Papias Apollinarius Victorinus Tertullianus Irenaeus Lactantius others desended the Heresie of the Chiliastae that saide Christe after the General Iudgemente shoulde dwel here a thousande yeeres togeather vpon the Earthe Irenae us helde that Man at the beginninge when he was firste created was vnperfite Clemens Alexandrinus and Iustinus helde That the Angels fel and effended God in that they desired the companie of Woemen But it shal be in vaine to stande longe herein For of sutche examples there is greate stoare To comme neare the purpose Theophilus calleth Epiphanius Haeresiarcham that is The Grande Captaine and Father of Heretiques Gennadius saith S. Augustine was not far of from being an Heretique S. Hierome writinge vnto S. Augustine saith thus In Epistola tua quaedam Haeretica esse iudicaui I iudged that there were certaine Heretical errours in your Epistle Pope Bonifacius 2. saide that Aurelius the Bishop of Carthage and S. Augustine and other Godly and Learned Fathers in the Councel of Aphrica were prickte on and inspired by the Diuel S. Augustine willeth S. Hierome to acknowledge his erroure and to recante Thus be saithe Accipe Seueritatem Christianam ad illud opus corrigendum atque emendandum ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã vt dicitur Cane Take vnto you Christian Seueritie to correcte and amende that Booke of yours and recante your Erroure Thus mutche I thought good briefely to touche not meaninge thereby to deface the Authoritie of the Aunciente Fathers but sommewhat to open the truthe of M. Hardinges tale and to shewe that these and other like Bishoppes and Fathers notwithstandinge they were Learned and Godly and woorthy Members of the Churche of God yet were they not voide of theire infirmities Erasmus a man of greate Iudgemente saith thus Illis temporibus ingeniosa res fuit esse Christianum In those daies it was a greate pointe of Wisedome to knowe how to be a Christian Man And againe Illa aetate in Chartis erat Fides potiùs quà m in animo ac penè tot erant Symbola quot Professores At that time of the Auncient Fathers the Faith was in Bookes rather then in the Harte And in a manner there were as many sundrie Creedes as there vvere Professours of the Faith Therefore Clemens Alexandrinus saithe the Heathens thus vpbraided the Christians for the striues and dissensions that were emong them Vos Christiani dissidetis inter vos tot Sectas habetis quae licet omnes Christianismi titulum sibi vendicent tamen alia aliam execratur condemnat Quare vestra Religio vera non est nec à Deo originem ducit Yee Christians dissente emonge your selues and mainteine so many Sectes Whiche Sectes notwithstandinge they al Claime the title of Christian Religion Yet one of them curseth and condemneth an other Therefore your Religion is not true nor hath her beginninge or grounde from God The Apologie Cap. 4. Diuision 1. What woulde these menne trowe ye haue saide in those daies Whiche side would they specially then haue takeÌ And whiche would they then haue foresaken Whiche Gospel would they haue beleeued Whom would they haue accoumpted for Heretiques and whom for Catholiques And yet what a stirre and reuel keepe they this daie onely vpon the twoo poore Names of Luther and Zvvinglius Bicause these twoo menne are not yet fully resolued vpon somme one certaine pointe of Doctrine therefore would they needes haue vs thinke that bothe of theÌ were deceiued that neither of them had the Gospel and that neither of them taught the truthe aright M. Hardinge After many thinges by these Defenders alleaged for proufe of Dissension to haue ben amonge the Apostles the faithful people in S. Paules time the Bishops and Holy Fathers of the primitiue Church whereby they woulde perswade if they coulde that theire owne diuision into sectes and dissensions is not a marke of false Doctrine at length as though they had wonne the filde and tried them selues proper men triuÌphing ouer vs as though we had nothing to saie with a great courage thei demauÌde this question of vs whiche though it be but one in effecte yet with a kinde of brauerie they seme to diuide into sundry braÌches and thus they saie VVhat would these men they meane the Papistes then trowe ye haue saide in those daies VVhiche side woulde they then haue taken and whiche woulde they haue foresaken VVhiche Gospel woulde they haue beleeued VVhom woulde they haue accoumpted for Heretikes and whom for Catholikes Touchinge these foure interrogatories if we had then ben aliue beinge of the minde we be nowe of we would haue requirred you with foure answeares of the Holy and moste Learned Father S. Hierome and woulde haue saide as in the like state of times in a Learned Epistle he saide to the Learned Pope Damasus touchinge the Heresies whiche he founde in Syria at his firste cominge thither from Rome Firste Mihi Cathedram Petri fidem Apostolico ore laudatam censui consulendam inde nunc meae animae postulans cibum vnde olim Christi Vestimenta suscepi VVhiche woordes taking vpon me the Person of al Faithful and Catholike folkes thus I Englishe In these controuersies I haue thought good for counsel what I ought to beleeue to repaire to the Chaire of Peter and to the faithe of the Romaine Churche praised by Paule the Apostle owne Mouthe And from thence now require I the foode of my soule from whence I receiued the garmentes of Christe To speake the same more shortely and more plainely In the Catholike Churche I looke to haue the foode of my soule to euerlastinge Life in whiche I was firste Christened Secondely we woulde with him haue saide one speakinge for al directinge our woordes as he did to those that be of the Catholike faithe whom ye cal Papistes Vos estis lux mundi vos sal terrae vos aurea vasa Argentea hâc testacea vasa vel lignea Virgam ferream Aeternum operiuntur incendium Ye are the Light of the VVorlde ye are the Salte of the Earth ye are Golden and Siluerne Vessels here emonge the Gospellers are the Earthen and VVoodden Vessels which must abide the yron Rodde and flame Euerlastinge Thirdly with him one likewise bearing the person of al we would haue saide to Pius the fourth that nowe sitteth in the Peters Chaire as he then saide to Damasus Ego nullum primum nisi Christum sequens beatitudini tuae id est Cathedrae Petri Communione consocior Super illam Petram aedificatam Ecclesiam scio Quicunque extra hanc Domum agnum comederit Prophanus est Si quis in Arca Noë non fuerit peribit regnante Diluuio Makinge none but Christe firste of al whom to folowe I ioine in felowship of Communion with thy holines that is to saie with the see of Peter Vpon that Rocke I knowe the Churche is builded VVho so euer eateth the Lambe without the compasse of this
knoweth that Tertullian speaketh namely and onely of suche Aliens and Strangers as knewe not the Truthe of God Whether of these two woordes it shal like him to leaue vs the sense is al one it forceth nothing If he wil néedes refuse this woorde Ignotus so that he receiue the other woorde Extraneus and graunte that he and his felowes be Strangers to Goddes Truthe it shal be sufficiente Howe be it he addeth farther that they of his side are nowe no Strangers but knowe God as his deare frendes and kinsfolke Euen so saide the Phariseis of them selues Nunquid nos Coeci sumus What be we blinde too But Christe answeared them Yf ye were blinde then had ye no sinne Now ye say that ye see Therefor your sinne remaineth stil And againe I am come to Iudgemente into the worlde that they that see maie be made blinde And againe The Children of the kingdome shal be throwen foorthe into vtter darknesse Yet further M. Hardinge saithe After that the Gospel had benne sounded abroade by the Apostles and theire Successours then was the Truthe nomore a Stranger or a Pilgrime in Earth Whereby he woulde closely conclude that his Churche of Rome can neuer erre But this is too vaine a Paradise For Daniel speakinge of the later daies saithe Veritus prosternetur in âerra The Truthe shal be ouerthrowen in the Earthe Chrysostome saithe Abornihatio Desolationis stabit in Sanctis Locis Ecclesiae The Abomination of desolation shal stande in the Holy places of the Churche S. Augustine saithe Vsque ad huius sâeculi finem inter persecutiones mundi consolationes Dei peregtinando procurrit Ecclesia Vntil the worldes ende the Churche goeth foreward as it were in a Pilgrimage bytweene the persecutions of the worlde and the comfortes of God And againe Tota Ciuitas Dei peregrinatur in terris The whole Cittie of God which is the Churche is a Stranger and a Pilgrime in the Earthe Verily as longe as Satan the Prince of darkenesse is Prince of this world so longe the Truthe of God passeth in this world as a Stranger and beinge emonge Strangers as Tertullian saithe easily findeth enimies is it intreated He saithe further Caeterum vnum hoc gestit ne ignorata damnetur This onely thinge Truthe desireth that noman condemne her before he knowe her The Apologie Cap. 2. Diuision 1. Wherfore we ought to beare it the more quietly whiche haue taken vpon vs to professe the Gospel of Christe if we for the same cause be handled after the same sorte and if we as our Forefathers were longe agoe be likewise at this daye tormented and baited with raylinges with spiteful dealinges and with lies and that for no desert of our owne but onely bicause we teache acknowledge the Truthe M. Hardinge O blessed folowers of the Patriarkes Prophetes Apostles Martires and Christe him selfe that suffer so much persecution in your innocencie hauinge deserued nothinge at all and onely bicause ye acknowledge and teache the Truthe But Sirs by your leaue how foloweth this VVherfore of your former common place so largely treated This is your fowle faulte whiche you make in your Logike Howe proue ye this argument The Truthe is persecuted and the professours of the Truthe haue euer bene euill treated wherefore wee ought to beare it quietly beinge likewise handled for the same cause c. If you make this argument whiche ye seeme priuely to make leauinge out the Minor The professours of the Truthe be persecuted for the Truthes sake wee be professours of the Truthe Therefore we suffer persecution for the Truthes sake Yf ye saye thus we embarre you from your Conclusion by deniynge your Minor whiche ye can neuer proue And if ye reason thus whiche waye also ye seeme to vse The professours of the Truthe suffer persecution VVee suffer persecution Ergo wee are professours of the Truthe VVe graunt your Minor is true but your argument is naught So might all Heretikes saye and by that argument proue them selues right beleuers VVherefore vntil ye proue that ye succede the Patriarkes Prophetes Apostles Martyrs and Christe himselfe in professinge the Truthe boast not as ye doo of your Forefathers For not they whome ye name in your Proeme but Hus VViklese Peter Bruse Berengarius VValdenses Albingenses Donatistes Aëâians Manichees and suche the like Heretikes iustly condemned of the Churche were your Forefathers The B. of Sarisburie M. Hardinge pretendeth Logique and endeth in Sophistrie The argument wée make wherewith he playeth so pleasantly is founded vpon these woordes of Christe The Scholare is not aboue his Maister nor the Seruant aboue his Lorde If they haue persecuted me they wil persecute you Al these thinges shal they doo vnto you for my names sake bicause they knowe neither my Father nor me The Minor is this wée succede the Apostles and Martyrs and are the professours of the Truthe Whiche Minor by M. Hardinges iudgement we can neuer proue But Goddes holy name be blessed for euer The greatest parte of Christendome this daye seeth this Minor is true and that bothe we are the professours of Goddes knowen Truthe and you the professours of manifest salsehed Touchinge the Donatistes and Manichees and al other like condemned Heretiques and Heresies we vtterly abhorre them euen as the gates of Hel. As for Iohn Wicklese Iohn Husse Valdo and the reste for ought wée knowe I beleue settinge malice aside for ought you know they were godly menne Theire greatest Heresie was this that they complained of the dissolute and vitious liues of the Cleregie of woorshippinge of Images offeined Miracles of the tyraÌnical pride of the Pope of Monkes Freeres Partans Pilgrimages and Purgatorie and other like deceiuinge and mockinge of the people and that they wisshed a reformation of the Churche Wée succede not them nor beare theire names Wée succede him whose woorde wée professe whose woorde M. Hardinge they of your side haue so often condemned and vnder a colour of false Translation haue burnte for Heresie Hereof we fourme our argument in this sorte Christe the Sonne of God was persecuted carried as a Lauuye vnto the Slauterhouse for speakyng the Truthe Therefore it behooueth vs for the same cause sufferinge the like to take it with patieuce So saithe S. Peter Christe died for vs leauing vs an example that we should folowe his steppes If wee suffer patiently for dooinge wel this thinge is thankes woorthy before God So the holy Father and Martyr Ignatius comforted him selfe when he was in the middes of his tormentes laÌ incipio esse Discipulus Christi Now beginne I to be Christes Disciple So Tertullian Quid debeo nisi sanguinem quem pro me fudit Filius Dei What thinge owe I els but the Bloude whiche the Sonne of God hath shedde for me The like comforte in like cases Christe geueth to his Disciples Reioice ye saithe he and he gladde for your rewarde is greate in Heauen For
geue Sentence in any mater coÌtrarie to the Popes pleasure yet it séemeth we are bound to stand to the Iudgement of the Pope as M. Hardinge saithe That the Pope what so euer he saie or doo as beinge Pope can neuer erre These other the like be the Priuileges that the Pope claimeth vnto him selfe Al which the Bishoppes are bound by oths by theire allegeance to defend against al menne aliue Now where you say that Bishoppes onely haue Sentence Definitiue in the Councel ye seeme willingly without cause to reporte Untruthe For Pius Secundus being him selfe a Pope would haue tolde you the contrarie These be his woordes Apparet alios quam Episcopos in Concilijs habuisse vocem decidentem It is plaine that certaine others biside Bishoppes had voice Definitiue in the Councelles Likewise saithe Gerson Etiam ad Laicos hoc potest extendi plus aliquando quà m ad multos ClericoruÌ This Priuilege of geuing SenteÌce in Councel may be extended euen vnto yââaye sort yea and that ofteÌtimes better then vnto many Priestes But here of herafter ãâã at large But whether we be Bishoppes or no M. Harding is no competent nor indissereÌt Iudge For who so wil Iudge vprightly must be voide of anger hatred loue enuie other like affections Whiche Sentence being otherwise profane is vsed halowed by the Apostolique Legates in the Councel of Trident Surely the Godly say that as your Bishoppes doo no part of Bishoppes dewtie therefore in déede are no Bishoppes at al so your late Couente at Trident what so euer glorious name it pleaseth you to geue it yet notwithstanding in déede verily was no Councel Whether Pope Iulius by his Bulie vtterly embarred the Diuines Embassadours of the Princes and frée Citties of Germanie from al audience Disputation in the Councel or no I report me to Pope Iulius owne Bulle touching the same His woordes be these Eriâ ConciliuÌ vt qui temerè loquuti sunt aut dicta recantatââi veniant aut eorum maudita causa in executionem iam ordinatarum ConstitutionuÌ Haeretici declarentur condemnenturi There shal be a Councel that they thââ haue spoken rashly either may recante theire saieinges or els without farther hearing or reasoning of the mater they may be denounced and condemned for Heretiques according to the Constitutions already mode Likewise saithe Iohn Sleidane touchinge the Conference had some time at Augusta In Colloquio frequenter ad initium actionis hoc dicebantinolle se vel tantillum de Opinione Doctrina sua decedere sed quicquid facerent eo fieri vt in sententiam suà m nos adducerent In the Conference yâ was had bitwene vs and them they told vs at the firste that they would not yelde one whit from theire Opinion and Doctrine But that what so euer they did they did it onely to the intent to bring vs to theire Judgement I could farther allege Matthias Flacius Illyricus Iohannis Fabritius Montanus Petrus Paulus Vergerius the Bishop of Iustinopolis to like purpose But perhaps M. Hardinge would refuse theire Authorities cal them partial Yet in a mater so euident so openly knowen it had ben great folie for them to dissemble Illyricus saithe Nostri audiri non potuerunt quamuis id Amplissimi Caesaris Legati Orarent Our Diuines and Oratours coulde is no wise bee hearde notwithstandinge the Emperours moste woorthie Embassadours hadde desired it Iohannes Fabritius saithe Fateor extensionem fuctam esse ad alias nationes Sed tamen additur eam formam non nisi ad illos pertineâe qui resipiscere ad Ecclesiae gremium redire velint I graunt the Saue conduite was extended to other Nations But it is added withal that the same fourme or libertie should perteine to none others but onely to them that would repeâte and returne to the bosome of the Churche And againe he saith Tantum aburant ab Aâce DisputationÌ vt ne ad vestibulum quidem accedere potuerint The Diuines of the Princes of Germanie were kept so for of from the high Castel of Disputation that they could not be suffered to approche to the entrie Petrus Paulus Uergerius saithe that the Bishop of Uegla in Dalmatia was ãâã shaken vp in the same ãâã and threatened with Depriuation and other extremities onely for a litle inâling of the Truthe Now dâ it what ãâ¦ã Authorities Noman is herein so plaine and ãâ¦ã M. Hardinge him selfe This is his determinate answeare and ful resolution in the case Your reason ãâã no more to be hearde onlesse ye repente and ãâã your er rours ⪠Againe Our doctrine hath ben approued too longeth be put a ãâã in these daies Againe ââââche wicked ãâã as ye haue made ie it is lanful to make neither ãâ¦ã Councel not without Councel Againe vve tel you that your change of religion and ãâ¦ã Heresies ought not be haue benne ãâã nor without the Bishop of ãâã commanndemente nor with his commaundemente These be your woordes M. Hardinge This you say you tel vs plainelyâand therefore I trowe we must beleue you And so ye séeme to conclude with the woordes written in the Pââyhete Hieremie Non audiemus Verbum quod loquissus es nobis in nomine Domini sed faciendo faciemus omne verbuÌ quod egredietur ex oâe nostââ VVe wil not beare the VVoorde that thou hast spoken to vs in the name of the Lorde But we wil doo euery Woord that shal come from our owne mouthe Was may therefore say of you ãâ¦ã Augustine sometimes saide of the Heretiques the Donatistes Cùm omnis ãâã suspensa expectares in tanta collectione quid ãâ¦ã ageretuâ Quare hoc nisi quia causam suam malam sciebant facillime se posse conuinâi si ageretur dubitare non poterant When euery body was looking carefully what should be doone in so great Assemblie they The Donatistes Heretiques laboured what they could that nothing vtterly should be doone And why for They knewâtheire cause was nâught and could not doubte but that if any conference or Disputation should be had they should soone be reproued The Apologie Cap. 6. Diuision 2. And although S. Hierome would haue no body to be patient when he is suspected of Heresie yet we wil deale herein neither bitterly nor brablingly nor yet be caried away with angre heate though he ought to be reckened neither bitter nor brabler yâ speaketh yâ Truth We willingly leaue this kind of eloquence to our Aduersaries who what so euer they say against vs be it neuer so shrewdly or despitefully said yet thinke it is said modestly comely yenough care nothing whether it be true or false We neede none of these shiftes which do maintaine the Truthe Further if we do shewe it plainely yâ God 's Holy Gospel yâ Auncient Bishoppes and the Primitiue Churche do wake on our side that we
be confounded Of Abailard and Almarik and certaine other your strange names wée haue no skil They are none of ours Of Iohn Hus Hierome of Prage and Berengarius and other like vertuous Learned men wée haue no cause to be ashamed Theire Doctrine standeth stil and encreaseth daily bicause it is of God But as for yours bicause it is onely of your selues therefore it falleth daily and is now forsaken the worlde through You saie that the simple namè of Secte or Heresie wherewith S. Paule was charged was not so infamous or odious in those daies and that Tertullian called the Religion of Christe a Secte or Heresie without any manner blemmishe or note of euil It was néedelesse for M. Harding to auouche Vntruthe so earnestly without cause I graunte the name of Heresie or Secte emonge the Philosophers was not infamous Cicero saithe Cato in ea Haeresi est quae nullum sequitur florem Orationis But in case of Religion it was euermore emongst al men taken in il parte and condemned and coumpted odious Touchinge S. Paule in howe good parte the Iewes called him Heretique it may easily appeare by these woordes of Tertullus his accuser Inuenimus hunc virum pestilentem mouentem seditionem omnibus Iudaeis per vniuersum orbem ac Principem Sectae Nazaraeorum We haue founde this man to be a Pestilent and a wicked felowe mouinge sedition emonge the Jewes throughout the whole worlde and a Captaine of the Heresie of the Nazareines In sutche good parte they saide vnto Christe Arte thou greater then was our Father Abraham Thou arte a false Prophete and deceiuest the People Thou arte a Samaritane and hast the Diuel The like good parte Christ promised afore hande to his Disciples They shal caste you out of theire Synagoges Ye shal be hated of al men for my names sake In sutche good parte and meaninge was S. Paule called an Heretique And so M. Hardinge bisides others your owne Doctour Nicolaus Lyra would soone haue tolde you But muche more I marueile ye should so vnaduisedly saye that Tertullian called the Christian people a Secte or Heresie in good parte and as you saye without any blemishe or note of euil For the same Tertullian in the same Apologie saithe the Heathens commonly called the Christians Incestos Homicidas Infanticidas Sacrilegos Pessimos Nocentissimos Publicum odium Hostes humani generis Omnium Scelerum reos Deorum Imporatorum Legum Morum Naturae totius inimicos Aduouterours against kinde Mankillers killers of Children Churcherobbers moste wicked moste husteful the publique hatred the enemies of Mankinde guiltie of al kinde of wickednesse Enimies against the Goddes against the Emperours against the Lawes against good order against Nature it selfe Where so euer they sawe them they made an outcrie vpon them Christianos ad Leonem Non licet esse Christianos Haue these Christians to the Lion It is not lawful these Christians shoulde liue So S. Augustine saithe Factum est vulgi Prouerbium Pluuia defecit cause Christianorum It is nowe become a common Prouerbe emonge the people our raine faileth vs bicause of these Christians So Eusebius saithe the Religion of Christe was called Impiorum Christianorum Haeresis The Heresie of the Godlesse Christians These woordes M. Hardinge I trowe were neuer vttered without al manner blemishe and note of euil S. Hierome saithe Quod magis mirum sit etiam illud de Actibus Apostolorum videtur esse relegendum Fidem nostram in Christum EcclesiasticaÌ DisciplinaÌ iam tunc à peruersis hominibus Haeresim nuncupatam And that wee maye the more marueile wee maye once againe reade this place of the Actes of the Apostles where we finde that the Christian Faithe and Ecclesiastical Discipline was euen then of wicked menne called on Heresie Euen as rightly M. Hardinge and vpon as good groundes you haue againe this daye condemned the same Gospel of Christe and in ans good parte meaninge haue called it Heresie But wée maye truely and simply saye with S. Paule Accordinge to this Secte whiche you calle Heresie wee woorship the God of our Fathers whiche is the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christe The Apologie Cap. 8. Diuision 1. But the more sore and outragious a crime Heresie is the more it ought to be proued by plaine stronge argumentes especially in this time when menne beginne to geue lesse credite to theire woordes to make more diligent searche of their Doctrine then thei were wonte to doo For the people of God are otherwise instructed nowe then they were in times paste when al the Bishoppes of Romes Saieinges were allowed for Gospel and when al Religion did depende onely vpon theire Authoritie Nowe a dayes the Holy Scripture is abroade the writinges of the Apostles and Prophetes are in Printe whereby al Truthe and Catholique Doctrine maye be prooued and al Heresie maye be disproued and confuted M. Hardinge VVhere ye require your Heresie for so muche as it is so hainous a crime by plaine and stronge are gumentes to be prooued it is not vnfoowen how sufficiently and substantially that is perfoormed already by men of excellent learninge as wel of this age as of times paste VVas not Berengarius the first Author of your Sacramentarie Heresie by most plaine and stronge argumentes confuted of Lanfrancus B. of Canturbury and Guinundus B. of Auersa VVere not the Peterbrusians so whose Heresie ye holde against the Blessed Sacrifice of the Masse of the learned Abbot Petrus Cluniaccensis VVas not VVicklef so of Thomas VValden a learned man of Englande hathe not Luther and Oeclampadius benne so confuted in our time of that Holy and learned Father Bishop Fisher But whatshal I speake of particular men were they newer so excellent by whome they haue benne confuted sithe by Publike sentence of the Churche they haue bene condemned bothe in General and Prouincial Councels Therefore we thinke it not noede no we againe to prooue your doctrine so sufficiently condemnèd to be Heresie That the people be no we otherwise instructed then they were in times paste we confesse But whether better nowe then in our Forefathers dayes they that can consider the liues of them no we and of them that were then maye easily Indge The saieinges of the Bishop of Rome were neuer allowed for the Gospel His priuate sayinges and common talke might be erroneous notesse then other mennes But what he saith by waie of iudgement and sentence definitiue in doubteful pointes touchinge Religion suche saieinges of Peters successour for whome Christe prayed that his Faithe might not faile and who was commaunded by Christe to strengthen his Brethren we take for Truthe and the same obediently receiue So the Fathers assembled in Councel at Chalcedon receiued and agreed to the sayinge and writinge of Pope Leo nolesse then if Peter the Apostle and firste Bishop of Rome him selfe had spoken The Popes auctoritie we acknowledge
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
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
beare his owne guilte M. Caluine M. Martyr M. Musculus M. Bullinger and others whom you cal the Faithful Brothers of Englande misliked that enterprise and wrote againste it Wée knowe that God hath determined this mater longe sithence For thus he saith Si Homo moriatur absque Filio ad Filiam eius transibit Haereditas If a Man die without a Sonne his enheritance shal passe vnto his Daughter And S. Augustine saithe Lata est Romae Lex illa Voconia Ne quis Haeredem Foeminam faceret nec Vnicam Filiam Qua Lege quid iniquis dici aut cogitari possit ignoro There was a Lawe made in Rome called Lex Voconia That noman should conueie his Enheritaunce vnto a vvoman no not vnto his onely Daughter Then vvhiche Lavve I knovve not vvhat maie be more vvickedly thought or spoken But God be thanked that of his Mercie hath nowe raised vp vnto vs a Woman of sutche Wisedome Learninge Clemencie Grauitie Iudgement Gouernement and other Noble and Princely Vertues as haue not benne seene in many menne God encrease her dayly with his Holy Sprite and make her and olde Mother in Israel Amen Of your sturdy blastes and Secrete breathinges M. Hardinge I wil saie nothinge Yée maie yet remember whiche of your companie it was yâ in the time of that Noble Prince of Blessed Memorie Kinge Edvvarde the .6 saide in open Parlamente Woe be to that Kingedome the Prince whereof is a Childe And afterwarde séeinge yâ Queenes Maiestie that nowe is placed in her estate boldely openly confessed a greate euersighte and mutche folie in your former dooinges for that in the late time of your vnruely gouernmente ye had hewen downe the boughes leafte the Stocke standinge stil Goddes Secrete Prouidence M. Hardinge breathed againste you and confounded your dooinges Power onely ye lacked but good wil yée lacked none M. Hardinge For answeare to all this ye ioine your selues with Christe and his Apostles as though yee were gilty herein no more then they Presumptuously saide But the matter is not so answeared And yet yee runne at large in that common place and very vainely or rather Luciferlike compare your selues with the Apostles But Sirs staie here runne no farther Yee are soone stopped The case is not like pardie These be but your woordes In the Apostles was the Truthe in deede so was it in the Holy Prophetes and those firste Blessed men of the Churche The Truthe yee boaste and crake so muche of is not that Truthe Talke lesse like Rhetoricians and proue vs that yee haue Truthe like honest men And then talke on But that can ye neuer doo so longe as ye remaine out of the Churche and ennemies to the Churche But what spende I woordes in vaine Your hartes be hardened your Eies be blinded your Eares be stopped The B. of Sarisburie Here is profounde stuffe M. Hardinge for a Doctour of DIuinitie To answeare you with your owne vaine woordes in deede ye spende your woordes in vaine The Apologie Cap. 4. Diuision 2. Fourtie yeeres agoe and vpwarde it was an easy thinge for them to diuise against vs these accursed speaches other too soarer then these when in the middest of the darkenesse of that age firste beganne to springe and to geeue shine somme one glimmeringe beame of Truthe vnknowen at that time and vnhearde of when also Martine Luther and Hulderike Zvvinglius beinge most excellente menne euen sente of God to geeue lighte to the whole worlde firste came vnto the knowlege and preachinge of the Gospel when as yet the thinge was but newe and the successe thereof vncertaine and when mens mindes stoode doubtful and amased and their eares open to al sclaunderous tales and when there coulde bee imagined againste vs no facte so detestable but the people then woulde soone beleeue it for the noueltie and strangenesse of the matter For so did Symmachus so did Celsus so did Iulianus so did Porphyrius the olde foes to the Gospel attempte in times past to accuse al Christians of Sedition and Treason before that either Prince or people were able to knowe who those Christians were what thei professed what they beleeued or what was their meaninge M. Hardinge As ye runne foorthe your race and with lieinge amplification boaste and bragge of the Truthe of your Doctrine and of the Innocencie of your demeanour yee fall into a greate inconuenience and ouersighte VVas the lighte extinguished in all Israell till that lewde Friere came and Zwinglius the swarte Rutter Shall we now change the olde songe of Micheas the Prophete Out of Sion shal come the Lawe and the woorde of our Lorde from Ierusalem and singe a new Songe Out of VVittenberg is come the Gospel and the woorde of the Lorde from Zurich and Geneua If Luther and Zwinglius firste came to the knowledge and preachinge of the Gospel what meante Christe to breake his promise who saide I wil be with you al daies til the ende of the worlde Againe howe forgate ye the olde prouerbe a lier it behoueth to be mindeful Remember ye not howe this is contrary to al your owne Doctrine For saie ye not other where 's that God had alwaies his number of the electe and his inuisible Churche Therefore this muste ye recante and cal backe againe or els shal ye pul al the rable of sundry your owne sectes vpon your shoulders whose filthy railinges and vile vpbraidinges poore soules ye shal neuer be able to abide The B. of Sarisburie It is not woorthe the while to answeare him that saithe nothinge Sion from whence ye saie the Lawe of God issued firste was in those daies as mutche disdeigned of you Fathers as is this daie of your Geneua or Wittenberg Origen saith of Celsus the Heathen Christianum Dogma affirmat à Barbaris cepisse ortum hoc est à Iudaeis He saithe that the Christian Faith tooke her first beginning from Barbarous people that is to saie from the Ievves Cicero saithe Iudaei Syri Gentes natae seruituti The Ievves and Syrians Nations borne to Bondage And Chrysostome speaking of Iulianus the Renegate saith thus Galilaeos nos pro Christianis in Edictis suis appellauit In his proclamatioÌs in the steede of Christians he called vs scornefully Galileans Notinge thereby the vilenesse of the place from whence the Gospel of Christe firste proceded But Nazianzene saith Honora paruam Bethleem quae te induxit in Paradisum Despise not but rather Honour that litle Bethleem that hath leadde thee into Paradise The sounde of this simple Barbarous despised people was hearde throughout the whole worlde God causeth his Light to shine out of the Darke His Holy Sprite breatheth where he thinketh good He hath no regarde of Personnes or choise of places but as S. Peter saide vnto Cornelius In euery Nation who so euer feareth him and woorketh righteousnesse is accepted before him God chuseth the weake
of Sisters and Brothers there wanted not menne whiche forged false tales vpon the same saieinge that the Christians made no difference amonge them selues either of age or of kinde but like brute beastes without regarde had to doo one with an other And whereas to praie and to heare the Gospel they mette often togeather in secrete and byplaces bicause Rebelles sometime were woonte to doo yâ like therefore Rumours were euery were spreadde abroade that they made priuie confederacies tooke counsel togeather either to kil the Magistrates or to subuerte the Common Wealthe And whereas in Celebratinge the Holy Mysteries after Christes Institution they tooke Breade and VVine thei were therefore thought of many to woorship not Christe but Bacchus and Ceres for somuche as those vaine Goddes were woorshipped of the Heathen in like sorte after a prophane Superstition with Breade VVine These thinges were beleeued of many not bicause thei were true in deede for what coulde be more vntrue but bicause they were like to bee true and through a certaine shadowe of truthe mighte the more easily deceiue the simple On this fashon likewise doo these menne sclaunder vs as Heretiques and saie that wee haue leafte the Churche and Felowship of Christe not bicause thei thinke it is true for they doo not mutche force of that but bicause to ignoraunte folke it mighte perhaps somme waie appeare true Wee haue in deede put oure selues aparte not as Heretiques are woonte from the Churche of Christe but as al good menne oughte to doo from the infection of naughty personnes and Hypocrites Neuerthelesse in this pointe they triumphe maruciloully that they bee the Churche that their Churche is Christes Spouse the Piller of Truthe the Arke of Noe and that without it there is no hope of Saluation Contrariewise they saie that wee bee Renegates that we haue torne Christes seate that wee are plucked quite of from the Body of Christe haue foresaken the Catholique Faithe And when they leaue nothinge vnspoken that maie neuer so falsely and malitiousây be saide againste vs yet this one thinge are they neuer hable truely to saie that we haue swarued either from the Woorde of God or from the Apostles of Christe or from the Primitiue Churche Surely wee haue euer iudged the Primitiue Churche of Christes time of the Apostles and of the Holy Fathers to be the Catholique Churche neither make wee doubte to name it Noes Arke Christes Spouse the Piller and vpholder of al Truthe nor yet to fixe therein the whole meane of oure Saluation It is doubtlesse an odious mater for one to leaue the felowship whereunto he hathe benne accustomed and specially of those menne whoe though they be not yet at leaste seeme to be and be called Christians And to saie truely wee doo not despise the Churche of these men how so euer it be ordered by them now a daies partely for the names sake it selfe and partely for that the Gospel of Iesus Christe hath once benne therein truely and purely set âoorthe Neither had we departed therefrom but of very necessitie and mutche againste our willes M. Hardinge VVee graunt that in olde time slaunders were made vpon the Faithefull But no like slaunder is made by vs vpon you in the matter whereof ye speake For let vs graunt that ye haue in deede put your selues aparte and are gone from the contagion of naughtie persons and Hypocrites This is the very thinge we laie to your charge For though we were suche as for a great number ye shall neuer be able to prooue yet by Christes owne sentence ye muste doo that whiche they that sit in the chaire of Moses bid you doo although they be Hypocrites as the Scribes and Phariseis were of whome Christe spake c. But it shal be inoughe for you to doo as the Successours of Peter bid you to doo and so to folowe their saieinges and not their dooinges The Primitiue Churche is continewed with our time by the Successours of S. Peter for whose Faithe neuer to faile Christe praied and whome onely he made Shepeherde to feede all his Flocke of Sheepe and Lambes Christe now requireth of you not to obeie Peter and Paule but to obeie him who sitteth in their chaire VVhere ye saie it is an odious matter to forsake vs and yet haue foresaken vs where ye confesse that ye despise not the Churche we be of and yet graunt that ye haue departed from it how standeth this togeather Remember ye what ye saie Knowe ye what ye doo VVho will regarde your woorde whiche with one breathe saie and vnsaie If it be odious why doo ye it If ye despise not the Churche why departe ye from it The B. of Sarisburie Christe saithe The Scribes and Phariseis sitte in Moses Chaire Doo that they saie but doo not that they doo Ergo saie you Wee maie not departe awaie from the Pope How so euer it fare with your Conclusion M. Hardinge verily in your premisses yée compare the Pope and his Cardinalles with the Scribes and Phariseis And yet the Scribes and Phariseis sate in the Chaire and taught the Lavve Your Pope and Cardinalles sitte stil and teache nothinge Notwithstandinge let vs wel allowe of this Comparison Ye maie remember that Christe also saithe Woe be vnto you yee Scribes and Phariseis that shutte vp the Kingedome of Heauen before menne and neither doo you enter in your selues nor wil you suffer other that faine woulde enter Woe be vnto you yee blinde Guides Woe be vnto you that haue taken awaie the keie of Knovvledge Likewise he saithe of them vnto his Disciples Beware of the leauen of the Scribes and Phariseis Let them goe Blinde they are and the Leaders of the blinde To sitte in Moses Chaire was truely and rightly to instructe the people and to open vnto them the Lawe of Moses S. Augustine saithe Hoc ipsum quòd bona dicebant ea quae dicebant vtiliter audiebantur fiebant non erat ipsorum Cathedram enim inquit Mosi sedent That they spake good thinges vnto the people and that the thinges that they saide were profitable to the hearers and dooers of the same it was not of them selues For Christe saithe They sitte vpon Moses Chaire Againe he saithe Sedendo super Cathedram Mosis legem Dei docent Ergo per illos Deus docet Sua verò illi si velint docere nolite audire nolite facere Certè enim tales sua quaerunt non quae Iesu Christi Sittinge vpon Moses Chaire they teache the Lawe of God Therefore it is God that teacheth by the meane of them But if they wil teache you thinges of their owne then heare them not then doo it not For certainely sutche menne seeke their owne and not the thinges that perteine to Christe Jesus Ye sée therefore M. Hardinge wée are bounde to heare the Pope and his Cardinalles and other like Scribes and Phariseis not absolutely or without
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
swaie of Authoritie doo wreaste the Scriptures which thing as camotensis saith is an vsual custome with the Popes Howe if he haue renounced the Faithe of christe becoÌme an Apostata as Lyranus saithe many Popes haue benne And yet for al this shal the Holy Ghoste with turninge of a hande knocke at his breaste and euen whether he wil or no yea and wholy againste his wil kindle him a light so as he maie not erre Shal he streight waie be the Headespring of al Right and shal al the treasures of Wisdome Vnderstanding be found in him as it were laide vp in stoare Or if these thinges be not in him can he geeue a right and apte iudgemente of so weighty maters Or if he be not hable to iudge woulde he haue that those maters shoulde be brought before him alone M. Hardinge To your howe ifs and what ifs I coulde sone make an answeare by the contrary And Sir how if the Pope haue sene al these thinges the Scriptures Fathers and Councels VVhat haue you then to saie Is not your tale then at an ende VVere your matter good and your selfe wise you woulde nor so commonly vse that weake kirde of reasoning But to a number of your how ifs and what ifs for the readers sake to put awaie al seruple I geue you this answeare Gods wisedome as the Scripture saithe disposeth al thinges sweetly and in one instant forseeth the ende and meanes that be necessary to the end If he promise any man life euerlasting withal he geueth him grace also to do good dedes whereby to obteine the same VVhom he hath glorified saith S. Paule theÌ he hath iustified and called So whereas he hath by force of his praier made to the Father promised to Peter and for the safetie of the Churche to euery Peters Successour that his faithe shal not faile and therfore hath willed him to confirme his brethren that is to remoue al doubtes and errours from them we are assured he wil geue him sutche witte diligence learninge and vnderstandinge as this firmnes and infallibilitie of faithe and confirminge of brethren requireth Shal we stande in doubte whether that happeneth in thinges supernatural whiche we see to be in thinges natural that who geueth the ende he geueth also thinges that perteine to the atteininge of the ende If God woulde promise vs abundance of corne for the nexte yeere to come what were more folish then to doubte and saie like to this Defender howe if and what if men wil not til the grounde nor so we any seede Doubtles if they so we they shal reepe if they sowe not neither shal they reepe But what VVe maie gather of the promise of God that we shal haue not onely faier and ceasonable wether wherby the fruites of the earth maie proue plentiful but also that the husbandmen shal emploie theire endeuour paines and labour For the abundance of corne so promised shal not be geuen but to sutch as til so we and truail Euen so wheras Christe hath promised to the Successours of Peter firmnes of Faithe to the Apostles and theire Successours the spirite of Truthe and likewise to Councels gathered in his name we muste perswade our selues that nothinge shal wante necessary for the controuersies touchinge faithe to be decided That you saie of Liberius the Pope is starke fâlse He neuer fauoured the Arians The moste ye can finde againste him is that he was compelled by the greate persecution of Constantius the Emperoure to subscribe to the Arians Neither is that by the Aunciente writers of the Ecclesiastical stories constantly affirmed but of the chiefe of them not spoken of where moste occasion was to signifie it if it had so ben of some denied of some mentioned not as true but as a false rumoure bruted abroade of him By whiche rumour it semeth S. Hierome was deceiued remaininge in the Easte farre from the places where the Truth might more certainely be knowen But were it true that he subscribed as Peter denied Christ yet beinge done for lacke of Charitie and not by erroure in faith wel might that facte be slaunderous to the Churche but it was not a decre made in fauour of the Arians neither to confirme that heresie That you reporte of Pope Iohn the 22. is likewise moste false The worste that Marsilius of Padua and VVilliam Ockam Heretikes wrote of him to flatter the Emperour Lidouicus of Bauaria is that he had taught openly whiche also is referred to the time before he was Pope that the soules of the iuste see not God vntil the daie of iudgemente That he had a wicked and a detestable opinion of the immortalitie of the soule there was no sutche his opinion but it is your false slaunder by whiche your wicked and detestable malice imagined to deface the Churche and specially the Auctoritie of the holy See Apostolike No storie of any estimation mentioneth that he was of that firste opinion after he came to be Pope much lesse that he gaue any definitiue sentence of such matter But contrariwise when as he prepared him selfe to goe to the definition of that question concerninge the seeinge of God whiche iuste soules haue before the daie of iudgement as Benedictus theleuenth in sua extrauagante saieth he was preuented by death so as he might not do it You belte Zosimus be corrupted not the Councel of Nice But signified to the Bishops of Aphrike assembled in Councel at Carthage the Truthe concerninge the Canons of the Nicene Councel The same maie be proued by Iulius the first by the Epistle of Athinasius and other Bishops of Egypt Thebats and Libya written to Marcus the Pope of the Original of the 72. Canons of the Nicene Councel that remained in safe custodie in the Churche of Rome subscribed with the handes of the Fathers that at the same Councel were present And what credite was to be geuen to the contrary informatioÌ of only twenty Canons that was retourned from the Bishops of Constantinople and Alexandria when Hereikes before had burned the Bookes where the whole number was conteined and lefte but those twenty that al Bookes nowe commonly haue If we shoulde alleage Camotensis and Lyre you woulde cal them the blacke garde and set litle by them First she we vs where they haue that you alleage out of them M Iuel alleageth that of Canotensis in an other place But where it is he kepeth it to him selfe and of him selfe it is likely it proceded For his dealinge is sutche as any false practise in respecte of him maie seme credible Albeit what worshipful Doctour ye meane by Camotensis I knowe not Peraduenture ye meane Carnotensis otherwise called Iuo I haue cause to gesse that so it should be And yet foure Bookes of sundry Printes bothe Englishe and Latine so haue If there be any sutche as I suppose there is not he is
