altera tantùm Hoc enim magis consonum est eius Institutioni integritati refectioni Corporali imò Exemplo Christi Patrum Primitiuae Ecclesiae Consideration had vnto the Sacramente and to the perfection of the same it were more conuenient that the Communion were Ministred vnder Bothe Kindes then vnder One alone For this were more agreable to the Institution and fulnesse thereof and to the outwarde refection of the Body Yea and to the Example bothe of Christe and also of the Fathers of the Primitiue Churche Certainely these woordes of Christe Drinke ye al of this Doo this in my Remembrance are very plaine woordes of commaundemente and Institution Therefore Chrysostome saithe Et in Pane in Calice Christus dixit Hoc facite in meam Commemorationem Christe bothe in the Breade and also in the Cuppe saide Doo this in Remembrance of mee Likewise Theophylactus Tremendus Calix pari cunctis conditione traditus est The Reuerende Cuppe is in equal manner deliuered to al. And whereas Christe saithe Drinke ye al of this Paschasius to make the mater the plainer putteth thereto these woordes Tam Ministri quà m reliqui Credentes As wel the Ministers as the reste of the Faitheful In like manner S. Augustine saithe Simul hoc sumimus simul bibimus quia simul viuimus VVee receiue togeather VVee drinke togeather bicause we liue togeather Notwithstandinge any Promisse of Constancie made to the contrarie yet I truste M. Hardinge of his courtesie wil beleeue either S. Chrysostome or S. Augustine or Theophylacte or Paschasius or Lorichius or Tapper or his Nevve Doctours or the Olde or his owne or others Otherwise if he be fully determined to beleeue noman it is reason that noman beleeue him Perhaps he wil saie Notwithstandinge Christes woordes be plaine yet they are not of force sufficient to binde vs for euer For so writeth Cardinal Cusanus Scripturae ad tempus adaptantur variè intelliguntur ita vt vno tempore secundum currentem Ecclesiae ritum exponantur mutato verà ritu iterum sententia mutetur The Scriptures are applied to the states of diuers times and so are taken in diuers senses So that at one time they are expounded accordinge to the currente order of the Churche But the order of the Churche beinge changed the sense of the Scripture is like wise changed So S. Augustine saithe of the Heretiques the Manichees Expendunt ista non in statera aequa Diuinarum Scripturarum sed in statera dolosa Consuetudinum suarum They weighe these maters not in the equal balance of the Diuine Scriptures but in the deceiteful Balance of their ovvne Customes Of the like sorte of Herâtiques S. Hilarie saith Qui ea quae Scripta sunt negas quid testat nisi vt ea quae non scripta sunt credas Seeinge thou deniest the thinges that be written in the Scriptures what remaineth there but that thou must beleeue sutche thinges as be not written in the Scriptures But where haue these menne the Institution of theire Halfe Communion Who ordeined it Who commaunded it What Apostle what Ancient Doctour what Holy Father euer vsed it M. Hardinge him selfe is forced to confesse by the reporte of Leo that the Firste knowen Diuisers Authours of it were the olde Heretiques called the Manichees Sutche is the Institution and Antiquitie of their Doctrine It sprange firste of Heresie and was founded by Heretiques Touchinge Gelasius I haue already in my Former Replie saide so mutche as then vnto me seemed sufficient The woordes be plaine yenough of them selfe and neede no Commentarie Aut integra Sacramenta percipiant aut ab integris aâceantur Quia diuisio vnius eiusdemque Mysterij sine grandi sacrilegio non potest peruenire Either let them receiue the vvhole Sacramentes in Bothe Kindes or els let them be driuen from the vvhole Farther M. Hardinge saithe God doothe knowe how mutche howe often and how earnestly the Catholique Churche exhorteth her Children to prepare them selues to receiue their Maker O M. Hardinge why should you so fondely mocke the world with so manifest folies By what woordes by what examples exhorte you them When euer saide you as Chrysostome saith vnto the people Departe yée hence yée haue nomore right to staÌde here then Heathens Infidelles yée are VVicked ye are shamelesse ye are Impudente that stande by wil not Communicate And if the Catholique Churche doo so often so earnestly exhorte her Children how is it then that yâ Pope his Cardinalles doo so seldome Communicate scarcely once through the yéere Maie wée thinke that the Pope his Cardinalles be not the Children of the Churche Laste of al ye saie ye exhorte the people to receiue their Maker I beseche you M. Hardinge what Scripture what Father what Doctour euer taught you thus to saie The Sacramente is a Sacramente it is not God It is the Breade of our Lorde as S. Augustine saithe it is not our Lorde It is a Creature corruptible it is not the Maker of Heauen and Earthe Accursed is he that geueth the name and glorie of God vnto a Creature that is no God S. Chrysostome saithe Nolimus quaeso Creatorem cum Creatura confundere Ne illud audiamus
of Christe maie be vomited vp againe It abhorreth my harte to vtter these woordes They be so horrible and ful of Filthe Yet this M. Hardinge is your owne Doctrine This is your Sprite This is it that ye haue so longe maineteined with Fire and Swerde By sutche vncleane and vnciuile speache ye bringe Christes Body it selfe into contempte and lothesomenesse in the hartes of the people But that you maie the better see the consente certaintie of your owne Doctrine whereas you are wel contente to expounde these woordes of Origen as vndoubtedly spoken of the Sacramente of Christes Body your Instructer and Maister Doctour Gardiner telleth you that the same woordes perteine nothing at al vnto the Sacramente And yet vnto what thinge els they shoulde perteine it séemethe by the doubtefulnesse of his answeare he was neuer wel resolued His woordes be these Non de Eucharistia loquitur Origenes sed de Pane sanctificato per VerbuÌ Dei OrationeÌ quem communiter manducamus vel de eo qui solebat dari Catechumenis de quo Augustinus Origen speaketh not these woordes of the Sacramente but either of the Breade that is sanctified by Our Lordes woorde and by Praier whiche VVee commonly vse to Eate or els hee speakethe of the Breade that was geeuen to the Nouices called Catechumeni VVhereof S. Augustine speaketh If this tale be true then is yours Vntrue M. Hardinge and al your longe Commentarie of Fourmes and Accidentes is but in vaine It were good ye tooke a daie that ye maie be better agreed vpon that ye tel vs. And whereas to shift the mater ye put your poore Spiritual Fourmes and Holy Accidentes to al the paines to passe into yâ belly so foorth into the draught and auouche the same in sutche sober wise as if ye partely vnderstoode what ye saide it maie please you to vnderstand that by the Iudgemente of your owne Schoolefelowes the Canonistes ye are fowly deceiued For thus they determine yâ mater quite against you Species illae alijs cibis non permiscentur Non enim in stomachum descendunt quare per secessum non emittuntur These Fourmes or Accidentes are not mingled with other meates For they goe not dovvne into the stomake and therefore they passe not into the Priuie Heareby it maie appeare that either the Glose or M. Hardinge is in errour But the Glose is allowed and coumpted Catholique therefore the errour muste be M. Hardinges How be it to saie the truthe M. Hardinge and his Glose too are bothe in errour The Apologie Or that whiche Christe him selfe saide not onely after the Blessinge of the Cuppe but also after he had Ministred the Communion I wil drinke nomore of this Fruite of the Vine It is wel knowen that the Fruite of the Vine is Wine and not Bloude M. Hardinge Christe saie they him selfe saide not only after the blessing of the Cuppe but after he had Ministred the Communion I wil drinke nomore of this Fruite of the Vine Hereunto they adde of theire owne heades It is wel knowen that the Fruite of the Vine is VVine and not Bloude By this they woulde signifie that in the Chalice we haue not Christes Bloude as him selfe saide but mere VVine as againste Christe they labour to perswade But we saie that those woordes I wil not drinke from hence foorthe of this generation of the Vine either were spoken only before the communion or only after or in bothe times If they were spoken before the Communion whiche opinion is the more probable it is very clerly proued by them that wine remaineth not as it shal hereafter be deduced For these causes it maie wel be saide that we shoulde rather folowe the order of Luke who witnesseth that Christe spake these woordes before his maundie * then Mathewe and Marke who tel it as spoken after Secondly the order of Luke is confirmed by the circumstance of the thinges that he describeth more then the other Euangelistes Nowe because in the Chalice of the Olde Lawe there was certainely not Bloude but VVine whereas Christe teacheth that in his Chalice his owne Bloude is * conteined let ⪠he discrete Reader iudge whether we muste not rather thinke that these woordes of Christe ⪠I wil not from hencefoorthe drinke of this generation of the Vine do not rather perteine to the Cuppe of the Olde Lawe as Luke placeth them then to the Chalice of Christe after the Consecration whereof Mathewe and Marke reherse them Fourthly and lasily when Mathe we and Marke reherse that Christe saide he would not from hencefoorthe drinke of that generation of the Vine they bothe in muche like sorte of speakinge adde thereunto these woordes whiche in the Apologie were guilfully lefte out Vntil that daie when I wil drinke it Newe with you in the Kingedome of God my Father If Christe speake of a Newe drinkinge whiche is to come by likelyhoode the drinke paste is Olde VVhat exclamation would be sufficient to expresse that in this weighty point of Saluation our Englishe Cleregie are content to blinde the people the right worshipful yea the Honorable of our Countrie in so vile a sorte that after many Fathers woordes misreported and wrongfully wrested they doubte not to attempt the same in Christes owne saieinges and in those saieinges of his whiche euidently proue the contrarie But nowe let vs graunt of our free liberalitie contrarie to so many good and stronge reasonâ that Christe saide after consecration I wil not from hencefoorthe drinke of this generation of the Vine vntil the Kingedome of God come Then it muste be further vnderstanded that the Kingedom of God is taken in Scripture sommetime for the presente state of the Churche after Christes resurrection in this wòrlde accordinge to that is saide oftentimes in Scripture The Kingedome of God draweth nigh sommetimes also for the ioye of Heauen as when Christe saithe I dispose for you a Kingedome as my Father hathe disposed for me that ye may eate and drinke at my table c. Now if we take these woordes of Christe spoken before Consecration it is not vnconuenient to vnderstand them of either of bothe Kingedomes that is to saie of the Kingedome of Resurrection or of Glorie as CHRYsostome and other do witnesse because bothe were to come at that time But if we take them spoken after consecration as we rather vpon confidence of the truthe then for necessitie at this time do graunt then these woordes Vntil the Kingdome of God come are to be meant only of the Kingedome of Glorie For these holy Mysteries belong to the Kingdome of Christes Resurrection and Ascension Neither were they practized by the Apostles in the Churche of Christe vntil the Holy Ghoste came downe vpon them And so the newnes of it there is fruition of it not vnder the fourmes of Breade and VVine as we haue it nowe but face to face without al
at vs with the Iewes we dare not but Honour our Lorde Christe where so euer our Faithe findeth him verily and in Substance presente If through feruent zeale as sometimes it happeneth abuses in certaine places haue crepte in no good Catholike man defendeth them Mary wee knowe all is not to be abrogated that misliketh your corrupte taste And muche is righte Holy Deuotion pleasant in the sighte of God and therefore allowed in the Churche whiche your hote sprite calleth Idolatrous and blasphemous fondnesse And though the Ceremonie and manner whereby sutche deuotion is shewed cannot be prooued by ordinance of Christe or of the Apostles expressed in Scripture yet Christen people doubte not but God accepteth their good hartes The Bishop of Rome ye blame vniustly I might saie also proudely For procuringe Honour and worship to Christe in the Blessed Sacrament he hath the * woorde of God * the authoritie of al Holy Fathers and the * examples of antiquitie as I haue at large proued in my answeare to your companion Maister Iuel his eight negatiue Article But the amblinge Horse offendeth you VVhy be ye not also offended with the Asse and her fole that bare the same Body at Ierusalem whiche the Horse beareth at Rome Then Visible and weightie nowe Inuisible and of no weight That was donne in Pompe to the honour of Christe and so is this Ye saie this is done after a new guise So then was that Neither is it true whiche ye saie that the Bishoppes of Rome doo carrie about with them the Sacramente whither so euer they iourney Ye might haue learned in that Booke our of whiche ye alleage that matter to scoffe at that suche a solemnitie is vsed specially when the Pope rideth in Pontificalibus Then as the Booke telleth a white Palfrey trapped gentill and faier with a cleare soundinge bell hanginge at his necke is lead which carrieth the Monstrance or Pixe with the most Holy Body of Christe ouer the whiche noble Citizens shal beare a Canopie Thus the Booke of Ceremonies And I praie you what euill is this If it be good to carry about that moste holy Body by whiche as Christe once redeemed vs so by the same deuotely honoured of faithefull people and carried abrode and brought to certaine places hath in olde times as yet also dothe continually to the greate comforte and helpe of sundry persons beinge in distresse wrought miraculousely healthfull remedies If the Israelites founde healpe at Gods hande by bringinge the Arke into the fielde with them as they marched forewarde againste the Philistians if the Philistians cried out for feare when they perceiued the Arke to be in the Israelites armie and saide Venit Deus in Castra Vae nobis God is come into their Tentes Alas we are vndone c. And concerninge the order of the Ceremonie whereas the people be desirous to beholde the Body of their Redeemer with their Faithe by their carnall ete directed to the Forme of Breade no man is able to holde vp on hie the Sacramente so as conuenient it were to be donne bothe to satisfie their Deuotion and to mainetaine their Faithe for the Pope him selfe commonly is an aged man and therefore ouer weake for that Seruice specially arraied in Pontificalibus as in suche solemnities he is Againe the instrument that serueth for that purpose is so greate and weighty for so it apperteineth to the honour of Christe the waie so longe the ayer for the more parte there so hote as no other man is well able for lacke of strength to beare it so as meete it is to be borne In this case â why may not a Horse be put to that seruice to supplie that whiche by naturall weakenesse faileth in man VVherein he serueth not as one that beareth a male but as the Asse that bare Christe as the Kine that drewe the Arke Neither ought the custome of bearinge the moste Holy Body of Christe where the Pope goeth seeme Newe and Strange For we Reade in the life of the Blessed Martyr Steuen the firste who was Pope of Rome aboue thirtene hundred yeres past that Tharsitius the Deacon who at length also suffred death for Christe bare our Lordes Body at what time he attended vpon the Blessed Man Pope Steuen as he went to his Martyrdome VVho desireth to see this described at large the same maie he finde in that Greate fonde Fabulare Simeon Metaphrasies a Greeke writer wel approued and highly esteemed in the Greeke Churche In vita Stephani Primi For witnesse whereof we haue S. Ambrose who describeth how certaine faithful persons caried this blessed Sacrament with them when they wente to the Sea of whome his Brother Satyrus obteined the same in a Shipwracke and by helpe thereof hanginge it in a stole about his necke seekinge for none other succoure caste him selfe into the Sea and miraculously escaped safe to lande Neither is the same by him done without a speciall Mysterie though vnknowen to the more parte Although saithe a learned Pope a reason cannot be geuen of al thinges what so euer haue benne brought in vre by our Forefathers yet I thinke quoth he that therein lie hidden profounde Mysteries I reporte me nowe to the secrete consciences of good Christen people whether the Bishoppes of Rome vse not the Blessed Sacrament reuerently and bonorably or no but rather as the Persians Fire and the Reliques of the Goddesse Isis as a stage Plaie madde gasinges and foolishe Gaudes as it liketh this wicked Chammes broode to raile VVherein they folowe the sheppes whiche Iulian the Apostata Lucian Porphyrius Celsus and sutche other Prophane Helhoundes haue trodden before them For after the like manner they railed at the Holy Mysieries of Christen Religion namely Celsus who as Origen writeth of him obiected to the Christians the Sacrifices of Mithra whiche was an Idoll that the persians woorshipped and called by the name of the Sunne from whence he saide they had taken all their Sacramentes Rites and Ceremonies And righte so as we finde in S. Augustine writinge against the Manichees the Paynâmes founde faulte with the Christen people for Honour donne to the * Body and Bloude of Christe vnder * Formes of Breade and VVine saitinge that they Honoured Bacchus and Ceres The B. of Sarisburie Concerninge these Satanical Sprites stinkinge breathes vile Woordes sutche other like flowers of your Eloquence M. Hardinge I confesse me selfe to be far inferiour and neuer hable to make you answeare It is true that ye saie The Woorkeman is woorthy of his hiere S. Paule saith The Lorde hath appointed that who so Preacheth the Gospel shoulde liue by the Gospel But where did Christe euer saie vnto you Goe into al the worlde and saie Priuate Masse and offer me vp vnto my Father for Remission of Sinnes What Apostle what Prophete what Doctour what Father euer taught you so
where the Romaine Religion is vsed these I saie wee haue vtterly refused without al manner exception bicause we would not haue the right worshippinge of God to be any lenger defiled withsutche folies M. Hardinge S. Augustine whom ye alleage wrongfully against the Ceremonies of the Catholique Churche speaketh onely of the cuttinge awaie of suche manners and rites as be crepte into some one particulare Countrie neither conteined in Holy Scriptures nor established by Councels of Bishops nor confirmed by Custome of the whole Churche But howe proue you by that place that you maie pul downe Aultars and Images disallowe the Vowe of Pouertie Lente Oile c. S. Augustine referreth the taking awaie of any Custome or manner vnto dewe Authoritie exhortinge it to be donne Vbi faculras tribuitur VVhere Power is geuen to doo it Neither els may it be donne lawfully at al c. Ye thinke wee haue many ridiculous and fonde thinges in our Ceremonies If we had as in deede wee haue not would ye laugh at them as Cham did at the nakednesse of his Father Noe c. Laugh on ye cursed Chananees but wee wil daunce before the Arke we will shire our heade with Paule c. The B. of Sarisburie This mater had benne ouer colde had not M. Hardinge a litle enflamed his Choler in the ende cried out vpon his Cursed Chananees His Aultars his Images his Vowes his Lentes his Otles be answeared sufficiently otherwheres S. Augustines woordes concerninge this mater are pregnante and plaine Hâcnimis doleo quia multa quae in Diuinis Libris saluberrimè praecepta sunt minùs curantur tam multis Praesumptionibus sic plena sunt omnia c. This thinge greeueth me that so many thinges whole somely commaunded in the Holy Scriptures are not regarded and of thinges are ful of so many presumptions c. And againe Quamuis ista contra Fidem non sint tamen ipsam Religionem quam Paucissimis Manifestissimis Celebrationum Sacramentis Misericordia Dei liberam esse voluit seruilibus oneribus ita premunt vt tolerabilior sit conditio Iudaeorum qui etsi tempus libertatis non agnouerint Legalibus tamen sarcinis non humanis Praesumptionibus subijciuntur Al be it these thinges be not against the Faithe yet with seruile burthens they so oppresse our very Religion whiche God of his Mercie woulde haue to bee free vnder very fevve and moste manifeste Sacramentes of Diuine Seruice that the state of the Ievves is mutche more tolerable then the state of the Churche of Christe For the Jewes notwithstandinge they knewe not the time of Libertie yet were they subiecte to the packes and burthens of the Lawe of God and not vnto the Diuises and Presumptions of Menne Of sutche Diuises and Presumptions Chrysostome saithe Non dicunt Cur Legem Mosi sed Cur Traditionem Seniorum transgrediuntur Vnde patet eos multa innouasse cùm Deus contrà vetuisset ne quid adderent aut minuerent Sed illi cùm timerent ne Principatum amitterent ceu legum Latores vt Maiores esse viderentur plurima innouarunt Quae res ad tantam peruenir nequitiam vt praecepta sua custodirent magis quà m Praecepta Dei The Phariseis saie not vnto Christe Wherefore doo thy Disciples breake the Lawe of Moses but Wherefore doo they breake the Traditions of the Elders Whereby it appeareth that they had altered many thinges whereas God had commaunded that they shoulde neither adde nor diminishe But fearinge leste they shoulde lose their Authoritie as if they had benne Lawe Makers to th ende they mighte seeme the greatter they altered mutche VVhiche thinge in the ende grewe to sutche a wickednesse that they keapte their ovvne Commaundementes more then the Commaundementes of God In like manner saithe S. Cyril Vellent suam Doctrinam Paternas Traditiones ab hominibus potiùs suscipi atque in admiratione honoreque haberi Quicquid igitur Christo credentium accesserit sibi detractum putant The Phariseis woulde that menne should receiue and magnifie their Doctrine and the Traditions of the Fathers Therefore howe many so euer Faitheful came vnto Christe they thought so many were loste from them It is not true that ye saie Traditions maie not be changed or abolished without the general Consente of the whole Churche For Ceremonies as thei neuer grew togeather at one time in al places so can they not lightly be abolished togeather at one time in al places Socrates saithe plainely Videtur mihi Multa modò in his regionibus modò in illis Consuetudinem obtinuisse It seemeth vnto me that many thinges haue benne receiued by Custome novve in one Countrie and novve in an other Againe he saithe In vniuersum certèe in omnibus Obseruationibus piarum precum non possunt duae Ecclesiae inueniri quae prorsus inter se consentiant Verily to speake Vniuersally in al maner of Obseruations or Fourmes of Common Praier there cannot tvvo Churches be founde that agree thorovvly bitvvene them selues S. Augustine saithe plainely Omnia talia c vbi facultas tribuitur sine omni dubitatione resecanda existimo Al sutche thinges in my iudgemente ought to be cut of as soone as iuste occasion or Power is geeuen vvithout any manner of doubtinge So saithe Pope Steuin Si nonnulli ex Praedecessoribus Maioribus nostris fecerunt aliqua quae illo tempore potuerunt esse fine culpa posteà vertuntur in errorem Superstitionem sine tarditate aliqua cum magna Authoritate à posteris destruantur If sundrie of our Predecessours or Elders haue donne certaine thinges whiche at that time might wel be donne without hurte and afterwarde are turned into errour and superstition vvithout any staggeringe and vvith greate Authoritie let them be destroied and abolished by the Successours We laugh not as ye saie at the nakednesse of our Father M. Hardinge Our Father is in Heauen the Father of Light the God of Glorie and in him there is no nakednesse Wée laugh not at any of these thinges but wee saie with S. Augustine as it is alleged before Hoc nimis doleo c. This thinge very mutche greeueth me that so many thinges wholesomely commaunded in the Holy Scriptures are not regarded and that al thinges are ful of so many presumptions And that as S. Chrysostome saithe These thinges are called vpon and more regarded then the Lawes and Commaundementes of our Father Our Father saithe of you and of your Felowes Volunt facere vt obliuiscatur Populus meus Nominis mei propter somnia sua They wil cause that my people shal foregeate my name for loue of their Dreames Our Father saithe Two-euils haue my people donne They haue foresaken me the Fountaine of the Water of Life and they haue ripte vp to them selues broken Cesternes that can holde no Water Our Father saithe What is chaffe vnto the Corne Who hath required these
