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 malitiousâ—y 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 â—oorthe 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
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 〈◊〉 S. Ambrose saithe so to ouer throwe the Churche they presume to take vnto them the name of the Churche But what doo 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 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 loÌ„ge 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 quâ—d 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
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 filâ—h 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 audiuÌ„t sequuntur me AuferaÌ„tur 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 CoÌ„susion 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 PeÌ„tilian the Donatian Heretique Vtrùm nos Schismatici simus an vos nec ego nec tu sed Christus interrogetur vt iudicet Ecclesiam suam Whether of vs be Schâ—matiques 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 nouelâ—ie 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 câ—aked 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
aske me Wherefore would ye haue al sutche other Authorities put away I answeare Bicause I would haue the Holy Churche to he proued not by the Doctrines of menne but by the VVoorde of God So saithe S. Augustine vnto other the Donatistes Auferantur de medio Chartae nostrae procedat in medium Codex Dei Audi Christum dicentem audi Veritatem loquentem Take a waie from emongst vs any our own Bookes Let the Booke of God comme emongste vs. Heare what Christe saithe Herken what the Truthe speaketh Againe he saithe Audi dicit Dominus Non dicit Donatus aut Rogatus aut Vincentius aut Hilarius aut Ambrosius aut Augustinus sed dicit Dominus Heare this The Lorde saithe Heare not this Donatus saithe Rogatus saithe Vincenius saithe Hilarius saithe Ambrose saithe Augustine saithe But herken to this The Lorde saithe In like fourme of woordes saithe S. Ambrose Nolo nobis credatur Scriptura recitetur Non ego dico à me In principio erat Verbum sed audio Non ego effingo sed lego I would not ye should beleeue vs But reade the Scriptures I saye not of mee selfe In the beginninge was the Woorde But I heare it I make it not but I reade it Likewise saithe Chrysostome Oro vos omnes vt relinquatis quid huic aut illi videatur de his à Scripturis haec omnia inquirite I beseeche you al weigh not what this man or that man thinketh but touching al these thinges searche the Scriptures Nowe where as it pleaseth M. Hardinge to telle vs of an Argumente Negatiue from Special to General and so to cal vs to the remembrance of our Logique pleaseth it him also to remeÌ„ber that the Argument that wee grounde of S. Augustines woordes holdeth not as it is here imagined froÌ„ Special to General but froÌ„ the imperfection and weakenesse of the wisedome of man to the stabilitie and certainetie of Goddes Holy Woorde And therefore the Olde Learned Father Origen saithe as it is alleged before Sensus nostri Enarrationes fine his testibus non habent fidem Our iudgementes and Expositions without these witnesses of the Scriptures haue no credite In like sorte S. Hierome Quamuis SaÌ„ctus sic aliquis post Apostolos quamuis disertus sit non habet Authoritatem After the Apostles of Christe notwithstandinge somme man be Holy notwithstandinge he be eloquente yet he wanteth Authoritie Therefore S. Augustine saithe Cedamus consenuamus Scripturae Sacrae quae nec falli potest nec fallere Let vs yeeld and consente to the Holy Scripture whiche can neither deceiue nor be deceiued For this cause M. Hardinge S. Augustine not onely in the mater that laye bitweene him and Pettlianus but also in al other maters what soeuer so often appealed from al Fathers and Councelles vnto the Scriptures The Apologie Cap. 9. Diuision 3. Likewise S. Hierome Al those thinges saithe he whiche without the Testimonie of the Scriptures are holden as deliuered from the Apostles be throughly smitten downe by the Swerde of Goddes Woorde M. Hardinge Ye would falne remoue vs from a good hold I see wel whiche is the Authoritie of the Holy Faâ—thers of Ancient Traditions and of the Vniuersal Churche Al these would ye to be of no force against Heretiques For ye knowe the Fathers and the Churche to be againste you and that so longe as they are beleued your Doctrine shal not be receiued as alwaies founde to be newe and of priuate deuâ—se If we were driuen from these ye doubt not but to matche vs wel yenough in the Scriptures And as ye would handle the mater I thinke so my selfe verely For when al Authoritie and iudgemente of the Fathers and of the Churche is shakeÌ„ quite of in any coÌ„trouersie by whome shal we be tried By the Scriptures ye saie But when bothe ye and we alleage Scriptures to a contrary purpose and when we vary about the sense of the Scriptures by whom then shal we be iudged Perhaps ye wil referre the iudgement of doubtful maters to the Holy Ghoste VVe refuse not tharbitrement and Vmpiership of the Holy Ghoste For the same hath ben promised by Christe to the Churche to remaine with the Churche for euer to teache what thinges so euer he saide to lead men into al Truthe And thus for iudgemente and trial of Truthe we shal be retourned to the Churche and to the Fathers by whom the Holy Ghoste speaketh vnto vs whose Authoritie and due estimation ye go aboute to remooue from vs. But let vs see what force ye bringe to driue vs from this holde Makinge your batterie against it what shoote ye of but VVinde and Paper Your Artillerie makethe a noâ— es but it geueth no blowe As in the laste allegation ye falsified the sense of S. Augustine so in this ye falsifie bothe the sense and woordes of S. Hierome The woordes as ye allege them seeme to be spoken against what so euer Tradition of the Apostles VVhiche woordes or any the like to sutche purpose were neuer vtered by any Catholike Doctour of the Churche mutche lesse by S. Hierome Looke ye againe and vewe better the place ye shal saye your selues that I finde the faulte of falsefyeinge in you not without cause S. Hierome in his Commentaries vpon those woordes of the Prophete Aggaeus Et vocaui siccicitatem super tâ—â—ram super Montes I haue called the drought to come vpon the Earthe and vpon the Hilles c. First she winge the literal sense accordingly as the Hebrew woorde there by him noted signifieth Siccitatem drought theÌ„ treatinge Mystically as the seuenty Interpreters haue turned that woorde into Romphaeam that is a swerde and vnderstandinge by the swerde the VVoorde of God thereof takethe occasion briefly to saie what this swerde doothe how it destroieth the negligent soule whiche is expounded to be drie earthe and howe it plaguethe Montaines that lifte vp them selues against the knowledge of God whereby he meanethe Heretikes Of whom he tellethe howe they flatter the deceiued peoples with theire Breade Wine and Oile by whiche he meaneth theire Heresies as it were with meates and drinkes and refection There Breade saithe he any man maie very aptly cal it the Bread of VVaylinge and theyr VVine the madnesse of Dragons and the madnesse of Serpentes incurable And theire Oile the promisinge of Heauenly thinges wherewith they doo as it were anointe theire Disciples and promise them rewardes of theire labours which the Prophete detesteth sayeinge the Oile of the sinner shal not anoint my head After this folowe the woordes of S. Hierome whiche ye haue falsified to the intent they might seeme to serue your false meaninge Sed alia quae absque Authoritate Testimonijs Scripturarum quasi Traditione Apostolica reperiunt atque coÌ„fingunt percutit gladius Dei But the Swerde of God strikethe also other thinges whiche the Heretiques for of theâ— he speaketh deuise and faine of theire owne
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 Carâ—inal 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 DnÌ„i vt sit sancta Corpore Spiritu non
stringe of spiritual eatinge and shunninge the Faithe of the Catholike Churche touching the true presence of the Body and Violently wresting the Holy Scripture and Auncient Fathers to a contrary sense admittinge Figures for Truthe tropes for the letter shadowes for thinges plaie vs many a false lesson and teache horrible lies to the vtter subuersion of those that be lead by them The B. of Sarisburie Here is no mention saithe M. Hardinge of Real Presence and thereupon he plaieth vs many a proper Lesson Notwithstandinge here is as mutche mention made of Real Presence as either Christe or his Apostles euer made or in y◠Primutiue Catholique Churche of God was euer beléeued Farther he saithe VVhat reason or Scripture haue ye that a Peece of Breade and a Cuppe of VVine can sette the Death and Resurrection of Christe as it were before your eies Verily when al your tale is tolde ye seeme to saie nothinge els but that the Body of Christe remaineth in Heauen and that wee muste sende vp our soules thither to eate it there by a certaine imagination whiche ye cal Faithe Here ye doo greate wronge M. Hardinge to cal the Faithe of Christe an Imagination or as I trowe ye meane a fansie S. Paule saithe Fides est Substantia rerum sperandarum Faithe is not an Imagination but the Substance and grounde of the thinges that wee hope for If ye trauaile once againe to Rome being thus far instructed already ye wil easily learne the Lesson that one of your late Popes there as it is reported taught his Cardinalles O quantum nobis profuit illa Fabula de Christo That wée ought to sende vp our Faithe into Heauen and there to embrace the Body of Christe it is S. Augustines Doctrine it is not ours These be his woordes Dices Quomodò tenebo Christum Absentem Quomodò in Coelum manum mittam vt ibi sedentem teneam Fidem mitte tenuisti Parentes tui tenuerunt Carne tu tene Corde Thou wilt saie howe shal I holde Christe beeinge Absente Howe we shal I reache my hande into Heauen that I maye holde him sittinge there Sende vp thy Faithe and thou holdest him Thy Fathers the Iewes helde him in the fleashe Holde him thou in thy harte But for as mutche as H. hardinge thought it sufficient so pleasantly to passe ouer this mater with his Imaginations and fansies I thinke it therefore so mutche the more néedeful to shewe the iudgemente of the Auncient Learned Fathers in that behalfe First therefore S Augustine saithe Rerum Absentium Praesens est Fides rerum quae foris sunt intus est Fides rerum quae non videntur videtur Fides Of thinges that be Absente Faithe is Presente of thinges that be without Faithe is within and of thinges that be not seene Faithe is seene Againe be saithe Cùm non obliuiscimur munus Saluatoris nonne nobis quotidiè Christus immolatur Ex ipsis reliquijs cogitationis nostrae id est ex ipsa memoria Christus quotidiè nobis sic immolatur quasi quotidiè nos innouet When wee foregeate not the gifte of our Saueoure is not Christe offered vnto vs euery daye Of the very remanentes of our thoughtes that is to say of our very memorie Christe is so daily offered vnto vs as though he renewed vs euery daie And the more liuely to expresse this mater S. Hierome saith Tibi Conuiuium Christus est Cogitatio Christus est Gaudium Christus est Desiderium Christus est Lectio Christus est quies Christus est Christe is thy banket Christe is thy thought Christe is thy ioie Christe is thy desire Christe is thy readinge Christe is thy reate Likewise S. Ambrose In animis vestris quotidiè pro Redemptione Corporis Christus offertur In your mindes Christe is daily offered for the Redemption of the Body And to passe ouer others for that it pleaseth M. Hardinge to make himselfe sutche mirthe with Imaginations Euthymius a Gréeke Authour writing pourposely of this mater saith thus Non oportet simpliciter ea intueri sed aliud quiddam imaginari interioribus oculis ea perspicere tanouam Mysteria Wee maie not sooke barely vpon these thinges that is vpon the Breade and Wine but muste thereof imagine somme other mater and behold the same with our in vvarde Spiritual eies as it is meete to beholde Mysteries And leaste M. Hardinge shoulde saie This Imagination is vaine and fantastical as is the greatteste parte of his Religion S. Augustine saith Magis sunt illa quae intelligimus quà m ista quae cernimus The thinges that wee vnderstande or imagine by Faithe are more certaine then the thinges that wee see vvith our eies Neither maie you thinke M. Hardinge that these thinges beinge graunted the Ministration of the Holy Supper woulde be superfluous For these twoo Kindes of Eatinge muste euermore necessarily be ioined togeather And who so euer commeth to the Holy Table auaunceth not his Minde vnto Heauen there to feede vpon Christes Body at the Right hande of God he knoweth not the meaninge of these Mysteries but is voide of vnderstandinge as the Horse or the Mule and receiueth onely the bare Sacramentes to his Condemnation Therefore the Mystical Supper of Christe notwithstandinge this Doctrine is not superfluous But your Transubstantiation your Real Presence and a greate parte of this your idle talke is moste vaine and moste superfluous But ye saie Howe can Breade and VVine bringe vs to the hope of Resurrection or of Euerlasting Life and why maie not a man in like manner demaunde of you Haw can a fewe Droppes of colde VVater bringe vs to the hope of Resurrection If VVater maie doo it why maie not Breade and VVine likewise doo it Touchinge the VVater S. Basile saith Baptismus est Potentia Dei ad Resurrectionem Baptisme is the Povver of God to Resurrection Againe he saith Resurrectionis Gratiam in Die Resurrectionis recipiamus Vpon the Daie of Resurrection let vs receiue Baptisme whiche is the Grace of Resurrection S. Hierome saith Non solùm propter Remissionem Peccatorum Baptizamur sed etiam propter Resurrectionem Carnis nostrae Wee are Baptized not onely for Remission of Sinnes but also for the Resurrection of our Fleashe And therefore the Greekes calle Baptisme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is the VVeede of immortalitie Here M. Hardinge it were somme pointe of skil to shewe vs howe so greate Power maie be in so litle VVater Howe be it it is not the VVater in déede that woorketh the force of Resurrection but the Bloude of Christe that is Signified by the VVater And therefore S. Ambrose saithe Baptismus Resurrectionis Pignus Imago est Baptisme is the Pleadge and Image of Resurrection Likewise Ignarius Credentes in Mortem eius per Baptisma Participes Resurrectionis eius efficimur Beleeuinge in the Death of Christe by Baptisme wee are made Partakers of
that they wil construe ought to the beste nor yet so honeste of nature or courteous that thei wil looke backe vpon them selues weigh our liues by theire owne Yf so be wee liste to searche this matter from the bottome we know that in the very Apostles times there were Christians through whom the name of the Lorde was blasphemed and euil spoken of emonge the Gentiles Constantius the Emperoure bewaileth as it is written in Sozomenus that many waxed woorse after they had fallen to the Religion of Christe And Cyprian in a lamentable oration setteth out the corrupt manners of his time The vvholsome Discipline saithe he vvhiche the Apostles leafte vnto vs hath idlenesse and longe reste novv vtterly marred euery one studied to encrease his liuely hode And cleane forgeatinge either vvhat they had donne before vvhiles thei vvere vnder the Apostles or vvhat thei ought continually to doo hauinge receiued the Faithe thei earnestly laboured to make greate theire ovvne vvealth vvith an vnsatiable desire of coueâ—ousnesse There is no deuoute Religion saith hee in Priestes no sounde Faithe in Ministers no charitie shevved in good vvoorkes no fourme of Godlinesse in theire conditions menne are becoÌ„me effeminate and vveemens bevvtie is countrefeited And without recitinge of many moe writers Gregorie NaziaÌ„zene speaketh thus of the pitieful state of his owne time VVee saith he are in hatred emonge the Heathen for our ovvne vices sake vve are also becomme novve a vvoonder not onely to Angels and menne but euen to al the vngodly In this case was the Churche of God when the Gospel firste beganne to shine and when the furie of Tyrannes was not as yet cooled nor the swerde taken of from the Christians neckes Surely it is no new thinge that menne bee but menne although thei bee called by the name of Christians M. Hardinge Loe a greeuous and a heauy case that the worlde calleth you wicked and vngodly menne Twis they be to blame for it And so be they that cal them theeues whiche come to be promoted to Tiborne â—â—r God knoweth litle haue you deserued so to be called c. The B. of Sarisburie Al this with the reste is onely Hicke Scorners eloquence not woorthy of answeare Here endeth the Thirde Parte The Fourth Parte The Apologie Cap. 1. Diuision 1. BVT wil these men I praie you thinke nothing at al of them selues whiles they accuse vs so maliciously And hauinge leasure to beholde so farre of to see what is donne bothe in Germanie and in Englande haue they either foregotten or can they not see what is donne at Rome Or wil thei accuse vs theire owne life beinge sutch as no man is hable to make mention thereof but with shame Our pourpose here is not to take in hande at this presente to bringe to lighte and open to the worlde those thinges which were meete rather to be hidde and buried with the woorkers of them It beseemeth neither our Religion nor our modestie nor our shamefastenesse But yet he whiche geeueth commaundemente that he shoulde be called the Vicare of Christe and the Heade of the Churche who also heareth that sutche thinges be donne in Rome who seeth them who suffereth them for wee wil goe no further maie easily consider with him selfe what manner of thinges they be Let him in Goddes Name cal to minde and let him remembre that they be of his owne Canonistes whiche haue taught the people that Fornication bitweene single folke is no sinne as though they had fette that Doctrine from Mitio in Terence whose wordes be It is no sinne beleeue me for a yonge man to haunte harlottes Let him remembre they be of his owne whiche haue decreed that a Prieste oughte not to be put out of his cure for Fornication Let him remembre also how Cardinal Campegius Albertus Pighius and others many moe of his owne haue taughte that the Prieste whiche keepeth a Concubine dooth liue more holily and chastely then he whiche hath a wife in Matrimonie I truste he hathe not yet forgotten that there be many thousandes of common harlottes in Rome and that he him self dooth geather yeerely of the same harlottes aboute thirtie thousande Ducates by the waie of an annual pension Neither can he foregeate that he him selfe dooth mainteine openly brothel houses and by a moste filthy lucre dooth filthily and lewdly serue his owne luste Were al thinges then pure and holy in Rome when Iohane a VVoman rather of perfite age then of perfite life was Pope there and bare her selfe as the Heade of the Churche And after that for twoo whole yeres in that holy See she had plaide the naughty packe at laste going in Procession aboute the Cittie in the sight of al her Cardinals and Bishoppes fel in trauaile openly in the stretes M. Hardinge Firste who seeth not what a notorius lye they make in the preface and entrie to the matter Saie they not they take not vpon them at this time to bringe to light and to the shewe of the world those doinges whiche ought rather togeather with the Auctours of them to be buried And that so to doo theire Religion theire shamefastnes theire blusshinge dooth not beare it VVhat is a lie if this be not Doo they not in deede that they denie in woorde Yea saie they not that thinge whiche they affirme they saie not The B. of Sarisburie I doubte not good Reader but perusinge these fewe folowinge thou shalte plainely sée that the Authours of this Apologie spake not al that they might wel haue spoken But if thou happen to reade Dante 's Petrarcha Boccase Mantuan Valla and others like thou wilte certainely saie that euen now beinge thus chalenged and called foorth and required to speake yet wée haue rather geeuen an inklinge hereof then opened the particulare secretes of the mater For thereof S. Bernarde saithe thus Quae in occulto fiunt ab Episcopis turpe est vel dicere It is shame to vtter the thinges that Bishoppes doo in theire secretes And therefore he saithe further euen as did the writer of the Apologie Melius itaque arbitror super hoc dissimulate Touchinge sutche matters I thinke it better to dissemble Franciscus Petrarcha calleth Rome the VVhoore of Babylon the Mother of al Idolatrie and Fornication and saithe that al shame and reuerence is quite departed thence Baptista Mantuanus saithe Viuere qui Sanctè cupitis discedite Roma Omnia cùm liceant non licet esse bonum Al ye that woulde liue godly be packinge from Rome For there al thinges els are lawful but to be good it is not lawful And againe as it is alleaged once before Sanctus ager scurris venerabilis Ara Cynaedis Seruit honorandae Diuûm Ganymedibus Aedes Hereby M. Hardinge ye maie easily sée that wée of pourpose dissembled and couered your shame and spake mutche lesse and far otherwise of you then wée might haue spoken Erasmus writing of S. Augustines dealinge againste the Manichees saith thus
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 y◠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 y◠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 proclamatiōs 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
Caput ex quo totum Corpus coagmentatur connectitur Christe is the Heade of whom the whole Body of the Churche is framed faste and ioined togeather Therefore S. Chrysostome saithe Ex hoc capite Corpus habet vt sit vt bene sir Quid relicto Capite Membris adhaeres Of this Heade that is Christe the Body hathe bothe to be and also wel to be What cleauest thou to the Members and leauest the Heade This is the Vnitie of the Churche that the whole Flocke maie heare the voice of that One Shepehearde and folowe him And that one Shepehearde is Christe the Sonne of God and not the Pope Therefore S. Augustine saithe Per hanc Potestatem quam solùm sibi Christus retinuit stat Vnitas Ecclesiae de qua dictum est Vna est Columba mea By this Power whiche Christe he saithe not hath geuen ouer the Pope but hath reserued onely to him selfe standeth the Vnitie of the Churche of whiche Vnitie it is saide My Dooue is One. Ye saie there appeareth in your Bookes sufficient abundance of Scriptures touchinge any controuersie of this age and that accordinge to the very sense and meaninge of the same togeather with the consente and Iudgemente of the Holy Fathers But as for vs ye saie wée builde onely vpon the bare woordes and make a meaninge of oure owne In déede it is no greate Maisterie for you to arme your selfe with somme shew of Scriptures The Diuel was not altogeather voide of sutche furniture when he came to tempte Christe S. Cyril saithe Omnes Haeretici de Scriptura diuinitùs inspirata sui colligunt erroris occasiones Al Herotiques out of the Heauenly inspired Scriptures geather occasion of their erroure Athanasius saithe Haeretici Scriptutarum Verbis pro esca vtuntur Heretiques vse the woordes of the Scriptures for a baite Tertullian saithe Fidem ex his impugnat ex quibus constat An Heretique assausteth the Faithe by the same woordes of God that breede the Faithe But for as mutche as ye saie yee beare sutche awe and reuerence vnto the VVoorde of God and in the interpretation thereof folowe onely the sense of the Holy Ghoste and the Iudgemente of the Doctours and Fathers of the Churche for somme trial of your truthe herein let vs sée how discretely and reuerently ye haue vsed the same In your late Councel holden at Laterane in Rome one Simon Begnius the Bishop of Modrusia saith thus vnto Pope Leo Ecce venit Leo de Tribu Iuda Radix Dauid c. Te Leo Beatissime Saluatorem expectauimus c. Beholde the Lion is comme of the Tribe of Iuda the Roote of Deuind c. O moste Blessed Leo wee haue looked for thee to be oure Saueour In your late Chapter at Tridente Cornelius the Bishop of Bitonto saide thus Papa Lux venit in Mundum dilexerunt homines tenebras magis quà m Lucem Omnis qui mà lè agit odit lucem non venit ad Lucem The Pope beinge the Lighte is comme into the VVorlde and menne haue loued the Darkenesse more then the Light Euery man that doothe euil hateth the Pope that is the Lighte and commeth not to the Lighte Pope Adrian saith Papa non iudicabitur à quoquam Quia Scriptum est Non est Discipulus supra Magistrum No man shal Iudge the Pope for it is written the Scholar is not aboue his Maister The Pope suffered the Embassadours of Sicilia to lie prostrate on the grounde and thus to crie vnto him as if it had benne vnto Christe Qui tollis Peccata Mundi miserere nostri Qui tollis Peccata mundi dona nobis Pacem O thou Holy Father that takest awaie the Sinnes of the Worlde haue mercie vpon vs thou that takest awaie the Sinnes of the Worlde geue vs Peace Pope Sixtus saithe Who so accuseth the Pope can neuer be forgeuen And his reason is this Quia qui peccat in Spiritum Sanctum non remittetur ei neque in hac vita neque in futura He that sinneth againste the Holy Ghoste shal neuer be foregeuen neither in this VVorlde nor in the VVorlde to comme And by these woordes of the Scriptures so wel applied he concludeth that noman maie accuse the Pope And to leaue a heape of other examples for they are infinite you your selfe M. Hardinge haue often vsed the Scriptures in like sorte Thus ye saie The Sonne of Man came not to destroie the Soules of menne but to saue Ergo The substance of Breade in the Sacramente is not annihilate or consumed to nothinge And this yee saie was the Sense and meaninge of the Holy Ghoste this is the Iudgemente of al the Doctours and Holy Fathers Sutche religious awe and reuerence ye beare towardes the VVoorde of God Yet saithe your Doctoure Hosius The Scripture as it is alleged by vs is the VVoorde of the Diuel but as it is alleged and handled by you so onely it is the VVoorde of God If yee had not vtterly wypte al shame from your faces yée woulde neither make sutche mockeries of Goddes Holy Woorde nor so lewdely abuse the people of God The Apologie Cap. 19. 20. Diuision 1. Woteth not the Bishop of Rome that these thinges are spoken by his owne Minions or vnderstandeth he not he hathe sutche ChaÌ„pions to fighte for him Let him herken then how Holily hoâ— Godly one Hosius writeth of this matter a Bishop in Polonia as he testifieth of him selfe a man doubtlesse wel spoken and not vnlearned and a very sharpe and a stoâ—â—te mainteinour of that side Thou wilt marueile I suppose how any good man could either conceiue so wickedly or write so despitefully of those woordes whiche he knew proceeded from Goddes mouthe and specially in sutche sorte as hée woulde not haue it seeme his owne priuate opinion alone but the common opinion of al that bande He dissembleth I graunte you in deede and hideth what hee is and setteth foorthe the matter so as though it were not he and his side but the zvvenkfeldian Heretiques that so did speake VVee saithe he vvil bidde avvaie vvith the same Scriptures vvhereof vve see brought not onely diuerse but also contrarie interpretations and vve vvil heare God speake rather then vvee vvil resorte to the naked Elementes or bare vvoordes of the Scriptures and appointe oure Saluation to reaste in them It behoueth not a man to be experte in the Lavve and Scripture but to bee taught of God It is but loste laboure that a manne bestovveth in the Scriptures For the Scripture is a Creature and a certaine bare Letter This is Hosius saieinge vttered altogeather with the same Sprite the same minde wherewith in times paste the Heretiques Montanus and Marcion were moued whoe as it is written of them vsed to saie when with contempte thei reiected the Holy Scriptures that them selues knewe many moe and better thinges then either Christe or the Apostles euer
