ruleth ouer them And Pope Nicolas hath straitely commaunded vpon paine of Excommunication that no man shoulde be present to heare Masse saide by a Priest that he knoweth vndoubtedly to liue in aduoutrie How be it in déede it is not their life onely that the Churche of God is offended withal but also and specially the filthe and corruption of their Religion the oppressinge of Gods Woorde the open deceiuinge of the people and the manifest maintenance of Idolatrie And what if the Syluer of Rome be turned into Drosse What if the Citie that was Faithful be become an Harlot What if they can abide no sounde Doctrine What i◠they haue made the House of God a Caue of Theeues What if Rome be become the greate Babylon the Mother of Fornication imbrewed and dronken with the Bloud of the Sainctes of God And what if Abomination sit in the holy Place euen in the Temple of God Yet may wee not departe from thence Yet must that be the Rule and Standarde of Gods Religion Truely Christe saithe Take heede of the leauen of the Scribes and Phariseis And God him selfe saith Exite de illa populus meus ne participes sitis delictorum eius de plagis eius ne accipiatis O my people come away from her least yee be partakers of her sinnes and so receiue parte of her plagues Irenaeus saith Presbyteris illis qui sunt in Ecclesia obaudire oporter qui successionem habentab Apostolis qui cum Episcopatus successione charisma Veritatis certum secundum placitum Patris acceperunt Wee ought to obey the Bishoppes in the Churche that haue their Succession from the Apostles which togeather with the Succession of the Bishoprike haue receiued the certaine gifte of the Truthe accordinge to the wil of the Father This holy Father saith Bishops must be heard and obeied with a limitation that is not al what so euer they be or what so euer they say but that haue the vndoubted gifte of Goddes Truthe And for that M. Hardinge séemeth to claime by the Authoritie of the Scribes and Phariseis sayeinge They sit in Moses Chayre and that therefore wee ought to doo that they say S. Augustine expoundeth the same place in this sorte Sedendo in Cathedra Legem Dei docent Ergo per illos Deus docet Sua verò si illi docere velint nolite audire nolite facere By sittinge in the Chayre is meante they teache the law of God Therefore it is God that teacheth by them But if they wil teache any thinge of their owne as the Churche of Rome hath doone and yet doothe aboue number then saith S. Augustine heare it not then doo it not M. Hardinge The .23 Diuision Now that the Bishop of Rome had alwaies cure and rule ouer al other Bishops 109. speacially of them of the East for touchinge them of the weast Churche it is generally confessed beside a hundred other euident argumentes this is one very sufficient that he had in the East to doo his steede three Delegates or Vicares now commonly they be named Legates And this for the commoditie of the Bishoppes there whose Churches were farre distant from Rome The one was the Bishop of Constantinople as wee finde it mentioned In Epistola Simplicij ad Achatium Constantinopolitanum The Seconde was the Bishop of Alexandria as the Epistle of Bonifacius the Seconde to Eulalius recordeth The thirde was the Bishop of Thessalonica as it is at large declared in the 82. Epistle of Leo ad Anastasium Thessalonicensem By perusinge these Epistles euery man may see that al the Bishoppes of Grece Asia Syria Egypte and to be shorte of al the Orient rendred and exhibited their humble obedience to the Bishop of Rome and to his arbitrement referred their doubtes complaintes and causes and to him onely made their appellations The B. of Sarisburie What wée may thinke of the other Hundred proufes whiche M. Hardinge as he saith hath leafte vntouched it may the sooner appeare for that this one proufe that is here brought foorth in stéede of al is not onely vntrue but also vtterly without any shadow or coloure of truthe These authorities of Leo Symmachus and Bonifacius for as muche as they are alleged without woordes may likewise be past ouer without answeare Howbeit this Bonifacius the seconde in defence of this quarel is forced to saye that S. Augustine that Godly Father and al other the Bishops of Aphrica Numidia Pentapolis and other countreis adioyninge that withstoode the proude attempte of the Bishops of Rome and founde out their open forgerie in falsifieinge the Nicene Councel were altogeather inflamed and leadde by the Diuel But howe doothe this appeare to M. Hardinge that the Bishop of Rome had al the Bishops of the East in Subiection to vse and commaunde them as his Seruantes In what Councel was it euer Decréed it shoulde be so who subscribed it who recorded it who euer sawe suche Canons The best Plea that Pope Nicolas can make in this behalfe is that Peter was firste Bishop of Antioche and after of Rome and S. Marke his Scholar Bishop of Alexandria Hereof he thinketh it may verie wel and substantially be geathered that the Bishops of Rome ought to haue al the worlde in Subiection In déede in the counterfaite Chartar ▪ or Donation of the Emperour Constantine authoritie is geuen to the Bishop of Rome ouer the other foure Patriarkes of Antioche of Alexandria of Constantinople and of Hierusalem But the Bishops of Rome them selues and of them selues diuised and forged this Chartar and that so fondely that a verie Childe maye easily espie the folie For biside a greate number of other vntruethes at that very time when it is imagined that Chartar was drawen there was neither Patriarke nor Bishop nor Priest nor Churche in Constantinople nor the Citie it selfe yet builte nor knowen to the worlde by that name This notwithstandinge the Bishop of Rome vpon this simple title hathe besette his Miter with thrée Crownes in token that he hath the Uniuersal power ouer the thrée Diuisions of the worlde Europa Asia and Aphrica And so as the Kinge of Persia in olde tymes intitled him selfe Frater Solis Lunae euen so Pope Nicolas calleth him selfe The Prince of al Landes and Countreis But what dutie the Bishops of the East partes owed to the Bishops of Rome whosoeuer hath read and considered the storie and practise of the times may soone perceiue Firste the Councel of Nice appointed euery of the thrée Patriarkes to his seueral charge none of them to interrupte or trouble other and willed the Bishoppe of Rome as Rufinus reporteth the storie to ouersee Ecclesias Suburbanas which were the Churches within his Prouince and therefore Athanasius calleth Rome the Chiefe or Mother Citie of the Romaine Iurisdiction And for that cause the Bishops of the East in their Epistle vnto Iulius calle him their Felowe Seruante and