harde mater for your Pope out of his owne garde to make sutche Patriarkes yenough one for Hierusalem an other for Constantinople an other for Alexandria an other for Antioche an other for Sidon an other for Tyrus and I marueile if there be not somme Patriarke one or other for Sodome and Gomorre These poore Holy and Hongry Fathers are contented at al times to yelde theire submissions and to sette theire handes to what so euer they shal be required and in the names of those Countries that they scareely ouer hearde of to confesse the Pope their maister to be al more then al. With sutche daine shewes and visaâdes it pleaseth you to smoothe the worlde It yee doubte hereof yée maie easily finde that one Augustinus de Roma in your late Councel of BauÌle hare the name of the Archebishop of Nazareth in lurie Likewise that one Petrus Paludensis a poore Fréere Obsernante not long sithence bare the name of the Patriarke of Hierusalem But what néede moe Examples Your own Ceremoniarie of Rome telleth you thus Consucueruni Autiqui ponere Patriarchas quatuor Ecclesiarum Principalium inter Episcopos Cardinales mixtim Nostro tempore ponuntur immediatè post Cardinales Sunt enim quodammodo ' Titulares They were woonte in olde times to place the Patriarkes of the foure Principal Churches togeather with the Cardinal Bishoppes one with an other But nowe adaies they are placed nexte beneathe al the Cardinalles For in a manner they haue nowe nothinge els but the names of Patriarkes It is moste certaine that the Christian Patriarkes and Bishoppes of those Countries wil neither Communicate with the Pope either in Sacramentes or in Praiers nor any wise yéeld to his Authoritie nor geue any manner of honoure or reuerence to his personne nomore then to Machomete or Antichrist as I haue sufficiently shewed before Touchinge the Number of Bishoppes presente at your Former Assemblie at Tridente I referre mee selfe to the Recordes of the same If yée finde there more then Fourtie Bishoppes I am coÌtent to lose my credite And yet of the same number Blinde sir Roberte of Scotland as I haue said before M. Pates of England were seely poore Bishoppes God knoweth endewed onely with bare names without Bishoprikes In your later Assemblie twoo of your Holy Fathers were staine there presently in Aduouterie By meane of whiche misfortune your number by so mutche was abated These be the greate woorthies of the worlde These Cornelius Bitontinus one of the same Companie calleth the Starres of the Churches and the Mighty Armie of Goddes Angelles These haue power to determine maters that thei neuer vnderstoode by Authoritie onely but not by knowledge Alphonsus de Castro as I haue shewed you before saithe thus It is certaine that somme Popes be so voide of Learninge that they vnderstande not the Grammare Rules Erasmus speakinge of sundrie the greate Learned of your side saithe thus Sibi videntur Semidei miro supercilio prae se despicientes Grammaticos Qui si Grammaticae litassent non ad hunc modum se pueris deridendos propinarent They thinke them selues halfe Goddes and with high lookes thei despise poore Grammariens But if they had wel Learned their Grammare thei woulde not offer sutche occasions that children and babes should scorne at theire folie Concerninge the whole mater your Doctours of Sorbona in Parise haue concluded thus Vt Concilium legitimè congregetur sufficit quo'd solennitas forma luris solenniter sit seruata Quia si quis trahere velit hoc in disputationem vtrùm Praelati qui ibi sedent habeant Rectam Intentionem vtrùm sint Docti vtrùm habeant Scientiam Sacrarum Literarum animum obediendi Sanae Doctrinae esset processus in infinitum That the Councel be lawfully assembled it is sufficient that yâ Solemnitie and fourme of Lawe be solemnely obserued For if a man would caste doubtes whether the Bishoppes that sitte in Councel haue a good Meaninge and whether they be Learned and whether they be skilful in the Scriptures and whether they haue a minde to obeie sounde Doctrine or no then wee should neuer make an ende These be they M. Hardinge to whom yée woulde haue vs to géeue care what so euer thei saie euen as to the Secretaries of the Holy Ghoste But S. Augustine saithe Ecclesiae inter nos agitur causa non mea Ecclesia in nullo homine spem ponere à suo didicit Redemptore It is the Churches cause that wee talke of it is not mine The Churche hath learned of her Redeemer to put no truste in any man The Apologie Cap. 18. Diuision 1. How so euer it bee the truthe of the Gospel of Iesus Christe dependeth not vpon Councelles nor as S. Paule saithe vpon the Iudgementes of Mortal Creatures And if they whiche ought to be careful for Goddes Churche wil not be wife but slacke their duetie and harden their hartes againste God and his Christe goeinge on stil to peruerte the right waies of the Lorde God wil stirre vp the very stones make children and babes cunninge that there maie euer be somme to confute these mennes lies The B. of Sarisburie Hereto M. Hardinge answeareth nothinge els but thus The Councel is the Schoole of Truthe The Bishoppes cannot foreslowe their dueties The Churche of Rome cannot erre Whiche tales wee haue so often and not without wearinesse hearde already Petrus de Palude emongest other your Doctours saithe Non est credendum Ecclesiam Romanam errasse à Fide Ipsa enim potest è contrario cum Christo dicere Ego Testimonium perhibeo de meipsa Testimonium meum verum est No man maie beleue that the Churche of Rome maie erre from the Faithe Contrarywise that Churche maie saie with Christe I beare vvitnesse of mee selfe And my vvitnesse is iuste and true Therefore so longe as the Churche of Rome can speake for her selfe there is no doubte but al is wel The Apologie Cap. 18. Diuision 2. For God is able not onely without Councelles but also wil the Councelles nil the Councelles to maintaine and anaunce his owne Kingedome Ful many be the thoughtes of mans harr saith Salomon but the Counsel of the Lorde abideth stedfast There is no vvisedome there is no knovvledge there is no counsel against the Lorde Thinges endure not saithe Hilarius that be set vp vvith mannes vvorkemanship By an other manner of meanes muste the Churche of God be buiided and preserued For that Churche is grounded vpon the Fundation of the Apostles and Prophetes and is holden faste togeather by one corner stone vvhiche is Christe Iesus M. Hardinge VVhere ye saie that by an other manner of meanes the Churche of God must be builded and preserued shewe vs what other meanes they are and we must saie ye are very cunninge men who correct I will not saie Magnificat but Christes owne ordinaunce for gouernemente of his Churche who hath ordeined Apostles
he hath better remembred him selfe that the saide Oza was not a Kinge but onely a Prophete And yet yewis a childe could haue tolde him that the same Oza was neither King nor Prophete but onely a Leuite Let him looke better on his bookes and he shal finde it Howe be it I woulde not that either M. Hardinge or M. Dorman shoulde thinke that therefore they are here charged with ignorance Errours wil créepe bitwéene theire fingers be thei neuer so watcheful In the heate and drifte of writinge when the minde is wholy occupied and fully bente to the substance of the cause it is an easy mater by somme confusion one waie or other to disorder a woorde or to displace a number as to write either 9. for 6. or 24. for 42. or somme other like whiche errour though it be light in dooing yet in the reckeninge oftentimes is very greate To leaue other Examples M. Hardinge him selfe in his Confutation of the Apologie in stéede of the 22. of Luke hathe printed the 2. of Luke Likewise in his Reioinder in stéede of these woordes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã he hath printed and sente vs quite the contrarie ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã In one Booke of the Newe Testamente set out at Colaine in stéede of these woordes Neque Scortatores Regnum Dei possidebunt yée shal finde it by erroure printed thus Neque Sacerdotes Regnum Dei possidebunt To be shorte M. Hardinge in this selfe same Booke in stéede of these woordes Lulled a sleepe by erroure hath printed Lulled a sheepe If al sutche childishe aduantages shoulde be taken then coulde no writer escape vncontrolled Thus good Christian Reader by the shorte Viewe of these fewe Vntruthes for so it pleaseth these menne to calle them thou maiste the better weigh the value and substanceââ of the ãâã Tedious Repetitions M. Hardinges often rehearsal and doubling of one thing hath forced mee sommetime to doo the like Whiche thing good Reader if vnto thee it shal séeme ouer wearisome I praie thee to consider the occasion thereof My meaninge was onely to doo thee good To the Christian Reader IT pitieth mee in thy behalfe good Christian Reader to sée they conscience thus assaulted this daie with so contrarie Doctrines of Religion and specially if thou haue a zele to folowe and séeste not what and wouldeste faine please Eod and knoweste not howe nor findeste thée selfe sufficiently armed with Goddes Holy Sprite nor hable either to discerue thy meate from poison or to vnwinde thée selfe out of the snares For Satan transfourmeth him selfe into an Angel of Light The wicked is more watcheful and vehemente then the Godly and Falsehed is oftentimes painted and vewtified and shineth more glorious then the Truthe These be the thinges that as S. Paule saithe woorke the subuersion of the Hearers and by meane whereof as Christe saithe if it were possible the very Bsecte of God shoulde be deceiued Howe be it God knoweth his owne and no Power can pusse them out of his hande God is hable to woorke comforte out of confusion and to force his light to shine out of darkenesse Al thinges woorke vnto good vnto them that be in Christe Iesu Be Falsehed neuer so freashely coloured yet in the ende the Truthe wil conquere Notwithstandinge God in these daies hath so amazed the Aduersaries of his Gospel and hath caused them so openly and so grossely to laie abroade their folies to the sight and face of al the world that noman nowe be he neuer so ignorante can thinke he maie iustely be excused They deale not nowe so suttelly as other Heretiques in old times were woont to doo thei hide not the lothsomenesse of their errours they cloke not them selues in Shéepeskinnes they dissemble nothinge they excuse nothing but without either shame of man or feare of God they rake vp those thinges that before were buried that themselues had forsaken the wise had abhorred the worlde had lothed It had benne more policie for them to haue yeelded in sommewhat and to haue staied in the reste So there might haue appeared somme plainenesie in theire dealinges But this is Goddes iuste iudgemente that they that wilfully withstande the Truthe shoulde be geeuen ouer to mainteine Lies as beeinge the Children of Vntruthe Children that wil not heare the Lawe of God For trial whereof I beseeche thée good Reader aduisedly to peruse these fewe notes truely taken out of M. Hardinges late Confutation Iudge thereof as thou shalt sée cause Let no affection or fantasie cause thinges to séeme otherwise then they be The twoo principal GrouÌdes of this whole Booke are these First That the Pope although he maie erre by personal errour in his owne Priuate Iudgement as a man and as a particulare Doctour in his owne opinion yet as he is Pope as he is the Successour of Peter as he is the Vicare of Christe in Earthe and as he is the Shepheard of the Vniuersal Churche in Publique Judgement in deliberation and Definitiue Sentence he neuer erreth nor neuer erred nor neuer can erre As if he woulde saie The Pope walkinge in his Galerie is one man and fittinge in Consistorie or in Iudgemente is an other Whiche thinge to holde Alphonsus de Castro saithe it is mere folie Yet is this M. Hardinges chiefest or rather as I might in manner saie his onely grounde The Seconde is this The Churche of Rome is the whole and onely Catholique Churche of God and who so euer is not obediente vnto the same muste be iudged an ââleretique These twoo groundes beinge once wel and surely laied he maie builde at pleasure what him listeth As for the Pope the better to countenance his estate he saithe that Peter receiued thee I beséeche thee to consider with what indifferente Iudgement M. Harding woulde haue thée to passe bitwéene vs. Firste he saithe What should wee seeke for Truthe Let vs onely beholde the custome of the Churche Againe What Argumentes what Assegations what shewe of disproufe so euer he bringe againste these thinges wee ought to make smal accoumpte thereof Againe I would blesse mee selfe from him as from the Minister of Satan and as from the Disciple of Antichriste and as from Goddes open and professed enimie Againe M. Iewelles Replie and other like Hereticol Bookes are vnlawful to be readde by order of the Churche without special licence and are vtterly forebidden to be readde or keapte vnder paine of Excommunication And againe As for the Replie none other waie wil serue but to throwe al into the fire Of the other side touching the VVoorde of God with most terrible woordes he fraieth thée from it and biddeth thee to consider of other thinges and to behold I knowe not what Yee prostitute the Scriptures he saith as Baudes doo their Harlottes to the Vngodly Vnlearned Rascal people Againe Prentises Light Personnes and the rifferaffe of the people And againe The Vnlearned people were keapte from the
Reading of the Scriptures by the special prouidence of God that pretious stoanes should not be throwen before Swine In sutche regarde these menne haue as wel the Holy Scriptures as also the People of God The scriptures they resemble to common Harlottes and the vileste creatures of the stewes The people of God they calle Vngodly Rascalles Rifferaffe and Filthy Svvine Thus he suffereth thée not to reade either my poore Booke whereof thou shouldest Iudge or the Holy VVoorde of God whereby thou mightest he hable to Iudge but onely biddeth thée to folowe him and to saie as he saithe and al is safe Thus firste he blindeth thine eies and then willeth thee to looke aboute and to condemne the thinge thou neuer kneweste So saithe S. Hierome Isti tantam sibi assumunt Authoritatem vt siue dextra doceant siue sinistra id est siue bona siue mala nolint Discipulos ratione discutere sed se praecessores sequi These menne take so mutche vpon them selues that whether they teache with the Right hande or with the Lefte that is to saie whether they teache good thinges or badde they wil not haue theire Hearers or Learners to enquire causes wherefore they shoulde doo this or that but onely to folowe them beeing theire Leaders But beware I beséeche thée good Christian Reader A simple eie is soone beguiled It is very course Woolle that wil take no coloure It is a desperate cause that with woordes and eloquence maie not be smoothed Be not deceiued Remember of what maters and with what Aduersaries thou haste to deale With feace and reuerence be careful of thine owne Saluation Laie downe al affection and fauoure of parties Iudge iustely of that shal be alleged Onlesse thou knowe thou canste not Iudge Onlesse thou heare bothe sides thou canste not knowe If thou like ought knowe why thou likeste it A wise man in eche thinge wil searche the cause He that cannot iudge golde by sounde or insight yet maie trie it by the poise If thou canste not weigh these maters for want of Learninge yet so sensible and so grosse they are thou maiste féele them with thy fingers Thou maiste soone finde a difference bitwéene Golde and Brasse bitweene Iacob and Esau bitwéene a Face and a Visarde bitweene a fuile Body and an emptie Shadowe Saie not Thou arte settled in thy Beliefe before thou know it Vaine Faith is no Faithe S. Augustines counsel is good Beleeu nomore of Christe then Christ hath willed thee to beleeue Nemo de Christo credat nisi quod de se credi voluit Christus Likewise he saithe Fides stulta non prodest sed obest Fonde Faith is hurtful and dooth no good S. Hilarie saithe Non minus est Deum fingere quà m negare To diuise fansies of God it is as horrible as to saie There is no God The Anciente Father Tertullian speakinge of the Enimies of the Crosse of Christe that disdeigned to submitte theire willes to the wil of God saithe thus Amant ignorare cùm alij gaudeant cognouisse Malunt nescire quod iam oderunt Adeo ' quod nesciunt praeiudicant id esse quod si scirent odisse non possent They desire to be ignorante whereas other folkes desire to knowe They woulde not knowe the Truthe bicause they hate it What so euer it be they imagine it to be the same thinge that they hate But if they knewe it in deede thei coulde not hate it Let Reason leade thee let Authoritie moue thée let Truthe enforce thée The VViseman saithe Who so feareth the Lorde wil not be wilful againste his Woorde God of his mercie confounde al Errours géeue the Victorie to his Truthe and Glorie to his Holy name Amen From London 27. Octobris 1567. ⧠AN ANSWEARE TO A CERtaine Booke lately set foorth by M. Hardinge and entituled A Confutation of the Apologie of the Churche of Englande The Title of the Apologie AN Apologie or answeare in defence of the Churche of Englande with a briefe and plaine declaration of the true Religion professed and vsed in the same The Confutation by M. Hardinge Whereas these defenders take vpon them the name of the Churche of Englande settinge forth thereby a face of auctoritie they do muche like the Asse that Esope telleth of whiche to make the beastes afrayed had put on him a Lions skinne and therewith ietted abroade terribly For as the Lions skinne was but lapped about him and grewe not to his bodie so they beinge in deede no liuely members nor parte of the Churche couer them selues vnder the title and name of the Churche the rather to begyle the simple And verely herein they folowe the wonte of all Heretikes For neuer was there any secte of Heretikes hitherto whiche hath not claimed to be accoÌpted and called the Church For whiche cause of certaine auncient Fathers they haue bene likened to Apes whose propertie is though they be Apes yet to counterfeit men and to court to seeme men Nouatianus at saithe S. Cyprian after the manner of Apes woulde chalenge to him selfe the auctoritie of the Catholike Churche And where as himselfe was not in the Churche but contrariwise a rebell against the Churche tooke vpon him to affirme that al other were Heretikes and presumed tovpholde the Churche was on his side Irenaeus and Tertullian who were before him write that Heretikes made so much adoo to perswade that the Churche was amonge them selues onely that they feared not to call the right beleuinge and Catholike Churche Hereticall and Schismaticall S. Hilary declaringe how patiently he demeaned himselfe towardes the Arians his enemies by whome he was bannisshed writeth that in fiue yeares space whiles he liued in bannishment he neuer spake nor wrote euill woorde against them whiche falsely said them selues to be the Churche of Christe and were the Synagoge of Antichrist The Donatisles against whome S. Augustine wrote muche saide that the Christianitie was quite loste and gone out of so many nations that be in the worlde and remained onely in Aphrike and that the Churche was onely there In S. Bernardes time also the Heretikes who would be called Apostolikes as they of our time call themselues Gospellers saide that they were the Churche But what meane all Heretikes maye we iudge by couetinge so muche to be seene that whiche they are not Forsooth they meane none other thinge then their Father the Deuill meaneth when he goeth about to begile man For then what dothe he vseth he not this policie to chaunge his owggly hewe and put himselfe in goodly shape of an Angell of light For he is not vnwittinge that if he shewed himselfe in his owne forme suche as he is that euery one woulde flie from him and none lightly woulde be deceiued by him Heretikes doo the like Although they hate the Churche neuer so deadly yet to haue the more oportunitie to hurte it pretende themselues
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
he ought to doo was immediately called to answeare for his life as one that had wickedly vttered disdainful and haynous woordes against the Lawe against Moyses against the Temple and against God Or who is ignorant that in times past there were some whiche reproued the holy Scriptures of falsehed sayinge they conteined thinges bothe contrary and quite one against an other and howe that the Apostles of Christe did seuerally disagree betwixt them selues and that S. Paule did varie from them al And not to make rehersal of al for that were an endles labour who knoweth not after what sorte our Fathers were railed vpon in times paste whiche first began to acknowledge and professe the name of Christe how they made priuate conspiracies deuised secrete Counsels against the common wealth and to that ende made early and priuie meetinges in the darke killed yonge Babes fedde them selues with mens fleashe and like sauage and brute beastes did drinke their Bloude In conclusion how that after they had put out the candels they coÌmitted Adulterie betwene them selues without regarde wrought incest one with an other that Brethern laie with their Sisters Sonnes with their Mothers without any reuerence of nature or kinne without shame without difference and that they were wicked men without al care of Religion and without any opinion of God being the very enimies of mankinde vnwoorthy to be suffered in the worlde and vnwoorthy of life Al these thinges were spoken in those daies against the people of God against Christe Iesus against Paule against Steuin and against al them whosoeuer they were whiche at the firste beginninge imbraced the truthe of the Gospel were contented to be called by the name of Christians whiche was then an hateful name amonge the common people And although the thinges whiche they saide were not true yet the Diuel thought it should be sufficient for him if at the least he coulde bringe it so to passe as they might be beleued for true and that the Christians might be brought into a common hatred of euery bodie and haue their death and destruction sought of al sortes Herevpon Kinges Princes beinge ledde then by suche persuasions killed al the Prophetes of God lettinge none escape Esay with a sawe Ieremie with stones Daniel with Lions Amos with an iron barre Paule with the swerde and Christe vpon the Crosse and coÌdemned al Christians to imprisonmentes to tormentes to the pikes to be throwne downe headlong froÌ rockes and steepe places to be cast to wilde beastes and to be burnt and made great fiers of theyr quicke bodies for the onely purpose to giue light by night for a very scorne and mockynge stocke and did compte them no better then the vilest filthe the ofscouringes and laughinge games of the whole worlde Thus as ye see haue the Authours and professours of the truthe euer bene entreated M. Hardinge Who would not thinke these defenders were true men that in the beginninge of their Apologie speake so muche of the truthe Yet who knoweth not that oftentimes euil meaninge is hidde vnder good woordes Who hath not hearde that filthy queanes in time and place vse the honest talke of chaste matrones The theefe commendeth iuste dealinges and many times shewithe a stomake against false harlottes noman more Amonge al none pretende truthe in wordes so muche as Heretiques I feare me saithe S. Paule lest as the Serpente beguiled Eue by his sutteltie so your wittes be corrupted and fallen away from that plainenes Whiche is in Christe The Apostle feared because of the craftie Iewes who the rather to deceiue mingled scriptures with their owne traditions and truthe with fals head So bringeth the Heretique his hearer to errour in faithe by coloure and pretence of truthe They are muche like to the Manicheis who promised their hearers to discusse and set forthe the truthe moste euidently vnto them and to deliuer them from all maner of errours By whiche faire promises S. Augustine was allured to be a diligent scholar of theirs for the space of nine yeres Christe gaue vs a lesson howe to discerne them By their fruites ye shall knowe them saithe he And nowe to you Sirs Euen in the beginninge and as I may saie in the foreheade of your Apologie whiles I examine it diligently I finde two foule faultes the one in your Rhetorike the other in your Logike By whiche two faultes bothe the vns kil of your secretarie and the weakenes of your mater maie be espied as the Asse I spake of right nowe was by his two eares staringe out vnder the Lions skinne Your diuinitie is nothinge els in grosse but a lumpe of lies errours and Heresies First touching your Rhetorike emongst many faultie proemes one of the woorst is that which is suche as the aduersary may vse whiche by them is called Exordium commune that is to wite suche a beginninge as will serue the defendant no lesse then the Plaintife or contrariwise Of that sorte is the beginninge of your Apologie For declaringe at large that truthe hath euer beene persecuted what saithe it therein the faultes amended that we may not saie the same That ship-maister is accoumpted very bad who at the settinge out of the hauen driueth the Ship on the rockes Alleaginge Tertullian to healpe your cause ye iniurie the Doctor by alteringe his wordes Ye were not wise by falsifiyng the first sentence so muche to impaire your credite Tertullian saith not that truthe readily findeth enimies and sclaunderers amongst those that knowe her not but that truthe sone findeth enimies inter extraneos amongst aliantes and strangers Now the Christian Catholikes whom ye call Papistes be not in respecte of the truthe aliantes and strangers For your selues in sundry places of your Booke reproue them for resistinge the truthe whiche they knowe You haue geuen Tertullian a newe liuerie with your owne badge and haue made exchaunge of Extraneos with Ignotos Tertullian meante by aliantes no other then Infidels and Paynimes emonge whom Christen people then liued and were daily persecuted But after the Gospel had benne sounded abrode by the Apostles and their successours through al the earth after that the Emperours them selues and all the people euery where had receiued the faithe then was the truthe no more a wanderer strangers or Pilgrime in the earthe The Bishop of Sarisburie Touchinge this comparison of whoores and Théeues and other like M. Hardinges vngentle spéeches as I haue before protested I wil saye nothinge He is very doumbe and can speake but litle that cannot speake it It is true M. Hardinge that you saie Most Lyers oftentimes pretende most Truthe as if there were none other example maye soone appeare by the whole tenour and substance of your Bookes The Diuel him selfe the better to founde his Lyes beareth him selfe oftentimes as the Angel of Truthe But the example that ye bringe of the Iewes who as you saie the rather to deceiue mingled Scripture
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
Pope the strengtheninge of the Saracenes and after of the Turkes and the Diuision and dissolution of the state of Christendome Platyna saithe Ab hoc tempore perijt potestas Imperatorum virtus Pontificum After this time the power of the Emperours and the Holinesse of the Popes were bothe loste Touchinge the Quéene of Scotland I wil saye nothinge The Kingedomes and states of the Worlde haue sundrie agreementes and compositions The Nobles and Commons there neither drewe the Swerde nor attempted force against the Prince They sought onely the continuance of Goddes vndoubted Truthe and the Defence of theire owne liues against your Barbarous cruel inuasions They remembred bisides al other warninges your late dealinge at Vassei where as great numbers of theire Brethren were suddainely murthered beinge togeather at theire Praiers in the Churche holdinge vp theire Innocente handes to Heauen callinge vpon the name of God Achab saide sometime to the Prophete Elia Thou arte he that troublest the whole Countrie of Israel But Elias made him answeare It is not I that trouble the Countrie It is thou and thy Fathers house whiche houe foresaken the commeundementes of the Lorde and houe folowed after Baalim The Subiecte is bounde to obey his Prince how be it not in al thinges without exception but so far as Goddes glorie is not touched These Nobles had learned of S. Peter It is better to obey God then man And of the Prophete Dauid Better it is to truste to God then to truste in Princes For they are mortal and shal die theire Sprite shal be taken from them then shal they returne into the Earthe Neither maye a godly Prince take it as any dishonour to his estate to sée God obeied before him For he is not God but the Minister of God Leo saithe Christus quae Dei sunt Deo quae Caesaris sunt Caesari reddenda constituit c. Hoc est verè noÌ impugnare Caesarem sed iuuare Christe commaunded that is dewe vnto God to bââeuen to God that is dewe vnto Caesor to be geuen to Caesar Verily this is not to rebel against but to helpe Caesar Likewise S. Ambrose beinge him selfe in manner a Capitaine vnto the people in Goddes quarrel against Valentinian the Emperour Quid praesentius dici potuit à Christianis viris quà m id quod hodie in nobis Spiritus Sanctus Ioquutus est Rogamus Auguste non pugnamus Non timemus sed Rogamus What could be more boldly spokeÌ of Christian menne then that the holy Ghoste spake in you this daye Thus ye saide Wee beseeche thee Noble Emperour wee fight not Wèe feare thee not but wee beseeche thee To conclude the Quéene of Scotlande is stil in quiet possession of her estate is obeied of her Subiectes so far as is conuenient for godly people to obeye their Prince The Apologie Cap. 2. Diuision 7. That wee haue seditiously fallen from the Catholique Churche and by a wicked schisme and diuision haue shaken the whole worlde and troubled the common peace and vniuersal quiet of the Churche that as Dathan and Abiron conspired in times past against Moyses and Aaron euen so wee at this daye haue renounced the Bishop of Rome without any cause reasonable M. Hardinge Before Luthers time al Christen people came togeather peaceably into one Churche vnder one Heade as Shepe into one folde vnder one Shepeherd and so liued Vnanimes in domo in one accorde But after that SathaÌ who at the beginninge begyled Eue had persuaded some to taste of the poisoned apple of Luthers Newe Doctrine they went out froÌ vs who were not of vs for if they had ben of vs they had remained with vs forsooke the Catholike Churche of Christ sorted them selues into Synagoges of Antichriste withdrewe them selues from obedience to warde theire Pastor and Iudge and sundred them selues into diuerse Sectes This schisme diuision and conspiracie against the Head Shepherd is nolesse wicked then that of Dathan and Abiron against Moyses and Aaron was For as God commaunded Moyses and Aaron to be obeyed of the children of Israel so Christe coÌmaunded al his Shepe to obeye and heare the voice of him whom in Peter and succedinge Peter he made Shepeherd ouer his whole stocke The B. of Sarisburie Before the time that Goddes Holy wil was that Doctour Luther should begin to publishe the Gospel of Christe there was a general quietnesse I graunte sutche as is in the night season when folke be asleape Yet I thinke to continewe sutche quietnesse no wise man wil wish to sleepe stil Ye saye They haue forsaken the Catholique Churche They went from vs. who were not of vs. Nay rather M. Hardinge wée are returned to the Catholique Churche of Christe haue forsaken you bicause you haue manifestly foresaken the wayes of God But what if a man would alitle put you frendely in remeÌbrance Sir it is not so longe sithence your selfe were out of your owne Catholique Churche and so were gonne out from your selfe bicause your selfe were not of your selfe For if your selfe had bene of your selfe you would haue remained better with your selfe It is no wisedome in carpinge others to offer occasion against your selfe I beseche God to geue you grace that you maye Redire ad cor and returne againe to your selfe But here you bringe in a great many Vntruthes in a thronge togeather You saye that as God commaunded the people of Israel to obey Aaron so Christe commaunded al his Shéepe to obey the Pope succedinge Peter You saye Christe made the Pope Shepheard ouer his whole flocke You cal him Our Pastour and our Iudge you cal him the head Shepheard for proufe hereof for some countenance of Truthe ye allege the one and twentith Chapter of S. Iohn in whiche whole Chapter notwithstandinge ye are not able to finde neither any suche commaundement of Christe nor any mention of Peters Successour nor Al his Shéepe nor Shepheard ouer his whole Flocke nor Our Pastour nor Our Iudge nor Our Head-shepheard It is mutche to reporte Vntruthe of a man But to reporte Vntruthe of Christe and of his Holy Woorde and that willingly and witingly and without feare some menne thinke it to be the Sinne against the Holy Ghoste As for these woordes Feede my Sheepe Feede my Lammes they perteine as wel to other the Apostles as to Peter Christe saide generally to al his Disciples Goe ye into al the worlde and preache the Gospel And Paule saithe of him selfe Ego plus omnibus laboraui I haue taken more paines and more fedde the flock then al the rest Surely me thinketh it is a weake kinde of reasoninge to saie thus Christe bade Peter féede his shéepe Ergo he made him headshepheard ouer al the worlde But if this whole Prerogatiue hange of Féedinge the Flocke what then if the Pope Féede not What if he neuer minde to Féede as thinkinge it no parte of his office To
Habitu victu instructu sensu ipso denique sermone Proauis renuÌtiastis Laudatis semper Antiquitatem nouè de die viuitis Per quod ostenditur dum à bonis Maiorum institutis deceditis ea vos retinere custodire quae non debuistis cùm quae debuistis non custoditis Where is your Religion where is the reuerence dewe to your forefathers You haue forsaken them in your apparel in your diet in your order in your meaning and in your speeche Ye change your life daily yet ye praise Antiquitie Whereby it appeareth while ye seaue the good orders of your Elders that yee keepe the thinges yee should not keepe seeinge ye keepe not the thinges ye should keepe The Apologie Cap. 2. Diuision 10. And that this mater should not seeme to be donne but vpon priuie sclaunder and to be tossed to and fro in a corner onely to spite vs there haue benne besides wilily procured by the Bishop of Rome certaine persons of eloquence yenough and not vnlearned neither whiche should put theire healpe to this cause nowe almost despaired of and shoulde polishe and set foorthe the same bothe in bookes and withe longe tales to the ende that when the mater was trimly and eloquently handled ignorant and vnskilful persons might suspecte there was somme greate thinge in it In deede they perceiued that theire owne cause did euery where goe to wracke that their steightes were now espied and lesse esteemed and that theire healpes did dayly faile them and that theire mater stoode altogeather in greate neede of a cunninge spokesman M. Hardinge VVee cannot despaire of this cause onlesse wee would forsake our Faithe as ye haue For beleuinge Christe whiche our faithe leadeth vs vnto wee cannot mistruste the continuance of this cause Heauen and Earthe shal passe but my woordes shal not passe saithe Truthe it selfe And his woordes tel vs that he wil be with his Churche al daies to the worlds ende And that he hath besought his Father to geue to it the Sprite of Truthe to remaine with it for euer Then be wee moste assured of this cause VVee tel you therefore it standeth and shal stande by Christes presence and by the Holy Ghostes assistance to the ende Your cause yet standeth not but wauereth and tottereth as that whiche S. Paule termeth a puffe of doctrine and doubtlesse shortely fall it shall as all Heresies haue fallen The authours and professours of them be dead and rotten in Helfire with weepinge and grintinge of teeth The like iudgement lookeye and your folowers to haue if ye repent not and reuoke your Heresies by time The B. of Sarisburie Wee cannot despaire saithe M. Hardinge of the continuance of our cause For Heauen and Earthe shal passe but Christes VVoorde shal not passe He wil be with vs al daies to the worlds ende c. These Woordes M. Hardinge be true and certaine and therefore our hope is the firmer Christe hath promised that the Sprite of Truthe shal remaine for euer but not in the Pope and his Cardinalles For thereof he made no promise Nay rather the Prophete Esai saithe The Sprite of God shal rest vpon the poore and méeke harted that trembleth at the Woorde of the Lorde The Churche of God shal stande stil yea though Rome were possessed with Antichriste It is true that Christe saithe Euery plante whiche my Heauenly Father hath not planted shal be rooted vp Vpon whiche woordes S. Hilarie saithe Significat Traditionem hominum cruendam esse cuius fauore transgressi sunt Praecepta Legis He meaneth that the Tradition of man for whiche Traditions sake they haue broken the Lawe of God shal be taken vp by the rootes Heauen and Earthe shal passe and your fantastes and diuises M. Hardinge shal passe the Lorde hath spoken it But the Woorde of God and his Churche shal endure for euer But M. Hardinges Almanake saithe Our Doctrine shal fal and that very shortly Herein I professe I haue no skil Goddes wil be donne It is his cause what so euer shal happen his name be blessed for euer In like sorte the Heathens in olde times as S. Augustine saithe vaunted them selues against the Faithe of Christe Ad certum tempus sunt Christiani postea peribunt redibunt Idola redibit quod erat anteà Verùm tu cùm expectas miser Infidelis vt transtant Christiani transis ipse sine Christianis These Christians are but for a while âal they shal and that shortly Then shal our Idols come againe and it shal be as it was before But O thou miserable Infidel while thou lookest that the Christians should passe thou possest awaie thee selfe without the Christians Againe be saithe Ecce veniet tempus vt finiantur non sint Christiani Sicut coeperunt ad aliquo tempore ita vsque ad certum tempus erunt Sed cùm ista dicunt sine fine moriuntur permanet Ecclesia praedicans brachium Domini omni generationi venturae They saie behold the daie wil come when al these Christians shal haue an ende As they had a time to beginne so shal they haue a time to continewe But while they make these crakes they them selues die without ende But the Churche contineweth stil praisinge the almighty arme of God to euery generation that is to come But ye saie The Authours and Professours of our Doctrine be damned in Hel fiere and crie Peccaui This is a very terrible kinde of talke But it is a rashe parte for you M. Harding so suddainely to skip into Goddes Chaire and there to pronounce your Sentence Definitiue like a Iudge But God wil iudge of your iudgemente S. Augustine saithe Alia est sella terrena aliud Tribunal Coelorum Ab inferiori Sententia accipitur à superiori Corona The earthly Chaier is one thinge the Iudgemente seate in Heauen is an other From the one wee receiue Sentence from the other we receiue a Crowne O M. Hardinge God graunte you maie once crie Peccaui lest the time come that ye shal crie out as it is written in the Booke of Wisedome These are they whom wee sometime had in derision and in a parable of reproche VVee fooles thoughte theire life madnesse and theire ende without honoure But nowe are they coumpted emonge the Children of God and theire portion is emonge the Sainctes The Apologie Cap. 3. Diuision 2. Nowe as for those thinges whiche by them haue benne laide againste vs in parte they be manifestly false condemned so by theire owne iudgementes which spake them partly againe though they be as false too in deede yet beare they a certaine shewe and coolour of truthe so as the Reader if he take not good heede maie easily be tripped and brought into errour by them specially when theire fine and cunninge tale is added thereunto And parte of them be of sutche sorte as we ought not to shunne them as crimes or faultes but to acknowledge and confesse them as