we keapte it and vnderstode it before ye were borne and before youre heresie was hearde of But a Deuil comminge from hel for who is authour of diuision but Satan hath caried you awaie into an other Gospel whereas in deede there is but one true Gospel And here let any indifferent man consider howe vprightly you alleage S. Paule You write that Paule warneth you not to geue eare to an Angel comming from heauen if he goe about to drawe you from any parte of this Doctrine Of whiche this Doctrine meane you Of this whiche you haue declared in this Apologie Did S. Paule euer reade youre A pologie Howe then pronounced he of it that sentence VVee meane saie you by this Doctrine the Doctrine of the Gospel If you meane so wee saie the same But wee tel you that S. Paule spake not of euery Gospel generally but of a certaine Gospel qualified For he saieth Si quis vobis euangelizauerit praerer id quod accepistis anathema sit If any man preache a Gospel vnto you besides that ye haue receiued be he accursed Heare you the Gospel S. Paule speaketh of It is not euery Gospel It is a Gospel preached and receiued If ye preache that Gospel whiche ye receiued we ioine handes with you But if ye preach a Gospel whiche ye haue receiued of no Apostle nor Apostoiique preacher and whiche was not hearde of in the earth when Luther ranne out of his Cloister and forsooke his Religion then be ye assured that ye are the menne who are holden for accursed of S. Paule The B. of Sarisburie Here M. Hardinge ye woulde faine scape awaie with a Childishe Cauil Paul ye saie speaketh of a Gospel qualified whereby ye meane a Gospel deliuered and receiued As if ye woulde saie The Gospel of Christe onlesse it be deliuered by you is no Gospel But S. Paule meante not the Doctrine deliuered from hande to hande or from Pope to Pope But the Doctrine deliuered and receiued in the Scriptures And in this sense he saithe of him selfe Quod accept à Domino Hoc tradidi vobis The thinge that I haue receiued of the Lorde the same haue I deliuered vnto you In like sorte he calleth him selfe an Apostle not of menne nor by menne but by Iesus Christe Howe be it what neede many wordes The case is cleare S. Augustine saithe plainely Paulus ait Si Angelus de Coelo vobis annuntiauerit praeterquam quod in Scripturis legalibus Euangelicis accepistis Anathema sit If an Angel from Heauen preache vnto you any other thinge then ye haue receiued not by Tradition or by deliuerie from youre Elders but in the Scriptures of the Lavve and of the Gospel accursed be he These wordes be plaine M. Hardinge and quite disgrace al your Gloses Hereto Chrysostome addeth further Non dixit Paulus Si contraria annuntiauerint aut totum Euangelium subuerterint verùm Si vel paulùm Euangelizauerint praeter Euangelium quod accepistis etiamsi quiduis labefactauerint Anathema sint S. Paule saithe not If they teache the contrarie or if they ouerthrowe the whole Gospel But he saithe if they preache any little smal thinge besides the Gospel that ye haue receiued or if they loose or shake downe any thinge whatsoeuer it bee accursed bee they These woordes M. Hardinge touche you very neare Ye haue altered the whole fourme of the Churche of God Therefore repente youre selues leste ye remaine stil within the daunger of the Curse S. Augustine saithe Sancta Scriptura nostae Doctrinae Regulam figit Ne audeamus plus sapere quà m oporteat sapere The Holy Scripture hath laide a rule vnto oure Doctrine that we dare not to vnderstand more then is meete for vs to vnderstand The Apologie Cap. 22. Diuision 3. For where these menne bid the Holy Scriptures away as doumbe and frutelesse procure vs to comme to God him selfe rather who speaketh in the Churche in theire Councelles that is to saie to beleue their fansies and opinions this waie of finding out the Truthe is very vncertaine and exceeding dangerous and in manner a fantastical madde waie by no meanes allowed of the Holy Fathers M. Hardinge VVhere they saie we passe but litle on the Scriptures as dumbe and vnprofitable therein they slaunder vs as in other thinges VVe do not so But we saie that as euery act of Parlament must be executed by a lawful Iudge so the holy Scriptures haue their execution by lauful Iudges who are the bishoppes and fathers and wel in other places as specially when they be laufully assembled in general councelles Now saie these men that way is very vncertaine dangerous in maner mad and not allowed of the fathers VVho euer heard men thought to haue their right wittes talke after so loose a sorte Did the fathers disproue the order of comming together in general councelles Or thought they the same to be a way for men to be the soner deceiued If so many maie be deceiued with moste diligent studie and mature iudgement conferring together howe mutche soner may one or two alone leadde by priuate phansie and self wil be caried away into errour At the Nicene councel came together 318 bishops At the first of Cōstantinople 150. at the Ephesme coūcel 200. At that of Chalcedō 630 Al these foure councelles sundry ancient fathers namely S. Gregorie estemed as the foure Gospels Yea but saith he I haue the word of God But what if 300. farre holier and better learned men saie he hath it not Let the reader be iudge saith he A meete iudge in suche a cause The Scholers maie reade but iudge of their maisters they maie not by Christes doctrine who said Non est discipulus supra magistrum the scholer is not aboue his maister VVhy not for al that saie you if the Holy Ghost inspire him Sir is it not to be thought God doth assist his Churche represented in sutche solemne assemblies of three hundred or moe fathers gouernours of Christen people rather then one man The B. of Sarisburie Whether ye cal the Scriptures of God a Dumbe thing or no I reporte me to that is saide before One of you calleth it Mortuum Atramentum Dead Inke An other saith Scriptura est res inanimis muta The Scripture is a dead and a dumbe thinge An other calleth the Scriptures Nigrum Euangelium The blacke Gospel Nowe if the Scriptures be Dead and Doumbe and can not speake then must it needes folowe they are vnprofitable Neither doo we despise the Authoritie of Councelles Good Councelles be graue and reuerende But thus we saie Councelles are often against Councelles And if wee make rekening of number the Arian Heretiques haue had moe Councelles then the Christians S. Hierome saithe Spiritus Sancti Doctrina est quae Canonicis literis prodita est Contra quam si quid statuant Concilia nefas duco That is the Doctrine of the Holy Goste
that is set abroade in the Canonical Scriptures Againste whiche Doctrine if Councelles determine any thing I thinke it vvicked S. Chrysostome saithe further in more earneste sorte Plus aliquid dicam Ne Paulo quidem obedire oportet si quid dixerit proprium si quid humanum I wil saie more Wee ought not to beleeue no not Paule him selfe if he speake any thinge of his owne or if he speake onely as a man And to encrease the vncertaintie hereof the whole weighte and iudgemente of Councelles hangeth nowe euermore vpon the Pope as it maie appeare by these woordes of the Conclusion of the late Chapter at Trident Saluasemper in omnibus Sedis Apostolicae Authoritate The Authoritie of the Apostolique See in al thinges euermore reserued But Platyna saithe as it is alleged before Acta priorum Pontificum sequentes Pontifices semper aut infringunt aut omnino ' tollunt The Popes that folowe doo euermore either breake or wholy abrogate the Decrees of the Popes that were before Whether the Scripture bee wel alleged or otherwise thereof ye saie the people maie not Iudge For Christe saithe The Scholar is not aboue his Maister Certainely M. Hardinge the simplest of al the people notwithstandinge by youre restrainte he maie not iudge of the Scriptures yet he maie easily iudge of you either that ye vnderstande not or that ye vnaduisedly abuse the Scriptures Whether it be the Woorde of God or no the people ye saie maie not Judge And that ye proue euen by the Scriptures God knoweth ful handsomely and ful discretely applied For the Scholar ye saie is not aboue his Maister Thus we maie learne by the Logique of Louaine that Populus is Latine for a Scholar that Scripture is Latine for a Maister And thus by youre vaine premisses without sense ye proceede vainely and conclude nothinge O M. Hardinge haue some regarde to that ye write The simpleste maie soone espie your dooinges Ye can no longer thus mocke the worlde with shewes of woordes Christe spake not these woordes of the vnderstandinge of the Scriptures but of persequution for the Scriptures For thus the woordes lie togeather When they shal persecute you in one Cittie flee into an other c. The Scholar is not aboue his Maister Nor the Seruant aboue his Lorde If they haue called the Maister of the house Beelzebub howe mutche more wil they so cal his housholde seruauntes Alas where learned you to frame sutche Argumentes The Apostles beeing the Scholars can nomore escape persecutioÌ„ then could Christe that vvas the Maister Ergo The people cannot vnderstande vvhat they reade in the Scriptures Here is neither Antecedente nor Consequente nor Sequele in Reason For the honour of yâ— Vniuersitie haue better regarde vnto your Logique Ye bewraie the weakenesse of youre cause when yee so sclenderly abuse the Scriptures The Apologie Cap. 22. Diuision 4. Chrysostome saithe There be many oftentimes vvhiche boaste them selues of the Holy Ghoste but truely vvho so speake of their ovvn head do falsely boast that thei haue the sprite of God For like as saith he Christe denied he spake of him selfe vvhen he spake out of the Lavve and Prophetes euen so novve if any tiauerint aut totum Euangelium subuerterint verùm Si vel paulùm Euangelizauerint praeter Euangelium quod accepistis etiamsi quiduis labefactauerint Anathema sint S. Paule saithe not If they teache the contrarie or if they ouerthrowe the whole Gospel But he saithe if they preache any little smal thinge besides the Gospel that ye haue receiued or if they loose or shake downe any thinge whatsoeuer it bee accursed bee they These woordes M. Hardinge touche you very neare Ye haue altered the whole fourme of the Churche of God Therefore repente youre selues leste ye remaine stil within the aunger of the Curse S. Augustine saithe Sancta Scriptura nostae Doctrinae Regulam figit Ne audeamus plus sapere quà m oporâ—eat sapere The Holy Scripture hath laide a rule vnto oure Doctrine that we dare not to vnderstand more then is meete for vs to vnderstand The Apologie Cap. 22. Diuision 3. For where these menne bid the Holy Scriptures away as doumbeand frutelesse procure vs to comme to God him selfe rather who speaketh in the Churche in theire Councelles that is to saie to beleue their fansies and opinions this waie of finding out the Truthe is very vncertaine and exceeding dangerous and in manner a fantastical madde waie by no meanes allowed of the Holy Fathers M. Hardinge VVhere they saie we passe but litle on the Scriptures as dumbe and vnprofitable therein they slaunder vs as in other thinges VVe do not so But we saie that as euery act of Parlament must be executed by a lawful Iudge so the holy Scriptures haue their execution by lauful Iudges who are the bishoppes and fathers as wel in other places as specially when they be laufully assembled in general councelles Now saie these men that way is very vncertaine dangerous in maner mad and not allowed of the fathers VVho euer heard men thought to haue their right wittes talke after so loose a sorte Did the fathers disproue the order of comming together in general councelles Or thought they the same to be a way for men to be the soner deceiued If so many maie be deceiued with moste diligent studie and mature iudgement conferring together howe mutche soner may one or two alone â—eadde by priuate phansie and self wil be caried away into errour At the Nicene councel came together 318 bishops At the first of CoÌ„stantinople 150. at the Ephesine couÌ„cel 200. At that of ChalcedoÌ„ 630 Al these foure councelles sundry ancient fathers namely S. Gregorie estemed as the foure Gospels Yea but saith he I haue the word of God But what if 300. farre holier and better learned men saie he hath it not Let the reader be iudge saith be A meete iudge in suche a cause The Scholers maie reade but iudge of their maisters they maie not by Christes doctrine who said Non est discipulus supra magistrum the scholer is not aboue his maister VVhy not for al that saie you if the Holy Ghost inspire him Sir is it not to be thought God doth assist his Churche represented in sutche solemne assemblies of three hundred or moe fathers gouernours of Christen people rather then one man The B. of Sarisburie Whether ye cal the Scriptures of God a Dumbe thing or no I reporte me to that is saide before One of you calleth it Mortuum Atramentum Dead Inke An other saith Scriptura est res inanimis muta The Scripture is a dead and a dumbe thinge An other calleth the Scriptures Nigrum Euangelium The blacke Gospel Nowe if the Scriptures be Dead and Doumbe and can not speake then must it needes folowe they are vnprofitable Neither doo we despise the Authoritie of Councelles Good Councelles be graue and reuerende But thus
our belefe no we preached and receiued in the Catholike Church ‡ neither shoulde be altered ‡ nor coulde be bettered ‡ For it is the same he taught him selfe And that we doubt not of it accordinge to his promise he hath sente the holy Ghoste to enforme the Churche of al truthe Remember you not who saide I am God and am not changed againe that the worde of God remaineth for euer This beinge true it is euident that we haue the sound and weighty wheate whiche no persecution of tyraunces and blasies of heretikes no contagion of euil manners for these fiften hundred yeeres could either blowe from the floore of our Lordes berne the Churche or corrupt VVe haue accordinge to the Apostles counsel kepte that hath ben committed vnto vs. VVe haue enioyed the fountaine of the water of life Ye charge vs soare that we haue plucked awaie from the people the holy communion the worde of God the true worshippinge of God the right vse of Sacramentes and praier VVho so euer taketh these fiue awaie wherein chiefly standeth our saluation the same is Antichrist VVere not that ye haue already done so mutche for vs as the worlde maie take you for impudente liers we would not quietly beare so greauous a matter But nowe that ye haue tried your selues so false of your worde we litle esteme it your railinge is no slaunder Lastly concerninge praier what hath ben ordeined by our holy forefathers of al ages directed with the sprite of God for the maintenance and encrease of it to Gods honoure al that in fewe yeres by the instincte of Sathan to promote his Kingedome ye haue vtterly abolished and by wicked violence brought the people from deuotion to a carelesse idlenesse from speaking to God with hartes and lippes to ‡ a spiritual dummesse from praiers ‡ to chapters from holy thinkinge to ‡ vnprofitable harkeninge Ye can not abyde salte water oyle palme the crosse incense c. no maruel No more can not the deuil who possesseth you and rideth you and after his owne wil driueth you from truthe from Christen Religion and from al Godlines VVere it so that your sprite coulde a waie with those thinges then were it not agreeing with his sprite Vntil ye geue place to the spirit of God who maie driue out of you the spiritie of Sathan we looke to heare no better tidinges of you The B. of Sarisburie Ye were sommewhat angrie M. Hardinge when ye thus besturred your selfe It pitieth me in your behalfe Christe and his Apostles yée saie neuer ruled the Churche in better order then it is nowe ruled by the Pope and his Cardinalles Euen so might they haue saide that had turned the House of God into a Caue of Theeues One of your frendes saith Apostolorū temporibus rudis adhuc erat Ecclesia In the time of the Apostles the Churche as yet was rude and Barbarous and out of order And being afterward reproued for his blasphemous speache he answeared lewdly in his pleasance Rudis indigestaqueue moles Others of you saie Christus in Coelo praesidet Papa in Terris residet Christe ruleth in Heauen the Pope in Earthe An other saithe Omnes Sanctiones Sedis Apostolicae sic accipiendae sunt tanquam ipsius Diuina voce Petri firmatae Al the Lawes of the Apostolique see of Rome muste so be taken as if they were confirmed by the Diuine voice of Peter him selfe An other saith Sicut ostium regitur Cardine ita Ecclesia Romana regitur Consilio Cardinalium As the doore is ruled by the hooke so is the Churche of Rome ruled by the Counsel of Cardinalles Therefore the Pope him selfe saithe thus vnto them Vos eritis Senatores vrbis Regum similes veri Mundi Cardines super quos militantis ostium Ecclesiae voluendum regendum est Ye shal be the Senatours of my Cittie and like vnto Kinges the very bookes and staies of the worlde vpon whom the very doore of y◠Churche Militante muste be turned and ruled Sutche are they whom S. Hierome imagineth thus to saie Non est Vir in domo Non est Christus Corporaliter in Ecclesia Surgens enim à mortuis Ascendit in Coelum nobisque Ministerium gubernandae Ecclesiae suam videlicet Domum reliquit My Husbande is not at home That is to saie Christe is not nowe Corporally in the Churche For beinge risen from the deade he is Ascended into Heauen and hath leafte vnto vs the gouernmente of his Churche that is the whole orderinge of his House True it is as you saie God is one and is not Changed And his Woorde endureth for euer But the Change is in you and not in God Goddes Woorde is the Woorde of Life your Woorde is the Woorde of Vanitie God the Father hath not planted it Therefore it shal be plucked vp by the rootes God saithe by the Prophete Malachie The lippes of the Prieste shal keepe knowledge and the people shal require the Lawe at his mouthe For he is the Angel of the Lorde of Hostes Vos autem recessistis de Via c. But you are gonne backe from the VVaie you haue offended many a one in the Lavve you haue broken the Couenante of Leui saith the Lord of Hostes And therefore haue I made you to be despised Yee haue changed the moste parte of the Apostles Doctrine And of al that euer they ordeined yée haue in a manner leafte nothinge standinge S. Bernarde saithe of your owne Churche of Rome A planta pedis vsque ad verticem Capitis non est sanitas vlla From the sole of the foote vnto the Crowne of the heade there is not one whole place And yet ye beare vs strongely in hande that Christe and his Apostles neuer ruled the Churche in better order then it is nowe ruled by the Pope and his Cardinalles Al the reste of your emptie talke is answeared sufficiently before Yet one pange of your Eloquence I maie not in any wise leaue vntouched Thus ye saie By the instincte of Satan ye haue brought the people from deuotion to carelesse idlenesse from speakinge to God with hartes and lippes to a spiritual doumbenesse from Praiers to Chapters from Holy thinking to vnprofitable hearkeninge If I were not wel acquainted with your speache M. Hardinge I could not thinke ye would so vnaduisedly bestowe your woordes I doubte not but euen hereby it shal soone appeare whether of vs hath wilfully broken the Apostles Orders refused the Godly Examples of the Holy Primitiue Churche of God Yee telle vs that the Readinge of the Scriptures vnto the people in the Churche of God is a Spiritual doumbenesse and a thinge vnprofitable as onely diuised of our selues and that as you saie by the instincte of Sathan and neuer before either knowen or vsed by any Catholique Learned Father Yet the Aunciente Father Origen saithe Iudaicarum Historiarum Libri traditi sunt ab Apostolis Legendi in
of the Romaine Churche is the infallible Rule of Faithe from the vvhiche the Holy Scripture taketh her force And Indulgences and Pardonnes saithe he are not made knovven to vs by the Authoritie of the Scriptures but they are knovven to vs by the Authoritie of the Romaine Churche and of the Bishoppes of Rome vvhich is greater then the Scriptures Pigghius also letteth not to saie that without the licence of the Romaine Church we ought not to beleue the very Plaine Scriptures Mutch like as if any of those that cannot speake pure and cleane Latine and yet can babble out quickely and readily a litle somme sutche Lawe Latine as serueth the Courte woulde needes holde that al others ought also to speake after the same waie that Mammetrectus and Catholicon spake many yeeres agoe and whiche themselues doo yet vse in pleadinge in Courte for so maie it be vnderstoode sufficiently what is said mennes desires maie be satisfied that it is a fondenesse nowe in the later ende to trouble the worlde with a newe kinde of speakinge and to cal againe the olde finenesse and eloquence that Cicero and Caesar vsed in theire daies in the Latine tongue So mutche are these menne beholden to the folie darkenesse of the former times Many thinges as one writeth are had in estimation oftentimes bicause thei haue benne once dedicate to the Temples of the Heathen Goddes Euen so wee see at this daie many thinges allowed highly sette by of these menne not bicause they iudge them so mutche woorthe but onely bicause they haue benne receiued into a custome and after a sorte dedicate to the Temple of God M. Hardinge Ye haue neuer donne with the Churche of Rome I cannot blame you For so long as that standeth without ye repente and tourne ye shal neuer be taken but for sutche as ye be Schismatikes and Heretikes But alas poore soules what thinke ye to ouerthrowe that Churche builded vpon the rocke Peter againste whiche hitherto neither tyrauntes nor Heretikes farre passinge you in lerninge and honestie of common life coulde euer preuaile Trowe ye to extinguishe that faithe of the Romaine Churche whiche is the same that was the faithe of Peter for which Christe praied that it should neuer faile Ye laboure in vaine VVel may Sathan winne you the Churche whiche our Lorde praied for by you shal he neuer winne Geue ouer therefore your vaine and wicked attemptes Trust not in the patches that falsely ye allege out of Canonistes gloses scholemen riminge poetes Heretikes and who so euer be they neuer so bad Some ignorant persons maye ye deceiue whose sinnes deserue the same VVhat Syluester Prierlât saieth I minde not here to discusse Neither where he saithe that you alleage haue you thought good to tel vs lest by perusinge the place we shoulde take you in a lie as we haue almoste in al your other allegations The like sinceritie you use in alleaginge Pighius VVe binde our selues neither to the wordes of Syluester nor of Pighius If they erre what is that to vs Let them beare theire owne burthen If they tel truth we beleue them for truthes sake If otherwise we leaue that parte for you to carpe If Syluester Prierias saide that for pointes of belefe the Doctrine of the Romaine Churche is a squire to trie theire truthe by the same beinge wel vnderstanded is right true Likewise if Pighius saie that the Romaine Churche sheweth vnto vs which be the approued and vndoubted scriptures and whiche be not this is so true as your selfe I suppose wil yelde thereunto As for that the scripture receiued from the Churche of Rome Authoritie credite and force if in your meaninge you exclude God that is your lie not Syluesters sentence If relation be made to vs that we ought not geue credite vnto it onlesse it had ben shewed to be holy scripture by the Romaine Church whiche is the true Churche of Christe in this sense be it Syluester or who els so euer saithe it it is a true saieinge and agreable to S. Augustine Ego Euangelio non crederem nisi me Catholicae Ecclesiae commueret Authoritas I woulde not beleue the Gospel except the Auctoritie of the Catholike Churche moued me And for that you alleage out of him touchinge indulgences truthe it is the ful and whole knowledge of them is not plainely opened vnto vs by expresse and euident wordes of Scripture no more then the mysterie of the blessed Trinitie baptizinge of infantes and many other truthes but rather by the doctrine of the Romaine Churche VVhere you tel vs of Pighius that he letteth not to saie that without the licence of the Romishe Churche for in that word you please your selfe wel we ought not to beleue the very plaine scriptures we wil proclaime you a lyer vntil you shewe vs where he spake so farre beside reason and lerninge The holy Churche doth not wil vs to staie from belefe of the scriptures vntil we haue licence but by al waies and meanes inuiteth and stirreth vs to beleue the truthe in the scriptures vttered The B. of Sarisburie The greatest weight hereof vpon twoo of your Doctoures Syluester Prieriâs and Albertus Pigghius Whoe 's credite notwithstandinge yée woulde faine otherwise saue vpright yet here as it séemeth ye are contente for shame to géeue them ouer VVe binde our selues yée saie neither to the woordes of Syluester nor of Pigghius If they erre what is that to vs This shorte and blunte answeare notwithstandinge it séeme to like wel you yet perhaps Prieriâs and Pigghius it woulde not like I sée no greate cause to the contrarie but either of them might as wel renounce your Authoritie and saie of you Wée are not bounde neither to M. Hardinges woordes nor to his felowes For that yée doubte the Truthe of our allegations reade Syluester Prieriâs Maister of the Popes Palace in his Booke entituled Contra praesumptuosas Martini Lutheri Conclusiones de potestate Papae His wordes there emongest others be these Quicūque nō innititur Doctrinae Romanae Ecclesiae ac Romani pōlificis tanquam Regulae Dei infallibili à qua etiam sacra Scriptura robur trahit Authoritatem Haereticus est Who so euer leaneth not to the Doctrine of the Romaine Churche and of the Bishop of Rome as vnto the infallible Rule of God of vvhiche Doctrine the Holy Scripture taketh force and Authoritie he is an Heretique Againe he saithe Authoritas Romanae Ecclesiae Romanique pontificis maior est c. The Authoritie of the Romaine Churche and of the Bishop of Rome is greater then the Authoritie of Goddes woorde As for that is here alleged of Pigghius it is the very sounde and sense of the greatest parte of his Common place De Ecclesia Of whoe 's iudgemente herein M. Caluine writeth thus Pighius ait Nullius Scripturae Authoritate quantum libet Clarae nostro quidem
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 coÌ„moueret 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 infarâ—ed 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
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 exâ—uimus 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 Câ—urche 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 cadaÌ„t 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 coÌ„parison 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 mâ—ters vnlearnedly Erasmus saithe Portenta quae nunc passim legimus in Commentarijs Recention Interpretum tam impudentia insulsa sunt vt videaÌ„tur 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 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est Cohabitantes Sacculos Likewise againe he saithe Phrygium
Papae quà m iudicium Generalis concilij aut Totius Orbis terrarum The Iudgemente of the Pope is more certaine then is the Iudgement of a General Councel or els of al the whole worlde An other saithe Papa virtualiter est Tota Ecclesia The Pope by Power is the whole Vniuersal Churche An other saith Potestas solius Papae excedit Potestatem residuae Ecclesiae The Popes onely Power excedeth the Power of al the Churche biside An other saithe Papa non potest subijcere se Concilio Generali The Pope cannot submitte him selfe to a General Councel Vpon these woorthy Fundatiōs yée haue built vp the Popes Infinite and Vniuersal Povver And therefore yée saie Sir Defender woulde seeme to graunte you of free gifte that he muste needes graunt perforce whether he wil or no. Al this not withstandinge M. Hardinge others of your more indifferente Doctoures would haue tolde you an other tale S. Bernarde saithe Quae maior superbia esse potest quà m vt Vnus homo toti Congregationi iudicium suum praeferat tanquà m Solus habeat Spiritum Sanctum What greatter pride can there be then that One man should esteeme his owne iudgemente more then the iudgemente of al the Churche as if he onely had the Sprite of God Whereunto picus Mirandula addeth these woordes Imò Simplici potiùs Rustico Infanti Aniculae magis quà m Pontifici Maximo mille Episcopis credendū est si isti contra Euangelium illi pro Euangelio faciant Naie wee ought to beleue a Simple plaine Husbandeman or a Childe or an Olde Wooman rather then the Pope and a thousand Bishoppes if the Pope and the Bishoppes speake againste the Gospel and the others speake with the Gospel The Bishoppes in the Councel of Ferraria saie thus Quacunque facultate Romana Ecclesia praedita sit Vniuersali tamen Ecclesiae quam Generalis Synodus prae se fert inferior est With what so euer power the Churche of Rome be endewed yet is it inferioure to the Vniuersal Churche that is represented by the General Councel The Bishoppes in the Councel of Basile saie thus Etsi Papa sit Caput Ministeriale Ecclesiae non tamē est maior tota Ecclesia Alioqui errante Pōtifice quod saepè contingit contingere potest tota erraret Ecclesia Although the Pope be the Ministerial heade of the Churche yet is he not greater then al the Churche Otherwise when so euer the Pope erreth whiche thing happeneth oftentimes and maie wel happen the whole Churche shoulde likewise erre Againe they saie Nonnulli os suum ponenies in Coelum Potestatem Romani Pontificis supra Potestatem Sacrorum Generalium Conciliorum contra Iuris Diuini Humani Veritatem à Sanctis Patribus aliâs declaratam exaltare nituntur Many menne settinge theire face againste the Heauen goe aboute to exalte the power of the Bishop of Rome aboue the Power of Holy General Councelles contrarie to the Truthe of the Law both of God and man declared vnto vs by the Holy Fathers Againe they saie Ecclesia Romana non est Vniuersa sed est de Vniuersirate Corporis Mystici id est Ecclesiae Et sic est Membrum dicti Corporis Mystici vt pater per Beatum Gregorium Igitur ex quo est Membrū dicti Corporis non est nec esse potest Caput illius Cùm differentia sit inter Caput Membra The Churche of Rome is not Vniuersal but a parte of the Vniuersal Mystical Body of Christe whiche is the Churche and so is it a Member of Christes saide Body Mystical as it appeareth by S. Gregorie Therefore for as mutche as it is a Member of the saide Body it is not neither can it be the Heade of the same Body For there is a difference bitweene the Heade and the Body Likewise againe they saie Allegant Papam impunè posse tollere Constitutionem Concilij Generalis contra prohibitionem ipsius Concilij Generalis supponentes Papā else Pastorem Vniuersalis Ecclesiae Sed ipsorum suppositum est falsum cōsequenter ipsorum assertio super eo fundata est falsa Thei saie The Pope maie safely abolishe the Decree of a General Councel notwithstandinge the same General Councel haue decreed the contrarie supposinge that the Pope is the Bishop of the Vniuersal Churche But theire supposal is false and so consequentely false is theire Doctrine that they haue builte thereupon Therefore M. Hardinge this parte of your Booke emonge the reste woulde more aduisedly haue benne considered D. Cole him selfe notwithstanding otherwise wel enclined vnto your faction yet in this pointe is wel content to géeue you ouer Thus he saithe of him selfe I holde herein rather with Gerson that the Councel is aboue the Pope The Pope yée saie in one respecte as he is a Man in his owne singulare persone maie happen to erre But in an other respecte as he is Heade Pastoure and Chiefe Bishop and is placed in Peters Chaire he cannot erre And thus as the Heathens in olde times imagined theire Centaurus to be halfe a Man and halfe a Horse or theire Ianus to haue twoo faces the one behinde and the other before euen so haue you imagined twoo Popes in one body the one goeinge backewarde the other forewarde the one bearinge Light the other Darkenesse the one deceiued the other not deceiued the One speakinge Truthe the other Falsehedde and yet both these Popes incorporate togeather in one Persone Geue vs leaue therefore M. Hardinge to saie nowe as the whole Vniuersitie of Parise said not longe sithence vnto Pope Leo A Domino nostro Papa iam non bene consulto appellamus Wee appeale from our Lorde the Pope beinge as nowe not wel aduised Certainely S. Hierome saith Non est facile stare in loco Pauli tenere gradum Petri iam cum Christo regnantium ne fortè veniat Angelus qui scindat Velum Templi tui qui Candelabrum tuum de loco moueat It is no easy mater to stande in Peter or Paules place nowe reigninge with Christe leste the Angel comme and rente a sunder he vele of thy Temple and remoue they Candesticke from his place The place of S. Hierome to Euagrius is answeared before The Apologie Cap. 5. Diuision 2. How then if the Pope haue sene none of these thinges and haue neuer read either the Scriptures or the Olde Fathers or yet his owne Councelles Howe if he fauoure the Arians as once Pope Liberius did Or haue a wicked and a detestable opinion of the life to comme and of the immortalitie of the Soule as Pope Iohn had but fewe yeeres sithence Or to encrease his owne Dignitie doo nowe corrupte other councelles as Pope Zosimus corrupted the councel holden at Nice in times paste and doo saie that those thinges were diuised and appointed by the Holy Fathers whiche neuer once came into their thought and to haue the ful