seene your Epistles neuer VVritten your Amphilochius your Abdias your Clemens your Leontius your Hippolytus and other like fabulous pamflettes and forgeries so lately founde out so longe lacked and neuer missed your Additions your Diminutions your Alterations your Corruptions of the Doctours your Contrarieties and Contradictions against your selfe your Surmises your Gheasses your Dreames your Visions your Elenches your Fallacies your seely Syllogismes without either Moode or Figure or Sequele in Reason and to conclude your Vntruethes so plaine so euidente so manifest and so many can neuer be answeared Is Simple Trueth become so weake Or is Errour and Falshead growen so stronge O M. Hardinge you know right wel the weakenesse of your side Noman seeth it better then your selfe If you wil dissemble and say ye â—e it not Open your eies beholde your owne Booke and you shal see it You haue forced the Olde Doctours and Anciente Fathers to speake your minde and not their owne And therefore they are now your Children they are no Fathers they are now your Scholars you haue sette them to Schoole they are no Doctours You shoulde haue brought some Trueth for proufe of your purpose The VVorlde wil not now be leadde with Lies These be cases not of VVitte but of Faithe not of Eloquence but of Truethe not inuented or diuised by vs but from the Apostles and Holy Fathers and Founders of the Churche by longe succession brought vnto vs. VVe are not the Diuisers thereof but onely the Keepers not the Maisters but the Scholars Touchinge the Substance of Religion wee Beleeue that the Anciente Catholique Learned Fathers Beleeued wee doo that they did wee saie that they saide And marueile not in what side so euer ye see them if ye see vs ioine vnto the same It is our greate Comforte that wee see their Faithe and our Faithe to agree in one And wee pitie and lament your miserable case that hauinge of your selues erected a Doctrine contrarie to al the Anciente Fathers yet woulde thus assay to coloure the same and to deceiue the people onely with the names and titles of Anciente Fathers S. Cyprian saithe Lies can neuer deceiue vs longe It is Night vnâ—il the Day spriâ—ge But vvhen the day appeareth and the Sunne is vp bothe the Darkenesse of the Night and the Theaftes and Robberies that in the darknesse vvere committed are faine to geue place Now the Sonne is vp your Smooder is scattered God with his Truthe wil haue the victorie The Heauens and the Earthe shal perishe But the VVoorde of God shal neuer perishe O M. Hardinge O fight no lenger against GOD. It is harde to kike against the spurre To maineteine a faulte knowen it is a double faulte Vntrueth cannot be shielded but by Vntrueth Errour cannot be defended but by Errour And the mouthe that speaketh Vntrueth killeth the soule God directe our Hartes that wee be not ashamed of his Gospel but that wee may see it and be seene to see it God make vs the vessels of his mercie that wee may haue pitie of Sion and builde vp againe the broaken walles of his Hierusalem to the Honoure and Glorie of his Holy Name Amen Vigilius contra Eutychem li. 1. Haec est Fides professio Catholica quam Apostoli tradiderunt Martyres roborauerunt Fideles hucusque custodiunt This is the Faithe and Catholique profession whiche the Apostles haue deliuered the Martyrs haue Confirmed and the Faithful keepe vntil this day FINIS Plato in Apologia Socratis Hieronym contrae Luciferiaenos 〈…〉 In Concil Chalcedon â–ª Action 1. August â–ª de Moribâ— Maâ—â—chae 〈◊〉 â— ca. 16. 3. Esdr. 4. Aduersus error IohaÌ„ Hierosolymitani Extra De Constitu Licet De Electio Elect. potestate Significasti 9. quae 3. Nemo De Maioritate Obedientia Vnam Sanctam In glosa In Concil Lateran Sub Iulio Lib. 4. epist. 32. August epis 165. In the 3. Article and in the 15. Diuision 11. quaest 3. Nolite Extra de Maiorita Obedi Vnam Sanctam Dist. 22. Omnes Matthae 23. 1. Corin. â— The Canon Gregor lib. 6. epist. 30. Ibidem Luke 16. Extra 10. 22. Cum inter In Glosa Dist. 96. Satis euidenter Gregor lib. 7. epist. 63. Durand libro 4. parte 2. 1. Timoth. 2. The Prieste a Mediatour bytweene God and Christe In a Sermon preached in S. Maries Churche in Oxforde Chrysostom De Poeniten hom 4. Chrysostom De profectu Euangelij Ambros. in 1. cap. ad Roman Hieremi 7. Esai 1. Hieremi 9. Matth. 10. Matthae 15. Matth. 26. Leo in Epist. ad Palaestinos Naziaenzenus In Apologetico Anno Domini 1551. anno Eduardi 6. quinto Liberatus cap. 16. Matthae 11. Termes vsed commonly by M. Hardinge through his whole Booke Augustin De Gene. contra Manichae Psalm 142. Iohan. 14. Iohan. 8. Hierony in praefa in Abdiam 2. Corin. 11. 1. Corin. 15. Polydor. de Inuent rer li. 8. c. 1. Tertull. aduersus ValeÌ„tinian lib. 1. Augustin in Iohan. tract 7. Chrysostom de Laudibus Pauli hom â–ª 5. Ecclesi 4. Iohan. 9. a The first vntruthe for there is no suche preparatioÌ„ b The secoÌ„de vntruthe there appeareth no such vvil in the Minister Pag. 182. b. M. Hardinge maketh coÌ„mon priuate and priuate coÌ„mon These reasons be answeared afterwarde more at large Hermannus Contractus Nicolaus Lyra in 14. cap. Danielis Ambro. 1. Cor. 11 Hieron 1. Cor. 11 3. Vntruth Matthaei 4. 2. Corinth 12. 2. Concil VaseÌ„ Cap. 4. Concil Triburien Decretal lib. 3. tit 41. C. 2. De consecrat dist 1. ex Augustâ— quod quidaÌ„ Gregor tribuuÌ„t Grego ex Regist. lib. 2. ad CasteriuÌ„ c. 9. b. 3. Parte Summae q. 83. In the Bishops booke Alber. Pigghius in locis Communib De Priuata Missa â—ar 3. q. 83 â–ª ar 5. Publike Masse Priuate Masse 3. Par. q. 183. ar 4. In explanatione Missae Romanae Dominica Iudica Galat. 6. 1. Corint 11. Albertus Pigghius de priuata Missa The 4. Vntruthe The oldâ— Fathers neuer commonly called it so Pro sacrificio cruento rationale incruentum ac mysticum sacrificium instituit quod in mortem domini per Symbola corporis sanguinis ipsiâ—â— celebratur Clemens constitutionuÌ„ Apostolicarum lib. 6. cap. 23. The .5 Vntruthe Christ speaketh not one vvoorde of any Sacrifice The .6 vntruthe S. Andrevve saide the Communion and not the Masse Abdiae li. 7. Historiae Apostol The .7 vntruthe This Abdias neuer savve Christe in the fleshe It is a very Legende of lies Concilium CoÌ„stantinopol in Trullo Cap. 32. Epistol ad Burdega li. Constir Apostolicarum 8. Cap. â—lt The .8 Vntruthe There is no manner token or shevv of priuate Masse The .9 vntruthe It is the verye form of the Communinion and nothing like the priuate Masse In Eccles. hiâ—rach Cap. 3. Act. 17. * Faith confirmed vvith out vvords S. Paule saithe Faith coÌ„meth by hearinge Lib. 4. Contra haeres Cap. 32. A burthen of vntruthes The .11 vntruthe Thei conteine the very order of the