Bernardes iudgemente of your Churche that it woulde heare no sounde Doctrine and that it for that cause seemed vtterly paste recouerie Therefore so certainely to assure your selfe of a thinge vncertaine it was no wisedome Wee maie saie of your Popes and Bishoppes whome onely ye meane by the name of your Churche as S. Hierome saide sometime of certaine others your Fathers longe agoe Non tam indignentur âobis haec exponentibus Prophetis vaticinantibus quà m Dominum deprecentur studiosâ agant ne de Sacerdoâibus qui violant Sancta Domini esse mereantur Let them not take stomake againste vs that expounde these thinges nor againste the Prophetes that foretolde these thinges But let them praie vnto God and take good heede that they be not of those Priestes that defile the Holy thinges of the Lorde Churches ye saie not without profane malice ye cal Temples Malice comme vnto him M. Hardinge that Malice meaneth The Prophete Dauid saithe The Lorde in his Holy Temple S. Paule saithe Your Bodies be the Temples of the Holy Ghoste Know ye not that ye be the Temple of God If any man defile the Temple of God the Lorde wil destroie him Ye are the Temple of the Liuinge God What agreemente is there bitweene the Temple of God and an Idole So many times S. Paule nameth Temples togeather in one place and yet I thinke without any greate profane Malice But it shal be lawful for you M. Hardinge to make newe Sinnes and to saie The Apostles of Christe were malicious wicked onely for that they called the Churche of God by the name of Temple Would God ye had not turned Goddes Temple into the Synagoge of Sathan Wée sée by your practise it is true that S. Chrysostome saithe Sicut de Templo omne bonum egreditur ita etiam de Templo omne Malum procedit As euery good thinge proceedeth from the Temple so euery il thinge proceedeth likewise from the Temple In defence of your Halfe Communion ye saie For good causes ye teache the people to be contente with one Kinde And thus ye force the poore people contrarie to the expresse Woorde of Christe contrarie to the example of the Apostles and al the Holy Fathers in the Primitiue Churche and contrarie to the general vse and order of a whole thousande yéeres to geeue care to your good causes But these causes no doubte are greate and woorthy Otherwise yée would not weigh them againste God But wherefore are they dissembled Why are they not tolde vs Your owne Doctours Alphonsus de Castro and Iohn Gerson haue laide them out in this wise Particularely and at large The daunger of sheaddinge The carrieiâge from place to place The fowlinge of the Cuppes The trouble of Mennes Beardes The Reseruinge for the Sicke The turninge of the VVine into Vineger The engendringe of Plees The Corruption or Putrefaction The Lothesomenesse that maie happen for so many to Drinke of one Cuppe The impossibilitie of prouidinge one Cuppe that maie be sufficiente to serue al the People In somme places VVine is deare in somme other places the VVine wil be frorne These M. Hardinge be the fairest and greattest of your good causes And yet haue you thus concluded in your late Chapter at Tridente Si quis dixerit ⪠Sanctam Ecclesiam Catholicam non iustis causis rationibus adductam fuisse vt Laicos atque etiam Clericos non conficientes sub Panis tantummodâ specie Communicaret aut in eo errasse Anathema sit If any man shal saie that the Holy Catholique Churche without iuste Causes and reasons her mouinge doothe Communicate bothe the Laitie and also Priestes onlesse they Minister vnder the onely Fourme of Breade or that the Churche hath erred in the same Accursed be he Therefore Tertullian saithe rightly of you Credunt sine Scripturis vt Credant Contra Scripturas They Beleeue vvithout the Scriptures that they maie Beleeue againste the Scriptures But specially I beseche you M. Hardinge consider wel these woordes of S. Hierome and sée whether ye maie applie them to your selues or no In Consummatione Mundi scrutabitur Dominus Hierusalem id est Ecclesiam suam cum Lucerna vlciscetur super viros Contemptores qui noluerunt Seruare Custodias suas id est Mandata Domini Contempserunt insuper Ratione se peccare dicentes blasphemauerunt in Cordibus suis In the ende of the VVorlde our Lorde shal searche Hierusalem that is to saie his Churche with a Candel and shal wreake him selfe vpon the despisers that woulde not keepe their watches that is to saie that despised the Commaundementes of God and ouer and bisides this saieinge they hadde good Causes and Reasons vvherefore they shoulde offende breake Goddes Commaundementes they blasphemed in their Hartes That ye surmise of Gelasius is moste vntrue He speaketh not one Woorde there of the diuidinge of Christe as you imagine nor had he any cause so to speake But he saithe in moste plaine wise It is Sacrilege to doo the same thinge that you doo that is to saie to diuide the Sacramente to Minister the One parte as ye doo without the other Looke better on your Bookes and Confesse the Truthe as ye shal finde it The woordes be these Aut integra Sacramenta percipiant aut ab integris arceantur Quia diuisio vnius eiusdemque Mysterij sine grandi Sacrilegio non potest peruenire Either lette them receiue the vvhole Sacramentes or els let them be driuen from the vvhole For the Diuision ofone and the same Mysterie or Sacramente cannot happen without greate Sacrilege He speaketh not of the diuision of One Christe as you tel vs but of the diuision of One Mysterie Otherwise touchinge Christe wée saie with S. Paule Vnus Dominus Iesus Christus There is One Lorde Iesus Christe And wée proteste with the Bishoppes of the Easte in the Councel of Chalcedon Accursed be he that parteth Christe Accursed be he that diuideth him That you saie The order of your Latine Seruice hath euermore benne vsed in the Latine Churche from the beginning it is vtterly vntrue For proufe whereof I remitte you to my Former Replie in the thirde Article the fiftéenth Diuision The reste that ye allege is not woorthe the answearinge The Apologie Cap. 1. Diuision 2. Al these thinges muste they of necessitie saie onlesse perchaunce thei had rather saie thus That al Lavve and Right is locked vp in the treasurie of the Popes breaste and that as once one of his soothinge Pages and Clawbackes did not sticke to saie the Pope is hable to dispense againste the Apostles againste a Councel and againste the Canons and Rules of the Apostles and that he is not bounde to ⪠stande neither to the examples nor to the ordinaunces nor to the Lawes of Christe M. Hardinge To saie that al Lawe and right your Latine terme is Fas is locked vp in the
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 expouÌded 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 obeâe 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
the whole drifte of the letter or the very bare woordes as they lie ye mighte easily haue seene that this onely was S. Cyprians meaning His woordes be these Post ista adhuc insuper Pseudoepiscopo sibi ab Haereticis constituto nauigare audent ad Petri Cathedram vnde vnitas Sacerdotalis exorta est à Schismaticis Profanis literas ferre nec cogitare eos esse Romanos quorum Fides Apostolo praedicante laudata est ad quos Perfidia habere non possit accessum After this hauing a False Bishop appointed vnto them by Heretiques they dare to take shipping and vnto Peters Chaire and vnto that Principal Churche from whence the Priestely vnitie grewe firste to carrie letters from Schismatiques and lewde menne Neither coÌsider they that the Romaines are that people whose Faith is praised by S. Paule the Apostle vnto vvhome Vnfaithfulnesse of reportes tales can haue no accesse If yee doubte of this Exposition reade these woordes touchinge the same goeinge before in the same Epistle Roman cum Mendaciorum suorum merce nauigarunt Quasi Veritas post eos nauigare non posset quae Mendaces linguas rei certa probatione conuinceret They saile to Rome with the Marchandise of their Lies as though the Truethe coulde not saile after them that by proufe of the certaintie might controlle their lieing tongues This is that Vnfaithfulnesse that S. Cyprian speaketh of and not the Vnfaithefulnesse of Faithe and Doctrine Nowe touchinge this Appealinge and fleeing to Rome leste yee shoulde thinke by occasion of these woordes that S. Cyprian alloweth it or thinketh wel of it ye shal finde in the same Epistle yâ he vtterly misliketh it condeÌneth it For thus he saithe Acquum est pariter iustuÌ vt vniuscuiusque causa illic audiatur vbi crimen admissum est It is meete and right that euery mannes cause be pleaded in that Countrie where the faulte was committed c. Againe Oportet eos quibus praesumus non circumcursare It is not meete that they ouer whome wee haue Jurisdiction should renne aboute the Worlde He meaneth to Rome And againe Nisi paucis desperatis perditis Minor videtur esse Authoritas Episcoporum in Aphrica constitutorum c. Onlesse a fewe desperate and wicked menne thinke the Authoritie of the Bishoppes of Aphrica is lesse then the Authoritie of the Bishoppes of Rome By these woordes S. Cyprian maketh the Bishop of Rome equal in Authoritie vvith him selfe and other Bishoppes Wherefore I muste conclude with other woordes of S. Cyprian in the same Epistle Haec est Frater vera dementia non cogitare quòd Mendacia non diu fallant NocteÌ tam diu esse quoad illucescat Dies O my Brother this in deede is very madnesse not to thinke that Lies cannot longe deceiue The Nighte lasteth no longer but vntil the Daie beginne to springe The Apologie Cap. 12. Diuision 1. 2. Or if there be no perile that harme maie come to the Churche what neede is there to reteine to no pourpose the names of Bishoppes For so it is nowe commonly vsed among them For if there be no Sheepe that maie straie why bee they called Shepeheardes If there be no Cittie that maie bee betraied why bee they called VVarchemenne If there bee nothing that maie renne to ruine why bee they called Pillers Anon after the firste Creation of the Worlde the Churche of God began to spreade abroade and the same was instructed with the Heauenly Worde whiche God him selfe pronounced with his owne Mouthe It was also furnished with Diuine Ceremonies If was taught by the Sprite of God by the Patriarches and Prophetes coÌtinued so euen til the time that Christe shewed him selfe to vs in the fleshe This notwithstanding how often O good God in the meane while and howe horribly was the same Churche darkened and decaied Where was that Churche then when al fleashe vpon Earthe had defiled his owne waie Where was it when amongest the numbre of the VVhole VVorlde there were onely eight persones neither they al chaste and good neither whom Goddes wil was shoulde be saued aliue from that Vniuersal destruction and Mortalitie when Elie the Prophete so lameÌtabldy bitterly made his moane that onely him selfe was leafte of al the Whole Worlde whiche did truely and dewly worship God and when Esaie saide The Siluer of Goddes people that is of the Churche vvas become Drosse and that the same Cittie vvhiche aforetime had ben faithful vvas novv become an Harlot and that in the same there vvas no parte sounde throughout the vvhole body from the head to the foote Or els when Christe him selfe saide that the House of God vvas made by the Phariseis and Priestes a Denne of theues Of a truthe the Churche euen as a cornefilde except it bee eared manured tilled and trimmed wil in stede of Wheate bringe foorthe Thistles Darnel and Nettels For this cause did God sende euer among bothe Prophetes and Apostles and laste of al his own Sonne who might bringe home the people into the right waie and repaire anewe the tottering Churche after she had erred M. Hardinge These and the like places haue ben already alleaged of olde time against the Catholiques by the Donatistes as S. Augustine sheweth and of late yeeres by youre scholemaister Iohn Caluine of Geneua VVe neede not to studie for newe answeres to the argument made out of these and suche other places mutche fitter for this purpose then these are sithe that the same is so wel answered by S. Augustine Oftentimes saithe he Goddes worde rebuketh the wicked sortes of the Churche so as though al were suche and none at al remained good For thereby we are warned them in their certaine number to be called al as mutche to sale al the children of hel But Sirs what if the Churche at the beginning of the worlde and at the general drowning was of smal number And what if the Synagog were sometime quite extinguished Must it therefore folowe that the church also after that God hath geuen to Christe his Sonne the endes of the worlde to be his possession maie nowe be brought to a fewe and to faile altogether VVhere was the Churche saie ye when of al the worlde there were but eight persons and they onely saued aliue from the vniuersal destruction Forsooth they were in Noes Arke And nowe haue we our Noes Arke also in whiche who so euer abideth not the same is drowned Neither were the Prophetes and Apostles sent nor Christe came him selfe to repaire a newe the Churche whiche had in faithe wholy erred but both they were sent and he came that it shoulde not wholly erre The B. of Sarisburie It is true that ye saie In the Holy Scriptures this woorde Al is often vsed in steede of Many And thus ye saie it fared with the Synagog of the Ievves for that then the Faithful were sommetimes broughte vnto a smal number sommetimes
you to make vs vnderstande Pigghius meaninge yet by your owne Confession it appeareth yée neuer knewe your selfe what he meante Ye saie He founde faulte with the vnwoorthinesse either of the Priestes or of the people ye knowe not whether or with some what els noted in the late Chapter of Colaine ye knowe not what Yet what so euer it shal please you to imagine ye thinke you haue wronge if wee beléeue you not immediately vpon youre woorde But Pigghius him selfe whoe 's tale ye would so fame telle saithe not as you woulde make him saie Abuses haue creapte into the Prieste or People But plainely and simply he saithe Erroures haue creapte into the Masse Howe be it These Erroures ye saie what so euer they be no man maie redresse but onely the Pope And good cause why For your Doctoures saie Papa ex nihilo potest facere aliquid the Pope of nothinge can make somme thinge And what so euer he doo noman maie saie vnto him Domine cur ita facis Sir vvhy doo you so And the very harte and roote of al your Diuinitie of Louaine is this Christe hath praied for Peter Ergo the Pope can neuer erre But if ye meane plainely and if there be no dissimulation nor Hypocrisie in your woordes tel me I befeche you euen as you desire to be beléeued Of al the Errours the Phigghius meante for the space of these fourtie yéeres what one Erroure hathe the Pope redressed Theire is no plainenesse in this dealinge M. Harding Your minde is not to séeke redresse be the faulte neuer so euident but stil to continewe your selues in credite and the worlde iâ erroure Al the Christians of Graecia and Asia ye saie be Heretiques and therefore ye recke not what they saie No doubte for they saie the Pope is not the Heade of the Churche Whiche thinge who so euer denieth saith Pope Nicolas muste néedes be holden as an Heretique Thomas Aquinâs for that good affection reuerence he bare towardes the Pope saithe thus Dicere Papam non habere Vniuersalis Ecclesiae Primatum est error similis errori dicentium Spiritum Sanctum à Filio non procedere To saie that the Pope hath not the Primacie of the Vniuersal Churche it is an Erroure like vnto the Erroure of them that mainteine Heresie touchinge the Holy Trinitie and saie The Holy Ghoste procedeth not from the Sonne of God Of your readinesse herein Ludouicus Viues writeth thus Augustinum Vetustas sua tuetur Qui si reuiuisceret cum Paulo certe ille contemptui esset Rhetorculus aut Grammaticulus Paulus verò vel insanirè vel Haereticus videretur S. Augustine is safe nowe bicause of his age But if he and Paule were aliue againe he shoulde be shaken of as a bad Rhetorician or a poore Grammarian But S. Paule should be taken either for a madde man or for an Heretique Nowe iudge you M. Hardinge what Churche of yours is this where as S. Paule the Apostle of Christe if he vvere novv aliue should goe for an Heretique Vesputius as I remeÌber after he had trauailed far had seene yâ Manners Religions of many Countries saithe thus Graeci implicati sunt multis Erroribus The Greekes are entangled with many Errours But he addeth withal Faxit Deus ne Latinis multae irrepserint Stultitiae God grount there be not many folies entred also into the Churche of Rome Surely the Christian menne that be this daie in Graecia and Asia vtterly abhorre the Pope with al the deformities of his Churche The Gréeke Emperour Michael Palaeologus for that he had submitted him selfe to the Pope in the late Councel of Florence was therefore afterward abhorred and hated of his people while he liued and beinge deade was forebidden Christian Burial Isidorus the Archebishop of Kiouia in Russia for that beinge returned from the said Councel he beganne for vnities sake to moue the people to the like submission was therfore deposed from his Bishoprike and put to deathe The Apologie Cap. 16. Diuision 1. As touchinge the Tyrannie of the Bishoppes of Rome and theire Barbarous Persianlike Pride to leaue out others whom perchaunce they recken for enimies bicause they freely liberally finde faulte with theire vices the same menne whiche haue leadde theire life at Rome in the Holy Cittie in the face of the moste Holy Father who also were hable to see al theire secretes and at no time departed from the Catholique Faithe as for example Laurentius Valla Marsilius Patauinus Frauncis Petrarke Hierome Sauanorola Abbat Ioakim Baptiste of Mantua and before al these Bernarde the Abbate haue many a time and mutche complained of it geuinge the world also sommetime to vnderstande that the Bishop of Rome him selfe by your leaue is very Antichriste Whether they spake it truely or falsely let that goe sure I am they spake it plainely Neither canne any man allege that those Authours were Luthers or Zuinglius Scholars for they liued not onely certaine yeeres but also certaine ages ere euer Luther or Zuinglius names were hearde of M. Hardinge If this Defender were compared to a mad dogge some perhappes woulde thinke it rude and an vnmanerly comparison Let the man be as he is who so euer he be verely the manner and fashion of bothe is like howe so euer I be contente his person be honoured with the due regard of a man For as the mad dogge runneth vp and downe here and there and nowe byteth one thinge and then an other snappeth at man and beaste and resteth not in one place So this Defender to deface the Churche sheweth him selfe to haue a very vnquiet heade Nowe he ronneth at the Bishop of Rome then at the whole cleregie Nowe he barketh at errours in Doctrine and sheweth none then he snappereth at manners and backebiteth mennes liues Nowe he bringeth foorth Scriptures and them he stretcheth and racketh but they reache not home Then commeth be to the Doctoures and maketh them of his side whether they wil or no. From Doctoures he runneth to Coniurers to riminge Poetes and to Heretikes themselues I thinke they had rather ronne to the Turkes then the Catholike Faithe shoulde be receiued And here leauinge that he tooke in hande to proue that the Churche erreth in necessary Doctrine he flingeth at the tyrannie and pride of the Bishoppes of Rome and bringeth in for witnes againste them white and blacke good and bad So he hurte them he careth not howe by what meanes ne by what persons Firste to geate credite he vttereth a manifeste lie saieinge of them al they leadde theire life at Rome in the Holy Cittie vnder the nose of the moste holy Father and might see al his secretes and neuer foresooke the Catholike Faithe His witnesses be these Laurence Valla Marsilius of Padua Francis Petrarch Hierome Sauonarolâ Ioachim Abbot Baptiste of Mantua and S. Bernarde whom of spite he calleth Bernarde the Abbot Nowe let vs see howe many
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 DouÌbe 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 osteÌdat nobis Corpus suum de quo dissentimus Let the Heade vpon whom we agree shewe vnto vs his Body whereupon we disagree The Head is Christe who spake firste by his Prophetes afterwarde by him selfe and laste of all by his Apostles In his igitur omnibus quaerenda est Ecclesia In all these saithe he the Churche muste be sought If thou marke good Reader that whiche I haue here rehersed out of S Augustine it is to be seene that he bindeth not the proufe of the Churche simply to the Holy Scriptures but onely in a case when he hath to doo with an Heretike who wil not admitte the auctoritie of the Churche Therefore a true Churche maie be founde whiche is not shewed in the Scriptures so the contrarie thereof be not shewed in the Scriptures Now if these Defenders will haue that to be no Churche which can not be shewed out of Scriptures they shall vnderstande that as therein they plaie the Donatistes so we must needes folow's Augustine in bringinge Scripture against them not as the onely proufe in deede whiche they falsely saie but as a very good and chiefe kinde of proufe moste profitable in all cases and necessary at suche time as the aduersarie will admitte none other proufe c. VVherefore it remaineth that it is the Synagog of Antichriste and Lucifer VVho as he fell out of Heauen like a lightninge so he maketh a blase and shewe of a Churche in the Earthe for a time But as we can tell when it was not borne so shall it not be longe but that through Gods power it will vanishe awaie dispersed and be scattered by the lightsome Maiestie of Christes true Churche whiche from S. Peters time to this daie florisheth in her Head the Bishop of Rome and in her members throughout the worlde vvhiche abide in the Vnitie of the same Bishop VVee esteeme and vnderstande the Scriptures to be the sense and the woorde If they can pretende the bare woorde they thinke themselues good inough to make a sense of their owne VVhiche bare woorde as they misuse it Pighius perhaps compareth to a nose of waxe But the Scriptures he neuer meante to dishonour with that similitude If it were lawfull for vs to vse Scripture after our owne interpretation as they doo we shoulde not lacke sufficient matter in the Holy Bookes to ouerthrowe by our owne applieinge all theire false opinions and Heresies But we are bounde to that religious awe and reuerence of them that excepte we haue an Authour to auouche the sense whereof we take holde we dare bringe foorthe nothinge And yet reade our Bookes who will he shall lacke neither Scriptures in them nor witnesses of our interpretation in any controuersie of this age Let it be agreed that for decision of controuersies suche sense of the Scriptures be taken for Scripture whiche the Holy Ghost hath taught the Churche and then let the worlde iudge who flieth the woorde of God as the Theefe dothe the Gallowes The B. of Sarisburie Contrarie to that wée haue here alleged of S. Augustine ye saie A true Churche maie be founde whiche is not shewed in the Scriptures Whereby it appeareth ye are lothe your Churche shoulde comme to the trial of this Standerde But for as mutche as this quarrel groweth of S. Augustine let S. Augustine him selfe be the Iudge And to allege a fewe woordes in stéede of many thus he saithe Vtrùm ipsi Ecclesiam teneant Diuinarum Scripturarum Canonicis Libris ostendant Ecclesiam Christi
sicut ipsum Caput Christum in Scripturis Sanctis Canonicis debemus agnoscere VVhether they haue the Churche or no let them shewe by the Canonical Bookes of the Holy Scriptures VVee muste knowe the Churche of Christe euen as wee likewise knowe Christe whiche is the Heade of the Churche in the Holy Canonical Scriptures Againe he saithe Ecclesiam sine vlla ambiguitate Sancta Scriptura demonstrat The Holy Scripture sheweth the Churche without any doubtefulnesse Againe Quaestio est vhi sit Ecclesia Quid ergo facturi sumus Vtrùm in verbis nostris eam quaesituri an in Verbis Capitis sui Domini nostri Iesu Christi Futo quòd in illius potiùs Verbis eam quaerere debemus qui Veritas est optimè nouit Corpus suum The question or doubte is where the Churche should be What then shal we doo VVhether shal wee seeke the Churche in our owne woordes or in the VVoordes of her Heade whiche is oure Lorde Iesus Christe In my Iudgemente wee ought rather to seeke the Churche in his VVoordes for that he is the Truthe and beste knoweth his owne Body Againe Non audiamus Haec dico Haec dicis Sed audiamus Haec dicit Dominus lbi quaeramus Ecclesiam Ibi discutiamus causam nostram Let vs not heare these woordes This saie I This saiste thou But these woordes set vs heare Thus saithe the Lorde there let vs seeke the Churche there let vs discusse oure cause And againe Nolo Humanis Documentis sed Diuinis Oraculis Sanctam Ecclesiam demonstrari I wil not haue the Holy Churche to be shewed by Mannes Iudgemente but by Goddes VVoorde Likewise saithe S. Chrysostome Nunc nullo modo cognoscitur quae sit vera Ecclesia Christi nisi Tantummodò per Scripturas Now can noman knowe whiche is the true Churche of Christe but Onely by the Scriptures Againe he saithe in like fourme of woordes Volens ergo quis cognoscere quae sit Vera Ecclesia Christi vnde cognoscat in tanta confusione similitudinis nifi Tantummodo ' per Scripturas If a man be desirous to knowe whiche is the true Churche of Christe how can he know it in sutche a confusion of likenesse but Onely by the Scriptures These woordes be so euident and so plaine that noman with modestie maie wel denie them And whereas you saie Al this notwithstandinge A true Churche maie be founde whiche is not shewed in the Scriptures S. Ambrose saithe Ecclesia fulget non suo sed Christi Lumine The Churche shineth or is knowen not by her owne Lighte but by the Light of Christe whiche is by the VVoorde of God And chrysostome saithe Qui Sacra non vtitur Scriptura sed ascendit aliunde id est non concessa via hic Fur est Latro Who so vseth not the Scripture but geateth vp an other waie that is by a waie that is not lawful he is a Theefe and a Murtheier Againe he saithe Hierusalem hîc semper Ecclesiam intellige quae dicitur Ciuitas Pacis cuius Fundamenta posita sunt super Montes Scripturarum Here by Hierusalem euermore vnderstande thou the Churche whiche is called the Cittie of Peace The Fundations whereof are saide vpon the Mountaines of the Scriptures Ye magnifie your Churche of Rome and saie It shieth on highe vpon the Mounte Yet S. Bernarde saithe to the Pope and his Cleregie as it is alleged before Vos estis Tenebrae Mundi Ye are the Darkenesse of the VVorlde Therefore ye maie not wel vaunte your selues so mutche of the brightnesse of your Beames As for that ye cal our Churche the Synagoge of Lucifer and Antichriste we maie wel suffer it to blowe euer as the vaine vnsauery smoke of somme impatiente Cholerique humoure Our cause is not the woorse M. Hardinge in the Iudgemente of the wise for that you haue learned so readily to speake il But what Louanian vanitie is this to saie The Members of the Churche of Christe abide in the Vnitie of the Pope What Scripture or Doctoure or Father euer tolde you of sutche Vnitie S. Paule saith Wee are alone not in the Pope but in Christe Iesu And what so greate Vnitie can you saie there is or hathe benne in your Popes Platyna saithe Post Stephanum semper haec consuetudo seruata est vt acta Priorum Pontificum sequentes ant infringereat aut omnino ' tollerent It hathe benne an ordinarie custome emonge the Popes euer sithence the time of Pope Steuin that the Popes that folowed afterworde would euermore either breake or abolishe the Actes of the Popes that had benne before them Erasmus saith Iohannes 22. Nicolaus totis Decretis inter se pugnaÌt idque in his quae videntur ad Fidei negotium pertinere Pope Iohn 22. and Pope Nicolas in theire whole Decrees are contrarie the one againste the other yea and that in maters that seeme to belonge to cases of the Faithe To be shorte the Popes haue fouly corrupted the Scriptures they haue corrupted the Decrees Canons of Councelles they haue benne Sorcerers Idolaters Scribes Phariseis Thei haue benne Arian Heretiques Nestorian Heretiques Monothelite Heretiques Montaniste Heretiques thei haue mainteined damnable Heresies against yâ Godhed of Christe against yâ Personne of Christe against yâ VVil of Christe against the Immortalitie of the Soule they haue henne contrarie to themselues one directly and expressely againste an other Yet muste the Pope beare vp the whole Churche of God euen as Atlas beareth vy the Heauens and onlesse al the worlde abide in him is there no Vnitie in the Churche Thus saith Hosius Vnum praeesse toti Ecclesiae vsque ade ò est necessarium vt absque hoc Ecclesia Vna esse non possit It is so necessarie a thinge that one haue the gouernmente of the whole that otherwise the Churche of God cannot be One. Likewise it is noted in the Popes ovvne Gloses vpon his Decretalles Constat Ecclesiam ideo esse vnam quia in Vniuersali Ecclesia vnum est caput Supremum scilicet Papa It is plaine that the Churche is one for that in the Vniuersal Churche there is one Supreme Heade that is the Pope An other of your Doctours doubteth not to steppe yet a litle farther and thus to expounde the woordes of Christe Fiet VnuÌ Ouile Vnus Pastor Quod quidem de christo intelligi non potest Sed de aliquo alio Ministro qui praesit loco eius There shal be one Folde and one Shepehearde These vvoordes vvee maie not vnderstande of Christe but of somme other Minister that ruleth in his roome By whiche Doctours Catholique Iudgemente wée finde that the Vnitie of the Churche hangeth not of Christe but of the Pope But these be ouer vaine and grosse vanities For though the Pope were no Pope yea though Antichriste were the Pope yet is Christe hable to holde his Churche in perfite Vnitie S. Paule saithe Christus est