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 Deusâ—ue 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 â—undations 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 amoÌ„gest 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 restoâ—red 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
A Defence of the Apologie of the Churche of Englande Conteininge an Answeare to a certaine Booke lately set foorthe by M. Hardinge and Entituled A Confutation of c. By Iohn Iewel Bishop of Sarisburie 3. ESDRAE 4. Magna est Veritas praeualet Greate is the Truthe and preuaileth ET INVENTA EST PERIIT Jmprinted at London in Fleetestreate at the signe of the Elephante by Henry VVykes Anno 1567. 27. Octobris Cum Gratia Priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis TO THE MOSTE VERTVOVS and Noble Princesse Queene Elizabeth by the Grace of God Queene of Englande France and Irelande Defender of the Faithe c. IT had benne greatly to be wished moste Gracious Soueraine Lady that as God of his mercie hath geeuen vs euer sithence the first time of your Maiesties moste happy gouernmente sutche successe in al ciuile affaires sutche concorde and quietnesse in al Estates as our Fathers seldome haue seene before so our hartes with like felicitie mighte thorowly haue consented in the profession of one vndoubted Truthe and al our willes whiche now are so violently rente a sunder and so farre distracted mighte fully haue ioined togeather in the VVil of God that al quarrelles and contentions set aparte wee might with one mouthe and one minde glorifie God the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christe How be it it appeareth by the continual storie and whole discourse of the Holy Scriptures that Almighty God of his deepe Iudgements and secrete Prouidence suffreth some menne oftetimes to delite in darkenesse to withstande the Gospel to seeke occasions and wilfully to sette them selues againste the knowledge and Truthe of God I write not this Moste Gracious Lady to thintente to make them odious in your Maiesties sighte that this daie are the procurers of al these troubles God is hable euen of the harde vnsensible stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham and to make them the vessels of his Mercie Neuerthelesse as S. Paule teacheth vs sutche menne there haue benne in times paste that haue had their Consciences burnte with hote irons speakinge and maineteininge Lies in Hypocrisie that haue geeuen them selues ouer into reprobate and wilful mindes and haue despised the VVisedome of God within them selues And notwithstandinge sutche battailes and dissensions specially in the Churche of God whiche is called the House of Vnitie be offensiue and greeuous vnto the Godly and therefore woorke greate hinderance vnto the dewe passage of the Gospel of Christe yet in the ende the trouble hereof in Goddes Electe is recompensed abundantely with greate aduantage For Goddes Truthe is mighty and shal preuaile Dagon shal falle downe headlonge before the Arke the Darkenesse shal flee before the Lighte and the more fiercely mannes wisedome shal withstande the more glorious shal God be in his Victorie But shortely to discourse vnto your Maiestie the particulare occasions hereof from the beginninge after it had pleased Almighty God at the firste entire of your Maiesties Reigne by a moste happy exchange and by the meanes of your Maiesties moste Godly trauailes to restoare vnto vs the Lighte and comforte of his Gospel there was written and published by vs a Litle Booke in the Latine tongue entitled An Apologie of the Churche of Englande conteininge the whole Substance of the Catholique Faithe no we professed and freely preached throughoute al your Maiesties Dominions that thereby al foreine Nations might vnderstande the considerations and causes of your Maiesties dooinges in that behalfe Thus in olde times did Quadratus Melito Iustinus Martyr Tertullian and other Godly and Learned Fathers vpon like occasions as wel to make knowen the Truthe of God and to open the groundes of their Profession as also to put the Infidels to silence and to stoppe the mouthes of the wicked This Apologie beinge thus written firste in Latine and afterwarde vpon the comfortable reporte of your Maiesties moste Godly enterprises translated into sundrie other tongues and so made common to the moste parte of al Europe as it hath benne wel allowed of and liked of the Learned and Godly as it is plaine by their open testimonies touchinge the same so hath it not hitherto for ought that maie appeare benne anywhere openly reproued either in Latine or otherwise either by any one mannes Priuate writinge or by the Publique Authoritie of any Nation Onely one M. Hardinge not longe sithence your Maiesties subiecte nowe mislikinge the presente state and resiante in Louaine hath of late taken vpon him againste the saide Apologie with the whole Doctrine and al the partes of the same to publishe an open Confutation and to offer the same vnto your Maiestie wherin he sheweth him selfe so vehemente and so sharpe and busie in findinge faultes that he doubteth not to seeke quarrelles againste vs euen in that wee maineteine the Baptisme of Christian Infantes the proceeding and Godhedde of the Holy Ghoste the Faithe of the Holy and Glorious Trinitie and the General and Catholique Profession of the common Creede Thus for that he hath once seuered him selfe from vs he beareth nowe the worlde in hande wee can beleeue nothinge without an erroure The maigne grounde of his whole plea is this That the Bishop of Rome what so euer it shal like him to Determine in Iudgemente can neuer erre that he is alwaies vndoubtedly possessed of Goddes Holy Sprite that at his onely hande wee muste learne to knowe the VVil of God that in his onely Holinesse standeth the Vnitie and safetie of the Churche that who so euer is diuided from him muste by iudged an Heretique and that without the obedience of him there is no hope of Saluation And yet as though it were not sufficiente for him so vainely to soothe a man in open Erroures he telleth vs also sadly and in good earnest that the same Bishop is not onely a Bishop but also a Kinge that vnto him belongeth the Authoritie and righte of bothe Swerdes as wel Temporal as Spiritual that al Kinges and Emperours receiue their whole power at his hande and ought to sweare obedience and Fealtie vnto him For these be his woordes euen in this Booke so boldely dedicate vnto your Maiestie It is a greate eie soare saithe M. Hardinge to the Ministers of Antichriste to see the Vicare of Christe aboue Lordes and Kinges of this vvorlde and to see Princes and Emperours promise and svveare obedience vnto him And whereas Pope Zacharie by the consente or conspiracie of the Nobles of France deposed Chilperichus the true natural and liege Prince of that Realme and placed Pipinus in his roume Loe saithe M. Hardinge yee must needes confesse that this vvas a Diuine povver in the Pope for othervvise he coulde neuer haue donne it Thus mutche he esteemeth the dishonoures and ouerthrowes of Goddes Anointed VVhereas also Pope Boniface the Eighth for that he coulde not haue the Treasurie of France at his commaundement endeuoured with al his bothe Ecclesiastical and VVorldly puissance to remoue
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 â—erra 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 sâ—eculi 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 Aëâ—ians 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 tyraÌ„nical 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
Habitu victu instructu sensu ipso denique sermone Proauis renuÌ„tiastis Laudatis semper Antiquitatem nouè de die viuitis Per quod ostenditur dum à bonis Maiorum institutis deceditis ea vos retinere custodire quae non debuistis cùm quae debuistis non custoditis Where is your Religion where is the reuerence dewe to your forefathers You haue forsaken them in your apparel in your diet in your order in your meaning and in your speeche Ye change your life daily yet ye praise Antiquitie Whereby it appeareth while ye seaue the good orders of your Elders that yee keepe the thinges yee should not keepe seeinge ye keepe not the thinges ye should keepe The Apologie Cap. 2. Diuision 10. And that this mater should not seeme to be donne but vpon priuie sclaunder and to be tossed to and fro in a corner onely to spite vs there haue benne besides wilily procured by the Bishop of Rome certaine persons of eloquence yenough and not vnlearned neither whiche should put theire healpe to this cause nowe almost despaired of and shoulde polishe and set foorthe the same bothe in bookes and withe longe tales to the ende that when the mater was trimly and eloquently handled ignorant and vnskilful persons might suspecte there was somme greate thinge in it In deede they perceiued that theire owne cause did euery where goe to wracke that their steightes were now espied and lesse esteemed and that theire healpes did dayly faile them and that theire mater stoode altogeather in greate neede of a cunninge spokesman M. Hardinge VVee cannot despaire of this cause onlesse wee would forsake our Faithe as ye haue For beleuinge Christe whiche our faithe leadeth vs vnto wee cannot mistruste the continuance of this cause Heauen and Earthe shal passe but my woordes shal not passe saithe Truthe it selfe And his woordes tel vs that he wil be with his Churche al daies to the worlds ende And that he hath besought his Father to geue to it the Sprite of Truthe to remaine with it for euer Then be wee moste assured of this cause VVee tel you therefore it standeth and shal stande by Christes presence and by the Holy Ghostes assistance to the ende Your cause yet standeth not but wauereth and tottereth as that whiche S. Paule termeth a puffe of doctrine and doubtlesse shortely fall it shall as all Heresies haue fallen The authours and professours of them be dead and rotten in Helfire with weepinge and grintinge of teeth The like iudgement lookeye and your folowers to haue if ye repent not and reuoke your Heresies by time The B. of Sarisburie Wee cannot despaire saithe M. Hardinge of the continuance of our cause For Heauen and Earthe shal passe but Christes VVoorde shal not passe He wil be with vs al daies to the worlds ende c. These Woordes M. Hardinge be true and certaine and therefore our hope is the firmer Christe hath promised that the Sprite of Truthe shal remaine for euer but not in the Pope and his Cardinalles For thereof he made no promise Nay rather the Prophete Esai saithe The Sprite of God shal rest vpon the poore and méeke harted that trembleth at the Woorde of the Lorde The Churche of God shal stande stil yea though Rome were possessed with Antichriste It is true that Christe saithe Euery plante whiche my Heauenly Father hath not planted shal be rooted vp Vpon whiche woordes S. Hilarie saithe Significat Traditionem hominum cruendam esse cuius fauore transgressi sunt Praecepta Legis He meaneth that the Tradition of man for whiche Traditions sake they haue broken the Lawe of God shal be taken vp by the rootes Heauen and Earthe shal passe and your fantastes and diuises M. Hardinge shal passe the Lorde hath spoken it But the Woorde of God and his Churche shal endure for euer But M. Hardinges Almanake saithe Our Doctrine shal fal and that very shortly Herein I professe I haue no skil Goddes wil be donne It is his cause what so euer shal happen his name be blessed for euer In like sorte the Heathens in olde times as S. Augustine saithe vaunted them selues against the Faithe of Christe Ad certum tempus sunt Christiani postea peribunt redibunt Idola redibit quod erat anteà Verùm tu cùm expectas miser Infidelis vt transtant Christiani transis ipse sine Christianis These Christians are but for a while â—al they shal and that shortly Then shal our Idols come againe and it shal be as it was before But O thou miserable Infidel while thou lookest that the Christians should passe thou possest awaie thee selfe without the Christians Againe be saithe Ecce veniet tempus vt finiantur non sint Christiani Sicut coeperunt ad aliquo tempore ita vsque ad certum tempus erunt Sed cùm ista dicunt sine fine moriuntur permanet Ecclesia praedicans brachium Domini omni generationi venturae They saie behold the daie wil come when al these Christians shal haue an ende As they had a time to beginne so shal they haue a time to continewe But while they make these crakes they them selues die without ende But the Churche contineweth stil praisinge the almighty arme of God to euery generation that is to come But ye saie The Authours and Professours of our Doctrine be damned in Hel fiere and crie Peccaui This is a very terrible kinde of talke But it is a rashe parte for you M. Harding so suddainely to skip into Goddes Chaire and there to pronounce your Sentence Definitiue like a Iudge But God wil iudge of your iudgemente S. Augustine saithe Alia est sella terrena aliud Tribunal Coelorum Ab inferiori Sententia accipitur à superiori Corona The earthly Chaier is one thinge the Iudgemente seate in Heauen is an other From the one wee receiue Sentence from the other we receiue a Crowne O M. Hardinge God graunte you maie once crie Peccaui lest the time come that ye shal crie out as it is written in the Booke of Wisedome These are they whom wee sometime had in derision and in a parable of reproche VVee fooles thoughte theire life madnesse and theire ende without honoure But nowe are they coumpted emonge the Children of God and theire portion is emonge the Sainctes The Apologie Cap. 3. Diuision 2. Nowe as for those thinges whiche by them haue benne laide againste vs in parte they be manifestly false condemned so by theire owne iudgementes which spake them partly againe though they be as false too in deede yet beare they a certaine shewe and coolour of truthe so as the Reader if he take not good heede maie easily be tripped and brought into errour by them specially when theire fine and cunninge tale is added thereunto And parte of them be of sutche sorte as we ought not to shunne them as crimes or faultes but to acknowledge and confesse them as
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 sâ—edfastly 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 grâ—â—te 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 persecuâ—e you then Sara did Agar then Christ the Iewes whom he whipt out of the Temple then â—eter did Sâ—nom 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 Pseâ—docatholici 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 â—de 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 â—ses 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 sâ—eth that sâ—eth 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 〈◊〉 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 â—eioicinge 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
de necessitate salutis Wee declare saye determine and pronounce that it is of the necessitie of Saluation for euery mortal creature to be subiecte vnto the Bishop of Rome And the Glose likewise vpon the same Quicquid saluatur est sub Summo Pontifice What so euer creature is saued is vnder the Highest Bishop Here is no mention neither of Christe nor of his Gospel Saluation Damnation hangeth onely of the B. of Rome This thing once graunted the case is cleare The Pope him selfe hathe resolued the doubte What should wee néede a better trial NotwithstaÌ„ding Cornelius the Bishop of Bitonto in the late Chapter at Tridente of the Bishop and Holy Sée of Rome saithe thus Vtinam à Religione ad Superstitionem à Fide ad Infidelitatem à Christo ad Antichristum à Deo ad Epicurum velut prorsus vnanimes non declinassent dicentes in corde impio ore impudico Non est Deus O would God the Pope and his Cardinales had not fal â—en with common consente and altogeather from true Religion to Superstition from Faithe to Infidelitie from Christe to Antichriste from God to Epicure saieinge with wicked harte and shamelesse mouthe There is no God In like sense of the same Bishoppes and See of Rome S. Bernard saithe Serui Christi seruiunt Antichristo The Seruauntes of Christe serue Antichriste Cornelius saithe the Bishoppes of Rome are fallen to Superstition to Infidelitie to Antichriste to Epicure are not ashamed to saye There is no God Yet saithe M. Hardinge the Faithe of Rome is the Catholique Faithe who so departethe from the same be he Kinge or Emperour he shal be companion with the Diuel in Helle fire And thus to saye is no méere madnesse That the Princes and frée Citties of Germanie euer persecuted vs it is vtterly vntrue and like the reste of your tales They reioice in God in our behalfe and beinge there they receiued vs vnder theire protection and offered vs sutche fréedome and courtesie as they seldome offered the like to any Nation Certaine of them by your owne Confession haue already agréed to al the pointes of our Doctrine But none of them al no not one would euer suffer the same Doctrine of ours to be condemned What the Grecians this daye thinke of vs I cannot telle Notwithstandinge it appeareth by their letters written purposely to the Churches of Bohemia that they allowe wel of our Doctrine and vtterly condemne yours For thus they writte vnto them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VVherefore louing Brethren and Children if it be so as wee heare and hope make haste that wee maie ioine togeather in Vnitie And againe thus it is recorded in the late Councel of Laterane Graeci in tantum coeperunt abominari Latinos vt si quando Sacerdotes Latini super eorum altaria celebrassent ipsi non vellent priùs in illis sacrificare quà m ea tanquam per hoc inquinata lauissent The Greekes beganne so mutche to abhorre the Latines that if it had happened the Latine Priestes had Ministred vpon theire aultars they would not afterwarde make oblation vpon the same before they had wasshed them as thinkinge theire Aultars defiled by the Latines handeling Wherefore M. Hardinge what so euer the Grecians thinke of vs it appeareth hereby they vtterly refuse your Communion condemne you for Heretiques But who would haue thought M. Hardinge had benne so skilful in proportions The whole countrie of Germanie saithe he beinge diuided in equal portions twoo of fiue remaine stil in yâ— obedience of the See of Rome Wée geue God thankes it is as it is In déede certaine townes subiecte to the Bishoppes in outwarde vsage of theire Churches remaine stil as they were before Yet neuerthelesse where the Churches are Popishe the people of al sortes are Protestantes and loue the Truthe and are mutche ashamed of your folies It was Goddes secrete prouidence that certaine of yours should remaine emongst vs a season as the Cananites remained emongst the people of Israel Otherwise within fewe yeres ye would denie that euer your disorders had benne so greate It is very harde and in manner not possible to conuert the whole people of so greate a countrie al at once The Heares of a mans Bearde or Head neuer waxe white al togeather Christe compareth the Kingdome of God vnto Leauen whiche the woman takethe and laieth in a lumpe of dowgh It worketh and laboureth by 〈◊〉 and litle vntil it haue Leauened al the whole In this sorte Eusebius séemeâ—â— to compare the twoo partes of the Romaine Empire dissentinge in Iudgement of Religion the East parte to the Night and the Weaste to the Daye But Christe wil drawe al vnto him selfe and then shal God be al in al. But here to matche our so many Kinges and so many Princes M. Hardinge hath brought vs a manie of newes out of Ignamban Monopotapa Cambaia Giapan Bisnaga Ormoz and other strange and far Countries There he saithe so many and so many Kinges and Princes are lately Conuerted and brought to the obedience of the See of Rome I marueile he saithe not the Man in the Moone was likewise newly Christened to make vp the Muster Howe be it al these thinges muste néedes be true For Christes owne Felowes or as M. Hardinge vttereth it in better wise the Holy Fathers of the Societie of Iesus haue sente home woorde as wel hereof as also of sundrie Miracles wrought by the same Holy Fathers Verily so the name of Christe be publisshed whether it be by them or by vs by Light or by Darkenes Goddes Holy name be blessed But of many theire Miracles I haue no skil For thus these Holy Fathers write as it is saide before that with Holy Water they haue driuen Mise out of the countrie and made Barren Women to beare Children and sutche other the like marueilous Miracles Neither are wée bounde of necessitie to beleue al sutche Miracles what so euer without exception Alexander of Hales saith In SacrameÌ„to apparet Caro interduÌ„ humana procuratione interduÌ„ operatione Diabolica In the Sacramente it selfe there appeareth Fleash sometime by the conuciance of men sometime by the woorkinge of the Diuel Likewise saithe Nicolaus Lyra Aliquando in Ecclesia fit maxima deceptio Populi in Miraculis fictis à Sacerdotibus vel eis adhaerentibus propter lucrum Sometime euen in the Churche the People is shamefully deceiued with fained Miracles wrought either by the Priestes or els by theire companions for lukers sake Miracles be not euermore vndoubted proofes of True Doctrine Therefore S. Augustine saithe vnto Faustus the Manichee Miracula non facitis quae si faceretis tamen ipsa in vobis caueremus Ye woorke no Miracles and yet if ye wrought any at your handes wee would take heede of them The Prophete Hieremie saithe Seduxerunt Populum meum in mendacijs suis in Miraculis suis They haue deceiued my People by theire Lies and by
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 labiâ—ur 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 â—â—uoureth 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
calleth Periculosum Haeresis Decretum A dangerous Decree of Heresie Nowe touchinge simple errour and wilful defence S. Hilary saithe Illis in eo quod nesciunt potest adhuc in tuto esse salus si credant Tibi verò iam omnia ad salutem clausa sunt qui negas quod iam ignorare no◠potes They for so mutche as they knowe not the Truthe maye haue theire saluation in safetie if afterwarde they beleeue But al hope of health is shut from thee for as mutche as thou deniest that thinge that thou canste not chuse but knowe To conclude vnto you M. Hardinge who oftentimes of smal errours oftentimes of vndoubted knowen Truthes ▪ without regard of Definition haue fansied great horrible Heresies Alphonsus de Castro a Doctour of your owne saith thus Idcirco sit vt hi qui tam leuiter de Haeresi pronunciant non expendentes de qua re loquātur saepe sua ipsorū sagitta feriantur incidantque in eam foueam quam alijs parabant Nam velle humanas Scripturas in Diuinarum ordinem connumerare hoc veriùs ego dixerim Haeresim quod faciunt hi qui humanis Scriptis diffentire impium autumant perinde ac Diuinis There fore it happeneth that they that so rashly pronounce and cal euery thing Heresie not considering wherof they speake be often striken with their own dart and fal into the same pit that them selues haue digged for others For this would I rather cal Heresie to accoumpt men◠writinges emonges the Scriptures of God So doo they that thinke it a wicked mater to dissent from the writinges of man nolesse then if it were the Judgement of God The Apologie Cap. 7. Diuision 3. But this was euer an olde and solemne propertie with them their forefathers if any did complaine of their errours and faultes and desired to haue true Religion restored streight waie to condemne sutche for Heretiques as men new fangled and factious Christe for no other cause was called a Samaritane but onely for that he was thought to haue fallen to a certaine new Religion and to be the authour of a new secte And Paule the Apostle of Christe was called before the Iudges to make answeare to a mater of Heresie and therefore he saide Accordinge to this way whiche they cal Heresie I doo worship the God of my Fathers beleeuinge althinges whiche be written in the Lawe and in the Prophetes M. Hardinge Yf ye meane Hus Hierome of Prague Wickle◠Almaricke Abailard the Apostolikes Peterbrusians Berengarians Waldenses Albingenses Imagebreakers or suche like which euer founde faulte with the Churche in their time and cried for a restoringe of Religion as though it had ben quite lost and would them selues haue the glory of it by bringing in their Heresie in place of the Catholique Doctrine vnder the name of Goddes woorde whiche hath alwaies ben the propertie of al Heretikes if I say ye meane these or any of these we also cal them Heretikes and for such wee condemne them But Sirs ye forget your selues fouly How agreeth this with that ye saie hereafter oftentimes that the Light of the Truthe was quite put out and that Luther and Zuinglius first brough the Gospel abroade into the worlde VVere it true that Christe was called a Samaritane for the cause ye assigne thereof what conclude ye VVe see where about ye go Ye woulde seeme to ioine with Christ with Paule and with the first Christians But truely they refuse your companie But we tel you Christ was the true Samaritane in deede that is to say the Keeper as he that is Keeper of mankinde and therefore he shunned not the name Yet was he not a Samaritane as the Iewes ment Paule likewise who was not as ye say to speake properly called before the Iudges to make ausweare to a mater of Heresie being accused to Felix by Tertullus that he was of the secte or Heresie of the Nazarens so were the Christians first called did not onely not denie but openly confessed that according to that way or state of life which the Iewes called a secte or Heresie he worshipped God For it is to be considered that in those times the name of Heresie was not so infamous as it may be iudged by the place of the Actes cap. 5. onlesse somewhat be added whereby it may be vnderstanded to be taken in rate of a vice as 1. Cor. 11. Galat. 5. So the woorde was then indifferent and might be taken in good part or euil part Tertullian vseth it in good part where speaking of the Christians he calleth them Sectam a Secte into which Latine woord the Greeke woorde Heresis is turned Now these examples of Christ Paule and the first Christians serue not your defence Christ was called of the Iewes a Samaritane vnwoorthely after the sense of their thought Ye are called Heretikes woorthely Paule burdened with the name of Heresie for as muche as thereby was signified the kinde of life of those that beleeued in Christ the woorde being indifferent was honoured rather then reutled And Tertullian calleth the Christian people a Secte as he might without blemishe or note of any euil Your case is not like For ye are charged with Heresie as it is taken in the worst part The B. of Sarisburie O howe many waste woordes hath M. Hardinge to spare Here once againe he comneth in with Hus Hierome of Prage Wicklefe Almarik Abailard Apostolikes Peterbrusians Berengarians Waldenses Albingenses Image-breakers to fraye his simple reader with a terrour of strange names Wée saie Luther and Zuinglius were the first Publishers of the Gospel and yet againe we saie the same Luther and Zuinglius were not the firste Wée haue forgotten our selues fouly Wée write contradiction against our selues Wée would séeme to toine with Christe and Paule but truely they refuse our companie And so foorthe I knowe not what verily M. Hardinge wée neuer saied Luther and Zuinglius were the firste Publishers of the Gospel Yf wée should so saie wée should reporte vntruthe as you doo often Christe and his Apostles were the firste These woorthy and Learned Fathers Luther and Zuinglius and other like Godly and zelous men were appointed of God not to erecte a newe Churche but to reforme the olde whereof you had made a Caue of Théeues to kendle againe the Light that you had quenched and to heare witnesse to the Truthe of GOD. You saie Christ and Paule wil none of our companie as if you were priuie of theire counsel But perhappes M. Hardinge this is Clauis errans and therefore can neither open nor shutte Or as S. Hierome saithe Pars aliqua supercilij Pharisaici some parte of the high lookes of the Phariseis Christe him selfe hath saide Who so loueth me wil keepe my woorde and my Father loueth him And my Father and I wil come to him and dwel with him S. Peter saithe Who so trusteth in him shal not