A REPLIE VNTO M. HARDINGES ANSVVEARE By perusinge whereof the discrete and diligent Reader may easily see the weake and vnstable groundes of the Romaine Religion whiche of late hath beene accompted Catholique By Iohn Iewel Bishoppe of Sarisburie 3. Esdrae 4. Magna est Veritas praeualet Greate is the Trueth and preuaileth Ex Edicto Imperatorum Valent in â–ª Martiani â–ª in Concil Chalcedon Actione 3. Qui post semel inuentam veritatem aliud quaerit Mendâ—â— cium quaerit non veritatem After the Trueth is once founde vvho so euer seeketh further he seeketh not for the Trueth but for a Lie Imprinted at London in Fleetestreate at the signe of the Blacke Oliphante by Henry VVykes Anno. 1565. VVith special Priuilege Vnto the Christian Reader PErusinge a certaine booke lately set foorthe in the name of M. Hardinge and weighinge the substance and parcelles of the same good Christian Reader I called to minde these woordes spoken sometime by Socrates the Philosopher touchinge his Accusers in his owne defence before the Iudges My Lordes in vvhat sorte your affections haue been sturred vvith mine Accusers eloquence vvhile ye hearde them speake I cannot tel But vvel I vvote for mine ovvne parte I mee selfe vvhom it toucheth moste vvas almost persuaded to beleeue that al they saide vvas true yea although it vvere against mee selfe So handesomely thei can tel their tale and so likely and so smoothely they conueigh their maters Euery vvorde they spake had appearance of truth And yet in good soothe they haue scarcely vttered one vvoorde of trueth Thus then saide Socrates of his Accusers Euen so may I say now of M. Harding For bothe in trueth of mater and also in probabilitie of vtterance they are muche alike Aristotle touching the darckenesse and doubtefulnesse of natural worldly thinges saith thus Quaedam falsa probabiliora sunt quibusdaÌ„ veris Certaine fals heades by meane of good vtterance haue sometimes more likelyhoode of Trueth then Trueth it selfe For Trueth is many times brought in simple and naked in poore araye But Falsheade must needes apparel and attiere her selfe with al her furnitures Thus many times wee are deceiued and embrace Falsheade in steede of Trueth And this is the miserie of the Simple For neither are they hable to teache them selues nor haue they where with to discerne their teachers There was neuer neither errour so horrible but the Simple haue receiued it nor poison so deadly but the Simple haue dronken it In this sorte S. Hierome saithe Infidelitie vvas sometime published emonge the Simple vnder the name of Faithe And Antichriste shal be adoured and honoured in steede of Christe Touchinge the state and issue of the mater where as I vpon iust occasion offered and onely in regarde of the trueth sometime saide in great audience that in any of these cases here mooued our Aduersaries are not hable to allege either any one sufficient clause or sentence out of the Scriptures Councels or Ancient Fathers or any certaine vsage or example of the primitiue Churche M. Hardinge hath here alleged and published not onely one or other but as he him self saith and as it is thought of many great numbers of suche Authorities of Scriptures Councelles and Doctours bothe Greeke and Latine and many anciente and euident examples to the contrary The places are noted the woordes are cleare It cannot be denied and as it is supposed al the worlde is not hable to answeare it It seemeth now an vndoubted trueth that as wel these as also al other the Doctrines and Orders of the Church of Rome haue beene deriued directly from Christe him selfe and his Apostles and haue continued the space of fifteene hundred and thertie yeeres at the least Therefore some haue wisshed my woordes had been more warily qualified and vttered with more circumspection Euen this is it that Aristotle saide The shevv of trueth beareth often more likelyhoode then truth it selfe There is no way so easy to beguile the Simple as the name and countenance of Ancient Fathers The Arian Heretiques alleged for them selues the Ancient Father Origen The Nestorian heretiques alleged the Councel of Nice the Donatian Heretiques alleged S. Cyprian the Pelagian Heretiques alleged S. Ambrose S. Hierome and S. Augustine Dioscorus the Heretique alleged Gregorius Cyrillus and Athanasius and complained openly in the Councel euen in like sorte and as iustly as M. Hardinge dooth now Ego defendo dogmata Santorum patrum Ego illorum habeo testimonia non obiter nec in transcursu sed in ipsorum libris posita Ego cum Patribus eiicior I mainteine the Doctrine of the Holy Fathers I haue their vvitnesses not vttered by chaunce or by the vvaye but vvritten in their bookes I am excommunicate and cast out and bannisshed vvith the Fathers If the Diuel can shew him selfe as the Angel of light and if False Prophetes can come in the name of Christeâ— muche more may some others come in the name and vnder the coloure of certaine Fathers But good Christian Reader for thy better vnderstanding least happily thou be deceiued it may please thee to know that these Authorities alleged here by M. Harding are neither new nor strange nor vnknowen to any man of meane learning but haue beene bothe often brought in and alleged by others and also weighed and examined and thorowly confuted longe a goe In deede M. Harding hath added of him self some bewtie of his eloquence and maiestie of woordes â–ª and yet not so much nor suche but it may easily be answeared although not with like eloquence whereof in these cases there is no neede yet at leaste with more trueth I trust by indifferent conference hereof thou shalt soone see the Ancient Fathers Some that neuer were by M. Hardinge surmised and countrefeited Some vntruely alleged Some corruptely translated Some peruersly expounded Some vnaptly and guiâ—efully applied Their woordes sometimes abbridged â–ª sometimes enlarged sometimes altered â–ª sometimes dissembled Fabulous and vnknowen Authorities newly founded Childish Argumentes fondly concluded To be shorte infinite Vntruethes and knowen Vntruethes boldely auouchedâ— In consideration hereof S. Augustine crieth out O rerum Naturae obscuritas quantum â—egmen est Falsitatis O the Darkenesse of Natural thinges VVhat a coouerâ—e haue lies to luâ—ke in Therefore Socrates saith VVee may not beleeue euery Argumente that is shevved vs vpon the sight But must open it and searche it and looke it through For oftentimes it seemeth otherwise then it is It seemeth stronge without and is weake within Kinge Agesilaus when he vnderstoode his Enimies of policie to coouer the smalnesse and weaknes of their bodies had bomebasted and embossed out their coates with greate quarters that they might seeme bigge and mighty men and that his souldiers therewith were muche dismaide after he had ouerthrowen and slaine them in the fielde pulled of their coates and stript them and left them naked and when he had caused his Souldiers to beholde the poore lither sclender