thinges wel done vpon very good reason For shortely to saie the truthe these folke falsely accuse and sclaunder al our dooinges yea the same thinges which they them selues cannot denie but to be rightly and orderly donne and for malice doo so misconstrue and depraue al our saienges and dooings as though it were impossible that any thinge could be rightly spoken or donne by vs. They should more plainely sincerely haue gonne to woorke if they would haue dealte truely But nowe they neither truely nor sincerely nor yet Christianly but darkely and craftily charge and batter vs with lies and doe abuse the blindenesse and fondenesse of the people togeather with the ignorance of Princes to cause vs to be hated and the Truthe to be suppressed This lo ye is the power of darkenesse and of men whiche leane more to the amased wonderinge of the rude multitude and to darkenesse then they doo to Truthe Light and as S. Hierome saithe doo openly gainsaie the Truthe closinge vp theire eies and wil not see for the nonce But we geue thankes to the most good and mighty God that sutche is our cause where against when they would fainest they were hable to vtter no despite but the same whiche might as wel be wreasted against the Holy Fathers against the Prophetes against the Apostles against Peter against Paule and against Christe him selfe M. Hardinge The Catholikes doo not burden you with ought wherein by their owne iudgementes they condemne themselues as ye sclaunder them not onely here but oftentimes in your Booke For if they iudged otherwise they would not wittingly do against their iudgemente That is the special propertie of an Heretike whom S. Paule hiddeth al men to a voide knowinge that he that is suche is peruerted and seemeth euen condemned by his owne iudgement They shewe bothe your blasphemous Heresies and your wicked actes Luther ye knowe powred out his Heresies and villanies c. Your robbinge of Churches persecutinge of men for standinge sâedfastly in the faithe of the Holy forefathers your incestuous mariages of Monkes Friers and Nonnes your breache of solemne vowes for fleashly pleasure your prophaninge and abandoninge of Holy Sacramentes your contempt of auncient and godly ordinaunces and discipline of the Churche and suche other thinges of like estimation For in deede the catholikes doo persecute you if suche deserued entreatinge of euill persons maye be called persecution and al good folk besides wee grââte and shal so doe so longe as they love the Truthe and keepe them in the vnitie of the Churche Yet with no other minde doo they persecuâe you then Sara did Agar then Christ the Iewes whom he whipt out of the Temple then âeter did Sânom Magus The B. of Sarisburie Yewis M. Hardinge it might please you to remember that Bartholomaeus Latomus a Doctour of your side confesseth in writinge to al the worlde yâ our request touchinge the Holy Ministration vnder Bothe Kindes accordinge to Christes first Institution is iuste and reasonable That Gerardus Lorichius an other of your owne side saithe Sunt Pseâdocatholici qui Reformationem Ecclesiae quoquo modo remorari non verentur They be false Catholiques and this M. Hardinge he speaketh of you beinge one of your owne they be False Catholiques that hinder the Reformation of the Churche by al meanes they be hable He saithe you be false Catholiques far contrary to the common opinion and concludeth in the ende that the wilful mainteinance and sequel of your Doctrine in this pointe is as he calleth it Haeresis Blasphemia pestilens execrabilis An Heresie and a Blayhemie against God Pestilent and Cursed That others of your âde confesse that this your vse of Ministration vnder one kinde whiche nowe ye cal Catholique began first not of Christe or his Apostles or any Ancient Learned Father but onely of the errour or as he better termeth it of the simple Deuotion of the People That Albertus Pighius the stoutest gallante of al your Campe graunteth there haue benne and be many Abuses in your Passe notwithstandinge ye haue tolde vs far otherwise That Pope Pius oftentimes graunted and vsed commonly to saie He sawe great causes why Priestes shoulde be restoared to the libertie of Mariage That Pope Adrian by his Legate Cheregatus confessed openly at Norenherg in the General Diet of al the Princes of Germanie that al the il of the Churche came firste à culmine Pontificio From the toppe Castle of the Pope And to be short M. Hardinge it might haue pleased you to remember that your selfe in your first Booke in the Defence of your Priuate Passe haue written thus Mary I denie not but that it were more commendable and more Godly on the Churches Parte if many well disposed and examined woulde be partakers of the blessed Sacramente with the Prieste Al these thinges M. Hardinge be they âses or Abuses Reasonable or Vnreasonable Right or Wronge Better or woorse Be they neuer so wicked neuer so Blasphemous neuer so cursed yet be they stoutly defended stil and no hope offered of amendement With what Conscience of your parte he onely sâeth that sâeth the Conscience You graunte ye persecute your brethren where ye haue the Swerd and maye persecute but as Sara did Agar as Christe did the Iewes and not otherwise Verily M. Hardinge that Christe or Sara were persecutours I haue not greatly heard But I remember Chrysostome saithe thus Nunquid Ouis Lupum persequitur aliquando Non sed Lupus ouem Sic enim Caim persecutus est Abel non Abel Caim Sic Ismael persecutus est Isaac non Isaac Ismael Sic Iudaei Christum non Christus Iudaeos Haeretici Christianos non Christiani Haeresicos Ergo ex fructibus corum cognoscetis eos What doothe the Sheepe perscute the Woulfe at any time No but the Woulfe doothe persecute the Sheepe For so Caim persecuted Abel not Abel Caim So Ismael persecuted Isaac not Isaac Ismael So the Iewes persecuted Christe not Christe the Iewes So the Heretiques persequute the Christians not the Christiaus the Heretiques ãâã ye shal knowe them by their fruites S. Augustine saithe Non eo modo persecutionem passi sunt Pseudoprophetae ab Elia quomodo ipse Elias à Rege nequissimo Neither were the Palse Prophetes so persecuted by Elias as Elias was persecuted by the wicked Kinge Surely Chrysostome saithe Quem videris in sanguine persequutionis gaudentem Lupus est Whome so euer ye see âeioicinge in the Bloudde of persequution he is the VVoulfe But yée pretende greate good wil and saye Ye persecute and murder your Brethren for Loue as Christe persequuted the Iewes So I trowe Aristophancs saithe Philippides tooke a cudgel and beatte his Father and al for loue How be it M. Hardinge neither are you armed as Christe was armed nor was Christe armed as you are armed I must saye to you as S. Augustine saithe vnto the Heretiques the
terrarum VVhat greate portion art thou of the whole Worlde As for your Councel of Tridente God wote it was a séely Couente for ought that maye appeare by theire Conclusions Wée offered the Defense and profession of our Doctrine vnto the whole Churche of God so vnto the Pope the Councel too if they be any parte or member of the Churche by Goddes mercie shal euer be hable in al places bothe with our handes and with our Bodies to yelde an accoumpte of the hope wee haue in Iesus Christe Whereas it liked you to terme our Apologie a Sclaunderous Libel I doubt not but who so euer shal iudifferently consider your Booke shal thinke M. Hardinges tonge wanteth no sclaunder The Apologie Cap. 4. Diuision 3. But wee truely seeinge that so many thousandes of our brethren in these last twentie yeeres haue borne witnesse vnto the Truthe in the middes of most paineful tormentes that coulde be diuised and when Princes desirous to restraine the Gospel sought many waies but preuailed nothinge that nowe almost the whole worlde dothe beginne to open theire eies to beholde the lighte wee take it that our cause hathe alreadie benne sufficiently declared and defended and thinke it not needeful to make many woordes seinge the very mater saithe yenoughe for it selfe M. Hardinge The reasons and examples ye bringe for it conclude nothinge Bicause lackinge Truthe ye builde vpon a false grounde what so euer ye set vp eftsones it falleth beinge stated by no iuste proufe Here ye goe foorthe and faine woulde ye proppe vp that matter but your reasons be as weake as before There haue not so many thousandes of your Brethren benne burnte for Heresie in these laste twentie yeeres as yee pretende But when ye come to boastinge then haue ye a greate grace in vsinge the Figure Hyperbole Then Scores be Hundreds Hundreds be Thousands Thousands be Millions But what was Michael Seruetus the Arian who was burnte at Geneua by procurement of Caluine a Brother of yours Dauid George that tooke vpon him to be Christe who was taken vp after he was buried and burnte at Basile was he your Brother To come neare home Ioan of Kent that filâh who tooke foorthe a lesson further then you taught her I trowe or yet Preache was she a Sister of yours So many Adamites so many Zwenck feldians so many hundreds of Anabaptistes and Libertines as haue within your twentie yeeres benne ridde out of their liues by fiere swoorde and water in sundry partes of Christendome were they al of your blessed Brotherhed And this is the chiefe argument yee make in al that Huge Dungehil of your stinkinge Martyrt whiche yee haue intituled Actes and Monumentes But we tel you It is not deathe that iustifieth the cause of dyinge But it is the cause of dyinge that iustifieth the Death Princes ye saye were desirous to restraine your Gospel and though they went about it by many waies yet preuailed they nothinge Therefore your Doctrine must needes be the true Gospel As good an Argumente as this is may Theeues make in their Defence For Princes be desirous to keepe their Dominions from Robbinge and haue euer deuised straight Lawes and punishmentes for restrainte of Theeues yet be Theeues euery where and thefte is dayly committed And whereas your Gospel is a grosse Gospel a Carnal Gospel a Belly Gospel wonder it is not if those people be not wholy withdrawen from assentinge to the same who be not of the finest wittes and be muche geuen to the Seruice of the Belly and of the thinges beneath the Belly Yet where the Princes haue vsed most diligence and best meanes to stoppe the course of your Heresies there the people remaine most Catholike As euery man may iudge by vewe of Italy Spaine Base Almaine and Fraunce before that weightie Sceptre by Gods secrete prouidence for punishement of sinne was committed to feeble handes that for tender age were not able to beare it Your other argument whereby ye would persuade your Gospel to be the trueth is that nowe as ye crake almost the whole world doth beginne to open their eies to behold the light This argument seruethe maruelous wel for Antichrist And truely if he be not already come ye may very wel seme to be his foreronners Nay Sirs if it be true that ye saye that almost the whole world loketh that waye knowinge that in the latter dayes and towarde the ende of the world iniquitie shal abounde and the Charitie of the more parte shal wexe colde VVee maye rather make a contrarie argument and iudge your Gospel to be erroneous and false because the multitude is so ready to receiue it Againe Christe hathe not loued his Churche so little as that the world should nowe beginne to open their eies to behold the light For the same presupposeth a former general darkenes It standeth not with Christes promises made to the Churche touchinge his being with the Churche al daies to the worldes ende and the Holy Ghostes remaininge with it the Sprite of Truthe for euer that he should suffer his Churche to continewe in darkenes and lacke of Truthe these thousand yeres past and now at the latter daies to reuele the Truthe of his Gospel by Apostates Vowebreakers Churcherobbers and sutche other most vnlike to the Apostles The B. of Sarisburie What so euer wée saye here appeareth smal weight in M. Hardinges saieinges Wée make no boaste of the numbers and multitudes of our Martyrs And yet as S. Paule saithe if wée should needes boaste wée would chiefly boaste of sutche our infirmities But wée reioise with them and geue God thankes in theire behalfe for that it hath pleased him to prepare theire hartes vnto temptation to trie and purifie them as Gold in Fornace and to kéepe them faitheful vnto the ende As for Dauid George and Seruete the Arian and sutche other the like they werè yours M. Hardinge they were not of vs You brought them vp the one in Spaine the other in Flaunders Wée detected theire Heresies and not you Wée arreigned them Wée condemned them Wée putte them to the Exequution of the Lawes It séemethe very mutche to calle them our Brothers because wée burnte them It is knowen to Children it is not the deathe but the cause of the deathe that maketh a Martyr S. Augustine saithe Tres erant in Cruce Vnus Saluator Alter Saluandus Tertius Damnandus Omnium par Poena sed dispar causa There were three hanginge on the Crosse The first was the Saueour The seconde to be Saued The third to be Damned The Paine of al three was one but the cause was diuerse Your Anabaptistes and Zuenkfeldians wée knowe not They finde Harbour emongste you in Austria Slesia Morauia and in sutche other Countries and Citties where the Gospel of Christe is suppressed but they haue no Acquaintance withe vs neither in Englande nor in Germanie nor in France nor
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
c. Folo winge the Holy Fathers wee doo al with one accorde teache men to confesse one and him selfe the Sonne our Lorde Iesus Christe persite him selfe in Godhead and perfite himselfe in Manhood And for Auctoritie of the Fathers in high pointes of Faith a Bishop in that reuereÌd assemblie named Eudoocius pronounced a notable sentence sayeing thus Euery one that consentethe not to the exposition of the Holy Fathers doothe alienate him selfe from al Pristely Communion and from the presence of Christe Thus wee haue alleaged the foure first general Councels whiche S. Gregorie honourethe as the foure Gospels But the thinge beinge so euident as it is and so welkuorwen euen to your selues if ye be learned the Auctorit it of these chief Councels maie suffice The B. of Sarisburie Here M. Hardinge ye haue taken in hande a néedelesse labour For you knowe right wel wee despise not the Authoritie of the Holy Fathers but rather in this selfe same place haue alleged togeather S. Augustine S. Hierome and S. Ambrose thrée of the moste Auncient and approued Fathers and throughout the whole discourse of this Apologie in the Defence of the Catholique Truthe of our Religion nexte vnto Goddes Holy Woorde haue vsed no prouse or Authoritie so mutche as the expositions and iudgementes of the Holy Fathers Wée despise them not therefore but rather geue God thankes in theire behalfe for that it hathe pleased him to prouide so woorthy instrumentes for his Churche and therefore wée iustly reproue you for that so vnaduisedly and without cause ye haue forsaken the steppes of so Holy Fathers These foure General Councelles wherein you dwel so longe as they make nothinge against vs so in sundrie pointes they fight expressely against you Firste they were summoned by the Emperours Constantinus Theodosius 1. Theodosius 2. and Martianus and not by any right or authoritie of the Pope as hereafter it shal be shewed in place conuenient more at large Iulius the Bishop of Rome was summoned by the Emperours write to appeare at the Councel of Nice as wel as others And Pope Leo afterwarde was charged by like Authoritie to appeare at the Councel of Chalcedon In the Councel of Nice the Bishop of Rome was not President but Eustathius the Bishop of Antioche In the same Councel of Nice the Bishop of Rome hathe his Authoritie and Iurisdiction made equal and leuel with the other thrée Patriarkes And in the Councel of Chalcedon the Bishop of Constantinople is made equal in Authoritie with the Bishop of Roome To be shorte the saide Councel of Chalcedon for this laste and some other like causes Leo the Bishop of Rome would not allowe Which thinge notwithstandinge the Councel standethe stil in force whether the Pope wil or no. These be the foure fiste General Councelles whiche M. Hardinge comparethe in Authoritie with the foure Euangelistes But these Heretiques Arius Nestorius Macedonius and Euiyches in these foure General Councelles vtterly despised al the Auncient Fathers and boasted them selues saithe M. Hardinge of the Scriptures and euermore cried out Scriptures Scriptures Touchinge the Arians that they alleged certaine doubteful and darke places of the Scriptures to serue theire purpose it is certaine and manifeste But that either they despised or that the Catholiques against them auouched the Eropsition and authoritie of any Father M. Hardinges onely woorde muste be our Warrante For neither allegethe he any one Author for prouse hereof nor yet namethe any of al these Fathers Notwithstandinge let vs graunt these Heretiques cried out as M. Hardinge saithe Scriptures Scriptures Euen so did the same Heretiques likewise crie out euen as nowe M. Hardinge doothe Fathers Fathers Socrates saithe Et Ariani Originis libros citabant in Testimonium vt illi quidem iudicabant sui Dogmatis And the Arian Heretikes alleged the Learned Father Origens Bookes as they thought for proufe and witnesse of theire Doctrine The Heretique Eutyches saide Ego legi scripta Beati Cypriani Sanctorum Patrum Sancti Athanasii I haue readde the writinges of S. Cyprian and of other Holy Fathers and of S. Athanafius Likewise the Eutychian Heretique Carosus saide Ego secundum expositionem treceÌtorum octodecim Patrum sic credo fic Baptixatus sum Aliud quid mihi dicas nescio This is my Faithe accordinge to the exposition of the three hundred and eighteene Fathers in the Councel of Nice In this Faithe was I Baptized What ye should saye more to me I cannot telle Euen so saide Eutyches him selfe Sic à Progenitoribus meis accepi credidi In hac Fide Baptizatus sum signatus vsque and hunc diem in ea vixi in ea opto moti Thus haue I receiued of my Forefathers and thus haue I beleeued In this Faithe was I Baptized and signed and in the same haue I liued vntil this daye and in the same I wish to die Thus S. Augustine saithe the Donatian Heretique Cresconlus alleged the authoritie of S. Cyprian Thus the Nestorian Heretiques alleged the authoritie of the Councel of Nice To be shorte thus the Heretique Dioscorus cried out in the open Councel of Chalcedon Ego habeo Testimonia Sanctorum Patrum Athanasij Gregorij Cyrilli Non transgredior in aliquo Ego cum Patribus cijcior Ego defendo Patrum Dogmata Ego horum habeo testimonia non simpliciter aut transitorie sed in ipsorum libris I haue the Testimonies of the Holy Fathers Athanasius Gregorius Cyrillus I alter not from them in any pointe I am throwen foorthe and bannished with the Fathers I defende the Fathers Doctrine I haue theire iudgementes vttered not by chaunce or vnaduisedly but remaininge expressed in theire Bookes I doubte not M. Hardinge but you maye hereby easily sée that the Heretiques ye speake of cried not onely Scriptures Scriptures as ye saye but had leasure also sometimes to crie as you doo Fathers Fathers that as wel to purpose and as rightly as you of longe time haue vsed to crie hauinge in déede in the cases wée speake of neither Scriptures nor Fathers To come neare the mater wée saie not that al cases of doubt are by manifeste and open woordes plainely expressed in the Scriptures For so there should neede no exposition But wée saye There is no case in Religion so darke and doubteful but it maie necessarily be either proued or reproued by collection and conference of the Scriptures S. Hierome saithe Moris est Scripturarum obscuris manifesta subnectere It is yâ order of the Scriptures ⪠after harde thinges to ioine other thinges that bee plaine S. Augustine like wise saithe Solet circunstantia Scripturarum illuminare sententiam The Circunstance of the Scripture is woonte to geue light and to open the meaninge The like rule Tertullian also geuethe Oportet secundum pluâa intelligi pauclora The fewer places muste be expounded by the moe Therefore touchinge this woorde Homousios whiche
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
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
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
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
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
Coeterùm omnes Apostolorum Successores sunt Quid mihi profers Vnius Vrbis consuetudinem What doothe a Bishop sauânge onely the Orderinge of Ministers but a Prieste maye doo the same Neither maye wee thinke that the Churche of Rome is one and the Churche of al the worlde biside is another Fraunce Englande Aphrica Persia Leuânte India and al the Barbarous Nations woorship one Christe and keepe one rule of the Truthe If vvee seeke for Authoritie The whole worlde is greater then the Cittie of Rome Where so euer there be a Bishop be it at Eugubium be it at Rome be it at Constantinople be it at Rhegium be it at Alexandria be it at Tanais they are al of one woorthinesse they are al of one Bishoprike The Power of the Richesse and the basenesse of Pouertie maketh not a Bishop either Higher or Lower For they are al the Apostles Successours What bringe you me the Custome of Rome beinge but one Cittie Nowe if M. Hardinge wil steale awaie in the darke as his manner is and saie that S. Hierome spake onely of the Merite of Life or of the Office of Priesthoode sette some man telle him that this was no parte neither of the question mooued nor of the answeare of S. Hierome And S. Hierome in plaine and expresse woordes saithe Si Authoritas quaeritur If vvee seeke not for Merite of Life but for Authoritie in gouernmente therein the whole worlde is greatte then the Cittie of Rome M. Hardinge imagineth S. Hierome spake onely of I knowe no what but S. Hierome him selfe saithe he speaketh namely of Authoritie And whereas M. Hardinge is so highly offended with the chaunginge of this woorde Merite into this woorde Preeminence and saithe farther that these False Platers thought thereby to winne the game it maye please him to remember that howe so euer the game goe S. Hierome him selfe plainely plaide the selfe same game I meane that S. Hierome vsinge this woorde Merite without question meante Preeminence For thus he saithe Potentia Diuitiarum Paupertatis humilitas vel Sublimiorem vel Inferiorem Episcopum non facit The Power of Richesse and the basenesse of Pouertie maketh not a Bishop either Higher or Lower M. Hardinge mighte easily hauè seene that Higher and Lower perteine not to Merite of Life but to Preeminence Therefore lette him looke better vpon his Booke before he thus lightly condemne others for corruption I graunt it is true as M. Hardinge saithe This quarrel first beganne aboute a particulare Custome of the Churche of Rome where as the Draâons Vaunted them selues and would be placed aboue the Priestes But here M. Hardinge as his manner is willingly dissembleth and suppresseth somewhat S. Augustine more liuely and fully expresseth the same For thereof he writeth thus Quidam qui nomen liabet Falcidij Duce stultitia Romanae Ciuitatis Iactantia Leuîtas Sacerdotibus Diaconos Presbyteris coaequare contendit One Falcidius Foolishnesse and the Pride of the Cittie of Rome leadinge him thereto laboureth to make the Deacons Equal with the Priestes This lewde disorder S. Hierome controlleth by the Examples of other Churches and saithe that therein the Authoritie of the whole worlde is greatter then the Authoritie of the Churche of Rome Of whiche also he seemeth to speake scornefully and with some disdeigne For thus he saithe Quid mihi profers Vnius Vrbis Consuerudinem What bringe you me the Custome of Rome beinge but One Cittie By whiche woordes it seemeth he made smal accoumpte of the Cittie of Rome But M. Hardinge saithe The Primates had Authoritie ouer other Inferiour Bishops I graunte they had so How be it thei had it by agreemente Custome But neither by Christe nor by Peter or Paule nor by any Kighte of Goddes Woorde S. Hierome saith Nouerint Episcopi se magis Consuetudine quà m Dispofitionis Dominicae Veritate Presbyteris esse Maiotes in coÌmune debere Ecclesiam âegere Let Bishoppes vnderstande that they are aboue the Priestes rather of Custome theâ of any Truthe or Right of Christes Institution and that they ought to rule the Churche al togeather And againe Idem ergo est Presbyter qui Episcopus Etantequam Diaboli instinctustudia in Religione fierent diceretur in populis Ego sum Pauli Ego Apollo Ego Cephae CoÌmuni Presbyterorum Consilio Ecclesiae gubernabantur Therefore a Prieste and a Bishop are bothe one thinge And before that by the inflaiminge of the Diuel partes were taken in Religion and these woordes were vttered emonge the people I holde of Paule I holde of Apollo I holde of Peter the Churches were gouerned by the Common Aduise of the Priestes S. Augustine saithe Secundum honorum vocabula quae iam Ecclesiae vsus obtinuit Episcopatus Presbyterio maior est The office of a Bishop is aboue the office of a Prieste not by Authoritie of the Scriptuces but after the Names of Honour whiche the Custome of the Churche hath nowe obteined As for Pope Leo his owne Authoritie in his owne cause cannot be greate The Emperoure saithe Nemo debet sibiius dicere Noman maie minister Lowe vnto him selfe And it is noted thus in the Decrées Papa non debet esse Iudex in causa propria The Pope maie not be iudge in his owne cause It is wel knowen that the Pope hath sought for and claimed this Vniuersal Authoritie these many hundred yeeres Pope Innocentius was therefore reprooued of Pride and worldly Lordlinesse by the whole Councel of Aphrica Pope Bonifacius 2. condemned â Augustine al the saide whole Councel of Aphrica called them al Heretiques and Schismatiques for the same and said they were al leadde by the Diuel Pope Zosimus to mainteine this claime corrupted the Holy Councel of Nice S. Hilarie and other Learned Bishoppes of France for vsurpinge sutche vnlawful Authoritie charged this same Pape Leo of whom we speake with Pride and Ambition But gentle Reader that thou maâste the better vnderstande what credite thou oughtest to geue to this Pope Leo specially settinge foorthe his owne Authoritie I beséethe thée consider with what Maiestie of woordes and howe far aboue measure he auanceth the Authoritie of S. Peter These be his woordes Christus Petrum in Consortium Indiuiduae Vnitatis assumpsit Christe receiued Peter into the Companie of the Indiuisible Vnitie Authoritate Domini mei Petri Apostoli By the Authoritie not of Christe but of my Lorde Peter the Apostle Deo Inspirante Beatissimo Petro Apostolo By the Inspiration of God and of S. Peter the Apostle Deus à Petro velut à quodam Capite dona sua velut in Corpus omne diffudit God froÌ Peter as from the Heade hath powred cut his giftes into al the Body Nihil erit ligatum aut solutum nisi quod Petrus ligauerit aut soluerit There shal be nothinge bounde or loosed but that Peter shal binde or loose Nunc quoque Petrus pascit Oues
de sua Fide viuit And wee beinge Laiemenne are wee not Priestes It is written Christe hath made vs bothe a Kingedome and Priestes vnto God his Father The Authoritie of the Churche and the Honour by the Assemblie or Councel of Order Sanctified of God hath made a difference bitwene the Laie and the Cleregie Where as there is no Assemblie of Ecclesiastical Order the Prieste beinge there alone without the companie of other Priestes doothe bothe Minister the Oblation and also Baptize Yea and be there but Three togeather and though they be Latemenne yet is there a Churche For euery man liueth of his owne Faithe Againe ye demaunde of me what Bishoppe of Sacisburie euer sithence Augostines time maineteined this Doctrine I might likewise and by as good Authoritie demaunde of you what Bishop of Rome euer before the same Englishe Augustines time maineteined your Doctrine Or as I saide before what Bishop of Rome euer before that time either saide or knewe your Priuate Masse Touchinge the Bishoppes of Sarisburie you your selfe haue already named twoo Bishop Shaxton and Bishop Capon bothe Learned and graue Fathers and bothe Preachers and professours of the Gospel For the reste of the Bishops that were before them what Faithe they helde and what they either liked or misliked by their writinges or Sermons it dothe not greately appeare I truste they helde the Fundation and liued and died in the Faithe of Christe If they had liued in these daies and seene that you see they would not haue benne partakers of your wilfulnesse To be shorte wée succede the Bishoppes that haue benne before our daies Wee are Elected Consecrate Confirmed and Admitted as they were If they were deceiued in any thinge wee succede them in place but not in errour They were our Predecessours but not the Rules and Standardes of our Faithe Or rather to sette aparte al comparison of Personnes the Doctrine of Christe this daie M. Hardinge Succedeth your Doctrine as the Daie Succedeth the Nighte as the Lighte Succedeth Darkenesse and as the Truthe Succedeth Errour Nowe for as mutche as ye haue thought it so good to examine the Petite degree of the Bishoppes of Sarisburie I truste ye wil not thinke it il if I alâtle touche the like in the Bishoppes of Rome that wée maye thereby be the better hable to sée some of the branches of your Succession Therefore shortly to saie you knowe that Pope Marcellinus committed Idolatrie that Pope Syluester 2. was a Coniurer and gaue him selfe whole Body and Soule vnto the Diuel and by the Diuels procuremente was made Pope That Pope Zosimus for ambition and claime of gouernmente corrupted the Holy Councel of Nice That Pope Liberius was an Arian Heretique That Pope Leo as appeareth by the Legende was likewise an Arian That Pope Coelestinus was a Nestorian Heretique Pope Honorius was a Monothelite Heretique Pope Iohn 22. was reprooued by Gerson and the Schole of Parise for an Heretique Petrarcha saithe Rome is a Sanctuarie of al Heresies Lyra saithe that many Popes haue fallen into Heresies you know that Pope Hildebrande as he was charged by the Councel of Brixia was an Aduouterer a Churcherobber a Periured man a Mankiller a Sorcerer and a Renegate of the Faithe That Platina calleth the Popes sometimes in scorne Pontificulos Litle Petite Popes sometimes Monstra Portenta Monsters and Vnnatural and il shapen Creatures Pope Adrian the fourthe was woonte to saie Succedimus non Petro in pascendo sed Romulo in Parricidio VVee Succede not Peter in Feedinge but Romulus in Killinge And to leaue Dame Iohane the woman Pope with many others moe of like Vertue and Holinesse as hauinge no pleasure in this rehersal And for as mutche as M. Hardinge began this mater with Sarisburie to ende it with the same Iohannes Sarisburiensis saithe In Romana Ecclesia sedent Scribae Pharisaei In the Churche of Rome by Succession sitte the Scribes and the Phariseis This is M. Hardinges holy Succession Though Faithe faile yet Succession muste holde For vnto sutche Succession God hath bounde the Holy Ghoste For lacke of this Succession for that in our Sees in the Churches of Englande wée finde not so many Idolaters Necromancers Heretiques Aduouterours Church-robbers Periured Personnes Mankillers Renegates Monsters Scribes and Pharisies as wée maie easily finde in the Churche of Rome therefore I trowe M. Hardinge saithe wée haue no Succession wée are no Bishoppes wée haue no Churche at al. But S. Paule saithe Faithe commeth not by Succession but by hearinge and hearinge commeth not of Legacie or Enheritance from Bishop to Bishop but of the Woorde of God They are not alwaies Godly that Succede the Godly Manasses succeded Ezechias and Hieroboam succeded Dauid By Succession the Turke this daie possesseth and holdeth the foure greate Patriarkal Sées of the Churche Constantinople Alexandria Antioche and Hierusalem By Succession Christe saithe Desolation shal fitte in the Holy place and Antichriste shal presse into the roume of Christe It is not sufficient to claime Succession of place It behooueth vs rather to haue regarde to the Succession of Doctrine S. Bernarde saithe Quid prodest si Canonice eligantur non Canonicè viuant What auaileth it if they be chosen in Order and liue out of Ordere So saithe S. Augustine Ipsum Characterem multi Lupi Lupis imprimunt The outwarde marke or right of a Bishop manie geue to Woulues and he Woulues them selues Therefore the Ancient Father Irenaeus geueth vs this good Councel Eis qui sunt in Ecclesia Presbyteris obaudire oportet qui Successionem habent ab Apostolis qui cum Episcopatus Successione Charisma Veritatis certum secundum beneplacitum Patris acceperunt It becommeth vs to obeie those Priestes in the Churche whiche haue their Succession from yâ Apostles and togeather with the Succession of their Bishoprikes accordinge to yâ good wil of God the Father haue receiued the vndoubted gifte of the Truthe S. Cyprian beinge likewise charged for dissentinge from his predecessours answeareth thus Si quis de Antecessoribus meis non hoc obseruauit tenuit quod nos Dominus exemplo Magisterio suo docuit potest simplicitati eius venia concedi Nobis verâ ignoici non potest qui nunc à Domino admoniti instructi sumus If any of my Predecessours haue not obserued and kepte the same that our Lorde hath taught vs bothe by his example and also by his Commaundemente his simplicitie maie be pardoned But wee if wée doo the like can hope for no pardonne beinge nowe admonished and instructed of our Lorde Compare the vse and order of our Churches M. Hardinge with the Primitiue Churche of God and ye shal easily see the right of our Succession S. Cyprian saithe Si Canalis aquae quae copiose prius laâgâââr profluâbaâ subitâ deficiat noÌne adfonteÌ pergitur c. Hoc nuÌc facere oporteâ Dei Sacerdotes Praecepta Diuina
in thinges necessarie That sinnes can not either be remitted or reteined excepte the Prieste knowe them we are bolde so to saye with the Fathers and specially with S. Hierome who so vnderstoode the woordes of Christe where he promised the Keies of the Kingedome of Heauen to Peter Sacerdos pro officio suo cùm peccatorum audierit Varietates scit qui ligandus sit qui Soluendus The Prieste saithe he when as accordinge to his office he hath hearde the diuersities of sinnes knoweth who is to be bounde who is to be loosed Right so as in the time of Moses lawe he pronounced not who was cleane of Lepre who was not before that he had vewed the colour the bunches and al other tokens of that disease And thus it foloweth of the woordes of Christe that Confession of al Sinnes at leaste deadly muste be made to the Prieste before they can be remitted VVhiche Prieste is the Minister of this Sacramente and hath auctoritie to absolue either Ordinarie or by Commission of the Superiour Againe for proufe that Confession is necessarie wee sate that to remitte and reteine sinnes committed againste God as to binde and to loose be iudicial actes And therefore by these woordes Christe ordeined a Courte a Consistorie a seate of Iudgemente in the Churche and appointed the Apostles and their Successours to be Iudges And that this maye appeare not to be a fantasie of our owne heades S. Augustine so expoundeth those woordes of S. Iohn in his Reuelation Et vidi ledes c. And I sawe seates and some sittinge on them and iudgement was geuen VVe muste not thinke âaithe he this to be spoken of the laste iudgement but we muste vnderstande the Seates of the Rulers and the Rulers themselues by whome nowe the Churche is gouerned And as for the Iudgement geuen it semeth not to be taken for any other then for that whereof it was saide VVhat thinges yee binde in Earthe they shal be bouÌde also in Heauen and what thinges ye loose on Earthe they shal be loosed also in Heauen Sundrie other Fathers haue vttered in their writinges the same Doctrine Hilarius vpon the sixtenth Chapter of Matthewe saithe Beatus Coeli ianitor c. Blessed is the Porter of Heauen whose earthly iudgement that is to saie whiche is geuen here on Earthe is a foreiudged auctoritie in Heauen that what thinges be bounde or loosed in Earthe they haue the condition of the same Statute also in Heauen S. Cyprian hath the like sayinge in an Epistle to Cornelius Chrysostome saithe that Christe hath translated al iudgemente whiche he receiued of the Father vnto the Apostles and Priestes Gregorie Nazianzene in an Oration to the Emperour and his Princes saithe to the Emperour Ouis mea es nos habemus Tribunalia Thou arte my Sheepe and we haue our seates of iudgement S. Gregorie the Pope compareth the Sacrament of Penaunce with a courte of Iustice in which causes be first examined and tried and afterwarde Iudged That the same is to be donne by the Prieste S. Bernarde sheweth VVho as also the learned Father Hugo de S. Victore be not afraide to saie after S. Cyprian Hilarie and Chrysostome that the sentence of Peter remittinge Sinnes goeth before the sentence of Heauen This Ordinance of Christe requireth that al. Trespasses Offences Disorders Transgressions and Sinnes committed against him and his Lawes be referred to this Consistorie VVhether these Defenders allowe Publike Confession or no we knowe not but whereas they inueigh against Priuate Confession and saie in spiteful woordes which they haue learned in the Schole of Satan beinge lothe the Sinnes of the People whereby he holdeth his Kingdome shoulde be remitted that Christes Disciples receiued not the auctoritie of the Keies that they shoulde heare priuate Confessions of the People and listen to their whisperinges VVe tel them that Confession of al deadly Sinnes is of the Institution of God not of Man But concerninge the maner of confessinge secretely to a Prieste alone it is moste agreable to Natural Reason that secrete Sinnes be confessed secretely Clement amongest those thinges that he acknowledgeth him selfe to haue receiued of Peter this is One as he writeth in his firste Epistle translated by Rufine the Prieste That if it fortune either enuie or Infidelitie priuely to crepe into any mans harte or any other like euil he whiche regardeth his Soule be not ashamed to confesse those thinges to him that is in Office ouer him to the ende that by him through the woorde of God and holesome counsel he maye be healed So as by perfite Faithe and good woorkes he maye escape the paines of euerlastinge fire and come to the rewardes of Life that endureth for euer No man speaketh more plainely of Secrete Confession then Origen and that in sundry places to whiche for Breuities sake I remitte the Reader In. 2. Ca. Leuitici Homil. 2. De Principijs Lib. 3. In Psal 37. Homil. 2. VVhere he compareth the state of a sinner to a man that hath euil and vndigested humours in his Stomake And saithe that as by remaininge of suche euil matter the man feleth him selfe very sicke and by vomitinge of it foorthe he is eased so the sinner by keepinge his sinnes secrete is the more greuousely charged in his owne conscience and standeth in daunger to be choked with the Fleume and humour of his sinnes But if he accuse him selfe and confesse his faultes he bothe vomiteth foorthe his sinnes and digesteth the cause of the same S. Cyprian as in many other places so moste plainely speaketh of Secrete Confession Sermone 5. de lapsis Although saithe he of certaine deuoute persons they be entangled with no greate Sinne yet because at leaste they thought of it the same vnto the Priestes of God Confesse they sorowfully and simply They make Confession of their Conscience they laie foorthe the burthen of their minde c. S. Augustine treatinge of the Power of the Keies in many places but specially of Confession in Psal 60. VVhere speakinge muche of the necessitie of Confession he saithe thus VVhy fearest thou to be Confessed If not beinge Confessed thou remaine hidden not beinge Confessed thou shalt be damned And afterwardes thus To this ende God requireth Confession to deliuer the humble to this ende he damneth him that confesseth not to punishe the Proude Therefore be thou sorie before thou be Confessed beinge Confessed Reioyse thou shalt be hole By these and many other Holy Fathers of whome there is no doubte but they had the Holy Ghoste for their Teacher and prompter of al Truthe the Catholike Churche hath benne persuaded that the recital and rehersinge of al sinnes before the Prieste is necessarie to Saluation onlesse necessitie for lacke of a Prieste or other wise exclude vs from it and that a General Confession in no wise suffiseth True Faithe acknowlegeth that Confession is to be made of al â Sinnes