Supreme aboue al other auctoritie in Earthe touchinge the gouernement of the Churche yet was it neuer saide ne thought by the Catholiques that al Religion depended onely thereon as your sclaunderous reporte beareth menne in hande The B. of Sarisburie Lanfrancus Euimondus Abbas Cluniacensis Thomas Waldensis Iohn Fisher and other your like Doctours M. Hardinge are ouer yonge al within the space of this laste fiue hundred yéeres far vnlike S. Augustine S. Hierome S. Ambrose S. Chrysostome and others the Ancient Learned Fathers Doctours of the Churche Neither is there any sufficient cause to the contrarie but that Berengarius Iohn Wicklefe Iohn Hus Doctour Luther Zwinglius Oecolampadius others either for Learninge or for Truthe or for Iudgement in the Scriptures or for Antiquitie maye wel safely be compared with them At the least I hope wée maye saie of them as S. Augustine once saide of the Doctours Fathers of his time Neque quorumliber Disputationes quamuis Catholicorum laudatorum hominum velut Scripturas Canonicas habere debemus vt nobis non liceat salua honorificentia quae illis debetur aliquid in eorum Scriptis improbare aut respuere si fortè inuenerimus quòd aliter selfserint quà m Veritas habet Neither weigh wee the writinges of al meane be they neuer so woorthy and Catholique as wee weighe the Canonical Scriptures but that sauinge the reuerence that is dewe vnto them we maye wislike and refuse somewhat in their writinges if we happen to finde that they haue thought otherwise then the Truthe maye beare Likewise the Councelles ye meane are very Newe therefore beare the lesse authoritie for that they be so many waies contrary to the Olde Hereof hereafter more at large Certainely there is none of your errours so grosse and palpable but by some of your late Councelles it hath benne confirmed Therefore wee maye iustly saie to you as S. Augustine sometime saide to Mariminus the Arian Heretique Nec ego Nicenam Synodum tibi nec tu mihi Ariminensem debes tanquam praeiudicaturus obijcere Scripturarum Authoritatibus res cum re causa cum causa ratio cuÌ„ ratione conceuer Neither maye I saye to thee the Councel of Nice nor maiste thou laye to mee the Councel of Ariminum either of vs thinkinge thereby to finde preuidice against the other But let vs laye mater to mater cause to cause and reason to reason by the Authoritie of the Scriptures Ye graunte there is more lighte and knowledge nowe then was before The greatter is either your faulte or your folie M. Hardinge that in the broade daye open Lighte so busily set foorthe the woorkes of darkenesse S. Chrysostome saithe Hic est multò impudentior Ex furibus enim leges eos grauiùs puniunt qui interdiu furantur He is very shamelesse that woorketh deceite in the open Lighte For of al Theeues the Lawe moste sharpely punisheth them that robbe in the daye time Therefore S. Cyprian saithe vnto you Ignosci poruit simpliciter erranti Post inspirationem verò reuelationem factam qui in eo quod errauerat perseuerat prudens sciens sine venia ignorantiae peccat Praesumptione enim atque obstinatione superatur He that is deceiued and erieth of simplicitie maye be pordoned But after that the Truthe is once reueled who so continueth neuerthelesse in his former errour witingly and willingly sinneth without pardonne of ignorance as beinge ouercome by presumption and wilfulnesse You saie not withstandinge al this greate Light wée talke of yet our liues are nothinge comparable to the liues of them that haue benne before vs. This M. Hardinge hathe euer benne an olde complainte in al ages as maye appeare by S. Cyprian S. Augustine and other Ancient Fathers It was a common Prouerbe in olde times 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thinges a yéere paste are euermore better then thinges presente For euery thinge to vs séemeth the greatter as it séemeth nearest to touche our senses And bicause wée féele not our Fathers euilles therefore wée imagine they had no euil at al. The wise man saithe Ne dixeris quae causa est quòd priora tempora meliora fuerint quà m praesentia Stulta enim est huiusmodi interrogatio Neuer demaunde wherefore the times paste were better then the times presente For in deede it is a foolishe question But M. Hardinge wherefore doo you thus condemne our liues in respecte of our Fathers Certainely you must néedes confesse there are fewer blasphemies fewer Othes fewer breaches of Matrimonie fewer Stewes fewer Concubines fewer Fraies fewer Murthers emongst vs this daie then commonly were at any time emonge our Fathers How be it to let our Fathers passe if it shal please you to laye our liues to your liues although we acknowledge many our imperfections yet Goddes name be blessed wee haue no cause to flee the comparison The Popes woordes you saie were neuer taken for Gospel Yes M. Hardinge and somewhat also aboue the Gospel For proufe whereof it maye please you to remember the woordes of certaine your late Doctours Syluester Prieriâs late Maâ—sâ—ter of Pope Leoes Palaice writeth thus Indulgentiae authoritate Scripturae non innotuere nobis sed authoritate Ecclesiae Romanae Romanorumque Pontificum quae maior est Pardonnes are not warrented vnto vs by the authoritie of Goddes Woorde but by the authoritie of the Romaine Churche and of the Bishoppes of Rome whiche is more then Goddes VVoorde Yf this be not sufficient he addeth farther A doctrina Romanae Ecclesiae Romani Pontificis Sacra Scriptura robur authbritatem trahit The Hosy Scripture taketh strength and authoritie of the Doctrine of the Bishop and Churche of Rome Cardinal Cusanus entituleth his Booke De authoritate Ecclesiae Councilij supra contra Scripturam Of the Authoritie of the Churche and Councel aboue and against the Scripture Your greatest Doctour Albertus Pigghius saithe Apostoli quaedam conscripserunt non vt scripta illa praessene Fidei Religioni nostrae sed potius vt subessent The Apostles wrote certaine thinges not to the ende that sutche willinges shoulde he ouer our Faithe and Religion but rather that they shoulde be vnder Your Canonistes saie a Papa potest dispensare coÌ„ira ius Diuinum The Pope maye dispense against the Lawe of God Papa potest dispensare contra Ius Naturae The Pope maye dispense against the Lawe of Nature Papa potest dispensare contra Apostolum The Pope maye dispense against S. Pause the Apostle Papa porest dispensare contra Nouum Testamentum The Pope maye dispense againste the Newe Testamente Papa potest dispensare de omnibus praeceptis veteris Noui Testamenti The Pope maye dispense with al the CommauÌ„dementes bothe of the Olde and also of the Newe Testamente Hereof more hereafter as farther occasion shal be offered These be your owne Doctours woordes M. Hardinge they be truely reported they be
as S. Peter taught by report of S. Clement This sense and vnderstandinge of the Lawe had the Ministers of the Lawe to whome the Traditions of Moses and of the Elders came as it were by handes Nowe wee require you to admitte this Tradition that is to saye the Catholike sense and vnderstandinge of the Scriptures whiche hathe benne deliuered vnto vs by the Holy Fathers of al Ages and of al Countries where the Faithe hath benne receiued And then we wil calle you againe to be tried by the Scriptures This haue the Catholikes layde before you oftentimes and this doo we shewe you in this Confutation He that despiseth you despiseth mee saithe Christe of his Churche Ye despise the Catholike Churche and therefore ye despise Christe What neede so many questions Sirs Your hote Rhetorike sheweth more courage in woorde then Victorie in deede Ye calle vs foorthe to the Scriptures as it were to the fielde Ye strike vs downe with woordes before ye come to encounter To shewe your brauerie in the moâ—stre ye referre your controuersies vnto the Holy Scriptures ye reporte you vnto the woordes sealed by God himselfe but we the Catholikes as ye pretende sticke at it we be afraide of it we doubte of thâ— mater we feare the Iudgement of Holy Scriptures we preferre our owne dreames and colde inuentions VVel nowe that ye haue tolde your lusty tale heare our sober answeare Oftenâ— times the true Scriptures are stretched foorthe to serue euil and false purposes The Iewes went about by the Scriptures to prooue that Christe was not so muche as a Iâ—ophete For they saide Searche the Scriptures and see that a Prophete riseth not out of Galiley By the Scriptures they would needes shewe him woorthy to die We haue a Lawe quod they and by our Lawe he ought to die because he hath made him selfe the Sonne of God The Diuel by alleaginge Scripture would haue deceiued our Sauiour him selfe and saide vnto him Scriptum est It is written The Arians were ful of the Scriptures and by the same as S. Ambrose writeth went about to prooue that Christe the author of al goodnesse was not good It is written quoth they Nemo bonus nisi vnus Deus None is good but onely God Likewise the Macedonians the Nestorians the Eutychians Now in this case your selues dooinge the like what may wee doo better then honour the Scriptures and seeke for their right Sense and Vnderstandinge Scriptum est It is Scripture saith S. Ambrose to the allegation of the Arians I acknowlege but the letter hath not the errour woulde God the Arians interpretation had not Apices sine crimine sunt sensus in crimine The letters be without crime the sense is in crime From the vnderstanding commeth Heresie not from the Scripture the sense not the woorde becommeth to be a crime saith S. Hilary Sithens then al standeth in the sense let vs agree first vpon the sense and interpretation of the Scriptures and then if we be not as ready as ye come foorth when ye liste vpbraide vs hardely and say lustely as here ye doo why sticke they to doo it why are they afraide of it As for the true sense and interpretation of the Scriptures where shal wee finde it but as before wee saide in the Catholike Churche The Churche hauinge Christe remaininge with it al daies to the ende of the worlde hauinge by promise of Christe the Sprite of truethe remaininge in it for euer hauing by Goddes owne ancient promise bothe the woordes whiche the Father hath put in the mouthe of Christe and the Sprite whiche he putte in him whereby it may vnderstand the meaninge of Goddes woordes wee maie not now seeke for the true sense vnderstanding and interpretation of the Scriptures any where but in the Churche Your owne Doctour Iohn Caluine him selfe â–ª whom ye folowe and esteeme so mutche admonisheth very wel and saithe it is specially to be noted that out of the Churche there is no light of the sounde vnderstandinge of the Scriptures This ground beinge laide on whiche eche parte must stande and be tried in crowe no more againste vs boast your selues no more VVe feare not the iudgement of the Holy Scriptures Nay it is your selues that feare this iudgment For your owne conscience telleth you that on this ground ye are the weaker side Yf ye stande with vs on this grounde ye shal neuer be able to defende your Maister Iohn Caluines doctrine touchinge Baptisme whiche hâ—â—â—aketh to be of so litle force against the manifest Scripture Let euery one of you saithe S. Peter be Baptized in the name of Iesus Christe to Remission of Sinnes Keepinge this grounde ye shal be borne from your Doctrine touchinge Absolution denyinge the Prieste to haue power to absolue penitentes by his Priestly Auctoritie but by Preachinge the Gospel to them contrarie to the plaine Scripture VVhose Sinnes ye â—orgeue they are forgeuen to them VVhose ye retaine they are reteined Yf ye refuse not this grounde ye shal be forced to restore the Sacrament of extreme Vnction â–ª and the vse of Holy Oyle againe whiche ye haue abandoned For what haue ye to saye against the Scripture It any sicke amonge you Let him cause the Priestes of the Churche to come in to him anointinge him with Oile in the name of our Lorde Abâ—dinge in this grounde ye shal be driuen to forsake your Zwinglian doctrine whiche putteth Signes and Figures I onely in the Sacrament of the Aultar for the True and Real Body of Christe there 2 presente contrarie to the 3 cleare Scripture This is my Bodie Beinge on this grounde ye shal soone geue ouer the maintenance of the Doctrine of your special Faithe and of your Iustification by Faithe onely as beinge contrary to the plaine Scripture Man is iustified by woorkes and not by Faithe onely To conclude for to shewe in howe many pointes ye maye be confuted by euident Scriptures it were in maner infinite if ye wil admitte this for a good grounde as ye midste needes admitte then shal ye not mainteine the Presumptuous Doctrine of your certaintie of Grace and Saluation contrary to that S. Paule counselleth VVith feare and tremblinge woorke your Saluation The B. of Sarisburie Whereas wée make reasonable requestâ— that God maye be vmpéere in his owne cause and that al our controuersies maye be iudged and tried by the Holy Scriptures M. Hardinge thereto answeareth thus The Scripture standeth not in the Wordes but in the Sense and the same Sense is continued by Tradition in the Churche Otherwise he saithe the Iewes the Arians the Nestorians the Eutychians and al other Heretiques were alwaies hable to claime by the Scriptures To conclude he maketh vp a greate emptie heape of the force of Baptisme of Holy Oile of Extreme Unction of Absolution of Signes of Figures of Onely Faithe and as it liketh him to calle it of the Presumptuous
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 confouÌ„ded 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 thâ—refore 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 reâ—der 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 habâ—to 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 surâ—tie can the weake Scule finde but in the wâ—â—â—des 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 praetexâ—u 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 hâ—c 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 y◠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 y◠our Doctrine is y◠Olde yours is y◠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
Coeterùm omnes Apostolorum Successores sunt Quid mihi profers Vnius Vrbis consuetudinem What doothe a Bishop sauâ—nge 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 Leuâ—nte 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 Draâ—ons 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 coÌ„mune debere Ecclesiam â—egere 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 CoÌ„muni 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 maâ—ste 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
nor Deacons this daie in the Churche of Englande he might the more easily claime the whole right vnto himselfe And in déede if it were certaine that the Religion and Truthe of God passeth euermore orderly by Succession and none otherwise then were Succession whereof he hath tolde vs so longe a tale a very good substantial Argumente of the Truthe But Christe saithe In Cathedra Mosi sedent Scribae Pharisaei By order of Succession the Scribes and Phariseis sitte in Moses Chaire Annas and Caâ—pâ—as touchinge Succession were as wel Bishoppes as Aaron Eleazar Of Succession S. Paule saithe to the Faithful at Ephesus Scio quâ—d post discessum meum intrabunt Lupirapaces Ex Vobis ipsis exurgent viri peruersa loquentes I knowe that after my departure hence Râ—ueninge Woulues shal enter and Succede me And out of your selues there shal by Succession springe vp menne speakinge peruersely Therefore S. Hierome saithe Non Sanctorum filij sunt qui tenent loca Sanctorum They be not alwaies the Children of Holy Menne that by Succession haue the places of Holy Menne Notwithstandinge the Pope him selfe wil saie as it is before alleged In Papa si desint bona acquisita per merirum sufficiunt quae à Loci Praedecessore Praestantur If the Pope wante good thinges gotten by his owne merites the good thinges whiche he hath by Succession of Peter his Predecessour are sufficient And the Glose thereupon Petrus fecit Papas Haeredes bouitatis suae Peter made the Popes Heires of his goodnesse by Succession And againe Papa Sanctitatem recipit à Cathedra The Pope receiueth his Holinesse by Succession of his Chaire Sutche affiance sometime had the Scribes and Phariseis in their Succession Therefore they saide VVee are the Children of Abraham Vnto vs hath God made his promises Arte thou greatter then our Father Abraham As for Christe wee knowe not from whence he came or what he can shewe for his Succession And when Christe beganne to refourme their Abuses and Errours they saide vnto him By what Power dooest thou these thinges And who gaue thee this Authoritie where is thy Succession Vpon whiche woordes Beda saithe Intelligi volunt Diaboli esse quod faciâ— They woulde haue the People vnderstande for that he had no solemne Succession that al that he did was of the Diuel And Cyrillus frameth their woordes in this sorte Tu Ortus ex Iuda commissos nobis fasces vsurpas Thou beinge of the Tribe of Juda and therefore hauinge no right by Succession vnto the Priesthoode takest vpon thee the office that is committed vnto vs. Likewise Chrysostome imagineth the Phariseis thus to saie Tu de Sacerdotali Familia natus non es Senatus tibi hoc non coucessit Caesar non donauit Thou arte not of the house of Priestes The Councel hath not graunted it thee The Emperour hath not geeuen it thee Thus to maineteine them selues in credite for that they had Succession and continuance from Aaron and sate in Moses Chaire they kepte Christe quite out of possession and saide vnto him then euen as M. Hardinge saithe nowe vnto vs Who euer taught vs these thinges before thee What ordinarie Succession and Vocation haste thou What Bishop admitted thee Who confirmed thee Who allowed thee Therefore good Christian Reader lette not these M. Hardinges greate woordes mutche abasshe thee The Scribes and Phariseis in the like cases vsed the like language longe agoe Touchinge the Churche of Rome I wil saie nomore for this presente but onely that was spoken openly by Cornelius the Bishop of Bitonto in the late Councel of Tridente Vtinam non à Religione ad Superstitionem à Fide ad Infidelitatem à Christo ad Antichristum velut prorsus Vnanimes declinassent VVoulde God they were not al gonne by consente togeather from Religion to Superstition from Faithe to Jufidelitie from Christe to Antichriste These fewe woordes consideringe either the speaker or the place where they were spoken maye seeme sufficient They are gonne from Faithe to Infidelitie from Christe to Antichriste And yet al other thinges failinge they muste holde onely by Succession and onely bicause they sitte in Moses Chaire they muste claime the possession of the whole This is the right and vertue of their Succession The woordes of Tertullian M. Hardinge whiche you haue here alleged were spoken of certaine your Ancient Fathers that had raised vp a Newe Religion of them selues as you haue also donne without either Woorde of God or example of the Apostles and Holy Fathers And therefore he saithe not vnto vs but vnto you and sutche as you be Edant Origines Ecclesiarum suarum Lette them shewe foorthe the Originalles of theire Churches Euen so wée saie vnto you shewe vs the Originalles of your Doctrine Shewe vs any one of the Apostles of Christe or of the Learned Catholique Doctours of the Churche that euer saide your Priuate Masse Shewe one at the leaste either Greeke or Latine S. Augustine saithe of so many Bishoppes of Rome there coulde not one be founde that had benne a Donatiste Euen so in like sorte saie wée to you of al the same Bishoppes of Rome there cannot one be founde that euer agreed with M. Hardinge in saieinge Masse Or if there were any sutche shewe vs his name with other Circumstances when and where and who were witnesses of the dooinge Shewe vs your Originalles M. Hardinge Confesse the Truthe Deceiue vs no lenger It is a newe Diuise ye haue it onely of your selues and not by Succession from the Apostles But wherefore telleth vs M. Hardinge this longe tale of Succession Haue these menne their owne Succession in so safe Recorde Who was then the Bishop of Rome nexte by Succession vnto Peter Who was the Seconde Who the Thirde Who the Fourthe Irenaeus reckeneth them togeather in this order Petrus Linus Anacletus Clemens Epiphanius thus Petrus Linus Cletus Clemens Optatus thus Petrus Linus Clemens Anacletus Clemens saithe that he him selfe was nexte vnto Peter And then muste the reckeninge goe thus Petrus Clemens Linus Anacletus Hereby it is cleare that of the foure firste Bishoppes of Rome M. Hardinge cannot certainely telle vs who in order Succeded other And thus talkinge so mutche of Succession they are not wel hable to blase their owne Succession I might farther saie that Peters See Apostolike was ouer the Iewes and not at Rome ouer the Heathene For so S. Paule saithe Mihi concreditum est Euangelium Praepuiij sicut Petro Circumcisionis Qui potens erat Petro in Apostolatu Circumcisionis Potens erat in me inter Gentes The Gospel of the Vncircumcision was committed vnto me as the Gospel of the Circumcision vnto Peter God that was mighty in Peter in the Apostleship of the Circumcision was mighty in me emonge the Heathens Therfore if the Pope this daie wil claime onely by Peters Title and require nomore then Peter had then muste he séeke
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 alâ—tle 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 laâ—gâ—â—â—r profluâ—baâ— subitâ— deficiat noÌ„ne adfonteÌ„ pergitur c. Hoc nuÌ„c facere oporteâ— Dei Sacerdotes Praecepta Diuina
thus S. Hierome writeth of the Power of the Keies and of the vse of Confession Istum locum Episcopi â–ª 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 â—mperour 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
owne Decrées Fortè tunc tempore Ambrosij non erat facta Institutio Confessionis quae modò est Perhaps then in the time of S. Ambrose whiche was foure huÌ„dred yéres after Christe the manner of Confession that now is vsed was not appointed And Gratian saith Antequam Sacerdoti Ora nostra ostendamus id est Peccata nostra Confiteamur à Lepra peccati mundamur Before wee open our mouthe vnto the Prieste that is to saie before vvee make Confession of our Sinnes the Leprosie of our Sinne is made cleane Theodorus saithe Quidam Deo solummodò confiteri debere peccata dicunt vt Graeci Somme saie wee ought to Confesse our Sinnes onely vnto God as doo the Grecians Peter Lombarde the Chiefe Founder of M. Hardinges Diuinitie saithe thus Sanè dici potest quòd sine Confessione Oris solutione Poenae exterioris Peccata delentur per Contritionem humilitatem Cordis Wee maie safely saye that vvithout Confession of the Mouthe and Absolution of the out warde paine Sinnes be foregeeuen by the Contrition and humilitie of the Harte Briefely Gratian hauinge thorowly debated the mater of bothe sides that is to saie bothe for Confession and againste Confession in the ende concludeth thus as it is saide before Cui harum sententiarum potiùs adhaerendum sit Lectoris Iudicio reseruatur Vtráque enim sententia fautores habet Sapientes Religiosos Viros Whether of these saieinges it is beste to folowe it is leafte to the Iudgemente of the Reader For either Saieinge is mainteined and fauoured both by vvise and by Godly Menne And whereas M. Hardinge saithe Confession of al Sinnes is Commaunded by Christe and his Apostles his owne Glose vpon his owne Decrees openly reproueth his erroure and teacheth him the contrarie The woordes be these Meliùs dicitur Confessionem institutam fuisse à quadam Vniuersalis Ecclesiae Traditione potiùs quà m ex Noui vel Veteris Testamenti Authoritate It is better saide that Confession was appointed by somme Tradition of the Vniuersal Churche then by any Authoritie or Commâ—undemente of the Newe or Olde Testamente Nowe good Christian Reader I beseche thee examine alitle the Truthe of M. Hardinges tale Firste he saithe The Recitinge and Rehearsal of al Sinnes before the Prieste is Necessarie to Saluation Chrysostome answeareth Let God Onely heare thy Confession There is one Vntruthe M. Hardinge saithe General Confession is not sufficiente Peter Lombarde answeareth Sine Confessione Oris c. VVithout any Confession made by mouthe our Sinnes maie be foregeeuen There are twoo Vntruthes M. Hardinge saith Confession of al Sinnes is commaunded by Christe and his Apostles His owne Glose saithe It is Onely a Tradition of the Churche commaunded neither in the Olde Testamente nor in the Newe There are thrée Vntruthes M. Hardinge saithe It was commended vnto vs by the * Doctours and Fathers of the * Primitiue Churche Rhenanus saithe Wée reade not that this kinde of Priuie Confession in the Olde times vvas euer Commaunded And his owne Glose saithe In the time of S. Ambrose whiche was foure hundred yéeres after Christe perhaps it was not vsed There are Foure Fiue Vntruthes M. Harding saithe It hathe euer ben allovved by al the Learned Doctours His owne Gratian answeareth him The Contrarie hath benne mainteined and fauoured bothe bi VVise and by Godly Fathers There are sixe Vntruthes To be shorte M. Hardinge saithe It hathe benne Commended vnto vs by the General vse of the vvhole Churche Theodorus answeareth him The vvhole Churche of Grecia vseth it not There are Seuen apparente and greate Vntruthes disclosed by M. Hardinges owne Doctours He coulde not haue comprised so mutche Vntruthe in so narrowe roome without somme studie Erasmus a man of greate Iudgemente saithe thus Apparet tempore Hieronymi nondum Institutam fuisse Secrètam admissorum Confessionem quam posted Ecclesia salubriter instituit si modò rectè vtantur ea Sacerdotes Laici Verùm in hoc labuntur Theologi quidam parùm attenti quòd quae Veteres scribunt de hurusmodi Publica Generali Confessione ea trahunt ad hanc Occultam longè diuersi generis It appeareth that in the time of S. Hierome whiche was foure hundred yéeres after Christe Secrete Confession of Sinnes vvas not yet ordeyned Whiche notwithstandinge was afterwarde wholesomely and profitably appointed by the Churche so that it be wel vsed as wel by the Priestes as by the People But herein certaine Diuines not consideringe aduisedly what they saie are mutche deceiued for what so euer the Auncient Fathers write of General and Open Confession they wreaste and drawe the same to this Priuie and Secrete kinde whiche is far of an other sorte Here M. Hardinge Erasmus telleth you yée are fowly deceiued and sheweth you also the cause of your erroure for that as he saithe ye consider not aduisedly what ye either reade or write but where so euer ye heare this worde Confession ye imagine streight waie It muste needes be your owne Auriculare Confession and can be none other Laste of al ye graunte The expresse Terme of Auriculare or Secrete Confession is seldome mentioned in the Aunciente Fathers Here M Hardinge wanteth somme parte of your simplicitie If ye would haue your Reader to beleeue you ye shoulde haue alleged certaine of the Auncient Fathers One at the leaste if ye coulde haue founde so many that had at any time vsed the expresse terme of Auriculare or Secrete Confession Otherwise it had benne the better and plainer waie to haue Confessed expressely that the same expresse terme is neuer vsed in any one of al the Ancient Fathers Howe be it if Auriculare or Secrete Confession had then benne vsed it coulde neuer so longe haue lackte a name The Apologie Cap. 7. Diuision 3. Wee saie that the Prieste in deede is a Iudge in this case but yet hath no manner of Right to chalenge an Authoritie or Power as saithe Ambrose M. Hardinge VVhereas ye make preachinge of the Gospel to be the Keies howe cal ye the Prieste Iudge in this case Preache ye neuer so mutche the conscience of man beinge so secrete a thinge as it is howe can ye iudge who in wardly and throughly repenteth and who repenteth not And though one repente and be sory and haue remorse of his former life though he looke vnto the light of the Gospel as ye say and beleue in Christe what then howe can ye iudge of sutche a Persone Do ye knowe his harte by lokinge in his face The Prieste dewly vsinge the Keie of knowledge and discretion doth the office of a Iudge and as he seethe cause either Looseth or Bindeth As touchinge the Priestes Authoritie or Power which to chalenge he hath no right for so your Interpreter maketh you to speake and impute it to S. Ambrose we denie that S. Ambrose saieth euen very so â–ª But â–ª as
Hierome saithe Quid prodest Corporis pudicitia animo constuprato VVhen the Minde or Harte is defloured what auaileth the Chastitie of the Body S. Ambrose saithe Non imperari potest Virginitas sed optari Nam quae supra nos sunt in Voto magis sunt quà m in Magisterio Wee maie vvishe for Virginitie but commaunde it wee cannot For the thinges that be aboue vs and out of our power are rather of desire then of Commaundement Hereof Epiphanius maketh this Conclusion Vt ne confundantur apud homines occultè scortantur sub Solitudinis aut continentiae specie libidinem exercent Melius est itaque lapsum à cursu palà m sibi vxorem accipere secundum Leges Leste they should be shamed before menne they keepe Harlottes priuily and vnder the colour of Solitarie or Continent Life they practise theire filthy pleasure Better is it therefore for a man beinge fallen from his course openly to take vnto him selfe a vvife accordinge to the Lavve So saithe S. Hierome as I haue before alleged Huiusmodi Virginibus apertè dicendum est vt aut nubant si se non possunt continere aut contineant si nolunt nubere To sutche virgins wee muste saie plainely that either they Marrie if they cannot Conteine Or els that they Conteine if they wil not Marrie So saithe S. Bernard vnto his Sister Quod incautè vouisti ne impleas Impia est promissio quae scelere adimpletur That thou haste vnaduisedly Vowed see thou keepe it not It is a vvicked promisse that is perfourmed vvith vvickednesse To be shorte Iohannes Scotus saithe Si votum Continentiae est annexum Ordini Sacro solùm ex praecepto Ecclesiae sequitur quòd non simpliciter illegitimat ad contrahendum If the Vowe or promisse of Chastitie be annexed vnto Holy Orders Onely by force of the Constitution or Commaundement of the Churche then dooth it not of necessitie and fine force vnhable a man to contracte Matrimonie How be it hereof wée haue saide already so mutche as to a reasonable man maie seeme sufficient The Apologie Cap. 9. Diuision 1. Wee receiue and embrace al the Canonical Scriptures bothe of the Olde and Newe Testament geuinge thankes to our God who hath raised vp vnto vs that Light whiche wee might euer haue before our eies leaste either by the suttletie of man or by the snares of the Diuel wee should be carried awaie to errours and lies Also that these be the Heauenly Voices whereby God hath opened vnto vs his wil and that onely in them mannes harte can haue settled reste that in them be aboundantly and fully comprehended al thinges what so euer be needeful for our Healthe as Origene Augustine Chrysostome and Cyrillus haue taught That they be the very mighte and strength of God to attaine to Saluation That they be the Fundations of the Prophetes Apostles whereupon is builte the Churche of God That they be the very sure and infallible Rule whereby maie be tried whether the Churche doo swarue or erre and whereunto al Ecclesiastical Doctrine ought to be called to accoumpte and that against these Scriptures neither Lawe nor Ordinaunce nor any custome ought to be hearde no though Paule him selfe or an Angel from Heauen should comme teache the contrarie M. Hardinge But why doo yee not here plainely declare whiche be the Bookes of the Scriptures that ye allowe and whiche be they that ye reiecte In general ye saie that ye embrace al the Canonical Scriptures Yet if a man presse you with the place of the Machabees for Praier to be made for the Deade and with the woordes of S. Iames Epistle againste your Iustification of Faithe onely and likewise with certaine other places of the Scriptures whiche be accompted in the Canon of the Churche againste certaine other your false doctrines in this case your wonte is to denie those Scriptures to be Canonical Yet here ye beare the worlde in hande ye allowe al. VVould God there were in you either more truthe or lesse crafte VVel ye geue thankes to God for the Scriptures for that hauinge them before your eies ye are staied in Truthe assured that by the suttelty of man or snares of the Diuel ye be not caried awaie into Errours and Lies And is it so in deede I praie you syrs of what secte be ye or of whiche secte is eche one of you For I dare boldely saye and so the worlde seethe that yee agree not al in one If yee saie yee be Lutherans then muste I further demaunde of you of whiche sorte of Lutherans For that puddle runneth out by many sinckes Be yee Zuinglians Arians Osiandrines Libertines Adiaphoristes Anabaptistes Caluinistes or Sathanisâ—es VVhat Priuiledge haue ye before your felowes a matche beinge made betwene you I meane that newe Cleregie of Englande and the other sectes of our time c. If yee haue this lighte of the Scriptures before your eies how is it that ye agree not within your selues yea how is it that eche one of you oftentimes disagreeth with him selfe howe is it that so many times ye haue chaunged your Commâ—nion Booke the order of your Seruice your doctrine of the blessed Sacrament your Homilies c. VVho knoweth not how in the matter of the Sacrament your chiefe Capitaines haue shewed them selues inconstant and mutable and contrary to them selues I meane Cranmere Ridley Latimer and that greate Rabbin Peter Martyr him selfe As for the resâ— they be not woorthy to be named But what saie ye be these the Heauenly Voices whereby God hath opened vnto vs his wil Then howe dare yee to transgresse his wil declared in these Voices where ye reade expressely that he whiche heareth not the Churche is to be taken for no better then a Heathen and a Publicane As yee procede ye saye that onely in the Scriptures mans harte can haue setled reste and that in them be abundaÌ„tly and fully comprehended al thinges what so euer be needeful for our Saluation as Origen Augustine Chrysostome and Cyrillus haue taught Either you knowe not what you saie sir Defender nor the thinges of whiche you make affirmation as S. Paule saile of suche as ye are writinge to Timothe or you are fowly ouerseene If the harte of man haue setled rest in the Scriptures onely as you saye then in nothinge els but in the Scriptures By this you seeme to trouble and disqutet many hartes For if this be true then had good Abel no better reste in his harte then wicked restlesse Cain VVhen the Holy Booke of Scripture was loste whiche God restored by Esdras were there none in al that time whose hartes had setled reste VVhat foolishe and absurde doctrine is this VVhat if it had pleased God there had neuer benne letter written of the Olde or Newe Testament shoulde not Gods frendes haue founde his peace that passeth al sense as S. Paule saieth Had Paule Antony Hilarion