of the Heretique Abbate Eutychâ—s vseth these woordes Deâ—â—â—imus eum extraneum esse ab omni officio 〈◊〉 a nostra Communione a Primatu Monasterij Wee decree that he shal be remooued from his office of Priesthoode and from our 〈◊〉 and from the Primacie of 〈◊〉 Abbie So the Councel of Toledo Primâ—â—◠〈◊〉 honorabiles habâ—ntur in palatio They are counted honoâ—able in the Courte 〈…〉 Primacie of their dignitie In these places I recken wée néede not to take 〈◊〉 for an Uniuersal or infinite Gouernement Likewise the same woorde Primatus is often taken for the Superioritie of euery 〈…〉 and not onely for the dominion that is claimed by the Byâ—â—â—p of Rome In the Councel of Constantinople it is written thus Alexandâ—â—â— Episcopi solius Orientiâ— curaÌ„ gerant seruatis honoribus Primatus Ecclesiae Anâ—â—â—â—â— Let the Bishops of Alexandria haue the charge onely of the East the honour of 〈…〉 to the Churche of Antioche In like manner it is written in the 〈…〉 Chalcedon Episcopus qui in Aâ—â—iochia coÌ„stitutus est qui in â—â—â—â—eris prouincijs 〈…〉 ampliorum The Bishop that is appointed for Antioche 〈…〉 Prouinces let them haue the Pâ—â—â—acies of the greater Cities So the Empâ—â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 and Ualentinian wrote vnto â—â—â—â—â—rus the Bishop of Alexandria 〈…〉 reported in the Councel of Chalcedon Authoritatem Primatum tuae praebemus Beaâ—â—â—â—â— Now if this woorde Primatus must néedes signifie that power â–ª and gouâ—â—â—â—ment that M. Harding fantasieth then must it folow of 〈◊〉 that Esau Euâ—â—â—â— the Bishop of Antioche and the Bishop of Alexandriâ— â–ª had the Uniuersal Power and gouernâ—ment of the whole worlde But if it may wel be taken for any manner preferâ—ement or preeminence or prioritie before others then is M. Hardinges argument muche acraâ—ed and concludeth not so much as is pretended Uerily Tertullian saith 〈…〉 Eccleâ—â—â— vna est illa ab Apostolis prima ex qâ—â— omnes Sic omnes primae omnes Apostoâ—â—â—â—â— dum vnam omnes probant vnitatem So many and so greate Churches are al that Fâ—â—â—â— one Châ—â—che erected by the Apostles frâ—â— whence came al. And so are al Churches bothe the first and also the Apostolique Churches for as muche as they al allow one truthe As touchinge S. Peters preeminence Cyprian saith Hoc erant alij quod Petrus pari consortio praediti Honoris Potestatis The reast of the Disciples were euen the same that Peter was al endewed with like felowship bothe of honoure and also of power Euen so saith S. Ambrose too and that in the very same place that M. Hardinge hath alleged Inter Petrum Paulum quis cui praeponatur incerâ—um est Of Peter and Paule whether ought to be preferred before other it is not knowen Certainely if Peter had had the Uniuersal soueraintie ouer al the Apostles he shoulde haue had the like ouer S. Paule And so perhaps M. Hardinge wil say notwithstandinge S. Ambrose by plaine woordes denieth it and although S. Gregorie saye Petrus Vniuersalis Apostolus non vocatur Peter is not called an Vniuersal Apostle Of S. Ambrose woordes M. Harding reasoneth thus Peter was the chiefest of the Apostles Ergo The Pope is Head of the Uniuersal Churche This argument woulde be better considered for as it is it holdeth but weakely M. Hardinge The .11 Diuision In the Epistle of Athanasius and the Bishoppes of Egypte to Liberius the Pope in whiche they sue for healpe against the oppressions of the Arianes wee finde these woordes Huius rei gratia vniuersalis vobis a Christo Iesu commissa est Ecclesia c. Euen for this cause the Vniuersal Churche hath been committed to you of Christe Iesus that you should trauaile for al and not be negligent to healpe euery one For whiles the stronge man beinge armed keepeth his howse al thinges that he possesseth are in peace The B. of Sarisburie This Epistle vnder the name of Athanasius bisides that it is vaine and childishe and ful of needelesse and idle talke hath also euident tokens of manifest forgerie For further answeare hereunto I referre me selfe vnto that is before answeared vnto the Epistle written vnder the name of Athanasius vnto Felix M. Hardinge The .12 Diuision Hilarius speakinge muche to the extollinge of Peter and his 100 Successour in that See saithe Supeâ— eminentem bearae fidei suae confessione locum promeruit that for the Confession of his blessed faithe â—e deserueâ— a place of preeminence 101. aboue al other The B. of Sarisburie Hilarius by M. Hardinges reporte speaketh muche to the extollinge of S. Peter and his successour in that See Here is firste a great vntrueth For Hilarius in that whole place speaketh not one woorde neither of Rome nor of the See nor of the Successour of Peter Onely he commendeth S. Peters faith wherein 〈◊〉 confessed that Christe is the sonne of the liuinge God and saith Haec fides est fundamentum Ecclesiae Super haâ—e Confessionis Petram Ecclesiae aedificatio est This faiâ—h is the fundation of the Churche Vpon this Rocke of Confession the Churche is builte And â—â—deth further By the Confession of his blessed Faithe he obteined a place of preeminencâ— as M. Harding addeth of his owne aboue al other Wherein also he committeth an other vntrueth For Hilarius saithe onely He obteined a special place and speaketh not one woorde of any other S. Augustine saith Petrus pro omnibus dixit cum omnibus accepit Peter spake for al the reast and receiued promise with al the reâ—st As the Confession was one so the place of preeminence was al one The preeminence was that they shoulde be the first fruites of Goddes Sainctes The vessels of Election The Fathers of the people The Light of the worlde The pillers of the Churche and the Angels of God That they shoulde sit vpon twelue seates and iudge the twelue Tribes of Israel This was the special préeminence of the Apostles of Christe and was equally geuen vnto them al. But M. Hardinge cannot beléeue there is any place of Preeminence but onely in Rome and therefore imagineth that vpon this confession Christe saide vnto Peter Blissed arte thou Simon Bariona for thou shalt be Pope and shalt be exalted aboue thy Bretherne and shalt be fournished with al worldely power and al the Princes of the worlde shal stoope vnto thee This is the preeminence that by M. Hardinges fantasie Christ promised vnto S. Peter Of these woordes of Hillarie M. Hardinge seemeth to reason thus Peter obteyned a place of Preeminence Ergo The Bishop of Rome is heade of the Uniuersal Churche This argument is open and sheweth it selfe M. Hardinge The .13 Diuision S. Ambrose confessinge him selfe to beleue that the largenes of the Romaine Empire was by Goddes prouidence prepared that the Gospel might haue his course and be spreadde abrode the better saith thus