thus S. Hierome writeth of the Power of the Keies and of the vse of Confession Istum locum Episcopi ⪠Presbyteri non intelligentes aliquid sibi de Pharisaeorum assumunt Supercilio vt vel damnent innocentes vel soluere se noxios arbitrentur cùm apud Deum non sententia Sacerdotum sed reorum vita quaeratur This place the Bishoppes and Priestes not vnderstandinge take vnto them somme parte of the Proude looke of the Phariseis thinkinge them selues hable either to Condemne the innocente or to Absolue the guiltie VVhereas in deede it is not the Absolution of the Prieste but the life of the Sinner that is VVeighed before God These woordes M. Hardinge woulde not thus haue benne dissembled if ye had meante simple dealinge S. Hierome saithe plainely that your Bishoppes and Priestes vnderstande not the vse of the Keies That ye haue taken vpon you somme parte of the Proude lookes of the Phariseis And that it is not the Absolution of the Prieste but the life of the partie that is accepted before God In the ende he concludeth thus Alligat vel soluit Episcopus vel Presbyter non eos qui insontes sunt vel noxij Sed pro officio suo cùm Peccatorum audierit varietates scit qui ligandus sit qui soluendus The Bishop or Prieste neither Bindeth the innocente nor Loosethe the guiltie but accordinge to his office when he hathe heard the diuersitie of sinnes as in Publique offences he knoweth who ought to be Bounde who ought to be Loosed In like sorte writeth Peter Lombarde Dominus tribuit Sacerdotibus potestatem Ligandi Soluendi id est ostendendi hominibus Ligatos vel Solutos God hath geuen to Priestes Power to Binde and to Loose that is to saie to declare vnto menne that the Penitentes be either Bounde or Loosed Al this notwithstandinge al be it M. Hardinge were hable to proue that the Fathers had sommewhere made mention of Confession in Secrete yet should not that greately either further his pourpose or hinder ours For Abuses and Errours remoued and specially the Prieste beinge Learned as wee haue saide before wée mislike no manner Confession whether it be Priuate or Publike For as wée thinke it not vnlawful to make open Confession before many so wée thinke it not vnlawful Abuses alwaies excepted to make the like Confession in Priuate either before a fewe or before one alone And as the Holy Fathers vpon good considerations were forced to remoue the vse of Open Confession euen so wée saye that vpon like good Considerations Priuate Confession also maye be remoued Onely this wée saie that Christe when he sente his Disciples into the Worlde and gaue them Authoritie to Binde and to Loose made no manner mention of any sutche Hearinge of Confessions but Onely bade them goe and Preache the Gospel Hilarie Bernarde and Huge as ye haue alleged them séeme to saye that the Iudgemente of Man goethe before the Iudgemente of God Other the like or rather more vehemente speaches ye might haue founde in Chrysostome Coelum accipit Authoritatem ludicandi à Terra Index seder in Terris Dominus sequitur Seruum Heauen taketh Authoritie of Iudgemente from the Earthe In Earthe sitteth the Iudge The Lorde followeth the Seruante These and sutche other the like extraordinarie speaches with good Construction maie be comfortable to the afflicted minde But as one saide sommetime they muste be receiued with a Graine of Salte For otherwise of them selues they be vnsauerie For S. Hierome saithe as I haue alleged before Apud Deum non sententia Sacerdotis sed reorum vita quaeritur It is not the Sentence or Absolution of the Prieste but the life of the Penitente that is accepted before God And againe Tunc vera est sententia Praesidentis quando Aeterni sequitur sententiam Iudicis Then the Iudgemente of the Presidente or Prieste is true not when it goeth before but when it folowethe the Iudgement of the Euerlastinge Iudge And Gratian him selfe saithe Non Sacerdotali Iudicio sed largitate Diuinae Gratiae Peccator emundatur The Sinner is made Cleane not by Iudgemente of the Prieste but by the abundance of the Heauenly Grace But Nazianzene as he is here alleged saide vnto the Emperour Ouis nostra es Thou arte Oure Sheepe No marueile He meante that the Emperoure was One of the Flocke and Folde of Christe So S. Ambrose saide sometime vnto the Emperoure Valentinian Quid honorificentius quà m vt Ecclesiae Filius dicatur Imperator Imperator enim bonus intra Ecclesiam non supra Ecclesiam est What thinge is there more honourable then for the Emperour to be called a Childe of the Churche For a good âmperour is Within the Churche but not Aboue the Churche S. Chrysostome saithe Deus ipse subiecit Caput Principis manui Sacerdotis God him selfe hathe set the Heade of the Prince vnder the Hande of the Prieste For as touchinge Faithe and the Obedience of the Gospel the Highest Prince is but a Subiecte Al this proueth wel the Authoritie and Dignitie of Goddes Woorde but it maketh nothinge for Confession To conclude M. Hardinge saithe It hath benne persuaded that the recitinge and rehearsal of al sinnes before the Prieste is necessarie to SaluatioÌ and that a General Confession is in no wise sufficient And againe he saithe True Faithe acknowledgeth that Confession is to be made of al Sinnes as Commaunded by Christe and his Apostles Commended vnto vs by the Fathers of the Primitiue Churche and by al Learned Doctours and General vse of the whole Churche Good Reader Thou wouldest thinke that emongest so many greate Woordes there were somme Truthe and that M. Hardinge of his modestie and for his Credites sake would not speake so boldly without somme ground But I beseche thee Consider these fewe and thereby Iudge indifferently of the reste Chrysostome saithe Non dico vt Confitearis Conseruo tuo peccata tua Dicito Deo qui curet ea I wil thee not to Confesse thy Sinnes vnto the Prieste that is thy felowe seruante Confesse them vnto God that maie heale them Againe Cogitatione tua fiat delictorum exquisitio Sine teste sit hoc Iudicium Solus Deus te Consitentem videat Examine thy Sinnes in thy harte within thee Let this Iudgemente be vvithout vvitnesse Let God onely see thee makinge thy Confession Beatus Rhenanus a man of greate readinge and singulare Iudgemente hereof writeth thus Tertullianus de Clancularia ista Confessione admissorum nihil loquitur Neque eam vsquam olim Praeceptam legimus Tertullian of this Priuie Confession of Sinnes saithe nothinge Neither doo wee reade that the same Kinde of Priuie Confession in Olde times vvas euer Commaunded M. Hardinge saith It vvas Commaunded Rhenanus saith It vvas not Commaunded If Rhenanus woordes be true as they be in deede their are M. Hardinges woordes most vntrue Likewise it is noted in the very Glose vpon M. Hardinges
They were saide to cleanse the Leprosie bicouse they shewed who was cleansed So saith S. Augustine Nec voluntas Sacerdotis obesse vel prodesse potest sed Meritum Benedictionem Poscentis The vvil of the Prieste can neither further nor hinder But the Merite of him that desueth AbsolutioÌ Thus therfore S. Ambrose meaneth The Prieste is a Iudge to discerne bitweene sinne and sinne as wel Priuate as Publique But Right Power or Authoritie to foregeeue fianes he hath none The Apologie Cap. 7. Diuision 4. And therefore our Saueour Iesus Christe to reproue the Negligence of the Scribes and Phariseis in teachinge did with these woordes rebuke them saieing Woe be vnto you Scribes Phariseis whiche haue taken away the Keyes of knowledge haue shutte vp the Kingedome of Heauen before menne Seeinge then the Keie whereby the way and entrie to the Kingdome of God is opened vnto vs is the Woorde of the Gospel and the Expoundinge of the Lawe and Scriptures wee saie plainely where the same Woorde is not there is not the Keie M. Hardinge By this wee are induced to graunte that the knowledge of the Scripture is a Keie whereby the gate to the Truthe is opened the vse whereof consisieth in expoundinge of the Lawe and Prophetes as they shewe Christe But wee say this not to be the special Keies whiche Christe gaue to the church but one Keie alone And so Christe calleth it where he rebuked the Scribes and Phariseis Though you haue put it otherwise then the Gospel hath in the Plural number And this Keie is common to the Lawe and to the Gospel But the Keies whiche we speake of are another thinge By the name of these leies We vnderstande the whole spiritual Power whiche Christe firste promised to Peter and afterwarde gaue to the Apostles and from them is transferred to al Bishoppes and Priestes By whiche Power Priestes teache the Gospel Consecrate the Body and Bloude of Christe and Minister the Sacramentes through Auctoritie of the VVoorde Absolue PeniteÌtes and excommunicate Publike and hainous sinners The Keie that you confusely speake of naminge it to be the VVoorde of the Gospel and Expoundinge of the Lawe and Scriptures is one parte perteininge to this spiritual Power it is not the whole Power And where this VVoorde is not that is to saie where the Scriptures be not taught and the Gospel preached there is not the Keie saie ye there is not the exercise of that Keie saie we Yet ther is this spiritual Power that is to witte ther be the Keies Ye we say that a simple Prieste though he haue no greate learninge yet hath he the Keies though he might do better and more worthely vse them hauinge learninge and knowledge The B. of Sarisburie M. Hardinge mutche and often complaineth of the Confusion of the Keies that wée appointe not distinctly eche Keie to his seueral office Marke therefore I beseche thée Gentle Reader hewe distinctly and plainely M. Hardinge him selfe intreateth of the same Firste of the twoo Keies that Christe hath deliuered vs in the Gospel he hathe made a greate many of Keies The Keie of knowledge The keie of Order The Keie of Power The Keie of Discretion The Keie of Sacramentes And for as mutche as Sacramentes by his Doctrine be Seuen in number there muste also be of this sorte Seuen other seueral Keies And yet ouer and bisides al these Keies béeing so many the Pope hath also One Special Maister Keie Afterward by a sleight and by nimblenesse of his fingers he conueigheth al this heape of Keies into twoo Onely Keies whereof the One he calleth the Keie of knowledge and the other the Keie of Power Whiche twoo Keies notwithstandinge in the ende are suddainely consumed both into One onely Keie For where as the Keie of knowledge is lost there by M. Hardinges Iudgement Power onely remaineth without knowledge And that Keie alone dischargeth al offices and is vtterly al in al. This Keie of Power without knowledge muste néedes be yâ Keie of Ignorance Or as they them selues haue vsed to cal it Clauis Errans The Keie of Errour Or whiche Keie vndoubtedly Christe saide sommetime Hoc est tempus vestrum Potestas Tenebrarum This is your time and the Power of Darkenesse Peter Lombarde him selfe saithe Many Priestes be Ignorante and haue not the Keie of knowledge Alexander of Hales saithe Scientia non est Clauis Knowledge is no Keie at al. Yet M. Hardinge answeareth vs that the simple ignorant Prieste that knoweth nothinge hath not onely One Keie but both Keies for so he calleth them in the Plural number that is to saie as wel the Keie of knowledge as the Keie of Power And thus haue they forged a Keie of knowledge without knowledge and with the same keie they expounde and open the Scriptures they Minister the Sacramentes they Binde they Loose and breake vp a by way into the Kingedome of Heauen Yet muste wée beleue that they speake simply and plainely of these Keies and without confusion The Apologie Cap. 7. Diuision 5. And seeinge one manner of Woorde is geuen to al and one onely Keie belongeth to al wee say there is but one onely Power of al Ministers as concerning Openinge and Shuttinge And as touchinge the Bishop of Rome for al that his Flatteringe Parasites singe these woordes in his eares To thee wil I geue the Keies of the Kingedome of Heauen as though these Keies were fitte for him alone and for no body els excepte he goe so to woorke as Mennes Consciences maie be made pliaunte and be subdued to the Woorde of God wee denie that he doth either Open or Shutte or hath the Keies at al. And although the taught and instructed the People as woulde God he might once truely doo and perswade him selfe it were at the leaste any peece of his dewtie yet wee thinke his Keie to be neuer a white better or of greater force then other mennes For who hath seuered him from the reste Who hath taught him more conningely to Open or better to Absolue then his bretherne M. Hardinge Your grounde beinge false what ye buylde thereon some faileth The whole Power of the Keies pardy howe often times muste we tell you one thinge standeth not in preachinge onely but in sundry other excellent ministeries also as wee haue proued If the Bishop of Rome preache not he doth neis the Open nor shut by preachinge wee graunte Yet mens Consciences beinge made plaint and subdued by the VVoorde of God by others that preache at his appointement he maie by vertue of the Keies either Open or Shut Loose or Binde as by discretion he seeth cause And whereas Christe saide to Peter and therefore to the Bishop of Rome Peters Successour To thee wil I geue the Keies of the Kingdome of Heauen wil ye call them flatteringe Parisites that yelde to him that whiche Christe gaue to him Sutche vomite sheweth what humour your stomake is charged withal Denyinge
Children ouersee theire house and geue no occasion to the aduersarie to speake il If these woordes of S. Paule muste déedes be taken of Vowes and none otherwise why doo you so violently contrarie to S. Paules commaundemente either force or suffer yonge Maides and girles to receiue these Vowes Why doo ye not staie them vntil they be striken in age that they maie be thréescore yeeres Olde before they Vowe It is no reason ye should in one place claime by one Woorde and breake so many You saie The Vowe of Chastitie is annexed vnto Holy Orders by the Ancient Constitution of the Churche and by the Apostles of Christe For trial of your truthe herein I beséeche you to consider these sewe in stéede of many Your owne allowed and principal Doctour Gratian saithe thus Copula Sacerdotalis vel consanguineorum nec Legali nec Euangelica nec Apostolica authoritate prohibetur Priestes marriage is not forebidden by any Authoritie either of the Lavve of Moses or of the Gospel or of the Apostles Clemens Alexandrinus saithe Omnes Apostoli Epistolae quae moderationem docent continentiam cùm de Matrimonio de Liberorum procreatione de domus administratione innumerabilia praecepta contineant nunquam tamen honestum moderatumque Matrimonium prohibuerunt Al the Epistles of the Apostle whiche teache sobrietie and continente life whereas they conteine innumerable Preceptes touchinge Matrimonie bringinge vp of Children and gouernemente of House yet they neuer forebade Honeste and sober Marriage Carâinal Caictanus saithe Nec ratione nec authoritate probari potest quòd absolutè loquendo Sacerdos peccet contrahendo Matrimonium Nam nec Ordo in quantum Ordo nec Ordo in quantum Sacer est impeditiuus Matrimonij Siquidem Sacerdotium non dirimit Matrimonium contractum siue antè siue pòst seclusis omnibus Legibus Ecclesiasticis stando tantùm ijs quae habemus à Christo Apostolis It cannot be proued neither by reason nor by Authoritie speakinge absolutely that a Prieste sinneth in marrieinge a wife For neither the Order of Priesthoode in that it is Order nor the same Order in that it is Holy is any hinderance to Matrimonie For Priesthoode breaketh not Marriage whether it be contracted before Priesthoode or aftervvarde settinge al Ecclisiastical Lawes aparte and standinge onely vnto those thinges that vvee haue of Christe and his Apostles Abbate Panormitane saithe Continentia non est de Substantia Ordinis nec de Iure Diuino Single life is not of the substance of the Order of Priesthoode nor of the Lavve of God Likewise Antoninus saithe Episcopatus ex Natura sua non habet opponi ad Matrimonium The office or Degree of a Bishop of the Substance of Nature of it selfe is not contrarie to Matrimonie Hereby ye maie easily sée M. Hardinge howe true it is that you saie The Vowe of Chastitie is annexed to Holy Orders and that by the Apostles Ancient Constitution But this Order you saie was taken for that hauinge the vse of Wedlocke wée cannot Praie And to that ende ye allege the Authoritie of S. Paule Where also ye might haue alleged the names and saieinges of sundrie Fathers Origen saithe The Holy Ghoste in time of Copulation forsaketh a man yea although he were the Prophete of God An other saithe Virginitas Sola potest animas hominum praesentare Deo Onely Virginitie is hable to presente the Soule of man vnto God S. Hierome saith Quotiescunque vxori debitum reddo orare non possum As often as I doo my duetie to my wife I cannot Praie And to this pourpose Pope Siricius vndiscretely fondely abuseth the Holy Woorde of God Thus he saithe Qui in Carne sunt Deo placere non possunt They that be in the Pleashe cannot please God These woordes séeme very harde sounde mutche to the derogation of Goddes Ordinance And therefore Ignatius S. Iohns Scholare saithe Si quis Legitimam Commixtionem Filiorum procreationem Corruptionem Coinquinationem vocat ille habet cohabitatorem Daemonem Apostatam If any man calle lawful Copulation and Begeattinge of Children Corruption and Filthinesse he hath the Diuel that felle from God dvvellinge vvithin him In like manner saie the Learned godly Bishoppes in the Councel of Gangra Si quis discernit Presbyterum Coniugatum tanquam occasione nuptiarum quòd offerre non debeat ab eius Oblatione abstinet Anathema sit If any man make difference of a Married Prieste as if he maie not Minister the Oblation or Holy Communion bicause of his Marriage and absteineth from his Oblation accursed be he Likewise it is written in the Councel of Constantinople Si quis praesumpserit contra Apostolicos Canones aliquos Presbyterorum DiaconoruÌ priuare à Contactu Communione legalis vxoris suae Deponatur Similiter Presbyter aut Diaconus qui Religionis causa Vxorem suam expellit excommunicetur If any man contrarie to the Apostles Canons presume to remooue either Prieste or Deacon from the vse and Companie of his lavvful vvife let him be depriued And in like manner let the prieste or Deacon be excommunicate that putteth avvaie his vvife vnder the colour of Religion As touchinge the place of S. Paule Defraude not your selues One an Other Onlesse it be of consente for a season that ye maie attende vnto Fastinge and Praier He speaketh not this of that kinde of Praier that is commonly daiely vsed of al the Faitheful as wel Married as Vnmarried but onely of the General Solemne Praier of the whole Congregation whiche then as in time of Persecution and feare of enimies was keapte onely in the night and al the whole multitude of the Faitheful was charged to be presente at the same At whiche times it was necessarie that bothe the man and the wife should leaue the one the others companie and resorte to Praier So it is written in the Prophete Ioel Blowe vp the Trumpe in Sion Proclaime a solemne Faste Cal togeather a Congregation of the People Let the Breedegroome leaue his bedde Let the Spouse comme from her Chamber Let the Priestes the Ministers of God weepe bitweene the Entire and the Aultar And let them saie O Lorde spare thy people and geue not ouer thine Enheritance vnto Confusion Of the like kinde of General and Solemne Praier Tertullian saithe thus Quis Solennibus Paschae abnoctantem Vxorem securus sustinebit What man beinge an Heathen can without mistruste suffer his Wife beinge a Christian Woman to be awaie from him at the Solemnitie of the Easter Praier Of sutche Solemne and Seldome méetinges S. Paule speaketh and not of the Daiely Vsual and Common Praiers of al Christians Otherwise touchinge the Puritie and Holinesse of Married people S. Augustine saithe Quòd Paulus ait Quae innupta est cogitat ea quae sunt DnÌi vt sit sancta Corpore Spiritu non
Former And therefore he saithe Secundam quidem accipere secundum Praeceptum Apostoli licitum est Secundum autem Veritatis rationem Verè Fornicatio est Sed cùm ⪠permittente Deo Publicè licenter permittitur fit Honesta Fornicatio To take the Seconde vvife while the firste is aliue accordinge to the Apostles commaundemente it is lawful But by the Judgemente of the Truthe in deede it is Fornication But while as by Goddes permission it is openly and lawfully suffered the Fornication is made Honeste This laste Clause the Glose there expoundeth thus Fornicatio cum ea quam permisit Moses post repudiatam assumi Fornication I meane with her whome Moses suffered to be taken to wife after the Diuorce of the Firste Thus therefore S. Chrysostome saithe that sutche a man as had Twoo wiues togeather at one time or was Diuorced from One wife and had married an other might not be chosen to be a Bishop For otherwise Tertullian saithe vnto the Bishoppes of the Catholique Churche Apud vos Episcopi sunt Digami There be Bishoppes emonge you he meaneth emonge the Catholiques that haue married tvvoo vviues the one after the deathe of the other If al this wil not suffise I referre mee selfe to Chrysostomes owne omes Woordes Thus he writeth S. Paule restreineth Vnchaste personnes not permitting them that haue married tvvoo vviues to be Chosen to the gouernmente of the Churche His reasons be these Nam qui vxori quae decessit à se beneuolentiam nullam seruasse deprehenditur quo pacto potest ille esse bonus Praeceptor Ecclesiae Imò quibus criminibus non subijcitur in dies Nostis enim quòd etsi per Leges Secundae nuptiae permittuntur tamen ea res accusationibus multis patet For he that is founde to haue borne no good wil vnto his wife not that is deade but that is gonne from him howe can he be a meete Maister for the Churche of God Nai rather to what quarrelles and accusations by meane of these twoo Wiues shal he not be subiect euery daie For you know although by the Lawe the Marriage of the Seconde VVife after the Diuorce of the firste be suffered yet the mater lieth open to many offences It appeareth saithe Chrysostome that he bare no good wil towardes his Former Wife not that nowe is deade but that is diuorced and so departed from him And therefore oftentimes growe many accusations and griefes bitwéene the Wiues the Children the Frendes and others for partinge of goodes for restoaringe of dowers and other like quarrelles For to haue spoken of good vvil or affection towardes the Former Wife being deade it had benne impertinent and to no pourpose Thus mutche toouchinge Chrysostomes iudgement vpon these Woordes of S. Paule The Husband of One VVife Notwithstandinge I denie not but certaine other Auncient and Learned Fathers haue taken it otherwise Laste of al M. Hardinge vnwares falleth into the same Negatiue Diuinitie that he so often and so mutche abhorreth For thus he saithe Wee denie vtterly that any man after that he hath receiued Holy Orders maye Marrie Neither can it be shewed that the Marriage of sutche was euer accoumpted lawful in the Catholique Churche It this tale be true then be al the Greeke Priestes Votaries as wel as the Latines But it is noted vpon the Decrées Graeci continentiam non promittunt vel Tacitè vel Expressè The Greekes make no Promisse of continente or Single Life neither Secretely nor Expressely And in the Councel holden at Ancyra it is concluded thus Diaconi quicunque ordinantur si in ipsa Ordinatione protestati sunt dixerunt velle se CoÌiugio Copulari quia sic manere non possunt Hi si postmodum Vxores duxerint in Ministerio maneant Proptereà quòd Episcopus illis licentiam dederit Deacons as many as be ordred if at the time of receiuinge Orders they made Protestation and saide that they vvoulde Marrie for that they finde not them selues hable so to continewe without Marriage if they aftervvarde Marrie let them continewe in the Ministerie for as mutche as the Bishop hath geuen them licence M. Hardinge I trowe wil not denie but Deaconship is one of the Holy Orders Yet Deacons at the time of theire Consecration makinge Protestation solemnely before the Bishop were licenced by this Councel to Marrie at any time afterward and the same Marriage contrarie to M. Hardinges position was euermore in the Catholique Churche accoumpted lawful So saithe Pope Steuin Graecorum Sacerdotes Diaconi aut Subdiaconi Matrimonio Copulantur The Greeke Priestes Deacons or Subdeacons are coupled in Matrimonie Vpon whiche woordes the Glose noteth thus Multi ex hac litera dixerunt quòd Orientales possunt contrahere in Sacris Ordinibus Many haue saide vpon occasion of this texte that the Priestes of the Easte Churche contrarie to that M Hardinge so certainely here assureth vs maye Marrie beinge vvithin Holy Orders And of the Priestes of the Weaste Churche Cardinal Caietane saithe Papa potest dispensare cum Sacerdote Occidentalis Ecclesiae vt Vxorem ducat nulla existente causa Publicae Vtilitatis The Pope maie dispense withe a Priste of the VVeaste Churche to Marrie a VVife although there be no manner cause of Common Profite Athanasius saithe Multi quoque ex Episcopis Matrimonia non inierunt Monachi contrà Parentes liberorum facti sunt Many of the Bishoppes he saithe not al but Many haue not Married By whiche woordes he geueth vs to vnderstande that Somme haue Married Contrarievvise Monkes haue becomme Fathers of Children Cassiodorus writeth thus In illo tempore ferunt Martyrio Vitam finisse Eupsychium Caesariensem Episcopum ducta nuper Vxore dum adhuc quasi Sponsus esse videretur At that time they saie Eupsychius the Bishop of Caesaria died in Martyrdome hauing Married a VVife a litle before beinge as yet in manner a newe married man Likewise M. Hardinge mighte haue founde it noted in his owne Glose Dicunt quòd olim Sacerdotes poterant contrahere ante Siricium They saie that in Olde times before Pope Siricius whiche was about foure hundred yéeres after Christe it vvas lavvful for Priestes to Marrie But wée shal haue occasion to speake hereof more hereafter In the meane season good Christian Reader by these few as by a taste thou maiste easily iudge howe true it is that M. Hardinge telleth thée that Marriage in them that had receiued Holy Orders was neuer thought lawful in the Catholique Churche The Apologie Cap. 8. Diuision 2. And as Sozomenus saithe of Spiridion and as Nazianzene saithe of his owne Father wee saie that a good and diligente Bishop dothe serue in the Ministerie neuer the woorse for that he is Married but rather the better and with more hablenes to doo goode M. Hardinge VVere it not that the weight of these maters required an vpright and plaine dealinge for ciuilities sake I could
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
Baptisme whiche is the Sacrament of Faithe For he saithe Quemadmodum Sacramentum Corporis Christi secundum quendam modum Corpus Christi est ita Sacramentum Fidei Fides est As the Sacramente of Christes Body not verily and in deede but after a certaine manner of speeche is Christes Body So Baptisme is Faithe bicause it is the Sacrament of Faithe Therfore Cardinal Caietane is woorthily blamed by Catharinus in that he saith An Infante for that he wanteth instruction in Faithe therefore hathe not perfite Baptisme Touchinge the Vertue or Power of this Sacramente if M. Hardinge meanâ thereby the outwarde Elemente of the Water he knoweth or maye easily know It is a common resolution emongest al his owne Schole Doctours Gratia Dei non est alligata Sacramentis The Grace of God is not tied to any Sacramentes The meaning thereof is that God is hable to woorke Saluation bothe with them and without them S. Augustine saithe as it is before alleged Iam vos mundi estis propter sermonem quem locutus sum vobis Quare non ait Mundi estis propter Baptismum quo loti estis Nisi quia etiam in Aqua Verbum mundat Detrahe Verbum quid est Aqua nisi Aqua Nowe are ye cleane bicause of the VVoorde that I haue spoken to you But why saithe he not Nowe Ye are cleane bicause of the Baptisme wherwith ye are wasshed sauing yâ bicause in the VVater it is the VVoord that maketh cleane ⪠Take awaie the VVoorde and vvhat is the VVater more then VVater Therefore he saithe Aqua exhibet forinsecùs Sacramentum Gratiae The VVater geueeth vs outvvardly the Sacramente of Grace Notwithstandinge wee muste consider that the Learned Fathers in theire treaties of the Sacramentes sommetime vse the outwarde Signe in stéede of the thinge it selfe that is signified sommetime they vse the thinge Signified in stéede of the Signe As for example Sommetimes they name Christes Bloude in stéede of the VVater Sommetime they name the VVater in steede of Christes Bloude This Figure is called Metonymia that is to saie an exchange of names and is mutche vsed emongst the Learned specially speakinge of the Sacramentes S. Augustine vsinge the VVater in place of the Bloude of Christe that is Signified by the Water saithe thus Soluit vinculum culpae reconciliat bonum naturae regenerat hominem in Vno Christo It breaketh the bande of Sinne It reconcileth the goodnesse of Nature It dooth renewe a man in One Christe Notwithstanding in déede and in precise manner of speache Saluation muste be sought in Christe alone and not in any outwarde Signes Christe is that Lambe of God that taketh awaie the Sinnes of the Worlde The Bloude of Christe maketh vs cleane from al our Sinnes S. Cyprian saithe Remiâio peccatorum âiue per Baptismum siue per alia Sacramenta donetur Propriè Spiritus Sancti est ipsi soli huius efficientiae Priuilegium maneâ Verborum solennitas Sacri inuocatio Nominis Signa Apostolicis Institutionibus attribura Visibile celebraÌt Sacramentum Rem verò ipsam Spiritius Sanctus format efficit The Remission of Sinne whether it be geeuen by Baptisme or by any other Sacramente is in deede of the Holy Ghoste and to the same Holy Ghoste onely the Priuilege of this woorke dooth appertaine The solemnitie of the Woordes and the inuocation of Goddes Holy Name and the outwarde Signes appointed to the Ministerie of the Priestes by the Institution of the Apostles wooorke the Visible outwarde Sacramente But touchinge the substance thereof whiche is the Remission of Sinnes it is the Holy Ghoste that woorketh it Likewise saithe S. Hierome Homo Aquam tantùm tribuit Deus autem dat Spiritum Sanctum quo sordes abluuntur The Minister being a man geeueth onely the VVater but God geeueth the Holy Ghoste whereby the Sinnes be washte awaie And againe Si quis Corporeum quod oculis Carnis aspicitur Aquae tantùm accipit lauacrum non est indutus Dominum Iesum Christum If any man haue receiued onely the Bodily vvasshinge of VVater that is outwardly seene with the eie he hath not put on our Lorde Jesus Christe Concerninge Concupiscence remaininge in the faitheful after Baptisme whether it be Sinne or no Sinne there was no greate cause why M. Hardinge shoulde in this place moue question sauinge that as he hath hitherto denied that Falshedde is Falshedde so he woulde nowe denie that Sinne is Sinne. Vndoubtedly S. Paule féelinge the same Concupiscence in him selfe is forced to moorne and to crie out I see an other Lawe in my members fightinge againste the Lawe of my minde and leadinge me Prisoner to the Lavve of sinne And againe O Wretched man that I am who shal deliuer me from this Body of Deathe Therefore S. Ambrose saithe Non iuuenitur in vllo hominum tanta concordia vt Legi Mentis Lex quae Membris est insita non repugnet Propter quod ex omnium Sanctorum Persona accipitur quod Iohannes Apostolus ait Si dixerimus quòd peccaâum non habemus nos ipsos seducimus Veritas in nobis non est There is not found in any man sutche concorde bitweene the Fleashe and the Sprite but that the Lawe of Concupiscence whiche is planted in the Members fighteth against the Lawe of the Minde And for that cause the woordes of S. John the Apostle are taken as spoken in the Persone of al Sainctes If wee saie wee haue no Sinne wee deceiue our selues and there is no Truthe in vs. And to leaue al others S. Augustine saithe in moste plaine wise Concupiscentia Carnis aduersus quam bonus Concupiscit Spiritus Peccatum est Poena Peccati Causa Peccati The Concupiscence of the Fleashe against whiche the good Sprite lusteth is bothe Sinne and the Paine of sinne and the Cause of sinne And againe he saithe Quà mdiu viuis necesse est Peccatum esse in membris ruis As longe as thou liuest there muste needes be Sinne in thy members If M. Hardinge saie wee wreaste and racke S. Augustine and take his woordes otherwise then he meante Albertus Pighius his owne Principal Doctour wil control him Thus he writeth Augustinus tradit hanc ipsam Concupiscentiam Corpori nostro inspersam atque innatam in nondum renatis verè propriè Peccatum esse quae ignoscatur quidem sed non tollatur in Baptismo S. Augustine teacheth vs that this same Concupiscence planted in our Body in them that be not regenerate by Baptisme Verily and in plaine manner of speache is Sinne and that the same Concupiscence is foregeeuen in Baptisme but is not vtterly taken avvaie Yet the late blessed Chapter of Tridente in spite of S. Augustine hathe published the Contrarie Hanc Concupiscentiam quam Apostolus aliquando appellat Peccatum Sancta Synodus declarat Ecclesiam Catholicam nunquam intellexisse quòd verè
of our parte Onely by Faithe ⪠yet S. Augustine saithe as it is saide before Habemus Christum in Presenti per Baptismatis Sacramentum Wee haue Christe Presently by the Sacramente of Baptisme Thus is Christe Presente vnto vs Of his parte Onely by his Grace Of our parte Onely by our Faithe By the Sacramentes Onely as by meane of outwarde Instrumentes to moue our senses This light and childishe errour as I haue saide before is called Ignoratio Elenchi and therefore séemeth to procede of Ignorance M. Hardinge should haue better examined the force of his Argumentes before he thus suddainely sente them abroade Touchinge the mater it selfe it is not the Bodily mouthe but Faithe alone that receiueth and embraceth Christes Body S. Augustine saithe Panis iste Interioris Hominis quaerit esuriem Qui credit in eum manducat This Breade requireth the hunger of the Inner Man He that beleeuth in him eateth his Body This is no tangling as you saie M. Hardinge It is the Auncient Catholique Doctrine of yâ Churche of God Wée be wel assured of it knowe certainely what wée saie But touching yâ certainetie of your Doctrine in this point I haue briefely touched it in my Former Replie so mutche as I then thought might séeme sufficieÌte Somme of you hold yâ Christes Body passeth down into yâ stomake Somme yâ it entreth onely into the Mouthe goeth no further Somme others saie Quà m citò Species teruÌtur dentibus tam citò in Coelum rapitur Corpus Christi As soone as the Fourmes of the Breade be grated with the teeth streight waie the Body of Christe is caught vp into Heauen An other of you saithe A Mouse eateth the Body of Christe An other saithe Nay a Mouse cannot eate it Peter Lombarde the Grande Maister of al your Schoole is piteously confounded in the case and cannot imagine what to saie For after he had him selfe moued the question Quid igitur sumit Mus vel quid manducat What is it then that the Mouse receiueth or what eateth it He answeareth Deus nouit Novve God knovveth As for my parte I cannot tel Sutche be your Doctours M. Hardinge sutche is your Doctrine Therefore to conclude with your owne woordes it appeareth by your agréemente and your answeares ye vnderstande not the thinges ye speake of but bothâ affirme and denie ye knowe not what M. Hardinge As ye procede foorth ye geue warninge to your Readers not to take you so as though ye held with transubstantiation And here ye speake thereof as best becommeth your scoffinge sprite callinge it a dreame of men of later times whereof they coulde neuer yet agree within them selues By whiche woordes your eloquence hath set foorth your spite and lieing at once For albeit the terme of transubstantiation be of no greater antiquitie then the Councel Laterane vnder Innocentius the thirde where it was by the Holy Ghoste and the Fathers there deuised as very fitte for opening of the Truthe impugned by the Berengarians yet is the Doctrine thereof no lesse Auncient then the Gospel it selfe For maugre the malice of the Deuil and of al the Sacramentaries the Olde Truthe shal preuaile by whiche we are taught that whiche was Breade by the Mystical blessinge to be made Christes Body and that whiche was wine to be made his Bloude as I haue other wheres sufficiently declared And the Churche hath alwaies hereupon perfitely accorded touchinge the Substance though certaine schoolemen in their Scholastical Disputations where oftentimes victorie is sought and Faith not impugned about discussion of somme schoole point haue without preiudice of our belefe disagreede The B. of Sarisburie As for the scoffes and spites and lies ye speake of M. Hardinge let him haue them that hath beste deserued them Then verily without greate wronge you cannot lose them Touching your New FaÌtasie of Transubstantiation whether it be a dreame or no whether the dreamers of it them selues were euer yet hable rightly to expouÌd theire owne dreame it appeareth partely by your owne Confession Ye graunte the name and terme thereof was neuer knowen or hearde of in al the Worlde vntil your late Councel of Laterane holdeÌ in Rome vnder Pope Innòcentius the thirde in the yeere of our Lorde a thousande two hundred and fiftéene in the time of Kinge Iohn the Kinge of England and neuer before So longe the Churche of God was hable wel to stande without your Transubstantiation And al be it ye tel vs notwithstandinge the newnesse of the name yet neuerthelesse the Doctrine thereof hath stil continewed in the Churche and hathe benne euermore receiued and confessed of al the Faitheful and that maugre the malice of the Diuel and of al the Sacramentaries it is as Ancient as the Gospel or as Christe him selfe Yet of yâ other side ye coÌfesse plainely that for the space of twelue hundred yéeres and more Roman wiste by what name to calle it But for as mutche as you thinke it lawful for you to auouthe and affirme what you liste true or false without controlmente whereas ye saie this late Faithe of yours is as Auncient as the Gospel knowe you that somme of the beste learned of your owne side haue saide It is a nevve Pointe in Religion and therefore not so Auncient as you seeme to make it It is a doubteful Conclusion and therefore no Faithe at al. D. Tonstal thereof saithe thus De modo quo id fieret fortasse satius erat ⪠Curiosum quenque suae relinquere Coniecturae sicut liberuÌ fuit ante Concilium Lateranum Of the manner and meane howe this might be whether by Transubstantiation or otherwise perhaps it had benne better to leaue euery man that woulde be Curious to his owne Coniecture as before the Councel of Laterane it vvas leafte at libertie You saie it is as Auncient as the Gospel D. Tonstal saith It is but new and came in twelue hundred yéeres and more after the Gospel You saie it is the Catholique Faith D. Tonstal saithe It is a Coniecture or a Gheasse whiche differeth not mutch from a dreame and that before the saide late Councel of Laterane noman vvas bounde to beleeue it And here it maie please you to consider indifferently with your selfe It it were leafte at Libertie as D. Tonstal saithe for any man either to receiue it or to refuse it as he thought good how could it then be the Catholique Faithe If it were the Catholique Faithe as you saie that maugre the malice of the Diuel howe then could it so many hundred yeeres be leafte at libertie Hereof ye saie ye haue written sufficiently otherwheres Al this I graunt your Bookes are knowen How be it if you woulde haue written nomore but Truethe ⪠ye might haue saued mutche time and spared somme paper But if it shal not mislike you once againe more aduisedly to viewe the same ye shal finde in the very Firste Diuision thereof thrée
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
stil the Substance of Breade and Nature of VVine The Substance and Nature of Breade are not changed The selfe same Breade as touchinge the Material Substance goeth into the bely and is caste out into the priuie Or that Christe the Apostles Holy Fathers praied not in that tongue whiche the people might vnderstande Or that Christe hath not perfourmed al thinges by that one offeringe whiche he once offered vpon the Crosse Or that the same Sacrifice was Vnperfite so that now we haue neede of an other M. Hardinge VVhat crake ye of a good parte of the VVorlde The greater is the number of those ye haue seduced the more greeuous shal be your iudgement There be not yet many yeeres paste that ye boasted of your poore small flocke alludinge to the fewnesse of the Flocke that liued with Christe in Fleashe and made their fewnesse an argumente of the sincere Truthe But nowe that through your euil teachinge the worlde groweth more to be dissolute and wicked ye boast of your number This is certaine touchinge groundes of truthe the Churche erreth not as that whiche enioyeth Christes promise and your Congregation teachinge the contrary muste therefore be taken for the Children of the Father of Lies Though tenne or twenty Masses were not saide in one daie by Christe the Apostles or Fathers as ye scoffe when the Faithe was firste Preached and fewe beleued no Churches whiche here not without prophane malice ye name Temples yet beinge builie this is no sufficient reason why we maie not nowe where the Faithe is generally receiued haue sundry Masses in one Churche in one daie Ye make muche a doo about bothe Kindes and to aggrauate the matter ye vse the odious terme of bannishinge the people from the Cuppe VVe teache the people for good causes to be contente with one Kinde doinge them to vnderstande they receiue the whole Body of Christe Fleashe and Bloude no lesse then if they receiued Bothe Kindes The Sacriledge whiche Gelasius speaketh of consisteth in diuidinge Christe and the same he imputeth to the Manichees as I haue an other where declared And therefore as that toucheth not vs who doo not diuide Christe but in the Sacramente geue to the people whole Christe so it sheweth you to be either sclaunderous or ignorant As for the tongue of the Churche Seruice how so euer Christe the Apostles and Holy Fathers praied the vse of the Latine tongue vsed in the Seruice of the Latine Churche is not by any reason or Auctoritie ye can bringe yet so farre disproued that the Churche ought to condemne the order from the beginninge receiued and hitherto continewed The B. of Sarisburie Wée make no crakes of our numbers M. Hardinge but humbly géeue God thankes that maugre al your practises and policies hath published and proclaimed the name of his Sonne in euery place through the worlde The foorth and force thereof greeueth you nowe as it did others your Fathers before you that cried out in an agonie What shal wee doo Al the worlde renneth after him Of them S. Cyril saithe Quicquid Christo credentium accesserit sibi detractum putant As many Faitheful Beleeuers as are gotten to Christe so many they thinke are loste from the selues Notwithstandinge the Truthe of God hangeth neither of many nor of fewe Liberius the Bishop of Rome saide sometime to the Arian Emperour Constantius Non si ego solus sum idcircò minor est ratio Fidei Although I be alone yet the accoumpte of Faithe is therefore no white the lesse Christe compareth the Kingedome of God vnto a peece of Leauen whiche beinge litle in quantitie the woman taketh and laiethe in a greate Lumpe of dough vntil the whole be al Leauened Chrysostome saithe Nemo paucitatem vestram deploret Magna enim est virtus Praedicationis Et quod semel fermentatum est rursus fermentum ad coetera efficitur Let noman bewaile the smal number of you For greate is the Vertue of Preachinge And who so is once Leauened is him selfe made Leauen to Leauen others It is noted in the Glose vpon the Clementines Veritas pedetentim cognoscitur Truthe is knowen by Litle and by Litle And S. Ambrose Constat Diluuium eodem numero quo cumulatum est esse diminutum It is knowen that the âloudde in the time of Noe as it grewe by degrees so by degrees it abated Origen saithe Ego concitabo eos in non Gentem Nos sumus non Gens qui pauci ex ista Ciuitate credimus alij ex alia Et nusquam Gens integra ab initio credulitatis videtur assumpta I shal prouoke them by them that are no people VVee are they that were no people that Beleeue in Christe a fewe in this Cittie and a fewe in an other And neuer was there any Nation that was taken whole at the first beginninge of the Faithe The meaninge hereof is this that God calleth menne not al togeather but nowe a fewe nowe moe as vnto his secrete wisedome séemeth beste So is it writen in the late Councel of Basile Spiritus Sanctus non illuminat omnes eodem tempore Sed vbi vult quando vult spirat The Holy Ghoste doothe not geeue light to al menne at one time but breatheth where it wil and when it wil. This is the Counsel and the hande of God M. Hardinge Wée maie saie vnto you as Tertullian saide sometime vnto the Heathens Exquisitior quaeque crudelitas vestra illecebra est magis Sectae Plures efficimur quoties meâimur à vobis Semen est Sanguis Christianorum Your earnest crueltie is an entisemente and a prouocation vnto this Secte As often as ye recken vs ye finde vs moe and moe The Seede hereof is Christian Bloude Arnobius saide sometime vnto the enimies of the Crosse of Christe Nonne haec saltem fidem vobis faciunt argumenta credendi quâd iam per omnes terras in tam breui tempore paruo immensa nominis huius SacrameÌta diffusa sunt At the leaste doo not these proufes make you beleeue that ye see the greate Secretes of this Name of Christe are powred abroade in so shorte space through al Countries Fighte not againste God M. Hardinge There is no Wisedome there is no Counsel againste the Lorde This is certaine ye saie touchinge the groundes of Faithe the Churche erreth not Whether your Churche haue erred or no and in what groundes it shal better appeare hereafter Truely S. Bernarde saithe of your Churche euen of your Churche of Rome Intestina insanabilis facta est plaga Ecclesiae The wounde of the Churche is within the bowelles and paste recouerie And againe Haec sunt infoelicissima tempora quae praeuidit Apostolus in quibus homines sanam Doctrinam non sustinent These be the vnhappy daies that the Apostle sawe before when Menne cannot abide sounde Doctrine This was S.