Petiliani speakinge of the place of the Psalme Sicut vnguentum in capite whiche the Heretike had alleaged saithe thus In hoc vnguento c. In this oinctement his will is to interpret the Sacramente of Chrisme he meaneth the Sacramente of Confirmation whiche in the kinde of visible signes is Holy as Baptisme is Lo S. Augustine calleth cofirmation a Sacramente S. Eusebius Pope namethe it a Sacramente in his third epistle written to al the Bisâ—hoppes of Tuscia and Campania Manus impositionis Sacramentum c. The Sacramente of imposition of Handes saithe he is to be kepte with greate reuerence whiche cannot be performed but by the high Priestes he vnderstandeth Bishoppes Melchiades nexte to Syluester before the Nicene Councel speakinge muche of Confirmation amonge other thinges saithe thus Duo haec Sacramenta Baptismi confirmationis separanda non sunt These twoo Sacramentes of Baptisme and Confirmation maye not be sundered Though these twoo Bishoppes were Popes yet they deserue credit forasmuche as they liued before that corruption crept into the Churche after your accoumpte and died Holy Martyrs That Penaunce is a Sacramente and so accoumpted amonge the Fathers it is so euident that who doubteth of it maie seeme not to haue perused their writinges S. Augustine in enchiridio ad Laurentium speakinge of Baptisme and Penaunce calleth bothe Salutaria Sacramenta healthful Sacramentes S. Ambrose signifieth him selfe to be of the same minde in his firste Booke de Poentientia Cap. 6. 7. and in the second Booke Cap. 2. though without puttinge thexpresse name of Sacramente But in the third Chapter of that Booke he putteth the name of Sacramente expressely Touchinge Order that is a Sacramente also by verdite of S. Augustine whom ye alleage for you Let vs heare what he saithe In his seconde Booke contra epist Parmentani Cap. 13. these be his wordes where he speaketh of Baptisme and of the Power to Baptize whiche is geuen in the Sacramente of Order Vtrunque euim Sacramentum est quadam consecratione vtiunque homini datur illud cum Baptizatur istud cum ordinatur Ideo in Catholica non licet vtrunque iterari Either of them is a Sacramente and with a certaine Consecration either is geuen to man the one when he is Baptized the other when he taketh Orders Therefore in the Catholike Churche it is not lawful either of them to be taken twise For the Sacramente of wedlocke besides other good and sufficient proufes that it is a Sacramente wee haue sundrie testimonies out of S. Augustine and other Doctours In the Churche saithe S. Augustine not onely the bande of mariage but also the Sacramente is so commended that it is not lauful for the husbande to deliuer his VVife to another He calleth wedlocke a Sacramente in many places of his workes De bono coniugali Cap. 7. 18. and in the. 24. Chapter of that Booke hee saithe Haec omnia bona sunt propter quae nuptiae bonae sunt Proles Fides SacramentuÌ„ All these thinges be good for whiche mariage is good issue Faithe the Sacramente Of extreme Vnction who doubteth whether it be a Sacramente let him reade the Epistle of Innocentrus the Firste ad Decentium Eugubinum Episcopum Cap. 8. where moste planely treatinge of it he nameth it a Sacramente Chrysostome interpreteth the place of S. Iames epistle for this Sacramente And so dothe Bede alleaging the place of S. Iames the sixth of Marke the Auctoritie of Innocentius and the custome of the Churche Seinge then we haue founde the seuen sacramentes expressely mentioned in the Fathers accordinge to the teaching of the Catholique Churche whereas ye teache men to beleeue there be but two and pretend that the Fathers spake of nomo I truste from henceforthe they wil take better aduise how they beleue your bare VVoorde without al prouse and with certaine danger of their soules forsake the Doctrine of the Churche whiche is the sure Pillour and ground of truthe as S. Paule saithe In this greate pointe Beza and ye of that side bee manifestly founde lyers The B. of Sarisburie To spende woordes without cause is affliction of the Sprite and losse of time M. Hardinge here bestoweth mutche laboure and allegeth many Doctours to winne that thinge that he might easily haue obteined without any sutche adoo For gentle Reader lefte that thou be deceiued and thinke there is somme weight in this heape of feathers wee wil graunt without force and freely that the Holy Catholique Fathers haue made mention not onely of Seuen as M. Hardinge here accoumpteth them but also of Seuenteene sundrie Sacramentes Tertullian calleth the Helue wherewith Elizaeus recouered the Axe out of the water Sacramentum Ligni the Sacramente of VVoode And the whole state of the Christian Faithe he calleth Religionis Christianae Sacramentum The Sacramente of Christian Religion S. Augustine in many places hathe Sacramentum Crucis The Sacrament of the Crosse Thus he saithe In hac Crucis Figura continetur Sacramentum In this Figure or Fourme of the Crosse there is conteined a Sacrament So saith Leo Crux Christi quae saluandis est impensa Fidelibus Sacramentum est exemplum The Crosse of Christe whiche was geuen to saue the Faitheful is bothe a Sacramente and also a Samplar S. Hierome saithe E latere Christi Baptismi atque Martyrij pariter Sacramente funduntur Out of Christes side the Sacramentes of Baptisme and Martyrdome are powred foorthe bothe togeather Leo calleth the promisse of Virginitie Sacramentum Quid eos manebit qui corruperine foedera Diuini Sacramenti VVhat shal becomme of them that haue broken the Couenante of the Heauenly Sacramente The Breade that was geuen vnto the Nouices or Beginners in the Faithe called Catechumeni before they were Baptized of S. Augustine is called a Sacramente S. Hilarie in sundrie places saith Sacramentum Orationis Sacramentum Esuritionis Sacramentum Scripturarum Sacramentum Fletus Sacramentum Sitis The Sacramente of Praier The Sacramente of Fastinge The Sacramente of the Scriptures The Sacramente of VVeepinge The Sacramente of Thirste S. Bernarde calleth the wasshinge of the Apostles foete a Sacramente Ablutio Pedum Sacramentum est quotidianorum peccatorum The VVasshinge of feet is the Sacramente of daily Sinnes Thus many and many moe Sacramentes it had benne easy for M. Hardinge to haue founde in the Catholique Learned Fathers Yet I trowe he wil not saie that either the Helue of an Axe or the whole Religion of Christe or a Crosse printed in the foreheade or Martyrdome or the Scriptures or a Vowe of Virginitie or the Breade geuen to the Catechumeni or Praier or Fastinge of Wéepinge or Thirste or Wasshinge of féete are the necessarie seuen Sacramentes of the Churche How be it wée wil not greately striue for the name It appeareth hereby that many thinges that in deede and by special propertie be no Sacramentes maie
neuerthelesse passe vnder the general name of a Sacramente But thus wee saie It cannot be proued neither by the Scriptures nor by the Ancient Learned Fathers that this Number is so specially appointed and Consecrate to this pourpose or that there be neither moe nor lesse Sacramentes in the Churche but onely Seuen As for the Reasones that they of M. Hardinges side haue brought vs for proufe hereof they are too Childishe to be remembred For thus they saie The Booke in the Apocalyps hathe Seuen Seales The Seuen Angels there haue Seuen trumpettes Christe hath in his right hande Seuen starres Christ vvalketh in the middes of Seuen golden Candlesticks Zacharie savve Seuen eies vpon a stone There vvere Seuen Candlestickes in the Tabernacle Ergo saie they there muste needes be iuste Seuen Sacramentes in the Churche of God But vnto euery necessarie Sacramente of the Churche twoo thinges specially are required that is a Sensible outwarde Elemente and the Woorde of Institution And without either of these there is no Sacramente Therefore S. Augustine saithe Accedat Verbum ad Elementum fit Sacramentum Ioine the Woorde of Christes Institution vnto the sensible Creature or outwarde Elemente and thereof is made a Sacramente The Element or Creature in Baptisme is Water the Elementes or Creatures in Our Lordes Supper are Breade Wine The woordes of Institution are common and knowen The other fiue Sacramentes want either the Woorde or the Elemente or bothe togeather As for example Matrimonie Order and Penance haue the Woorde of God but they haue no outwarde Creature or Elemente Extreme Vnction and Confirmation haue neither VVoorde nor Elemente Therefore these fiue later in proper vse of speache are not taken for Sacramentes of the Churche For thus Alexander of Hales saithe Sacramentum Confirmationis vt est Sacramentum neque Dominus instituit neque Apostoli Sed postea institutum est in Concilio Meldensi The Sacramente of Confirmation as it is a Sacramente was not ordeined either by Christe or by the Apostles but afterwarde in the Councel of Melda So likewise Durandus saithe Matrimonium strictè proprié loquendo non est Sacramentum Matrimonie in dewe and proper kinde of speache is no Sacramente Nowe to that wée make accoumpte onely of Tvvo Sacramentes as instituted by Christe wherewith M. Hardinge findeth him selfe so mutche offended it maie please him to vnderstande that the Anciente Learned Fathers Irenaeus Iustinus Martyr Tertullian S. Ambrose Cyrillus Alexandrinus and others hauinge occasion to intreate of pourpose and specially hereof speake onely of Tvvo Sacramentes Baptisme and Our Lordes Supper and name none other S. Cyprian saithe Tunc demùm planè sanctificari esse Filij Dei possunt si vtroque Sacramento nascantur Then maie they be throughly Sanctified and become the Children of God if they be newe borne by both the Sacramentes S. Augustine saith Quaedam Pauca pro multis eademque factu facillima intellectu augustissima obseruatione castissima ipse Dominus Apostolica tradidit disciplina sicuti est Baptismi Sacramentum Celebratio Corporis Sanguinis Domini Our Lorde and his Apostles haue deliuered vnto vs a fevve Sacramentes in steede of many and the same in dooing moste easy in signification moste excellent in obseruation most reuerende as is the Sacrament of Baptisme and the Celebration of the Body and Bloude of Our Lorde Againe speakinge of Baptisme and the Supper he saithe thus Haec sunt Ecclesiae Gemina Sacramenta These be the Tvvoo Sacramentes of the Churche Paschasius saithe Sunt Sacramenta Christi in Ecclesia Catholica Baptismus Corpus Sanguis Domini These be the Sacramentes of Christe in the Catholique Churche Baptisme and the Body and Bloud of our Lorde To be short Cardinal Bessarion saithe Haec Duo Sola Sacramenta in Euangelijs manifestè tradita legimus Wee reade that these Onely tvvoo Sacramentes were deliuered to vs plainly in the Scriptures Here hath M. Hardinge in expresse woordes Bothe the Sacramentes and the tvvo sacramentes and the Onely tvvo Sacramentes of the Churche Iudge thou nowe therefore good Christian Reader what truthe thou maiste recken to be in him that saithe Beza and they of this side are manifestly founde liers Al these thinges notwithstanding the late pretensed Councel of Tridente with moste horrible threates and great Curses concludeth the contrarie Si quis dixerit Sacramenta Nouae Legis non fuisse omnia à Iesu Christo Domino nostro instituta aut esse Plura vel pauciora quà m septem aut etiam aliquod horum non esse veré propriè Sacramentum Anathema sit If any man shal saie that the Sacramentes of the Newe Lawe were not al ordeined of Our Lorde Jesus Christe or that there be fevver or moe then seuen or that any one of the same verily and in proper vse of speache is not a Sacramente accursed be he But ye saie Luther and the Germaines admitte three Sacramentes Baptisme the Lordes Supper and Penance And Philip Melancthon afterwarde founde out the fourthe O M. Hardinge what is it that thus enflameth your tongue to speake Vntruthe Yf it had pleased you to haue séene it Luther Melancthon plainely expressed theire owne meaninge and vtterly remoued al manner occasion of sutche cauilles Luther writeth thus Propriè ea visum est vocare Sacramenta quae annexis Signis promissa sunt Coetera quia Signis alligata non sunt nuda promissa sum Quò fit ut si rigidè loqui velimus tantùm duo sint in Ecclesia Dei Sacramenta Baptismus Panis cùm in his Solis institutum diuinitùs signum promissionem Remissionis Peccatorum videamus In Proper speache those wee cal Sacramentes whiche are promissed with signes annexed The reste that haue no Signes are bare promisses Wherefore speakinge hereof precisely and strictely there are Onely tvvo Sacramentes in the Churche of God Baptisme and the Breade for as mutche as in these Onely we finde bothe the Signe ordeined by God and also the Promisse of Remission of Sinnes Likewise Melancthon saithe He can wel cal Order a Sacrament so that it be knowen from Baptisme and the Supper whiche in Proper speache and verily be called Sacramentes The Apologie Cap. 11. Diuision 3. Wee saie that Baptisme is a Sacramente of the Remission of Sinnes of that wasshing which we haue in the Bloud of Christe and that no person whiche wil professe Christes name ought to be restreined or keapte backe therfrom no not the very Babes of Christians forsomutche as they be borne in sinne and doo perteine vnto the people of God M. Hardinge As ye acknowldege fewe Sacramentes so ye speake of them very slenderly Baptisme ye saie is a Sacramente of the remission of sinnes and of that wasshinge whiche wee haue in the Bloude of Christe Now whereas ye meane as within fewe lines ye declare by the name of a
is not streight And therefore Pope Zosimus in more sober wise saithe thus Contra Statuta Patrum condere aliquid vel mutare ne huius quidem Sedis Authoritas potest The Authoritie of this See cannot order or change any thinge contrarie to the orders of our Fathers Isidorus saithe Is qui praeest si praeter voluntatem vel praeter quod in Scripturis Sanctis euidenter Praecipitur vel dicitaliquid vel imperat tanquam Falsus Testis Dei Sacrilegus habeatur He that is in Authoritie if he speake or Commaunde any thinge besides the wil or meaninge of Goddes Woorde or otherwise then is expressely commaunded in the Scriptures let him be taken as a Churcherobber and as a false vvitnesse against God The Apologie Cap. 1. Diuision 3. Wee for our parte haue learned these thinges of Christe of the Apostles of the Deuoute Fathers and doo sincerely with good faithe teache the people of God the same Whiche thinge is the onely cause why wee at this daie are called Heretiques of the chiefe Prelate no doubte of Religion O immortal God hath Christe him selfe then the Apostles so many Fathers al at once gonne astraie Were then Origene Ambrose Augustine Chrysostome Gelasius Theodoretus foresakers of the Catholique Faithe Was so notable a consent of so many Auncient Bishoppes and Learned menne nothinge els but a conspiracie of Heretiques Or is that nowe condemned in vs whiche was then commended in them Or is the thing now by alteration onely of mennes affectioÌ„s sodainely becomme schismatique whiche in them was coumpted Catholique Or shal that whiche in times paste was vndoubtedly true now by and by bicause it liketh not these menne be Iudged false Let them then bringe foorth an other Gospel let them shewe the causes why these thinges whiche so longe haue openly benne obserued wel allowed in the Churche of God ought nowe in the ende to be called in againe Wee know wel yenough theâ— the same Woorde whiche was opened by Christe and spreadde abroade by the Apoistles is sufficiente bothe to our Saluation also to vphold mainteine al Truthe to confound al maÌ„ner of Heresie By that Woorde onely doo wee condemne al sortes of the Olde Heretiques whom these menne saie wee haue called out of Hel againe As for the Arians the EutychiaÌ„s the Marcionites the Ebionites the Valentinians the Carpocratians the Tatians the Nouatians and shortely al them whiche haue a wicked opinion either of God the Father or of Christe or of yâ— Holy Ghost or of any other pointe of Christian Religion for so mutche as they be confuted by the Gospel of Christe wee plainely pronounce them for destable damned Personnes and defie them euen vnto the Diuel Neither doo wee leaue them so but wee also seuerely and streitely hold them in by lawful and politique pounishementes if they fortune to breake out any where and bewraie them selues M. Hardinge VVe for our parte knowe as nowe we haue proued that ye haue not learned these thinges of Christe nor of the Apostles nor of the Fathers but of Luther Zwinglius Oecolampadius Caluine Peter Martyr Bucer and sutche other Apostates and that ye do moste falsely and wickedly leade the people into the Pitte with you And therefore ye are iustly condemned by the Churche and demed Heretikes c. How condemne ye the Donatistes seinge with them ye breake and throwe down the Holy Aulters of God on whiche as Optatus writeth the Body and Bloude of Christe was wonte to be laid c. The B. of Sarisburie Hereto M. Hardinge the whole grosse summe of your Answeare in effecte is this Ye Falsely and wickedly leade the people ye are Apostates ye are Heretiques ye are Impupudente and rebellious Children ye are Despisers of God Mockers of your Mother and peruerters of the Apostles ye vtter Lies ye speake blasphemies At the laste ye saie The Diuel dwelleth in our hartes as in his shoppe This is a hasty kinde of Logique M. Harding He muste needes be harde harted that wil not yelde to sutche Argumentes To leaue other your waste woordes of Vigilantius Iouinian Manichee Aërius and sutche others in the ende ye pronounce your Definitiue Sentence as a Iudge and condemne vs for Heretiques for that wée haue taken downe your Shoppes and gaineful Boothes whiche ye cal the Holy Aultars of God Verily this muste néedes be thought either extreme rigoure or greate folie of the remoninge of a stone to make an Heresie Sutche Heresies I trowe S. Augustine S. Ambrose Optatus and other Learned Fathers knewe but fewe Neither is there any good sufficiente reason to be shewed wherefore it should more be Heresie in vs to take downe your néedelesse and Superstitious Walles whiche ye had erected of your selues without Commission then it was lately in you to teare in sunder and to burne our Communion Tables in the erection and vse whereof wée had the vndoubted example bothe of Christe him selfe and also of the Aunciente Catholique Fathers I saie nothinge of your Crueltie in burninge so many Bibles and Bookes of Goddes Holy Woorde so many of your Bretherns Bodies so many Temples of the Holy Ghoste As for the Aultars whiche Optatus saithe the Donatistes brake downe they were certainely Tables of VVood sutche as wée haue and not Heapes of stones sutche as ye haue as in my Former Replie made vnto you it maie better appeare S. Augustine reportinge the same storie saithe the Donatistes in theire furie brake downe the Aultare Bourdes His woordes be these Lignis eiusdem Altaris effractis Likewise saithe Athanasius of the like furie of the Arians Subsellia Thronum Mensam Ligneam Tabulas Ecclesiae coetera quae poterant foras elata combusserunt They carried foorthe and burnte the Seates the Pulpite the VVoodden Bourde the Churche Tables and sutche other thinges as they coulde gâ—ate Touchinge your Stone Aultars Beatus Rhenanus saithe In nostris Basilicis Ararum Superaddititia structura nouitatem prae se sert In our Churches the buildinge vp of Aultars added to the reste declareth a noueltie Wée haue sutche Aultars M. Hardinge as Christe his Apostles S. Augustine Optatus and other Catholique and Holy Fathers had and vsed whoe 's examples to folowe wée neuer thought it to be sutche Heresie But Optatus saithe The Body and Bloude of Christe was woonte to be laide vpon the Aultare and with these woordes ye would faine affonne your simple Reader as if Christes Body laie there Really Fleashely Verily and in déede But ye should remember that S. Augustine saithe Sacramentum Corporis Christi secundum quendam modum Corpus Christi est Et Sacramentum Sanguinis Christi secundum quendam modum Sanguis Christi est The Sacramente of Christes Body not verily and in deede but after a certaine manner of speache is Christes Body and the Sacramente of Christes Bloude after a certaine manner of speache is the Bloude of Christe This manner of Speache
they more holinesse in the thinges by you scoffed at them Elias did in his Mantell and letherne girdle wherewith he girded his loines then Iohn Baptist did in Eatinge of Locustes and wilde Honie in wearinge a garmente of Camelles heare and in girdinge him selfe aboute the loines with a skinne But I praie you Sirs who be ye if we woulde folowe your lightnes haue we not like matter of diuersitie in outwarde thinges to twite you withall but that your diuersitie is with breache of due order and Lawe and that of religious men is accordinge to order and rule If ye thinke diuersitie in thinges of their owne Nature indifferent as meates apparell shauinge c. woorthy to be reprehended and deduce from thence an argumente of mutuall dissension amonge your ministringe Cleregie is not likewise diuersitie founde Do not some amonge you weare square Cappes some rounde Cappes some butten Cappes some onely Hattes Doo not some weare side gownes hauinge large sleeues with Tippettes whiche is not wel liked of your secte some of more perfection Turkey gownes Gaberdeines Frockes or night gownes of the moste laye fashion for auoidinge of Superstition The thinge is indifferent and maye be yelded vnto saithe the one secte They be the Popes ragges and maie not be worne saith thother Secte And therefore they will rather be iustly put from that whiche iustely they cannot keepe then yelde one iote Neither her Maiesties commaundement nor their Metropolitans decree care they for They had rather seeme to the people whome they vse for their Clawebackes and to whose iudgement they stande or fall stoute Champions of their owne Gospell then meeke folowers of Christes Gospell Suche mighty Samsons suche constant Laurences your ioyly Gospell breedeth Some saie the Body of Christe in the Communion is torne and crusshed with Teethe some denie it Yea forsothe and bothe meane right well The hundred and thirtene Bishoppes assembled in Councell at Rome vnder Pope Nicolaus the seconde prescribed suche forme of Recantation to Berengarius the firste Auctor of the Sacramentarie Heresie openly there to pronounce acknowledge and with subscription to ratifie as he should confesse the very true Body of Christe not onely the Sacramente thereof sensibly and in veritie to be handled with the handes of the Priestes to be broken and crusshed with Teethe of the Faithefull By whiche woordes these Fathers minde was to expresse a veritie of Reall Presence a true Eatinge of Christes Body in deede and to exclude the onely spirituall eatinge so as the olde Fathers did Eate Christe in their Manna Neither is thus Doctrine dissonant from the Fathers specially froÌ„ Chrysostome who hath the like woordes Homilia 45. in Iohan. How so euer our Sauiour Christe consecrated with a certaine diuine power or with his Almightie Blessinge or with vtterance of woordes or with repetinge the same woordes what so euer the Pronoune Hoc pointeth or signifieth in the woordes of Consecration what so euer your Dogges and Mise haue Eaten or your selues haue troden vnder your wicked feete whether the Accidentes doo nourrishe or Substance retourne what narrow pointes so euer the schoolemen after tossinge of argumentes too and fro as their manner is haue agreed or disagreed vpon the matter is subtile and curious neither determined by definitiue sentence of the Churche in any Councell And therefore sith is conteineth no Article of our Faithe let vs not be offended with the whettinge and sharpeninge of their subtile wittes in matters neither to the Truthe of Gods woorde preiudiciall nor to the vnderstandinge and iudgement of any man hurtefull The B. of Sarisburie Touchinge your Nominalles Realles M. Hardinge if ye had benne so cunninge skilful as ye make your selfe ye would not haue sente vs backe to learne your Firste and Seconde Intentions emongest Children But that ye maie vnderstande your owne erroure and certainely see that these twoo Houses your Nominalles and your Realles haue heretofore keapt a sturre not onely in Logique but also in your Scholastical maters of Diuinitie without further searchinge of yâ— bottome thereof I praie you onely to consider these fewe Authorities Veselus sometime for his greate fame in Learninge named Lux Mundi writeth thus In Nominalibus si quid Fidei contrarium putarem hodiè remearem vel ad Formales vel ad Realles If I thought there were any thinge in the Nominalles contrarie to the Faith I would presently leaue them and goe either to the Formalles or to the Realles An other saithe Ex Sententiarijs alij Terminales aut Nominales esse volunt alij Reales Of the Doctours of the Scholastical Diuinitie somme wil be called Terminales or Nominales and somme Reales An other saithe Citiùs è Labyrinthis temet explices quà m ex inuolucris Realium Nominalium c. in quibus omnibus tantum est cruditionis vt putem Apostolis ipsis opus fore alio Spiritu si cogerentur istis de rebus cum hoc Nouo Theologorum genere conserere manus Ye maie sooner winde your selfe out of a Maze then out of the shiftes and Corners of these Realles and Nominalles c. in whom there is sutche abundance of Learninge yâ— I thinke the Apostles them selues should haue neede of an other Sprite if at any time they should be driuen to encounter with this Nevve kinde of Diuines Here M. Harding your Nominalles and Realles are called a Nevve kinde not of Logicians but of Diuines And if ye consider wel Vdalrichus Zasius ye shal finde that your saide Nominalles Realles haue intruded them selues not onely into Diuinitie but also into the Ciuile Lavve Therefore it was somewhat out of season to tel vs this tale of your Seconde and Firste Intentions Concerninge apparel ye saie ye sette not greate Holinesse neither in shooes nor in Sandales c. Whereby ye would séeme to geeue vs to vnderstande that ye sette somme Holinesse in these thinges although not Greate Neither doothe it appeare that the Phariseis euer made any greate accoumpte of Holinesse of their garmentes Yet notwithstandinge vnder the coloure and shadowe thereof they deceiued the people And therefore Christe saithe vnto them Woe be vnto you ye Scribes and Phariseis And vnto the people he saithe Beware of them that loue to goe in longe Roobes Of sutche menne Seneca saithe Personam habere malunt quà m faciem They wil rather weare a Visarde then a Natural face An other saithe Dolosi Hominis dolosae vestes Crafty man Crafty Cote But if noman euer reckened any Holinesse to be in your apparel wherefore then was this Decrée so longe agoe written in the Councel of Gangra Si quis Virorum putauerit Sancto proposito id est continentiae conuenire vt pallio vâ—atur tanquam ex eo Iustitiam habiturus c. Anathema sit If any man thinke it agreeable to his holy purpose of Continente life to weare a Cloke as