patrum and Iacobus de voragine and Vincentius in speculo who séeme to intitle this Booke by the name of Amphilochius haue furnished the same with many vnsauerie vaine tales yet was there none of them so impudent once to make any mention of this peeuishe fable of M. Hardinges Masse But for so muche as the glorious name of this holy Father is here brought in to beare witnesse to these maters and that in the night season in a dreame and a vision with the visible appearance of Christe and his Apostles and the greatest staie of M. Hardinges cause resteth hereupon and many are amased with the strangenesse hereof and many are ledde away as though it were mater of good trueth and specially for that the Booke is not commonly to be had and it woulde be chargeable to sende to Verona into Italie for a copie suffer me therefore good Christian Reader to geue thee some taste of the same that thou maiste be hable of thée selfe to iudge further and to see by what Doctours M. Hardinge proueth his Priuate Masse To passe ouer the idle talke and conferâ—nce with Diuels the Uisions the Dreames the Fables and other fantastical vanities whiche are the whole contentes and substance of this newe Booke Tertullian hath a good discreete saieing Furibus aliqua semper excidere solent in indicium The theefe euermore leaueth somwhat behinde him that he may be knowen by Let vs therfore compare M. Hardinges Amphilochius with Socrates Sozomenus Gregorie Nazianzene Gregorie Nyssene and other olde writers of approued credite that haue of purpose writen S. Basiles life Socrates and Sozomenus say that Basile in his youth was Libanius Scholar M. Hardinges Amphilochius saithe Basil was Libanius schoole fellowe Nazianzene and Gregorius Presbyter saye that Basile continuinge at Caesaria was wel acquainted with Eusebius the Bishop there before he wente into Pontus M. Hardinges Amphilochius saithe that at his returne from Pontus whiche was soone after Eusebius knewe him not neither had euer spoken with him or séene him before M. Hardinges Amphilochius saithe Basile was Bishop of Caesarea in the time of Themperour Iulianus wherevpon also are founded a greate many fonde fables Nazianzene his nearest frende saithe he was chosen Bishop there a longe while after in the time of Themperour Valens and was not Bishop there at al duringe the whole time of Iulianus M. Hardinges Amphilochius telleth a longe tale how that S. Mercurie being then deade and a Sainte in Heauen at the commaundement of our Ladie tooke his owne Speare out of his Chappel where it was keapte and wente out with the same into the fielde slewe Themperoure Iulian that the same Speare was founde bloudie afterwarde Nazianzene Socrates Theodoretus and Sozomenus say it coulde neuer be knowen by whome he was slaine M. Hardinges Amphilochius saithe Basile foretolde the death of Iulian Theodoretus saieth it was one Iulianus Sabba that foretolde it not S. Basile M. Hardinges Amphilochius saithe Themperour Valens yelded gaue place vnto Basile Sozomenus saithe Themperour continued stil his purpose and would not yéelde M. Hardinges Amphilochius saithe Nazianzenus was present at S. Basiles burial Nazianzene him selfe that ought to know it best saithe he came afterwarde and was not present Gregorius Presbyter saithe Nazianzene came a great while after that Basile was buried M. Hardinges Amphilochius is so impudent that he saieth Nazianzenus came in al haste and sawe the blissed bodie and fel vpon it when it was buried Whereby it séemeth that this Amphilochius was not very wise nor circumspecte in his talke For if Nazianzene sawe S. Basiles bodie how was it buried If it were buried how coulde he sée it Againe M. Hardinges Amphilochius saieth Gregorie Nazianzene ruled the Apostolique sée for the space of twelue yéeres By thapostolike sée he muste néedes meane either Rome or Constantinople If he meane Rome Nazianzene was neuer Bishop there If he meane ConstaÌ„tinople where in déede he was Bishop yet was that neuer called thapostolike sée and so what so euer he meante he made a lie Now iudge thou indifferently good Christian Reader whether Amphilochius the Bishop of Iconium S. Basiles special nearest frende writinge of him that he knew so wel coulde possibly so many waies be deceiued If M. Hardinge had knowen him better I thinke he woulde haue spared this authoritie How be it Vlpian saithe Etiam monstra poâ—tentosi partus prosunt Euen Monsters and il shapen children may goe for children To come to the mater M. Hardinges Amphilochius thus telleth on his tale Basile saithe he beinge once made Bishop besought God that he might offer vp the vnbloudie Sacrifice with his owne woordes he fel in a traunce came againe to him selfe and so ministred euery day On a certaine night Christe with his Apostles came downe to him from heauen brought breade with him awooke Basile and bade him vp and offer the Sacrifice Up he arose was streight at the Aultare said his praiers as he had writen them in his paper lifted vp the breade laide it downe againe brake it in thrée partes receiued one reserued an other to be buried with him honge vp the thirde in a golden Dooue And al this was donne Christe and his Apostles beinge stil present who came purposely from Heauen to healpe Basile to Masse We may now the better beleue Homer that Iuppiter with his Goddes wente downe sometime for his pleasure to banket in Ethiopia Or that an Angel euermore ministred the Sacrament vnto Marcus that holy Mounke Or that Angels came from heauen to consecrate Amphilochius Bishop of Iconium Or that the holy Ghost was sente from heauen to Remigius with a boxe of Holy Oyle Or that when holy Arnulphus began Matins at Midnight and saide Domine labia c. and al his Monkes were a sleape a number of Angels supplied the lacke and answeared him Et os meum annuntiabit Iaudem tuam But M. Harding layeth on more weight and forceth this fable to his purpose and al be it in the whole tale there is not once the name of Masse yet is he content to take paynes conningly to falsifie the texte and seuen times togeather to translate it onely by the name of Masse For with him offerre sacrificium is to say Masse likewise Ministrare Deo is to say Masse and ministerium ministrationis is the seruice of the Masse For as Midas what so euer he touched had power to turne the same into golde so M. Hardinge what so euer he toucheth hath a special power to turne the same into his Masse But let vs a litle vewe the Circumstances and weighe the likelihoodes of this mater Basile besought God that he might make the Sacrifice with his owne woordes And shal we thinke he had more fancie to his owne woordes then he had to the woordes of Christe He awooke stoode vp and suddainly was