Caput ex quo totum Corpus coagmentatur connectitur Christe is the Heade of whom the whole Body of the Churche is framed faste and ioined togeather Therefore S. Chrysostome saithe Ex hoc capite Corpus habet vt sit vt bene sir Quid relicto Capite Membris adhaeres Of this Heade that is Christe the Body hathe bothe to be and also wel to be What cleauest thou to the Members and leauest the Heade This is the Vnitie of the Churche that the whole Flocke maie heare the voice of that One Shepehearde and folowe him And that one Shepehearde is Christe the Sonne of God and not the Pope Therefore S. Augustine saithe Per hanc Potestatem quam solùm sibi Christus retinuit stat Vnitas Ecclesiae de qua dictum est Vna est Columba mea By this Power whiche Christe he saithe not hath geuen ouer the Pope but hath reserued onely to him selfe standeth the Vnitie of the Churche of whiche Vnitie it is saide My Dooue is One. Ye saie there appeareth in your Bookes sufficient abundance of Scriptures touchinge any controuersie of this age and that accordinge to the very sense and meaninge of the same togeather with the consente and Iudgemente of the Holy Fathers But as for vs ye saie wée builde onely vpon the bare woordes and make a meaninge of oure owne In déede it is no greate Maisterie for you to arme your selfe with somme shew of Scriptures The Diuel was not altogeather voide of sutche furniture when he came to tempte Christe S. Cyril saithe Omnes Haeretici de Scriptura diuinitùs inspirata sui colligunt erroris occasiones Al Herotiques out of the Heauenly inspired Scriptures geather occasion of their erroure Athanasius saithe Haeretici Scriptutarum Verbis pro esca vtuntur Heretiques vse the woordes of the Scriptures for a baite Tertullian saithe Fidem ex his impugnat ex quibus constat An Heretique assausteth the Faithe by the same woordes of God that breede the Faithe But for as mutche as ye saie yee beare sutche awe and reuerence vnto the VVoorde of God and in the interpretation thereof folowe onely the sense of the Holy Ghoste and the Iudgemente of the Doctours and Fathers of the Churche for somme trial of your truthe herein let vs sée how discretely and reuerently ye haue vsed the same In your late Councel holden at Laterane in Rome one Simon Begnius the Bishop of Modrusia saith thus vnto Pope Leo Ecce venit Leo de Tribu Iuda Radix Dauid c. Te Leo Beatissime Saluatorem expectauimus c. Beholde the Lion is comme of the Tribe of Iuda the Roote of Deuind c. O moste Blessed Leo wee haue looked for thee to be oure Saueour In your late Chapter at Tridente Cornelius the Bishop of Bitonto saide thus Papa Lux venit in Mundum dilexerunt homines tenebras magis quà m Lucem Omnis qui mà lè agit odit lucem non venit ad Lucem The Pope beinge the Lighte is comme into the VVorlde and menne haue loued the Darkenesse more then the Light Euery man that doothe euil hateth the Pope that is the Lighte and commeth not to the Lighte Pope Adrian saith Papa non iudicabitur à quoquam Quia Scriptum est Non est Discipulus supra Magistrum No man shal Iudge the Pope for it is written the Scholar is not aboue his Maister The Pope suffered the Embassadours of Sicilia to lie prostrate on the grounde and thus to crie vnto him as if it had benne vnto Christe Qui tollis Peccata Mundi miserere nostri Qui tollis Peccata mundi dona nobis Pacem O thou Holy Father that takest awaie the Sinnes of the Worlde haue mercie vpon vs thou that takest awaie the Sinnes of the Worlde geue vs Peace Pope Sixtus saithe Who so accuseth the Pope can neuer be forgeuen And his reason is this Quia qui peccat in Spiritum Sanctum non remittetur ei neque in hac vita neque in futura He that sinneth againste the Holy Ghoste shal neuer be foregeuen neither in this VVorlde nor in the VVorlde to comme And by these woordes of the Scriptures so wel applied he concludeth that noman maie accuse the Pope And to leaue a heape of other examples for they are infinite you your selfe M. Hardinge haue often vsed the Scriptures in like sorte Thus ye saie The Sonne of Man came not to destroie the Soules of menne but to saue Ergo The substance of Breade in the Sacramente is not annihilate or consumed to nothinge And this yee saie was the Sense and meaninge of the Holy Ghoste this is the Iudgemente of al the Doctours and Holy Fathers Sutche religious awe and reuerence ye beare towardes the VVoorde of God Yet saithe your Doctoure Hosius The Scripture as it is alleged by vs is the VVoorde of the Diuel but as it is alleged and handled by you so onely it is the VVoorde of God If yee had not vtterly wypte al shame from your faces yée woulde neither make sutche mockeries of Goddes Holy Woorde nor so lewdely abuse the people of God The Apologie Cap. 19. 20. Diuision 1. Woteth not the Bishop of Rome that these thinges are spoken by his owne Minions or vnderstandeth he not he hathe sutche ChaÌpions to fighte for him Let him herken then how Holily hoâ Godly one Hosius writeth of this matter a Bishop in Polonia as he testifieth of him selfe a man doubtlesse wel spoken and not vnlearned and a very sharpe and a stoââte mainteinour of that side Thou wilt marueile I suppose how any good man could either conceiue so wickedly or write so despitefully of those woordes whiche he knew proceeded from Goddes mouthe and specially in sutche sorte as hée woulde not haue it seeme his owne priuate opinion alone but the common opinion of al that bande He dissembleth I graunte you in deede and hideth what hee is and setteth foorthe the matter so as though it were not he and his side but the zvvenkfeldian Heretiques that so did speake VVee saithe he vvil bidde avvaie vvith the same Scriptures vvhereof vve see brought not onely diuerse but also contrarie interpretations and vve vvil heare God speake rather then vvee vvil resorte to the naked Elementes or bare vvoordes of the Scriptures and appointe oure Saluation to reaste in them It behoueth not a man to be experte in the Lavve and Scripture but to bee taught of God It is but loste laboure that a manne bestovveth in the Scriptures For the Scripture is a Creature and a certaine bare Letter This is Hosius saieinge vttered altogeather with the same Sprite the same minde wherewith in times paste the Heretiques Montanus and Marcion were moued whoe as it is written of them vsed to saie when with contempte thei reiected the Holy Scriptures that them selues knewe many moe and better thinges then either Christe or the Apostles euer
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 MeÌne 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 Conciliâ 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 AmbiguaÌ Praeceptorem Mutum LiteraÌ Occidentem Literam Mortuam adeoque fi Reuerendis illis Patribus libuerit Aesopi Fabulas In the meane while they crie out yâ the Holy Scriptures are Blinde and Doubteful a DouÌbe 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 noÌ 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 CoÌmaundementes 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
might with more surety keepe stil his vsurped Dominion Who being an Idumean borne and a straunger to the stocke and kinred of the Ievves and yet couetinge mutche to be taken for a Iewe to th ende he might establishe to him and his Posteritie the Kingdome of that Countrie whiche he had gotten of Augustus Caesar he commaunded al the Genâalogies and Petigrees to be burnt and made out of the waie so that there should remaine no recorde whereby it might be knowen to them that came after that he was an Alien in bloude whereas euen from Abrahams time these monumeÌtes had benne safely keapte amongest the Ievves and laide vp in theire treasurie bicause in them it might easily and moste assuredly be founde of what linage euery one did descende So in good faithe doo these menne when they woulde haue al theire owne dooinges in estimation as though they had benne deliuered to vs euen from the Apostles or from Christe him selfe to th ende there might be founde no where any thinge hable to conuince sutche theire dreames and lies either they burne the Holy Scriptures or els they craftily conueigh them from the people M. Hardinge Pardon me I praie thee Reader if I vse woordes some what vehemente the cause so requiringe This Defender crieth out O ye pillours of Religion But how mutche more iustly crie we againe to him O thou captaine lier O moste woorthy not the rewarde of a whetstone but the iudgemente of abackebiter of a slaunderer a cursed speaker of a mocker of the accuser of the brethren of a Blasphemer Is this the regarde thou haste I saie not to God or to Christen men but to thine owne estimation and common honestie of a man Canste thou persuade thy selfe to greate credite by lieinge To seme sober by railinge Honeste by villanie Charitable by slaunderinge Vpright by deceit Iuste by impietie Why saiest thou of vs in general that is to saie of the Catholike Churche that we despise hate caste awaie and burne the Holy Scriptures Had we not loued and kepte the Scriptures howe couldest thou and thy fellowes haue comme by them Had ye not them of vs From the Apostles time to this daie we haue kepte them vnspotted and vndefiled and ye within these fifty yeres haue by your vulgare translations corrupted them that lamentable it is to consider And when we burned the same corrupte translations or any parte thereof or any of your Heretical treatises we burned not the Scriptures no more then one dothe the apple tree that burneth the caterpillers The Scriptures we honourè and kepe moste reuerently and diligently Therefore your comparinge of vs with the wicked Kinges Aza Antiochus Maximinus and Herode is false and slaunderous For how saie you Sir Captaine of liers had we not the Scripture in euery Monasterie Cathedral Church college in euery priuate library of any that was lerned The like thinge was obiected to S. Augustine and the Catholikes in his time by the Donatistes beinge then Heretikes as ye are nowe To whom he answeareth as we wil answeare you Certè ille ignibus tradidisse credatur qui eis lectis non consentire conuincitur ãâã Let him be thought to haue caste they Holy Scriptures into the fire who when they are reade is conuict not to consente vnto them VVe reade in the Holy Scriptures that Christe said This is my Body VVho beleueth it ye that denie it or we who are contente to die for the defence of that his real body in the blessed Sacramente S. Iames saithe a man is iustified by woorkes and not by faithe onely VVho beleueth thus they whiche saie that onely faith iustifieth or they whiche saie that woorkes be required also to iustifie at ion Christ saith Qui maÌducat hunc panem viuet in Aeternum he that eateth this breade shal liue for euer â¡ VVho beleueth this they that saie both kindes be necessarie to laie men by commaundement of Christe or they who saie that one kinde is sufficiente to saluation concerninge the eatinge of the Sacramente The B. of Sarisburie Ye maie soone be Pardoned M. Hardinge for speakinge il for as mutche as for ought that maie appeare by youre speache ye haue not yet learned to speake wel Whether ye haue burnte the Scriptures of God or no bothe Heauen and Earthe and Sea and Lande maie beare witnesse For a poore excuse ye saie ye haue burnte our Errours and Heretical Translations and not the Scriptures as the Housbandeman vseth to burn Caterpillers Howe be it he maie be thought an vnwise Housbandeman that burneth vp his Caterpillers Trées too bothe togeather and to wreake him selfe of the one is contente to destroie the other If al Bookes conteininge Erroure should be burnte then should your Louanian Nouelles goe to wracke For yewis M. Hardinge contention and vaine glorie set a part ye know right wel thei are ful of Errours Moreouer ye knowe there be Errours in S. Augustine There be Errours in OrigeÌ in TertulliaÌ in S. Ambrose in S. Hierome There be Errours in euery of the Aunciente Fathers in the Greekes in the Latines in one and other There be Errours in your Schole Doctoures There be Errours in your Canonistes Briefely your Holy Fathers Decrees Decretalles are not voide of Errours Yet is there no Booke woorthy to be burnte in respecte of Erroure but onely the Booke of the Scriptures If there were sutche Errours in the Vulgare Translations ye shoulde haue discried them although not al yet for your credites sake one at the least Ye should haue remoued the Errour and haue restoared the Scriptures to the vse and comforte of the people But this is it that troubleth you so soare that the Scriptures are published in the Common knowen tongues and that the simple people of al sortes whom otherwise ye cal Dogges and Svvine filthy brute Beastes voide of reason maie vnderstande them This M. Hardinge is that greate and horrible Errrour This is the Erroure of al Errours Therefore Irenaeus saithe as it is alleged before Haeretici cùm ex Scripturis arguuntur in accusationem vertuntur Scripturarum Heretiques when they be reproued by the Scriptures then beginne they to finde faulte with the Scriptures And therefore S. Ambrose saith Herodes conscius ignobilitatis suae Scripturas incendit ne qua Posteris suis vel de praescripto Veteri quaestio moueretur existimaÌs quòd si Indicia de publico sustulisset nullis alijs Testimonijs clarere posset quin de Patriarcharum ProselytoruÌ Veterum genere emanaret King Herode for that he wel vnderstoode the basenesse of his House therefore he burnte the Scriptures leaste that by meane of sutche Ancient Recordes somme doubte might afterwarde be moued against his posteritie For he thought if he had once remoued sutche Monumentes it could neuer be proued by any manner other witnesse but that he came by descente from the stocke of the Patriarkes and Olde
free liberalitie For otherwise of dewtie by youre iudgemeÌte they shoulde haue nothinge Notwithstandinge Christe saithe Bibite ex hoc omnes Drinke ye not onely the Apostles but Drinke ye al of this Whiche woordes Paschasius expoundeth thus Bibite ex hoc omnes Hoc est tam Ministri quà m reliqui Credentes Drinke ye al of this that is to saie as vvel the Ministers as the reste of the Faithful An other saithe thus Bibite ex hoc Omnes Omnes scilicet sine personarum acceptione Drinke ye al of this Al that is to saie without difference or choise of personnes But hereof we haue spoken more at large in other places The Apologie Cap. 21. Diuision 2. 3. Very rightely and aptely doth Chrysostome write against these menne Heretikes saithe he shutte vp the gates against the Truethe for they knowe ful wel if the gate were open the Churche shoulde be none of theires Theophylacte also Goddes VVoorde saithe he is the Candel whereby the Theefe is espied The Apologie Cap. 21. Diuision 4. And Tertullian saith The Holy Scripture manifestly findeth out the fraude and theafte of Heretiques For why doo they hide why doo they keepe vnder the Gospel whiche Christe woulde haue preached alowde from the house toppe Why whealme they that light vnder a Busshel whiche ought to stande on the Candelsticke M. Hardinge The Scripture saithe There shal be menne standing in their owne conceite vnchaste louing pleasure more then God VVho are vnchaste they that exhorte al menne to Chastitie and them selues abstaine from wedlocke for the better meane to serue God or ye that bidde menne whiche haue vowed chastitie to breake their vowes The B. of Sarisburie I leaue youre Chastitie to the iudgemente of the Worlde Yet you maie remember there were somme in olde times whome Christe likened to Painted graues outwardely in appearance faire glorious but inwardly ful of stinking boanes It appeareth by the whole course and order of youre liues that Single Life and Chastitie are sundrie thinges S. Hierome saithe thus Super Concupiscentiam foeminarum non intelliget De Antichristo facilior interpretatio est quoód ideó simulet Castitatem vt plurimos decipiat He shal haue no skil touching the desiere of weemen The better exposition hereof is to applie these woordes to Antichriste For that he shal Countrefeite Chastitie to the ende to deceiue many S. Augustine saithe of the Heretiques called the Manichees Vitae Castae memorabilis continentiae imaginem praeferunt They beare a countenance of continent life and notable Chastitie S. Ambrose saithe Multi sunt Haereticorum qui praetendere volunt Corporis continentiam There be many Heretiques that wil countrefeite and pretende Chastitie of body that by the witnesse thereof they maie winne Credit to theire Doctrine Therefore M. Hardinge when you thus vaunte your selues of this Coloure of Chastitie ye make boaste of that thing that other Heretiques and Antichriste him selfe shal haue as wel as you S. Paule where he foretelleth vs of the Disciples of Antichriste emongest other markes whereby they maie be knowen saithe thus Prohibentes nubere whereby he meante that Antichriste shoulde geue out a greate shine of Chaste life and forbidde Marriage Of sutche S. Hierome saithe Iactant pudicitiam suam impudenti facie They make bragges of their Chastitie with whoorishe Countenance The Apologie Cap. 21. Diuision 5. 6. Why truste they more to the blindenesse of the vnskilful multitude and to ignorance then to the goodnesse of their cause Thinke they their sleightes are not already perceiued and that they can walke nowe vnspied as though they hadde Gyges ring to goe inuisible by vpon their finger No no. The Apologie Cap. 21. Diuision 7. Al menne see nowe wel and wel againe what good stuffe is in that cheste of the Bishop of Romes bosome This thing alone of it selfe maie be an argument sufficient that they woorke not vprightly and truely M. Hardinge You are mutche troubled with the cheste of the Popes bosome wherein be is thought to haue al lawes At this you scoffe foure or fiue times in your Apologie medlinge with a matter that you vnderstande not For it is a Lawiers phrase VVho presupposeth the Prince of euery common weale to knowe the lawe of the same no lesse then if it were written in his breaste And therefore when he maketh a newe lawe he repealeth the former lawe whereunto the latter is contrary The B. of Sarisburie For as mutche as this matter of the Popes breaste is so deepe and full of darkenesse specially being as you saie a Lavviers phrase that no man maie safely enter into it but onely you that neuer were student in any Lavve lette vs therefore see what your owne Canonistes and Lavviers them selues haue meante hereby Firste of al Baldus of Perusium saithe Papa est Doctor vtriusque Iuris Authoritate non Scientia The Pope is Doctour of bothe Lawes as wel Ciuile as Canon by Authoritie but not by knowledge Here wee finde howe so euer the Pope be stoared of Learninge yet at the leaste he is a Doctoure by Authoritie Further youre Glose saithe Etsi totus mundus sententiaret in aliquo negotio contra Papam tamen videtur quo'd standum fit sententiae Papae Iura enim omnia in Scrinio pectoris sui habere videtur Quod ergo Papa approbat vel reprobat nos approbate vel reprobare debemus Quisquis ergo non obedit Statutis Romanae Ecclesiae Haereticus est censendus Et Sacrilegij instar esset disputare de facto Papae Although al the worlde woulde iudge in any mater againste the Pope yet it seemeth wee ought to stande to the iudgemente of the Pope For he seemeth to haue al Lavves in the Cheaste of his bosome Therefore what so euer the Pope either alloweth or disalloweth wee are bounde likewise to allowe or disallowe the same And who so euer is not obedient to the Lawes of the Churche of Rome muste be deemed an Heretique And it were as great sinne as Churcherobbinge to reason of any of the Popes dooinges Further youre Lavviers saie thus Papa dicitur habere Coeleste arbitrium Vnde in his quae vult est ei pro Ratione Voluntas Nec est qui dicat illi Domine cur ita facis Quia sicut ex Sola Voluntate potest per Papam Lex creari ita per Solam Voluntatem potest cum ea dispensari The Pope is saide to haue a heauenly iudgemente Therefore in sutche thinges as he willeth his Wil standeth in steede of Reason Neither maie any man saie vnto him O sir VVhy doo yovv thus Like as a Lavve maie be made by the Onely VVil of the Pope so maie the same Lavv bee dispensed withal onely by the vvil of the Pope This M. Hardinge is the exposition of youre Lavviers phrase Theise are the treasures that wee are taughte to seeke in the Closet of the
we keapte it and vnderstode it before ye were borne and before youre heresie was hearde of But a Deuil comminge from hel for who is authour of diuision but Satan hath caried you awaie into an other Gospel whereas in deede there is but one true Gospel And here let any indifferent man consider howe vprightly you alleage S. Paule You write that Paule warneth you not to geue eare to an Angel comming from heauen if he goe about to drawe you from any parte of this Doctrine Of whiche this Doctrine meane you Of this whiche you haue declared in this Apologie Did S. Paule euer reade youre A pologie Howe then pronounced he of it that sentence VVee meane saie you by this Doctrine the Doctrine of the Gospel If you meane so wee saie the same But wee tel you that S. Paule spake not of euery Gospel generally but of a certaine Gospel qualified For he saieth Si quis vobis euangelizauerit praerer id quod accepistis anathema sit If any man preache a Gospel vnto you besides that ye haue receiued be he accursed Heare you the Gospel S. Paule speaketh of It is not euery Gospel It is a Gospel preached and receiued If ye preache that Gospel whiche ye receiued we ioine handes with you But if ye preach a Gospel whiche ye haue receiued of no Apostle nor Apostoiique preacher and whiche was not hearde of in the earth when Luther ranne out of his Cloister and forsooke his Religion then be ye assured that ye are the menne who are holden for accursed of S. Paule The B. of Sarisburie Here M. Hardinge ye woulde faine scape awaie with a Childishe Cauil Paul ye saie speaketh of a Gospel qualified whereby ye meane a Gospel deliuered and receiued As if ye woulde saie The Gospel of Christe onlesse it be deliuered by you is no Gospel But S. Paule meante not the Doctrine deliuered from hande to hande or from Pope to Pope But the Doctrine deliuered and receiued in the Scriptures And in this sense he saithe of him selfe Quod accept à Domino Hoc tradidi vobis The thinge that I haue receiued of the Lorde the same haue I deliuered vnto you In like sorte he calleth him selfe an Apostle not of menne nor by menne but by Iesus Christe Howe be it what neede many wordes The case is cleare S. Augustine saithe plainely Paulus ait Si Angelus de Coelo vobis annuntiauerit praeterquam quod in Scripturis legalibus Euangelicis accepistis Anathema sit If an Angel from Heauen preache vnto you any other thinge then ye haue receiued not by Tradition or by deliuerie from youre Elders but in the Scriptures of the Lavve and of the Gospel accursed be he These wordes be plaine M. Hardinge and quite disgrace al your Gloses Hereto Chrysostome addeth further Non dixit Paulus Si contraria annuntiauerint aut totum Euangelium subuerterint verùm Si vel paulùm Euangelizauerint praeter Euangelium quod accepistis etiamsi quiduis labefactauerint Anathema sint S. Paule saithe not If they teache the contrarie or if they ouerthrowe the whole Gospel But he saithe if they preache any little smal thinge besides the Gospel that ye haue receiued or if they loose or shake downe any thinge whatsoeuer it bee accursed bee they These woordes M. Hardinge touche you very neare Ye haue altered the whole fourme of the Churche of God Therefore repente youre selues leste ye remaine stil within the daunger of the Curse S. Augustine saithe Sancta Scriptura nostae Doctrinae Regulam figit Ne audeamus plus sapere quà m oporteat sapere The Holy Scripture hath laide a rule vnto oure Doctrine that we dare not to vnderstand more then is meete for vs to vnderstand The Apologie Cap. 22. Diuision 3. For where these menne bid the Holy Scriptures away as doumbe and frutelesse procure vs to comme to God him selfe rather who speaketh in the Churche in theire Councelles that is to saie to beleue their fansies and opinions this waie of finding out the Truthe is very vncertaine and exceeding dangerous and in manner a fantastical madde waie by no meanes allowed of the Holy Fathers M. Hardinge VVhere they saie we passe but litle on the Scriptures as dumbe and vnprofitable therein they slaunder vs as in other thinges VVe do not so But we saie that as euery act of Parlament must be executed by a lawful Iudge so the holy Scriptures haue their execution by lauful Iudges who are the bishoppes and fathers and wel in other places as specially when they be laufully assembled in general councelles Now saie these men that way is very vncertaine dangerous in maner mad and not allowed of the fathers VVho euer heard men thought to haue their right wittes talke after so loose a sorte Did the fathers disproue the order of comming together in general councelles Or thought they the same to be a way for men to be the soner deceiued If so many maie be deceiued with moste diligent studie and mature iudgement conferring together howe mutche soner may one or two alone leadde by priuate phansie and self wil be caried away into errour At the Nicene councel came together 318 bishops At the first of CoÌstantinople 150. at the Ephesme couÌcel 200. At that of ChalcedoÌ 630 Al these foure councelles sundry ancient fathers namely S. Gregorie estemed as the foure Gospels Yea but saith he I haue the word of God But what if 300. farre holier and better learned men saie he hath it not Let the reader be iudge saith he A meete iudge in suche a cause The Scholers maie reade but iudge of their maisters they maie not by Christes doctrine who said Non est discipulus supra magistrum the scholer is not aboue his maister VVhy not for al that saie you if the Holy Ghost inspire him Sir is it not to be thought God doth assist his Churche represented in sutche solemne assemblies of three hundred or moe fathers gouernours of Christen people rather then one man The B. of Sarisburie Whether ye cal the Scriptures of God a Dumbe thing or no I reporte me to that is saide before One of you calleth it Mortuum Atramentum Dead Inke An other saith Scriptura est res inanimis muta The Scripture is a dead and a dumbe thinge An other calleth the Scriptures Nigrum Euangelium The blacke Gospel Nowe if the Scriptures be Dead and Doumbe and can not speake then must it needes folowe they are vnprofitable Neither doo we despise the Authoritie of Councelles Good Councelles be graue and reuerende But thus we saie Councelles are often against Councelles And if wee make rekening of number the Arian Heretiques haue had moe Councelles then the Christians S. Hierome saithe Spiritus Sancti Doctrina est quae Canonicis literis prodita est Contra quam si quid statuant Concilia nefas duco That is the Doctrine of the Holy Goste