Aloisius Pope Paule the thirdes Sonne committed againste Cosmus Cherius the Bishop of Fanum what Iohn Casa Archebishop of Beneuentum the Popes Legate at Venice wrote in the commendation of a moste abominable filthinesse how he set foorthe with moste lothesome woordes and wicked eloquence the mater whiche ought not once to proceede out of any bodies mouthe To whose eares hath it not comme that Alphonsus Diazius a Spaniarde beinge pourposely sente from Rome into Germanie so shamefully and Diuelishely murthered his owne Brother Iohn Diazius a moste Innocente and a moste Godly man onely bicause he had embraced the Eospel of Iesus Christe and woulde not returne againe to Rome But it maie chaunce to this they wil saie These thinges maie sometime happen in the beste gouerned Common Wealthes yea against the Magistrates willes bisides there be good Lawes made to pounishe sutche I graunt it be so But by what good Lawes I would know haue these great mischieues benne pounished emongest them Petrus Aloisius after he had donne that notorious Acte that I spake of was alwaies chearished in his Fathers bosome Pope Paule the thirde and made his very dearlinge Diazius after he had murthered his owne Brother was deliuered by the Popes meanes to th ende he might not be pounished by good Lawes Iohn Casa the Archebishop of Beneuentum is yet aliue yea liueth at Rome euen in the eie and sighte of the moste holy Father M. Hardinge Courtisanes wente abroade so as the Matrones doo some rode on Mules some dwelled in goodly houses VVhiche particulare disorders as there they continewed not many yeeres * so in these daies they haue benne reformed VVherein ye folowe the Father of your Haeresies and schoolemaister of your malice the Deuill who in Scripture is called Accusator Fratrum nostrorum the accuser of our Brethren But sirs how leape ye from Rome to Placentia from the Cleregy to a Temporall Duke whome ye call the Popes Sonne though he was not his Sonne beinge Pope but by lawful Matrimonie before holy Orders taken For suche a one was Peter Aloisius of whom ye speake Be it that he was an euill man VVhat maketh that against the Churche what for Defence of your newe Gospell If Iohannes Casa beinge yet a younge spring all before he came to be a Clerke and longe before he was either Bishop or Legate made certaine amorous Sonettes in Italian rime foloweinge the Italian poete Petrarcha to whiche kinde of exercise the good wittes of Italy in youth are muche geuen and without naminge any persone flatteringly smoothed that heinous facte rather then praised wherein neuerthelesse he did euill we confesse and for the same ouersight of his youth was notwithstandinge his other excellent qualities kepte backe from the dignitie of Cardinalship duringe his life all this beinge graunted and considered what hindereth it the estimation of Christes Churche And what furthereth it your false Doctrine your Schismes and your Heresies Touchinge the Deathe of Iohn Diazius the Spaniarde ye tell many lies at once The B. of Sarisburie Wée leapte not so lightly to Placentia M. Hardinge but rather reaste at Verona and saie the Truthe For Pope Paulus that should haue pounished his wicked Sonne and haue burnte him to deathe for his abominable outrage remoued not to Placentia but remained stil in Rome Iohannes Sleidanus saithe that the yonge Gentleman the Bishop of Fanum vpon whome Petrus Aloisius the Popes Sonne had shewed that horrible villanie shortely after died for shame and heauinesse Yet he saithe it is thought of somme that Petrus Aloisius after his wicked acte committed gaue him poison and so killed him leaste he should make complainte thereof vnto the Emperoure He addeth further Paulus nihil ò secius impensè amabat Filium ad ipsius amplificationem omne studium conuertit Et cùm de eius flagitijs nonnunquam audiret fertur non admodum aegrè tulisse hoc solùm consueuisse dicere Haec illum vitia non se commonstratore didicisse Pope Paule neuerthelesse fauoured his Sonne aboue measure and bestowed al his care to encrease him in Honoure And whereas he hearde sometime of his shamful actes the reporte is that he was not mutche offended therewith but vsed onely thus to saie Wel yevv is he neuer learned these vices by my example So cruel and terrible is the Pope in repressinge of Sinne. But God of his Iustice would not suffer sutche abomination to escape vnpounished Certaine of the Nobles of his owne Cittie not longe after arose againste him slewe him in his owne Palaice hunge out his vile Carkesse in shameful sorte by a chaine ouer the walles afterwarde threwe it ouer into the mote The people of al sortes ranne gladly to the sight and stabbe him in on euery side with theire Daggers and trodde him filthily vnder theire feete Yée saie the particulare disorders of your Courteghianes in these daies at the laste haue benne Refourmed And yet by very credible reporte euen within these twoo yeeres whiche was in the yéere of our Lorde 1565. by a persite viewe taken there were founde in Rome to the number of eight twentie thousande weemen of that sorte If this be the Reformation of the Churche of Rome what was it then before it was thus Refourmed As for that moste horrible Booke of Iohannes Casa so vile and so lothesome that no Heathen eares coulde abide to heare it O howe fauourably and howe frendely it is excused He was then ye saie but a yonge man but a springal no Bishop no Clerke He named no personne It was but a kinde of exercise an ouersighte an Amorous Sonette The good wittes of Italie be muche geuen to it He praised not that faulte but onely smoothed it O M. Hardinge what abomination is there vnder Heauen but ye can diuise waies howe to smoothe it But he was pounished ye saie ful soare for his ouersight For he coulde neuer be made Cardinal duringe his Life Yea good M. Hardinge And al this muste wée beléeue bicause you speake it The Pope made him the Archebishop of Beneuentum and Legate a Latere and thereby one of his Secrete Councel in parte of this cruel pounishmente But though he vpon that or somme other occasion were keapte backe from beinge Cardinal yet were there others made Cardinalles in al respectes as had as he Reade Andreas Alciatus that notable Ciuilian And ye shal finde what a minion was made Bishop of Comum when Paulus Iouius was put biside Reade Paulus Iouius in the Life of Clemens 7. and learne what prety folkes then were made Cardinalles and for what causes As for your owne Onuphrius he speaketh Parables and casteth colours and woulde seeme to meane more hereof then he durste to vtter The Emperour Tiberius sommetime placed Nouellius Tricongius in most highe and Honorable roome and made him Proconsul in parte of recompense of his good seruice for that
obsequi dictis probro ducunt Ipsi sunt qui vobis dicere solent Seruate vestrae Sedis honorem c. Estis vos vestro Praedecessore impotentior Si non crescit per vos non decrescat per vos Hae illi At Christus aliter iussit gessit Reddite inquit quae sunt Caesaris Caesari que sunt Dei Deo Let euery soule be subiecte to y◠Higher Powers If euery soule then is your soule subiecte as wel as others For notwithstanding your Dignitie yet who hath excepted you from this generalitie He that would excepte you from the Obedience of the Prince seeketh to deceiue you Geue no eare to theire Counselles For notwithstandinge they be Christians yet they thinke it a shame either to folow Christes deedes or to obeie Christes Woordes They vse to saie vnto you ô sir mainteine the honoure of your See c. Are not you so good as youre Predecessoure If your See be not auaunced by you yet let it not be abased by you Thus saie they But Christe hath bothe taught and wrought far otherwise For he saithe Geeue to Caesar that belongeth to Caesar and geeue to God that belongeth to God Likewise he saithe againe vnto Pope Eugenius A te tamen Mosiste vel potiùs Mors ista non coepit vtinam in te desinat Vides omnem Ecclesiasticum zelum feruere sola pro Dignitate tuenda Honori totum datur Sanctitati nihil vel parum Si causa requirente paulò submissiùs agere ac socialiùs te habere teniaueris Absit inquiunt Non decet Tempori non congruit Maiestati non conuenit Quam geras personam attendito But ye wil saie this Manner or rather this Deathe beganne not of you Woulde God it mighte ende in you Doo ye not see that al your Ecclesiastical zele and care standeth onely in mainteinance of Honoure Vpon Honoure al togeather is bestowed vpon Holinesse either nothinge or very litle If vpon occasion ye woulde sommewhat submit your selfe and deale familiarely O doo not so saie they It is not meete It is not agreeable to the time It is not conuenient for your Maiestie Consider vvel vvhat state ye beare Sutche good Lessons yée haue where with to nourture and to traine the Pope And if he happen of him selfe to be a foole by sutche schoolinge yée are hable to make him madde But Gregorie ye saie beinge Pope gouerned the whole Churche of God For he complaineth that Maximus was made Bishop of Salonae in Illyrico without his allowance This Authoritie is answered in my Former Replie But how holdeth this Argument M. Hardinge Gregorie complaineth that Maximus vvas made Bishop of Salonae in Illyrico vvithout his allovvance Ergo Gregorie ruled the vvhole Churche What Schole wil allowe you sutche Conclusions It is knowen that in the Nicene Councel the charge of the whole Churche was committed to thrée Principal Patriarkes whereof the Patriarke of Rome was the Firste the Seconde of Alexandria the Thirde of Antioche And eche of these thrée was limited seuerally to his owne peculiare portion Nilus a Greeke Writer saithe Cùm aliae Regiones assignatae sint Romano aliae Alexandrino aliae Constantinopolitano non magis hi sub illo sunt quam ille sub hisce For ás mutche as certaine Countries are limited to the Bishop of Rome certaine to the Bishop of Alexandria and certaine to the Bishop of Constantinople they are novv no more vnder him then he vnder them As for the Churches of Illyricum they were specially appointed to the Bishop of Rome as it appeareth by the Epistle of Pope Damasus written to the Bishoppes of Illyricum Par est omnes qui sunt in Orbe Romano Magistros consentire It is meete that al the Teachers that be within the Romaine Prouince agree togeather So saithe Athanasius Roma est Metropolis Romanae Ditionis Rome is the Mother Churche not of the whole worlde but of the Prouince of Rome Nicephorus saithe Iustinianus decreuit vt Iustiniana Prima haberet locum Sedis Apostolicae Romae vtque esset Caput sibi ipsi cum plena potestate Iustinianus the Emperoure appointed that the Cittie called Iustiniatia Prima shoulde haue the place of the Apostolique See of Rome and that with ful power it should be Head vnto it selfe Neither durste your forged and countrefeite Anacletus to claime the Iurisdiction of al the whole worlde but onely a portion of the same For thus he saithe Omnes Episcopi qui huius Apostolicae Sedis ordinationi subiacent Al Bishoppes not through the worlde but that are Subiecte to the ordination of this Apostolique See of Rome So likewise S. Gregorie in his complainte vnto the Empresse touchinge this same Maximus the Bishop of Salonae speaketh not of al the Bishoppes that were throughout the whole Churche of God but onely of sutche Bishoppes as were limited vnto his particulare charge For thus he maketh his complainte Si Episcopi mei me despiciant c. If mine owne Bishoppes lieinge within mine owne peculiare Iurisdiction shal despice me Therefore your Diuinitie wanted Logique M. Hardinge when ye framed your Argument in this sorte Gregorie complained of Maximus c. Ergo Gregorie gouerned the vvhole Churche The Apologie Cap. 9. Diuision 1. 2. But where they saie we haue gonne awaie from the Vnitie of the Catholique Churche this is not onely a matter of malice but bisides though it bee most vntrue yet hath it somme shewe and appearance of truthe For the common people and ignorante multitude geeue not credite onely to thinges true and of certainetie but euen to sutche thinges also if any chaunce whiche maie seeme to haue but a resemblaunce of truthe Therefore we see that suttle and crafty persones when they had no truthe on their side haue euer contended hotely argued with things likely to be true to the intent thei which were not able to espie the very grounde of the mater mighte be caried away at least with somme pretense probabilitie or likelihoode of the Truthe In times paste whereas the firste Christians oure Forefathers in makinge their Praiers to God did turne them selues towardes the Easte there were that saide they woorshipped the Sonne reckened the same as their God Againe where oure Forefathers saide that as touchinge Immortal Euerlastinge Life they liued by none other meanes but by the Fleashe and Bloude of that Lambe without spotte y◠is to saie of oure Saueour Iesus Christe the enuious Creatures Enimies of Christes Crosse whose onely care was to bringe Christian Religion into sclaunder by al manner of waies made the people beleeue that they were wicked personnes that thei sacrificed mennes Fleashe and dronke mennes Bloude Also where oure Forefathers saide that before God there is neither Man nor Woman and that for atteininge to the true Righteousnesse there is no distinction at al of personnes whereas they called one an other indifferently by the name
he had thought the same Churche coulde neuer haue erred To be shorte Chrysostome saithe Ecclesia quocunque modo egerit contra voluntatem Christi abijci digna est Non autem abijcitur propter longanimitatem Christi nisi sola causa Transgressionis The Churche by what waie so euer shee doo againste the wil of Christe is woorthy to be geuen ouer Yet through the patience of Christe shee is neuer geuen ouer but onely for breakinge his commaundementes The Apologie Cap. 13. Diuision 2. Surely Christe prophesied longe before of his Churche that the time shoulde comme when Desolation shoulde stande in the Holy Place And S. Paule saith that Antichriste shoulde once set vp his owne Tabernacle stately Seate in the Temple of God and that the time should be vvhen menne should not avvaie vvith Holsome Doctrine but be turned backe vnto fables and lies that within the very Churche Peter likewise telleth how there shoulde be teachers of lies in the Churche of Christe Daniel the Prophete speakinge of the later times of Antichriste Truthe saithe he in that season shal be throvven vnder foote trodden vpoÌ„ in the vvorld And Christe saithe The calamitie and confusion of thinges shal be so excedinge greate that euen the chosen if it vvere possible shal be broughte into erroure that these thinges shal comme to passe not emongest the Gentiles and Turkes but euen in the Holy Place in the Temple of God in the Churche in the Companie Felovvship of those whiche professe the name of Christe M. Hardinge The Prophecie of Daniel concerninge the Abomination of Desolation whereof Christe spake in the Gospell wee thinke with the best learned Diuines that it is to be referred not to the ende of the worlde nor to the driuinge away of the Faithe by Antichriste as ye imagine but to the consummation and final endinge of the Synagog Touchinge that ye saie of Antichriste it maketh nothinge againste the Catholikes against whose Faithe he preuaileth not Mary many good menne thinke that he hath already begonne to set vp his Tabernacle and stately seate in the hartes of many whiche ought to be the Temple of God by his foreronners Martine Luther Zuinglius Caluine and you their scholers with the reste of that wicked rable VVhere ye adde and that within the Churche it is more then ye founde in S. Paule But we vnderstande your good will though wee finde you without euer a good reason And ye wee graunte ye came out from vs as S. Iohn saithe but yee were not of vs. For if ye had benne of vs yee woulde haue taried with vs. So maie the saieinge of S. Peter be referred to you and likewise that of Daniel whiche ye alleage though the woordes be not in Daniel For your schoolemaisters and you are a limme of Antichriste and ye labour what ye can to ouerthrowe and treade vnder foote the true Faithe of the Churche and the Catholike Religion The B. of Sarisburie What néeded you M. Hardinge to talke so mutche in the fauoure of Antichriste Or why should you be gréeued to heare him called the Abomination of Desolation S. Paule calleth Antichriste the Man of Sinne Somme saie He shal be wholy possessed of the Diuel Your owne Hippolytus saithe He shal be the Diuel him selfe Yet haue fewe menne founde them selues gréeued with sutche saieinges I knowe the Woordes of Christe of Daniel by diuers Expositions haue beene diuersly applied Yet maie ye not wel thus condemne al their Iudgementes that haue applied the same to Antichriste Origen one of the moste Ancient Fathers of yâ— Churche entreatinge of Antichriste contrarie to your Exposition saith thus Ipse est Abominatio Desolationis Antichriste is yâ— Abomination of Desolation S. Chrysostome saithe Hic Antichristus dicitur Abominatio Desolationis quia multorum Christianorum animas facturus est desolatas à Deo This Antichriste is called the Abomination of Desolation for that he shal cause the Soules of many Christianes to be desolate and foresaken of God Gregorius Nazianzenus saithe Antichristus veniet in Desolatione Mundi Est enim Abominatio Desolationis Antichriste shal comme in the Desolation of the worlde For he is the Abomination of Desolation S. Hierome saithe Abominatio Desolationis intelligi potest omne dogma peruersum By the Abomination of Desolation we maie vnderstande any manner Peruerse Doctrine Whereof no doubte in Antichriste shal wante no stoare And againe speakinge namely of the Man of vvickednesse the Aduersarie of Christe vvhiche is Antichriste that lifteth vp him selfe aboue al that is called God He saithe Abominatio Desolationum erit in Templo vsque ad Consummationem temporis The Abomination of Desolation shal stande in the Churche vntil the Consummation or ende of time S. Ambrose saithe Abominatio Desolationis execrabilis Aduentus Antichristi est The Abomination of Desolation is the cursed comminge of Antichriste S. Hilarie expounding these selfe same woordes of Christe When ye shal see the Abomination of Desolation standinge in the Holy place saith thus De Antichristi temporibus haec loquutus est Christe spake these woordes of the time of Antichriste Likewise saith Theodoretus writinge vpon yâ— Prophete Daniel Abominationem Desolationis ipsum vocat Antichristum And bisides others the moste Ancient most Catholique Fathers likewise saithe Eusebius Emissenus in a special Homilie to this purpose Now M. Hardinge whereas ye so certainely assure your selfe yâ— these woordes of christe maie in no wise be taken of yâ— confusion horroure yâ— shal be at yâ— ende of yâ— worlde bisides al these Learned Godly Fathers I beseche you consider the whole drifte circumstance of the place the woordes that Christe spake immediately before The Apostles demaunded him this question What is the token of thy Comminge to Iudgement and of yâ— ende of the worlde To this question Christe answeareth in this wise Take heede that noman deceiue you Many shal comme in my name and shal saie I am Christe and shal deceiue many Yee shal heare of warres and talkes of warres But be not yee troubled Al these thinges must happen yet this is not the ende c. Many Passe Prophetes shal rise and shal deceiue many Iniquitie shal encrease Charitie shal waxe colde Who so continueth vnto the ende he shal be saued And this Gospel of the Kingedome shal be Preached in al the worlde for a witnesse vnto al Nations and then shal come the ende The nexte woordes that folowe are these Therefore when ye shal see the Abomination of Desolation that was spoken of by Daniel c. Thus maie yee sée M. Harding by the very course teâ—oure of Christes answeare that if the Iudgemente be the Iudgemente if the Ende be the Ende if the VVorlde be yâ— VVorlde then must these woordes needes haue relation to the Ende of the vvorlde what so euer any of your beste Learned Diuines of whom ye
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 Vnâ—uersall 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 â–ª 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 CoÌ„stantinople 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 saâ—e 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 ‡ 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 highesâ—ouer 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 pareÌ„thesis 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 persecuâ—ing 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
sicut ipsum Caput Christum in Scripturis Sanctis Canonicis debemus agnoscere VVhether they haue the Churche or no let them shewe by the Canonical Bookes of the Holy Scriptures VVee muste knowe the Churche of Christe euen as wee likewise knowe Christe whiche is the Heade of the Churche in the Holy Canonical Scriptures Againe he saithe Ecclesiam sine vlla ambiguitate Sancta Scriptura demonstrat The Holy Scripture sheweth the Churche without any doubtefulnesse Againe Quaestio est vhi sit Ecclesia Quid ergo facturi sumus Vtrùm in verbis nostris eam quaesituri an in Verbis Capitis sui Domini nostri Iesu Christi Futo quòd in illius potiùs Verbis eam quaerere debemus qui Veritas est optimè nouit Corpus suum The question or doubte is where the Churche should be What then shal we doo VVhether shal wee seeke the Churche in our owne woordes or in the VVoordes of her Heade whiche is oure Lorde Iesus Christe In my Iudgemente wee ought rather to seeke the Churche in his VVoordes for that he is the Truthe and beste knoweth his owne Body Againe Non audiamus Haec dico Haec dicis Sed audiamus Haec dicit Dominus lbi quaeramus Ecclesiam Ibi discutiamus causam nostram Let vs not heare these woordes This saie I This saiste thou But these woordes set vs heare Thus saithe the Lorde there let vs seeke the Churche there let vs discusse oure cause And againe Nolo Humanis Documentis sed Diuinis Oraculis Sanctam Ecclesiam demonstrari I wil not haue the Holy Churche to be shewed by Mannes Iudgemente but by Goddes VVoorde Likewise saithe S. Chrysostome Nunc nullo modo cognoscitur quae sit vera Ecclesia Christi nisi Tantummodò per Scripturas Now can noman knowe whiche is the true Churche of Christe but Onely by the Scriptures Againe he saithe in like fourme of woordes Volens ergo quis cognoscere quae sit Vera Ecclesia Christi vnde cognoscat in tanta confusione similitudinis nifi Tantummodo ' per Scripturas If a man be desirous to knowe whiche is the true Churche of Christe how can he know it in sutche a confusion of likenesse but Onely by the Scriptures These woordes be so euident and so plaine that noman with modestie maie wel denie them And whereas you saie Al this notwithstandinge A true Churche maie be founde whiche is not shewed in the Scriptures S. Ambrose saithe Ecclesia fulget non suo sed Christi Lumine The Churche shineth or is knowen not by her owne Lighte but by the Light of Christe whiche is by the VVoorde of God And chrysostome saithe Qui Sacra non vtitur Scriptura sed ascendit aliunde id est non concessa via hic Fur est Latro Who so vseth not the Scripture but geateth vp an other waie that is by a waie that is not lawful he is a Theefe and a Murtheier Againe he saithe Hierusalem hîc semper Ecclesiam intellige quae dicitur Ciuitas Pacis cuius Fundamenta posita sunt super Montes Scripturarum Here by Hierusalem euermore vnderstande thou the Churche whiche is called the Cittie of Peace The Fundations whereof are saide vpon the Mountaines of the Scriptures Ye magnifie your Churche of Rome and saie It shieth on highe vpon the Mounte Yet S. Bernarde saithe to the Pope and his Cleregie as it is alleged before Vos estis Tenebrae Mundi Ye are the Darkenesse of the VVorlde Therefore ye maie not wel vaunte your selues so mutche of the brightnesse of your Beames As for that ye cal our Churche the Synagoge of Lucifer and Antichriste we maie wel suffer it to blowe euer as the vaine vnsauery smoke of somme impatiente Cholerique humoure Our cause is not the woorse M. Hardinge in the Iudgemente of the wise for that you haue learned so readily to speake il But what Louanian vanitie is this to saie The Members of the Churche of Christe abide in the Vnitie of the Pope What Scripture or Doctoure or Father euer tolde you of sutche Vnitie S. Paule saith Wee are alone not in the Pope but in Christe Iesu And what so greate Vnitie can you saie there is or hathe benne in your Popes Platyna saithe Post Stephanum semper haec consuetudo seruata est vt acta Priorum Pontificum sequentes ant infringereat aut omnino ' tollerent It hathe benne an ordinarie custome emonge the Popes euer sithence the time of Pope Steuin that the Popes that folowed afterworde would euermore either breake or abolishe the Actes of the Popes that had benne before them Erasmus saith Iohannes 22. Nicolaus totis Decretis inter se pugnāt idque in his quae videntur ad Fidei negotium pertinere Pope Iohn 22. and Pope Nicolas in theire whole Decrees are contrarie the one againste the other yea and that in maters that seeme to belonge to cases of the Faithe To be shorte the Popes haue fouly corrupted the Scriptures they haue corrupted the Decrees Canons of Councelles they haue benne Sorcerers Idolaters Scribes Phariseis Thei haue benne Arian Heretiques Nestorian Heretiques Monothelite Heretiques Montaniste Heretiques thei haue mainteined damnable Heresies against y◠Godhed of Christe against y◠Personne of Christe against y◠VVil of Christe against the Immortalitie of the Soule they haue henne contrarie to themselues one directly and expressely againste an other Yet muste the Pope beare vp the whole Churche of God euen as Atlas beareth vy the Heauens and onlesse al the worlde abide in him is there no Vnitie in the Churche Thus saith Hosius Vnum praeesse toti Ecclesiae vsque ade ò est necessarium vt absque hoc Ecclesia Vna esse non possit It is so necessarie a thinge that one haue the gouernmente of the whole that otherwise the Churche of God cannot be One. Likewise it is noted in the Popes ovvne Gloses vpon his Decretalles Constat Ecclesiam ideo esse vnam quia in Vniuersali Ecclesia vnum est caput Supremum scilicet Papa It is plaine that the Churche is one for that in the Vniuersal Churche there is one Supreme Heade that is the Pope An other of your Doctours doubteth not to steppe yet a litle farther and thus to expounde the woordes of Christe Fiet Vnū Ouile Vnus Pastor Quod quidem de christo intelligi non potest Sed de aliquo alio Ministro qui praesit loco eius There shal be one Folde and one Shepehearde These vvoordes vvee maie not vnderstande of Christe but of somme other Minister that ruleth in his roome By whiche Doctours Catholique Iudgemente wée finde that the Vnitie of the Churche hangeth not of Christe but of the Pope But these be ouer vaine and grosse vanities For though the Pope were no Pope yea though Antichriste were the Pope yet is Christe hable to holde his Churche in perfite Vnitie S. Paule saithe Christus est
Authoritie of the Scriptures be remoued that eche man maie be leadde by his owne fantasie what he liste either to allowe in the Holy Scriptures or to disallowe that is to saie that he submitte not him selfe touchinge his Faithe to the Authoritie of the Scriptures but that he make the Scriptures subiecte vnto him Not that he wil allowe any thing bicause it is written in that high Authoritie of the Scriptures but that he wil thinke it wel written bicause he alloweth it By meane hereof it commeth to passe that S. Hilarie writeth Qui quae scripta sunt negas quid superest nisi vt quae non scripta sunt probes For as muche as thou deniest the thinges that be written what remaineth there but that thou muste allowe the thinges that be not written Concerninge the Authoritie and Credite of Councelles wee shal haue cause to saie more hereafter But where ye require but a man of common sense to sitte as Iudge in this cause it appeareth that either ye remember not or els ye weighe not that ye immediately said before For in this selfe same Chapter ye saie The people maie not iudge of theire Bishoppes and that as ye tel vs by Christes own Doctrine For the Scholar is not aboue his Maister Yet now suddainely as hauinge foregotten youre owne woordes ye cal foorthe the Scholare yea and as it maie be thought one of the meanest of al youre Schole as a man onely endewed with common sense to sitte in Iudgement ouer his Maister Notwithstandinge God is no accepter of personnes Goddes Holy Sprite is not bounde to Councelles or Companies but breatheth freely where it listeth And therefore as youre owne Doctour Panormitane saithe in Cases of Religion the Iudgement of one Simple plaine man ought sommetimes to bee receiued before the Iudgemente of the Pope Here endeth the Fourth Parte The Fifthe Parte The Apologie Cap. 1. Diuision 1. BVt here I looke they wil saie though they haue not the Scriptures yet it maie chaunce they haue the Auncient Doctours and the Holy Fathers with them For this is a high bragge they haue euer made howe that al Antiquitie a Continual Consent of al ages dooth make on their side and that al our cases be but Newe and yester daies woorke and vntil these fewe late yeeres were neuer hearde of Questionlesse there can nothing be more spitefully spoken against the Religion of God then to accuse it of Noueltie as a mater lately founde out For as there can be no chaunge in God him selfe so ought there to be no chaunge in his Religion Yet neuerthelesse we wote not by what meanes but we haue euer seene it come so to passe from the firste beginninge that as often as God did geeue but somme light did open his Truthe vnto menne though the Truthe were not onely of greatest Antiquitie but also frō Euerlasting yet of wicked menne of the Aduersaries it was called Newfangled and of late diuised That vngraceous and bloudthirsty Haman when he sought to procure the kinge Assuerus displeasure against the Ievves this was his accusation to him Thou hast here saithe he a kinde of people that vseth certaine nevve Lavves of their ovvne but stifnecked and rebellious againste al thy Lavves When Paule also began firste to preache and expounde the Gospel at Athenes he was called a tidinges bringer of Nevve Goddes as mutche to saie as of a Nevve Religion For saide the Athenians maie wee not knowe of thee what Nevve Doctrine this is Celsus likewise when he of set pourpose wrote againste Christe to the ende he might more scornefully scoffe out the Gospel by the name of Noueltie VVhat saithe he hath God after so many ages novve at laste and so late bethought him selfe Eusebius also writeth that the Christian Religion from the beginning for very spite was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saie Nevve and Strange After like sorte these menne condemne al our maters as Strange and Nevve but they wil haue their owne whatsoeuer they are to be praised as thinges of longe continuance M. Hardinge They had saide somme what if they had proued that the doctrine of Christe had benne called nowe by them who were the professours and folowers of it But nowe reportinge that the Gentils who knewe not God as A man as the Athenians as Celsus the Ethnike and suche the like called the right and true Religion of God newe they saie nothing to any purpose But let them shewe that before the comminge of Christe any suche Religion was allowed that was newe Or that sithens Christes incarnation amonge Christian menne what so euer Religion was not shunned and reiected as heretical whiche was newe Here are they domme And yet for shewe of learning in a matter not necessarie they bringe foorth their store and declare that the doctrine and Religion of truthe was newe to them whiche knewe not God nor Christe the sonne of God whiche no man denieth Thus al menne of any iudgement maie see how fondly they reason VVe tel them that al nevve doctrine nowe in the Churche of Christe is naught and they proue that infidels haue in the time of Moses lawe and at the first preachinge of the Gospel impugned Goddes euerlastinge truthe with the odious terme and reproche of newnes Newe doctrine was good to vs at our firste conuersion from infidelitie But since that we receiued the true faithe from S. Gregorie the Bishop of Rome who conuerted the Realme of Englande to the faithe by S Augustine his legate and others sent for that godly purpose worthely we shunne and abhorre al new Gospels new faithes new doctrines new religions The B. of Sarisburie The Truthe of God neither is furthered by the face of Antiquitie nor hindered by the opinion of Noueltie For oftentimes the thinge that in deede is Nevve is commended as Olde and the thinge that in dede is Olde is condemned as Nevve If Nevvnesse in Religion in al respectes and euery waie were il Christe would not haue resembled his Doctrine to Nevve VVine nor woulde he haue saide to his Disciples I geue you a Nevve Commaundemente Neither woulde he haue called the Cuppe of Thankesgeuinge The Nevve Testamente in his Bloude Arnobius saithe Religionis Authoritas non est tempore aestimanda sed numine nec quo die sed quid colere coeperis intueri conuenit Quod Verum est Serum non est The Authoritie of Religion muste be weighed by God and not by time It behoueth vs to consider not vpon what daie but what thinge wee beganne to worship The thinge that is true is neuer too late S. Augustine saithe Quod Anterius est inquiunt Ethnici falsum esse non potest Quasi Antiquitas Vetus Consuetudo praeiudicet Veritati The Heathens saie The Religion that was firste can not be false As though Antiquitie and Olde Custome coulde preuaile againste the Truethe Againe he saithe Nec dici