in Sprite and Trueth And therefore God complaineth of the contrarie This people draweth neare vnto me with their lippes saith the Lorde but their harte is farre from mee Hereof M. Harding geathereth this reason The people is deuoute and godly disposed Ergo They must haue their praiers in a strange tongue I woulde M. Hardinge woulde consider and reforme his reasons better This is to simple it néedeth no answeare Certainely if the simple people be so deuoute and so reuerently disposed in the darkenesse without any teachinge or vnderstandinge muche more woulde they reuerently deuoutely dispose them selues if they hearde the godly praiers and vnderstoode them Kneeling bowing standinge vp and other like are commendable gestures and tokens of deuotion so longe as the people vnderstandeth what they meane and applieth them vnto God to whom they be dewe Otherwise they may wel make them Hypocrites but holy or godly they cannot make them Coelestinus writeth thus vnto the Bishoppes of Fraunce Docendi potius sunt quà m illudendi nec imponendum est eorum oculis sed mentibus infundenda praecepta sunt The people must rather be taught then mockte Neither must wee deceiue their eies but must power holesome preceptes into their hartes M. Hardinge The .30 Diuision And where as S. Paule seemeth to disallow praieing with tongues in the Common assemblie because of wante of edifieing and to esteeme the vtterance of fiue woordes or sentences with vnderstandinge of his meaninge that the rest might be instructed thereby more then ten thousande wordes in a strange and vnknowen tongue Al this is to be referred to the state of that time whiche was muche vnlike the state of the Churche wee be novv in The tongue of the praiers whiche S. Paule speaketh of was vtterly strange and vnknowen and serued for a signe to the vnbeleeuers The Latine tongue in the Latine Churche is not altogeather strange and vnknowen For beside the Priest in most places some of the rest haue vnderstandinge of it more or lesse and now we haue no neede of any suche signe They needed instruction vve be not ignorant of the chiefe pointes of Religion They vvere to be taught in al thinges vve come not to Churche specially and chiefely to be taught at the Seruice but to praie and to be taught by preachinge Their praier vvas not vaileable for lacke of faithe and therefore vvas it to be made in the vulgare tongue for increace of Faithe Our Faithe vvil stande vs in better steede if vve geue our selues to deuoute Praier They for lacke of Faithe had neede of interpretation bothe in praiers and also in Preachinge and al other spiritual exercises vve hauinge sufficient instruction in the necessary rudimentes of our faithe for the rest haue more neede by earnest and feruent praier to make sute vnto God for an vpright pure and holy life then to spende muche time in hearinge for knovvledge Concerninge vvhiche thinge Chrysostome hath this saieinge Profectò si orare cum diligentia insuescas nihil est quòd doctrinam tui conserui desideres quum ipse Deus sine vllo interprete mentem abundèluce afficiat Verily if thou vse to praie diligently there is nothinge vvhy thou shouldest desier teachinge of thy felovv seruante seeing God him selfe doothe abundantly lighten thy minde vvithout any interpreter The B. of Sarisburie Here M. Hardinge by countrepointes and by sundrie circumstances of difference compareth the state of the Primitiue Churche and his Churche of Rome togeather and thereof woulde seeme to prooue that S. Paules woordes which S. Paule him selfe calleth Mandata Domini The Lordes commaundementes stoode good onely for that time present and for no time afterwarde as if he woulde say Gods wil were mutable or his commaundementes holde onely for terme of yéeres I graunte there appeare greate notes of difference betwéene the order of the Primitiue Churche and the order that now is in the Churche of Rome For to leaue al that M. Hardinge hath here touched by way of comparison and to note that may séeme neare to this prupose The rulers there wisshed and laboured that the people might abounde in knowledge Here their whole labour and study is that the people may abounde in ignorance There the Ministers spake with sundrie tongues that the people of al Nations might vnderstande them Here the Minister speaketh in a strange tongue to the intente that noman may vnderstande him There the simple and the ignorant were made eloquent Here the Bishoppes and Cardinals and greatest learned are made dumme And to prosecute no further there appeared in the Primitiue Churche the vndoubted woorkes of the holy Ghoste and the very tractes and steppes of Christes féete and therefore Irenaeus and other Olde Fathers in cases of doubte appealed euermore to the order and example of that Churche And Tertullian saith Hoc aduersus omnes haereses valet id esse verum quodcunque prius id esse adulterum quodcunque posterius This Marke preuaileth agianst al Heresies That is the trueth that was vsed first that is false and corrupte that was brought in afterwarde And therefore the Holy Fathers in the Councel of Nice made this general shoute and agreed vpon the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the auncient orders holde stil referringe them selues thereby to the vse and order of the Primitiue Churche Contrarywise Ualentinus Marcion and other like Heretiques thought them selues wisest of al others and therfore vtterly refused as M. Hardinge and his fellowes now doo to stande to the Apostles orders Thus Irenaeus writeth of them Dicent se non solùm Presbyteris sed etiam Apostolis sapientiores esse sinceram veritatem inuenisse They will say that they are wiser not onely then other priestes but also then the Apostles and that they haue founde out the perfit trueth I say not M. Hardinge is so wickedly minded as Ualentinus or Marcion was but thus I say He vtterly refuseth to stande to the Apostles orders and foloweth other late diuised fantasies and therein vndoubtedly doothe euen as the olde Heretiques Marcion and Ualentinus did Now let vs consider M. Hardinges reasons The state saith he of the Primitiue Churche was farre vnlike the state of the Churche wee be now in Ergo VVee are not bounde to S. Paules commaundementes Againe he saith Some one or other in a Parishe vnderstandeth somwhat of the Latine Tongue The people is sufficiently instructed in Religion They come togeather now not so muche to be instructed as to praie Ergo they ought to haue their Seruice in a strange tongue O what meaneth M. Hardinge thus to deale Lothe I am to make the comparison But true it is Uery Children doo not vse to reason in so childishe sorte He knoweth wel that commonly neither any one of the whole parish vnderstandeth the Latine tongue nor oftentimes the Priest himselfe He knoweth that the people of his Churche is not instructed in Religion nor no man suffered to