that is set abroade in the Canonical Scriptures Againste whiche Doctrine if Councelles determine any thing I thinke it vvicked S. Chrysostome saithe further in more earneste sorte Plus aliquid dicam Ne Paulo quidem obedire oportet si quid dixerit proprium si quid humanum I wil saie more Wee ought not to beleeue no not Paule him selfe if he speake any thinge of his owne or if he speake onely as a man And to encrease the vncertaintie hereof the whole weighte and iudgemente of Councelles hangeth nowe euermore vpon the Pope as it maie appeare by these woordes of the Conclusion of the late Chapter at Trident Saluasemper in omnibus Sedis Apostolicae Authoritate The Authoritie of the Apostolique See in al thinges euermore reserued But Platyna saithe as it is alleged before Acta priorum Pontificum sequentes Pontifices semper aut infringunt aut omnino ' tollunt The Popes that folowe doo euermore either breake or wholy abrogate the Decrees of the Popes that were before Whether the Scripture bee wel alleged or otherwise thereof ye saie the people maie not Iudge For Christe saithe The Scholar is not aboue his Maister Certainely M. Hardinge the simplest of al the people notwithstandinge by youre restrainte he maie not iudge of the Scriptures yet he maie easily iudge of you either that ye vnderstande not or that ye vnaduisedly abuse the Scriptures Whether it be the Woorde of God or no the people ye saie maie not Judge And that ye proue euen by the Scriptures God knoweth ful handsomely and ful discretely applied For the Scholar ye saie is not aboue his Maister Thus we maie learne by the Logique of Louaine that Populus is Latine for a Scholar that Scripture is Latine for a Maister And thus by youre vaine premisses without sense ye proceede vainely and conclude nothinge O M. Hardinge haue some regarde to that ye write The simpleste maie soone espie your dooinges Ye can no longer thus mocke the worlde with shewes of woordes Christe spake not these woordes of the vnderstandinge of the Scriptures but of persequution for the Scriptures For thus the woordes lie togeather When they shal persecute you in one Cittie flee into an other c. The Scholar is not aboue his Maister Nor the Seruant aboue his Lorde If they haue called the Maister of the house Beelzebub howe mutche more wil they so cal his housholde seruauntes Alas where learned you to frame sutche Argumentes The Apostles beeing the Scholars can nomore escape persecutioÌ then could Christe that vvas the Maister Ergo The people cannot vnderstande vvhat they reade in the Scriptures Here is neither Antecedente nor Consequente nor Sequele in Reason For the honour of yâ Vniuersitie haue better regarde vnto your Logique Ye bewraie the weakenesse of youre cause when yee so sclenderly abuse the Scriptures The Apologie Cap. 22. Diuision 4. Chrysostome saithe There be many oftentimes vvhiche boaste them selues of the Holy Ghoste but truely vvho so speake of their ovvn head do falsely boast that thei haue the sprite of God For like as saith he Christe denied he spake of him selfe vvhen he spake out of the Lavve and Prophetes euen so novve if any tiauerint aut totum Euangelium subuerterint verùm Si vel paulùm Euangelizauerint praeter Euangelium quod accepistis etiamsi quiduis labefactauerint Anathema sint S. Paule saithe not If they teache the contrarie or if they ouerthrowe the whole Gospel But he saithe if they preache any little smal thinge besides the Gospel that ye haue receiued or if they loose or shake downe any thinge whatsoeuer it bee accursed bee they These woordes M. Hardinge touche you very neare Ye haue altered the whole fourme of the Churche of God Therefore repente youre selues leste ye remaine stil within the aunger of the Curse S. Augustine saithe Sancta Scriptura nostae Doctrinae Regulam figit Ne audeamus plus sapere quà m oporâeat sapere The Holy Scripture hath laide a rule vnto oure Doctrine that we dare not to vnderstand more then is meete for vs to vnderstand The Apologie Cap. 22. Diuision 3. For where these menne bid the Holy Scriptures away as doumbeand frutelesse procure vs to comme to God him selfe rather who speaketh in the Churche in theire Councelles that is to saie to beleue their fansies and opinions this waie of finding out the Truthe is very vncertaine and exceeding dangerous and in manner a fantastical madde waie by no meanes allowed of the Holy Fathers M. Hardinge VVhere they saie we passe but litle on the Scriptures as dumbe and vnprofitable therein they slaunder vs as in other thinges VVe do not so But we saie that as euery act of Parlament must be executed by a lawful Iudge so the holy Scriptures haue their execution by lauful Iudges who are the bishoppes and fathers as wel in other places as specially when they be laufully assembled in general councelles Now saie these men that way is very vncertaine dangerous in maner mad and not allowed of the fathers VVho euer heard men thought to haue their right wittes talke after so loose a sorte Did the fathers disproue the order of comming together in general councelles Or thought they the same to be a way for men to be the soner deceiued If so many maie be deceiued with moste diligent studie and mature iudgement conferring together howe mutche soner may one or two alone âeadde by priuate phansie and self wil be caried away into errour At the Nicene councel came together 318 bishops At the first of CoÌstantinople 150. at the Ephesine couÌcel 200. At that of ChalcedoÌ 630 Al these foure councelles sundry ancient fathers namely S. Gregorie estemed as the foure Gospels Yea but saith he I haue the word of God But what if 300. farre holier and better learned men saie he hath it not Let the reader be iudge saith be A meete iudge in suche a cause The Scholers maie reade but iudge of their maisters they maie not by Christes doctrine who said Non est discipulus supra magistrum the scholer is not aboue his maister VVhy not for al that saie you if the Holy Ghost inspire him Sir is it not to be thought God doth assist his Churche represented in sutche solemne assemblies of three hundred or moe fathers gouernours of Christen people rather then one man The B. of Sarisburie Whether ye cal the Scriptures of God a Dumbe thing or no I reporte me to that is saide before One of you calleth it Mortuum Atramentum Dead Inke An other saith Scriptura est res inanimis muta The Scripture is a dead and a dumbe thinge An other calleth the Scriptures Nigrum Euangelium The blacke Gospel Nowe if the Scriptures be Dead and Doumbe and can not speake then must it needes folowe they are vnprofitable Neither doo we despise the Authoritie of Councelles Good Councelles be graue and reuerende But thus
Holy Father and allege his woordes otherwise then they be Secondely he saithe It was not the Image of Christe that Epiphanius found painted in the Vele but somme other prety thing he knoweth not what Lastely he saithe Epiphaniusr reproueth not generally al sutche Veles so painted but onely that one Vele that he founde For trial hereof I referre mée self to the Original The woordes thereof be these Inueni ibi velum pendens in foribus eiusdem Ecclesiae tinctum atque depictum habens Imaginem quasi Christi aut SaÌcti cuiusdam Non enim satis memini cuius Imago fuerit Cùm ergo hoc vidissem in Ecclesia Christi contra Authoritatem Scripturarum Hominis pendere Imaginem scidi illud magis dedi consilium Custodibus eiusdem loci vt pauperem mortuum eo obuoluerent efferrent c. Quaeso vt iubeas Presbyteros eiudem loci praecipere in Ecclesia Christi istiusmodi Vela quae contra Religionem nostram veniunt non appendi Decet enim honestatem tuam hanc magis habere sollicitudinem vt crupulositatem tollat quae indigna est Ecclesia Christi populis qui tibi crediti sunt I founde there a Vele hanginge at the entrie of the Churche stained and painted and hauinge the Image as it were of Christe or of somme Saincte For whose Picture it was in deede I doo not remember Therefore when I sawe the Image of a man to hange in the Churche of Christe contrarie to the commaundemente of the Scriptures I tare it in sunder and gaue counsel to the Wardens of that Churche that they shoulde winde and burie somme poore body in it c. I beseeche you charge the Priestes of that place that they commaunde that sutche Veles as be contrarie to our Religion be no more hanged vp in the Churche of Christe It behooueth your reuerence to haue care hereof that this Superstition vnmeete for the Churche of Christe and vnmeete for the people to thee committed be remoued Nowe iudge you M. Hardinge wherein wée haue falsified this Learned Fathers woordes You saie He speaketh not one woorde againste the Image of Christe or his Sainctes I beséeche you then againste what other Image speaketh he Epiphanius saithe plainely It had the Image as it vvere of Christe or of somme Saincte You saie He founde faulte with that Vele onely not with any other Once againe I beséeche you telle vs what had the Image of Christe or of his Sainctes offended Epiphanius more then other Images If the Image of Christe maie not be suffered in the Churche of Christe what Image then maie be suffered What cause of difference can you imagine that any other Veles should be allowed rather then this Your answeare is this VVee cannot saie any thinge determinately thereof Whereby it appereth ye woulde faine saie somewhat if ye wiste what Yet muste wée be ouerruled by al and euery your determinations yea although you your selfe confesse ye can determinately determine nothinge Notwithstandinge the Anciente Fathers of the Churche haue longe sithence determinately and plainely iudged againste you Lactantius saithe in plaine woordes Non est dubium quin Religio nulla sit vbicunque Simulachrum est Out of al doubte there is no Religion where so euer there is an Image Tertullian saithe Idolum tam fieri quà m coli Deus prohibet Quanto ' praecedit vt fiat quod coli possit tantò prius est ne fiat si coli non licet Facio ait quidam sed non colo quasi ob aliquam causam colere non audeat nisi ob quam facere non debeat Scilicet ob Dei offensam vtrobique Imò tu colis qui facis vt coli possit God hath forebidden an Image or an Idole as wel to be made as to be woorshipped As farre as makinge goeth before woorshippinge so far is it before that the thinge be not made that maie not be woorshipped Somme man wil saie I make it but I woorship it not As though he durste not to woorship it for any other cause but onely for the same cause for whiche he ought not to make it I meane bothe waies for Goddes displeasure Nay rather thou woorshippest the Image that geuest the cause for others to woorship it Therefore S. Augustine speakinge of the Image of God the Father saithe thus Tale simulachrum Deo fingere nefarium est To diuise sutche an Image for God it is abominable Theodorus the Bishop of Ancyra saithe Sanctorum Imagines Species ex Materialibus coloribus formati minimè decorum puramus Manifestum enim est quòd vana sit huiusmodi cogitatio Diabolicae deceptionis inuentum Wee thinke it not conueniente to Painte the Images of Sainctes with Material or Earthly colours For it is euident that this is a vaine Imagination and the procuremente of the deceitefulnesse of the Diuel To like yourpose writeth Epiphanius Estote memores dilecti Filij ne in Ecclesias Imagines inferatis neque in Sanctorum Coemiterijs eas statuatis Sed perpetuò circumferte Deum in cordibus vestris Quin etiam neque in domo communi tolerentur Non enim fas est Christianum per oculos suspensum teneri sed per occupationem mentis My deere Children be yee mindeful that ye bringe no Images into the Churches and that yee erecte vp none at the burialles of the Sainctes But euermore carrie God in your Hartes Nay suffer not Images to be no not in your priuate Houses For it is not lawful to leade a Christian man by his eies but rather by the studie or exercise of his minde For this cause Epiphanius saithe The Superstition of Images is vnfitte for the Churche of Christe The Apologie Cap. 3. Diuision 4. The olde Fathers Origene Chrysostome exhorte the People to reade the Scriptures to buye them Bookes to reason at home bitwixte them selues of Diuine maters VViues with their Husbandes Parentes with their Children These menne condemne the Scriptures as deade Elementes and asmutche as euer they maie barre the People from them M. Hardinge Partely it is true partely false that you saie Origen exhorteth all to resorte to the Churches in the Holy daies and there to heare the woordes of God and thereof afterwarde to thinke earnestly and to meditate on the Lawe of God and to exercise their mindes in it daie and night in the waie in their house in their bedde and when they rise This holde we withall and be desirous the people beare awaie that the true and Godly Preachers teache them in the Churche and that they thinke of it and put it in dayly practise of life For els to what serueth all our Preachinge Chrysostome Hom. 2. in Math. speaketh against them whiche contemned the Scriptures and saide they were no Monkes but had wiues and Children and care of householde As though it perteined not to maried men to reade any parte
Behold by the Varietie wee vnderstande the Diuersitie of Tongues and by the Apparel wee vnderstande the Vnitie of yâ 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 noÌ 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 sufficieÌt 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 CarpeÌter 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 PardoÌmoungers 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 diligeÌter 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 âome 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 oporâer 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 Eâoure 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
our belefe no we preached and receiued in the Catholike Church â¡ neither shoulde be altered â¡ nor coulde be bettered â¡ For it is the same he taught him selfe And that we doubt not of it accordinge to his promise he hath sente the holy Ghoste to enforme the Churche of al truthe Remember you not who saide I am God and am not changed againe that the worde of God remaineth for euer This beinge true it is euident that we haue the sound and weighty wheate whiche no persecution of tyraunces and blasies of heretikes no contagion of euil manners for these fiften hundred yeeres could either blowe from the floore of our Lordes berne the Churche or corrupt VVe haue accordinge to the Apostles counsel kepte that hath ben committed vnto vs. VVe haue enioyed the fountaine of the water of life Ye charge vs soare that we haue plucked awaie from the people the holy communion the worde of God the true worshippinge of God the right vse of Sacramentes and praier VVho so euer taketh these fiue awaie wherein chiefly standeth our saluation the same is Antichrist VVere not that ye haue already done so mutche for vs as the worlde maie take you for impudente liers we would not quietly beare so greauous a matter But nowe that ye haue tried your selues so false of your worde we litle esteme it your railinge is no slaunder Lastly concerninge praier what hath ben ordeined by our holy forefathers of al ages directed with the sprite of God for the maintenance and encrease of it to Gods honoure al that in fewe yeres by the instincte of Sathan to promote his Kingedome ye haue vtterly abolished and by wicked violence brought the people from deuotion to a carelesse idlenesse from speaking to God with hartes and lippes to â¡ a spiritual dummesse from praiers â¡ to chapters from holy thinkinge to â¡ vnprofitable harkeninge Ye can not abyde salte water oyle palme the crosse incense c. no maruel No more can not the deuil who possesseth you and rideth you and after his owne wil driueth you from truthe from Christen Religion and from al Godlines VVere it so that your sprite coulde a waie with those thinges then were it not agreeing with his sprite Vntil ye geue place to the spirit of God who maie driue out of you the spiritie of Sathan we looke to heare no better tidinges of you The B. of Sarisburie Ye were sommewhat angrie M. Hardinge when ye thus besturred your selfe It pitieth me in your behalfe Christe and his Apostles yée saie neuer ruled the Churche in better order then it is nowe ruled by the Pope and his Cardinalles Euen so might they haue saide that had turned the House of God into a Caue of Theeues One of your frendes saith ApostoloruÌ temporibus rudis adhuc erat Ecclesia In the time of the Apostles the Churche as yet was rude and Barbarous and out of order And being afterward reproued for his blasphemous speache he answeared lewdly in his pleasance Rudis indigestaqueue moles Others of you saie Christus in Coelo praesidet Papa in Terris residet Christe ruleth in Heauen the Pope in Earthe An other saithe Omnes Sanctiones Sedis Apostolicae sic accipiendae sunt tanquam ipsius Diuina voce Petri firmatae Al the Lawes of the Apostolique see of Rome muste so be taken as if they were confirmed by the Diuine voice of Peter him selfe An other saith Sicut ostium regitur Cardine ita Ecclesia Romana regitur Consilio Cardinalium As the doore is ruled by the hooke so is the Churche of Rome ruled by the Counsel of Cardinalles Therefore the Pope him selfe saithe thus vnto them Vos eritis Senatores vrbis Regum similes veri Mundi Cardines super quos militantis ostium Ecclesiae voluendum regendum est Ye shal be the Senatours of my Cittie and like vnto Kinges the very bookes and staies of the worlde vpon whom the very doore of yâ Churche Militante muste be turned and ruled Sutche are they whom S. Hierome imagineth thus to saie Non est Vir in domo Non est Christus Corporaliter in Ecclesia Surgens enim à mortuis Ascendit in Coelum nobisque Ministerium gubernandae Ecclesiae suam videlicet Domum reliquit My Husbande is not at home That is to saie Christe is not nowe Corporally in the Churche For beinge risen from the deade he is Ascended into Heauen and hath leafte vnto vs the gouernmente of his Churche that is the whole orderinge of his House True it is as you saie God is one and is not Changed And his Woorde endureth for euer But the Change is in you and not in God Goddes Woorde is the Woorde of Life your Woorde is the Woorde of Vanitie God the Father hath not planted it Therefore it shal be plucked vp by the rootes God saithe by the Prophete Malachie The lippes of the Prieste shal keepe knowledge and the people shal require the Lawe at his mouthe For he is the Angel of the Lorde of Hostes Vos autem recessistis de Via c. But you are gonne backe from the VVaie you haue offended many a one in the Lavve you haue broken the Couenante of Leui saith the Lord of Hostes And therefore haue I made you to be despised Yee haue changed the moste parte of the Apostles Doctrine And of al that euer they ordeined yée haue in a manner leafte nothinge standinge S. Bernarde saithe of your owne Churche of Rome A planta pedis vsque ad verticem Capitis non est sanitas vlla From the sole of the foote vnto the Crowne of the heade there is not one whole place And yet ye beare vs strongely in hande that Christe and his Apostles neuer ruled the Churche in better order then it is nowe ruled by the Pope and his Cardinalles Al the reste of your emptie talke is answeared sufficiently before Yet one pange of your Eloquence I maie not in any wise leaue vntouched Thus ye saie By the instincte of Satan ye haue brought the people from deuotion to carelesse idlenesse from speakinge to God with hartes and lippes to a spiritual doumbenesse from Praiers to Chapters from Holy thinking to vnprofitable hearkeninge If I were not wel acquainted with your speache M. Hardinge I could not thinke ye would so vnaduisedly bestowe your woordes I doubte not but euen hereby it shal soone appeare whether of vs hath wilfully broken the Apostles Orders refused the Godly Examples of the Holy Primitiue Churche of God Yee telle vs that the Readinge of the Scriptures vnto the people in the Churche of God is a Spiritual doumbenesse and a thinge vnprofitable as onely diuised of our selues and that as you saie by the instincte of Sathan and neuer before either knowen or vsed by any Catholique Learned Father Yet the Aunciente Father Origen saithe Iudaicarum Historiarum Libri traditi sunt ab Apostolis Legendi in
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 CoÌsciences 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 deleaÌtur 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 theÌ thankefully these must coÌme 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 theÌ 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 Prierià s 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 QuicuÌque noÌ innititur Doctrinae Romanae Ecclesiae ac Romani poÌlificis 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 SeÌtentiam 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 Naâus 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
there be any regarde of Honestie if there be any Hope or waie to liue wel An other saithe O nos miseros qui Christiani dicimur Genres agimus sub nomine Christi Miserable are wee that are called Christians VVe liue as Heathens vnder the name of Christe An other saithe O lugenda Roma quae nostris Maioribus clara Patrum Lumina protulisti nostris temporibus monstrosas tenebras futuro saeculo famosas offadisti O miserable Rome whiche in the time of oure Elders haste brought foorthe the lightes of woorthy Fathers but in our daies haste broughte foorthe Monstrous Darkenesse shameful and sclaunderous to the time to comme Petrarcha calleth Rome a Schoole of Erroure and a Temple of Heresie Brigitta whose woordes and Prophesies yée haue in reuerence saithe in her Reuelations Christus sumer Benedictionem à Clero Romano dabit eam alteri Genri facienti voluntatem Domini Christe shal take his blessinge from the Cleregie of Rome and shal geue the same vnto a people that shal doo his wil. By these sewe wée maie conceiue the whole state of the Churche of Rome whiche onely Churche aboue al others M. Hardinge telleth vs is so founded in the Truthe that it can neuer haue power to be deceiued Wee haue departed therefore from Shepeheardes that spoiled the flocke From Bishoppes that destroied the Churche that oppressed the Sprite of God that defied the voice of the Prophetes that persequuted Christe in his members that bothe perished them selues and killed others that walowed in monsters of filthinesse that liued as Heathens vnder the name of Christe That were voide of Charitie voide of Faithe voide of Discipline voide of Religion that were Christians onely in Titles and Ceremonies From whom Christe had vvithdravven his Blessinge To be shorte wée haue departed from the Temple of Heresie and from the Schoole of Erroure This M. Hardinge is the bewtie and face of your Romaine Cleregie this is that blessed Companie that wée haue foresaken Yet saie you It had benne better to haue died then to haue broken the Vnitie of sutche a Churche For your frendes tel you that without the Obedience of the Bishop of Rome there is no Hope of Saluation Notwithstanding your owne Clemens whom ye commonly cal the Apostles Felovve saithe thus Schisma efficit non qui ab Impijs secessionem facit sed qui à Pijs He maketh no Schisme or Diuision in the Churche that departeth from the Wicked but he that departeth from the Godly And therefore he addeth further Laici cum ijs qui contraria sententiae Dei dogmata defendunt nolite societatem habere neque participes illorum Impietatis fieri Ait enim Dominus Recedite de medio horum hominum ne cum eis pereatis Yee Laie menne haue no Felowship with them nor be you Partetakers of their VVickednesse that defende Doctrines contrarie to the doctrine of God For Our Lorde saithe Departe from the middes of this people leste yee perishe togeather with them Pope Pius 2. saithe Resistendum est quibuscunque in faciem siue Paulus siue Petrus sit qui ad Veritatem non ambulat Euangelij VVee muste withstande any man vnto the face be it Peter be it Paule if he walke not after the Truthe of the Gospel S. Augustine saithe Ne Catholicis quidem Episcopis consentiendum est sicubi fortè falluntur contra Canonicas Scripturas aliquid sentiant VVee maie not agree no not with the Catholique Bishoppes if they happen to be deceiued and thinke any thinge contrarie to the Canonical Scriptures S. Chrysostome saithe Ex ipsis Veris Ecclesijs frequenter exeunt seductores Propterea nec ipsis omninò credendum est nisi ca dicant vel faciant quae conuenientia sint Scripturis Euen oute of the very True Churches oftentimes there comme deceiuers Therefore wee maie not in any wise beleeue no not them notwithstandinge they be the True Churches of God onlesse they speake or doo sutche thinges as be agreeable to the Scriptures Anselmus a late VVriter expoundinge these woordes of S. Paule Tunc Reuelabitur ille iniquus saithe thus Romanus Pontifex qui tenet nunc Ecclesias teneat illas donec de medio fiat id est donec ab ipsa Romana Ecclesia quae est Medium Cor Ecclesiarum fiat iniquitas ob quam ab ea multae discedant Ecclesiae Let the Bishop of Rome that nowe holdeth the Churches holde them stil vntil it be taken awaie from the middes that is to saie vntil Wickednesse be wought of the Churche of Rome that is the Middest and harte of Churches for vvhiche vvickednesse many Churches shal departe from her S. Ambrose saithe Nullus pudor est ad meliora transire It is no shame to goe to the better S. Augustine saithe vnto Faustus the Heretique Ille me quondam de gremio tuo Error excusserat Expertus fugi quod experiri non debui That Erroure shooke me once out of thy bosome Beinge taught by proufe I haue fledde that thinge that I should not haue proued Ambrosius Ansbertus one of your owne Doctoures saithe Per Hieremiam Prophetam dicitur Exite de medio eius populus meus saluet vnusquisque animam suam ab ira faroris Domini NequaquaÌ enim in hac vita de medio Ciuitatis reprobae id est de medio malorum quos Babylon illa significat electorum aliquis valet exire nisi detestaÌdo quod ab ipsis agitur ageÌdo quod ab ipsis detestatur The Prophete Hieremie saith O my people goe foorth froÌ the middes of them and saue euery man his owne soule froÌ the rage of oure Lordes furie For none of the Electe of God can in this life goe foorthe from the middes of that Wicked Cittie that is to saie from the middes of the euil whiche that Babylon signifieth but by defieinge that they doo and by dooinge that they defie And whereas yee would so faine daste our eies and couer your deformities with the name of the Churche S. Cyprian saithe Non est Pax sed Bellum nec Ecclesiae iungitur qui ab Euangelio separatur It is no Peace but VVarre neither is he ioined to the Churche that is diuided from the Gospel S. Chrysostome saithe Mihi Ciuitas non habens pios ciues Omni villa vilior est quacunque Spelunca ignobilior A Cittie that hathe not Godly Citizens is vnto me viler then any Village and more lothe some then any Caue And this he saithe of the Cittie of Antioche whiche by expresse woordes he more esteemeth then the Cittie of Rome Wee graunte wée haue departed from you vpon sutche occasion and in sutche sor te as Moses sommetime departed from oute of Aegypte or as S. Augustine from the Manichees How be it in very deede you naue rather departed from out of vs. Chrysostome saithe Sic de ista Noua Hierusalem id est