treasurie of the Popes breasâte it were absurde and vnreasonable Mary to saie that the Lawes reste in the Popes breaste after a certaine meaninge as hereafter shal be declared it is not altogeather beside truthe and reason But Sirs what if some meane writer or Gloser vpon the Canon Lawe speake somewhere out of square if al should be exactly tried by Scripture wil ye laie that to our charge Shal the Faithe of the Catholike Churche thereby be called in doubte and question VVe take not vpon vs to Defende al that yâ Canonistes or SchoolemeÌ saie or write c. In this kinde or order be many things whiche may rather be called rules of maners then Principles or such as we terme Axiomata of our Faithe These although they be founde written in the Scripture for asmuche as they haue benne commaunded by an occasion and for some cause they maie for cause and occasion and as we finde in C. Lector for necessitie by Gods depute and Vicare be supplied holpen expounded And if the case so require he in the same for a certaine cause with a certaine persone for a certaine time with certaine circumstances maye dispense by the same spirite they were firste founded and instituted withal and with the same intention to witte for some speciall good and furtherance of Godlinesse Suche administration of Gods Lawe and suche dispensation thereof as of a precious Treasure not free or at Libertie and pleasure but an euen iuste and good dispensation they do attribute to Gods Vicare whome this Defender calleth the Popes Parasites Pages and Clawbackes him selfe a very Page Slaue and clawbacke to the Diuel The B. of Sarisburie Here M. Hardinge ye rome and wander goe masket as a man that were benighted and had loste his waie In somme cases ye saie the Pope maie dispense against Goddes VVoorde In somme cases he maie not Faine woulde ye for shame somewhat limite restraine his Immoderate Authoritie but ye knowe not where to laie the boundes Ye make smal accompte of your Schoole Doctoures and Canonistes that is to saie of the Principal Pillers of your Catholique Churche and thinke them not woorthy to be your guides How be it your laboure cannot al be loste For they wil thinke as light of you But for as mutche as ye saie they flatter not the Pope nor be his Pages or Parasites but speake roundely to him and tel him his owne it shal not be mutche amisse to herken a litle what they saie One of them saithe thus Papa potest Dispensare contra Ius Naturale The Pope maie Dispense againste the Lavve of Nature An other saith Papa Dispensat contra Canones Apostolorum The Pope Dispenseth against the Canons or Rules of the Apostles An other saithe Papa potest mutare formam Verborum in Baptismo The Pope maie change the fourme of VVoordes in Baptisme An other saithe Priuilegium dari potest contra Ius Diuinum The Popes Priuilege maie be graunted againste the Lavve of God An other saithe Papa ex Maxima Causa potest Dispensare contra Nouum TestamentuÌ The Pope vpon a very great cause maie dispense againste the Nevve Testamente An other saith Papa potest Dispensare de omnibus praeceptis veteris Noui Testamenti The Pope maie Dispense for any commaundemente of the Olde or Nevve Testamente An other saithe Papa potest Dispensare contra Epistolas Pauli The Pope maie Dispense againste the Epistles of S. Paule And somewhat to qualifie the outrage of the mater an other saithe Papa potest Dispensare contra Ius Diuinum in Particulari non in Vniuersali The Pope maie Dispense against the Lavve of God in Particulare not in General And againe Papa potest tollere Ius Diuinum ex Parte non in Totum The Pope maie abolishe the Lavve of God in parte but not in vvhole An other saithe Martinus Papa 5. Dispensauit cum quodam qui acceperat Germanam suam in Vxorem Pope Martine the. 5. dispensed with a man yâ had taken to VVife his ovvne Sister Whether this reporte be true or false I referre mée selfe to the credite of the Authoure An other saith Papa potest Dispensare cum omnibus Personis nisi cum Patre Matre The Pope maie dispense vvith al Personnes touchinge Marriage sauinge onely vvith Father and Mother to Marrie or to be Married to theire Children An other saith Papa potest supra Ius Dispensare Et de Iniustitia potest facere IustitiaÌ Sententiam quae nulla est facere aliquam Et de nihilo facere aliquid The Pope maie dispense aboue the Lawe the Pope of VVronge maie make Right The Pope of no Sentence maie make a Sentence The Pope of nothinge maie make somme thinge The cause hereof as an other saith is this Quia Papa potest excepto Peccato quicquid Deus ipse potest Sinne onely excepted the Pope maie doo vvhat so euer God him selfe maie doo An other saithe Papa habet Authoritatem declarandi Scripturas ita vt non liceat oppositum tenere vel opinari The Pope hath Authoritie so to expounde and to declare the Scriptures that it maie not be lawful for any man to hold or to thinke the Contrarie For Cardinalis Cusanus saithe as it saide before Scripturae ad tempus adaptatae sunt variè intellectae ita vt vno tempore secunduÌ currenteÌ Vniuersalem ritum exponaÌtur mutato ritu iterum sententia mutetur The Scriptures are applied vnto the time and are diuersly derstanded so that at one time they are taken accordinge to the Vniuersal Currente order whiche order being changed the meaninge of the Scripture is changed too An other demaundeth a question Vtrùm Papa ex Plenitudine Potestatis possit omnia Whether the Pope by the Fulnesse of his Power maie doo al thinges An other saithe Si totus mundus sententict contra Papam videtur quòd standum esseâ sententiae Papae If al the VVorlde vvoulde geue sentence contrarie to the Pope yet it seemeth vvee ought to stande to the sentence of the Pope These M. Hardinge by your Iudgemente are neither Pages nor Parasites but good sadde and earnest frendes sutche as loue roughly and plainely to vtter theire minde without flatterie This doubtelesse is it that Daniel so longe before Prophesied of him Dabitur illi os loquens grandia He shal haue a mouthe geuen him vtteringe greate and presumptuous maters For in déede notwithstandinge al this glorious glitteringe of painted Authoritie yet one of the Popes owne menne saithe Papa non potest facere de quadrato rotundum The Pope caÌnot make a square thing rouÌde S. Bernarde saith An Regula non concordat cum Euangelio vel Apostolo Alioqui Regularam non est Regula quia non est recta Dooth not the Rule agree with the Gospel or with the Apostle Otherwise that Rule is no Rule at al for it is crooked it
your side bothe sworne to the Pope bothe presente at your late Chapter at Tridente Yet thus doothe the one of them gréete the other Tu permanes in sensu damnato per Synodum Thou remainest stil in a sense condemned by the Councel Catharinus condemneth Cardinal Caietan for twoo hundred sundrie errours somme of them he calleth vvicked and Antichristian These Termes must néedes be very Metaphysical M. Hardinge that can yelde you sutche Heretical Antichristian errours The Apologie Cap. 6. Diuision 1. They were beste therfore to goe and sette peace at home rather amonge them selues Of a truthe Vnitie and Concorde doothe best becomme Religion Yet is not Vnitie the sure certaine marke whereby to know the Churche of God For there was the greatest Vnitie that might bee amongest them that woorshipped the Golden Calfe and amonge them whiche with one voice iointly cried against our Saueour Iesus Christe Crucifie him Neither bicause the Corinthians were vnquieted with priuate dissensions or bicause Paule did square with Peter or Barnabas with Paule or bicause the Christians vpon the very beginninge of the Gospel were at mutual discorde touchinge some one mater may wee therefore thinke there was no Churche of God amongest them And as for those personnes whome they vpon spite cal Zuinglians Lutherans in very deede they of bothe sides be Christians good Frendes Brethren They varie not bitwixte them selues vpon the Principles Fundations of oure Religion nor as touchinge God or Christe or the Holy Ghoste or the meanes of Iustification or of euerlastinge life but vpon one onely question whiche is neither weighty nor greate neither mistruste wee or make doubte at al but they wil shortely be agreed And if there bee any of them whiche haue other opinion than is meete we doubte not but ere it bee longe they wil put aparte al affections and names of parties that God wil reuele the truthe vnto them so that by better consideringe and searchinge out of the matter as once it came to passe in the Councel of Chalcedon al causes and seedes of dissension shal bee throughly plucte vp by the roote and be buried and quite foregotten for euer Whiche God graunte M. Hardinge These Defenders be like in conditions to suche honest women as commonly we call Scoldes Because vnitie pleaseth you not as beinge that through lacke whereof your newe Churche is of al good men detested and of the meanest very muche suspected ye saie it is not a sure and a certaine marke whereby to know the Churche of God Yeas Maisters amonge other notes and markes of the true Churche Vnitie is one Not euery Vnitie but Vnitie in the Holy Ghost whiche geueth life to that one Body the Churche whereof euery faithful is a member and Christe the Head and powring Charitie abroade in our Hartes so linketh al right beleeuers togeather in the bonde of peace as they al saie one thing thinke one thing sauer one thing The Vnitie that âs the note and marke of the true Church whereof wee speake is that for whiche the Churche is called one ⪠and beinge gathered and knitte togeather professeth Vnitie of Faithe of good wil and mutual love togeather and of Sacramentes The Vnitie of them who worshipped the Golden Calfe and with one consent againste our Sauiour cried Crucifige was farre distant from the Vnitie whiche is a note of the Churche and is the woorke of the Holy Ghost Suche is the Vnitie of the Deuils who conspire against Christ and al his with one consente Such Vnitie is oftentimes in Theeues such Vnitie is founde in you and all your sectes For be ye neuer so diuerse and at variaunce within your selues yet ye ioâne togeather in wicked amitie and Vnitie against the Church of Christ And therefore S. Augustine compareth you and all such as ye be to Samsons foxeâ that were sundred by the heads and tied togeather by the tayles Neither saie we that amonge them who vary in small pointes and thinges not perteininge to the groundes of Faithe there is no Churche For all that certaine of the Corinthians in the Primitiue Churche were at square howe so euer Paule tolde Peter that he thought good though Barnabas and Paule agreed not about Iohn Marke yet were they of Christes Churche what els But where ye bringe this for excuse of the Luthârans and the zwinglians and other sectes spronge out of them the cause is not like pardye For saie on what ye liste and lie so longe as ye liste their dissensions can not be dessembled muche lesse can they be accorded c. Yet lest they whose fortune is not to see ought thereof written els where should mistrust my reporte as all do espie your lyinge the woordes of Nicolaus Gallus your owne Doctor of Luthers scoole here I will rehearse Non sunt leues inter nos concertationes de rebus leuibus sed de sublimibus doctrinae Christianae articulis de lege euangelio de iustificatione bonis operibus de Sacramentis c. The strifes sateth he that be amongest vs be not light nor of light matters but of the highe Articles of Christian âoctrine namely of the lawe and of the Gospel of iustification and of good woorkes of the Sacramentes c. Here as ye see he rekeneth vp a greate many of the weightiest pointes of our Religion whereof they dâssent amonge themselues But I doubte what I maye call weighty and great seinge these good felowes call the controuersie whiche is betwixte the Lutherans and the zwinglians concerninge the Body of our Saucour Christe neither weighty nor greate But as they make a foule lie therein so do they also in sayinge they vary not betwixte them selues but vpon one onely question Of the dissension that is betweene the Lutherans and Zwinglians thus pittifully complaineth Nicolaus Amsdorffius in his Booke entituled Publica confessio purae Doctrinae him selfe beinge an earnest Lutheran The worlde goeth with vs worse and worse dayly All thinges doo prognosticase the vtter ruine of the Gospell and that in place of the Gospell we shall haue nothinge but mere errours and the same very notable Then after a fewe woordes nowe Brenttus saithe he and the Adiaphoristes they be a speciall secte of the Lutherans beinge at the Communication or conference at VVormes would not condemne zwinglius and Osiander because they were ârimme men in the tongues and well seene in Humanitie And as for vs and our side because we refused to agree vnto that communication onlesse they were condemned they dressed vs vily with theire scoffes and railinges thrust vs out of the communication and compelled vs to goe awaie c. Item after a fewe There be that saie they condemne zuinglianisme but the preface of Brentius to Maister Iames the minister of Goppingen his booke witnesseth farre otherwise For there they goe about a Gods name to conciliat good father Luther and Zuinglius and make them friendes one with an other Quod
thinges of the world to confounde the stronge Goddes Holy Name be blessed that of so litle and so simple a despised Mustard séede hath now raised vp so greate a trée triumpheth the Gospel of Christe his Sonnne in euery place throughout the worlde VVhat meant Christe saie you to breake his promisse Nay what meante you M. Hardinge so shamefully to breake Christes Commaundemente and yet to charge him with his Promisse God is true in al his promisses and shal preuaile when he is so lewdely iudged There is no faulte in God or his Christe The faulte is in you that haue made of the House of God a Caue of Theeues Christe neuer made any sutche special Promisse vnto the Pope that what so euer it should please him to saie or doo hée shoulde neuer erre or doo amisse Yee presume ouer mutche of Goddes Promisses Nay though Antichriste should be Pope yet should Christes promisses be true stil It is true that God hath alwaies a Churche Inuisible and a number of Electe knowen onely to him selfe alone Neither is this our onely saieing S. Paule also saithe the same Firmum stat Fundamentum Dei habens hoc sigillum Nouit Dominus qui sint sui This Fundation standeth sounde and firme heuinge this Seale The Lorde knovveth vvhoo be his ovvne Elias thought al the Godly in Israel had benne slaine and not one leafte aliue But God saide vnto him I haue soued vnto me selfe seuen thousand menne that neuer bowed theire knee before Baal God knewe them but Elias knewe them not To the iudgemente of man they were inuisible Therefore S. Augustine saithe Secundum occultam Dei Praedestinationem plurimae sunt foris Oues plurimi Lupi intùs Nouit enim ac signatos habet qui nec eum nec se norunt Accordinge to Goddes Secrete PredestinatioÌ there be many Sheepe without the Church and many woolues within the Churche For he knoweth them and hath them marked that knowe neither them selues nor God neither Thus the number of Goddes Electe yea before the comminge of Christe in the time of darkenesse was euermore certaine yet afterwarde the knowledge of the Gospel by the Mouthes of the Apostles was abundantly carried abroade into the endes of al the worlde Bothe these partes M. Harding maie stande wel togeather and are nothinge contrarie to our Doctrine Be the number of the Faithful more or lesse yet the Truthe of God is one for euer The Apologie Cap. 5. Diuision 1. But now sithence our very enimies doo see and cannot denie but wee euer in al our woordes and writinges haue diligently put the people in minde of theire deutie to obeie theire Princes and Magistrates yea though they be wicked For this dooth very trial and experience sufficiently teache and al mennes eies who so euer and where so euer they be doo wel see and witnesse for vs it was a foule parte of them to charge vs with these thinges and seinge they could finde no newe and late faultes therefore to seeke to procure vs enuie onely with stale outworne lies We geeue our Lord God thankes whose onely cause this is there hathe yet at no time been any sutche example in al the Realmes Dominions Common Weales which haue receiued the Gospel For wee haue ouerthrowen no Kingdome Wee haue decaied no mans Power or right Wee haue disordered no Common Wealthe There continue in theire owne accustomed state and Aunciente Dignitie the Kinges of our countrie of England yâ Kinges of Denmarke the Kinges of Suecia the Dukes of Saxonie the Counties Palatine the Marquesses of Brandeburgh the Lantsgraues of Hessia the Common Wealthes of the Heluetians Rhetians yâ Free Citties as Argentine Basile Franckford Vlme Augusta Norenberg doe al I saie abide in the same Authoritie and estate wherein they haue benne heretofore or rather in a mutche better for that by meanes of the Gospel they haue theire people more obediente vnto them Lette them goe I praie you into those places where at this presente through Goddes goodnesse and Mercie the Gospel is taught Where is there more Maiestie Where is there lesse Arrogancie and Tyrannie Where is the Prince more honoured Where be the people lesse vnruly Where hathe there at any time either the CommoÌ Wealth or the Churche benne in more quiet Perhaps ye wil saie from the firste beginning of this Doctrine the Common sorte euerywhere beganne to rage and to rise throughout Germanie Allow it were so yet Martine Luther the publisher and setter forewarde of this Doctrine didde write marueilous vehemently and sharpely againste them and reclaimed them home to peace and obedience M. Hardinge Your impudencie of lieinge hathe no measure nor ende But we wil saie litle here hauinge saide yenough already in reproufe of your falsehed VVe leaue you to the wide worlde who seeth and almoste feeleth your lies But I maruel not a litle that in this place specially where ye speake of the good order that your Gospel breedeth ye be not ashamed to make mention of Martin Luther Good God howe mutche could we if we were so disposed alleage out of his seditious and Heretical bookes by him writen against the Power of lawful magistrates At this time let one place suffise for al Luthers wordes be these Inter Christianos nullus neque potest neque debet esse magistratus sed c. Amonge Christen men none can nor ought to be a magistrate but eche one is to other equally subiecte After the Apostles saieinge Thinkinge al others better then your selues c. Againe Be ye humble al one to an other VVhereto Christe accordeth when he saithe VVhen thou arte called to the mariage feaste goe and sitte downe lowest of al. Amonge Christen men none is superiour saue one and onely Christe And what superioritie or magistrate can be there where al be equal and haue right power riches and honour al alike Furthermore none coueteth to be ouer other but al wil be vnder one another VVhere sutche men be though one woulde yet can he not make a magistrare to beare rule ouer others sithe that nature suffereth not to haue superiours where no man wil nor may be a superiour And where sutche kinde of men is there be they not Christen men after the true sorte of Christen men This farre Martin Luther He persuaded them to peace when there was scarsly any lefte that coulde beare a clubbe Firste he stirred vp his Disciple Thomas Munzer in Thuringia who was the rebelles preacher After that he excused him of seditious preachinge to the Duke of Saxonie Prince Electour trusting if Munzer were let alone the matter should wel goe forewarde The B. of Sarisburie To dissemble the reste of your Vntruthes and your immoderate and vnciuile bitternesse M. Hardinge procedinge from the vnquiet and vnsauery humoures of your harte where ye saie Doctor Luther admitteth no Ciuile Magistrate note the same so specially in your margine I marueile
further Hoc valdè verisimile est Quoniam verissimum Regnum hoc habet vocabulum S. Gregorie saith He is Antichriste that shal claime to be called the Vniuersal Bishop and shal haue a Garde of Priestes to attende vpon him Againe Irenaeus saithe Antichristus cùm sit Seruus tamen adorari vult vt Deus Antichriste notwithstandinge he be but a slaue yet he wil be woorshipped as if he were God Ioachimus Abbas saithe Antichristus iampridem natus est Romae altiùs extolletur in Sede Apostolica Antichriste is longe sithence borne in Rome and yet shal be higher anaunced in the Apostolique See Thus is he described that shal sitte in the place of Christe and shal maineteine possession againste Christe But Christe shal comme vvith his holy Angels and shal destroie him vvith the breath of his mouthe That ye allege of the Priesthoode of Melchisedech serueth you here to smal pourpose Wee knowe that not the Pope but Christe alone is a Prieste for euer accordinge to the Order of Melchisedech S. Augustine saithe Ipse est Sacerdos noster in aeternum secundum Ordinem Melchisedech qui semetipsum obtulit holocaustum pro peccatis nostris eius Sacrificii Similitudinem celebrandam in suae Passionis Memoriam commendauit Christe is oure Prieste for euer after the Order of Melchisedech whiche hath offered vp him selfe a Sacrifice for oure sinnes and hath deliuered vnto vs a Similitude or Likenesse of that Sacrifice to be donne in remembraunce of his Passion Likewise againe he saithe Holocausti eius Imaginem ad Memoriam Passionis suae in Ecclesia celebrandam dedit vt esset Sacerdos in aeternum non secundum Ordinem Aaron sed secundum ordinem Melchisedech Christe hathe geuen an Image or Resemblaunce of that Sacrifice to bee keapte in the Churche in Remembraunce of his Passion that he might be a Prieste for euer not after the Order of Aaron but after the Order of Melchisedech Howe be it touchinge this whole mater I haue answeared more at large in my Former Replie The Apologie Cap. 9. Diuision 4. Wherefore like as it is written that Hercules in olde time was forced in striuing with Antaeus that huge Giant to lifte him quite vp from the Earth that was his Mother ere he coulde conquert him euen so muste our Aduersaries be heaued from their Mother that is from this vaine colour and shadowe of the Churche wherewith they so disguise and defende them selues otherwise they can not bee brought to yelde vnto the Woorde of God And therefore saithe Ieremie the Prophete Make not sutche great boaste that the Temple of the Lorde is with you This is but a vaine confidence these are but lies The Angel also saithe in the Apocalyps They saie they be Ievves but they bee the Synagog of Sathan And Christe said to the Phariseis when they vaunted them selues of the kinred and bloude of Abraham Ye are of your father the Diuel For you resemble not your Father AbrahaÌ As mutche to saie as Ye are not the menne yee would so faine be called ye beguile the people with vaine titles and abuse the name of the Churche to the ouerthrowing of the Churche M. Hardinge Heaue at vs whiles ye wil and whiles ye may ye shal neuer remoue vs. In whiche stedfastnes we truste to stande by Gods grace to the last breath Heaue at vs with al the forces of your cunning of your malice of your flatterie of your policies and with what so euer ingens ye haue ye shal neuer be able to ouerthrowe the house of our consciences builded vpon the sure rocke Let the gourders of raine come downe from you and al other Heretikes let the floudes of worldly rages thrust let the windes of Sathans temptations blowe their worste this house shal not be ouerthrowen The B. of Sarisburie O M. Hardinge S. Paule saith vnto you Noli altum Sapere sed time Presume not of your selfe but stande in awe Sutche woordes woulde rather haue becommed them that said sommetime vnto the Prophete Hieremie Verbum quòd locutus es nobis in Nomine Domini non audiemus Sed faciendo faciemus omne verbum quòd egredietur de ore nostro Wee wil neuer heare the woorde that thou speakest vnto vs in the name of the Lorde But wee wil surely doo what so euer thing shal passe out of our owne mouthes Thus it is written of them that saide The Lorde shal not beare rule ouer nor maister vs. With like mildenesse of spirite the wilful Philosopher saide Non persuadebis etiamsi persuaseris Ye shal not make me beleue it no though I doo beleue it As Constancie in good thinges is a vertue so frowardnesse and wilfulnesse is a vice Vowe not thus youre owne destruction He that is fallen maie rise againe The Lorde is hable to raise you vp and to make you a vessel of his glorie Ye knowe not to what good pourpose God hath appointed you Speake not ouer mutche of the strength of your Mounte You knowe vpon howe light occasions it hath benne moued Folowe rather S. Paules counsel and with feare and tremblinge woorke youre owne Saluation The waie ye walke in is not youre owne Your harte is in the hande of God Suffer Goddes Truthe to preuaile And vnderstand that the kingedome of God is come vnto you The Apologie Cap. 10. Diuision 1. So that these mennes parte had ben first to haue clearely and truely proued that the Romishe Churche is the true and right instructed Churche of God and that the same as they doo order it at this daie doothe agree with the Primitiue Churche of Christe of the Apostles and of the Holy Fathers whiche wee doubte not but was in deede the True Catholique Churche M. Hardinge Ye would vs to proue that the Romaine Churche is the true Churche of God Ye graunt that once it was the true Churche of God And the Gospel sheweth that Christe praied for it in S. Peter who made his successours there VVhat followeth hereof but that it must needes abide as true as euer it was except Christes praier were not heard S. Paule likewise wttnesseth that the Romaine Faithe is preached in the vniuersal worlde geuing a manifest prophecie that the Romaine Faithe and the Catholique Faithe should be alone S. Cyprian calleth the agreing with the Bishop of Rome and communicating with him Catholicae Ecclesiae vnitatem c. The allowing and firme holding of the vnitie of the Catholique Churche And writing to Antonianus in the same booke he accompteth it for one thing to Communicate with Cornelius the B. of Rome and to Communicate with the Catholique Churche For you it is vaine to saie that it hath erred when the holy ghost hath signified that it can not erre The B. of Sarisburie I wil not saie Where were youre wittes M. Hardinge when yee wrote theise thinges But wel maie I saie where was your Logique As for Diuinitie
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
were vtterly decaied and consumed to nought And in this sense ye saie Elias coÌplained that the Prophetes of God were al slaine he onely leâte aliue But nowe ye saie the Churche maie not be brought to a fevve For God hath geuen to Christe his Sonne the endes of the worlde to bee his possession Yet Christe him selfe that beste knewe the reache and limites of his possession saithe thus When the Sonne of Manne shal comme thinke you he shal finde Faithe in the worlde Whereupon S. Ambrose saithe Tunc Fides rara Vt ipse quasi addubitans Dominus ista dixerit Then shal Faithe be geason So that our Lorde spake these woordes as doubting therof whether there should be any Faithful leaft or no. And S. Iohn in his ReuelatioÌs saith Mulier fugit in solitudinem vbi habet locum paratum à Deo The wooman whereby is meante not the Synagog of the Ievves but the Churche of Christe fleeth into the wildernesse where she hath a place prouided of God By whiche woordes is meante that in time of Ignorance and Persecution the Churche is without Countenaunce and vnknowen S. Paule saithe Before the Daie of the Lorde there shal be a departing from the Faithe of Christe By these it appeareth that the decaie of the Churche shal be vniuersal and that the remanentes shal not bee many Therefore Vincentius Lirinensis putteth the case on this wise Quid si nouella aliqua contagio iam non portiunculaÌ tantùm sed totam pariter Ecclesiam commaculare conetur Tunc item prouidebit vt Antiquitati inhaereat What if somme newe corruption goe aboute to inuade not onely somme portion of the Churche but also the whole vniuersal Churche altogeather Then must a Christian man settle him selfe to cleaue to Antiquitie That is to saie to folowe the Primitiue Churche of the Apostles and Ancient Fathers This case would he neuer haue moued onlesse he had thought the VVhole vniuersal Churche might happen by somme erroure to be corrupted Surely S. Chrysostome speakinge of the state of the Churche that he sawe in his time saithe thus Videtur Ecclesia hodiè mulieri quae mansuetudine veteri exciderit similis quaeque Symbola tantùm foelicitatis illius quaedam referat Arcas Scrinia rerum pretiosissimarum adhuc retinens Thesauro destituta Huic mulieri Ecclesia hodie videtur similis The Churche this daie is like vnto a woman that hath quite loste al her olde modestie and that beareth onely certaine badges and tokens of her former felicitie and that beinge vtterly berefte of the treasures keepeth onely the Cases and Boxes of the pretious thinges she had before To suche a vvoman the churche this daie maie be likened Likewise S. Hierome speaking of that he sawe by experience in his time saithe thus Ecclesia postquam ad Christianos principes peruenit potentia quidem diuitijs maior sed virtutibus minor facta est The churche after that she is comme to Christian Princes in deede is greatter in wealth and richesse But in vertue and holinesse she is lesse then she was before Therefore saith Chrysostome Haec dico ne quis miretur Ecclesiam propter multitudinem sed vt ipsam probatam reddere studeamus Thus mutche I tel you not that wee shoulde auaunce the Churche bicause of the Multitude and encrease of people But that wee shoulde endeuour to adourne her with vertue Nowe where ye saie the Churche nowe can neuer be brought to fewe S. Bernarde saithe thus vnto God by waie of moane Coniurasse videtur contra te vniuersitas populi Christiani à minimo vsque ad maximum A planta pedis vsque ad verticem non est sanitas vlla Egressa est iniquitas à Senioribus Iudicibus Vicarijs tuis qui videntur regere populum tuum O Lorde the Vniuersal Companie of Christian people seemeth to haue conspired againste thee from the lovvest vnto the highest From the sole of the foote vnto the croune of the heade there is no whole place Iniquitie and wickednesse is gonne foorthe from thy Elder Iudges that be thy Vicares that are thought to rule thy people Againe he saithe Intestinalis insanabilis est plaga Ecclesiae the wounde of the Churche is inwarde and paste recouer Likewise Baptista Mantuane complaineth vnto Pope Leo Sancte Pater succurre Leo Respublica Christi Labitur aegrotatque Fides iam proxima morti Healpe Holy Father Leo Christes Common Wealth that is the Churche is falling downe the Faithe is sicke and like to die So likewise saithe he that wrote the Forte of Faithe Et si in hoc Daemonum bello cadant Religiosi Principes Milites Praelati Ecclesiastici Subditi tamen semper manent aliqui in quibus saluatur Veritas Fidei Iustificatio bonae Conscientiae Et si non nisi duo homines remanerent in mundo in eis saluaretur Ecclesia quae est Vnitas Fidelium In this battel of Diuelles notwithstandinge the Godly Princes the Souldiers the Ecclesiastical Prelates and Subiectes be ouerthrowen yet euermore somme remaine in whome the Truethe of Faithe and the Righteousnesse of a good Conscience is preserued And although there remained but tvvo menne in the vVorlde yet in the same twoo the Churche of God shoulde be saued vVhiche Churche is the Vnitie of the Faitheful The Churche of God is often compared to the Moone which sometimes is ful round bright glorious sommetimes is wholy shadowed drowned in darkenesse and yet notwithstanding is not consumed but in Substance remaineth stil S. Augustine saith Aliquando in Solo Abel Ecclesia erat et expugnatus est à fratre malo perdito Caim Aliquando in Solo Enoch Ecclesia erat translatus est ab iniquis Sommetime the Churche was in onely Abel and he was destroied by his brother vvicked Caim Sommetime the Churche was onely in ânoch and he was translated from the wicked Your owne Panormitane saithe Possibile est quòd Vera Fides Christi remaneret in Vno Solo Atque ita verum est dicete quòd Fides non deficit in Ecclesia Hoc patuit post Passionem Christi Nam Fides remansit tantùm in Beata Virgine Quia omnes alij scandalizati sunt Tamen Christus ante Passionem orauerat pro Petro vt non deficeret Fides sua Ergo Ecclesia non dicitur deficere nec etiam errare si remanet Vera Fides in Vno Solo It is possible the trewe Faithe of Christe maie remaine in one alone And so it is true to saie that Faithe faileth not in the Churche This thinge appeared after Christes Passion For then the Faithe remained onely in the Blessed Virgin For al the reste bothe the Apostles and others were offended Yet had Christe praied for Peter before his Passion that his Faithe shoulde not faile Therefore vve maie not saie the Churche faileth or erreth if the Faithe remaine but in one alone
then graunte you that whiche you denie The woordes whereof you gather this pretensed saieinge of Gregorie as I suppose be these If any man hath caught vnto himselfe that name of Vniuersall Bishop in that Churche of Constantinople then the whole Churche whiche God forbid fell from his state when he that is called Vniuersal fell Gregorie vnderstandeth by the name Vniuersall Bishop as him selfe declareth in many places suche a one as is a Bishop altogether and onely so as there be no other Bishop besides him Now if it were graunted that the Bishop of Constantinople were this one and onely Vniuersal Bishop this inconuenience would folowe that with the fall of that Vniuersall Bishop the Vniuersall Churche also fell For where the Churche is there be Bishoppes and where be Bishoppes there is the Churche and a Bishop Vniuersall by Gregorie is as muche as all Bishoppes That this beinge graunted the whole Churche is fallen from the Faithe thus he proueth For saithe he the Bishoppes of Constant inople haue fallen into the goulfe of great and detestable Heresies as Nestorius who thinkinge Christe to be two persones and beleuinge that God coulde not be made man ranne to a Iewishe Infidelitie and as Macedonius who denied the holy Ghost to be God VVherefore if the B. of Constantinople be the Vniuersall Bishop accordinge to the sense aforesaide then at the fall of him from the Faithe as when those two before named fell the Churche also falleth as then by this reason when they were Bishops it fell Thus reasoneth S. Gregorie in that Epistle to Mauritius But because to Gregorie it semeth very farre from reason and incredible that the Churche should fall from the Faithe and faile therefore he enucigheth againste Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople for chalenginge that name of Vniuersal Bishop and concludeth that the Bishop of that See in any wise can not so be But if the woorde Vnâuersall signifie a soueraintie of charge and Supremacie of Gouernement ouer the whole Churche whiche Christe committed to Peter and in Peter to his Successours the Bishoppes of Rome when he saide Feede my Shepe in this sense it is not impious nor erroneus nor contrary to the minde of S. Gregorie to call the Successour of Peter Christes vicare in Earth the Vniuersal Bishop that is to saie the highest of al and hauinge power ouer all other Bishoppes and Bishop of the Vniuersall Churche And as Christe gaue to S. Peter and his successours for the benefite of his Churche a Supreme auctoritie and power ⪠so for the same Churches sake for whose loue he deliuered him selfe to death by petition made to his Father he obteined for him and his successours the Priuilege of this supreme and moste excellente grace that their Faithe shoulde neuer faile In consideration of whiche singular Priuilege obteined by Christe and graunted to the see Apostolike and to none other Gregorie rebuketh Iohn the Bishop of CoÌstantinople so much as one that presumptuously vsurped that newe name of vniuersal Bishop against the statutes of the Gospel and against the Decrees of the Canons To conclude if either Gregorie or any other man shoulde saâe that the Churche dependeth vpon one man he mighte seeme to saie truthe meaninge rightly and that not alone nor without good Authoritie For suche a saieinge we finde vttered by S. Ierome The safetie of the Churche saithe he dependeth vpon the dignitie of the highest Priesie who if he haue not auctoritie peerlesse and aboue all other there will be so many Schismes in the Churche as there be Priestes VVhich peerlesse auctoritie aboue all other as S. Hierome in that place dothe attribute to â¡ to the Bishop of euery Dioces directly so consequently to Peters Successor to whom it was saide Feede my Sheepe For by what reason in eche Dioces it behoueth one Prieste to be highesâouer other Priestes by the same and in like proportion nolesse it behoueth that in the whole Churche one Bishop be highest ouer other Bishoppes I meane for auoidinge Schismes The B. of Sarisburie Yf yée had better looked on your Bookes M. Hardinge ye woulde not haue benne so hasty in dealinge Lies Wée falsifie not that good Fathers Woordes but reporte them truely as wée finde them For thus he writeth in sundrie places of Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople that firste auanced him selfe aboue al his Brethren and required to be called the Vniuersal Bishop of al the worlde Vniuersa Ecclesia â statu suo corruit quando is qui appellatur Vniuersalis cadit The whole Vniuersal Churche falleth from her state when he falleth that is called the Vniuersal Bishop This is no Lie M. Hardinge Conferre the places yée shal finde the woordes as wee reporte them It standeth not neither with your profession nor with your modestie so vncourteously to vse your tongue We neither Lie our selues nor father Lies vpon the Doctoures God be thanked his cause is sutche as maie wel be maineteined without Lies But to put you further oute of doubte the sense of these woordes ye maie finde often vttered by S. Gregorie in other places Vnto Anastasius the Bishop of Antioche he writeth thus Vt de honoris vestri iniuria taceam si vnus Episcopus vocatur Vniuersalis vniuersa Ecclesia corruit si Vnus Vniuersus cadit To dissemble the iniurie donne to your Honoure if one Bishop be called Vniuersal then if that One Vniuersal Bishop fal the whole Vniuersal Churche goeth to grounde Againe he saithe in the same Epistle Vos eandem causam Nullam dicere non debetis Quia si hanc aequanimiter portamus Vniuersae Ecclesiae Fidem corrumpimus Ye maie not saie This is a mater of no importance For if wee patiently beare these thinges wee destroie the Faithe of the Vniuersal Churche Againe he saithe In isto Scelesto vocabulo consentire nihil aliud est quà m Fidem perdere To consente vnto this wicked Name is nothinge els but to lose the Faithe Againe Flens dico Gemens denuntio Quia cùm Sacerdotalis Ordo intus cecidit foris diu stare non poterit I speake it with teares I tel it with sighe of Harte For seeinge the Order of Priesthoode is fallen within it cannot nowe stande longe without Againe Diabolus ita validè in quibusdam Ecclesiae necessarijs Membris dentes figit vt nulli sit dubium quin nisi vnanimiter fauente Domino cunctorum prouida Pastorum turba concurrat omne quod absit citiùs ouile dilaniet The Diuel so strongely fasteneth his Teeth in the necessarie Members of the Churche that onlesse by Goddes Grace the prouident companie of al Bishoppes ioine togeather there is no doubte but he wil soone destroie the whole flocke whiche God forbid And againe he compareth the Pride of this name with the Pride of Antichriste and saithe that the one shal woorke the Confusion of the Churche no lesse
saith Non mea Causa sed Dei est NoÌ ego solus sed tota turbatur Ecclesia Quia piae Leges quia venerandae Synodi quia ipsa Domini nostri lesu mandata Superbi atque pompatici cuiusdam Sermonis inuentione tuibantur It is Goddes cause It is not mine Not I onely am troubled therewith but also the whole Churche For the Godly Lawes the Reuerende Synodes and the very Commaundementes of oure Lorde Iesu are broken by the inuention of a certaine prowde and pompouse Name Againe Nullus Romanorum Pontificum hoc Singularitatis NomeÌ assumpsit Nullus Decessorum meorum hoc tam profano vocabulo vti consensit Nos hunc honorem nolumus oblatum recipere None of al the Bishoppes of Rome euer tooke vpon him this name of Singularitie None of my Predecessours euer consented to vse this Vngodly style wee our selues wil not receiue this honoure though it were offered Thus it appeareth by the Iudgemente of S. Gregorie that this Vniuersal Authoritie is vtterly vnlawful not onely in other Bishoppes but also euen in the Bishop of Rome Touchinge the place of S. Hierome I sée ye are contente to geue ouer and to recante youre former erroure For in your Firste Booke ye saie these woordes are Notable aboue others and therefore might not be dissembled And where S. Hierome saithe The safetie of the Churche hangeth of the Dignitie of the Highe Prieste meaninge thereby euery seueral Bishop within his owne Limites ye thought it good thus to lard the same by a proper pareÌthesis with certaine other special stuffe of your owne prouision He meaneth the Pope Peters Successour as if this Highe Prieste of whom S. Hierome writeth could be none other but the Bishop of Rome Now vpon somme better aduise by waie of Retractation ye saie thus This peerelesse Authoritie aboue al other S. Hierome dooth attribute to the Bishop of euery Diocese whiche in déede was the very meaninge of S. Hierome Certainely if S. Hierome by these woordes meante Onely the Bishop of Rome as ye tolde vs before then he meant not the Particulare Bishop of euery Diocese as ye tel vs nowe Therefore ye muste néedes confesse that either nowe or before ye haue soughte meanes to beguile your Reader As for the Pope Peters Successour he meante nomore of him then of any other Bishop If it shal likewise hereafter please you to cal in other your like ouersightes ye shal publishe more truthe and encumber your Reader with lesse Erroure The Apologie Cap. 14. Diuision 3. Bernarde the Abbate aboue foure hundred yeeres paste writeth thus Nothinge is novve sincere and pure emongest the Cleregie vvherefore it resteth that the Man of Sinne shoulde be reueled The same Bernarde in his Treatie of the Conuersion of S. Paule It seemeth novve saithe he that Persecution hath ceased no no persecution seemeth but novve to beginne and that euen from theÌ vvhich haue chiefe preeminence in the Church Thy frendes and neighbours O God haue dravven neere and stood vp against thee froÌ the sole of the foor to the crovvn of the head there is no part vvhole Iniquitie is proceded from the Elders the ludges and Deputees vvhiche pretende to rule thy people VVee cannot saie novve Looke hovve the people is so is the Prieste For the people is not so il as is the Prieste Alas alas O Lorde God the self same persones be the chiefe in persecuâing thee vvhich seeme to loue the Highest place and beare moste rule in thy Churche The same Bernarde againe vpon the Canticles writeth thus Al thei are thy frendes yet are thei al thy foes Al thy kinnesfolke yet are thei al thy aduersaries Beinge Christes seruauntes thei serue Antichriste Beholde in my reste my bitternesse is moste bitter The Apologie Cap. 15. Diuision 1. Roger Bacon also a man of greate fame after he had in a vehemente Oration touched to the quicke the woeful state of his owne time These so many errours saith he require and looke for Antichriste Gerson complaineth that in his daies al the Substance and efficacie of Sacred Diuinitie was brought vnto a glorious contention oftentatioÌ of wittes very Sophistrie The poore menne called pauperes à Lugduno menne as touching the manner of theire life not to be misliked were woonte boldely to affirme that the Romishe churche from whence alone al Counsel and Order was then sought was the very same Halot of Babylon and rovvte of Diuels whereof is Prophesied so plainely in the Apocalyps M. Hardinge Now commeth me he in with a newe band which consisteth of tagge and ragge and a weake companie God knoweth they be to shewe theire faces againste the Catholike Churche whiche as the Holy Ghoste speaketh by Salomon is terrible like an armie of men set in bataile raie Firste frier Bacon the Coniurer and negromanser as commonly they saie o him he is set in the forewarde a man of greate fame forsoothe Then commeth in the good plaine father Gerson a writer in our Graundfathers time he complaineth that Friers and studentes gaue them selues too mutche to the vnprofitable subtilitie of Scholastical questions VVhat maketh this againste the faithe of the Churche After these this Defender placeth in an out winge the falle brethern of Lyons commonly called VValdenses or Pauperes de Lugduno notorius Heretikes condemned of the Churche These beinge detestable Heretikes condemned of the Churche we recke not what they saie no more then what Luther saieth what Zuinglius what Caluine what these Defenders them selues saie what Antichriste what Sathan saieth For the enimies of Gods truthe maie not be admitted to geue witnes againste the Truthe The B. of Sarisburie Of these laste Authorities whiche ye calle tagge and ragge wée neuer made any greate accoumpte Notwithstandinge bothe Iohannes Gerson and Rogerus Bacon were notable and famouse in theire times and in al respectes comparable then with the beste Plaine Father Gerson for by sutche woordes ye thought if beste to quaile his credite beinge otherwise coumpted a suttle disputer and a profounde Schole Doctoure vvas Chauncellar of the Vniuersitie of Parise and for his wisedome and Learninge was thought woorthy to be the Directoure of al the Bishoppes in the Councel of Constance Rogerus Bacon as it appeareth by his Booke De Idiomate Linguarum was hable to iudge of the Latine Greeke and Hebrevve tongues and difides diuerse other Bookes writeth also sundrie Epistles vnto Pope Clemente wherein he mutche complaineth of the ruine and Confusion of the Churche Certainely the weakest of these bothe hath more weight and Substance then either your Amphilochius or your Abdias or your Hippolytus or your Leontius or youre Anacletus or your Pope Clemens whom ye so often cal the Apostles felovve Howe be it there is no man so simple but maie beare witnesse to the Truthe Clemens Alexandrinus Lactantius Arnobius Eusebius S. Augustine other Holy Fathers thought it no preiudice to theire cause to allege the witnesse of the Frantique Sibylles