who at Antioche were in argument and contention concerninge liuinge after Moyses law muche more wee who are but smal and vile shal runne vnto your throne Apostolike that of you wee may haue salue for the sores of the Châ—â—ches there folow these woordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id est per omnia enim vobis conuenit primas tenere That is to say For in al thinges perteininge to Faith or Religion so he meaneth it is meete that you haue the chiefe dooinges or that you haue the Primacie For your high seate or throne is endewed with many prerogatiues and priuileges The B. of Sarisburie Here might I say That this Theodorâ—t was a deadly enimy of S. Cyrillus and a Nestorian Heretique and condenmed by that name in the General Councel of Constantinople as appeareth by Euagrius Nicephorus and others Uerily although he were brought into the Councel of Chalcedon by the authoritie and fauour of the Emperour Martianus yet the Byshoppes of Illyricum Egypte and Palestine cried out against him Fides perit istum Canones eijciunt Mitte hunc foâ—as magistrum Nestorij Nolite istum dicere Episcopum Non est Episcopus Impugnatorem Dei foras mitte Haereticum foras mitte Iudaeum foras mitte The Faith is loste this man the Canons throw out Out with this felow out with Nestorius Scholemaister Cal him not Bishop He is no Bishop Out with him that fighteth against God Out with this Heretique Out with this Iewe. But I wil not vse this aduantage I iudge rather that this Theodoretus as he was a man of déepe learninge and great renoume so he was also a careful and godly Bishop As for the Nestorian Heresie he defied it in the Councel of Constantinople and openly pronounced Anathema Nestorio Accursed be Nestorius In these woordes that M. Hardinge hath here alleged he saith nothing that of our parte is denied Certainely here is not one woorde neither of the Head of the Churche nor of Uniuersal Byshop But if Theodoretus thinke S. Paule wente vp to Hierusalem either to visite Peter as the Head of the Churche as M. Hardinge seemeth to gheasse or els to be better resolued of his Doctrine as standing in some doubt whether he had thitherto preached the truthe or no then dooth he quite ouerthrow S. Paules whole meaninge For it is plaine that S. Paule knoweth not Peter for his Head but contrary wise taketh him as his equal For thus he saith Videbant mihi concreditum esse Euangelium praeputij sicut petro Circuncisionis They saw that I was put in truste with the Gospel ouer the Heathens euen as Peter was ouer the Iewes And againe Iames Peter and Iohn that seemed to be the pillers gaue vnto me and Bâ—rnabas the right handes of felowship Here wée sée betweene Peter and Paule a Couenante of equalitie and neither superioritie nor subiection And therefore S. Ambrose saith as it is before noted Inter Petrum Paulum quis cui praeponatur incertum est Between Peter and Paule whether ought to be preâ—â—rred before other I can not tel Neither wente he vp to be better informed of the Trueth as beinge doubtful of his owne Doctrine Al his reasoninge and the whole drifte of that 〈◊〉 is to the contrary For thus lie his woordes I neuer 〈◊〉 with Fleâ—she and Bloud that is to say with any man neither did I returne to Hierusalem to them 〈◊〉 had beene Apostles before me I receiued not the Gospel that I haue preached of any man but by the reuelation of Iesus Christe If any preache vnto you any other Gospel then that I haue preached accurseâ— be he They that were in chiefe regarde emonge the Apostles touchinge the Trueth of the Gospel added nothing vnto mee I withstoode Peter euen in the face and spake vnto him before al the people for he walked not vprightly but was woorthy to be blamed Hereby it may sufficiently appeare that S. Paules goeinge to Hierusalem was not to bringe from Peter a determination of any mater of Trueth that laâ— in Question as it is here supposed And therfore S. Hierome saith Ad hoc iuit Hierosoly maÌ„ vt videret Apostolum Petrum non discendi studio qui ipse eundem praedicaâ—oâ—s habereâ— authorem sed honoris priori Apostolo deferendi Paule wente to Hierusalem to the intent to see Peter the Apostle not to learne any thinge of him as hauing the same â—uthâ—ur of his preachinge that Peter had â—ut to shew reuerence vnto him thâ—t had been Apostle before hâ—m And againe Proptereà quindecim ponit dies vt ostendat non fuisse grande tempus quo poâ—uerit aliquid à Petro discere vt ad illum sensum a quo coepit cuncta referantur se non ab homine doctum esse sed a Deo Therefore he nameth fifteen daies to shew thâ—t he had no longe time that he might learne any thinge of Peter to the intente to driue al his woordes to that sense wherewith he beganne That he was tâ—ught not by man but by God Likewise saith Hugo Cardinalis a barbarous writer Secundum Literam â—struimur de mutua dilectione quam deberent habere praedicatores doctores quia Paulus venit videre Petrum quoniam bona audierat de eius doctrina Accordinge to the lâ—tter wee are here instructed of mutual loue whiche ought to be between al preachers and Doctours For Paule went to visite Peter bicause he had hearde good of his Doctrine But what can be so plaine as that is written by Chrysostome touchinge the same His woordes be these Paulus nihil opus habebat Petro nec eius egebat voce sed honoâ—e par erat illâ— nihil enim hîc dicam amplius Pauâ—e had no neede of Peter neither needed he to be taught at his mouthe but he was equal to him in honour I wil say no more And immediatly after Sicut nunc multi fratrum nostroruÌ„ ad viros sanctos proficiscunturâ—â—odem affectu tunc Paulus ad Petrum profectus est Like as now a daies many of our Brethren goe to holy men so then with like affection wente Paule vnto Peter As for the reast that the Bishop of Rome had an estimation and a credite and a prerogatiue before others it is not denied For of the foure Patriarkes he had the first place bothe in Councel and out of Councel and therefore the greatest authoritie direction of maters in al assemblies And this was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To haue the firste or highest roume and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A dignâ—tie or priuilege Whiche woordes M. Hardinge hath noted in the Margin Here M. Hardinge séemeth to reason thus The Bishoppe of Rome had a priuilege or dignitie aboue others Ergo He was an Vniuersal Bishop This Argument concludeth A genere ad speciem affirmatiuè and as M. Hardinge knoweth was neuer allowed in any Schooles Likewise he séemeth to say Paule wente vp to Hierusalem to