Mouthe and visibly he do presse with his teethe the Sacramente of the Body and Bloud of Christ And rather eateth and drinketh not Christes very Body and Bloude but the Sacramente of so greate a thinge vnto his Judgemente These woordes M. Hardinge be so plaine that I cannot imagine what ye should more desire They are Guilty of the bloude of Christe for that they despise the price wherewith they were saued not for that they receiue it Really into theire mouthes So S. Augustine saithe againe Reus erit Aeternae Mortis quia vilem in se habuit Sanguinem Redemptoris The Aduouteroure is Guilty of Euerlastinge Deathe bicause he despised in him selfe the Bloude of oure Sauâoure The Distinction that you imagine bitweene Real Receiuinge in the wicked and Effectual Receiuinge in the Godly as it is onely of youre selfe without the Authoritie of any Doctoure Greeke or Latine so is it nothing els but a very Effectual and Real Folie For the very Body of Christe if it be not Effectually receiued is not receiued Christe him selfe saithe He that eateth mee shal liue by me S. Ambrose saithe Hic panis est remissio peccatorum Qui accipit non moritur morte peccatoris This Breade is the Remission of Sinnes He that receiueth it shal not die the death of Sinner S. Augustine saithe Qui non sumit hanc Escam non habet Vitam qui eam sumit habet Vitam hanc vtique Aeternam He that receiueth not this meate hath no life And he that receiueth the same hath life and that Euerlastinge Likewise againe he saithe Huius rei Sacramentum in Mensa Dominica praeparatur de Mensa Dominica sumitur quibusdam ad vitam quibusdam ad exitium Res vero ' ipsa cuius est Sacramentum omni homini ad vitam nulli ad exitium quicunque eius particeps fuerit The Sacramente hereof is prepared vpon the Lordes Table and from the Lordes Table is receiued to somme vnto life to somme vnto destruction But the thinge it selfe that is the Body of Christe whereof it is a Sacrament is receiued of al menne to life and of no man to destruction vvhosoeuer shal be partaker of it The Apologie Cap. 16. Diuision 2. But not to tarrie aboute rehearsing al pointes wherein wee and they differ for they haue wel nigh no ende wee turne the Scriptures into al tongues they scant suffer them to be hadde abroade in any tounge M. Hardinge VVee gladly suffer them to be hadde in euery place of christendome in the learned tongues Hebrewe Greeke and Latine to be readde of the vulgare Vnlearned people Neither were they altogether forbidden to be hadde in somme vulgare tongues before the saucy maleperines of Heretiques forced the gouernours of the Churche for sauegarde of the people to take other order The B. of Sarisburie Ye can vouchesaue to allowe vs the Scriptures in the three Learned Tongues Greeke Hebrevve and Latine that is to saie in sutche sorte as the simple people maie in no wise touche them But where did God euer sanctifie these three tongues and cal them Learned Or where were they euer so specially Canonized and allowed aboue al other tongues to the custodie of the Scriptures S. Augustine saithe Scriptura Canonica tot Linguarum Literis ordine successione Celebrationis Ecclesiasticae custoditur The Canonical Scripture is keapte in the Letters of so manie tongues and by the order and succession of Ecclesiastical publishinge Againe he saithe Scriptura Diuina ab vna Lingua profecta per varias interpretum Linguas longè latéque diffusa innotuit Gentibus ad Salutem The Holy Scriptures passing from one Tongue and beinge published abroade fane and wide not only by three learned Tongues but also by sundrie Tongues of Interpretours haue comme to the knowledge of Nations and people to their Saluation Againe he saithe Habemus Dei beneficium qui Scripturas suas in multis Linguis esse voluit We haue the benefite of God that woulde haue his Scriptures to be not onely in Three but in many Tongues S. Chrysostome saith Syri Aegyptij Indi Persae Aethiopes innumerae aliae Gentes Dogmata ab hoc introducta in suam transferentes Linguam hommes Barbari Philosophari didicerunt The Syrians the Egyptians the Indians the Persians the Ethiopians and other nations innumerable translatinge into theire ovvne tongues the Doctrine that they had receiued of S. Iohn being Barbarous people endenvoured them selues to learne wisedome S. Hierome saithe Scriptura Sancta populis omnibus legitur vt omnes intelligant The Holy Scripture is readde to al Nations that al maie vnderstand it It were harde to saie that al the Nations of the worlde readde or hearde the Scriptures in Gréeke Hebrewe or Latine to the intent thei might the better vnderstande theÌ If these Authorities séeme not plaine and sufficiente Theodoretus saithe further Hebraici Libri non modó in Graecum idioma conuersi sunt sed in Romanam quoque Linguam Aegyptiam Persicam Indicam Armenicam Scythicam atque adeó Sauromaticam semelque vt dicam in Linguas omnes quibus ad hanc diem Nationes vtuntur The Hebrewe Bookes of the Scriptures are translated not onely into the Greeke or Latine tongue but also into the tongues of Egypte Persia India Armenia Scythia and Sarmatia and to be shorte into al the tongues that vntil this daie are vsed in the worlde This I trowe is sommewhat more then Greeke Hebrevve and Latine This whole matter in my Former Replie to M. Hardinge is further answeared The Apologie Cap. 16. Diuision 3. We allure the people to reade and to heare Goddes VVoord thei driue the people from it M. Hardinge Ye allure the people busely to heare and reade the Scriptures for euil purpose And thereby ye haue filled theire hartes whom ye haue deceiued with pride so as they thinke them selues able to iudge of the highest questioÌs that be in diuinitie VVe kepe the people so farre as we can for you from heresies and require them rather to be hearers then iudges and to learne necessary knowledge of Gods worde at holesome and Godly sermons The B. of Sarisburie Wée teache not the people to presume of Knowledge as you teache them to presume of Ignorance But onely wée exhorte them for the better satisfaction of theire consciences to reade the Scriptures therein to learne the good wil of God And not withstandinge ye maie not allowe them to be Iudges that is to saie to discerne bitwéene the Light of God and your Darkenesse yet yée might suffer them to pike vp somme smal crommes that fal from the Lordes Table How be it socrates saith The simple vnlearned people in cases of Truthe iudgeth oftentimes more vprightly then the déepest Philosophers Likewise Christe saithe I thanke thee O Father for that thou hast hidde these thinges from the wise and politique and hast opened
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 priâketh 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
S. Hierome was shamefully deceiued and wrote of ignorance he knewe not what Likewise yée saie That weé reporte of Pope Iohn is moste false Our reporte is That Pope Iohn denied the Immortalitie of the Soule not thorowly and altogeather but onely in that he saide Vntil the time of the Laste Iudgement the Soule lieth stil as in a traunse as doothe the body vvithout sense of ioie or paine Wherein he not onely withstoode the expresse Woorde of God but also vnwares quite ouerthrewe his owne whole Kingedome of Purgatorie which is the greatest fairest of al his three Crownes For what auaile his PardoÌnes TreÌtalles if the soule lie stil a sléepe vntil the daie of IudgemeÌt feele no paine Verily after the laste Iudgement by common consente there shal be no Purgatorie Nowe if there be no place of Purgatorie neither before nor after the laste Iudgement then maie wée wel conclude that absolutely without doubte there is no Purgatorie The firste Authours of this erroure as S. Augustine saithe were the Heretiques called Arabici Touchinge Pope Iohns erroure Gerson saithe thus Iohannes Papa 22. decreuit c. Pope Iohn 22. decreed that the Soules of the wicked should not be pounished before the daie of the laste Iudgemente whiche erroure the Vniuersitie of Parise condemned for Heresie and caused the Pope to recante One of your owne CoÌpanions of Louaine saith Pope Iohn keapte this erroure secretely to him selfe and neuer had the open consent of the Churche of Rome And for better excuse hereof he saithe Petrus non Fidem Christi sed Christum salua Fide negauit Peter denied not the Faith of Christe but his Faith saued he denied nomore but Christe And so by this prety shifte of your Louanian Diuinitie yée haue bothe Christe without Faithe also Faithe without Christe Thus M. Hardinge it is plaine by your owne Doctoures Felowes yâ our reporte of Pope Iohn is neither a false sclaunder as you saie nor proceedeth of detestable and vvicked malice For the reste yée saie vvee belie Pope Zosimus He corrupted not the Councel of Nice For trial whereof I referre mee selfe to my Former Replie vnto your Answeare Certainely what so euer learned man wil stande in denial hereof he must néedes want coloure in his face The fraude was notoriously found detected to yâ who le world by yâ Ancient Learned Fathers Cyrillus Articus yâ one being Patriarke of Alexandria the other of Antioche and was reproued and published by twoo hundred and seuenteene Bishoppes openly in the Councel of Aphrica The peeuishe forged Epistle that yée allege vnder the name of the Learned Godly Father Athanasius The fantastical burninge of the Canons of Nice without fire with other your like childishe vanities scarcely méete for children to plaie withal are likewise answeared One of your owne Louanian companie confesseth that in the late Councel of Florence the Greekes there made open complainte that the Bishop of Rome had corrupted the Canons of the Councel of Nice Alypius yâ Bishop of TagastaÌ speakinge hereof in the Councel of Carthage saith thus Adhuc tamen me mouet quoniam cùm inspiceremus Graeca Exemplaria huius Synodi Nicenae ista ibi nescio qua ratione minimè inuenimus Yet this thing moueth mee that when wee examined and conferred the Originalles of the Nicene Councel vvritten in Greeke I knowe not by what meanes thiese thinges wee founde not there Yet Pope Bonifacius to saue the Credite of the See of Rome was forced to saie and publishe openly that the saide Alypius and Aurelius the Bishop of Carthage S. Augustine the Bishop of Hippo and two hundred and fourteene other Bishoppes that had espied and reueled this falsehedde were al enflamed leadde by the Diuel And one of your owne suddaine Doctoures of Louaine saithe Haec omnia tanquam somnia taÌquam fabulae tanquam superflua abolita antiquata calcata sunt Al these Decrees of these Councelles of Carthage and Aphrica are abolished and repealed and trodden vnder foote as Dreames and Fables and thinges superfluous This M. Hardinge is the weighinge of your Councelles If they like you they are the expresse Voices of the Holy Ghoste If they like you not they are Dreames and Fables and thinges Superfluous Camotensis yée saie is somme woorshipful Doctour sutch as by our owne iudgement might passe in the Blacke garde Yet was he a Bishop M. Harding in al respectes far better theÌ either your Leontius or your Hippolytus or your newe founde Clemens whom yée cal the Apostles Felovve or your vaine fable of Amphilochius Yée woulde séeme to finde faulte with the name thinke wée should not haue written Camotensis but rather Iuo Carnotensis Your gheasse yée shewe vs but reason thereof yee shewe vs none Yee might as wel haue saide Fulbertus Carnotensis who beinge very mutche consumed and spente with sicknesse as it is learnedly noted emonge other your Verities for a restoratiue suckte our Ladies breaste and by vertue thereof was made whole Yée might likewise haue gheased it had benne Io. Sarisburiensis otherwise called by somme Rupertus Carnotensis For he saithe In Ecclesia Romana sedent Scribae Pharisaei In the Churche of Rome sitte the Scribes and the Phariseis But in déede this Writers name is Iohannes Camotensis alleged by Cornelius Agrippa His woordes be these Angelis praecipiunt potestatem habent in Mortuos Vim faciunt Scripturis vt habeant Plenitudinem Potestatis Ipse Papa iam factus est intolerabilis Eius pompam fastum nullus Tyrannorum vnquam ae quauit Legati Romanorum Pontificum sic bacchantur in Prouincijs acsi ad flagellandam Ecclesiam sathan egressus sit à facie Domini Thei saie theire Commaundementes vpon the Angels of God They haue power vpon the Deade Thei wreast and racke the Scriptures that they maie haue the Fulnesse of Power The Pope him selfe is nowe becomme vntolerable No Tyran was euer hable to matche him in Pompe and Pride The Popes Legates keepe sutche reuel in Kindomes and Countries as if Sathan were sente abroade from the face of the Lorde to scourge the Churche This is not your Iuo Carnotensis It is Iohannes Camotensis And this is his iudgemente of your Churche of Rome The Apologie Cap. 6. Diuision 1. What wil ye saie if the Popes Aduocates Abbates and Bishoppes dissemble not the mater but shewe them selues open enimies to the Gospel and though thei see yet wil not see but wrie the Scriptures and witingly and knowingly corrupte and countrefeite the VVoorde of God and fouly and wickedly applie to the Pope al the same thinges whiche euidently and properly be spoken of the Personne of christe onely nor by no meanes can be applied to any other And what though they saie The Pope is al and aboue al Or That the Pope can doo asmutche as christe can doo and That one iudgement place and one couÌcel House
thalamo suo Nonnè si quempiam talium eminùs procedentem aspexeris SpoÌsam potids putabis quà m Sponsae Custodem They goe trimmely and finely in their coloures as if a Spouse shoulde comme from her Chamber If thou shouldest suddainely see one of them lettinge a farre of wouldest thou not rather thinke it were a Spouse then the keeper of the Spouse Pope Bonifacius 8. in a greate Iubilee and in a Solemne Procession wente apparelled in the Emperours Roabes and had the Crovvne Emperial on his Heade and the Svverde of Maiestie borne before him as an Emperoure This Spiritual Ioilitie M. Hardinge liketh you wel Notwithstandinge S. Bernarde saithe Daemonum magis quà m Ouium sunt haec pascua Scilicet sic factitabat Petrus sic Paulus ludebat These be Pastoures for Diuels not for Sheepe No doubte Euen thus did Peter euen sutche pastime plaide S. Paule Yee telle vs further Though they teache not though they saie not though they doo not though they liue not as becommeth Bishoppes nor as becommeth a Christian man yet bee they Bishoppes not withstandinge Hereat wee wil not greately striue For so the VVoulfe if he once geate a Sheepehooke and a Cloke maie be a Shephearde and a Blindeman if he geate once into the Watche Tower maie bee a Spie But miserable are the Poore Sheepe that so are fedde miserable is that Poore Castle that so is watched S. Augustine saithe Episcopatus est nomen Operis non Honoris vt intelligat se non esse Episcopum qui praeesse dilexerit non prodesse A Bishoppes Office is a name of Laboure and not of Honoure that who so loueth to rule and not to profite maie vnderstande him selfe to be no Bishop Againe he saithe of sutche a one Canis impudicus dicendus est magis quà m Episcopus He ought rather to be called a shamelesse Dogge then a Bishop As for that yee saie Your Bishoppes be duely Ordinated and consecrated S. Augustine replieth Ipsum Characterem multi Lupi Lupis imprimunt Touchinge the outwarde Consecration of a Bishop many geeue it to VVoulues and be VVoulues them selues S. Bernarde speakinge of your Priestes and Bishoppes saithe Habitu Milites quaestu Clericos actu neutros exhibent Nam neque vt Milites pugnant neque vt Clerici Euangelizant Cuius ergo Ordinis sunt Cùm vtriusque esse cupiunt vtrunque deserunt vtrunque confundunt Vnusquisque inquit in suo Ordine resurget In quo isti An qui sine Ordine peccaueruÌt sine Ordine peribunt Vereor noÌ alibi Ordinandos quà m vbi nullus Ordo sed sempiternus horror inhabitat In theire apparel they are Souldiers in their gaines they are Priestes and Bishoppe but in effecte and in deede they are neither of bothe For neither doo they fighte in the fielde as doo Souldiers nor doo they preache as Priestes and Bishoppes Of whether Order therefore be they Whereas they would be of bothe Orders they foresake bothe and confounde bothe S. Paule saithe Euery man shal rise againe in his owne Order But in what Order shal these rise Whether for as mutche as they haue finned without Order shal they perishe without Order I feare me they shal be Ordered none otherwhere but where as is no Order but disorder and horroure Euerlastinge Thus plainely speake your owne Doctoures touchinge your Cleregie whiche plainenesse it pleaseth you M. Hardinge to calle false and malicious railinge The Apologie Cap. 10. Diuision 1. Surely to haue the principal staie and effecte of al maters committed wholy to these mennes handes who neither knowe nor wil knowe these thinges nor yet set a iote by any poincte of Religion saue that whiche concerneth their belly and riot and to haue them alone sitte as Iudges and to be set vp as ouerseers in the Watche tower being no better then Blinde Spies of the other side to haue a christian Prince of good vnderstandinge of a right iudgemente to stande stil like a blocke or a stake not to be suffred neither to geeue his voice nor to shewe his iudgemente but onely to waite what these menne shal wil and commaunde as one whiche had neither eares nor eies nor witte nor harte and whatsoeuer they geeue in charge to allowe it without exception blindely fulfilling their Commaundementes be they neuer so blasphemous and wicked yea although they commaunde him quite to destroie al Religion and to Crucifie againe Christe him selfe This surely bisides that it is proude and spiteful is also beyonde al right and reason and not to be endured of Christian wise Princes For why I praie you maie Caiphas Annas vnderstande these maters and maie not Dauid and Ezechias doo the same Is it lauful for a Cardinal beinge a man of warre and delitinge in Bloude to haue place in a Councel and is it not lauful for a Christian Emperoure or a Kinge The B. of Sarisburie Hereto M. Hardinge saithe nothinge but that he hath oftentimes saide before The Apologie Cap. 11. Diuision 1. Verely wee graunte no further Libertie to our Magistrates then that we knowe hath bothe benne geeuen them by the VVoorde of God and also confirmed by the Examples of the very beste gouerned Common Wealthes M. Hardinge If a man shoulde aske you where that woorde of God is that maketh a temporall Prince Supreme head of that parte of the Churche which he hath gournement of in al ciuil matters I am sure you can bringe foorthe no other woorde of God then that wherein S. Peter and S. Paule willeth al menne to obeie the Superiour powers especially Kinges VVhiche thinge was written to all Christian men whiles they liued vnder Heathen Princes and Infidels as Claudius Cesar and Nero were whom I suppose ye wil not saie to haue benne heades of the whole Churche as they were Monarkes and Princes of the whole worlde If then by those Scriptures whiche cannot proue Nero beinge a persecutour of Christes Churche to haue ben heade of the same you wil now proue that other Princes are supreme heads of the Churche it semeth that either you make Nero heade of the Churche with them or geue more vnto them then the word of God wil beare And as for examples of good coÌmon weales shewe vs but one since Christes ascension wherein before Luthers time any Emperour Christian or other Prince did attribute that title vnto him selfe and we wil saie that when you speake of common weales in the plural number you make but one lye but in case you shew vs no one common weale that hath so done then you lie in the plural number Yea further if at this daie the common weales in Christendome not onely that are Catholike but the beste also of those that are Lutherishe and newfangled do abhorre froÌ that strange and vnheard title of supreme head of the Churche why do you saie that ye haue either worde of God for it or example of approued
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 LaureÌtius 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 yâ ExaÌple 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 Aâ who is iudge of the inwarde conscience whereunto no Kinge reacheth but onely the minister of Christe âª
good and bound them by the force of reason If he made any other Lawe touchinge matters of Religion Pope Ioannes then beinge approued it or at the leste Iustianian asked approbation thereof as it maie appeare in his owne Epistle wherein he confesseth in the facte it selfe that his Lawes could not binde in supernatural causes belonginge to faithe except the heade of the Vniuersal Churche confirme them Syluerius and Vigilius were deposed rather by Theodora the Emperesse then by Iustinian the Emperoure Ye do wronge to impute that wicked tyrannie vnto him He is not to be burthened there with onlesse the man be countable for his wiues iniquities Howe so euer it was that extraordinary violence and tyrannie can not iustly be alleaged to the defence of your false assertion Neither woulde your selfe haue mentioned the same if ye coulde haue founde better matter As hungrie Dogges eate durty puddinges accordinge to the prouerbe cleane yenough for sutche vncleane writers so your fowle matters be defended by fowle factes The B. of Sarisburie Iustinian yée saie might wel make somme Moral Lawe to keepe Priestes and Bishoppes in good order Wherein neuerthelesse Pope Paule 3. condemneth you vtterly For thus he writeth and reasoneth substantially against the Emperoure Charles the Fifthe Ecce ego super Pastores meos Beholde saithe Almighty God I mee selfe wil ouersee my Sheepheardes Ergo saithe Pope Paulus The Emperoure maie not deale with the manners of Priestes and Bishoppes How be it the Emperours made Lavves Touchinge the Holy Trinitie Touchinge the Faithe Touchinge Baptisme Touchinge the Holy Communion Touchinge the Publique Praiers Touchinge the Scriptures Touchinge the keepinge of Holy daies Touchinge Churches Chaples Touchinge the Consecration of Bishoppes Touchinge Non Residences Touchinge Periurie c. It were mutche for you M. Hardinge to saie as nowe yée woulde séeme to saie Al these were Moral Lawes and perteined onely to good order But the Pope yee saie allowed the Emperours Ecclesiastical Lawes Otherwise of the Emperours owne Authoritie they had no force The truthe hereof by the Particulares maie soone appeare By one of the Emperours Lavves it is prouided That the Bishop of Constantinople shal haue Equal Povver and Prerogatiue with the Bishop of Rome This Lavve the Pope coulde neuer brooke And yet that notwithstandinge Liberatus saithe It holdeth stil by the Emperours Authoritie whether the Pope wil or no Againe it is prouided in the same Lavve that the Churches of Illyricum in their doubteful cases shal appeale to Constantinople not to Rome The Emperoure Constantine saithe If the Bishop moue trouble by Doctrine or otherwise by my hande he shal be pounished For my hande is the hande of Goddes Minister Iustinian the Emperoure in his Lavve commaundeth That the Prieste or Bishop in pronouncinge the Publique Praiers and in the Ministration of the Sacramentes lifte vp his voice and speake alowde that the people maie saie Amen and be sturred to more Deuotion Againe he saithe as it is noted in the Glose vpon the Authentiques Papa Temporalibus immiscere se non debet The Pope maie not intermeddle with Temporal Causes In the same Lawes the same Emperoure Iustinian saithe Wee Commounde the moste Holy Archebishoppes and Patriarkes of Rome of Constantinople of Alexandria of Antioche and of Hierusalem The same Emperoure Iustinian commaundeth That al Monkes either be driuen to studie the Scriptures or els be forced to Bodily Laboure Carolus Magnus made a Lavve That nothinge shoulde be readde openly in the Churche sauinge onely the Canonical Bookes of the Holy Scriptures And that the Faitheful People shoulde receiue the Holy Communion euery Sonnedaie I leaue the rehearsal of infinite other like Examples Nowe M. Hardinge wil you saie or maie wee beleue that al these and other like Lavves were allowed by the Pope In déede your Gloser saithe Ad quid intromittit se Imperator de Spiritualibus vel Ecclesiasticis cùm sciat ad se non pertinere VVherefore doothe the Emperoure thus busie him selfe with these Spiritual or Ecclesiastical maters seeinge he knoweth they are no parte of his Charge To so profounde a question after a longe solemne studie he diuiseth this answeare Dic quòd Authoritate Papae hoc facit Scie thou that he doothe it by the Popes Authoritie And then the whole mater is discharged and al is wel Notwithstandinge somme likelihoode hereof yee would seeme to geather euen out of Iustinians owne woordes For thus he saithe vnto the Pope although far otherwise then you haue forced him to saie Omnia quae ad Ecclesiarum statum pertinent approued in the Right Faithe therefore wee wil that he be presente at the hearing and debatinge of Cases in the Councel for as mutche as the Disputation is of the Faithe For Pope Nicolas him selfe saithe as it is alleged before Fides Vniuersalis est Fides omnium Communis est Fides noÌ solùm ad Clericos verùm etiam ad Laicos ad omnes omninò pertinet Christianos Faithe is Vniuersal Faithe is common to al Faithe perteineth not onely vnto Priestes but also vnto Laiemenne and generally to al Christians As touchinge the Pope and his Vniuersalitie of Povver in and ouer al Councelles of Bishoppes wée maie rightly saie as Athanasius saithe of Constantius the Arian Emperoure Obtendit in speciem Episcoporum Iudicium sed interim facit quod ipsi libet Quid opus est Hominibus Titulo Episcopis He maketh a shew of Iudgementes or Determinations of Bishoppes In the meane while he doothe what he listeth him selfe VVhat are wee the neare for these menne that beare onely the name of Bishoppes Sutche commonly be the Popes Prelates What so euer Learninge they haue bisides Diuinitie is commonly the least parte of theire studie And therefore when they are assembled in Councel they maie wel iudge by Authoritie but not by Learninge Verily Luitprandus saithe Imperator vti experientia didicimus intelligit negotia Dei facit amat ea tuetur omnibus viribus Ecclesiasticas res Ciuiles Sed Iohannes Papa facit contra haec omnia Wee see by experience that the Emperoure vnderstandeth Goddes causes and fauoureth and perfourmeth the same and with al his power mainteineth bothe Ecclesiastical and Temporal maters But Pope Iohn dooth al the contrarie The Apologie Cap. 14. Diuision 6. The Emperoure Iustinian made a Lawe to correcte the behaueour of the Cleregie to cutte shorte the insolente lewdenesse of the Priestes And albeit hee were a Christian and a Catholique Prince yet putte hee downe from theire Papal Throne twoo Popes Syluerius and Vigilius notwithstandinge they were Peters Successours and Christes Vicars M. Hardinge Iustinians lawe concerninge good order to be kepte amonge Priestes morally was good and bound them by the force of reason If he made any other Lawe touchinge matters of Religion Pope Ioannes then beinge approued