Proselytes Whereas in deede he was amere altene and a stranger to the House of Israel and a very tyrannous Vsurper of the Crowne as beinge lineally descended not from Iacob but from Esau But ye saie You haue keapte and preserued the Scriptures in your Libraries in veleme and I trowe in letters of golde Euen in like sorte and with like truthe ye might saie that you haue keapte the Sonne and the Moone and had it not benne for your kéepinge they had benne loste It was God M. Hardinge that of his Mercie preserued his Holy VVorde eueÌ as he preserued Daniel in the Caue of Lions Ionas in the Whales belly The three Children in the middes of the flaming Fire Yée kéepe the Scriptures as the Dogge keepeth the haie whiche neither eateth it him selfe nor suffereth the poore hungrie cattle that faine woulde eate it Yée kéepe theÌ in warde in duste moulde as the Ievves before the time of Kinge Iosias keapte the Booke of Deuteronomie closely in the corners or emongest the treasures of the Temple so the noman knewe where to finde it Had it not benne for Goddes special prouidence notwithstandinge your kéepinge they might haue perished S. Chrysostome saithe Nunc neque an sint Scripturae quidam sciunt Spiritus tamen ita dispeÌsauit vt custodiantur Now a daies there are somme that cannot tel whether there be any Scriptures or no. Yet hath the Sprite of God so prouided that they are stil preserued Thus the Ievves made theire vauntes that they were the keepers of the Lavve that the Christians had al of them S. Augustine saith Iudaei dicuÌt non Nostra nos Lege vti sed Sua The Ievves saie That wee haue no Lawe of our owne but onely theires Likewise eueÌ at this daie the Iewes keepe vse the Lavve of God with al reuerence They neuer laie any other Booke vpon the Bible Thei wasshe theire handes before they touche it They wil not sit vpon the benche where the Bible lieth As often as they either open it or shutte it they vse to kisse it when the Pope goeth through Rome to his Palace of Laterane the Ievves méete him vpoÌ the waie and offer him the Bible and desire him reuerently to embrace it as though the Pope coulde haue no Bible but onely of them Al these thinges notwithstandinge the Pope answeareth them of course euen as wée maie answeare you Sanctam Legem viri Hebraei laudamus veneramur obseruantiaÌ verò vestram vanam interpretationem damnamus improbamus Ye menne of the Ievves Profession wee praise and honoure the Holy Lavve But your Tradition and vaine Interpretation wee vtterly condemne and reproue For Chrysostome saithe Nihil nunc apud Iudaeos remansit nisi Sola Scriptura Librorum omni Legis obseruantia pereunte There remaineth nowe nothinge emonge the Ievves but onely the writinge conteined in Bookes for al the obseruation of the Lavve is paste from them Againe he saithe Literae quidem Legis apud illos sunt Sensus autem est apud nos The Letters of the Lavve are with the Ievves But the Sense and Meaninge is with vs. Likewise he saith vnto the Ievves Vos complicatis membranas animaltum mortuorum Nos possidemus Spiritum viuificautem You turne the leaues of the Scriptures made of the skinnes of deade Cattle but we haue the Sprite that geeueth Life So saithe S. Augustine Iudaei in Libris suffragatores nostri sunt in Cordibus hostes nostri The Iewes healpe vs and aide vs with theire Bookes But thei are our enimies in theire hartes Againe he saith Magnum aliquid actum est in vsum nostrum de Infidelirate Iudaeorum vt ijdem ipsi qui haec propter se non haberent in Cordibus ea propter nos haberent in Codicibus Somme greate good thinge is wrought to our vse by the infidelitie of the Iewes that they that to doo them selues good had not these thinges in theire hartes yet for our sakes to doo vs good shoulde haue same thinges in theire Bookes Speake not therefore so mutche M. Hardinge of your safe keepinge of the Scriptures For the Jevves haue keapte and vntil this daie doo kéepe them as safely as you Yae keapte the Scriptures as the Augures of Rome sommetime keapte the Sibylles Bookes that is to saie yée keapte them to your selues in close prisonne in secresie that the people should knowe nothing but in al cases should be forced to seeke to you Thus ye keapte the Light in Darknesse and as S. Paule saithe ye keapte the Truthe of God in VVickednesse S. Chrysostome saithe Quando vides Scripturas Prophetarum Euangelij Apostolorum traditas esse in manus Falsorum Sacerdotum num intelligis quód Verbum veritatis traditum est Principibus iniquis Scribis When thou seeste the Scriptures of the Prophetes of the Gospel and of the Apostles to be deliuered into the handes of False Priestes dooste thou not vnderstande that the Woorde of Truthe is deliuered vnto the wicked Princes and vnto the Scribes To be short I maie answeare you with the woordes of Chrysostome Arcas Scrinia rerum pretiosissimarum adhuc seruatis The sauro destituti Yee keepe stil the Cheastes and boxes of moste pretious thinges but the Iewelles and Treasures be cleane gonne Therefore your safe kéeping of the Scriptures notwithstandinge wée maie saie to you as S. Augustine sommetime said to the Heretique Petilian Iudas Christum Carnalem tradidit Tu Spiritualem furens Euangelium sanctum flammis sacrilegis tradidisti Iudas betraiede Christe Carnal thou haste betraied Christe Spiritual for thou in thy rage haste deliuered the Holy Gospel vnto wicked fires Yée replie You rather haue burnte the Gospel for that you denie the woordes of the Gospel For example ye allege these woordes of Christe This is my Body vvhiche vvoordes ye saie of our part are denied God be thaÌked as wee haue not burnte so haue wée not denied any woorde or parcel of the Gospel Touchinge these wordes by you alleged wée embrace them and reuerence them and beleue them euen as the VVoordes of Christe But wée embrace them not as you haue fondely rackte wreasted them and fowly abused them by your vaine Constructions but as Christe meante them and as the Aunciente Catholique Fathers in the Olde times haue expounded them S. Chrysostome saithe Sacrae Scripturae Verba non vult Deus vt Simpliciter sed multa cum prudeÌtia intelligantur God wil not that we shoulde vnderstande the vvoordes of the Holy Scripture simply and plainely as thei lie but with greate wisedome and discretion Againe he saithe Diligenter inuigilandum est vel potiùs Diuina Gratia opus est ne nudis verbis insistamus Ita Haeretici in Errorem incidunt Wee must take great heede or rather we haue neede of the Grace of God that wee reaste not vpon the bare VVoordes of the Scriptures For by
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
Authoritie of the Scriptures be remoued that eche man maie be leadde by his owne fantasie what he liste either to allowe in the Holy Scriptures or to disallowe that is to saie that he submitte not him selfe touchinge his Faithe to the Authoritie of the Scriptures but that he make the Scriptures subiecte vnto him Not that he wil allowe any thing bicause it is written in that high Authoritie of the Scriptures but that he wil thinke it wel written bicause he alloweth it By meane hereof it commeth to passe that S. Hilarie writeth Qui quae scripta sunt negas quid superest nisi vt quae non scripta sunt probes For as muche as thou deniest the thinges that be written what remaineth there but that thou muste allowe the thinges that be not written Concerninge the Authoritie and Credite of Councelles wee shal haue cause to saie more hereafter But where ye require but a man of common sense to sitte as Iudge in this cause it appeareth that either ye remember not or els ye weighe not that ye immediately said before For in this selfe same Chapter ye saie The people maie not iudge of theire Bishoppes and that as ye tel vs by Christes own Doctrine For the Scholar is not aboue his Maister Yet now suddainely as hauinge foregotten youre owne woordes ye cal foorthe the Scholare yea and as it maie be thought one of the meanest of al youre Schole as a man onely endewed with common sense to sitte in Iudgement ouer his Maister Notwithstandinge God is no accepter of personnes Goddes Holy Sprite is not bounde to Councelles or Companies but breatheth freely where it listeth And therefore as youre owne Doctour Panormitane saithe in Cases of Religion the Iudgement of one Simple plaine man ought sommetimes to bee receiued before the Iudgemente of the Pope Here endeth the Fourth Parte The Fifthe Parte The Apologie Cap. 1. Diuision 1. BVt here I looke they wil saie though they haue not the Scriptures yet it maie chaunce they haue the Auncient Doctours and the Holy Fathers with them For this is a high bragge they haue euer made howe that al Antiquitie a Continual Consent of al ages dooth make on their side and that al our cases be but Newe and yester daies woorke and vntil these fewe late yeeres were neuer hearde of Questionlesse there can nothing be more spitefully spoken against the Religion of God then to accuse it of Noueltie as a mater lately founde out For as there can be no chaunge in God him selfe so ought there to be no chaunge in his Religion Yet neuerthelesse we wote not by what meanes but we haue euer seene it come so to passe from the firste beginninge that as often as God did geeue but somme light did open his Truthe vnto menne though the Truthe were not onely of greatest Antiquitie but also froÌ Euerlasting yet of wicked menne of the Aduersaries it was called Newfangled and of late diuised That vngraceous and bloudthirsty Haman when he sought to procure the kinge Assuerus displeasure against the Ievves this was his accusation to him Thou hast here saithe he a kinde of people that vseth certaine nevve Lavves of their ovvne but stifnecked and rebellious againste al thy Lavves When Paule also began firste to preache and expounde the Gospel at Athenes he was called a tidinges bringer of Nevve Goddes as mutche to saie as of a Nevve Religion For saide the Athenians maie wee not knowe of thee what Nevve Doctrine this is Celsus likewise when he of set pourpose wrote againste Christe to the ende he might more scornefully scoffe out the Gospel by the name of Noueltie VVhat saithe he hath God after so many ages novve at laste and so late bethought him selfe Eusebius also writeth that the Christian Religion from the beginning for very spite was called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is to saie Nevve and Strange After like sorte these menne condemne al our maters as Strange and Nevve but they wil haue their owne whatsoeuer they are to be praised as thinges of longe continuance M. Hardinge They had saide somme what if they had proued that the doctrine of Christe had benne called nowe by them who were the professours and folowers of it But nowe reportinge that the Gentils who knewe not God as A man as the Athenians as Celsus the Ethnike and suche the like called the right and true Religion of God newe they saie nothing to any purpose But let them shewe that before the comminge of Christe any suche Religion was allowed that was newe Or that sithens Christes incarnation amonge Christian menne what so euer Religion was not shunned and reiected as heretical whiche was newe Here are they domme And yet for shewe of learning in a matter not necessarie they bringe foorth their store and declare that the doctrine and Religion of truthe was newe to them whiche knewe not God nor Christe the sonne of God whiche no man denieth Thus al menne of any iudgement maie see how fondly they reason VVe tel them that al nevve doctrine nowe in the Churche of Christe is naught and they proue that infidels haue in the time of Moses lawe and at the first preachinge of the Gospel impugned Goddes euerlastinge truthe with the odious terme and reproche of newnes Newe doctrine was good to vs at our firste conuersion from infidelitie But since that we receiued the true faithe from S. Gregorie the Bishop of Rome who conuerted the Realme of Englande to the faithe by S Augustine his legate and others sent for that godly purpose worthely we shunne and abhorre al new Gospels new faithes new doctrines new religions The B. of Sarisburie The Truthe of God neither is furthered by the face of Antiquitie nor hindered by the opinion of Noueltie For oftentimes the thinge that in deede is Nevve is commended as Olde and the thinge that in dede is Olde is condemned as Nevve If Nevvnesse in Religion in al respectes and euery waie were il Christe would not haue resembled his Doctrine to Nevve VVine nor woulde he haue saide to his Disciples I geue you a Nevve Commaundemente Neither woulde he haue called the Cuppe of Thankesgeuinge The Nevve Testamente in his Bloude Arnobius saithe Religionis Authoritas non est tempore aestimanda sed numine nec quo die sed quid colere coeperis intueri conuenit Quod Verum est Serum non est The Authoritie of Religion muste be weighed by God and not by time It behoueth vs to consider not vpon what daie but what thinge wee beganne to worship The thinge that is true is neuer too late S. Augustine saithe Quod Anterius est inquiunt Ethnici falsum esse non potest Quasi Antiquitas Vetus Consuetudo praeiudicet Veritati The Heathens saie The Religion that was firste can not be false As though Antiquitie and Olde Custome coulde preuaile againste the Truethe Againe he saithe Nec dici
debet quare Modo ' quare Serò Quoniam mittentis Consilium non est humano ingenio penetrabile Neither maie we saie Why commeth it nowe Why commeth it so late For the Counsel of God that sente it is vnsearcheable to the wisedome of man Ye saie They were Infidelles onely that charged the Religion of Christe with Noueltie And further ye saie Wee tel them that al Newe Doctrine nowe in the Churche of Christe is naught Hereto M. Hardinge we soone agree And therefore wel tel you that youre Nevve Fantasies whiche ye haue painted with the Coloure of Auncientie and therewith haue deceiued the worlde are vaine and naught As for vs wee haue planted no Nevve Religion but onely haue renewed the Olde that was vndoubtedly founded and vsed by the Apostles of Christe other Holy Fathers in the Primitiue Churche and of this longe late time by meane of the multitude of your Traditions and Vanities hath benne drowned Therefore wee maie saie with S. Bernarde Nouitatem dico propter linguas hominum impiorum qui cùm manifestum Lumen obnubilare non queunt de Solo Nouitatis nomine cauillantur c. Sed haec Nouitas non est Nouella vanitas Res enim est Antiquae Religionis Perfectè fundatae in christo Pietatis Antiqua Haereditas Ecclesiae Dei I cal it Noueltie bicause of the tongues of wicked menne who being not hable to shadowe the manifest light of the Truth finde cauillations vpon the Onely name of Noueltie But this Noueltie is no Nevve Vanitie as is this late vpstarte Religion of Rome For it is a mater of Olde Religion of perfite Godlinesse founded in Christe The Auncient Enheritance of the Churche of God The Olde Learned Father Tertullian saithe Viderint ergo quibus Nouum est quòd sibi est Vetus Haereses non tam Nouitas quam Veritas reuincit Quodcunque contra Veritatem sapit hoc est Haeresis etiam vetus Consuetudo Let them therfore take heede whiche coumpte that thinge Newe that in it selfe is Olde Herefie is reproued not so wel by Noueltie as by Veritie What so euer thinge sauereth againste the Truthe the same is an Heresie Yea although it be a Custome neuer so olde Ignatius saithe Antiquitas mea Iesus Christus est My Antiquitie is Christe Iesus For otherwise the Religion of Christe at that time was coumpted Nevve and in respecte of the Ancient Religion of the Heathens Vniuersally and of al menne was condemned That Augustine the Monker of Rome broughte firste the Faithe into this Lande it is vtterly Vntrue For as I haue saide before it appeareth plainely by sundrie the Ancient Fathers origen Tertullian chrysostome Hilarie Theodoretus Eusebius and others that the Faithe of Christe had benne vniuersally receiued and perfitely rooted in this Realme many hundred yeeres before this Augustine the Monke was borne Indeede he broughte in greate heapes of strange Nouelties and superstitions as Candels Candelstickes Banners and Holy VVater and other like shewes Whereof the Churche of God had no great neede And yet haue the same sithence benne encreased by other Newe Diuises and Vanities aboue measure But for as mutche as certaine of M. Hardinges Beaupecres of Louaine haue lately founde them selues talke and keapte greate Mootes in the behoufe of theire Augustine the Italian Monke whom they cal the Apostle of Englande and wil needes haue to be receiued and honoured as a Saincte I haue thought it therefore good briefely and by the waie to note a fewe wordes touching the same It seemeth they be mutche offended that so vertuous a Man and so Holy a Saincte shoulde be charged with Pride and Crueltie With Pride in so disdeignefully despisinge his Brethren the Bishoppes of this Ilelande of Britaine With Crueltie in procuringe the Deathe bothe of many thousandes of Christian people and also specially of the Innocente and Vnarmed Monkes of Bangor and al this for that they refused to receiue him as theire Metropolitane and to agree with him in certaine smal pointes of the Romaine Religion Howe be it his Pride is wel blased by Beda writinge pourposely of the same in that he sate stil in his Throne and disdeigned to rise vp and to geue any token of Reuerence vnto the Seuen Bishoppes and other Learned graue menne of the Britannes makinge theire appearance at his Councel And therefore they saide they woulde not hearken to his demaundes nor take him for theire Archebishop as hauinge otherwise of olde an Archebishop of theire owne to whome they ought theire obedience Theire woordes as they are reported by Beda were theise Si modo ' nobis assurgere noluit quanto ' magis si ei subdi coeperimus iam nos pro nihilo conteinner If euen nowe be disdeigne to rise vp vnto vs howe mutche more wil hee despise vs and regarde vs as nothinge when wee shal once be vnder his Iurisdiction But to excuse this Augustine of shameful Crueltie leste he shoulde seeme to be accessorie to the Murthering of so many and so by theire owne Lawes to be Irregulare as a man of bloude they saie He neither enkendled the Warre againste the Britaines nor was presente at the fight but was deade longe before Whiche thinge also they thinke maie be proued by the expresse woordes of Beda For thus he saithe Quamuis ipso Augustino iam multo antè tempore ad Coelestia Regna sublato Notwithstandinge Augustine him selfe longe before the time of this Warre were taken vp into the kingdome of Heauen For the truthe and certaintie hereof it maie please thee good Christian Reader to vnderstande that theise laste woordes of Beda concerninge the Deathe of Augustine are manifestely forged and haue benne violently thruste into the texte by a guileful Parenthesis by them that sithence haue benne ashamed of his Crueltie and were neuer written by the Authoure as by euidente proufes it shal plainely appeare But first of al in an Olde chronicle written in Frenche aboue twoo hundred yéeres paste by Thomas Graie yée shal finde it recorded thus Augustine beinge thus refused of the Bishoppes and others the Learned of the Britaines made sutche complainte thereof to Ethelberte the kinge of kente that foorth with he leuied his Power and Marched againste them and slewe them in moste Cruel wise hauinge as he saithe no more regarde of mercie then a Woulfe hath vpon a Sheepe Hereby it appeareth that this Augustine was the inflamer of the Warre and so the causer of the slaughter And whereas by the woordes of Beda as they be now commonly extant in the Latine wée are told this Augustine was deade long before the Warre beganne it appeareth plainely by the true Beda in déede translated aboue seuen hundred yéeres agoe into the old English or Saxon tongue by Alfredus or Aluredus then Kinge of this lande that the same Augustine was yet aliue after the same Warre was ended that he afterwarde Consecrated twoo Bishoppes
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
Verus Dominus Temporalium ita vt possit auferre ab alio quod aliâs suum est tenet factum eius licet peccet Sed Praelati coeteri Principes non sunt Domini sed Tutores Procuratores dispensatores They saie that onely the Pope is the right Lorde of Temporal Possessions so that he maie put any man froÌ his owne And although he offende in so dooinge yet his dooinge taketh place But other Bishoppes and Princes be not Lordes but Ouerseers Bailifes and Stewardes Therefore Pope Adrian namely thus auanced him selfe aboue the Emperoure Fredericus 1. Imperator per nos imperat Vnde haber Imperium nisi à nobis Ecce in Potestate nostra est vt demus illud cui volumus Proptereà constituti sumus à Deo super Gentes Regna vt destruamus euellamus aedificemus plantemus By meane of vs the Emperoure is Emperour For whence hath he his Empiere but of vs Beholde it is in our hande to bestowe the Empiere vpon whome we liste And to that ende are we placed by God ouer Nations and Kingdomes that we should destroie and plucke vp and builde and plante Sutche proude vauntes the Pope maketh of him selfe without either shame of the worlde or feare of God The Apologie Cap. 6. Diuision 9. Whiche of the Anciente Learned Fathers with so precise and Mathematical Limitation euer surueied and determined you to be seuentie and seuen times greater then the Mightiest Kinges M. Hardinge Some mery felowe or other whiche thought he might be bolde to speake Mathematically so he kepte him selfe within compasse and without iuste reprehension For where as the spiritual power so farre passeth the Temporal as the Soule doth excelle the Body and the Heauens surmounte the Earth as S. Clement saithe and Gregorie Nazianzene you shoulde not so greatly be offended with the seuenty and seuen times greater dignitie and we neede not condemne him as an Heretike whiche woulde be pleasaunt in his algorisme especially Ioannes Andreae in the same place referring the mater to the Astronomers The B. of Sarisburie Somme Mery felovve I vvarrante you ye saie And thus nowe in mirthe nowe in sadnesse ye haue of longe time mockte the worlde and forced Kinges and Emperours to be your selaues As for youre Newe Doctours Iacke of Andrevve and Sir Clement as you euermore cal him the Apostles felovve we weighe them none otherwise then they be worthy But touching Gregorie Nazianzene it is true that he saith The Truthe and Might of Goddes Worde infinitely passeth al wordly Power But what maketh al this for the Pope that walloweth onely in his Temporalties and worldly cares and as wel in Preachinge Goddes Woorde and Ministring the Sacramentes as also in other Spiritual exercises is as farre inferioure to any meane Prieste as the Earth is inferioure to the Heauens Howe be it that it maie appeare what prety Mirthe ye haue made herewith one of youre owne Felowes saithe thus Ecclesiastici debent iudicare per contemptibiles id est per Laicos Secundum tenorem debitum Terreni Iuris The Ecclesiastical Officers or Bishoppes ought to iudge by them that be Vile and Contemptible that is to saie by the Laie Magistrates according to the tenoure and order of the Temporal Lavve Here in your Mirthe and pleasance in comparison of your selues ye cal Princes and Temporal Magistrates Vile and Contemptible Againe ye saie Patet Regnum siue Regimen Regale non esse acceptum à Deo Sed ipsum solùm permisit indignatus Et magis esset acceptum Deo quòd per solum Papam Mundus in omnibus regeretur It is plaine that the state of kingedome or kingely gouernement came not from God For God onely suffered it in his anger And it were more acceptable vnto God that the whole world were in al thinges gouerned by the Pope alone It were good ye should tel vs whether ye speake this onely in Mirthe and Game or els in earneste and good sadnesse Verily when yee so proudely compare the Pope to the Sonne and the Emperoure to the Moone youre meaning is that as the Moone hathe no light but onely from the sonne so the Emperoure hathe no Authoritie but onely that he receiueth from the Pope Notwithstandinge in this comparison Isidorus youre owne Doctour saithe yee are sowly ouerseene For thus he writeth Per Solem intelligitur Regnum per Lunam intelligitur Sacerdotium By the Sonne is meante Kingely Dignitie and by the Moone is meante Priesthoode Now therefore Iacke Andrevve youre mery man by this reckening maie caste youre coumptes backewarde saie The Emperoure is seuentie and seuen times greater then the Pope The Apologie Cap. 6. Diuision 10. Whiche of the Anciente Fathers euer saide that more ample Authoritie is geeuen to you then to the residue of the Patriarkes M. Hardinge The Fathers of the Nicene councel by witnes of â¡ Iulius the firste who then liued â¡ and those of the Councel of Sardica â¡ Athanasius and the Bishops of Aegipt Thebaida and Lybia and the Fathers of certaine other Councelles Aboue al other moste specially the firste Christian Emperoure Constantine the great VVho being fully instructed of the moste godly and learned Bishops of his time * what authoritie the successour of Peter had by * commission of our Sauiour Christ thought good by his * Emperial Commaundemente and decree to confirme ratifie and for his own persone to yelde vnto blessed Syluester then Pope and to his successours Bishoppes of Rome the same Authoritie and Superioritie not onely ouer Bishoppes and Patriarkes but also Power and Honour higher and greater then that of Kinges and Emperours The wordes of his solemne decree in that behalf made are these whiche as they are found in sundrie other Greeke writers so moste plainely in Matthaeus Hieromonachus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã VVhiche in oure tounge is this mutche to saie VVe geeue in decree and commaundemente to al Lordes and to the Senate of our Empire that the Bishop of Rome and the successour of S. Peter chiefe of the Apostles haue Authoritie and Power in al the worlde more then that of the Empire is and that he be honoured and worshepped more then the Emperoure and that he be Head of the foure Patriarchal seates and that thinges apperteininge to the right faithe be of him iudged and determined Iustinian the Emperour likewise made an expresse decree that the moste holy Pope of the elder Rome for these be his very woordes be taken accordinge to the determinations of the holy councels to be the firste and principal of al Bishoppes It were not hard to alleage mutche more for proufe hereof of good and sufficient authoritie but in a matter not doubtfull this may suffise The B. of Sarisburie This is a folie of al folies Yet is there no folie so greate but by wordes and countenance it maie be maineteined
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
the turninge of the Right hande of God Therefore S. Augustine saithe vnto Faustus the Heretique Cur non potiùs Euangelicae Authoritati tam Fundatae tam stabilitae tanta gloria diffamarae atque ab Apostolorum temporibus vsque ad nostra tempora per Successiones certissimas commendatae te non subdis VVhy doest thou not rather submitte thee selfe vnto the Authoritie of the Gospel beinge so grounded so stablished Preached and published with so greate glorie commended and deliuered vnto vs by most certaine Successions from the time of the Arostles vntil our time Likewise in this same place by you alleged S. Augustine saithe Ego non crederem Euangelio nisi me Catholicae Ecclesiae coÌmoueret Authoritas Quibus ergo obtemperaui dicentibus Credite Euangelio Cur eis non obtemperem dicentibus Noli credere Manichaeo I woulde not beleue the Gospel onlesse the Authoritie of the Catholique Churche moued me Seeinge therefore I haue obeied them saieinge to me Beleeue the Gospel why should I not also obeie them saieinge vnto me Beleeue not Manichee Thus the consente of the Churche heareth witnesse to the Gospel without whiche witnesse notwithstanding the Gospel neuerthelesse were the Gospel stil Therefore Chrysostome saithe Si dixerint in ipsis Veris Ecclesijs Christum apparuisse nolite eis credere dicentibus ista deme Quia non est digna Diuinitatis meae notitia haec If they shal tel you that Christe hath appeared yea euen in the very True Churches yet beleue them not saieinge thus of mee For this is no meete knowledge for my Godhedde To conclude M. Hardinge wée wil saie to you as S. Augustine sommetime saide to the Donatian Heretiques auancinge their onely Churche in Aphrica euen as you nowe auance onely your Churche of Rome Nos post vocem Pastoris nostri per ora Prophetarum per os proprium per ora Euangelistarum nobis aperrissimè declaratam voces vestras non admittimus non credimus non accipimus After the voice of our Shepehearde vttered moste plainely vnto vs by the mouthes of the Prophetes by his owne mouthe and by the mouthes of the Euangelistes if ye bringe vs your owne voices wee allowe them not wee beleeue them not wee receiue them not The Apologie Cap. 11. Diuision 1. Our Churche saie thei cannot erre They speake that I thinke as the Lacedaemonians longe sithence vsed to saie that it was not possible to finde any Adulterer in al their Common Healthe whereas in deede they were rather al Adulterers and had no certaintie in their Marriages but had their wiues in common amongest them al Or as the Canonistes at this daie for theire bellies sake vse to saie of the Pope that for so mutch as he is Lorde of al Benefices though he selle for monie Bishoprikes Monasteries Priesthoode Spiritual Promotions and parte with nothinge freely yet bicause he counteth al his owne he cannot committe Simonie though he vvould neuer so faÃne But how strongly agreably to reason these things be spoken wee are not as yet hable to perceiue excepte perchaunce these menne haue plucked of the whinges from the Truthe as the Romaines in olde time did proine and pinion their Goddesse Victorie after they had once gotten her home to the ende that with the same whinges she shoulde neuer be able to flee awaie from them againe M. Hardinge Towarde the ende of your Apologie Syr Defender who so euer you be that pieced it togeather you doo but trifle Of like your stuffe is spence For here litle saie you that you haue not saide already VVherefore I craue Pardon of the Reader if accordinge to the slendernesse of matters obiected my confutation seeme also slender Sir you doo now but patche peeces togeather whiche you haue gathered out of your note Bookes into the same infarâed some out of the Canonistes some out of the Scoolemen and them not of the greatest estimation most of al out of Humanitie bookes wherein you be pretely seene And that seemeth to be your chiefe profession As for Diuinitie there appeareth no greate knowledge in you VVhat ye rehearse of the Lacedemonians it perteineth to your owne companies no lesse then to them I meane onely your Apostates Monkes and Friers Priestes and Nonnes You finde greate faulte in the Canonistes that be at this daie and name in your Margent Summa Angelica the Author whereof died many yeeres paste If he Theodoricus what so euer he was or any other Canoniste offende you as for his bellies sake speakinge of the Pope that should sette your teeth anedge what pertaineth that to vs who defende the Catholike Faithe not the saieinges of euery Canoniste You were beste seeinge you make so muche adoo with them to Article their errours and either write a railinge Booke against them which ye can easely doo or sende one of your best learned superintendentes to Bononia there in open scoole with disputations to confute them And so doubtlesse ye shal either conuerte them whiche were a woorthy acte or proue your selues fooles whiche were greate pitie But to answeare your obiection we saie firste that you alleage Summa Angelica falsely Nothing is founde soundinge to that you burthen the Pope withall in the place by you quoted in dict Papa Nexte whereas it is written in Summa Angelica In curia Romana titulus de Simonia non habet locum you Syr Defender either nor knowinge what folowed or of malice abusinge the place haue reported the same as if it were precisely saide without any distinction VVhereas in deede the selfe same Summe vseth this distinction saieinge Verum est in ijs quae sunt Simoniaca de iure positiuo solùm sed non in ijs quae sunt Simoniaca de iure diuino VVhereby he meaneth that the Pope is not vnder the rules of Simonie concerninge suche lawes and paines as he himselfe or his predecessours haue made in that behalfe For they haue made many thinges belonginge thereto as you may well knowe your selfe who are so pretely seene in the Canon Lawe as it may appeare by the often and cunninge allegations whiche you bringe out of the Gloses But concerninge that Simonie whiche properly is so called the Pope is nolesse subiecte thereto by the true iudgement of Summa Angelica whiche you haue shamefully belied then any other man You iest at Gods blessed Truthe alwaies remaininge in his Holy Churche and prophanely resemble it to a birde proined and pinyoned that it flie not a waie As though the Churche kepte truthe with suche policie as the olde Romaines are fained to haue kepte their Goddesse Victorie VVell Syr we tell you in sadnesse we are assured of the Truthe that it is in the Churche and that it shall neuer departe from thence And if ye call this cuttinge away of her winges that it neuer flie from the Churche wee graunte they be cut in suche sorte as shee shall
Sedis Et si diceres Requiritur in talibus apparens causa dico hîc esse causam apparentem Nam cessante tali redditu qui maximus est attenta hodierna Tyrannide Sedes Apostolica contemneretur This Glose seemeth to saie that the Pope committeth not Simonie receiuinge monie for the bestowinge of Benefices for as mutche as the Pope is not bounde to his owne Constitutions Yet nowe adaies the Lawiers holde without any sutche DistinctioÌ of Lavve Positiue and Lavve of God that the Pope cannot in any wise comme within the daunger of Simonie And so I mee selfe doo holde and so the coÌmon opinion must be holden Therefore notwithstandinge the Lawe that forebiddeth Simonie take place in the whole Vniuersal Churche yet in respecte of the Apostolique See of Rome it maie be restrained But thou wilte saie In sutch cases there ought to be some apparente cause I telle the that there is a cause apparente For this reuene we of Simonie whiche is very greate beinge once cutte of consideringe the Tyrannie that nowe is the Apostolique See woulde be despised By this authoritie it appeareth The Pope is not able to mainteine his Estate and Countenance nor to saue al thinges vpright without Simonie Panormitane saithe Etsi Papa accipiat pecuniam pro collatione alicuius Praelaturae aut Beneficij tamen Dominus Cardinalis ait Non committitur Simonia Notwithstandinge the Pope take monie for the bestoweinge of a Bishoprike or of a Benefice yet my Lorde Cardinal saithe there is committed no Simonie Archidiaconus Florentinus saithe Papa recipiendo pecuniam non praesumitur animo vendendi recipere Sed vt illa pecunia ad vsum suum conuertatur cùm Papa sit Dominus Rerum Temporalium per illud dictum Petri Dabo tibi Omnia Regna Mundi The Pope receiuing monie for Bishoprikes or Benefices is not thought to take it by waie of sale but onely to turne the same monie to his owne vse For the Pope is Lorde of al vvorldly goodes as it appeareth by the woordes of Peter whiche wooâ des notwithstandinge Peter neuer spake for they were spoken by Sathan Vnto thee wil I geeue al the Kingedomes of the VVorlde Againe Felinus saith Quod datur Papae datur Sacrario Petri nec est proprium Papae Sed prodest danti tanquam facienti opus pijssimum What so euer is geeuen to the Pope for Bishoprike or Benefce by waie of Simonie it is geeuen to S. Peters Treasurie Neither is it the Popes owne seueral goodes But it is auaileable to the geeuer as vnto one that doothe a moste Godly deede Sutche a special grace hath the Pope Of moste Diuelishe Vice he is hable to make moste godly Vertue Hostiensis saithe Papa potest vendere Titulum Ecclesiasticum vt Episcopatum Abbatiam c. The Pope maie selle any Ecclesiastical Title or Dignitie as a Bishoprike or an Abbie without danger of Simonie But what speake wee of the Pope Your Cardinalles them selues by your fauourable Constructions and godly orders are likewise Priuileged to committe Simonie safely and freely without blame Panormitane saith Cardinalis pro Palafreno à nobili viro recepto non praesumitur committere Simoniam A Cardinal for receiuinge a Palfraie of a Noble Man for a Benefice or a Bishoprike is not thought to commit Simonie Thus whereas Christe draue Buiers and Sellers out of the Churche you by your proper Distinctions haue receiued in Buiers and Sellers and thruste oute Christe S. Hierome saithe Per Nummularios significantur Beneficij Ecclesiastici venditores qui Domum Dei faciunt Speluncam Latronum By the Exchangers are signified the Sellers of Ecclesiastical Benefices whiche make the House of God a Denne of Theeues In your owne Decrees it is written hus Tolerabilior est Macedonij Haeresis qui asserit Spiritum Sanctum esse Seruum Patris Filij Nam isti faciunt Spiritum Sanctum Seruum suum The Heresie of Macedonius that saide the Holy Ghoste is Seruante and sclaue to the Father and to the Sonne is more tolerable then is the Heresie of these simonistes For these menne make the Holy Ghoste their owne Seruante Yet yée saie yee are wel assured that the Truthe is in the Churche of Rome and shal neuer departe from thence notwithstandinge any disorder or faulte whatsoeuer there committed And for proufe thereof yee allege as yée saie the Woordes of God him selfe in yâ Prophete Esaie Al be it in that whole Prophete there is not one woorde expressely mentioned of the Churche of Rome Sutche a fantasie as it appeareth was sommetimes in the Heretiques called the Manichees For thus thei saide A Principibus Gentis Tenebrarum Lumen ne ab ijs aufugeret tenebatur The Princes of the Nation of Darkenesse helde faste yâ Light leaste it shoulde flee from them For euen so doothe the Pope and his Cardinalles holde the Truthe as the Princes or Powers of Darkenesse helde the Lighte It was harde dealinge for you to binde Christe in Recognisance not to departe from the Pope yee should rather haue bounde the Pope not to departe from Christe S. Hierome saithe Prophetae Hierusalem non habent in ore Prophetiam Et in Domino requiescunt dicunt Non venient super nos mala Quorum causa SpeculatoriuÌ Dei hostili aratro diuiditur Et locus quondam pacis ruinis plenus fit Templum Domini in vepres spinasque conuertitur est Habitaculum bestiarum The Prophetes of Hierusalem haue neuer a woorde of Prophesie in their mouthes Yet they reaste them selues vpon the Lorde and saie There shal no euil comme vpon vs. For thene sakes the Watche Tower of the Lorde is turned vp with the enimies Pleughe the place of peace is ful of ruine the Temple of the Lorde is turned into Breeres and Thornes and is becomme a stable of wilde beastes The Apologie Cap. 11. Diuision 2. But what if Ieremie telle them as is afore rehearsed that these be Lies What if the same Prophete saie in an other place that the selfe same menne whoe ought to be Keepers of the Vineyarde haue brought to nought and destroied the Lordes Vineyarde Howe if Christe saie that the same persones whoe chiefely ought to haue a care ouer the Temple haue made the Lordes Temple a denne of Theeues The B. of Sarisburie Here come you in with your whatiffes whiche commonly you vse when other Rhetorike faileth you VVee tell you plainely without any iffes that Ieremie meante of you and suche as you be and calleth your whole newe fangled Doctrine Verba mendacij the woordes of lieinge earnestly geuinge warninge that menne geue no credite to them His other rebuke perteineth also to you VVhen were euer suche Theeues in the Churche of God as yee are The Apologie Cap. 12. Diuision 1. If it be so that the Churche of Rome cannot erre it muste needes folowe that the good lucke thereof is farre
de Ecclesia qui Spirituales Christiani fuerunt relicta Corporali Ecclesia quam perfidi occupauerant violentia exierunt ab illis Magis autem illi exierunt à nobis sicut Iohannes exponit Non enim ille de Ecclesia exire videtur qui corporaliter exit sed qui Spiritualiter Veritatis Ecclesiasticae Fundamenta reliquit Nos enim ab illis exâuimus Corpore illi à nobis animo Nos enim ab illis extuimus Loco Illi à nobis Fide Nos apud illos reliquimus Fundamenta parietum Illi apud nos reliquerunt Fundamenta Scripturarum Nos ab illis egressi sumus secundum aspectum Hominum Illi autem à nobis secundum Iudicium Dei. Relicta est autem deserta ex quo de illa Corporali Ecclesia Spiritualis exiuit Id est de populo suo qui videbatur Christianus non erat Populus iste exiuit qui non videbatur erat Magis autem secundumquod diximus illi à nobis exierunt quà m nos ab illis Euen so touchinge this Nevve Hierusalem whiche is the Câurche they that were Spiritu Christian menne lecuinge the Bodily Churche whiche the wicked by violence had inuaded departed out from them Or as s S. Iohn expoundeth it they rather departed out from vs. For he seemeth not in deede to departe from the Churche that Bodily departeth but he that Spiritually leaueth the Fundations of the Ecclesiastical Truthe VVe haue departed from them in Body they haue departed from vs in Minde VVe from them by Place they from vs by Faithe VVee haue leafte with them the Fundations of the VValles They haue leafte with vs the Fundations of the Scriptures VVee are departed foorthe from them in the sighte of Man They are departed from vs in the Iudgemente of God But nowe after that the Spiritual Churche is gonne foorthe the Bodily Churche is leafte foresaken That is to saie from that people that seemed to be a Christian people and was not this people is gonne foorthe that seemed not out wardely but was so in dede Notwithstandinge as wee haue saide before they haue rather departed from vs then we from them Ye saie your Churche of Rome that nowe is and the Primitiue Churche is al One Churche Euen so the Moone bothe in the ful and in the wane is al One Moone Euen so Hierusalem as wel vnder Dauid as vnder Manass es was al one Cittie The Holy place whether the Maiestie of God or the Abomination of Desolation stande in it is al one place The Primitiue Churche saie you and the Churche of Rome that novv is is al one Churche Therefore wée saie the Churche of Rome that now is in Truthe and Religion ought to agrée with the Primitiue Churche Whether the Churche maie be brought to a fevve in number or no wée had occasion sommewhat to saie before The Anciente Father Irenaeus saithe Quemadmodum ibi in plurimis eorum qui peccauerunt non bene sensit Deus Sic hîc multi sunt vocati pauci verò electi As in the Olde Testamente in many of them that offended God was not pleased Euen so now in the Nevve Testamente many are called and fewe are Chosen In Consideration whereof S. Hierome crieth out in an Agonie within him selfe Tanta erit Sanctorum paucitas So smal shal be the number of holy menne One of your owne Doctours saithe as it is alleged once before Licet in hoc bello Daemonum cadaÌt Religiosi Principes Milites Praelati Ecclesiastici Subditi semper tamen manent aliqui in quibus seruatur Veritas Fidei Iustificatio bonae Conscientiae Et si non nisi duo viri Fideles remanerent in mundo tamen in illis saluaretur Ecclesia quae est Vnitas Fidelium Notwithstandinge in this warre of Diuelles bothe the Godly Princes and Souldiers and Ecclesiastical Prelates and Subiectes be ouer throwne yet euermore there remaine somme in whome the Truthe of Faithe and the Righteousnesse of good Conscience is preserued And notwithstandinge there vvere but tv voo Faithful menne remaininge in the worlde yet euen in them the Churche of God whiche is the Vnitie of the Faithful should be saued But for that wée saie vvee vvere brought vp emonge you in Darkenesse and Ignorance Yée enter out of season into a needelesse discourse of coÌparison of Learninge In the Liberal Sciences ye saie we are not comparable to the Learned menne of your side It was not our meaninge M. Hardinge to cal the Bright beames of your Liberal Learninge into question It appeareth yee woulde faine haue it blased and magnified to the vttermoste and no waie to be disgraced Wee meante onely the knowledge of God and the open ProfessioÌ of his Holy Woorde In comparison of whiche knowledge al other knowledge what so euer is meere darknesse How be it touchinge any kinde of the Liberal and Learned Sciences there was no great cause why ye shoulde either so highly rowse your selfe in your owne opinion or so greately disdeigne others Ye maie remember that your Prouincial Constitutions beginne with these woordes Ignorantia Sacerdotum It were no greate Maisterie to charge the Chiefe Doctoures of your side with somme want of Learning Ludouicus Viues saith Vt quidque Ius superioribus saeculis minùs tittum fuit studentium manibus ita purius ad nos peruenit For the space of certaine hundred yeeres paste the lesse any Booke came into your Learned studentes handes the purer and better it came to vs. Meaninge thereby that euery thinge was the woorse for your Learned handelinge Of Thomas Scotus Hugo and others of whom yée seeme to make so greate accoumpte your owne frende Catharinus saithe Scholastici multa ineruditè Comminiscuntur These Schole Doctoures imagine many mâters vnlearnedly Erasmus saithe Portenta quae nunc passim legimus in Commentarijs Recention Interpretum tam impudentia insulsa sunt vt videaÌtur suibus ea scripsisse non Hominibus The monstrous folies that wee commonly reade in the Commentaries of the late Interpreters whereby he meaneth the very croppe and the woorthieste of al your Scholastical Learned Doctoures are so far without shame and so peeuishe as if they had benne vvritten for Svvine and not for menne One of your Doctoures saithe Apostolus dicitur ab Apos quod est Argumentum vel praeeminentia Stolon quod est Missio quasi praeeminenter Missus An other saithe Apocrisarij dicuntur Nuntij Domini Papae Nam crisis dicitur Secretum Apos dicitur Nuntius An other saithe Cathedra est nomen Graecum componitur à Cathos quod est Fides edra quod est Sponda An other saithe Eleemosyna dicitur ab Eleis quod est Misereri Mois quod est Aqua Peter Crab in his late Scholies vpon the Councelles saith thus Mulieres ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã id est Cohabitantes Sacculos Likewise againe he saithe Phrygium