Behold by the Varietie wee vnderstande the Diuersitie of Tongues and by the Apparel wee vnderstande the Vnitie of y◠Churche Againe he saith Distant inter se Linguae Sed Linguarum distantiae non sunt schismata Tongues are diuided one from an other But the Diuision of Tongues is no Schisme or Diuision in Religion The Apologie Cap. 3. Diuision 10. The olde Councel at Carthage commaunded that nothing should be read in Christes Congregation but the Canonical Scriptures these menne reade sutche thinges in their Churches as them selues knowe for a Truthe to be starke Lies and fonde Fables M. Hardinge A man were better I assure thee good Reader to make two newe Bookes then to correcte one so ful of lies and falsefied places as this Apologie is This olde Councel of Carthage is newely falsefied by our new Cleregie The wordes of the Councel are these Palcuit vt praeter scripturas Canonicas nihil in Ecclesia legatur sub nomine Diuinarum Scripturatum It hath semed good vnto vs that besides the Canonical Scriptures nothinge be read in the Churche vnder the name of the holy Scriptures They leauinge out these foure woordes sub nomine Diuinarum Scripturarum Vnder the name of Diuine Scriptures woulde beare men in hande the Councel willed nothinge to be read in the Churche besides the holy Scriptures Are not these trusty men to whom ye may committe the charge of your soules for your faith and saluation It foloweth in the same decree Liceat etiam Legi passiones Martyrum cùm anniuersarij dies celebrantur Let it be lawful also for the Martyrdomes of Martyrs to be read when theire yerely festes are kept And yet dare they not onely to saie nothing must be read besides the Scriptures but also to alleage that very place for that special lie whiche saithe the contrary Looke in the Booke thy selfe good reader and see how falsely they handle so holy matters An other lie is when they saie we reade those thinges in the Churche whiche our selues knowe to be starke lies and funde fables VVhen they cannot them selues shewe that we haue any sutche it is a vaine lieing rhetorike to saie we doubt not of it or knowe it our selues for a truthe I wonder not if they blushe not in belieng vs who haue belied so many Scriptures Councels and fathers The B. of Sarisburie It standeth wel with your Truthe M. Hardinge so often to charge vs with Lies Falsehedde I truste it wil appeare ye had no great cause to keepe so great reuel vpon so poore a Conqueste In deede these woordes be not founde in the thirde Councel of Carthage Yet are they founde in the Councel of Hippo whiche is the Abbridgemente of the thirde Councel of Carthage as it appeareth by the Title of the same Concilij Hipponensis Abbreuiationes factae in concilio carthaginensi Tertio The woordes of the Councel of Hippo and for so mutche also of the thirde Councel of Carthage be these Scripturae Canonicae in Ecclesia legendae quae sunt praeter quas alia non legantur The Scriptures Canonical whiche are to read in the Churche and besides whiche nothinge els maie be read Here haue you M. Hardinge the plaine woordes of the Councel of Hippo abberidged out of the thirde Councel of Carthage That nothinge maie be read in the Churche but onely the Canonical Scriptures Iudge you therefore howe iuste cause ye had so vnaduisedly for I vate not to saie so vnlearnedly to charge the Apologie with Lies and Falsehedde Hereto maie wée adde the like Decrée of the Councel holden at Laodicea Sabbatjs Euangelia cum alijs Scripturis legenda esse censemus Wee agree that the Gospel with others Scriptures be read vpon the Saboth daie If these woordes séeme not sufficiente it foloweth further in the same Councel Non oportet Libros qui sunt extra Canonem legere nisi solos Canonicos Veteris Noui Testamenti We maie not reade any Bookes that be without the Canon but onely the Canonical Bookes of the Olde and Nevve Testamente To like effecte Chrysostome saith Ideò Christus meusas nummulariorum euertit Significans quòd in Templo Dei nō debent esse nummi nisi Spirituales id est qui Dei imaginem habent Therefore Christe ouerthrewe the Exchangers bakes Meaninge thereby that there maie be no Come in the Churche but onely Spiritual that is to saie that beareth the Image of God Againe he saithe Lectorum officium erat in Ecclesia Sacra Legere ex Scriptis vel Prophetarum vel Apostolorum It was the Readers office to pronounce holy thinges vnto the people out of either the Apostles or Prophetes Erasmus saithe Apparet non nisi Apostolicas Literas olim Legi solitas in Templis aut certè Vitorum Apostolicae Authoritatis It appeareth that in olde time nothinge was vsed to be read in the Churches but onely the Apostles Writinges or at leaste the Writinges of sutche others as were of Apostolical Authoritie Likewise saithe Abbas Ansigisus reportinge the Ecclesiastical Decrees of the Frenche Kinges Levves Charles In Templis tantùm Canonici Libri id est Sacrae Literae legantur Let there he read in the Churches onely the Canonical Bookes that is to saie the Holy Scriptures An other lie Ye saie is this when they saie wee reade those thinges in the Churche whiche our selues knowe to be starke lies and fonde Fables For trial hereof wee shal not néede to trauaile far Your owne Bookes and Legendes are prouse sufficiente Erasmus thereof saithe thus Hodiè quorumlibet somnia imò mulietcularum Deliramenta leguntur inter diuinas Scripturas Nowe a daies euery fooles Dreames yea very wee mennes doctinge fansies are read with the Holy Scriptures Likewise saithe Polydore Vergil Multorum Diuorum vitas recitant tametsi parùm ad Fidem Scriptas They reade many Sainctes Liues although not written accordinge to Truthe Ludouicus Viues writtinge of your Legenda Aurea whiche was the Mother of al your deuoute Ecclesiastical stories or Fables saithe thus Nescio cur Aurea dici debeat cùm scripta sit ab homine ferrei oris plumbei Cordis plenissima sit impudentissimis Mendacijs I see no cause why it shoulde be called the Goulden Legende seeinge it was written by a man of an iron face and a ledden harte and is freight ful of most shamelesse lies If ye knewe not these thinges M. Hardinge your frendes wil thinke ye knowe nothinge Sutche Truthes yée reade and publishe deuoutly and solemnely in your Churches Yet maie wée neither saie nor thinke yée mocke the people The Apologie Cap. 4. Diuision 1. But if there be any that thinke these aboue rehersed Authorities be but weake and selender bicause thei were decreed by Emperours certaine petite Bishoppes and not by so ful perfite Councelles takinge pleasure rather in the Authoritie and name of the Pope let
sutche a one knowe that Pope Iulius doothe eâ—idently forebidde that a Priest in ministring the Communion should dippe the Bread in the Cuppe These menne contrarie to Pope Iulius Decree diuide the Breade and dippe it in the wine M. Hardinge Ye maie be sure many men thinke this your homely stuffe not onely weake and slender but also corrupt venemous and lothsome But nowe by like ye wil amende your faulte But how Surely by going from very euil to as bad or worse if ye can do worse then hitherto ye haue donne Iulius the Pope saie ye doth euidently forbidde that a Prieste in Ministringe the Communion shoulde dippe the Breade in the Cuppe Nowe verely your former fault of lieing is wel amended For where before ye best out cast in or changed some of those wordes whiche ye pretende to alleage nowe ye make euery whit newe of your owne VVhere hath Iulius these woorde I speake not of your false alleaging of places in your Bookes margent I forgeue you the puttinge of Cum enim nemo in stede of cum omne These be smal and slipper faulies which if thei were alone might be wincked at in such slipper merchaÌ„tes as ye are But let vs heare what Pope Iulius saith Alios quoque audiuimus intinctaÌ„ EucharistiaÌ„ populis pro complemeÌ„to coÌ„munionis porrigere VVe haue hearde also of others who geue to the people the Euchariste dipped or stiped for makinge vp of the Communion It is to be vnderstanded that whereas Christe gaue the blessed Sacrament of the Aulier to his Apostles he gaue it vnder both kindes And when the Priestes in some countries either for lacke of wine at al times ready either for somme priuate fansie vsed to dippe or stipe the sacred body of our Lord vnder forme of Breade in the consecrated bloude and so to geue it to the people Pope Iulius findeth faulte therewith for that neither Christe ordeined so nor the Apostles lefte sutche order to the Churche So that Iulius meaneth nothinge els but to reproue and reforme that vse of dippinge or stiping the one kind in the other in the Administration of the Communion vnto the people Reade the place who listeth he shal finde the same sense more largely vttered a litle after But what sense make these Defenders a Gods name They saie Iulius forebiddeth the Prieste ne dum peragit mysteria panem immegat in Calicem that in ministringe the communion so the lady tourneth he shoulde dippe the Breade in the Cuppe There is no sutche word in the wholde decree Iulius nameth Eucharistiam they cal it Breade Iulius hath intinctam porrigere populis that no Prieste ‡ geue the Sacrament dipped to the people they leauing out geuing it to the people saie he forbad the Prieste to dippe it They leaue out also the chiefe cause of the whole whiche is pro complemento communionis for making vp of the communion For he for ebiddeth to geue vnto the people onely the coÌ„secrated hoste dipped in the Chalice as though it were the whole CoÌ„munion nolesse then if the Bloude were geuen aparte These men saie they contrary to the decree of Pope Iulius diuide the Bread and dippe it in the wine VVe in the Masse breake the hoste in three partes not without signification of a Mysterie two we receiue aparte the thirde we put into the Chalice and receiue it togeather with the bloude VVhal haue ye to saie againste this The B. of Sarisburie Euery parte hereof is largely answeard in my Former Replie to M. Hardinge True it is the faulte that Iulius here findeth in Dippinge and Ministring the Sacrament agréeth not fully with the present disorders of the Churche of Rome Yet notwithstanding in condemning the one he muste néedes condemne the other Ye saie wée leaue out these woordes Intinctam porrigunt Eucharistiam populis They dippe the Sacramente and deliuer the same vnto the people And againe these woordes Pro complemento Communionis For the accomplishemente of the Communion The more matter wée haue leafte out the more haue wée conceled your faultes and so mutche yâ— more are you beholden to vs. For what meante you M. Harding to mention any of al these woordes What néeded you to burthen your selfe with moe Abuses and so mutche to bewraie your folie Iulius saithe They dipped the Sacramente into the Cuppe and deliuered it vnto the people You dippe the Sacramente as they did but vnto the people ye géeue nothinge Iulius saithe They meante by dippinge to make it a ful and a perfite Communion Contrariewise you defraude the people of the Holy Cuppe and deliuer them onely the Halfe Communion And therefore ye are mutche more blame woorthy then euer were they whom Iulius reproued For they offended onely of Simplicitie and you of wilfulnesse But touchinge the matter it selfe the faulte that wée finde with you and the faulte that Iulius founde with others your Predecessours is al one You dippe the Breade into the Cuppe so did they They brake Christes Institution and so doo you And therefore Iulius saide vnto them Hoc quà m sit Apostolicae Euangelicae Doctrinae coÌ„trarium consuetudini Ecclesiasticae aduersum non difficilè ab ipso Fonte Veritatis probatur à quo ordinata ipsa Sacramentorum Mysteria processerunt Howe far contrarie this is to the Apostolical and Euangelical Doctrine and to the Custome of the Churche it is easy to proue by the Fountaine of the Truthe by whom the Mysteries of the Sacramentes were ordeined and from whom they firste proceeded Ye thinke the mater wel discharged for that ye deliuer not the Sacramente so dipped vnto the people but minister it onely vnto your selfe Here by the waie it were a mater of skil to vnderstande by what Authoritie either of scripture or of Councel or of Doctoure it maie appeare that it is lawful for the Prieste so to vse and receiue the Sacramente and vnlawful for the people If the people maie not as safely and as lawfully so receiue the Sacramente as maie the Prieste wherefore theÌ„ are these woordes written in your Masse Bookes euen in yâ— Canon Secretes of your Masse Haec Sacrosancta Commixtio Corporis Sanguinis Domini nostri Iesu Christi fiat mihi omnibus sumentibus salus animae Corporis This Holy minglinge of the Body and Bloude of our Lorde Iesus Christe be vnto me and vnto al that receiue it the health of Soule and Body Verily these woordes Omnibus sumentibus cannot by any shifte possibly be expounded of One Onely Prieste but muste néedes be extended vnto the people Yée woulde faine tel vs of certaine special Mysteries that ye haue founde out in yâ— Breakinge of the Sacramente if ye wiste what thei were But ye are in case as sommâ—time was Nabuchodonozor Yee are not hable wel to tel vs your own dreame Sammetime ye saie The Breade is broken sommetime ye saie The Accidentes remaine alone by Miracle and they are broken Sommetime ye
that he heareth loseth the thinge that he heareth Therefore the Pope him selfe in his Pontifical géeueth this special Charge vnto the Reader Stude Lectiones Sacras distinctè apertè proferre ad Intelligentiam aedificationem Fidelium Endeuoure thee selfe to pronounce the Holy Lessons or Chapters distinctely and plainely not to a Spiritual doumbenesse but to the vnderstandinge and profite of the Faitheful Touching the Praiers that the simple people maketh in a tongue vnknowen Christe saithe This people honoureth me with theire lippes But theire hartes are far from mee The Apologie Cap. 9. Diuision 2. In these thinges haue they set al theire Religion teachinge the people that by the same God maie be duely pacified Spirites be driuen awaie and mens consciences wel quieted M. Hardinge VVhat shal I saie to al this but that ye lie I would saie as the manner is Sauing your worshippes but that your often and vnshamefaste lieing hath quite taken awaie from you al opinion of honestie Al Christes Religion whiche we professe consisteth not in these thinges neither by these be mennes consciences quieted By certaine of these euil and impure sprites be driued awaie in deede VVhich here by sundry Aunciente recordes and Testimonies I woulde declare to be moste true were it not wel yenough knowen by daily experience But as for you whereas neither Breade nor VVater nor Crosse driueth you awaie it semeth ye are worse to be coniured then the deuil himselfe Many of your secte Catholike Princes haue founde so stubborne as they could yet neuer ridde theire Countries of them but by coniuration of fire The B. of Sarisburie Yée saie yée ye neuer sought to quiet mennes Cōsciences by Oile Water Palmes c. And therefore ye stande vp a tipps toe and in your familiare manner crie oute yee lie For shorte trial hereof one example maie suffice in stéede of many Augustine Steuchus one of your special and woorthy Doctoures saithe thus Aquas Sale Orationibus Sanctificamus vt ad earum Aspersum nostra deleātur delicta We halowe VVater with Salte and Praiers that by the Sprinkelinge thereof our sinnes maie be foregeeuen Reade your owne Pontifical and ye shal finde in the halowinge of your VVater your Asshes your Palmes your Candels c. this clause euermore in the ende Vt sint nobis ad Salutem Animae Corporis That they maie be to vs to the Saluation of Body and soule Whereas in the ende ye vaunte your selfe of your Crueltie and so pleasantly make Sporte with the Bloude of your Brethern take it not for il if I answeare you with the Woordes of Salomon Viscera impiorum crudelia The bowelles of the wicked be alwaies cruel Therein M. Hardinge standeth your greateste puissance If ye were no better armed with Fire and Svverde then ye be with Scriptures and Doctoures no wise man woulde greately feare your force As for vs wée maie answeare you now as S. Cyprian sommetime answeared the Heathens Nobis ignominia non est pati à Fratribus quod passus est Christus neque vobis gloria est facere quod fecit Iudas It is no shame for vs to suffer of our Brethren the same violence that Christe suffered neither is it any praise for you to doo the same thinge that Iudas did Tertullian saith vnto your Fathers Crudelitas vestra gloria nostra est Semen est Sanguis Christianorum Your crueltie is our Glorie The Bloude of Christians is the seede of the Gospel I praie God al that innocente Bloude that hath benne sheadde in this cause be not required at your handes in the daie of Wrathe and at the declaration of the iuste iudgemente of God The Apologie Cap. 10. Diuision 1. For these lo be the oriente colours and Pretious sauours of Christian Religion these thinges dooth God looke vpon and accepteth thē thankefully these must cōme in place to be honoured must put quite awaie the Institutions of Christe of his Apostles And like as in times paste when wicked Kinge Ieroboam had taken from the people the right seruing of God had brought thē to woorship the Golden Calues leste perchaunce thei might afterward change theire minde and slippe awaie geatinge them againe to Ierusalem to the Temple of God there hee exhorted them with a longe tale to be stedfast saieinge thus vnto them O Israel these Calues be thy Goddes In this sorte commaunded your God you shoulde woorship him For it shoulde be wearisome and troublous for you to take vpon you a iourney so farre of yeerely to goe vp to Ierusalem there to serue and honoure your God Euen after the very same sorte when these menne had once made the Lawe of God of none effecte through theire owne Traditions fearinge that the people shoulde afterwarde open theire eies fal an other waie and shoulde sommewhence els seeke a surer meane of theire Saluation Iesu howe often haue they cried out This is the same woorshippinge that pleaseth God and whiche hee straitely requireth of vs and wherewith he wil be turned from his wrathe that by these thinges is conserued the Vnitie of the Churche that by these al sinnes be cleansed and consciences quieted and that who so departeth from these hath leafte vnto him selfe no hope of Euerlastinge Saluation For it were wearisome and troublous saie they for the people to resorte to Christe to the Apostles and to the Anciente Fathers and to obserue continually what theire wil and commaundement should be This ye maie see is to withdrawe the people of God from the Weake Elementes of the worlde from the leauen of the Scribes and Phariseis and from the Traditions of menne It were reason no doubte that Christes Commaundementes and the Apostles were remoued that these theire diuises might comme in place O iuste cause I promise you why that Anciente and so longe allowed Doctrine shoulde be nowe abolished and a newe Forme of Religion be brought into the Churche of God M. Hardinge It shoulde haue becomme Scoggin Patche Iolle Harry Pattenson or VVil Sommer to haue tolde this tale mutche better then your Superintendentships And if ye woulde nedes haue plaied the parte your selues it had ben more conuenient to haue donne it on the stage vnder a vices cote then in a booke set abrode to the worlde in defence of al your newe Englishe Churche Ye shal neuer make any reasonoble man beleue your scoffinge tale VVe esteme litle your railinge comparison with your spiteful woordes and so mutche deuilishe villany The Apologie Cap. 10. Diuision 2. And yet whatsoeuer it be these menne crie stil that nothing ought to be changed that mens mindes are wel satisfied here withal that the Churche of Rome the Churche whiche cannot erre hath decreed these thinges For Syluester Prieriàs saith that the Romishe Churche is the Squier and Rule of Truthe that the Holy Scripture hath receiued from thence Authoritie and Credite The Doctrine saith he
iudicio euidentis aduersus Claram consonantemque Orthodoxorum Patrum SeÌ„tentiam aduersus communem Ecclesiae Definitionem aliquid credere cuiquam licere Pighius saithe that noman maie lawfully beleeue any thinge by the Authoritie of any Scripture be the same in our iudgement neuer so plaine and euidente againste the cleare and agreeable iudgemente of the Catholique Fathers and againste the Common determination of the Churche By whiche he meaneth onely the Churche of Rome Therefore M. Hardinge it maie please you nowe a litle to spare your voice and to staie your Proclamation But for as mutche as yée séeme so litle to estéeme these twoo Doctoures Prieriâs and Pigghius beinge otherwise not longe sithence the chiefe Leaders and Captaines of al your bandes ye maie therefore ioine others to them to better theire credite and to encrease the Companie And for as mutche as wée speake of the Churche of Rome let vs heare the iudgement of a Cardinal of the Churche of Rome notwithstandinge otherwise alleged before Cardinal Cusanus therefore hereof saithe thus Haec est omnium sanè intelligentium Sententia qui Scripturarum Authoritatem intellectum in Ecclesiae approbatione fundant non è conuerso Ecclesiaeâ— Fundamentum in Scripturarum Authoritate locant Nulla sunt Christi praecepta nisi quae per Ecclesiam pro talibus accepta sunt Sequuntur igitur Scripturae EcclesiaÌ„ non è conuerso This is the iudgemente of al them that thinke rightly that founde the Authoritie and vnderstandinge of the Scriptures in the allowance of the Churche and not contrariewise laie the Fundation of the Churche in the Authoritie of the Scriptures There be no Commaundementes of Christe but sutch onely as so be taken and holden by the Churche Therefore the Scriptures folovve the Churche but contrarievvile the Churche folovveth not the Scriptures Likewise saithe Iohannes Maria Verractus Humiliter confitemur Ecclesiae Authoritatem esse Supra Euangelium We doo humbly confesse that the Authoritie of the Churche is aboue the Authoritie of the Gospel Likewise Albertus Pigghius saithe Apostoli quaedam Scripserunt non vt Scripta illa praeessent Fidei Religioni nostrae sed potiùs vt subessent Scripturae sunt Muti Iudices Scripturae sunt veluti Cereus Naâ—us The Apostles haue written certaine thinges not that theire saide Writinges shoulde rule our Faithe or Religion but rather that they should be vnder and be ruled by our Faith The Scriptures are doumbe Iudges The Scriptures are like a Nose of vvaxe By theise and other like vnreuerente and godlesse speaches they séeke to leade the poore simple deceiued people from the Holy Scriptures and Voice of God to the Authoritie of theire Churche by whiche Churche they vnderstande onely the Pope and his Cardinalles But yée saie These be the Priestes of the House of Leui The Pope is the Iudge for the time in the place that our Lorde hath Chosen Somme others of you sale Papa est tota Ecclesia Virtualiter The Pope is by Power and vertue the whole Churche What so euer these shal happen to saie wée maie not swarue from theire Iudgemente neither to yâ— Right hand nor to the Lefte hand Whereupon the Hebrevve Glose noteth thus Si dixerint tibi quòd Dextra sit Sinistra aut quòd Sinistra sit Dextra talis Sententia tenenda est Although they tel thee yâ— thy Right hande is thy Lefte hande or that thy Lefte hande is thy Right hande yet sutche a Sentence muste be holden as good S. Augustine ye saie holdeth harde of your side He saithe Non crederem Euangelio nisi me Ecclesiae Catholicae Authoritas commoueret I woulde not beleue the Gospel excepte the Authoritie of the Catholique Churche moued me These fewe poore woordes haue benne tossed of your parte and wroonge and pressed to the vttermoste to yeelde out that was neuer in them For hereby yée would faine proue that the Authoritie of the Churche whereby yee euermore vnderstande your Churche of Rome and none other is aboue the Authoritie of Goddes VVoorde that is to saie that the Creature is aboue the Creatoure that made Heauen and Earthe But what if S. Augustine as he saithe I beleue the Gospel bicause of the Churche haue likewise saide I beleue the Churche bicause of the Gospel Then I trowe yee muste turne your tale and saie The Gospel is aboue the Churche His woordes be plaine Ex ore Veritatis Ecclesiam agnosco participem Veritatis By the Mouthe of God that is the Truthe I knowe the Churche that is partetaker of the Truthe Againe he saithe Nolo Humanis Documentis sed Diuinis Oraculis Ecclesiam Sanctam demonstrari Ecclesiam quaerere debemus in Verbis Christi qui est Veritas optim è nouit Corpus suum Ecclesiam sine vlla ambiguitate Sancta Scriptura demonstrat In Scripturis Sanctis Ecclesia manifestè cognoscitur Ecclesiam sicut ipsum Caput in Scripturis Sanctis Canonicis debemus agnoscere I woulde the Churche shoulde be shewed not by the Decrees of Menne but by the Heauenly Oracles or VVordes of God VVee muste seeke the Churche in the VVoordes of Christe whiche is the Truthe and beste knoweth his owne Body The Holy Scripture sheweth vs the Churche without doubtinge In the Holy Scripture the Churche is plainely knowen VVee muste knowe the Churche by the Holy Canonical Scriptures as we know Christe that is the Heade Likewise saithe Chrysostome Nullo modo cognoscitur quae sit Vera Ecclesia nisi tantummodò per Scripturas It is not any waies knowen whiche is the True Churche of Christe but Onely by the Scriptures And thus for as mutche as wée knowe bothe Christe by the Churche and the Churche by Christe the one geeuinge euidence to the other by this reckeninge M. Hardinge and by your shiftinge of turnes wee muste sometimes place Christe aboue the Churche and sommetimes the Churche aboue Christe Now be it S. Augustines minde was not to commence an Action bitwene Christe and his Churche in comparison of theire Dignities or for trial and keepinge of their boundes or to teache vs that the Truthe of God taketh Authoritie of the Churche but onely to shewe vs that the Churche is a witnesse to Goddes Truthe And certainely it hath greate weight of persuasion to moue the Conscience of any man to sée so many Kingedomes Countries to ioine togeather in yâ— profession and obedience of one Truthe And I doubte not but euen this daie many thousandes are the sooner leadde to humble them selues vnto the Gospel of Christe for that they see the whole worlde that is to saie the whole Churche of God is contented so willingly so humbly to embrace the same Dauid to testifie the Truthe and certainetie of the Gospel saithe thus The sounde of the Apostles wente oute into al the Barthe and the VVoordes of them into the endes of al the VVorlde This is
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 Nequaquā enim in hac vita de medio Ciuitatis reprobae id est de medio malorum quos Babylon illa significat electorum aliquis valet exire nisi detestādo quod ab ipsis agitur agēdo quod ab ipsis detestatur The Prophete Hieremie saith O my people goe foorth frō the middes of them and saue euery man his owne soule frō 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
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 waâ—ily 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 â–ª But thankes be to God al this winde shaketh no corne VVhen al these hasty blastes be blowne â–ª 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 straitouâ—sse 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