it or at the leste Iustinian asked approbation thereof as it maie appeare in his owne Epistle wherein he confesseth in the facte it selfe that his Lawes coulde not binde in supernatural causes belonginge to faithe except the heade of the Vniuersal Churche confirme them Syluerius and Vigilius were deposed rather by Theodora the Emperesse then by Iustinian the Emperoure Ye do wronge to impute that wicked tyrannie vnto him He is not to be burthened there with onlesse the man be countable for his wiues iniquities Howe so euer it was that extraordinary violence and tyrannie can not iustly be alleaged to the defence of your false assertion Neither woulde your selfe haue mentioned the same if ye coulde haue founde better matter As hungrie Dogges eate durty puddinges accordinge to the prouerbe cleane yenough for sutche vncleane writers so your fowle matters be defended by fowle factes The B. of Sarisburie Iustinian yée saie might wel make somme Moral Lawe to keepe Priestes and Bishoppes in good order Wherein neuerthelesse Pope Paule 3. condemneth you vtterly For thus he writeth and reasoneth substantially against the Emperoure Charles the Fifthe Ecce ego super Pastores meos Beholde saithe Almighty God I mee selfe wil ouersee my Sheepheardes Ergo saithe Pope Paulus The Emperoure maie not deale with the manners of Priestes and Bishoppes How be it the Emperours made Lavves Touchinge the Holy Trinitie Touchinge the Faithe Touchinge Baptisme Touchinge the Holy Communion Touchinge the Publique Praiers Touchinge the Scriptures Touchinge the keepinge of Holy daies Touchinge Churches Chaples Touchinge the Consecration of Bishoppes Touchinge Non Residences Touchinge Periurie c. It were mutche for you M. Hardinge to saie as nowe yée woulde séeme to saie Al these were Moral Lawes and perteined onely to good order But the Pope yee saie allowed the Emperours Ecclesiastical Lawes Otherwise of the Emperours owne Authoritie they had no force The truthe hereof by the Particulares maie soone appeare By one of the Emperours Lavves it is prouided That the Bishop of Constantinople shal haue Equal Povver and Prerogatiue with the Bishop of Rome This Lavve the Pope coulde neuer brooke And yet that notwithstandinge Liberatus saithe It holdeth stil by the Emperours Authoritie whether the Pope wil or no Againe it is prouided in the same Lavve that the Churches of Illyricum in their doubteful cases shal appeale to Constantinople not to Rome The Emperoure Constantine saithe If the Bishop moue trouble by Doctrine or otherwise by my hande he shal be pounished For my hande is the hande of Goddes Minister Iustinian the Emperoure in his Lavve commaundeth That the Prieste or Bishop in pronouncinge the Publique Praiers and in the Ministration of the Sacramentes lifte vp his voice and speake alowde that the people maie saie Amen and be sturred to more Deuotion Againe he saithe as it is noted in the Glose vpon the Authentiques Papa Temporalibus immiscere se non debet The Pope maie not intermeddle with Temporal Causes In the same Lawes the same Emperoure Iustinian saithe Wee Commounde the moste Holy Archebishoppes and Patriarkes of Rome of Constantinople of Alexandria of Antioche and of Hierusalem The same Emperoure Iustinian commaundeth That al Monkes either be driuen to studie the Scriptures or els be forced to Bodily Laboure Carolus Magnus made a Lavve That nothinge shoulde be readde openly in the Churche sauinge onely the Canonical Bookes of the Holy Scriptures And that the Faitheful People shoulde receiue the Holy Communion euery Sonnedaie I leaue the rehearsal of infinite other like Examples Nowe M. Hardinge wil you saie or maie wee beleue that al these and other like Lavves were allowed by the Pope In déede your Gloser saithe Ad quid intromittit se Imperator de Spiritualibus vel Ecclesiasticis cùm sciat ad se non pertinere VVherefore doothe the Emperoure thus busie him selfe with these Spiritual or Ecclesiastical maters seeinge he knoweth they are no parte of his Charge To so profounde a question after a longe solemne studie he diuiseth this answeare Dic quòd Authoritate Papae hoc facit Scie thou that he doothe it by the Popes Authoritie And then the whole mater is discharged and al is wel Notwithstandinge somme likelihoode hereof yee would seeme to geather euen out of Iustinians owne woordes For thus he saithe vnto the Pope although far otherwise then you haue forced him to saie Omnia quae ad Ecclesiarum statum pertinent festinauimus ad notitiam deferre Vestrae Sanctitatis Necessarium ducimus vt ad notitiam Vestrae Sanctitatis peruenirent Nec enim patimur quicquam quod ad Ecclesiarum Statum pertinet vt non etiam Vestrae innotescat Sanctitati quae Caput est omnium Sanctarum Ecclesiarum What so euer thinges perteine to the state of the Churches wee haue spedily brought to the knowledge of your Holinesse VVee thought it necessarie that your Holinesse should haue knowledge thereof VVe suffer not any thing that concerneth the State of the Churches but it be brought to the knowledge of your Holinesse whiche is the Heade or Chiefe of al the Holy Churches The Emperoure willeth the Pope to take knowledge of his Lavves for that he was the Chiefe of the Foure Principal Patriarkes and in respecte of his See the greatest Bishop of al the Worlde for whiche cause also he calleth him the Heade or Chiefe of al Churches So Iustinian saithe Roma est Caput Orbis Terrarum Rome is the Heade of al the VVorlde So S. Chrysostome saithe Caput Prophetarum Elias Elias the Heade of the Prophetes So saithe Prudentius Sancta Bethlem Caput est Orbis The Holy towne of Bethlem is the Heade of the VVorlde So Nazianzene calleth S. Basile ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Oculum Orbis Terrarum The Eie of al the Earthe So Iustinian calleth the Bishop of Constantinople an Vniuersal Patriarke Epiphanio Vniuersali Patriarchae These and other like woordes passe oftentimes in fauoure as Titles of Honoure But they importe not alwaies that Vniuersal Gouernemente or Infinite Authoritie that the Pope sithence hath imagined But touchinge the Confirmation and allowance of the Emperours Lavves in these woordes of Iustinian yee finde nothinge Onlesse yee wil saie Notitia is Latine for Allovvance or Peruenire is Latine to Confirme The Emperours pourpose was as it plainely appeareth by his woordes by these al other meanes to bringe the See of Rome into credite For thus he saith Properamus Honorem Authoritatem Crescere Sedis Vestrae Omnes Sacerdotes Vniuersi Orientalis Tractus subijcere vnire Sedi Vestrae Sanctitatis properauimus Plus ita Vestrae Sedis crescer Authoritas VVe laboure to auance the Honoure and Authoritie of your See VVee laboure to subdewe and to ioine al the Priestes of the Easte Parte vnto the See of your Holinesse Thus shal the Authoritie of your See
Prophetes Euangelistes Shepeherdes and Teachers as is before mentioned In aedificationem Corporis Christi To the buildinge vp of the Bodie of Christe which is his Churche Ye shall pardon vs if we beleue S. Paule before you VVe see what is the marke ye shoote at that the lawfull successours of the Apostles Prophetes and Euangelistes and the lawfull Shepeherdes and Doctours being put from the buildinge of Christes Body the Churche your selues maie take the woorke in hande and gouerne all set your hartes as reaste it shal not be so The B. of Sarisburie In déede Christe hath ordeined Apostles Prophetes Euangelistes Pastours Teachers for the gouernmente of his Churche notwithstandinge yâ same be not alwaies allowed to sitte in Councelles nor be alwaies knowen by Rochetes or Miters If God had not prouided other Pastours Feeders bisides your Prelates the whole Churche might sterue for hunger S. Paules Woordes be true but your idle Constructions are vntrue Wée finde not faulte with Goddes Ordinance but wée reioice in Goddes Mercie for that it hath pleased him to visite his people and to discouer the multitude of these Vanities wherewith you haue so longe and so vncourteously beguiled the worlde Therefore wée correcte not Magnificat M. Hardinge as you saie but rather wee humbly singe Te Deum laudamus and reioice in God our Saueoure The right onely waie of buildinge Goddes House is to laie the Fundation thereof vpon yâ Euerlastinge vvoorde and vvil of God S. Paule saithe Other Fundation noman can laie but the same that is saide already whiche is Christe Iesus The Prophete Esaie saithe To the Lavve of God and to the Testimonie If they speake not accordinge to this Woorde they shal haue no morninge Lighte Therefore S. Hilarie saithe as it is alleged in the Apologie Aliter extruenda aliter custodienda Ecclesia est Fundamentum eius super Prophetas Apostolos collocandum est Ecclesia ita à Deo id est Doctrinis Dei aedificata non concidet Otherwise muste the Churche be builte and otherwise muste it be keapte The Fundation of it must be saide vpon the Apostles and Prophetes The Churche beinge thus builte by God that is to saie by the Doctrine of God shal neuer false The Apologie Cap. 19. Diuision 1. But marueilous notable to very good pourpose for these daies bee S. Hieromes woordes VVhom so euer saithe he the Deuil hathe deceiued and entised to fal asleepe as it vvere vvith the svveere and deadely enchauntementes of the Maremaides the Sirenes those persones doothe Goddes VVoorde avvake vp saieing vnto them Arise thou that sleapest lifte vp thee selfe and Christe shal geeue thee light Therefore at the comminge of Christe of Goddes VVoorde of the Ecclesiastical Doctrine and of the ful destruction of Niniue and of that most bevvtiful Harlot then shal the people vvhiche heretofore hadde benne cast in a trauÌce vnder their Maisters be raised vp and shal make haste to goe to the Mountaines of the Scriptures and there shal thei find hilles Imeanemoses and losua the Sonne of Nun other Hilles also vvhiche are the Prophetes and Hilles of the Nevve Testament vvhiche are the Apostles the euangelistes And vvhen the people shal flee for succoure to sutche Hilles and shal be exercised in the readinge of this kinde of mouÌtaines though thei finde not one to teache them for the haruest shal be greate but the labourers fevv yet shal the good desire of the people be vvel accepted in that thei haue gotten them to sutche Hilles and the Negligence of theire Maisters shal bee openly reproued These be S. Hieromes woordes that so plaine as there needeth no Interpretour For they agree so iuste with the thinges we now see with our eies haue already comme to passe that wee maie verily thinke he meante to foretel as it were by the Spirite of Prophesie and to painte before oure face the Vniuersal state of oure time the fal of the moste gorgeous Harlot Babylon the repairinge againe of Goddes Churche the blindenesse and slouthe of the Bishoppes and the good wil forewardenesse of the people For who is so blinde but he seethe these menne be the Maisters by whome the people as saithe S. Hierome hath benne leadde into erroure lulled a sleepe Or who seeth not that Rome that is their Niniue whiche sometime was painted with fairest colours nowe her vizarde beeinge pulled of is bothe better seene and lesse sette by Or who seeth not that good menne beinge awaked as it were out of their deade sleepe at the lighte of the Gospel and at the voice of God haue resorted to the Hilles of the Scriptures waitinge not at al for the Councelles of sutche Maisters M. Hardinge Ye wreste the saieinge of S. Hierome to your purpose that is to saie so as it may seeme to be spoken against the Churche that now is wherein ye make him a Prophete And that this place mighte sounde the more against the Clergy to the commendation of the people and to stirre them to reade the Scriptures after your accustomed maner ye sticke not to adde some what of your owne in one place to take awaie a litle of the Doctour in an other place to alter the woordes in an other place VVho looketh so narrowly for trial of this as your secretarie thought maliciously when he wrote it by diligent conference of this Apologie with S. Herome he shall finde it Now concerninge the right sense of the place S. Hieromes intent was not to foretell and paint before our face as you saie the vniuersall state of our time but to tell and declare the meaninge of the Prophete Nalium signifiynge the state of the time now paste to witte the time of Christes firste comminge into the world for the woordes do expressely speake thereof After S. Hieromes exposition by Niniue that Prophete meaneth the worlde by the Assyrian Kinge the Deuill And there he prophecieth the ruine of the worlde and of the Deuill at the comminge of Christe S. Hierome speaketh neuer a woorde of your harlotte Babylon whereof ye and your vnlearned ministers haue neuer donne bablinge meaning thereby the Holy Romaine Churche First you Sir defender that penned this geare haue plaide a false parte by diuidinge the one member of the sentence into twoo Or rather by puttinge in one woorde and leauing out an other For where S. Hierome hath thus Et consummationis Niniue speciosissimae quondam Meretricis whereby he meante the vndoinge of the Deuils power in the worlde once that is to saie before the comminge of Christe a most beautiful harlotte that you might geue occasion of reproch to the Romaine Church which falsefiynge the doctours sense you vnderstand by Niniue you haue set it forthe thus Et consummationis Niniue speciosissimae meretricis Then you descant vpon it as though S. Hierome had so written and saie that he setteth before our face the falle of the most gorgeous
harlot Babylon whiche you interpret to be Rome And then further corrupting S. Hieromes sense you make him to speake of the repairinge againe of Goddes Churche as though at this daie it were by defaulte of the catholike Clergie fallen downe and should be set vp againe by you and your Ministers also of the blindenesse of the Bishops of our time that they be the maisters by whome the people hath benne lead into errour and lulled asleepe And hereto ye adde as saithe Hierome where S. Hierome saithe not so neither of the maisters at Christes first comminge but of the Deuil who brought the people asleepe by whome he vnderstandeth not the people that liueth now but them that were deceiued by the Deuill vnder euill maisters before the comminge of Christe But because this defender thinketh be hath acquited him selfe like a Clercke by alleaginge this place out of S. Hierome against the Catholike Churche I require al the learned to reade ouer what S. Hierome writeth vpon the ende of the Prophet Nahum from these woordes of the texte Brucus irruit euolauit c. foorth to the ende of the Chapter and most diligently to marke that goeth immediatly before the place by this defender alleaged As for thee good reader that vnderstandest not the Latine tonge I assure thee S. Hierome speaketh those woordes of Heretikes * of teachers of euil doctrine of suche as will not beare the voice of the Churche of whiche sorte this new english Clergie is And in that discourse he commendeth to true beleuers not onely the Hilles that is the written Scriptures but also the doctrine of the Churche as thou seest in the allegation put in the Apologie and before that be commendeth likewise Latibula Doctorum the Caues of the Doctours in which the faithfull people also as by flyinge to the Hilles couche them selues safe from danger of the Deuill stirrer of Heresies So that if the place be well scanned by that allegation they shall seeme to haue made a rodde to whippe them selues The whole place beinge ouer longe to recire here a sentence or two that are specially meante of suche as they be maie suffise Vae itaque his c. wo then to those whiche are teachers of peruerse doctrines in Niniue by which is signified the worlde And aptly to them it is saide thy Shepeherdes haue stepte for they haue geuen sleepe to their eies and slomberinge to their eieleddes And therefore haue they not founde a place for our Lorde nor atabernacle for the God of Iacob Neither haue they hearde out of Ephrata that is to saie Frugifera Ecclesia the fruitefull Churche Nor haue they founde the Churche in the thickettes of the woddes Neither onely the Shepeherdes of this rifferaffe mixticij huius be meaneth by ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã whiche is the woorde of the seuenty translatours all sortes of people deceiued by false teachers and of the locuste they are the capitaine Heretikes whiche in time of froste sitteth in the hedges haue slepte but by the Kinge of Assyrians who is the Deuill they haue ben lulled aslepe For alwaies it is the studie of the Deuil how he may bringe asleepe waking soules Thus S. Hierome Now I reporte me to those that haue eies to see whether out newe Cleregy may not serme those whome the Deuill hath lulled asleepe gladly I vse their owne terme in their newe deuises in their owne liked conceites in their Schismes and Heresies in their vniuste possession of Benefices and Bishoprikes those yet liuinge to whome the right belongeth in their presumption of that office they are not duely called vnto in their malice towarde the Churche in the continuall satisfiynge of their fleashly lustes and in their vnlawfull and lecherous embracinges Let them feare the dreadfull sayinge of S. Hierome folowinge straight after their allegation Non est sanitas contritioni tuae c. There is no health for thy bruze thy woonde swelleth Therefore the rifferaffe of Niniue can not be healed because he laieth not downe his pride and the woonde is alwaies freshe and daily he is woonded whiles the Deuill striketh at him And when all commeth to all there is no health for his bruze For although he seeme to him selfe hole yet is his soule broken and crusshed with the bytle of the whole earth that fownceth downe vpon it And it is not healed because continually it is lifted vp with pride But if it become humble and submit it selfe to Christe a contrite and an humble harte God despiseth not Thus describeth S. Hierome these menne Neither let them saie they submitte them selues to Christe whome and whose Gospell they haue so muche in their mouthes vntill they folowe his doctrine sayinge of the gouernours of his Churche He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me And this muche for answeare to the place of S. Hierome The B. of Sarisburie Here is a marueilous woorke Sir Defender singeth discante and quiteth him selfe like a Clerke He altereth S. Hieromes minde He saithe S. Hierome saithe so where as S. Hierome saith not so He of Prowde Niniue hath made the Churche of Rome He of the Diuel hath made Antichriste He bableth aboute Babylon He diuideth one sentence into twoo He putteth in one woorde and leaueth out an other He is bulled a sleepe He scattereth his rifferaffe He doothe and saithe I knowe not what what so euer it shal please M. Hardinge of his courtesie to reporte Touchinge this heinous imagined corruption and alteringe of S. Hieromes minde S. Chrysostome saith Qui mendax est nemineÌ putat verum dicere ne ipsum quidem Deum He that him selfe is a lier imagineth that noman saithe yâ truthe no not God him selfe With sutche corruption change of woordes Palladius a lewde felowe thought him selfe sommetime hable to charge S. Hierome S. Hieromes woordes thereof are these Concionatur me esse Falsarium me Verbum non expressisse de Verbo pro Honorabili dixisse Charissimum Haec huiusmodi nugae mea crimina sunt He preacheth and publisheth abroade that I am a Falsarie that I haue not precisely translated woorde for woorde That I in sleede of this woorke Honorable haue written deerely Beloued These thinges and sutche trifles are laide to my charge To these folies S. Hierome answeareth thus Cùm ipsa Epistola doceat nihil mutatum esse de sensu nec res additas nec aliquod dogma confictum faciunt nae isti intelligendo vt nihil intelligant dum alienam imperitiam volunt coarguere produnt suam Whereas the Epistle it selfe declareth that there is no alteration made in the sense and that there is neither mater of substance added nor any Doctrine imagined verily by their greate cunninge they proue them selues fooles and seekinge to reproue other mennes vnskilfulnesse they betraie theire owne Yée saie S. Hierome in these woordes spake nothinge neither of the Churche of Christe
nor of your Cleregie of Rome For trial whereof let S. Hierome him selfe be hearde to speake as a witnesse indiffereÌt of him selfe First in other places he saith thus To this place we shal resorte afterward Dicimus NoÌ venient super nos mala Audiamus sententiam Domini Sion HierusaleÌ Mons TeÌpli speculatotium visio pacis Templus Christi in consummatione in fine We saie There shal no hurte comme vpon vs. Let vs heare the saieinge of our Lorde Sion and Hierusalem and the Mounte that is the Watche Tower of the Temple and the sighte of peace and the Temple or Churche of Christe shal be consumed and brought to an ende These woordes be plaine not onely that haute Lady Niniue but also the Churche or Temple that beareth the Name of Christe shal be consumed and broughte to an ende Likewise he saithe Quos Deus inseruit ex Oleastro in radicem Bonae Oliuae si illi immemores recesserint à Conditore suo Adorauerint Assyrium cur illos Deus non euertat ad eandem sitim reducat in qua priùs fuerunt Euen they whome God hath graffed froÌ out of the Wilde Oliue tree into the roote of the Good oliuie that is to saie the children of the Churche if they forgeate them selues and flee from theire Maker and woorship the Kinge of Assyria that is to saie Antichriste or any other Creature that is not God why maie not God ouerthrowe them and bringe them to the same thirste and drouth they were in before Againe he saithe Abominatio Desolationis intelligi potest omne dogma peruersum quod cum viderimus stare in Loco Sancto id est in Ecclesia debemus fugere de Iudaea ad Montes The Abomination of Desolation maie be taken for any VVicked Doctrine whiche when wee shal see standinge in the Holy Place that is to saie in the Churche of Christe then wee muste flee from Iurie to the Mountaines of the Scriptures And againe likewise he saithe Paxillus auferetur de Loco Fideli hoc est de Ecclesia per impietatem quotidiè succrescentem qui super eum antè pependerant Fide posteà infidelitate frangentur cadent peribunt The Pinne or barre whereby he meaneth Christe for that the Faitheful hange vpon him as in a house thinges are hanged vp safely vpon a Pinne shal be taken awaie from the place that was Faitheful that is to saie from the Churche bicause of the wickednesse that daiely groweth And they that before honge vpon him by Faithe afterwarde by infidelitie shal be broken downe and falle and perishe What so euer Glose yée shal geue to the other woordes of S. Hierome certainely these woordes are plaine and euidente wil not easily receiue your Glose Likewise S. Gregorie speakinge not of the Firste comminge of Christe but of the time that is discribed to be before the ende of the worlde saithe thus In diebus illis Ecclesia quasi quodam senio debilitata per Praedicationem parere Filioâ non valebit In those daies the Churche as beinge ouermutche weakened with age shal not be hable by Preachinge to beare Children Now touchinge your Cleregie S. Hierome him selfe saithe Ipsi quoque Sacerdotes qui Legem Domini docere deberent subiectos sibi populos à Leonis furore defendere quodam stupore infatuati vertentur in amentiam The Priestes them selues that ought to teache the Lavve of our Lorde and to defende the people committed to their charge from the furie of the Lion that is the Diuel beinge amazed and berefte of their wittes shal be turned into madnesse Againe he saithe Scit Rex Assyrius non posse se Oues decipere nisi Pastores ante consopierit Semper Diaboli studium est vigilantes animas consopire The Kinge of Assyria that is the Diuel knoweth that he can neuer deceiue the Sheepe onlesse firste he caste the Sheepeheardes into a trauÌce It is euermore the Diuels policie to laie watcheful Soules asleepe And therefore againe he saithe Auferet Dominus nomina Vanae Gloriae Admirationis falsae quae versantur in Ecclesia Sed nomina Sacerdotum cum Sacerdotibus qui frustrà sibi applaudunt in Episcopali nomine in Presbyterij Dignitate non in opere God wil take awaie the names of Vaine Glorie and False Credite that are in the Churche and the Names of Priestes togeather with the Priestes them selues that vainely boaste them selues of the Name of Bishoppes and of the Dignitie of Priestehoode but doo nothinge But aboute Babylon yée saie yee neuer make an ende of Bablinge What Bablinge then I praie you made S. Hierome when he saide Petrus in Prima Epistola sub Nomine Babylonis Romam significat S. Peter in his Firste Epistle meante Rome vnder the name of Babylon S. Augustine saithe Roma est quasi Secunda Babylon Rome is as the Seconde Babylon Againe he saithe Ciues Babyloniae nos fecerunt dimisimus Creatorem Adorauimus Creaturam dimisimus eum à quo facti sumus Adorauimus illud quod fecimus They haue made vs the Citizens of Babylon for wee haue leafte oure Creatoure and haue woorshipped a Creature wee haue leafte him that made vs and haue Adoured that thinge that wee made oure selues Likewise saithe Primasius Tunc Babylon cadet quando nouissimè potestatem persequendi Sanctos acceperit Then shal Babylon comme to grounde when she shal laste of al take power to persequute the Sainctes of God And againe Vidi Mulierem sedentem super Vestem Coccineam plenam Nominibus Blasphemiae habentem Capita Septem Septem Capita dicit Septem Montes Romam quae super Septem Montes praesidet significans I sawe a VVooman sittinge vpon a scarlet roabe fulle of Names of Blasphemie hauinge Seuen Heades Seuen Heades he calleth the Seuen Mountes vpon vvhiche Rome vvas builte meaninge thereby Rome that sitteth vpon Seuen Hilles Ludouicus Viâes your owne very frende saith thus Hieronymus ad Marcellam scribens non aliam existimat discribi c. S. Hierome writinge vnto Marcella thinketh there is none other Babylon discribed by S. Iohn in his Reuelations but the Cittie of Rome Ambrosius Ansbertus saithe Vbi est illa dudum super omnia Regna exaltata Inclyta Roma Babylon Secunda VVhere is that Noble Rome euanced of late aboue al Kingedomes the Seconde Babylon I passe ouer Beatus Rhenanus Auentinus Petrarcha Dante 's and a greate number of other youre owne Doctours mentioned before in place more conueniente Al whome ye maie not of youre courtesie charge with bablinge Yee saie S. Hierome meante not the state of our time but onely the state of the time nowe paste that is to saie as it is saide before The time of Christes firste Comminge into the VVorlde And this in your margine yee cal the right sense of S. Hierome truely reported Howe be it youre Reader that hath eyes