factum est ex Pénnis Pauonum Of your Liberal Learned Cleregie one saithe thus Nec verba Canonis intelligunt nec quae sint verba Consecrationis sciunt They vnderstand not the woordes of theire Canon neither knowe they whiche be the Woordes of Consecration And therefore he that forged the Rule of Monkes vnder the name of S. Hierome chargeth them in any wise to pronounce euery woorde distinctely and waâily leste by theire foolishe vtterance they shoulde make the Angelles to falle a laughinge These fewe maie serue you for a taste Hereby M. Hardinge it maie appeare your Cleregie hath no greate cause to make sutche triumphe of theire Learninge Howe be it wée vpraide you not herewith nor was this the cause of oure departure Yee holde both Faithe and Learning and Churche and Religion by enheritance Christe hath once praied for Peter Therefore your Faithe and Learning can neuer faile Yet notwithstandinge your late Bookes freight with so many vnciuile and vaine speaches for of your often Vntruthes I wil saie nothing sauoure more of Choler then of Learninge S. Hierome saithe Doctrina viri per patientiam noscitur Quia tantò quisque minùs oftenditur doctus quantòconuincitur minùs patiens A mannes Learninge is knowen by his patience For the lesse patiente a manne sheweth him selfe the lesse he sheweth to be his Learninge Woulde God yee woulde humble your knowledge and make it obediente to the knowledge of God Otherwise that Peter saide vnto Simon Magus of his moonie maie likewise be saide vnto you of your knowledge Thy knovvledge be vvith thee to thy destruction Our Learninge is the Crosse of Christe of other Learninge wée make no vauntes God is called the God of Truthe and not of Learninge S. Paule saithe Al kinde of Learninge shal be abolished God make vs al Learned to the Kingedome of Heauen The Apologie Cap. 13. Diuision 1. But wherefore I praie you haue they themselues the Citizens and dwellers of Rome remoued and comme downe from those Seuen Hilles whereupon Rome sommetime stood to dwel rather in the Plaine called the field of Mars They wil saie peraduenture bicause the conductes of Mater wherewithout menne cannot commodiously liue haue now failed and are dried vp in those Hilles Wel then lette them geeue vs like leaue in seekinge the Water of Eternal Life that they geeue them selues in seekinge the Water of the wel For that Water verily failed amongest them The Elders of the levves saith Ieremie sente theire litle ones to the VVateringes and thei findinge no VVater beinge in miserable case and vtterly loste for thirste brought home againe theire vessels emptie The nedy and poore folke saithe Esaie sought aboute for VVater but no vvhere founde they any theire tongue vvas euen vvithered vvith thirste Euen so these menne haue broken in peeces al the pipes and conduites they haue stopped vp al the springes and choked vp the Fountaine of Liuinge Water with dyrte and myre And as Caligula many yeeres past locked vp faste al the storehouses of corne in Rome thereby brought a general dearthe and famine amongest the people euen so these menne by damminge vp al the Fountaines of Goddes VVoorde haue brought the people into a pitiful thirst They haue brought into the world as saithe the Prophete Amos a Hungre and a Thirste nor the Hunger of Breade nor the Thirste of VVater but of hearinge the VVoorde of God With greate distresse went they scatteringe about seekinge somme sparke of heauenly light to refreashe theire consciences withal but that light was already thoroughly quenched out so that they coulde finde none This was a rueful state This was a lamentable forme of Goddes Church It was a miserie to liue therein without the Gospel without Light and without al Comforte M. Hardinge VVel and witteely reasoned foresoothe No no Sirs if it were that holesome VVater of Eternal life whiche ye thirste after ye woulde neuer haue departed from the high hil the Catholike Church and come downe into the valleis where ye finde the durty pudles of fleashely pleasures where the deuil Behemoth as Iob saithe dormit in Iocis humentibus sleapeth in woiste places Al were not sterued for hunger and thirst of that water of Gods VVorde Therefore ye speake bothe slaunderously and ignorantly for diuines where ye saie that we had broken in peeces al the pipes and conduites that we had stopped vp al the springes and choked and dawned vp al the Founteines of Liuinge VVater with durte and myre Yet vnwares or ignorantly they cal that faithles and pagane state a lamentable forme of Gods Churche whereas they shoulde haue accoumpted it no Churche at al. For where is no worde of God no light no Gospel at al how can there be any Church VVithout these any multitude is no more a Church then without Christe a man is a Christian then a deade man is a man And thus with malicious slaunderinge not with lerned reasons with theire owne affirmations not with apt allegations haue they gone about to proue that these many hundred yeres the Churche hath erred ⪠But thankes be to God al this winde shaketh no corne VVhen al these hasty blastes be blowne ⪠ouer the Churche of God shal stand stil vnmoued vpon the rocke Christ builded it on and appere glorious in her sted fastnes and truth maugre the gaine saieinge of al Heretikes and shal appere to them terrible as a stronge armie set in battaile raye The B. of Sarisburie Here M. Hardinge ye beginne out of season to plaie with your Allegories and Mystical Fantasies Your Catholique Churche of Rome is the Mounte Worldly pleasure is the Vale. By whiche Comparison wée muste beleue that the Pope and his Cardinalles sittinge on highe vpon the Mounte passe theire time there onely in Fastinge and praier and in al manner pouertie and penurie and straitouâsse of Life and haue vtterly abandoned al worldly pleasures Notwithstanding somme haue said In Cardinalibus Superbia Auaritia Luxuria validissimè dominantur In the Cardinalles of Rome Pride Auarice and Lecherie are in theire greatest Courage Howe be it touchinge as wel this as other your like folies conceminge the Churche I wil not saie Ye keepe your woonte but I muste néedes saie Yée doo but trifle The Apologie Cap. 13. Diuision 1. Wherefore though our Departinge were a trouble to them yet ought they to consider withal howe iuste cause we had of our Departure M. Hardinge In deede our charitie is sutche as we confesse it to be a griefe vnto-vs to see you plaie the part of rebellious children to vse presumption for submission contempt for obedience spite for loue Yet sith that ye are desperate and incorrigible as by your departing from vs the Church felt some anguish and trouble so now that ye are gone it is releued as the body is eased when after a purgation it hath auoided euil humours Nowe saie you beste The B. of Sarisburie
paterne of the Apostles and Olde Fathers times as though thei al hadde benne voide of vnderstandinge Doo these menne weene yee see more or sette more by the Churche of God then thei did who firste deliuered vs these thinges M. Hardinge Softe and faire Sir Defender you haue not yet proued that you saie is manifeste and out of al peraduenture Remember you not the olde homely verse of youre sophistrie Neque negatiuis rectè concludere si vis Speake to the pourpose or els I woulde you woulde make an ende of youre filly follies For in deede you trifle and saie nothinge worth to be answeared And here litle cause doo you minister vnto me to vtter substantial stuffe VVhiche I desire the discrete Reader to consider for mine excuse that with a trifler I doo also but trifle The B. of Sarisburie Here M. Hardinge by youre owne confession yee doo but trifle with youre Filly follies for that I trowe youre substantial and better stuffe was not yet ready The Apologie Cap. 15. Diuision 3. In deede we haue renounced that churche wherein wee could neither haue the Woorde of God sincerely taught nor the Sacramentes rightly administred nor the name of God duely called vpon Whiche churche also them selues confesse to bee faulty in many pointes And wherein was nothinge hable to staie any wise man or one that hath consideration of his owne safetie M. Hardinge And why haue ye renounced this Churche but for that ye might not be suffered to sette foorthe to the losse of Christen soules the detestable heresies of VVicklef Luther Zuinglius Caluine and other youre false Maisters whiche ye cal youre sincere woorde of God after youre Schismatical and Heretical manner That ye saie there was nothinge in the Catholique Churche hable to staie any wise man or any that hath consideration of his safetie it is one of youre impudent lies There were bothe wise menne in the Churche and greate multitudes of sutche as hadde good regarde of their soule healthe alwaies before the Deuil hadde sutche a hande vpon Luther and the reste of youre newe Apostles and Apostates The Apologie Cap. 15. Diuision 4. To conclude wee haue foresaken the churche as it is nowe not as it was in Olde times paste and haue so gonne from it as Daniel went out of the Lions Denne and the three children out of the Furnesse and to saie the truthe we haue benne caste out by these menne beinge cursed of them as thei vse to saie with Booke Bel and Candel rather then haue gonne awaie from them of our selues M. Hardinge The Churche that nowe is and the Churche that was in Olde time is one Churche as a man in his olde age is the same man he was in his youthe From the whiche Churche no faultes or unperfections can excuse you for youre departinge Neither haue ye gone from it as Daniel was deliuered out of the Lions Dennâ nor as the three Children out of the Furnesse but ye haue departed wilfully from the house of God where touchinge Faithe al be of one accorde vnto the Synagog of Antichriste vnto Babylon of Sectes where is no order but confusion vnto the kingdome of Satan and there ye remaine as it were in a Denne of Lions where that roring Lion with his fellowes lieth in waite seckinge whom he maie deuoure Ye haue stepped from the place of Spiritual refrigerie into the frieinge panne of Schismes and Heresies and from thence after that ye haue nowe boyled and fried in malice and rancoure againste the Churche excepte ye repent ye are like to leape into the Furnesse of Hel that for euer shal tormente you and neuer consume you Complaine not of youre castinge out of the Churche To be excommunicate ye haue deserued And that kinde of punishement is by a merciful discipline extended vpon you partly for your amendement partly to conserue the reste of the body whole from youre pestiferous contagion The B. of Sarisburie Nowe yee beginne to keepe Hote Schooles M. Hardinge You re Frieinge pannes and Furnesses with other youre like Kitchin implementes of Frieinge and Boilinge are hote and dangerous to deale withal The causes of oure departure from you are answeared before The Churche ye saie that nowe is and the Churche that was in Olde times is one Churche Euen so as I shewed you before the Moone beinge ful and the same Moone eclipsed is one Moone Euen so a Man wel aduised and the same Man starke madde is one Man Euen so the house of God and a Caue of theeues is one House Yee haue Excommunicate vs and put vs from you So did certaine of youre Predecessours and Fathers Excommunicate Christe and his Apostles So did Diotrephes that firste claimed your Papale Primacie Excommunicate the Faithful of Christe that were the Firste Planters of the Gospel So it is written in the Apocalyps that Antichriste shal Excommunicate al them that wil not Adoure the Image of the Beaste The Pope him selfe saithe Excommunicatus non potest Excommunicare He that is Excommunicate him selfe hath no Right or Power to Excommunicate others And in youre owne Lawe it is written thus Qui illicitè alium Excommunicat seipsum non illum condemnat He that vnlawefully Excommunicateth an other Condemneth not him but him selfe S. Augustine saithe Quid obest homini si eum de illa Tabula delere velit Humana ignorantia quem de Libro viuentium non delet iniqua conscientia What is a man the woorse if the ignorance of a man strike him out of the Booke of the Churche if il Conscience strike him not oute of the Booke of Life In this case S. Augustine saithe It commeth sommetimes to passe Vt plurimae sint Foris oues plurimi sint Intus Lupi That there be many Sheepe without the Churche and many Woulues within the Churche The Apologie Cap. 15. Diuision 5. And wee are comme to that Churche wherein thei them selues cannot denie if thei wil saie truely and as thei thinke in their owne conscience but al thinges bee gouerned purely and reuerently and as mutche as wee possibly coulde very neere to the order vsed in the olde time M. Hardinge Ye are come vnto the malignant Churche to the Congregation of Reprobates whither as into a sincke in maner al the Heresies that Satan euer raised vp from the beginning be auoided The Apologie Cap. 16. Diuision 1. Let them compare oure Churches and theirs togeather and thei shal see that them selues haue moste shamefully gonne from the Apopostles and wee moste iustely haue gonne from them For wee folowinge the Example of Christe of the Apostles and the Holy Fathers geeue the people the Holy Communion Whole and perfite But these menne contrarie to al the Fathers to al the Apostles and contrarie to Christe him selfe doo seuer the Sacramentes and plucke away the one parte from the people and that with moste notorious Sacrilege as Gelasius termeth it Wee haue broughte againe
the Lordes Supper vnto Christes Institution and haue made it a Communion in very deede common and indifferent to a greate number accordinge to the name But these menne haue chaunged al thinges contrarie to Christes Institution and haue made a Priuate Masse of the Holy Communion And so it commeth to passe that we geeue the Lordes Supper vnto the people and thei greue them a vaine Pagent to gase vpon Wee affirme togeather with the Ancient Fathers that the Body of Christe is not eaten but of the good Faithful and of those that are endued with the Sprite of Christe Theire Doctrine is that Christes very Body Effectually and as thei speake Really and Substantially maie not onely be eaten of the wicked and vnfaithful menne but also whiche is monstrous and horrible to be spoken of Mise and Dogges We vse to praie in our Churches after that fashion as according to Paules lesson the people maie knowe what wee praie and maie answeare Amen with a general consent These menne like soundinge Metal yelle oute in the Churches vnknowen and strange woordes without vnderstandinge without knowledge and without deuotion yea and doo it of pourpose bicause the people should vnderstande nothinge at al. M. Hardinge As comparison can not duely be made betweene Lighte and Darkenes betweene Truthe and Lieing betwene Christe and Belial so neither betwene the Catholike Churche and startinge holes of Heretiques You saie muche and proue nothinge The moste ye haue to crake of whiche yee haue neuer doone withal is youre ministringe of bothe kindes vnto the people youre newe founde holy daie the Englishe Communion your Seruice in the vulgare tonge ⪠and your vile obiection of Mise and Dogges This is the storeboxe of M. Iuelles high Diuinitie whiche he maketh no greate store of but shaketh it abroade euery where To euery pointe I haue saide so mutche as is yenough to staie the hartes of those that feare God in mine answeare to M. Iuelles chalenge To the mater of bothe kindes and the obiection made out of Gelasius in the seconde article To that of Priuate Masse in the firste article To al that is saide for the Churche Seruice in the vulgare tongue in the thirde Article To the obiection of Mise Dogges and VVormes in the 23. Article The same here to reherse againe I thinke it nedeles But where ye affirme the Body of Christe not to bee eaten but of the good and faithful onely if ye meane the Sacramental eating so as it is eaten vnder the Sacrament in the visible forme of Bread and VVine and not of the Spiritual eating onely that is false In that ye saie the Fathers be on your side meaninge the * Sacramental eatinge ye belie them And so like wise reporting our Doctrine to be that wicked and vnfaithful menne maie eate the Body of * Christe effectually ye beââe vs. VVe teache that the euil maie eate the Body of Christe Really that is in deede but not effectually They onely eate effectually who eatinge it worthely obteine the effecte of Christes Body VVhiche is the vnitie of the mystical body of Christe and increace of grace There is verely saithe S. Gregorie in sinners and in them whiche receiue vnworthely the true Fleashe of Christe and his true Bloude sed essentia non salubri efficentia but in substance not in holesome effecte That euil menne receiue the true Body of Christe Sacramentally no lesse then good where I might alleage in manner al the Olde Fathers S. Augustine only maie suffice who affirmeth the same speakinge thus of Iudas Tolerat ipse Dominus Iudam diabolum furem venditorem suum finit accipere inter innocentes Discipulos quod norunt fideles pretium nostrum Our Lorde him selfe doth tolerate Iudas and suffereth a Deuil a Thefe and him that solde him to receiue amongest his innocent Disciples our Price whiche the Faithful doo knowe But what nede any man to require the testimonies of Fathers sithe S. Paule teacheth vs so to beleue VVho so euer saithe he eateth this Bread and drinketh of the Cuppe of our Lorde vnworthely he shalâe gilty of the Body and Bloude of our Lorde The B. of Sarisburie There is no better comparison to bee made M. Hardinge then bitweene Light and Darkenesse Truthe and Falsehed Christe and Belial For one of these contraries doothe euermore bewraie the other And therefore Christe saithe He that doothe il hateth the Light and commeth not to it leste his euil dooinges shoulde bee espied And this is it M. Hardinge that you so carefully keepe the people from the Lighte of Goddes vvoorde leste by comparison thereof they shoulde beginne to lothe youre Darkenesse Plinie saithe Tritico reperto continuò damnatum est Hordeum quadrupedum refectibus traditum As soone as VVheate was once founde by comparison thereof streight waie Barly was refused and geuen to Cattel to feede vpon S. Cyprian saithe Haec est frater vera dementia non cogitare quòd mendacia non diu fallant Noctem tam diu esse donec illucescat dies This is very mere madnesse my Brother not to consider that lies cannot longe deceiue the world RemeÌber it is Night no lenger but vntil the Daie spring And therefore Chrysostome saithe as it is alleged before Haeretici claudunt Ianuas Veritatis Heretiques shut vp the Gates of the Truthe For they knowe right wel if the Truthe maie appeare theire falsehedde wil soone be espied and the Churches shal be none of theires Tertullian saithe Ipsa Doctrina Haereticorum cum Apostolica comparata ex diuersitate contrarietate sua pronuntiabit neque Apostoli alicuius Authoris esse neque Apostolici Viri The very Doctrine of Heretiques compared togeather with the Apostles Doctrine euen by the diuersitie and contrarietie that is in it beareth witnesse of it selfe that it neuer came neither from any Apostle of Christe nor from any Apostolique Man When the Emperoure Adrianus hadde yeelded to graunte the Christians one Church within the Cittie of Rome certaine of his Priuie Counsel aduised him in any wise not so to doo For that they saide if the Christians might haue but one Churche within the Cittie the whole people woulde becomme Christians and by comparison thereof theire Idolles Churches should be forsaken Restore you the Holy Communion M. Hardinge and ye shal see youre Masses and Mockeries soone falle to grounde as did the Idole Dagon at the presence of the Arke of God S. Hierome saithe Mendacium Antichristi Christi veritas deuorabit The Truthe of Christe shal deuoure and consume the Lieinge of Antichriste Touchinge the Shakinge out of Stoareboxes yee hadde no greate cause to complaine For there is not one of al these maters one onely of Priuate Masse excepted that hitherto throughout this Apologie hathe to my remembraunce benne touched or mentioned more then once But it is a smal mater M. Hardinge that maie
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
had once entierely embraced the Gospel had receiued it not from menne nor by man but by the onely VVil of God he did not take aduise therein of fleash bloude nor brought his case before his kinnesmen and Brethren but wente foorthewith into Arabia to preache Goddes Diuine Mysteries by Goddes onely Authoritie M. Hardinge If you occupie a flute no better by my reade you shal geue ouer your pipinge and floutinge Truthe is truthe and God is God whether any councel wil or nil Mary as for the Truthe and for God euery councel lawfully assembled hath wil so againste the Truth and against God it hath no nil VVhen ye proue vnto vs that ye are specially called as Paule was and haue a special commission to preache againste the Doctrine of the Churche as he had againste the wicked Iewes then a Gods name take no aduise of any man but forthwith preache and crieout so lowde as ye liste so that ye goe into Arabia as Paule did or where els so euer ye wil. For euery good man would be lothe England should be troubled with you The Apologie Cap. 2. Diuision 1. Yet truely we doo not despise Councelles Assemblies and conferences of Bishoppes and Learned meÌne neither haue we donne that we haue donne altogeather without Bishoppes or without a Councel The matter hath benne treated in open Parlamente with longe consultation and before a notable Synode and Conuocation M. Hardinge Either your tonge agreeth not with your harte or els I wil proue the contrarie by your owne argumentes which in the nexte Paragraphe before this ye haue huddeled vp For whereas your matters are as ye ordinarily saie euident by plaine scripture and the VVoorde of God is readen of euery man without distinction and limitation therefore ye do firste of al plaie as fonde a parte as Kinge Agesilaus did who receiuinge an answeare of mighty Iupiter woulde afterwarde bringe the matter before Apollo Yea furthermore ye do mutche more fondely then he if when ye maie heare God him selfe speake plainely to you in the moste holy scriptures ye woulde bringe the whole cause to be tried by a Councel Howe saie ye then nowe are not these your owne proper reasons c. your foresaid worshipful reasons c If ye meane as by reason ye muste the Parlamentes of these later daies the firste of al did make moste for you and yet how open was it for you Had ye any place at al in it VVere ye admitted within the dores Or had ye any thing to do in that assemblie CoÌsider theÌ with what consult atioÌ your purposes were concluded Did they tarie many monethes about it Had they Bishops Had they Diuines and the moste lerned to reason to and fro with al libertie VVas the Authoritie of the Vniuersal Churche of Christe and the Doctrine of the Aunciente Fathers considered Ye saie in Latine plenis Comitijs that is in the ful and whole assemblie as though none at al had there resisted but euery man had yelded to your matters VVhat saie ye then of the spiritual lordes a greate parte of the parlamente and without al doubt the parte whiche muste be chiefely and onely regarded when the questioÌ is of religion How many of theÌ gaue you their voice to your Gospel Yea which of them al did not resist it One alone I muste confesse was afterwarde made to breake vnitie of whom a right good and Catholike Bishop saide to a noble man we had but one foole among vs and him ye haue gotten vnto you But as of the spiritual Lordes ye had none at al except that one litle woorthy of the name of a Bishop and lorde whose lerninge was smal and honoure thereby mutche steined so of the temporal ye had not al and so had ye also in the lower howse very many and wel learned that speake againste you But let vs consider the notable conuocation in whiche your matter hath ben treated If ye meane the cleregie comminge togeather at that first parlament time of whiche we speake it was of Catholikes not of Sacramentaries and it put vp a bill againste your procedinges so farre it was of from confirminge them If ye meane any since that time in whiche your superintendentships mette togeather for what cause was it a notable Synode and a notable conuocation Ye be desperate in your lieinge and crake of a full Parlament and a notable Synode not regardinge by what meanes ye promote your cause to the multitude and saue your selues from reproche of extreme folie For otherwise ye whiche can so amplifie the small and obscure meetinges of a fewe Caluintstes of one litle Iland what would ye not saie of the laste generall Councell to whiche more Nations were assembled togeather then are shyres in Englande more yeeres were bestowed in consultation then weekes in your full Parlament more Bishoppes defined and subscribed then were Ministers of all sortes in your notable Synode by many partes Lastly if they will needes haue their matters seeme to depende of their Parlament let vs not be blamed if wee call it Parlament Religion Parlament Gospell Parlamente Faithe The B. of Sarisburie Wée wil not discusse the Right Interest of the Parlamentes of Englande As mutche as concerneth Goddes euerlastinge Truthe wee holde not by Parlamente but by God Parlamentes are vncertaine often contrarie as wée haue séene But Goddes Truthe is one and certaine neuer changeth The thinges that were so suddainely and so violently shaken downe in the late time of Queene Marie are now of Goddes greate mercie by oure moste Noble and Gratious Lady Queene Elizabeth aduisedly and soberly reared vp againe that thei maie the more firmely continewe and stande the better What so euer wante yée imagine was in that Parlamente for as mutche as wée were no parte thereof I truste wee maie the more easily be excused How be it so scornefully disdeigninge the whole State of so Noble a Realme yée shal hardely winne the opinion either of Sobrietie or of greate Wisedome But your Bishoppes yée saie withstoode vs and your Brethren in the Conuocation promoted a bille againste oure Doctrine I know M. Hardinge they subscribed then againste vs with the very same handes with whiche not longe before they had openly protested and solemnely sworne againste the Pope with whiche they haue sithence receiued and embraced our whole Religion to the vtter condemnation of al your folies Onely one foole yée saie yee had emongest all your Bishoppes And he was soone gotten to comme to vs. Happy were they M. Hardinge that had but one foole in so greate a companie If somme of your Louanian Cleregie had then benne Bishoppes I thinke they might haue benne sommewhat better stoared Notwithstandinge it was not wel donne of your parte so vnciuilely to calle your Brother foole Al the reste of your Brethren very fewe excepted haue donne the like Yet fooles I trowe yee wil not calle them lest happily your
determinations of Councels be referred to the Pope Christes Vicare in Earthe onlesse ye vtter suche vnreuerent and prophane scoffes It had become a wicked Celsus a Porphyrius a Iulian thus to talke rather then any Christian Hickescorner You should at leste haue looked on your square Cappe and your white rochet if you haue any if nothinge els they woulde haue tolde you that suche prophane lightnesse became not your person Concerninge the pointe it selfe you touche although the Pope haue that Priuiledge whiche Christe â¡ â¡ praied to his Father for to be geuen vnto Peter as beinge Peters Successour that his â¡ Faith faile not and that be confirme his Brethren and therefore be an â¡ assured iudge in matters of Faithe yet this notwithstandinge councels be not assembled togeather in vaine For the Fathers of the Councell doo helpe the Faithe and Doctrine of the highest Pastour VVherefore in the firste councell at Ierusalem when as a greate question rose and Peter had saide his iudgement not propped with any testimonie of the Holy Scriptures Iames approued it addinge thereto the testimonies of the Prophetes For Gods prouidence so tendereth the Churche that the chiefe members though they depende of the â¡ Head yet defende and healpe the Head VVherefore Seda admonisheth discretely that Paule conferred the Gospel which he had Preached amongest the Gentiles with the other Apostles seekinge warely to be resolued whether he Preached rightly of the ceassinge of the obseruances of the Lawe Not that he doubted ought thereof himselfe saithe he but that the mindes of them that were in doubte might be confirmed by the Auctoritie of that Apostolike Councell To that you alleage secondly as a greate inconuenience wee tell you that forasmuch as the Pope is at euery generall Councell laufully assembled either in person as sundry Popes haue benne or by his Legates neither it is an vnlaufull dealinge nor suche tossinge as you terme it matters maturely debated in the Councell to be referred to the Pope head of the Councell not so muche for a newe triall as for finall confirmation The Fathers of the Nicene councell besought S. Syluestesâ that what they had ordeined he would confirme and ratifie And Leo what thinges the Councell of Chalcedon had decreed touchinge matters of faithe saithe that he approueth them And the Councel it selfe speakinge to Leo saithe thus Decretis tuis nostrum honora Iudicium VVith thy Decrees honour our Iudgement Likewise the Fathers of other councels required their constitutions to be strengthened by confirmation of the Popes auctoritie And sir finde you faulte with the Pope because he hath not yet put in his answeare I praie you who accused him VVhere when and whereof In what laufull Courte Before what laufull Iudge O you saie he hath not yet put in his answeare Be it that Hicke Hob and Hans of your sectes haue impudently accused him How would ye haue him bringe in his answere To what seate of iudgmente to what Consistorie can ye cite him that is by Christe appointed to be the Supreme iudge of all his Churche ⪠the Sheepeherde of all his Floâke It is not for him you know to bringe in his answere in VVeshminster Haull nor in Sterre Chamber VVill ye haue him appeare before your high Commissioners in the longe Chappell at Powles or in M. Crindalles chamber thereby where ye haue saide and donne your pleasure and depriued many honest menne of their benefices Or will ye rather haue him come to Geneua to Zurich to Frankforde to Strasburg to VVittenberg or to some other corner where ye haue your congregations there to be iudged by Iacke and Gille I pitie you poore soules that yee talke thus so farre out of square and woulde the Pope to bringe in his answeare ye knowe not where hauinge neither iuste Courte or Consistorie to call him vnto nor laufull iudge nor lawe to passe vpon him For through your Schismes and Heresies as ye haue made your selues Churchelesse Christlesse and Godlesse so also Courtlesse Iudgelesse and Lawlesse I can not compare you better then to the Rebelles of Northfolke vnder Captaine Kete amongest whom Mount Surrey was their London and an Oke or an Elme commonly called the tree of Reformation was their VVestminster Halle Suche Prince such Dominion such Iudge such Consistorie Ye complaine the Pope hath condemned you without iudgement by order pronounced and before yee were euer called to be iudged This is as true as that the Murderer or Theefe answeareth the Iudge at the barre saieinge not gilty my Lorde Ye haue benne sundry times called to laufull Consistories to Synodes to Councels Alwaies either ye made not your appearance or by right of safeconduct conueyed your selues away without any shewe of Obedience or vpon promise of amendement you were dimissed How many Legates and Nuncios haue sundry Popes sente into Germanie and other Prouinces to conuent you to heare you to moue you to a better minde and call you home and with all mercifull meanes to gather you againe into the lappe of the Churche He may saye to your condemnation that was saide of the Iewes what is that Iought to haue donne to my Vineyarde whiche I haue not donne But all was in vaine such hathe benne your stubbournesse The B. of Sarisburie Wée ieste not at Goddes Holy sprite M. Hardinge Wée know it is the same Sprite of VVisedome that hath renewed the face of the worlde discouered the multitude of your folies But wel maie wée ieste at your vnhandsome and open legierdumaine that so vainely seeke to blinde vs with a painted shadowe of the Sprite of God Yée pretende longe Praiers mutche Fastinge great conference of Doctours and Scriptures and the vndoubted presence and assistance of Goddes Holy Sprite in al your dooinges yet openly striue against yâ manifest VVoorde and Sprite of God and folowe onely your owne Sprite whiche wee maie truely calle the Sprite of Vanitie The Sprite that you meane is nothinge els but the Sprite of Rome whiche you saie is the Sprite of Truthe cannot erre In one of your late Councelles holden in Rome as yée were singinge Veni Creator Spiritus God sente downe an Owle from the toppe of the Churche to sitte emongest you that the worlde might knowe in what sprite yée were assembled Elias the Prophete of God iested thus at yâ Priestes of Baal Crie out alowde It is your God Either he is occupied in somme talke or he is in his Inne or he is trauailinge vpon yâ waie or els perhaps he is a sleepe Yet neither was Elias an Hicke Scorner nor iested he at Goddes Holy sprite nor did he any thinge yâ was vnséemely for his personne As for your Councelles whether they be al and euermore summoned by the Sprite of God or no it maie wel be doubted The Vniuersitie of Parise thus protested by waie of Appeale againste Pope Leo. 10. his Councel
Embassadoure that he is the Angel of the Lorde of Hostes from whose mouthe thou arte commounded to require the Lawe This thinge onely Christe would haue thee to consider Be it Iudas for as mutche as he is an Apostle let it not moue thee though he be a Theefe But Caiphas saide It is good that one man die for the people leste al the people perishe Ergo saie you Caiphas had the Sprite of God Alas M. Hardinge although you litle passe for your Diuinitie yet why haue you nomore regarde vnto your Logique Euery childe knoweth that this is a Paralogismus or a deceiteful kinde of reasoninge called Fallacia Accidentis And that yee maie the better espie your ouersight Like as yée saie Caiphas prophesied blindely him selfe not vnderstandinge what he saide Ergo he had the Holy Ghoste Euen so maie yée saie Balaams Asse reproued his maister and spake the Truthe as Caiphas did Ergo Balaams Asse had the Holy Ghoste S. Paule saithe No man can saie The Lorde Iesus but in the Sprite of God Hereof by your Logique yée maie reason thus The Diuel saide vnto Christe I knowe that thou arte Christe the Sonne of the Liuinge God Ergo the Diuel had the Sprite of God It pitieth me M. Hardinge to sée your folies Although Caiphas vnwares and against his wil by the enforcemente power of God at one onely time spake woordes of Truthe as did also Balaams Asse and the Diuel yet it foloweth not that wée should therefore at al times renne to Caiphas to séeke the Truthe S Augustine saithe Quando Deus voluit etiam mutum iumentum rationabiliter loquutum est Nec ideo ' admoniti sunt homines in deliberationibus suis etiam Asinina expectare Consilia VVhen it pleased God Balaams Asse beinge a doum be beaste was hable to speake as a man Yet are not menne therefore commaunded in al their Consultations and doubteful cases to seeke Counsel of an Asse As for the Lies Shames and Sclaunders yée would so liberally laie vpon vs it maie please you to take them fréely home againe If yée be ful freight and haue stoare sufficiente of your owne yet maie you diuide them emonge your poore Louanian Brethren It shal be a woorke of Supererogation For yewisse thei haue of their owne yenough already To conclude your whole drifte herein is to force your Reader to haue a good opinion of Annas Caiphas that condemned Christe to die the deathe for that as Hosius saithe they had the Sprite of Prophesie the Holy Ghoste and the Sprite of Truthe and therefore coulde not erre in their Iudgemente The Apologie Cap. 7. Diuision 1. But wil these menne I saie refourme vs the Churche beinge themselues bothe the Personnes guilty the Iudges to Wil they abate their owne Ambition and their Pride Wil they ouerthrowe their owne causes geeue sentence againste theÌ selues that they must leaue of to be vnlearned Bishoppes Slowbellies Heapers togeather of Benefices takers vpon them as Princes and Menne of warre Wil the Abbates the Popes deere darlinges iudge that Monke for a Theefe whiche laboureth not for his liuinge and that it is againste al lawe to suffer sutche a one to liue and to be founde either in Cittie or in Countrie al of other mennes charges Or els that a Monke ought to lie on the grounde to liue hardely with Hearbes and Peason to studie earnestly to Argue to Praie to Woorke with hande and fully to bende him selfe to come to the Ministerie of the Churche In faithe as soone wil yâ Phariseis Scribes repaire againe the Temple of God and restore it vnto vs a House of Praier in steede of a Denne of Theeues M. Hardinge Ye leape with a lighte skippe from one thinge to an other neither dwell ye longe in any one pointe but in lieinge But ye saie they be bothe the persons giltie and the Iudges also Iudges doubtelesse they be For their vocation is lawfull ye cannot disproue it Guilty also they be we denie not but whereof Of fraile liuinge not of false teachinge for commonly they teache nothinge And where In the courte of conscience not in the courte of man Or if any of them be bothe before this councell and in this councell godly orders haue benne decreed for holesome reformation As for Monckes ye maie not looke nowe that either they gette their liuing onely by their hands labour or that they be bounde to the harde discipline which Monkes liued in for twelue hundred yeres paste Now be other daies other manners Suche great austeritie is to be wondred at and to be wisshed for But whether the Religious menne of our time be to be compelled thereto I leaue it to wise consideration If it maie be lawfull to direct vs in suche spirituall cases by an olde example of externe prudencie me thinketh the discretion of Iacobs answeare to his Brother Esau is woorth to be thought on VVhen âsau courteously offered his brother Iacob recourninge from Mesopotamia with all his traine of householde and cattell to goe with him and keepe him companie the reste of the iourney that remained from the place of their firste meetinge Iacob full mildely saide Syr you know if it like your Lordship that I haue here with me tender babes ewes with lambe * and Kine with calfe If I ouerlabour them with faste goeinge my flockes will die all in a daie Maye it please your Lordship to goe before me your seruaunt I will folowe after the flocke fayer and softe so as I shal see my litle ones able to beare it Like wise if there be not a discrete moderation vsed but al Monckes be rigorously driuen to the ausieritie of life they liued in of olde time in this so greate loosenesse of maners specially the discipline of all religions beinge so farre slaked in comparison of the auncient seueritte it is to be feared wee shall rather see Cloisters foresaken whiche God graunte then a Godly reformation procured whiche wil neuer be In the ende of this Paragraphe ye shewe your selfe to despaire of our amendement God geue you grace so to doo for your partes as we maye haue good cause to hope better of you But whether we amende our faultes or other wise what pertaineth that to the ââstification of your newe Gospell and to the disproufe of the Catholike Faithe by vs defended You kââw it is no good argumente à moribus ad doctrinam VVho would not hisse you and trampe you out of schooles if ye made this fonde reason The Papisâes liues be fauliy Ergo their teachinge is false To this head all the reasons of your Apologie in effect maye be reduced and they holde Per locum topicum noui Euangelij à malis moribus Dothe not Christe him selfe confute all suche your feble reasons where he sateth The Scribes and Phariseis sitte in the chayre of Moses what so euer they saie to you doo ye but after their woorkes doo ye