owne Princes that stande in defence of the confession of Auspurge and by two of the Lutherane superintendentes No man hathe so exactely declared to the worlde the number and diuersitiâ— of the sectes of our time whiche hathe spronge out of Martin Luther as Fridericus Staphylus a man of excellent learninge one of the Emperours Counsaile that nowe is who might wel haue knowledge herein for as muche as he was a diligent student ten yeeres at VVittenberg amonge the chiefe doctours of them and for that time was of their opinion and afterward by consideration of their manifolde disagreeinges and contentions within thâ—m selues induced to discredite them and through the grace of God reduced to a whole minde and to the Catholike Faâ—the and nowe remaineth a perfecte member of the Churche This learned man in his Apologie sheweth that out of Luther haue sproonge three diuers Heresies or sectes The 208 Anabaptistes the Sacramentaries and the Confessionistes who made Confession of their Faithe in open Diete before the Emperour Charles the Princes and states of Germanie at Auspurge Anno Domini 1530. and for Protestation of the same there are called Protestantes Nowe he prooueth farther by testimonie of their owne writinges that the Anabaptistes be diuided into sixe sectes 209 the Sacramentaries into eight sectes 209 the Confessionisies and they whiche properly are called Protestantes into twâ—ntie sectes euery one hauinge his proper and particular name to be called and knowen by This lamentable diuision of learned men into so many sectes in the Countries where the Gospel as they cal it hath these fourty yeeres and is yet moste busely handled maye be a warninge to the gouernours of Christendome that they take good aduisemente howe they suffer the rude and ras he people to haue the Scriptures common in their owne tongue The B. of Sarisburie Here M. Hardinge by the healpe of one Staphylus a shameles Renegate hath made a longe discourse of suche differences in Doctrine as he imagineth to be emonge them that professe the Gospel And in deede as the imperfection and wante that is in man is naturally inclined vnto some diuision and that oftentimes in suche cases wherein ought to be greattest vnitie Euen so the Heretiques and the enimies of the trueth haue euermore vsed to take holde thereof the more to discredite and to depraue the whole At the first preachinge of the Gospel by the Apostles of Christe and other Holy Fathers there grewe vp immediatly with the same sundrie sortes of Sectes to the number of foure scoare and tenne as they are reckened in particulare by S. Augustine al flowinge out of one Springe al professinge one Gospel and al knowen by the name of Christe Yea sometimes the very lightes of the worlde and the pillers of the Churche seemed to be diuided by some dissension emongst them selues S. Peter from S. Paule S. Paule from Barnabas S. Cyprian from Cornélius S. Augustine from S. Hierome S. Chrysostome from Epiphanius the East parte of the world from the Weast Doctours from Doctours Fathers from Fathers Churche from Churche and Sainctes from Sainctes And hereof the Heretiques in olde time and other sworne enimies of God tooke occasion as M. Hardinge nowe dooth to defaâ—e the whole profession of the Gospel callinge it a puddel and a sinke of dissension For these causes the Heathens laughed at the Christians and pointed at them in the market places with their fingers So the Renegate Iulianus the Emperoure the better to cloke his owne infidelitie saide that Peter and Paule coulde not agrée Luke and Mathewe dissented in Christes Genealogie and that therefore the whole Gospel of Christe was nothinge els but erroure Oftentimes of malice against God they fained dissension to be where as none was So Marâ—ion the Renegate diuised a greate Booke of Contrarieties bytweene the Newe Testamente and the Olde The false Apostles saide that S. Paule dissented from al the rest of his Brethren and oftentimes from him selfe Euen so and with like trueth M. Hardinge seemeth nowe to charge the Gospel of Christe with like dissension folowinge therein both the Example and Doctrine of Staphylus the Renegate that hath wilfully forsaken Christe and is returned againe to his olde vomite And béeing hable so sharply to behold howe some one man hath in some case dissented from an other yet is he not hable to sée how muche he him selfe hath dissented from him selfe But hauinge this eloqueÌ„ce and skil so largely to amplifie these smal quarelles of so litle weight what woulde he haue benne hable to doo yf he had benne in the primitiue Churche and had seene al those hoate and troublesome dissensions that then were hable to shake the world What clowdes and colours might he then haue cast to scorne at Christe and to bringe his Gospel out of credite Doubtles as he saith nowe al these diuersities springe onely from Doctour Luther so woulde he then haue saide Al these former diuersities and sundrie formes of Heresies sprange onely from Christe And hereof he woulde haue concluded as he doth now that the Rude and Rasshe people shoulde in no wise be suffred to reade the Scriptures Howe be it touchinge these 34. seueral Sectes that Staphylus by his inquisition and conninge hath founde owt in Germanie it must needes be confessed they are marueilous poore and very simple Sectes For in that whole Countrie where they are supposed to dwelle they haue neither name to be knowen by two or thrée onely excepted nor Churche to teache in nor house to dwelle in But Staphyâ—us maie haue leaue to speake vntrueth for that he hath not yet learned to speake otherwise Hereof M. Hardinge maie conclude thus The Learned sometimes mistake the Scriptures and are deceiued Ergo the Learned ought to be bannished from readinge the Scriptures For al these fantastical imaginations of Opinions and Sectes perteine onely to the Learned sorte and nothinge to the Laie People And that the Learned either through ignorance or through affection may be misleadde no lesse then others it may easily appeare bothe by al these former examples and also by these woordes of God in the Booke of Exodus Nec in iudicio plurimorum acquiesces sententiae In iudgement thou shalt not herken to the minde of the moe Whiche woordes Lyra expoundeth thus Plurimorum id est Doctorum Of the moe that is to say of the learned sorte Certainely the Learned Fathers haue euermore thought that in suche perillous times of dissension in iudgement it is most behooueful for the people to haue recourse vnto the Scriptures When Paule and Silas preached at Berrhoea the people there dayly searched and considered the Scriptures to knowe whether that they preached were true or no. Chrysostome expoundinge these woordes When ye shal see the Abomination of desolation standinge in the Holy place writeth thus Ideo maÌ„dat vt Christiani volentes firmitatem accipere Fidei