wée maie saie of the Pope as Diphilus sommetime saide of Pompeius Nostra miseria Magnus es Baptista Mantuanus speakinge of the state of Rome saith thus Venalia nobis Templa Secerdotes Altaria Sacra Coronae Ignis Thura Preces Coelum est venale Deusâue Bmongeste vs in Rome Churches Priestes Altars Masses Crovvnes Fire Incense Praiers and Heauen are set to sale Yee God him selfe emongeste vs maie be had for monie Budaeus saithe Sanctiones Pontificiae non moribus regendis vsui sunt sed propemodum dixerim Argentariae faciendae Authoritatem videntur accommodare The Popes Canons serue not nowe to guide mennes liues but if I maie so saie they serue rather to make a banke and to geate monie Bernarde of Clunice saithe thus Roma dat omnibus omnia dantibus Omnia Romae Cum Pretio Rome geueth al thinges to them that geue al thinges Al thinges at Rome wil passe for monie Euen in the Popes own Decretales yée shal finde it noted thus Roma est Caput Auaritiae Ideò omnia ibi venduntur Rome is the Heade of al Couetous treacherie And therefore al thinges there are set to sale Yea Thomas Becket him self whom a litle before yée called a Saincte when for his wilful disobedience and Treason committed againste his Prince he had for aide and succoure fledde to Rome and sawe that nothinge would be wrought there without monie thus he wrote he wrote thereof to the Bishop of Menze Mater Roma facta est Meretrix prostituta est pro mercede Rome our Mother is becomme an Harlot and for monie and meede laiethe her selfe to sale To be shorte yée knowe that our Fathers longe sithence were woonte to saie Curia Romana non captat Ouem sine lana The Courte of Rome wil not take the Sheepe without the fliese Therefore M. Hardinge your Poete concluded in good order and went not so farre bisides his Rules For monie is bothe the First and the Middle and the laste Acte of al your Fable Christe sommetime thruste sutche Buiers Sellers Brokers Scorsers out of the Temple But contrariwise yée haue receiued in Buiers and Sellers thruste out Christe and so haue turned the House of God into a Caue of Theeues S. Paule saith thus vnto the people of Ephesus Argentum Aurum nullius concupiui I haue desired nomans Gould or Syluer Vpon whiche woordes in the Glose it is noted thus Per hoc Lupi cognoscuntur qui talia concupiscunt Hereby they that desire sutche thinges are knowen for woulues S. Hierome saithe Quia Prophetae pecuniam accipiebant Prophetiae corum facta est Diuinatio For that the Prophetes felle to taking of monie therefore their Propheste was becomme a Soothe saieinge that is to same it was of the Diuel and not of God Thus M. Hardinge to conclude what so euer faulte yee can finde with the Defenders Poetrie Verily by the iudgement of your nearest frendes Monie was the beste paare of al your Fable The Recapitulation of the Apologie THus thou seest good Christian Reader It is no newe thinge though at this daie the Religion of Christe be enterteined with despites and checkes being but lately restoared and as it were comminge vp againe anewe for so mutche as the like hath chaunced bothe to Christe him selfe and to his Apostles yet neuerthelesse for feare thou maiste suffer thee self to be leadde amisse and to be seduced with those exclamations of our Aduersaries wee haue declared at large vnto thee the very whole manner of our Religion what our Faith is of God the Father of his onely Sonne Iesus Christe of the Holy Ghoste of the Churche of the Sacramentes of the Ministerie of the Scriptures of Ceremonies and of euery parte of Christian Beliefe Wee haue saide that wee abandon and deteste as plagues and poisons al those olde Heresies whiche either the sacred Scriptures or the Anciente Councelles haue vtterly condemned that wee cal home againe asmutche as in vs liethe the right Discipline of the Churche whiche our Aduersaries haue quite brought into a poore and weake case That we pounishe al licenceousnesse of life and vnrulinesse of manners by the olde and longe continued Lawes and with as mutche sharpenesse as is conueniente and liethe in our power That we mainteine stil the state of Kingedomes in the same condition and state of honoure wherein we found them without any diminishinge or alteration reseruinge vnto our Princes their Maiestie and worldly preeminence safe and without empairinge to our possible power That we haue so gotten our selues awaie from that Churche whiche they had made a denne of Theeues and wherein nothinge was in good frame or once like to the Churche of God and which by their owne confessions had erred many waies euen as Lot in times past gate him out of Sodome or Abraham out of Chaidee not vpon a desire of contention but by the warninge of God him selfe And that we haue searched out of the Holy Bible which we are sure cannot deceiue one sure fourme of Religion haue returned againe vnto the Primitiue Churche of the Anciente Fathers and Apostles that is to saie to the grounde and beginninge of thinges vnto the very âundations and headspringes of Christes Churche And in very truthe we haue not tarried in this mater for the Authoritie or consente of the Tridentine Councel wherein we sawe nothinge donne vprightly nor by good order where also euery body was sworne to the maintenaunce of one man where Princes Embassadours were contemned where not one of our Diuines coulde be hearde and where partes takinge and Ambition was openly and earnestly procured and wrought but as the Holy Fathers in former time and as our Predecessours haue commonly donne wee haue restored our Churches by a Prouincial Conuocation and haue cleane shaken of as our duetie was the yoke and tyrannie of the Bishop of Rome to whom wee were not bounde who also had no manner of thing lyke neither to Christe nor to Peter nor to an Apostle nor yet like to any Bishop at al. Finally we saie that we agree amoÌgest our selues touchinge the whole Iudgement and chiefe substance of Christian Religion and with one mouthe and with one spirite doo woorship God and the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christe Wherefore O Christian and Godly Reader for so mutche as thou seeste the Reasons and Causes bothe why wee haue restoâred Religion and why we haue foresaken these menne thou oughtest not to marueile though we haue chosen to obeie our Maister Christe rather then menne S. Paule hath geuen vs warning that wee should not suffer our selues to be carried awaie with sutche sundrie learninges and to flee theire companies specially sutche as woulde sowe debate and varience cleane contrarie to the Doctrine whiche they had receiued of Christe and the Apostles Longe sithence haue these mennes craftes and treacheries decaied and vanished and fledde awaie at the sight and light of the
that falleth out bitweene vs VVhether any one of al the Anciente Learned Fathers c. euer saide your Priuate Masse c. This is it that is denied If yee proue not this what so euer ye proue yee proue nothinge Bringe out somme Learned Father shewe somme Catholique Doctoure keepe them no lenger foorthe comminge The worlde looketh yee shoulde deale plainely Denie nomore the manifeste Truthe auouche nomore the open Falsehedde Let there be somme probabilitie and likelihoode in your saieinges Leaue your immoderate and vncourteous talkes They are tokens of stomake and not of Learninge Therein yee haue deserued the honoure aboue al others In sutche kinde of Eloquence noman can matche you but your selfe A good cause mighte haue benne pleaded with better woordes The more vntemperate and firy yee shewe your selfe without cause the more in the ende wil appeare your folie If yee haue hitherto taken any pleasure in speakinge il at my hande by hearinge il yee shal not lose it If yee bringe vs moe Fables of your Pardonnes and Purgatories If yee feede vs as yee haue donne with Vntruthes If yee depraue the Scriptures If yee falsifie the Doctoures If yee Conclude without Premisses If yee place your Antecedente at Rome and your Consequente at Louaine If yee stuffe so mutche paper and blotte so many leaues and shewe vs nothinge briefely if yee write none otherwise then yee haue donne hitherto no wise man wilgreately feare your force Deceiue not the simple They are bought with price They are the people of God for whome Christe hath sheadde his Bloude Your shiftes be miserable Yee trouble your selfe as a birde the lime The more yee sturre the faster yee cleaue the longer yee striue the weaker yee are Yee cannot bridle the flowinge Seas yee cannot blinde the Sonnebeames Kicke not stil againste the spurre Geeue place vnto the Glorie of God VVil yee nil yee the Truthe wil conquere God geeue vs bothe humble hartes and the people eies to see that al fleashe maie be obediente to his wil. Amen From London 27. Octobris 1567. Iohn Sarisburie ¶ A Table of the principal maters Conteined in this Booke A ABsolutioÌ of madde men 139. Absolution standeth not in the vvil of the Prieste 139. The Abomination of desolation 446. Abuses in the masse confessed by Pigghius 456. Refourminge of Abuses 133. Accidentes vvithout subiecte 253. Adoration of the SacrameÌt 269. VVee neede no Aduocates vnto God 316. Agreement in Religion 194. Altars or Communion Tables 333. S. Ambrose refused the Emperours iudgement in Ecclesiastical causes 689. Ambition in the Cleargie the cause of greate euil 409. Anacletus fondely misconstrued by M. Hardinge 226. 227. Antichriste 446. Antichriste in the Churche of God 447. 448. Antichriste shal couÌterfaite Chastitie 482. Antichriste in the Temple of God and vvhat Antichriste shal be 434. Antonius learned in the Scriptures 195. VVeemen dissemblinge themselues in mens Apparrel 376. Choise of Apparrel for Religions sake 346. 347. No difference in Apparrel 346. 347 348. Superstitious holinesse in Apparrel 344 345. Ecclesiastical brauerie in Apparrel 641. The Apostles equal vvith Peter 106 107 108. The Apostles aboue Kinges and Princes 397. The Apologie authorized 17. Athenes standinge 376 ⪠377. S. Augustines iudgement refused â98 Augustine the Italian Monke 11. Augustine the ItaliaÌ MoÌke aliue at the time of the vvarre 493. Augustine the Italian Monke inflamer of the vvarre ibidem Augustine the Italian monke Bishop in Englande 492. The authoritie of the Doctours and Fathers 18. 19. Pretence of Antiquitie 495. 496. B. Bacon 454. Baptisme 203. Baptisme of Infantes 150. By Biptisme vvee are vnited vnto Christe 241. VVee are partakers of Christes Body and Bloude in the Sacramente of Baptisme 271. Christe is he that Baptiseth 215. The Povver of Baptisme 217. Baptisme is the Povver of Resurrection 221. Baptisme receiued vvithout Faith 216. Beleeue them not spoken of Antichrist and his follovvers 208. To Beleeue in God 84. The recantation of Berengarius 348. The Bernates lavvful vvarre against the Duke of Sauoye 389. Binding standeth in vvilful refusing of the VVoord of God 142. Bishoppes called and conuented before the Prince 637. 638. 639. A Bishop maie not put avvaie his vvise vnder pretence of holinesse 185. Bishoppes svvorne vnto the Pope and the fourme of the Othe expressed 43. Difference bitvveene Bishop and Prieste 198. Bishoppes vvithin the Princes checke 398. A Bishop bearing ciuile office 512. Bishoppes proude and disdeigneful in olde times 409. Bishoppes no Bishoppes 117. The substance of Breade remaineth in the Sacramente 231. The Bread is the body of Christ in vvhat sense 246. 255. 257. 479. 480. The Bread of the Sacrament passeth by natural digestioÌ by the Iudgement of Origen 258. 261. The Bread remaineth in substance as it vvas before 247. 248. 249. 251. 252. 257. The Bread chaÌged in vvhat sense 247 248. 249. The Breade not annihilate 248. The Breade hath a certaine likenesse of Christes Body 254. The Buildinge and repairinge of Goddes Churche 716. Burninge of the Scriptures 477. C. Calixtus for Anacletus 226. The Calendar of Bishops names 374. 375. Carnal libertie 335. 336. Cathechumeni or Beginners in the Faâthe 139. Catholike in many or in fevv 93 Catholike Churche and vvhat is meant thereby 49. Ceremonies 308. S. Augustine founde faulte vvith the multitude of Ceremonies 308. 309. Ceremonies more estemed then the commaundementes of God 308. 310. Vaine Ceremonies ought to be remoued vvith al speed conuenient 309. Ceremonies haue povver to quiet the conscience and to remitte sinne 554. Diuersitie of Ceremonies 309. Vovve of Chastitie and lavvful to breake the same 168. 169. 170. Counterfaite Chastitie a marke of Antichriste 183. Chastitie the gifte of God may not be commaunded by any man 167. No one Chiefe but Christe 340. Christes humanitie in one place 85 87 88. 89. Christe and the Pope haue one place of Iudgemente 95. Christes Body neuer promised to our bodily mouth 274. To touche or to holde Christ 288 Christe the onely Pope 106. Christes Bloude not in the holy Cuppes 265. Christes Body in one place 276. 277. Christians hated sclaundered 49. To approche vnto Christe 288. To receiue or beare Christe 285. 286. The spiritual receiuing of Christs Body 348. Christes Body crusshed torne vvith teeth 349. Christes Body geeueth life 241. Christes Body in Heauen 233. Christes Body verily presente in the holy supper in vvhat sense 271. 273. 276. The Christians in Graeciae and Asia abhorre the Pope and his Cleregie 457. The Churche of Rome is departed froÌ the primitiue Churche of God 566. The deformities of the Churche of Rome 568. The Churche in fevve 571. The Churche knovven by Gods vvoorde 3. The Churche of Rome can neuer erre true or false 430. 436. 437. 439. 440. 444. 445. Readinge of Chapters in the Churche 552. 553. The Churche is aboue the vvorde of God 557. 558. 559. 560. The Churche of Rome can not faile 565. The miserable state of the Churche of Rome 462. 463. The
707. Faithe eateth Christe beinge absente 220. 221. Christe present by Faithe 289. Fastinge vpon any certaine daies not apointed 197. 198. Fasting vvith fleashe 197. Faithe vvithout vvoorkes is no Faithe 321. Fond Faithe is no Faithe 293. By Faithe vvee eate Christe 289. Christes death applied by Faithe 298. By Faithe vvee are incorporate vnto Christe 241. 243. Church in fevve or many 327. 328 Shifte of Figures vsed by M. Hardinge 269. A Figure is not the thing it selfe 205. Flamines and Archiflamines 121. The florishing state of Kinge Pipinus life 406. Fornication in a Priest more tolerable then mariage 366. 367. Simple Fornication vvhether it be sinne or no sinne 360. Fornication vvinked at by the Popes Canons 362. The fourme of Baptisme 203. Fourme and Substance 98. 89. Formes and accideÌtes 205. 231. 232. A prieste maie not be deposed for Fornication 189. Franciscus Dandalâs 414. Free vvil hovv free hovv bonde 13â Perfit fulfilling of the lavv 316. 317 The fulfilling of the Lavve possible or impossible 317. G. Gerson 454. Goddes Truthe mutable 438. The credite of Goddes VVoorde hangeth on the Pope 438. The Gospel encreased of smal beginninges 34. The Gospel of Christe reproued for noueltie 490. 491. 496. The fruites of the Gospel 51. The Gospel of Christe shal not stande 22. The Gospel of Christe sclaundeÌrously called grosse and fleashely 32. The encrease of the Gospel 38. The Gospel in Princes Courtes 34. 35. The Authoritie of Gratian. 28. Gratian often deceiued 226. The Greekes haue neither priuate Masse nor half coÌmunion nor Purgatorie 578. 579. 580. Guilty of the Body Bloud c. 587. 588. H. The Halfe communion vveakely proued 480. 481. M. Harding abateth fiue hundred yeeres of his reckeninge 32. M. Harding misallegeth S. Augustine 141. M. Harding fondly applieth these vvoordes of Christe The sonne of man came not to destroie but to saue 254. 255. M. Harding misconstrueth S. Augustine 61. 62. M. Hardinge mistaketh Iosua for Osee 101. Heade of the Churche 94. Henry 4. and his qualities 419. A vvomaÌ Head of the Church 644 Heretiques alleged Scriptures 57. 58. 59. 60. 467. Heretiques suppresse the Scriptutes 481. The Definition of Heresie 46. The note of Herersie maie not be dissembled 45. Heretiques discredite the Scriptures 488. Heretiques allege the Doctoures and Fathers 495. Heretiques accuse the Scriptures 78. 474. Popes haue benne Heretiques 612. 614. 615. 616. 617. Heretiques confound al thinges bicause they cannot discerne the Creator from the Creature 295. Ruffinus an Heretique 672. Heretiques alleged Councelles and Fathers 57. Heresie in good parte 48. 49. Heretiques vvoulde be called Catholiques 433. Heretiques holde by Tradition 199. Heretiques clothed vvith the name of the Churche 2. Condemned of Heresi vpon light occasions 46. Godly menne accused of Heresi 631. Hieremie sette ouer Kingdomes and nations in vvhat sense 399 The Higheste Prieste 526. 527. Holy Orders 96. 97. Holy Orders vvithout offices 98. The Holy Ghost is God 90. Holy VVater 21. Hosius Iudgemente of the Scriptures 468. Hosius mistaken 472. Huldericus the Bishop of Augusta 186. Husbande of one vvife and the meaninge thereof 174. Hus and Hierome of Prage 48. I. S. Iames Epistle 193. The ignorance of the Cleregie in times paste 371. Images in Churches 505. Adouring of Images 503. Images painted in vvalles 502. The blasphemous Inuocation of our Lady called by M. Hard. a spiritual daliance 313. India conuerted 37. Innocentius 3. said he vvould either lose his Triple miter or els he vvoulde pulle themperour Philips Crovvnâ Empeperial from his heade 398. Inuocation of Sainctes 311. Dame Iohane the Pope 374. Iohannes Casa 383. Iohannes Diazius slaine by the procurement of his Brother 383 Iohannes Camoâensis 618. Goddes Iudgement folovveth the Iudgement of the Priest Reproued 154. The Prieste Iudge ouer sinne 152. The Iuste man trusteth not in his ovvne righteousnese 323. The lust man sinneth and deserueth euil 321. 322. Iustification by Faith onely 74. Iustinian the Emperour deposed ij Popes 690. 691. K. The vvoorde of God is the Keie 144. 152. The Popes Keie shutteth and openeth not 143. Many Priestes haue not the Keie of Knovvledge 136. Confusion of Keies 160. Peters Kaie greater then his fellovves 161. 162. 163. The Keie of Instruction and the Keie of Correction 149. Peters Keie equal vvith the reste 162. 163. Somme Priestes haue no Keie at al. 145. Knovvledge is not the principal Keie ibidem Kinges and Emperours hold the Popes stirope and leade his horse beare his traine and cariâ his dishe 412. Kinges maie lavvfully deale in Ecclesiastical causes 636. 645. 647. 648. 654. 655. 656. 657. 658. 659. 660. 682. 683. 684. 688. Kinges not alvvaies anointed by Bishoppes 696. King Iohn of England poisoned 409. Kinges Fosterers and Queenes Nurses of the Churche 649. L. The Lamb laide vpon the Table in vvhat sense 282. 283. Laie men after a certaine sorte be Priestes 131. They mystical Latine tongue 517 The Lambe of God is slaine in the Holy Supper in vvhat sense 286. A Laie man maie remitte Sinnes 137. Lenten faste 198. Lenten fast Lenten meates 270 God causeth his light to shine out of barbarous and despised places 391. Liga Sotularia 388. Laghtes 13. Lightes tapers in Churches 20 M. Priestes haue Married 514. Marriage letteth not Praier 172. Good causes vvhy Priestes shoulde bee set at libertie touchinge Marriage 187. 188. 189. 190. Priestes Married vvithin holy orders 175. 176. Marriage hindereth 182. The restrainte of Marriage the doctrine of Deuâlles 182. 183. Bishoppes and Priestes Marâied 166. 167. 184. Marriage hindreth not the Bishoppes dutie 177. The Apostles doctrine touchinge Marriage 184. 185. 186. Marriage Condemned 165. Seconde Marriage is Fornication in vvhat sense 174. 175. Not lavveful to breake Priestes marriage 185. Marriage contracted after a vovve is Lavveful 459. Priestes Marriage allovved 173. Seconde Marriage coÌdemned 166 Marriage furthereth the Bishops dutie 178. 179. 180. Marriage forbidden not fornication 182. Al the Apostles Iohn excepted vvere Married 166. 184. Better to Marrie then to burne 184. Bishoppes tvvise Married 174. A Prieste maie Marrie 171. Monkes Married 176 Priestes Marriage not forbidden 185. 186. Christes deathe applied by the Masse vvithout Faithe 297. Matrimonie chaste and pure 513. Churche in many or fevve 38. 39. Matrimonie neither good nor il 178. The cares of Matrimonie ibideÌ The blessed Virgin Marie Idolatrously abused by Heretiques 312. Martyrdome standeth not in the deathe but in the cause 30. The Bookes of the Machabees 193 The Masse seuen hundred yeeres in furnishinge 194. Godly menne couÌted madde 80. A Prieste beinge Married ought not therefore to be refused in the ministration 513. One Masse or Communion in one daie 524. The Emperoure appointed Metropolitanes 122. Truste in Merites 77. Mediatoure of Saluation Mediatour of intercession 311. Merite and Mercie 319. 321. Miracles 37. 294. 699. Miracles vvrought by fained Christians 700. The seruantes of Christe knovven by that they vvoorke no Miracles 699. Miracles vvrought by subtile menne or by the Diuel 294. VVhether
King 403. The Pope is al and aboue al. 619. The Popes iudgemente aboue al the iudgemeÌt of the vvorld ⪠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 doââes 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 confessâth that al euil grevve from the See of Rome 454 455. The Pope and his Clergie Spoilers and Traiââârs 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 ⪠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 opinioÌs 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. QuodaÌmodo 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 questioÌs 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 SacrameÌtes 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. SacrameÌts necessarie hovv 149. 150 The diuiding or breaking of the Sacrament 521. Nature Povver Vertue in SacrameÌts 253. 254. M. Harding referreth the Iudgement of Sacramentes to his senses 255. Disdaineful speaches of the SacrameÌts 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 ãâã 589. 590. The people cannot iudge of the Scriptures because the Scholar is not aboue his
ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã To beleue In God Christes Ascension Hosius in Confessi Petricouien Ca. 58. Socrates Li. 1. Ca. 25. Paschasi L. 1. de Spiritu Sancto Augustin in Iohan. tracta 29. Symbolum Damasi apud Hierony To. 4. Hierony in explicatione Symboli To. 4. In the sixthe Article De Consecra Dis. 2. Prima Oportet Potest Christes Body in one place Actor 3. Cyrill in Iohan. Li. 11. Ca. 3. Augustin contra Faustem li. 20. Ca. 11. Augustin ad Dardan Epist 57. Origen in Matthae tracta 32. Augustin in Psalm 46. Athanas contra Arianos Sermane 3. Fourme and Substance Epistola Flauiani ad Leon. inter Leon. Epistolas Leo. De Resurrect Domini Sermo 1. Augustin ad Dardanum epiststol 57. Augustin in ead epist ad Dardanum a Athanas De Definitionib b Leo episio 97. Cap. 3. c Chrysostom ad Philippen Homi. 6. d Augustian De Tempor Sermo 177. De Ascetsio Sermo 4. e Augustin epist 177. f Leo. epiâ 97. Cap. 3. g Chrysostom ad Philippen Homi 6. h Augustin in Iohan. tract 40. i Augustin De Essentia Diuinitatis k Haimo in epist ad Philip. ca. 2. Augustin ad Dardan epist 57. De conse dist 2. Prima Fourme of Man ctc. Vigilius Li. â Contra Euâychâtem Cyrill in Iohan. li. 9. ca. 21. Gregor De Pascha Homi. 30. Augustin in Iohan tracta 78. Augustin in Iohan tracta 50. Augustin in Sermo in feri 2. Paschat Fulgentius ad Regem Thraââmun Li. 2. The Holy Ghoste is God Vntruthe As shal appeare * O folie vvho euer saide othervviset * O folie vvho euer saide othervviset Augustin contra Literas Petiliani Li. 3. Ca. 48. Augustin De Morib Eccle. Catholi Li. 1. Cap. 16. Augustin Episto 174. Tertull. in Apologetico Nazianzenus De Spiritu Sancto ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Ephes 4. * Vntruth For the Fathers in the Primitiue Churche neuer toke him so Looke in the leafe H. 7. b. Leafe E. 2 In Latine they terme it exortam Euangelii * Vntruth As shal appeare Catholike Churche VVhy is the Churche called Catholike Threefold Vniuersalitie an infallible marke to knovve the Churche by Christe alone Prince Head Bridegrome Spouse of the Churche In respect of outvvard gouernment the name of Head is attributed to others beside Christe * Amos. 6. ¶ Reg. 17. Psal 17. Cor. â Catholique in many or fevve * Vntruthe vvhat Scripture or Doctour euer said so 2. Corin. 5. Christ the true Bridegrome the Pope vnderbridgrome of the Churche Ioan. 3. * Vntruthe For the Aucient Fathers neuer called him so M. Hardinge Foli 15. a. Vincentius Lirinensis Catholique in many or fevve Augustin de Gene. ad liter Cap. 1. Fortalitium Fidei Li. 5. 2. Corin. 2. 2. Corin. 5. Heade a Chrysostom in Epist ad Roma hom 18. b Amos. 6. c 1. Regum 15. d Psalm 17. e Articul 4. Diui. 32. f Cyrill tomo 4. Epist 5. g Gregor in 1. Regum lib. 4. Cap. 4. h Prudentius in Enchiridio i Optatus Li. 1. 2. k Augustin contra Liter Petil. Li. 1. Ca. 5. l Gregor Li. 4. Epist 38. Peter was a member of the Churche but not the Heade Iohan. 8. De Election ca. Licet Abb. Extra Noult ille In gloss Orders Bernard in Concil Remensi Bernard ad Euigeni de Considera Li. 3. Sacramonte of Order By good reason Vntruthes boldly presumed as by the aunsvveare it may appeare Anacletus Epistola 3. Hieronym ad Euagrium Orders Hieronym in eadem Epistola Hierony in Esai Cap 19. Catechumeni Clemens Epist 2. De con ãâã st 3. Tribus gradibus Dionysi Eccle. Hierar Cap. 5. Ignatius ad Antiochen ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Hierony De 7. ordinibus Eccl. Isidor Elymolog Lib. 1. Cap. 12. Scotui in 4. Sen. Distin 24. Qu. 1. Ambros in Epist Ad Ephe. Cap. 4. Petrus Lombar senten Lib. 4. Distin 24. Clement consi Apost Li. 8. Ca. 15. Orders Aureum Speculum Papâ âist 23. Lector âist 23. Cleros 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Iosue 1. A greate ouerfight For these be the vvoordes not of the Captaine Iosua but of the Prophete Osee Iohan. 10. Loe. * Vntruthe For Panormitane saithe Papa potest quic quid Deus ipse potest * Vntruthe 1. 2. 3. 4. In the fourthe Article and in the 18. and 19. Diuisions De Maior Obedien Vnam Sanctam In Glossa Vnitie by one Pope Platyna in Sabini ano Sabellicus Enneade 9. Lib. 1. Platyna in Stephano Sexto Platyna in Romano 1. Gregori Lib 4. Epist 34. 38. Gregori Lib. 4. Epist 76. August De Vera Relig ione Ca. 45 Iosua for Osee Churche Triumphante MilitaÌte August De Vâra Religione Ca. 4â Gregori Lib. 4. Epist 78. In Opere Triparti Li. 2. Ca. â Josua for Osee Osee Cap. â Hierony in Oseâ Cap. 1. Nicol. Lyra in Osee Cap 1. One Shepheard c. Augu. De Ciuitate Li. 18. Ca 28 Iohan. 10. Ephes 2 Chrysost in Iohan Homil. 59. Augu. in Iohan. Tract 47. Nicolaus Lyra in Iohan. Ca. 10. Sâeâon TraÌquil in Caligula Iohan. De Parisiâs de potestate Regia Papalâ Cap. 3. Chrysost in Iohan Honal 58. Augusti Contra Donatist Lib. 6. 1. Q. 3. Vocantur Cane â Feede my Sheepe Chrysost In Genesin Homil. 2. Hebrae 1. Cala. 1. Ephes 4. Cyprian De Simplicit Praelatorum Cyprian Lib. 3. Epist 13. Galat. 2. Euseb li. 5. ca. 26. Augusti Episto 28. In Concil Lateran sub Iulio In Concil Lateranen sub Leone In Oratione Stephani Patracensis To Foresake the Pope Panormitan De Electio Ca. Licet Gregor Lib. 4. Epist 38. De Maiorlt Obedient Vnam Sanct. In Gloss Dist 12. Non. decet August De Vnitate Eccle. Catholica Ca. 10. Abbas Vrsper Pag. 443. Bernardus in Concil Remen In eodem Concilio Numer 16. The other Apostles equal vvith Peter Peters Povver Ordinarie The Apostles povver Extraordinarie Peter is the Shepheard The Apostles are the Sheepe Manifest and mere Vntruthes * Peter hath Povver to him and to his Heires for euer The Apostles haue Povver onely for terme of Life Cyprian De Simplicita Praelatorum Petrus de Palude De Potestae Apostolor Ar. 2. Petr. de Palade In eodem Arti. Petr. de Palude In eodem Cap. Petr. de Palude De Potestate Curator Ar. 6. Extra De Elect. Electi potest FundameÌta Hernaeus De Potestate Papae Ca. 21. Petr. de Palude De Potesta A postolorwn Gala. 1. Chrysost in Epis ad Galat. Ca. 2. Iohn 20. Marke 16. The other Apostles equal vvith Peter Hierony Aduer Iouiâtan Li 1. Origen in Matthae Tracta 1. Chrysost in Matthae Homil. 83. August Epist 86 August in Epist Ad Galat. Ca. 2. Gloss Galat. 2. Gala. 2. * Vntruthe most vaine and manifest Iohn 21. Marke 16. Iohn 21. Marc. 13. Hierony contra Jouinian Li. 1. 1. Cor. 3. Chryso in Epist Ad Gala. Ca. 1. Chrysosto in Epist Ad Timoth. 2. Homi. 2. Ad Euagrium De Simpl. Pelator Vntruthe Reade the Ansvveare