Veritas quòd ipsorum Ecclesia esset relinquenda ipsi de Sacerdotali Dignitate ad Humilitatem venirent popularem Heretical Bishoppes shut vp the gates of the Truthe ⪠For thei know that if the Truthe be once laide open their Churche shal be foresaken And they from theire Pontifical Dignitie shal be brought downe to the basenesse of the people Petrus Ferrariensis in consideration hereof complaineth thus O miseros Imperatores Saeculares Principes qui haec alia sustinetis vos seruos Ecclesiae facitis Et Mundum per eos infinitis modis vsurpari videtis nec de remedio cogitatis Quia prudentiae Sapientiae non intenditis Alas miserable are yee the Emperours and Princes of the vvorlde that abide these and other like thinges at the Popes handes and make your selues slaues vnto the Churche Yee see the worlde is by innumerable waies miserably abused by them yet yee neuer bethinke your selues of any remedie Bicause yee applie not your mindes to vvisedome and knovvledge S. Hierome saithe Vt sagittent in obscuro rectos corde Isti tantam sibi assumunt Authoritatem vt siue Dextra doceant seu Sinistra id est siue bona siue mala âolint Discipulos ratione discutere sed se praecessores sequi Tunc hi qui priùs decipiebant nequaquam vltrà ad eos valebunt accedere postquam se senserint intellectos To strike in the darke them that be simple of harte These menne challenge vnto them selues sutche Authoritie that whether they teache with the Right hande or with the Leafte that is to saie whether they teache good thinges or badde they wil not haue their Disciples or Hearers with reason to examine their saieinges but onely to folowe them beinge their Leaders For then they whiche before deceiued the people can no more comme vnto them after they once perceiue they be espied The Apologie Cap. 16. Diuision 1. Verely we for our partes as we haue saide haue donne nothinge in alteringe Religion vpon either Rashnesse or Arrogancie nor nothinge but with good leasure and greate consideration Neither had we euer entended to doo it excepte bothe the manifest most assured VVil of God opened to vs in his Holy Scriptures and the regarde of our owne Saluation had euen constreined vs thereunto For though wee haue departed from that Churche whiche these menne cal Catholike and by that meanes geate vs enuie amongest them that wante skil to iudge yet is this yenough for vs it ought to be yenough for euery wise and good man and one that maketh accompte of Euerlastinge Life that we haue gonne from that churche whiche had power to erre whiche christe who can not erre tolde so longe before it shoulde erre and whiche we our selues did euidently see with our eies to haue gonne from the Olde Holy Fathers and from the Apostles and from Christe him selfe and from the Primitiue and catholique churche of God wee are comme as neare as we possibly coulde to the Churche of the Apostles and of the Olde catholike Bishoppes Fathers whiche Churche we know hathe hitherto benne sounde and perfite and as Tertullian termeth it a Pure Virgine spotted as then with no Idolatrie nor with any foule or shameful faulte and haue directed accordinge to theire Customes and Ordinaunces not onely our Doctrine but also the Sacramentes and the Fourme of common Praier M. Hardinge Ye haue treated hereof after your accustomed manner that is to saie with al Vntruthe and Lies Yee comme in with many gaie woordes VVhereto with guilty conscience in wardely yee saie yea thereto with lieinge tongue out wardely doo yee not saie naie This generation of loose Apostates incestuous Vowbreakers Sacrilegious Churcherobbers despisers of all Holinesse breakers of the deade mennes willes ouerthrowers of all aunciente order and discipline If it be so where be your Signes where be your Miracles where be the examples of your rare Vertue and Holinesse The B. of Sarisburie The reste of your speache wee wil passe ouer as talke of course Touchinge your curious demaunde of Signes and Miracles Pope Leo maie answeare you For whereas certaine of your Forefathers in olde times saide If he be the Kinge of Israel lette him comme downe from the Crosse and wee wil beleeue him Pope Leo saithe thus vnto them Non erat vestrae coecitatis arbitrio Stulti Scribae Impij Sacerdotes ostendenda potentia Saluatoris Yee foolishe Scribes and wicked Priestes the Power of our Saueour was not to be shewed at the discretion of your Blindenesse God sheweth his Miracles when and where and to whome he wil. S. Chrysostome saithe In fine temporis concedenda est potestas Diabolo vt faciat Signa vtilia vt iam Ministros Christi non per hoc cognoscanius quia vtilia faciunt Signa sed quia omninò haec Signa non faciunt In the ende of time Power shal be geuen to the Diuel to woorke profitable Signes and Miracles So that then wee cannot knowe the Ministers of Christe by that they woorke profitable Miracles but by that they vvoorke no Miracles at al. S. Augustine saithe Non dicat Ideo verum est quia illa vel illa mirabilia fecit vel iste vel ille aut quia homines ad memorias mortuorum nostrorum orant exaudiuntur aut quia illa vel illa ibi contingunt c. Remoueantur ista vel Figmenta mendacium hominum vel portenta Fallacium Spirituum Lette no man saie Therefore it is true for that this man or that man hath wrought this or that Miracle or for that menne make their Praiers at the Toumbes of our deade and obteine their desires or for that these or these Miracles be wrought there c. Awaie with these thinges they maie be either the Iugglinges and Mockeries of deceiteful menne or els Illusions of Lieinge Sprites Againe S. Chrysostome saithe Per Signa cognoscebatur qui essent Veri Christiani qui Falsi Nunc autem Signorum operatio omnino ' leuata est Magis autem inuenitur apud eos qui falsi sunt Christiani In olde times it was knowen by Miracles who were the True Christians and whoe the False But nowe the woorkinge of Miracles is taken quite awaie and is rather founde emonge them that be false Christians Therefore S. Augustine saithe Contra istos Mirabiliarios cautum me fecit Deus meus dicendo In nouissimis diebus exurgent Pseudoprophetae facientes Signa Portenta vt inducant in errorem si fieri possit etiam Electos Againste these Moungers of Miracles my God hath armed me saieinge In the later daies there shal rise vp False Prophetes woorkinge Signes and woonders to deceiue the Electe of God if it be possible Neither is the Gospel of Christe preached this daie vtterly without Miracles The Blinde see the Doumbe speake your Idolles are fallen your Greate Babylon is comme to grounde These M. Hardinge if
haue had ere nowe in Englande Prouincial Synodes and haue gouerned our churches by home made Lavves What shoulde one saie more Of a truthe euen those greatest councelles and where moste Assemblie of people euer was whereof these menne vse to make sutche an exceedinge rekeninge compare them with al the churches whiche thoughout the worlde acknowledge professe the Name of christe and what els I praie you can they seeme to bee but certaine Priuate councelles of Bishoppes and Prouincial Synodes For admitte peraduenture Italie Fraunce Spaine Englande Germanie Denmarke and Scotlande meete togeather if there wante Asia Graecia Armenia Persia Media Mesopotamia Egypte Ethiopia India and Mauritania in al whiche places there bee bothe many christian menne and also Bishoppes howe can any man beinge in his right minde thinke sutche a councel to be a General councel And where so many partes of the worlde doo lacke howe can they truely saie they haue the consente of the whole worlde Or what manner of councel weene you was the same laste at Tridente Or howe might it bee termed a General Councel whereas out of al Christians Kingedomes and Nations there came vnto it but onely fourtie Bishoppes and of the same somme so conninge that they might be thought meete to bee sente home againe to learne theire Grammare and so wel learned that they had neuer studied Diuinitie M. Hardinge Your waitinge for a general Councel was not vncertaine For at the settinge foorthe of your Apologie it was farre and wel entred and almost ended VVhat so euer successe thereof should folow ye ought not to haue refused it beinge in al respectes lawful Your assurance of Gods wil is none That is but your common biewoorde as it hath alwaies benne of Heretikes Ye ought to haue shewed good euidence for your beinge sure of Gods wil before ye attempted these greate and dangerous changes in Religion Neither becommeth it you to cal the determinations of a General Councel the iudgementes of mortal men so mutche as concerneth declaration of necessarie pointes of faithe but the promptinge and teachinge of the Holy Ghoste As for your prouincial Synode it was none Synodes cannot be keapte without Bishops Before ye claime the name of a Synode for your packinge and hudlinge togeather ye muste proue your selues Bishops whiche ye are not able to doo VVhat so euer ye saie there were neuer good men nor Catholike Bishops that kepte prouincial Synodes contrarie to approued and lawful General Councels as your Synode is moste contrary Neither can ye pretend that ye folowed any olde fathers puttinge thinges in experience before the comminge to an Vniuersall Councel Your Councel prouincial holden in Germanie by Charles the greate againste the seconde Nicene Councel general is a false forged matter as the Booke againste Images is whiche one Eli Phili the man in the Moones sonne Caluine Illyricus and other Heretikes haue fathered vpon that moste godly and Catholike Emperoure The Councel whiche you meane was a Godly and a Catholike Councel holden at Franck forde by Pope Adrian and Charles the greate againste the wicked Councel of the Heretikes named * Imagebreakers whiche they helde a litle before that at Constantinople whiche of those Heretikes was called the seuenth and general of the Catholikes Pseudosynodus that is to saie the false or forged Councel Of bothe these Councels thus writeth Abbas Vrspergensis so mutche commended of Melanchthon The Councel whiche a fewe yeeres before was assembled at Constantinople in the time of Irene and Constantine her sonne of them called the seuenth and Generall in this Councel holden at Frankforde was repealed and put awaie by consente of al as voide and superfluous so as from thence foorthe it shoulde be named neither the seuenth nor ought els If you beleue not this as the witnes of a Catholike writer then beleue Anselmus Rid an erneste professour of your owne the newest Gospell VVho writeth that Adrian the Bishop of Rome and Kinge Charles at the Councel holden at Frankforde execrated and accursed as Heretical the Councel of the Empiere of Constantinople and of the Greekes whiche they helde for thabolishinge of Sainctes Images Those be his very woordes Beleue Peucerus Philip Melancthons sonne in lawe writinge that the Councel of Nice was kepte by common consente of the Greeke Emperoure and of Charles If the seconde Councel of Nice whiche was altogeather for Images was holden by consente of Charles howe helde he a Councel in Germanie for puttinge awaie Images againste the Councel of Nice Beleue Carion and specially Pantaleo of Zurich a man of your owne the moste Euangelical Religion who vpon warrante of thauthoritie of Regino writeth that the Councel of Frank forde abrogated and disanulled the Greekes Councel that was againste the woorship of Images Briefely howe falsely you and sundrie other of your secte haue herein belied that woorthy Prince Charles the greate it maie easely appeare by that Paulus Aemylius writeth of him That he sente twelue Bishops out of Fraunce to the Councel then holden at Laterane in Rome in whiche the Imagebreakers false named and forged Councel was abrogated VVhere of General Councels ye make priuate and prouincial Synodes ye doo bisides learninge reason and custome of the Churche A Councel is not accompted general bicause Bishops of al Countries vnder Heauen be assembled but bicause many be assembled and al be lawfully called Els in times when Heresies raigne the Churche should neuer haue the necessarie remedie of a general Councel for alwaies Heretikes woulde refuse to come to it as ye haue to come to the late Councel at Trente In Persia Media Egypte Mauritania I wene ye finde fewe Bishops at this daie nor many in the other Countries whiche ye recken and those in manner altogeather ignorant and schismatikes Yet the Patriarkes of Assyria or Syria Orientalis and of Armenia who of late yeres were at Rome haue for theire Prouinces bothe subscribed to the Councel of Trente and receiued the whole Decrees of the same for theire peoples Your reporte of fourty Bishops onely present at the Councel of Trent and of their slender lerning is as true as your Doctrine contrary to that Councel is that is to saie in plaine termes starke false It is wel knowen there were at this late Councel of Trent in this Popes time wel neare two hundred Bishops The B. of Sarisburie What hope wee might conceiue of your Late Chapter of Tridente wée were sufficiently warned by the former holden vnder Pope Paulus 3. and Pope Iulius 3. wherein notwithstandinge your many yéeres studie and greate conference of so many and so Learned and so excellente and so mutche a doo yet in the end yée were neuer hable neither to suppresse your open stewes nor to auoide your Priestes Concubines nor to cause your Bishoppes to be residente vpon theire Charge and to doo theire deuties nor to resolue vs whether the Pope be aboue the Councel or the
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
Councel of your Priuate Masse VVhiche thinge thus of your parte confessed to our pourpose is sufficiente Now touchinge the Authoritie of your Amphilochius not long sithence yee thought his force had benne inuincible And therefore yee stoode vp alofte and braied alowde Novve M Ievvel and his Consacramentaries doo stagger I doubte not And for that cause as if it had benne somme greate woorthy Authoure yee alleged him seuen times with special reuerence in one Booke And yet nowe at the laste yee are contente for shame to turne him ouer and to let him goe Perhaps yee thought for the while a weake threede was sufficient to leade the people and that as folkes vse sommetimes to please children yee might quenche their thirste with an emptie cuppe Thus mutche hitherto touchinge somme partes of your Reioinder Concerninge your Former Booke whiche yee haue intitled a Confutation I neede to saie nothinge By the iudgemente of the wise it saithe sufficiently of it selfe But what meante you M. Hardinge therein to make so large discourse I wil not saie in the Defence for that woorde your frendes maie not beare but at the leaste in the fauoure of Open Stevves and to calle the same Malum necessarium that is to saie although an il thinge yet sutche a thinge as no good Common weale maie be without it VVhat meante you to that purpose to shewe vs the name and Authoritie of S. Augustine and thus to vpbraide vs in the ende In good soothe Maisters ye are too yonge to coÌtrolle the Cittie of Rome in her doinges VVhat needed you to bestowe so fine eloquence in so fowle a cause Is vice growen so colde in Louaine that it muste be enflamed and authorized by open VVritinge VVhat meante you to allege the Prophete Dauid the Euangeliste S. Mathevve and S. Paule the Apostle for proufe of your Pardonnes VVil yee telle vs that Dauid Matthevve and Paule were Pardoners Or if yee dare to telle vs so must wee beleeue it If yee so manifestly mocke vs with open folies howe maie wee truste you in higher Mysteries S. Paule saithe Though our outwarde man be corrupted yet our inwarde man is renewed daie by daie Here yee telle vs in greate soothe that these woordes vndoubtedly serue to proue Purgatorie Christe saithe vnto Peter I haue praied for thee c. Therefore yee saie Christe novve requireth vs not to be obediente to Peter or Paule but to the Pope that sitteth in theire Chaire Christe saithe The Sonne of Man came not to destroie but to saue Ergo saie you The Breade and VVine in the Sacramente lose no parte of their former vertues but remaine in Fourmes and Accidentes euen as they vvere before as if the Sonne of God had come downe from Heauen to saue Accidentes Thus yee nippe of the sense and meaninge of the Holy Scriptures and feede vs onely with emptie woordes as if yee woulde pike awaie the corne and geeue vs the chaffe or conueigh awaie the iewels and throwe vs the bagge O M. Hardinge be not wilful let your owne conscience leade you VVas this the meaninge of S. Paule was this the comminge of Christe into the worlde was this the sense of the Holy Ghoste I wil not saie what Olde Doctour or Anciente Father but what Summiste what Canoniste what Childe what Heretique euer either so vndiscretely or so vnreuerently vsed the VVoorde of God I leaue the misconstrueinge and falsifieinge of so many Fathers the allowinge and soothinge of manifest Forgeries the vpholdinge of Abuses and open Erroures your weake Proufes your seely Coniectures your simple Gheasses your greate Ouersightes your bolde Affirmations your heapes of Vntruthes your disdeigneful Scornes your immoderate Scoffes your vngentile and vnciuile woordes as for example Villanes Theeues Fooles Disardes Lourdaines c. I leaue other your vnmannerly and vncleanely speaches Hungry Dogges eate dirty puddinges As common as life vvith beggers They serue the belly and the thinges beneath the belly VVas this a presente M. Hardinge meete either for the Modestie of a Virgine or for the Maiestie of a Prince specially sutche a Virgine and sutche a Prince so Chaste so Graue so Learned so VVise so Vertuous so Godly as Christendome seldome hath seene the like VVhat thought you that either her wisedome coulde not espie your fraudes and mockeries or that her chaste eares coulde quietly beare your lothesome talke Or thought you by the weight of sutche reasons to mooue Mountaines and to woorke woonders and to force her Maiestie to leaue christe and his Gospel and comme to Louaine to folowe you Yee threape her Maiestie fondely with kindenesse and as yee woulde haue the worlde imagine with good likinge and fauouringe of your side as if her Maiestie hauing benne brought vp from her cradle in the knowledge and feare of God and through Goddes greate Mercie and accordinge to his knowen VVil by the good aduise and counsel of the states of her Realme hauinge refourmed the House of God from the filthe and soile of your diuises shee stoode nowe in a mammeringe and were not hable to discerne either Falsehedde from Truthe or Darkenesse from Light or as if your Errours were not so grosse that a blinde man maie groape them with his Fingers Yee telle her Maiestie shee hath neither Parlamente nor Lavve nor Churche nor Cleregie The Churche of Englande yee commonly calle the Tovver of Babylon the Synagog of Antichriste and the Schoole of Sathan ye charge her Maiestie with disordered proceedinges with mainteinance of Infidelitie of Sacrilege of Schisme of Heresie For your possible power ye dishonour her Maiestie bothe abroade and at home where yee maie geate credite to your folies yee sclaunder the gouernmente yee disquiete her Maiesties louinge Subiectes yee breede Seditions yee procure Rebellions yee hazarde her estate And yet dare yee to pouder al this poison with a fewe dissembled and sugred woordes and to offer the same vnto her Maiestie for a presente VVel M. Hardinge if yee had foreseene the thankes that her Maiestie moste iustely yeelded you for your trauailes yee woulde not haue benne so bolde so rudely to presse into her presence It behooued you to be aduised not onely what yee wrote but also what Personage shoulde viewe your writinges If yee shal happen to write hereafter sende vs fewer woordes and more Learninge If yee shal diuise to talke any more of your Priuate Masse leaue your vagaries and goe directly to the pourpose Telle vs no moe sutche longe tales either of the Sacrifice or of other maters so farre from the question It is no good Logique to shifte of the thinge yee haue in hande and to mocke your poore Reader with an other Treade not so nicely and so gingerly M. Hardinge Saie not your Masse is a Circumstance and a mater of Facte and standeth onely vpon supposalles and gheasses and therefore needeth no further proufe VVhy soulde yee so trifle with the simple This is the Issue
a Mouse maie eate the Bodie of Christe M. Hardings Doctours cannot tel 236. 260. The order of Monkes in olde times 624. Superstition and couetousnes in Monkes 625. Monkes life Gods seruice 509. Lavveful suppressinge of Monasteries 600. Monasteries suppressed by the godly Fathers 510. Monkes liuinge by their labour of theire handes 508. 509. 510. Monkes from Christe and the Prophetes 66. To be the Mother of God is lesse then to be the childe of God 314 Multiplication of keies 145. N. Nevvenes in ReligioÌ 32. 490. 491. Nominales and Reales 344. Nouatus 134. O. Obedience 16. Obedience vnto man 345. Christes Body offered in vvhat sense 277. Oile hallovved 20. Oile in S. Iames. 73. One Head one Iudge 336. One onely Bishop 122. 451. 452. Peter the Onely Bishop 106. One Heade 101. One Shepheard one Flocke 102. One Bishoprike ExpouÌded 112. 113 Open confession 140. Origens Iudgement of the Sacrament 501. Our God our Lorde My God my Lorde 386. P. Paphnutius 173. The storie of Paphnutius reproued ibid. Parlaments holden vvithout coÌsente of Bishoppes 596. Pardons 402. Maters of Religion determined in Parlament 596. Parlament no Parlament 595. Patriarkes vvithout office 714. VVe maie not beleeue Paule if he speake as of him selfe 108. Paule had no neede of Poter 106. S. Paule and S. Iames accorded 75 Pauperes à Lugduno 454. The People dothe communicate by the mouth of the Priest 297 The People is in the cuppe 283. Patience in Persecution 335. Persecution a tokeÌ of the truthe 10. Persecution for Loue. 24. 25. The Godly vvoorke no Persecution 732. The vvicked complaine of Persecution 730. Truthe grovveth by Persecution 484. PersecutioÌ deliting in Bloud 30 Persecution for the Truthes sake 484. The Churche encreaseth by Persecution 31. Peter ouer mutche auanced 111. Peter the Shepheard and the Apostles the sheepe 106. Peter Martyr and others falsely slaundered 475. The Apostles receiued theire povver of Peter 106. Petrê° Aloisius the Popes sonne 382 Pius 4. endangered by his Cardidinalles 41. The Popes Chaire of Porphyrie stoane 379. The Pope preuaileth by darknes and Ignorance 698. VVhether the Pope be Iudas or Peter it skilleth not 622. A certaine Diuine Povver in the Pope 541. The Pope is the Heade springe of al Lavves 542. 543. The Pope Lorde and God 540. The Pope hathe povver ouer the Angels of God 543. Popes and Cardinalles nothingâ differinge from ciuil Princes 640. 641. The Pope Vicar to Iulius Caesar 674. The Popes Pardons 547. 548. The Pope succedeth Constantinus 674. The Pope noted for Antichriste 457. 458. 459. 460. Al other Bishoppes receiue of the Popes fulnesse 531. The Pope maie not be iudged by any Prince or other povver 532 533. The Pope vseth bothe siverdes 522. 523. 528. Emperours kinges receiue their free libertie of the Pope 534. 535 The Pope aboue the Emperosiâe as far as the sonne is aboue the Moone 536. The Pope hathe al Lavves in his breaste 482. Popes or Bishoppes of Rome Priestes sonnes 166. VVherein the Pope is like to Peter 726. The Pope can neuer erre 725. The Pope is aboue Kinges and Emperoures 397. The Pope a Christian man by the vertue of his office 674. 675. The Pope absolueth by a deputie 161. The Pope is a King 650. 651. 652. The Pope is no Kinge 653. The Popes povver supernatural 695 696. The Pope and his clergie vnlearned 705. The Pope Peters Successor 675. The Pope choketh the povver of al other Bishoppes 125. The Pope ridinge in his Pontificalibus 293. 294. Pope Hildebrande 420. 421. The Pope treadeth on the Emperoures necke 422. The Popes factes vvhatsoeuer thei be are excused 423. The Pope inferior to the Prince 425. 426. The Pope submitteth him selfe to the Emperoure 425. The Pope no vniuersal Bishop but limited onely to a part 427 The Popes and Cardinalles by their ovvne frendes compared to the Scribes Phariseis 430 VVee are bound to obey not Peter and Paule but the Pope 431 The Pope heir apparent vnto the Empire 417. The Pope ouerthrovveth the Emperours crovvne vvith his foote 418. The Pope may depose kinges and Emperours 404. 405. The Pope vvhatsoeuer he be is euer holy 423. The Pope armeth HeÌry the sonne against his Father 419. The Popes saueconducte 633. The Popes Legates firebrandes of troubles 402. The Pope vvoulde haue deposed Philippe the Frenche King 407 The Popes faith can not faile 436 The Pope claimed the Kingdom of Fraunce to him selfe 407. No Saluation vvithout the Pope 104. The Pope Iudge in his ovvne cause 608. The Pope appointeth Kinges and Emperours to kisse his feete 410. The Pope keepeth not his ovvne Councels 525. Pope Iohns erroure touching the immortalitie of the soule 617. The Pope discouered 4. The Pope aboue the general Councel 609. 610. 611. Christe and his Apostles coulde not rule the Church better theÌ it is novv ruled by the Pope 551. Petââe Popes 100. The Pope maie dispense againste Gods vvoorde 51. 330. 331. Al povver geuen to the Pope 532. Pope Zofimus corrupted the Councel of Nice 612. The Pope vncertaine of his ovvne succession 129. The Pope admitted by the Emperours letters parents 130. The Pope teacheth Humilitie in the Schole of pride 410. The Popes vniuersal povver 104. The Popes povver not Vniuersal 115. 116. 123. The Prieste hath the same povver that Christe had 138. The Pope receiueth his ciuile iurisdictioÌ froÌâhe Prince 534. 535 The Pope is Lorde of Lordes and King of Kinges 544. It vvere beste the vvhole vvorld in al cases vvere ruled by the Pope alone 400. The Pope so far aboue the King as God is aboue a man 397. The Pope the Prince bothe of the heauenly and also of the vvorldly Kingdome 95. The Pope hathe free libertie to doo euil 533. The Popes Authoritie vvas but smal before the Councel of Nice 115. The Pope the Headshepheard 17. The Pope equal in credite vvith other Bishoppes 52. 53. The Pope maie make a Bishop onely by his vvoorde 129. The Pope summoâââd by the Emperour to appeare at CouÌcels 57 The Popes credite aboue the Gospel 51. One Pope contrarie in iudgemeÌt to an other 52. 100. 466. The Pope maie erre as a Priuate man but in publique iudgemeÌt he cannot erre 52. The Popes equal vvith the other Patriarkes 53â Al povver geeuen to the Pope 103 The Popes povver ouer Purgatorie 542. The Pope is no mere natural maÌ 541. The Pope the vniuersal Bishop of al the vvorlde 530. Pope Leo touchiÌg his ovvn Sec. 111 The Pope Prince of Pastours 112. The Pope equal vvith the other Petriarkes 115. The Pope no vniuersal Bishop 118. 121. The Pope hardly obteined to bee called the head of the churche 118 The Pope aboue the vvhole Churche 65. A simple Prieste aboue the pope 397. To disobeie the Pope 40. The Pope encreased in povver abated in holinesse 16. The dissolution of the Empiere vvrought by the Pope Ibidem The Pope maie bestovve the Empire at his pleasure 400. Pope Zacharie deposed Childericus the Frenche
Maister 487. Tovvardes the ende of the vvorld the people shal flee to the Scriptures 716. 721. Scriptures sufficiete to debate al doubtes 58. 59. 61. 62. 64. 69. The Scriptures of God muste be expounded by the Sprite of God 65. Searche the Scriptures 72. To selle Christe 292. Simple erroure 46. 50. A Priest maie not be deposed for simple fornication 362. 363. 364. 365. Simple fornication vvhether it bee sinne or no. 361. The Iudge of Sinne. 140. â53 The vvorde of God forgeueth Sinnes 158. Sinne forgeueÌ vvithout CousesnoÌ 155. The Pope cannot coÌmitte Simonie 560. 561. 562. 563. Vnchaste single life vvorse then aduoutrie 170. Filthines maintained vnder the color of single life 167. 168. The Prieste forgeueth not Sinne. 154. Sinnes forgeuen by hearinge the vvoorde of God 138. The frutes of single life 187. 188. 189. Singeâs 98. Spiritual eating of Christes Bodie 271 272. 274. 280. Stevves in Rome 369. 370. 371. 373. Stubbernenesse 46. 50. 590. Substance 251. âubstance by M. Hardinges Iudgement signifieth Accidentes 253. Succession 127. Succession not sufficient 132. Succession in Peters Chaire 727. The Succession of Popes 131. 132. Christe vvas able to shevve no succession 128. The Pope hath his holinesse by Succession 39. Certaintie of Succession Ibidem Summus Sacerdos 526. 527. Superstitious choise of meates 270. Superintendents 597. Sursum corda vsed in the time of the holy mysteries 275. T. Temple 328. Theophylacte ansvvered 239. He that entreth not by the vvoorde of God is a Theefe 102. The Popes tyrannie ouer Princes 732. Tyrannie and crueltie in the Popes 79 Freere Ticelles Proclamation 34. Traditions 195. Vaine Traditions fathered vpon the Apostles 66. Tradition is the sense of the Scripture 72. Traditions and Errours cutte of by Goddes vvoorde 67. TraditioÌs equal vvith Gods vvord 195. Traditions vsed for the vvoorde of God 196. 197. Traditions broken 195. Tradition against the Scripture 65. 66 Traditions abused 66. Transubstantiation nevve and doubtful 237 238. Tridentine CouÌcel referred al to the Pope 634. Truthe deuoureth falsehed 585. Truthe blinded vvith falsehed 7. The Truthe stil a stranger 9. Truth il entreated sclaundered 4. 5 Truthe vvil conquere 284. Truthe preuaileth 731. The sprite of Truthe in Annas and Caiphas 621. V. Valentinian the Emperoure refused to heare Ecclesiastical causes 667. Venial sinnes remitted other vvaies then by the bloud of Christe 151. The Pope changeth vice into vertue 564. Vigilantius 13. The Churche is the Popes Vineyard 608. The perpetual virginitie of our Lady 200. The vitious life of the Romaine Clergie 358. I vvil no more drinke of this frute of the Vine expounded 262. One vniuersal Bishop 99. 122. Vniuersal povver coÌmitted no more to Peter then to Paule 124. An Vniuersitie in Rome 377. The Popes vauntinge of his vniuersal povver 125. Pope Gregorie refuseth the name of Vniuersal Bishop 124. Reasons for the Vniuersalitie of the Pope 100. 101. Vnitie a token of the Truthe 352. The Vniuersal Churche dependeth on the Pope 452. The Vniuersal church maie faile 450 Vnitie amonge the vvicked 352. The Vnitie of the Churche reasteth not in one Christe but in one Pope 100. 466. 467. Pride it selfe desireth Vnitie 100. Ministers Vnlearned 602. The Romaine clergie Vnlearned 601. 602. A Vovve simple or solemne 499. Vovve annexed vnto holy orders 171. Volusianê° the Bishop of Carthage 366 VV. VVater vvas not water but bloud 246 VVatches 13. VVeemen changed into men 380. VVicked men commended 421. The VVicked eate not the Body of Christe 210. 241. 273. 349. 586. The VVicked receiue the Body of Christe in vvhat sense 210. VVilful stubbernenesse 435. VVitenberg 391. A poore husbandman bringinge the VVoorde of God ought to be beleeued before Pope or CouÌcel 611. The Authoritie of Gods VVoord 194 Z. Zele and griefe of minde against the enimies of God 3. FINIS 1. Timoth. 4. Roman 1. Confu fol. 334. a. Conful fol. 285. b. Confuta 324. b. Confut. 204. b. Confut. 306. b. Confut. fol 280. a. Et 305. b. Confu fol. 247. b Confu fol. 248. b. Confu fol. 178. b. Confut at Folio 178. b. Confutat Fol. 182. a. Confut. Fol. 182. b. M. Harding Fol. 340. b. M. Harding Fol. 318. b. Prouer. 8. Iohn 19. Roman 13. Dorman Fol. 15. Stanislaus Orâchouius in Châmaera Fol. 97. M. Harding Fol. 298. a. Confuta 277. Confut. 328. a. Confuta 172. b. Reioind 314. Confut. 87. a. Confut. 269. b. Reioind 42. a. Confut. 43. a. Confut a. 269. a. 323. b. 334. a. 338. a. 348. b. Confu fol 175. a. 2. Cor. 6. Augu. in Psal 33 M. Hard. in his Answeare to the Chalenge Fol. â08 b. Confut. 46. a. Confuta 312. b. Dorman Fol. 22. Dorman Fol. 24. Dorman in his Requeste Fol. 13. Confut. 47. a. Reioind Fol. 287. a. Reioind Fol. 287. a. 1. Corin. 6. Confut. 332. a. 2 Corin. 11. 2. Tim. 2. Matthae 24. 2. Tim. 2. Iohan. 10. Roman 8. Esai 30. M. Harding fol. 334. b. Alphons lib. 1. Cap. 4. Confu Fol. 16. b. Fol. 261. b. Reioind In ãâã Preface to ãâã Reader * iij * iiij a. * iiij b. ** ij a. Reioind In ãâã Preface to ãâã Iewel ãâã Confuâ 212 ãâã Reioind in ãâã Preface to ãâã Reader M Har. in his Answeare Artic. 15. Diui. 7. Hierony in Esaiam lib. 9. ca. 30. August De Tempore Sermon 145. August in quaeâion Veter Testamen quaest 43. Hilar. in Psal 1. Tertull. in Apologetico Eccles 2. The deâenders likened to Esopes Asse The vvonte of all Herctiques Heretiques likened to Apes The name and reputation of the Churche chalenged by Heretiques In epist ad IubainuÌ de Haereticis baptizaÌdis De praescript haeret Contra Constantium August contra epist Parmen lib. 2. cap. 1. Bernard in caÌt Sermo 66. Apostolici VVhat meane Heretiques by chalenginge vnto them the name and estimation of the Churche 2. Cor. 11. The estimation and auctoritie of the Church Lucae 10. Matth. 18. 1. Tim. 3. Ephes 1. Oseae 2. Psalm 131. Gene. â In comment in epist ad Tir. cap. 3. The vvonte of the Gospellers being excommunicate out of the Church 1. Timot. 3. Ephes 1. Iohan. 8. Hierem. 7. Hierem. 18. De Maior Obedi vnam Sanctam Dist 22. Omnes Leo Epist 83. Ad Palaestinos Cypri De Simplicitate praela Esaâ 1. Matth. 3. Matthae 23. Iohan. 8. August Lib. 2. De Sermon Domâ in monte Iohan. 5. Ephe. 1. 1. Timo. 3. Irenae Lib. 3. Cap. 11. August De vnita Eccle. Cap. 3. August in eodeÌ Cap. Chrysostom In Opere Imperfecto Homi. 49. Chrysostom in eadem Homilia Daniel 9. Matth. 24. Iohan. 3. Prouerb 26. Numer 22. a Augustinus Steuchus de Primatu b See the fifthe parte hereof the 6. Cap. and. 15. Diuision Tertull. in Apologetico Iohan. 8. Cornel. Tacitââ Marion ex Tertul. Aelius è LactaÌs Euseb Li. 5. C. 11. Tertul. in Apologe Tertull. in Apolo Cap. 3. Suetonius TraÌquil in Nerone 1. Corinth 11. De Vtilita Credendi ad HonoratuÌ Lib. 1. Ca. 1. CoÌfess li. 5. ca. 6. Matth.
Augustin in Iohan tracta 26. 1. Corin 15. Origen Ad Roma Ca 8. Li. 6. Augustin Meditation Cap. 14. Cyrill in Iohan Li. 4. Ca. 15. Cyril in Iohan. Lib. 8. Cap. 47. Cyril in Iohan. Lib. 12. Cap. 58. Concil Nicen. De Con. Dist 2. Non iste Basil De Sancto Baptismate ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Ignatius ad Trallien Concil VVormatien Cap. 5. * VVho so vvanteth dissolutioÌ and vvickednesse maie seeke it at Rome â¡ Vntruthe For in the time of Augustine Ambrose ⪠Hierome c. there vvere moe Christians in the vvorlde then be at this presente Fevve or many * Good causes against God â¡ One Dreame to proue an other * Vntruthe For it stoode in diuidinge of the Sacraments To M. Iuelles Chalenge Artic 2. â¡ Hovv so euer Christe and his Apostles didde the Pope and his Cleregie can not doo amisse * Vntruthe plaine and sensible For this Order vvas not from the beginninge Iohn 12. Cyrill In Iohan Lib. 8. Ca. 1. Theodoret. Li. 2. Cap. 16. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Matthae 13. Chrysostom in Matthae Homil. 47. In Prooemio Clemen in Gloss Ambros De Noe Arca Ca. 17. Origen in Psal 36. Homil. 2. In Con. Basil in Episto Synodali Pag. 152. Tertull in Apologât Fevve or many Churche Temple Arnobius aduer Gentes Li. 1. Prouerb 21. Bernard ad Cleâââ In Concil Rhemen Bernard super Salue Regina Hieronym in Sophoni Ca. 3. Psalm 10. 1. Corinth 3. 2. Corinth 6. Chrysostom in Matthae Homil. 38. Alphons Aduersus Hares Li. 6. De Eucharist Section vltima Iohan ⪠Gerson De Communione Laicoâ Halfecom munion Concil Trident. De Commun sub vna specie Can. 2. Tertul De Praescription Hieronym in Sophoni Cap. 1. De Consecrat Dist 2. Comperimus 1. Corinth 8. Euagri Lib. 2. Cap. 17. Concil Chalcedon Actio 2. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Dispense againste Goddes vvoorde It is no reason that Diuines be required to make good vvhat so euer is vvritten by the Canonistes or Schoolemen * Not altogeather biside truthe A Colde Defence 15. q. 6. Authoritatem In Glossa Dist 82. Presbyter Felin De Constitutionib Cap. Statuta Canonum Colum. 6. 6. q. 1. Quicunabque In Clossa Panormi Extra De Diuortijs Ca. Fin. Summa Angel In Dictione Papa Felin De Constitution Ca. Statuta Canonum Felin De Maioritate Obedient Ca. 2. Idem De Maioritate Obedien Ca. fin Dispense againste Goddes VVoord Summa Angel In Dictione pp. Panormita Extra De Electione Electi potest VenerabileÌ De Translatione Episco Quanto Hostien De Translatione Episcop QuaÌto Heruaeus de Potestate Papae Cardina Cusan De Authoritat Eccle. Conci Supra coÌtra Scripturam Francis De Maron in 4. Dist 19 q. 1. Articul 2. 9. quae 3. Nemo In Glossa Daniel 7. Iohan. Andreas De Iudicijs Cum venissent Bernar. in Apologia ad Guliel Abbatem Inter Decrâta Zosimi 11. q. 3. Si is qui. Auttars Artic. 3. Diui 20. August Epist 50. Ad Bonifacium Athanasi in Epist ad SolitariaÌ Vitam agentes B. Rhenan in Epistola praefixaâ Liturgiae Chrysostom Augu. ad Bonifaci Epistiol 23. De Conse Dist 2. Hoc est quod in Glossa August ad Infantes Citatur à Beda in 1. Cor. 10. Libertie Libertines The Doctrine of the Libertines Gospel * Moste Vaine Vntruthe See the Ansvveare â¡ Vntruthe ioined vvith vile sclaunder Bemelande Silesia Morauia * Foure greate Vntruthes al togeather Euseb Li. 4. ca. 8. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Sozom. Li 1 Ca 1. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã one Head one Iudge ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Psal 119. Cyrill Contra Iulian. Lib. 7. Pag. 162. Chrysost De Poeniten ⪠Confession Hieron in Matthae Cap. 16. Cypria De Sim Praelatorum Chrysostom in Matthae Hom. 35 ⪠In the Former Replie Artic. 4. Diui. 5. Cyprian Lib. 4. Epist 9. Dissensions emoÌg the Fathers Artic. 4. Diui. 5. Chrysost in Matthae Homil. 6. * A manifeste Vntruthe of M. Hardinges Hieronym in Hierem. Lib. 4. Irenae li. 4. ca. 73. Clemens Stromat Lib. 3. 5. Iustinus in Apologia Dissensions emoÌg the Fathers Erasm in Vita Chrysostomi Gennadius De Ecclesiast Scriptoribus Hieronym in Epistola ad Augu. Bonifac. 2. in Epist ad EulaltuÌ August ad Hieronym Epist 9. Erasm in Praef. in Tom. 2. Hieronymi Ibidem Clemens Stromat Lib. 7. A fourefold ansvveare to the foure questions EpistolaruÌ Tomo 2. The firste ansvveare The second ansvveare The thirde ansvveare The fourth ansvveare Chryso in Acta Homil. 33. Dissensions emoÌg the Fathers Chryso in Epist ad Galat. Cap. 1. Hieronym ad Damasum Nullum PrimuÌ Beatitudini tuae Communione Consoctor Hieronym ad Damasum In Vita Hieron Recourse to Peters Chaire Alphonsus Aduers Haeres Li. 1. Cap. 7. Hierony ad Euagrium 2. Tim. 2. Leo in Epiphania Sermo 6. The dissensions vvith vvhiche the Defenders charge the Catholike Churche * A greate doubteful question Euery poore Logician maie easily knovve it The Catholike Religious men put no holinesse in outvvarde obseruaÌces To vvhat ende be those obseruances of the Religious Elias 4. Reg. 1. Iohn Baptist Matth. 3. Christes Body torne vvith teeth hovv is it vnderstanded Berengarius Recantation â¡ This vvas a blasphemous and horrible erroure * The true Eatinge of Christes Body is Spiritual This imagined Eatinge vvith Mouthe and Teeth is HeatheÌnishe and Fantastical and hath no truthe Nominales Reales Curious questions not defined by Holy Churche in any Councell Veselus Illyricus De Sectis Pag. 80. Erasm in Moria Vdal Zasius De Generum obligatione Matthae 23. Marc. 12. Luk. 20. Seneca Macrobius Obedience Holinesse in Apparel Concil Cangren Cap. 12. Chrysostom in Matthae Homil. 43. Thom. Aquinas In Pontifical In Benedic ad Vestimenta Sacerdotal Durand in Rationali Lib. 3. Cap. 1. Extra De Conse Eccle. vel Allaris Quod in dubijs Lactant. Lib. 6. Cap. 25. In vita Iohannis Damasceni Cassand Lib. 4 Cap. 27. 1. Corinth 7. Ambros 1. Corinth 7. Esai 1. Hieronym ad Lustochium De virginitate seruanda Choise of Apparel Alphonsus Aduer Haeres Lib. 1. Cap. 7. Euseb Lib. 4. Cap. 11. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Euseb li. 3 ca. 41. ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Augustin De Ciuita Lib. 19. Cap. 19. Helar in Psalmum 67. Hieronym Aduersus Pelagia Lib. 1. Chrysostom in Matth. Homi. 83. August Confess Lib. 6. Cap. 2. Quòd Superstitioni Gentilium essent suntlima âregor Lib. 1. Epist 41. Gabriel Lectio 38. Tertul. De Corona Militis B. Rhenan in Librum De Corona Militis Tertul. De Idololatria Basil De Natali Christi Origen in Hieremi Homil. 3. Roman 14. August In Regula Monachor Hieronym ad Marcellam vt commigret Bethleem Coelestin I. In Episto ad Episcopas Gallia Ca. I. Choise of Apparel Clââ pâââct Cap. 1. Gloss vlââms Origen in Matthae Tracta 25. Posidoni in vita August August De Sermââ Domini in âonte Lib. 2. August in eodem Libro Cyprian De Coena Domini De conse Dist 2. Ego
haue not without iust cause left these men rather haue returned to yâ Apostles olde Catholique Fathers And iâ we shal be founde to do the same not colourably or craftily but in good Faith before GOD Truely Honestly Cleerely and Plainely and if they theim selues whiche flie our Doctrine and would bee called Catholiques shal manifestly see howe al these titles of Antiquitie whereof they boaste so mutche are quite shaken out of their handes and that there is more pith in this our cause then they thought for we then hope and trust that none of them wil be so negligent carelesse of his owne Saluation but he wil at length studie bethinke him selfe to whether parte he were best to ioine him Vndoubtedly excepte one wil altogeather harden his hart and refuse to heare he shal not repent him to geue good heede to this our Defence and to marke wel what we saie and how truely and iustly it agreeth with Christian Religion M. Hardinge I see wel we must looke to your fingers Ye spit foorth your gal and cholar by and by at the first Through your whole Booke in woorde ye pretend Truthe zeale plainnes and sober dealing But in deede power out litle other then Lieing Spite Scoffes and immoderate railing The effecte of the rest in this Ye haue ioined your selues to the Synagog of Antichriste Ye serue the stage ye haue begonnt to playe your Tragedie on falsely shamefully darkely and guilefully your bragges and promises your crakes of Goddes Holy woorde your errours your Heresies your contagious poison your sclaunders your newe Cleregies Doctrine c. The B. of Sarisburie The Saieing of S. Hierome is auouched by yâ like Saiyng of Ruffinus an Auncient writer Thus he saithe Vnam notam Haereseos qui dissimulat non est Christianus Who so dissembleth when he is called Heretique is no Christian man For the rest blame me not good Christian Reader yf I vse no moe woordes then néede requireth If I thought it woorthy the while I could answeare al these thinges more at large I trust in our whole Apologie there appeareth no sutche immoderate kinde of railing But if I should folow M. Hardinges humoure and write but the one halfe of that he writeth then perhappes I might woorthily be called a railer The Apologie Cap. 7. Diuision 2. For where they cal vs Heretiques it is a crime so hainous that onlesse it maie be seen vnlesse it may be felt in manner may be holden with handes fingers it ought not lightly to be iudged or beleued when it is laied to the charge of any Christian For Heresie is a forsaking of Saluation a renouncing of Gods Grace a departing from the Body and Sprite of Christe M. Hardinge The Definition ye seeme to make of Heresie is not sufficient For as ye define it so euery deadly sinne is Heresie For euery deadly sinne is a forsaking of Saluation a renouncing of Gods Grace a departing from the Body and Sprite of Christe Heresie is a false Doctrine against the right beleefe by him that professeth the Faithe stubbournly either auouched or called in doubte In which Definition this woorde stubbournly is added bicause it is not errour onely in those thinges that be of Faithe but stubbournes in errour that maketh an Heretike as S. Augustine teacheth VVho saithe he in the Church of Christe sauer any thing that is vnholsome and crooked if being sharply admonished to sauer that is hole and right they resist stubbournly and wil not amend their venemous and deadly Doctrines but stande to defend them theâ be Heretikes But now the lawe of vpright dealing specially in Gods cause so requiring ye must pardon vs. if as among husbandmen we cal a rake a rake a spade a spade a mattocke a mattocke so among Diuines we cal Heresie heresie and likewise falsehed lieing sclaundering crafte hypocrisie Apostasie malice blasphemie euery such crime by his proper name without al glosing The B. of Sarisburie Ye saie This is not the right Definition of Heresie Verily M. Hardinge this is but a simple quarrel It was not my minde in this place to vtter any Definition of Heresie either right or wronge You knowe right wel that sutche curiositie in this kinde of writinge is not néedeful It is sufficient our woordes be true although they include no Definition For iust proufe of Heresie three thinges necessarily are required First that it be an errour Secondly that it be an errour againste the Truthe of Goddes woorde For otherwise euery errour maketh not an Heresie Thirdly that it be stoutly and wilfully maineteined Otherwise an errour in Goddes Truthe without wilful mainteinance is not an Heresie S. Augustine saith Errare possum Haereticus esse non possum In an errour I may be but an Heretique I cannot be It was not so necessarie in this mater so precisely to séeke vp Definitions I thought it sufficient onely to declare the horrour of Heresie For as touchinge the Definition S. Augustine saithe Quid sit Haeresis regulari quadam Definitione comprehendi sicut ego existimo aut omnino non potest aut difficillimâ potest To expresse by orderly Definition what thinge maketh an Heretique as I iudge it is either impossible or very harde Therefore you M. Hardinge and your felowes are the more blame woorthy for yâ of euery your fantasies ye haue made an Heresie Ludouicus Viues one of your owne Schoole thus complaineth thereof Haeresis nomen rebus leuissimis impingitur Idem facerent Scotistae de Thomistis nisi Scholarum consuetudo aures emolliuisses The name of Heresie is laide vpon euery light mater So would the Scotistes handle the Thomistes sauinge that the custome of the Schooles hath brought theire eares in vre Thus Pope Nicolas saithe Qui Romanae Ecclesiae Priuilegium auferte conatur hic procul dubio labiâur in Haeresim Who so euer goeth about to abrogate the priuilege of the Churche of Rome be no doubte is an Heretique That ye speake of stubbernenesse in defence of Heresie I praye God M. Hardinge it doo not ouer neare touche your selfe I praye God you doo not wilfully defende that thinge wherein you knowe and sée manifest and open errour Verily S. Hierome saithe Quicunque aliter Scripturam intelligit quà m sensus Spiritus Sancti flagitat quo scripta est licet ab Ecclesia non recesserit tamen Haereticus appellari potest VVho so euer expoundeth the Scriptures otherwise then the sense of the Holy Ghoste by whome they were written dothe require although he be not yet departed from the Churche yet maye he wel be called an Heretique Likewise the old Father Tertullian saithe Quicquid contra veritatem sapit Haeresis est etiam vetus Consuetudo VVhat so euer thinge ââuoureth against the Truthe it is an Heresie be it neuer so mutche an old custome Likewise your Tyrannical and filthy restraininge of Priestes lauful mariage Vdalricus the Bishop of August a
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