ad Maurit Epist 32. * A manifeste vntruthe vvithout vvitte â¡ Vntruthe For Christe neuer gaue out any sutche Commission * Vntruthe fonde and vvilful For S. Gregorie speaketh these vvoordes nomore of the B. of Constantinople then of the B. of Rome â¡ Here M. Hard. recanteth his errour For before he saide These vvoordes belonge onely to the Pope Iohn 21. * This same vvas it that Gregorie reproued For thus he vvriteth Cuncta Christi Membra tibi conaris Vniuersalis appellatione supponere Gregor Lib. 4. Epist 38. Iohn 14. Luke 22. * Vntruthe vtterly voide of shame Contra Luciferian Iohn 21. The Vniuersal Churche falleth Gregor Lib. 4. Epist 32 Gregor Lib. 6. Episto 24. Gregor in eadeÌ Epistola Gregor Lib. 4. Epistol 39. Gregor Li. 4. Epist 52. 55. Gregor Lib. 4. Epist 36. Gregor Lib. 6. Epist 30. Deus One Onely Bishop Chronicon Eusebij Anno. 607. Matthias Palmerius Sabellicus Ennead 8. lib. 6. Vrspergensis in Phoca Gregor Lib. 4. Epist 38. Concil Basilien in Epist Synodal The Pope him selfe disclaimeth c. Francis Zarabella Cââatur ab Illyrico De Sectis Gregor Lib. 4. Epist 32. In eadem Epist In eadem Gregor Lib. 4. Epist 36. M. Hard. Fol. 80. In Likello de idiomate linguarum Aeneas Syluius in Historia Boemica Rome the roote of il * A greate solic For Platyna vvas deade threescoare yeeres before Adrian 6 vvas Pope â¡ Vntruthe vaine and vnaduised For Platyna vvriteth not one vvorde of Adriane the sixthe Iohan. Sleidanus Lib. 4. Ann. 1523. Fasciculus reruÌ Sciendarum Cornel. Bitontinus in Concil Tridenti Errours in the Masse Extra de Translatione Episcopi QuaÌto In Gloss Extra de Concess Praebendae Proposuit In Glossa Graecia and Asia Dist 22. Omnes Lodouicus Viuet in Li 13. De âiuitate Dei Ca. 24 Paulus Aemylius Pantaleon Matthias à Michouia in Nouo Orbe â¡ Vntruthe For Mantuane dvvelt in Rome Petrarcha vvas made PoeÌte in Rome Sauanorola vvas often in Rome c. * Vntruthe Othervvise shevve vvherein they foresooke the Faithe â¡ Vntruthe Othervvise shevve in vvhat Article he vvas an Heretique * This is Vncerraâne Reade Luther touchinge the same â¡ Vntruthe For this vvil soone appeare Extra de summaânit fide Cathol Cap. 2. * Vntruthe For by moste expresse woordes they calle him Antichriste Antichriste Bernardus in Conuersione Pauli Sermo 1. Gulielm Abb. in Vita Bernard Raphael Volaterran Marsilius Patauinus Ioachimus Abb. Extra De Summa Trinitate Fide Catholica DaÌnamus Apocal. 17. Vergil Septemque vna sibi muro circundabit Arces Iren. li. 5. Cavlt Sibylla Oratione 8. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Hieronymus ad Algasiam Gregor Lib. 6. Epist 30. Gregor Lib. 4. Epist 34. Hieronym ad Algasiam 2. Thessal 2. Bernardus Epist 125. Pag. 1316. Ioachimus Abbas In Concilio Remensi Inter Opera Bernardi Auentinus Dante 's in Cantione 32. Francis Petrarcha Epist 20. Concil Lateran sub Iulio Leone Session 11. The Sprite of Modestie Lib. 2. De consideratione * The Pope is Christe The state of the Churche of Rome Iohan 12. S. Peter leapeth for the Popedome Iohan. Vitalis de praelatis Sacerdot Hiere 5. Albertus in IohanneÌ Ca. 10. EE Guliel Holcote in Li. Sapientiae Lectio 182. Bernard in Concilio Remensi Iohan. Sarisburien in Polycratico Li. 6. Ca. 24. Bernard in Cantica Sermo 66. Matthae 6. Matthae 15. Matthae 13. Hilari in Matthae Canon 8. Bernar. De Consideratione ad Eugeni Lib. 2. Iohan. 21. Concil to 1. Pagin 10. Matthae 17. Iohan. 21. Luc. 5. Mark 14. Luc. 22. Iohan. 1. Matthae 26. Gregor Homil. 17. in illa verba Messis quidem multa The Pope is Christe Augustin De Vnitate Eccle. Catholicae Albertus Pighius in Controuer De Ecclesia * Vntruthe For S. Augustine in the same places and elsvvhere oftentimes saith the same VVhere the Churche is to be sought â¡ Vntruthe For S Augustines vvoordes are general * Here M. Hardinge secretely confesseth that his Churche of Rome cannot be shevved by the Scriptures Churche knovven by Goddes vvoorde â¡ Vntruthe For S. Chrysostome saithe Nunc nullo modo cognoscitur quae sit vera Ecclesia nisi Tantummodò per Scripturas â¡ In the Vnitie of the B. of Rome * Vntruthe manifâ st shamelesse For M. Hard knovveth that in the greattest cases that lie in question he can allege neither Scripture nor Doctoure Augustin De Vnitate Eccle. Ca. 16. August Contra Cresconium Cram. Lib. 1. Ca. 33. August De Vnita Ecclesi Ca. 2. August Eodem Li. Ca. 3. In eodeÌ capite Vnitie of the Churche in one Pope Chrysost in opere Imperfe Homil 49. In Eadem Hom. Ambrosi Hexameron li. 4. ca. 8. Chrysost in Iohan Homil. 58. Chrysost in Matthae Homil. 46. Platyna in Stephano Erasmus in Annotationib in 1. Corin. 7. Hosius in Petricouien Confess Ca. 27. Clemen 5. Ad nostrum In Glossa Iohan. De Parisijs De Potestate Regia Papali Ca 3. âphesi 4. Chrysost ad Colossen Homi. 7. Citatur in Cathena in 1. Cap. Iohannis Matthae 4. In Con. Chalcedon Actione 2. Athanas contra Arianos Oratione 1. Tertullian De Baptismo Concil Lateran Session 6. Pag. 601. Concil Trident. Cornelius Bitont inus Abusinge of the scriptures Concil to 2. Decreta collecta per Adrianum Pag. 613. Paulus Aemylius Lib. 7. Concil tomo 1. In purgatione Sixti M. Hard. fo 99. a Hosius Contra Brentium Li. 4. Fol. 178. a. Hosius de Expresso Verbo Dei The mistakinge of Hosius Nicolaus Gallus The mistakinge of Hosius Flacius Illyricus in Norma Concilij Iacob Andreae De Authorita Sacrae Scripturae Iohan. Bââ in Praââ in lacââ ãâã dreae contra Hosium Iacob Andreae Flaci Illyricus Alterius cuiusdam sententiam de hac re citans comprobat Ludouicus Citatur ab Illyrico in Norma Concilij Iohan. Sleidanus Lib. 23. Albert. Pigghius Controuer 3. De Ecclesia The mistakinge of Hosius Martinus Kemnitius in Examine Con. Tridentini Pag. 32. Martin Kemnitius in eodem Examine Pag. 240. Pigghius Hierar Li. 3. Cap. 3. Fol. 103. Hosius Lib. 2. Contra Brentium Luke 7. Irenae Li. 3. ca. 2. Cardinal Cusan De Authorita Ecclesiae Concilij Supra CoÌtra Scripturam Albert. Pigghius Hierar Lib. 1. Ca. 2. Iohan. Maria Verractus Editus An. 1561. Hosius De Expresso Verbo Dei Pa. 97. The mistakinge of Hosius Epiphani Lib. 1. Haere 27. Tertullian De Praescription Augustin ad Quoduulideum M. Har. Fol. 141. b. Copus Dialo 3. Pag. 331. Copus Dialo 6. Pag. 878. Eusebius Lib. 1. Cap. 7. Al this is M. Hardinges sobrietie It is no railinge â¡ Vntruthe For the Olde Latine texte hath infinite corruptioÌs * Vntruthe Othervvise let M. Hirdinge shevve one pointe of Corruption â¡ But he is a foolishe man that burneth dovvne bothe the Trees and Caterpillers al togeather â¡ You had it in your Libraries But the poore people had it not Burninge of the Scriptures * Vntruthe For vve denie it not
Sinnes foregeeuen by Holy VVater In Pontificali Prouerb 11. Cyprian Lib. 1. Epist 3. Tertullian in Apologeâico Roma 2. C. Plinius * So vvas Christe taken of the Phariseies â¡ The fundation of the Churche of God is not Peter but Christe The Churche aboue Goddes VVoord * Vntruthe Foâ generally itââ contrarie to ãâã Faithe of ãâã Luc. 22. â¡ It is easilââ founde in ãâã Booke ãâã Lutherum * A commââârie biside ãâã Texte â¡ A proper Glose * Vanitie of Vanities For the Scriptures vvere knovven and beleued before there vvas any Churche in Rome Contra Epist Fundamenti ca. 5. â¡ It is no harde mater to finde it Reade the Ansvveare Syluester Prierias contra Lutherum The Churche aboue Goddes VVoord Alb. Pigghius in locis Communib De Ecclesia Nicol. Cusanus de Authoritate Ecclesiae CoÌcilij supra contra Scriptur Iohan. Maria Verractus Editus est Ann. 1561. Alb. Pigghius Hierar li. 1. a. 2. Alb Pigghius in controuersijs De Ecclesia Deuter. Cap. 17. Heruaeus De potesta Papae ca. 23 Nicol Lyra in Deuter. Cap 17. The Churche aboue Goddes vvoorde Augustin contra Epistolam Fundamen Cap. 5. August In Psalmum 57. Augustin De Vnitate Ecclesiae Ca. 2. Augustin contra Cresconi Grammat Li. 1. Ca. 33. Augustin De Vnita Ecclesiae Ca. 16. Augustin eodem loco Chrysostom in Matth. Hom. 49. Psalm 18. Roman 10. Psalm 76. Augustin contra Faustum Lib. 32. Cap. 19. The Churche aboue Goddes vvoor de Augustin contra Epist Fundam Ca. 5. Chrysostom in Matth. Hom. 49. August De Vnitate Ecclesiae Ca. 11. Summa Angelica in dictione Papa Theodoricus de Schismate Plutarchus * This is good plaine dealinge For in deede this Ansvveare is very sclender â¡ VVith M. Hardinges good instructions In dict Simonia Ver. vtrum actoritas * A vvoorthy distinction Hereby the Pope maie selle Bishoprikes and Benefices vvithout Simonie â¡ This kinde of Simonie standeth onely in sellinge of Orders and Sacramentes c. * Vntruthe shamelesse as shal appeare Esai 59. â¡ Ful discretely and vvel applied As if these vvoordes had benne meante of the Pope and his Successours The Pope cannot commit Simonie Bernardus de Consideratione Li. 3. Bernardus in Conuersione Pauli Sermo 1. Dè Ciuitate Dei Li. 18. Cap. 22. Viues In Sexto De Electione Elect potest Fundamenta In Glossa Durandus de modo Celebrandi Concil Ti. 20. Musculus in Iohan Cap. 6. Summa Angeli in Simonia Extra De Officio Iudicis Delegati Ex parte N. In Clossa The Pope cannot commit Simonie Aureum Speculum ff De Offi. praeroris L. Barbarius Colum. 2. ff Eod. Titulo Ead. L. Bartolus Theodoricus De Schismate inter Vrban Clement Lib. 2. Ca. 32. Felinus de Officio Iudicis delegati Ex parte N. A iuste and a reasonable cause wherefore the Pope maie selle Bishoprikes Deanries Abbies c. Extra De Simonia Ca. 1. Numero 6. Fol. 18. Abb. Archidiacon in Tract De Haeresi ver Et quia tanta est The Diuels VVoordes alleged vnder the name of S. Peter The Pope cannot commit Simonie Felinus De Offi. Iudicus delega Ex parte N. The Pope changeth Vice into Vertue Extra De Simonia Ca. 1. Hostien Extra De simnia Eisi questiones Hieronymus 1. Quaest 1. Eos qui. Esaie 59. Augustin De Natura Boni Ca 46. Hieronym in Michaeam Ca. 4. Hieremi 12. Matthae 21. * Learnedly proued The Churche of Rome is the vvhole Catholique Churche Tertull. in Apologetico By this vvhole discourse Christ and his Apostles maie be condemned 1. Ioan. â Prouerb â Eccles Hisit Lib. 6. Ca. 5. in Graecis â¡ A good excuse of Idolatrie * Yes verily Euen as the House of God and the Caue of Theeues vvere al One Temple Matthae 21. Luc. 1â Ioan. 17. Matth. 16. Here M. Hardinge laieth out his heapes of Learninge â¡ A very Learned and a vvorthy Conclusion But vvoe be to them that calle Light Darkenesse and Darkenesse Lighte Esai â Departing from the Churche of Rome Dist 12. Non Decit In Rubric Bernardus in Synodo Remensi In eadem Synod Paralipom Vrspergen Pa. 396. Aeneas Sylui. in Epist ad Casparem Schlickium Paralipom Vrspergen in Clemen 5. In Concil Trid. Antonius Marinarius Concil Trident. Episcopus Bitontinus Francis Zephyrus in Apologeticum Tertulliani Arnulphus aut Bernardus in Concil Remen Petrar in Rithmis Italicis Schola di Errori è Tempio di Eresia Departing from the Churche of Roââ Hermaââ Riddus De Maiorita Obedient Vnam Sanctam Subesse Romano Pontifici est de necessitate Salutis Clemens Apostolicar Constiâa Lib. 6. Cap. 4. Aeneas Syluius ad Rector vniuersitatè Colonien Paraliponena Vrspergens Pag. 435. Augustinus de Vnitate Ecclesi Ca. 10. Chrysostom in Matth. Hom. 49. Anselmus in 2. Thessalon 2. Ambros in Epist ad Theodos Vâsent Departing from the Churche of Rome August Contra Faustum Lib. 15. Cap. 3. Ambros Ansber in Apocalyp Li. 2. Cap. 2. Cyprian De Lapsis Sermo 5. Chrysostom ad populum vntioch n. Homi. 17. Chrysostom in Matth. Hom. 46. The Churche in fevve Irenaeus Lib. 4. Cap. 46. Hieron in Esai Lib. 8. Cap. 24. Fortalitium Fidei Lib. 5. De Summa Trinita Linwoode Ludoui Viues de Causis Corrupt Artium Lib. 5. Catharinus aduerius Petrum à Sold. Erasm in Scholijs in Hieronym ad Marâellam Comparison of Learning Erasmus ad Archiepisc Toleta Extra de Elect. Electi Potest Signifi in Gloss Manipul Curat Pag. 101. Inter Decreta Felicis pp. Conc. Tomo 1. Pag. 168 In Donatione Constantini Herma Riddus Hierony In Reg. Monacho Ne ad Risum Provocentur Angelici Spiritus Hierony in Prouerb Li. 2. Ca. 19. Actor 8. 1. Cor in 2. 3. Esdr 4. 1. Cor. 13. Matth. 13. Hiere 14. Esai 41. Amos. 8. â¡ Vntruthe For vvee are not departed from the Catholique Churche Iob. 40. Cantic 6. Paralipomen Vrspergen in Clement 5. Departing from the Churche of Rome Hierony ad Fabiolam De. 42. Mansionibus Mansione 1. Beda in Apocal. Lib. 3. Cap. 18. Beda in Apocal. Lib. 3. Cap. 19. Example of Christe Apocal. 18. â¡ Thus mutche confessed is sufficiente * A suddaine Conclusion â¡ A vaine folie For a good man maie folovve Christe vvithout presumptuous Comparison Chrysost in Matthae Homil. 79. Origen in Ezechiel Homil. 7. Extra De TraÌslatio Episcopi QuaÌto Hostien Bernard De CoÌsideratio Lib. 2. â¡ Vntruthes notorious manifeste vnto the vvorlde â¡ Here M. Harfreely yeldeth vs the first six hundred and three score yeeres that is to saie the vvhole time of the Apostles Holy Fathers of the Churche * Reade the Ansvveare â¡ Vntruthe As shal soone appeare Esai 2. * Certainely vve receiued not our Faithe firste froÌ the Churche of Rome Augu. Epist 178. Augu. Epist 170. Chrysosto ad Popul Antiochen Homil. 14. Tripar Histor Lib. 4 Cap. 16. Sozom. Li 3. ca. 8 ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã The Faith brought to Rome oute of Graecia Basil In Epist
ad Epis per Italiam Galliam Eusebi De vita Constan Orati 2. Cod. De SacrosaÌ Ecclesiis L. Iubemus §. ScieÌtes Cod. in Eod. titu 1. Decernimus Epist Eccle. Constantinop Ad Eccle. Pragen Concil Trident. Oratio Episcopi Bitontini In opere Triparti li. 2. ca. 1. In. 2. To. Concil â¡ Vntruthe As it shal plainely appeare * Vntruthe As large as manifeste â¡ Vntruthe For the Grecians neuer receiued these fantasies of Purgatorie O so merily this maÌ plaieth vvith his fansie Cicero De Oratore 2. Dist 17. Concil in Gloss Galenus The Greke Churche Liturgia Basilij Liturgia Chrysostomi Polydor. De Inuentoribus li. 8. cap. 1. Irenaeus li. 1. ca. â Chrysost De Incomprehensi Dei natura Hom. 3. Leo. Epist 93. cap. 12. Leo Epist 97. cap. 3. August Epist 165 Priuate Masse in the Greke Churche Gregorius li. 4. Epist 32. Liturgia Iacobi Liturgia Chrysostomi Litur Basilij Georgius CassaÌder in Liturgijs Bessarion De Sacrament Eucharistiae Circa annum Domini 1450. Priuate Masse in the Greke Churche Matthi Illyricus in Testibus Veritatis pag. 5. Concil Ferrariâ in Prooemio Petrus Vrbeuetanus in Vita Deusdedit Pap. DuraÌdus in Rationali li. 4. * Vntruth For God him selfe saithe Comme foorth from the middes of them O my people Apocal. 18. Daniel 6. 3. 1. Pet. 5. A hote kinde of Diuinitie Matthae 21. Iohan. 9. 12. 16. Iohan. Epist 3. Qui amat Primatum gerere Apocalyp 13. 24. Quae. 1. Ait 24. Quae. 3. Comperimus Rubri August Ad Clericos Hipponen Citatur 11. Quae. 3. Quid obest Augustin In Iohan. Tract 45. 1. Corinth 14. * Vntruthe For there is no better comparison then bitvvene Contraries Contraria iuxta se posita magis elucescunt â¡ Yenough no doubte and sufficiente For in the selfe same foure Articles M. Hard. hath vttered foure score and fourteen great vntruthes * Vnfruteful vaine distinctioÌs Reade the Ansvveare Comparison of churches Gregor Dialog li. 4. * This Booke is ful of Fables and Vanities and therefore not thought to bee S. Gregories Augustin Epist 162. â¡ S. Augustine is directely to the Contrarie See the Ansvveare * Our Price He meaneth the Sacramente of our Price 1. Corin. 11. Iohan. 3. Plini li. 18. CypriaÌ Ad CorneliuÌ li. 1. Epi. 3. Chrysostom In Matthae ca. 23. Tertul. De praescription Aelius Lampridius 1. Regum 5. Hieronym Ad AlgasiaÌ Quae. 11. Infidelles Dogges Mise August in IohaÌ tracta 26. Iohan. 6. Augusti Epist 162. Chrysostom Ad Haebr Homi. 16. De Con. Dis 2. Hoc est Augustin In Psalm 3. 1. Cor. 11. August Contra Cresco li. 1. ca. 23. August Contra Cresco li. 2 ca. 13. Tertullian De Baptismo Guilty of the Bodie and Bloude c. August De Tempore Sermo 20. Athana De Passione Cruce Domini Ezechiel 33. Luke 11. Concil Nicen. 2. Actio 6. Cyprian De Ablutione pedum August Ad Bonifaci Epist 50. August In IohaÌ tracta 26. Guiltie of the Bodie and Bloude c. August De Tempore Sermo 120. Ambros De Benediction Patriarch cap. 6. August In IohaÌ tracta 26. August âodem loco * This is nothing but open mockerie â¡ Vntruthe too fonde for a child For there vvas neuer sutche order taken by the Gouernours of the Churche August Epist 48. August De Doctrina Christiana li. 2. ca. 5. August In Psal 105. The Scriptures in the vulgare tongues Chrysost in Iohan Homil. 1. Hieronym in Psalm 86. Theodoret. De corrigend Graecorum affectib Lib. 5. Articulo 15. * A mockerie For many heare not one Sermon in tvventie yeeres Apolog. Sacratis Matth. 11. Augusti Contra Iulian. Li. 5. Ca. 1 Chrysostom in Matth. Homil. 1. Augusti Episc 3. Cyrillus contra Iulian. Lib. 7. Augu. in Psal 131 Augu. In SeÌten exceptis ex Augustino Pa. 1067. A vvoorthy Councel of fourtie Bishops sutche as they vvere In the time of Paulus 3 Augu. Epist 169. Esai 5. Dorman Pag. 15. Stanislaus Orichonius in Chimaera Ambros Lib. 5. Epist 33. Flattering of Princes Petr. De palude de potestat pp. ãâã 40. Non nos on Glossa Extrauag Iohan 22. âum inter in Glossa Hostien De traÌslaitone Praelais Quanto Hosiuscontra BrentuÌ Lib. 1. * Vntruthe staÌdinge in open and vvilful corruption Iacobus Andreae contra Hosium Pag 352. * Vaine folie For vvhat haue Humaine or Natural senses to doo vvith the sense of God To take Counsel of men â¡ The ExpositioÌs of the Fathers very seldome agree togeatâ er Yet are they for the most parte contrarie to the Churche of Rome * The tradit ãâã novve vsed in the Romaine Churche are coââonly coÌtrarie to the TraditioÌs of the Anciente Learned Fathers Therefore this Rule is deceitetul Parte 5. Ca 10. Diui 2. Nic. Cusanus de Authoritate Ecclisiae c. Hierem 2. Tertullian in Apologetico Clemens AlexaÌdrin in Oratione ad Genies Chryso in Epist ad Galat. Ca. 1. â¡ VVee preache againste your folies and fantasies not againste the Doctrine of the Churche * Vntruthe enclosed For they had Diuines a solemne Disputation vvas appointed at VVeasteminster in the preseÌce of the States of the Realme But your Felovves fladde from it Parlamente * A notable great coÌpanie There vvere onely fouretie poore Bishoppes and yet somme of the samevvere no Bishoppes Parlamente An. Dom. 1296. Anno 1273. In Prouisione de Martonae Ca. 9. Extra Qui Filj sint Legitimi Leges Canuti TrideÌtine councel Superintendentes Concil Trident. Sub Carolo Quinto Robert Coecus vide Concil Trident sub Paulo 3 Matthias Plac. Illyricus in Protest contra Concil Trident. Pagin 79. Io Sleâdanus Li. 23. Anno. 1551. Conuentus quorundam Priuatus vtilitatis gratia institutâes Augustin De Ciuit Li. 19 Ca. 19. Augustin in Psalm 126. Chrysostom 1. ad Timoth. Hom 10. Hieronym Ad âuagrium Anselm ad Philippen Ca. 1. Beda 1. Petri. 2. Petrus de Palude De Potest Colla. Apostolis Arti. 1. Thom. 2. 2. quae 184. Ar. 6. Al soares salued by the Councel of Tridente * Vntruthes open and vvithout same For example your Stevves your Courteghianes and Fornications vvere neuer touched Bernard in Cantica Sermo 33. Hulcote in Lib. Sapien. Lectio 23 Bernard in Conuers Pauli Bapt. Mantuan Fastor Lib. 4. Ad Leonem 10. Concil Trident. Nazian ad Procopium * Vntruthe For he speaketh of al manner of Councelles as vvel General as Prouincial His vvoordes be Prorsus decreui fugere Omnem Conuentum EpiscoporuÌ â¡ This is a lusty kinde of Diuinitie * Vntruthe For they are committed onely by the appointemente of the Prince Gregor Nazianzenus ad Procopium ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã The successe of councels Monkes and Abbates Sozomenus Hieronym Aduersus Luciferianos Tit. Liuius Maior pars vincit meliorem Oratio Synodica Legati Regis Franciae An. 1562. Copus Fol. 284. August Epist 81. August Epist 76 Erasm in Scholijs in Epistolam ad Rusticum Monachum â¡ S. Cyprians vvoordes be plaine Nihil sine
Petiliani speakinge of the place of the Psalme Sicut vnguentum in capite whiche the Heretike had alleaged saithe thus In hoc vnguento c. In this oinctement his will is to interpret the Sacramente of Chrisme he meaneth the Sacramente of Confirmation whiche in the kinde of visible signes is Holy as Baptisme is Lo S. Augustine calleth cofirmation a Sacramente S. Eusebius Pope namethe it a Sacramente in his third epistle written to al the Bisâhoppes of Tuscia and Campania Manus impositionis Sacramentum c. The Sacramente of imposition of Handes saithe he is to be kepte with greate reuerence whiche cannot be performed but by the high Priestes he vnderstandeth Bishoppes Melchiades nexte to Syluester before the Nicene Councel speakinge muche of Confirmation amonge other thinges saithe thus Duo haec Sacramenta Baptismi confirmationis separanda non sunt These twoo Sacramentes of Baptisme and Confirmation maye not be sundered Though these twoo Bishoppes were Popes yet they deserue credit forasmuche as they liued before that corruption crept into the Churche after your accoumpte and died Holy Martyrs That Penaunce is a Sacramente and so accoumpted amonge the Fathers it is so euident that who doubteth of it maie seeme not to haue perused their writinges S. Augustine in enchiridio ad Laurentium speakinge of Baptisme and Penaunce calleth bothe Salutaria Sacramenta healthful Sacramentes S. Ambrose signifieth him selfe to be of the same minde in his firste Booke de Poentientia Cap. 6. 7. and in the second Booke Cap. 2. though without puttinge thexpresse name of Sacramente But in the third Chapter of that Booke he putteth the name of Sacramente expressely Touchinge Order that is a Sacramente also by verdite of S. Augustine whom ye alleage for you Let vs heare what he saithe In his seconde Booke contra epist Parmentani Cap. 13. these be his wordes where he speaketh of Baptisme and of the Power to Baptize whiche is geuen in the Sacramente of Order Vtrunque euim Sacramentum est quadam consecratione vtiunque homini datur illud cum Baptizatur istud cum ordinatur Ideo in Catholica non licet vtrunque iterari Either of them is a Sacramente and with a certaine Consecration either is geuen to man the one when he is Baptized the other when he taketh Orders Therefore in the Catholike Churche it is not lawful either of them to be taken twise For the Sacramente of wedlocke besides other good and sufficient proufes that it is a Sacramente wee haue sundrie testimonies out of S. Augustine and other Doctours In the Churche saithe S. Augustine not onely the bande of mariage but also the Sacramente is so commended that it is not lauful for the husbande to deliuer his VVife to another He calleth wedlocke a Sacramente in many places of his workes De bono coniugali Cap. 7. 18. and in the. 24. Chapter of that Booke hee saithe Haec omnia bona sunt propter quae nuptiae bonae sunt Proles Fides SacramentuÌ All these thinges be good for whiche mariage is good issue Faithe the Sacramente Of extreme Vnction who doubteth whether it be a Sacramente let him reade the Epistle of Innocentrus the Firste ad Decentium Eugubinum Episcopum Cap. 8. where moste planely treatinge of it he nameth it a Sacramente Chrysostome interpreteth the place of S. Iames epistle for this Sacramente And so dothe Bede alleaging the place of S. Iames the sixth of Marke the Auctoritie of Innocentius and the custome of the Churche Seinge then we haue founde the seuen sacramentes expressely mentioned in the Fathers accordinge to the teaching of the Catholique Churche whereas ye teache men to beleeue there be but two and pretend that the Fathers spake of nomo I truste from henceforthe they wil take better aduise how they beleue your bare VVoorde without al prouse and with certaine danger of their soules forsake the Doctrine of the Churche whiche is the sure Pillour and ground of truthe as S. Paule saithe In this greate pointe Beza and ye of that side bee manifestly founde lyers The B. of Sarisburie To spende woordes without cause is affliction of the Sprite and losse of time M. Hardinge here bestoweth mutche laboure and allegeth many Doctours to winne that thinge that he might easily haue obteined without any sutche adoo For gentle Reader lefte that thou be deceiued and thinke there is somme weight in this heape of feathers wee wil graunt without force and freely that the Holy Catholique Fathers haue made mention not onely of Seuen as M. Hardinge here accoumpteth them but also of Seuenteene sundrie Sacramentes Tertullian calleth the Helue wherewith Elizaeus recouered the Axe out of the water Sacramentum Ligni the Sacramente of VVoode And the whole state of the Christian Faithe he calleth Religionis Christianae Sacramentum The Sacramente of Christian Religion S. Augustine in many places hathe Sacramentum Crucis The Sacrament of the Crosse Thus he saithe In hac Crucis Figura continetur Sacramentum In this Figure or Fourme of the Crosse there is conteined a Sacrament So saith Leo Crux Christi quae saluandis est impensa Fidelibus Sacramentum est exemplum The Crosse of Christe whiche was geuen to saue the Faitheful is bothe a Sacramente and also a Samplar S. Hierome saithe E latere Christi Baptismi atque Martyrij pariter Sacramente funduntur Out of Christes side the Sacramentes of Baptisme and Martyrdome are powred foorthe bothe togeather Leo calleth the promisse of Virginitie Sacramentum Quid eos manebit qui corruperine foedera Diuini Sacramenti VVhat shal becomme of them that haue broken the Couenante of the Heauenly Sacramente The Breade that was geuen vnto the Nouices or Beginners in the Faithe called Catechumeni before they were Baptized of S. Augustine is called a Sacramente S. Hilarie in sundrie places saith Sacramentum Orationis Sacramentum Esuritionis Sacramentum Scripturarum Sacramentum Fletus Sacramentum Sitis The Sacramente of Praier The Sacramente of Fastinge The Sacramente of the Scriptures The Sacramente of VVeepinge The Sacramente of Thirste S. Bernarde calleth the wasshinge of the Apostles foete a Sacramente Ablutio Pedum Sacramentum est quotidianorum peccatorum The VVasshinge of feet is the Sacramente of daily Sinnes Thus many and many moe Sacramentes it had benne easy for M. Hardinge to haue founde in the Catholique Learned Fathers Yet I trowe he wil not saie that either the Helue of an Axe or the whole Religion of Christe or a Crosse printed in the foreheade or Martyrdome or the Scriptures or a Vowe of Virginitie or the Breade geuen to the Catechumeni or Praier or Fastinge of Wéepinge or Thirste or Wasshinge of féete are the necessarie seuen Sacramentes of the Churche How be it wée wil not greately striue for the name It appeareth hereby that many thinges that in deede and by special propertie be no Sacramentes maie