receiued of the Apostles And wilt thou knowe Reader what they be Forsoothe they haue neither Priuate Masses nor mangled Sacramentes nor Purgatories nor Pardons Is not the witte of this Defender to bee commended that maketh a man to holde that whiche he hath not Those Greekes holde stil saithe he VVhat holde they Mary they haue not this and that This is a newe kinde of holdinge for a man to holde that he hath not If they holde stil then haue they stil But they haue not saieth he then howe holde they A man maie by the rules of this newe Logique thus reason The Turkes Saracenes Iewes Infidels Idolaters yea the shepe of Cottesholde also if ye wil haue neither priuate Masses nor Communion vnder one kinde nor Purgatories nor Pardons Ergo they holde a number of thinges whiche they receiued from the Apostles The antecedent is true VVho so euer denieth the consequente must compte this Defenders Logique very simple VVhat if one shoulde make this argumente This Defender hath neither good Logique nor very fine Rhetorike nor profounde Philosophie nor the right knowledge of Diuinitie Ergo he holdeth many Heresies Though bothe the Antecedent and Consequent be true yet is the argument naught For by like reason one might conclude an honest vnlearned catholique man to be an Heretique whiche were false and iniurious Sutche is the Logique sutche are the topikes of this newe negatiue and ablatiue diuinitie for so maie we worthely cal it Negatiue in respect of their blasphemous tongues denieing sundrie weightie pointes of our Faithe Ablatiue in respecte of their wicked handes casting away throwinge downe and taking away manie good thinges perteining to the maintenance of Christen Religion and Goddes honour Put them from their negatiues and from their ablatiues then in what case shal they stande The B. of Sarisburie I am ashamed the worlde should be combred with so childishe folies This Defenders witte ye saie is to bee commended He maketh a man to holde that be neuer hadde And what holde they saie you Mary they haue not this and that This is a newe kinde of holdinge for a man to holde that he hath not If they holde stil then haue they stil But they haue not then howe holde they Nowe surely M. Hardinge I trowe wee shal Haue and Holde a mery man So prety sporte yee canne make youre selfe with Hauinge and Holdinge It were great pitie yee shoulde euer be otherwise occupied Annibal of Carthage when he hadde hearde Phormio the Oratoure talke pleasantly a longe whyle togeather beinge afterwarde demaunded what he thought of his Eloquence made aunsweare in his homely sorte Multos se vidisse delitos senes sed qui magis quà m Phormio deliraret vidisse neminem But somme what to yelde vnto your pleasance why maie not a man Holde that be neuer Hadde as wel as Lose that he neuer Hadde In the Learned Gloses vpon youre Decrees yee maie finde this note emongest others Nota quòd aliquis dicitur perdere quod nunquā habuit Marke wel this A man maie be said to Lose that he neuer Hadde And yet ye saie cōmonly in the Schooles Priuatio semper praesupponit habitum The Losing of a thing alwaies pre supposeth the Hauing of the same Or to answeare you in plainer wyse why maie not a man as wel Holde nothinge as you maie talke so mutche and yet saie nothing Galene saide sommetime to one that spake then in sutche substantial manner as you speake nowe Accipe nihil tene fideliter Take nothinge and holde it faste But to leaue youre folies and seely toies M. Hardinge with youre Turkes and Saracenes and Sheepe of Cotesholde wee saie not The Greekes Holde stil that they neuer Hadde But wee saie They Holde stil that they euer Hadde You re Priuate Masses and youre Dimi Communions they Holde not for they Hadde them neuer The Holy and VVhole Communion in Bothe kindes they Holde stil and sithence the Apostles time they haue hadde them euer They praie also for the Dead And therein yee saie is implied youre Faithe of Purgatorie I wil not here touche the simplicitie of youre Rhetorique or Logique M. Hardinge But onely wishe you to haue better regarde to youre Diuinitie For ought that I can see Praier for the Deade and youre Fantasie of Purgatorie were neuer so straitely coupled togeather but that they might wel and easily goe a sunder The Grecians as they Praie for the Deade so doo they Praie for the Apostles for the Patriarkes for the Prophetes and for the Blessed Virgine oure Ladie as you maie soone perceiue by S. Basiles and by S. Chrysostomes Liturgie Yet I thinke yee woulde not haue youre Reader beleue as an Article of youre Faithe that the Apostles of Christe the Patriarkes the Prophetes and the Blessed Virgin Christes Mother are stil in Purgatorie What so euer other opinion the Grecians haue of the Deade certaine it is they coulde neuer yet be brought to beleue youre Purgatorie Roffensis one of your greatest Doctoures as I haue saide before saith thus Purgatorium Graecis vsque ad hunc diem non est creditum The Grecians vntil this daie beleue not Purgatorie Thus M. Hardinge I knowe not whether by youre Logique or by youre Diuinitie for bothe are marueilous yee woulde faine force youre poore Greekes to Holde that thinge that they neuer Hadde An other proper pastime yee make youre selfe with youre Negatiues and Ablatiues And wherefore it were harde to telle sauinge that I see ye were wel disposed and wel it became you to be mery The Ancient Learned Fathers hauinge to deale with impudent Heretiques that in defence of their Erroures auouched the Iudgemente of al the Olde Bishoppes and Doctoures that hadde benne before them and the general consente of the Primitiue and whole Vniuersal Churche and that with as good regarde of Truthe and as Faithefully as you doo nowe the better to discouer the shamelesse boldenesse and nakednesse of theire Doctrine were oftentimes likewise forced to vse the Negatiue and so to driue the same Heretiques as wee doo you to proue theire Affirmatiues whiche thinge to doe it was neuer possible The Anciente Father Irenaeus thus staied him selfe as wee doo by the Negatiue Hoc neque Prophetae Praedicauerunt neque Dominus docuit neque Apostoli tradiderunt This thinge neither did the Prophetes publishe nor oure Lorde teache nor the Apostles deliuer By a like Negatiue Chrysostome saithe Hanc Arborem non Paulus plantauit non Apollo rigauit non Deus auxit This Tree of Erroure neither Paule planted nor Apollo watered nor God encreased In like sorte Leo saithe Quid opus est in cor admittere quod Lex non docuit quod Prophetia non cecinit quod Euangelij Veritas non praedicauit quod Apostolica Doctrina non tradidit What needeth it to beleue that thing that neither the Lawe hathe taught nor the Prophetes haue spoken nor the Gospel hathe preached nor
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 Denn◠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 â–ª 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 beâ—â—e 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 shalâ—e 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 RemeÌ„ber 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 priâ—keth foorth theire Secretary who thinketh him self a fresh souldier in Rhetorike and geueth the onsette vpon vs with a blinde peraduenture But Sir what so euer you imagine vs to saie touchinge a General Councel we are not so simple as to graunt whiche your Peraduenture semeth to surmise of vs that your Heretical and moste vngodly matters whiche you speake of might without blame be attempted by licence of any Councel Sutche wicked changes in religion as ye haue made neither is it lawful to make with a Councel nor without a Councel The Apologie Cap. 1. Diuision 2. In deede King Agesilaus did but fondely who when he had a determinate answeare made him of the opinion and wil of mighty Iuppiter woulde afterwarde bringe the whole matter before Apollo to knowe whether he woulde allowe thereof as his Father Iuppiter had donne or no. But yet shoulde wee doo mutche more fondely when we heare God him selfe plainely speake to vs in his most Holy Scriptures and maie vnderstande by them his wil and meaninge if wee would afterwarde as though this were of none effecte bring our whole cause to be tried by a Councel which were nothinge els but to aske whether menne would allowe as God did and whether menne woulde confirme Goddes Commaundemente by theire Authoritie M. Hardinge For as mutche as the scriptures wherein God speaketh vnto vs be in sundrie places not moste open and plaine to humaine senses and many by mistakinge them be deceiued were it not wel done of you for the more suretie and better vnderstandinge of that ye goe about I meane in matters concerninge religion to folowe the iudgemente of the Catholike Churche represented in general councels Yea we saie boldely that surer it is in pointes of faithe to leane to the exposition of the Fathers agreinge togeather and to folowe the tradition of the Churche then to trust to your selues or to the letter of the scriptures scanned onely by your owne wittes For the Churche is promised to be lead into al Truthe by the holy Ghost Ye cannot saie any such promise hath ben made to your particulare company Therefore it were not fondly done as ye saie but wisely saie we if ye tried and examined your Doctrine which ye pretende to be according vnto the Scriptures by the rule of Ecclesiastical Tradition which is the chiefe rule to trie euery Doctrine by The B. of Sarisburie Wée neuer despised the iudgemente of the Learned and Holy Fathers but rather take them and embrace them as the Witnesses of Goddes Truthe And therein wée finde you the more blame woorthy M. Hardinge for that hauinge without cause renounced the iudgemente and orders of the Primitiue Churche and Anciente Fathers as to the wise and Learned it maie soone appeare yet neuerthelesse yée euermore make vaunte of your Antiquitie and fraie the world with a visarde of the Churche a shewe of Olde Fathers as if a poore Sommonere that had loste his Commission would serue Citations by the vertue of his emptie bore And thus haue ye set al your vaine fantasies in place of Goddes Churche and your Churche in place of God as by the woordes and witnesse of your owne Felowes I haue before shewed more at large For example Cardinal Cusanus saith Nulla sunt Christi Praecepta nisi quae per Ecclesiam pro talibus accepta sunt The Commaundementes of Christe are no Commaundementes Onlesse they be so allowed by the Churche Thus yée leaue Iuppiter and renne to Apollo or rather yée foresake God séeke to Man as it is written in the Prophete Hieremie Yee leaue the Fountaine of the Water of Life and rippe vp broken and filthy Cesternes that can holde no Water Tertullian thus vpbraideth the Heathens Apud vos de humano arbitratu Diuinitas pensitatur Emonge you the right of God is weighed by the iudgemente of menne But Clemens Alexandrinus saithe Quoniam ipsum Verbum ad nos venit de Coelo noÌ„ est nobis ampliùs eundum ad Humanam Doctrinam For so mutche as the Worde it selfe that is Christe is comme to vs from Heauen wee maie not nowe any more seeke vnto the Doctrine of Man Likewise S. Chrysostome saithe Fuisset extremae absurditatis eum qui edoctus fuerat à Deo postea cum hominibus communicate It had benne greate folie for S. Paule hauing receiued his Doctrine from God him selfe afterward to conferre thereof with menne that is to saie with Peter or Iames or with any others The Apologie Cap. 1. Diuision 3. Why I beseche you except a Councel wil and commaunde shal not Truthe be Truthe or God be God If Christe had meante to doo so from the beginninge as that he woulde preache or teache nothinge without the Bishoppes consente but referre al this Doctrine ouer to Annas Caiphas where shoulde nowe haue benne the Christian Faithe Or who at any time shoulde haue hearde the Gospel taught Peter verily whom the Pope hath oftener in his mouthe more reuerently vseth to speake of then he dooth of Iesus Christe did boldely stand against the Holy Councel saieing It is better to obey God then Men. And after yâ— Paule
Deus instituit Constantinum Ministrum suum Doctorem Pietatis omnibus terris The One and Onely God hath appointed Constantine to be his Minister and the Doctoure of true Godlinesse vnto al Nations And Theodoretus saithe Laudatissimus Rex Apostolicas curas suscipiebat animo suo At Pontifices nō solùm non ae dificare Ecclesiam sed etiā illus fundamenta labefactare conabantur The good Emperoure hadde Apostolique Cares in his harte But the Bishoppes did not onely not builde vp the Churche of God but also ouerthrew the fundations of the same And againe Eusebius saithe Constantinus erat Vocalissimus Dei praeco quasi Seruator ac Medicus animarum Constantine the Emperoure was a moste Cleare Preacher of God and as it were the Saueoure and Physicion of Soules In this sorte Nicephorus writeth vnto the Emperoure Emmanuel Palaeologus Tu es Dux Professionis Fidei nostrae c. Youre Maiestie is the Captaine of the Profession of our Faithe youre Maiestie hath restored the Catholique and vniuersal Churche Your Maiestie hath refourmed the Temple of God from Marchantes and Exchaungers of the Heauenly Doctrine and from Heretiques by the woorde of Truthe Yee saie When the Bishoppes were sette in came the Emperoure laste with a smal companie Whereof yee would haue vs to geather y◠he came onely as somme inferioure personne and not as a Iudge Howe be it Theodoretus saithe Constantinus iussit Episcopos ingredi Constantine Commaunded the Bishoppes to goe in And Eusebius saithe Sedit tota Synodus reuerenter vt par fuit cum silentio expectans aduentum Principis The whole Councel sate in reuerent and comely order quietely and in silence lookinge for the Princes comminge This is no good proufe M. Hardinge that the Emperoure in the Councel was inferioure to the Bishoppes Nay the Bishoppes were commaunded to take their places to sitte in silence and to waite for the Emperoures comminge as his Subiectes Againe he saithe Signo quo aduentus Imperatoris indicatus est dato omnibus exuergentibus ipse deinde ingressus est medius tanquà m aliquis Dei coelestis Angelus When the watche woorde was geuen that the Emperoure was comme the Bishoppes stoode vp from their places and his Maiestie past along through the middes of them as if he had benne an Angel of God But the Emperoure yee saie sate vpon a litle lowe stoole and therein shewed him selfe inferioure to the Bishops Yea M. Hardinge but Eusebius saithe that the same litle lowe stoole was made of whole beaten gould And therein I trowe he was sommewhat aboue the Bishoppes Yee saie he sate alowe and in the middes of the Bishoppes and hereof yee conclude he was theire Inferioure So Iulius Caesar notwithstandinge he were the Emperoure of Rome yet when he came into the College of Poetes he was wel contented to be placed in the lowest roume And yet was he not therefore thiere Inferioure But touching the Emperoure Constantines place in the Councel Eusebius saithe thus Accessit ad summum gradum ordinum He went vp to the highest rising of al the benches Sozomenus saithe Imperator peruenit ad Caput Concilij sedit in Throno quodam quem ipse sibi fecerat Erat autem Thronus ille Maximus alios omnes superans The Emperoure went vp to the headde or highest place of the Councel and sate downe in a Throne of estate that he had prepared for him selfe But this Throne was very greate and farre passed al the rest In the meane season the Popes Legate sate as it is saide before neither in the First place nor in the Seconde nor in the Thirde but in the Fourthe Hereby it seemeth to appeare plainely that Constantinus the Emperoure had his place in the Councel aboue the Bishoppes Notwithstandinge sithence that time the Pope hathe determined it muste nowe be otherwise His order is this as it hath benne alleaged before Sedes Imperatoris parabitur c. The Emperoures Seate shal be prepared nexte vnto the Popes Seate and shal haue twoo steppes ioined vnto the same but neither so broade nor so longe as bee the Popes It shal be apparelled with clothe of golde but Canopie euer the heade it shal haue none Howe be it this thinge is specially to be marked that the place whereupon the Emperoure sittethe maie be no higher then the place where the Pope setteth his Feete Thus wee see the Emperoure is allowed to sitte at the Popes foote stoole but in any case to mounte no higher The Emperoure yee saie stoode stil no doubte with Cappe in hande and durste not sitte downe without leaue And thereby testified him selfe to be Inferioure to the Bishoppes These colde Conclusions wil hardely serue For Traianus beinge the Emperoure of Rome was contented him selfe to stande afoote and for honours sake commaunded the Consulles to sitte downe Yet was he not therefore Inferioure in dignitie to the Consulles Helena the Empresse apparelled her selfe like a Seruante and ministred vnto the Holy Virgines and gaue them water to theire handes as if in deede she had benne theire Seruaunte yet was shee not therefore Inferioure vnto the Virgines The same Emperoure Constantine at the time of the Sermons stoode vpright and woulde not sitte for the reuerence that he bare to the VVoorde of God Yet was he not Inferioure to the Preacher This was that good Emperoures modestie and Humilitie M. Hardinge but not his dewtie It were wisedome for Princes to take heede they committe not ouermutche to youre handes For what so euer they once yeelde of meere Courtesie streight waie ye claime it as youre owne Howe be it touchinge the Emperoures Sittinge in the Councel it was farre otherwise then you reporte it Sozomenus saithe Imperator resedit in Throno qui illi paratus fuerat Synodus iussa est sedere The Emperoure sate downe in his Chaire of estate prouided for him and then the Councel was Commaunded to sitte downe Hereby it appeareth the Emperoure needed not the Bishoppes leaue but rather gaue leaue to the Bishoppes No doubte that Godly and Milde Prince beeinge in that Reuerende assemblie bare him selfe with mutche Reuerence And therfore Eusebius saithe He sate not downe before the Bishoppes had beckened vnto him But he addeth withal Post Imperatorem idem fecerunt omnes Not before but After that the Emperoure was sette they sate downe al togeather Now M. Hardinge if he that sate Firste in the Councel were the Heade of the Churche as you seeme to saie then maie I reason thus The Pope or his Legate in that Councel sate not First Ergo the Pope then was not Heade of the Churche Againe The Emperoure in that Councel sate Firste Ergo by youre owne Conclusion the Emperoure was the Heade of the Churche Certainely the Pope him selfe saithe plainely The Emperoure Constantine vvas the President or Ruler of the Nicene Councel His woordes be theise Constantinus Praesidens
And therefore was Origen called Magister Ecclesiarum The Enformer or Maister of the Churches S. Basile Canon Fidei The Rule of the Faithe Eusebius Samosatensis Regula Veritatis The Standarde of the Truthe Athanasius Orbis oculus The eie of the worlde And in doubteful Cases they were as diligently sought vpon as the Pope Here by the waie it were a woorthy mater to consider somme of the Profound and Learned Resolutions that wee haue receiued from the See of Rome Augustine the Italian Monke whom somme haue called the Apostle of England demaunded of Pope Gregorie by waie of greate Counsel whether a Woman with Childe might be Baptized or no and howe longe afterwarde it might be lawful for her to comme to Churche Bonifacius the Apostle of Germanie demaunded the like questions of Pope Zacharie whether laies Davves Storkes Beauers Otters Hares and VVilde Horses be mannes meate or no what order were to be taken with Man or Horse hauinge the Fallinge sickenesse At what time of the yeere it maie be lawful or wholesome for folkes to eate Bacon and if a man liste to eate it Ravve howe old it ought to be before he eate it What maie be donne if a Prieste haue a blacke in his eie Who maie hallovve Oile who maie weare the palle At what time in what place in what sorte ouer or vnder openly or secretely it maie be lawful to weare it To these and other like doubteful and profounde questions the Pope hath geuen out his Answeares and that in sutch graue and solemne sorte as if no other Creature vnder Heauen bisides his Holinesse were hable to vnderstande sutche highe Mysteries There felle out sommetime an Odious quarrel bitwéene the Thomist s and Scotistes whether the Blessed Virgine were conceiued in sinne or no. The one side saide Yea the other cried Nay There were Learned menne of bothe sides Parties grewe The Schooles were enflamed the worlde was troubled No Conference no Doctoure no Councel was hable to quiet the mater and to make them frendes The Scotistes alleged for them selues the Councel of Basile The Thomistes cried out the Councel of Basile was disorderly summoned and therefore vnlawful In the middes of this heate Pope Sixtus tooke vpon him to be Iudge bitwéene them and to determine the bottome of y◠Cause In conclusion when al the worlde lookte to be resolued and satisfied in the question the Pope Commaunded bothe the Thomistes and the Scotistes to departe home and to dispute no more of the mater but to let al alone so leafte them as doubteful as he founde them A greate contention fel out bitwéene them of Ratispone in Germanie and the Abbie of S. Denise in France whether of them had the whole Body of S. Denise for that either parte saide bare the worlde in hande they had the whole To Rome they wente The Pope sate sadly in Iudgemente and examined theire Allegations and grewe to conclusion and in the ende gaue his aduised Definitiue Sentence that either parte as wel thei of France as also the others of Germanie had the vvhole Body of S Denise and that who so euer woulde saie nay shoulde be an Heretique Of sutche substance and certainetie are the Oracles of your See of Rome Somme of your frendes haue saide Veritas per Christum Cathedrae alligata est non personis Christe hath fastened his Truthe not to the Popes personne but to his Chaire Meaninge thereby that the Pope what so euer he decree or saie sittinge in S. Peters Chaire can neuer erre And thus by this Doctours Iudgemente wee are taught to géeue credite rather to the Popes Chaire then to the Pope Yet neuerthelesse the same Irenaeus whom yée haue here alleged openly reproued Pope Victor and S. Cyprian like wise reproued Pope Steuin for that thei thought notwithstandinge their Chaire they were in erroure Brasmus speaking of the Answeare of Pope Innocentius vnto the Councel of Carthage saith thus In hac Epistola Dictionem Ingenium Eruditionem tali Praesule dignam cogimur desiderare In this Epistle wee misse bothe Eloquence and Witte and Learninge meete for sutche a Prelate S. Ambrose saithe In omnibus cupio sequi Ecclesiam Romanam Sed tamen nos Homines sensum habemus Ideo quod alibi rectiùs seruatur nos rectè custodimus I desire in al thinges to folowe the Churche of Rome Howe be it wee our selues for that wee be menne haue vnderstandinge and Iudgemente too Therefore what so euer is better keapte in other places wee doo wel to keepe the same But touchinge the state of Rome that nowe is Arnulphus saide openly in y◠Councel of Remes Cùm hoc tempore Romae nullus sit vt fama est qui Sacras Literas didicerit qua fronte aliquis illorum docere audebit quod non didicerit For as mutche as nowe a daies as it is reported there is none in Rome that hath Learned the Scriptures with what face dareth any of them to teache vs that thinge that he him selfe neuer learned It is not sufficiente to saie The Pope sitteth in Peters Chaire As Antichriste maie sitte in place of Christe so maie Iudas sitte in place of Peter S. Hierome saithe Bethel quae priùs vocabatur Domus Dei postquam Vituli in ea positi sunt appellata est Bethauen id est Domus inutilis Domus idoli Bethel that before was called the House of God after that Hieroboams Goldē Calues were sette vp in it was called Bethauen that is to saie a House vnprofitable and the House of an Idole Therefore wée thinke it better to examine trie the groundes of your Religion by the VVoorde of God that is one and Vniforme and enduereth for euer then by your touche of Rome that is so vncertaine and so mutable and so often hathe deceiued vs. S. Cyprian saithe Si ad Diuinae Traditionis Caput Originem reuertamur cessat error humanus If wee returne to the Heade and Original of the heauenly Tradition which is the VVoord of God al humaine errour geueth place Touching the reste of your néedelesse talke our Brethren in France whom in your pleasante manner yée cal Huguenotes burnte not the Body of Irenaeus They knewe he was a Blessed Martyr of God and his Body sommetime the Temple of the Holy Ghoste Without any reproche or villanie either donne or meante to that Holy Father if they burnte any thinge whiche also maie wel be doubted they burnte onely an Idole that you had so vnreuerently sette vp againste the Glorie of God Chrysostome saithe Ioseph moriens air Ossa mea efferetis hinc vobiscum Ne Aegyptij memores beneficiorum eius Corpus Iusti haberent in occasionem Impietatis Ioseph lieinge in his death bedde saide vnto his Children and Neuewes yee shal carrie my bones with you foorthe out of Egypte Leste the Egyptians remembringe the good
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
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 visaâ—des 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 BauÌ„le 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 coÌ„tent 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
A Sophistical and a childishe cauil Reade the Ansvveare August Epist 57. ad Dardan August in Iohan tracta 31. August in Iohan tractat 50. Vigilius contra Eutychen Lib. 1. Cyrill in Iohannem Li. 10. Ca. 7. Faithe Eateth Origen in Matthae Homi. 33. Chrysost 1. Corinth Homil. 6. Augustin in IohaÌ„nem tract 25. Tertull. De Resurrectione Carnis Origen in Matthae Tracta 26. Cyprian De Coena Domini August in Iohan tracta 26. August De Doctrina Christiana Lib. 3. ca. 16. De Conse Dist 2. Species Augu. in Apoc. Homil. 6. Aug. in Psal 77. Ambros De Sacramen li. 6. ca. 1 Rabanus Maurus Lib. 1. Ca. 31. Augu. in Iohan. Tracta 27. Augu. in Iohan. Tracta 26. Certainetie of Doctrine Augu. in Iohan. Tracta 26. De Conse Dist 2. Tribus gradib In Glossa 4. Senten dist 13. * Marke this Antiquitie This Councel vvas holden tvvelue-hundred and fifteene yeeres after Christe TransubstaÌ„tiatio◠‡ As in a Mysterie or Sacramente but not in Substance Othervvise it is a greate Vntruthe * Vntruthe manifeste As shal appeare Transubstantiation Nevve doubteful Anno. 1215. Cutberbertue Tonstallus â–ª De Eucharistia Lib. 1. Pag. 46 Senten 4. dist 11. Si autem c. Transubstantiation Nevve douteful Gabriel in Canonem Lect. 40. Theophylacte contrary to these Defenders * This similitude of fâ—y yroÌ„ quite ouerthrovveth the vvhole fantasie of Transubstantiation * Vntruthe presumed onely of ignorance For Quodammodò is in the texte 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cap. 3. Ephe. 5. Theophylacte To eate God Concil Nicen. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hosius in Conf. Petruouien Cap. 48. Innocen De Mysterijs Miss Li. 2. Psalm 33. 1. Pet. 2. Augu. De Verb. Domini Secund. Lucam Serm 29 August Confess Lib 1. Articulo 8. Diuisi 16. To eate God Augu. in Iohan. Tracta 25. Hebr. 1. Augustin in Psal 134. Augu. in Iohan. Tracta 2. Grego in Ezech. Lib. 1. Homil. 14. Eccles Hierar Cap. 3. Augustin in Psalm 119. 1. Cor. 11. Hesych in Leut. Lib. 1. Cap. 2. Ambrosi in 1. Cor. 11. Christes Body geeueth Life Iohan. 6. Ambros De Benedictionib Patriarch Cap. 6. Augu in Iohan. Tracta 26. Augu. in Iohan. Tracta eodem August Epist 31. Augu. in Iohan. Tracta 25. Chryso in Epist ad Rom. Hom. 25 Chryso in Epist ad Colos Hom. 6. Chryso in Epist ad Ephe. Hom. 20. Leo De Natiuitate Domi. Sermo 3. Hieronym 〈◊〉 Viro Perfecta Quodammodò Chrysostom in 1. Cor. Hom. 8. Theophylact. in Iohan. Cap. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Augu. in Psal 26 August in Iohan Sermon 61. August Epist 120. Cap. 18. Cyrill ad Calosyrium Chrysost in Matthae Homil. 84. Quodammodò Roma 12. Cyrill in Iohan. Lib. 11. Cap. 26. Chrysostom in 1. Cor. Homil. â— Cyprian De Coena Domini Cyrill in Iohan. Lib. 4. Cap. 29. Nicol. Lyra in Iohan. Cap. 6. Nicol. Lira 1. Cor. 6 Chryso in Epist ad Colos Hom. 6. Leo De Ascensione Domini Sermon 3. Not a Figure but the Fleashe it selfe of our Lorde TransubstantiatioÌ„ * Vntruthe For he manifestely affirmeth a. Figure His vvordes be these It is not onely a Figure Ergo he graunteth it is a Figure Bernard Super Missus est Hom. 3 Augusti Contra Maximi Lib. 3. Tertull. Contra Marcion Lib. 4. Beda in Octauis Epiphaniae De Sacr. Li. 4. Ca. 4. De Pane. Consecration * God maie vvel be OmnipoteÌ„te without either Transubstantiation or Real Presence Operatoriê° These be the vvordes alleaged by the Defender ‡ S. Ambrose saith The Bread and VVine are the same thinges they vvere before CoÌ„secration notvvithstandinge they be novve made a Sacramente * Vntrue exposition That vvere contrarie to S. Ambrose For then vvere they not the same thinges their vvere before Omnipotente Povver The Elementes after Consecration be or haue a beinge * O fonde folio VVhat Being haue thinges vvhen theâ—e Substance is gonne◠‡ A 〈…〉 truthe 〈…〉 modestie Ambros De Noe Arca. Articulo 5. Diuision 4. Leo in Natiuitate Domini Sermon 5. Chrysosto in Iohan Homil. 24. Chrysost in Iohan Homil. 24. August Ad BonifaciuÌ„ Epist 23 1. Cor. 10. Pachymer in 4. Cap. Hierarch S. Germanus De Corpor. Sangui Christi Chrysostom in Psalm 50. 2. Reg. 23. August Contra Iulianum Lib. 1. Athanasi Contra Arian Sermon 4. Augu. in Iohan. Tracta 80. Changed into an other thinge August Contra Maximi Lib. 3. Cap. 2. Chrysostom in Psalm 22. De Con. Dist 2. Hoc est In Glosae August De Doctrina Christia Lib. 2. Cap. 1. Augustin in Iohan Tracta 4. Ambros De ijs qui initiantur Cap. 9. Ambros 1. Corinth 11. Ambros De Sacrament Lib. 4. Cap. 4. 5. Ambros De Sacramen Lib. 1. Cap. 5. Changed into an other thinge August Contra Mâ—â—imi Lib. 3. Cap. 12. August in Iohan Tracta 26. Ambros De Sacram Lib. 1. ca. 5. Prouerb 28. 4. Senten Dist 11. Quidam Changed into an other thinge Lanfrancur De Eucharist Hieronym in Matthae Cap. 18. Roman 1. * Vntruthe For this fantasie vvas neuer allovved through the vvhole Churche of Christe as it shal appeare The truthe coÌ„fessed by Theodorit ' Dialog 1. †Vntruthe VVithout question it is so For the vvoordes be Non definit esse Substantia Panis * A peeuishe vntruthe It had benne too great a folie Nature iâ— Gelasius and Substance in Theodorite is taken for naturall propertie Dialog 2. In Logiâ—s Cap. 23. †Vntruthe manifeste Reade the Ansvveare * Substantial consistinge of Accidentes O folie †O exacte folie A heape of Vntruthes vvithout sense * Vntruthe M. Harding by one dreame expouÌ„deth another Cyprian De Simplicit Praelatorum Irenae lia ca. 1. In eodem Cap. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysostom in Epist ad Hebrae Homil. 21. Tertull. Aduersus Marcion Lib. 2. Abbas Extrae De Clericis Coniugatis CuÌ„ Olim. Pupilla Oculi Pag. 14. Ambros De Elia Ieiunio Cap. 3. Tertull. De Baptismo This is one of Tertullians errours Getasius contra Eutychetem De Con. Dist 2. Hoc est quod diciâ—us Cyprian De vnctione Chrismatis De Con. Dist 2. Species Arti. S. Diul 26. Et Articul 10 Diuis 4. Theodoret. in 2. Dialogo Inconfusus August contra Maximin Lib. 3. Cap. 22. Chrysostom Ad Caesarium Theodoret Dialo 1. Nature Vertue De Con. dis 2. Species In gloss 4. Senten dis 22 Si autem * VVhat is the Vertue and Povver of your Accidenteâ— â–ª Cyrill in Iohan. Lib. 4. Cap. 12. Came not to destroie Basilius De Spiritu Sancto Cap. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyprian De Vnction Chrismatis Chrysost 1. Cori. Homil. 18. Origen in Matt. Cap. 15. Euthymius in Math. Cap. 64. The Doctrine of transubstaÌ„tiation Li. 83. quae * Vntruthe fon le and Childishe As though Christe had died to saue Accidentes Luke 9. 1. Corin. 6. Change in Accidentes Augustin ad Quoduustdeum Ibidem Luke ◠‡ Vntruthe euidente and sensible Reade the Ansvveare Change in Substance * Vntruthe
Truthe is euermore one and be it in many or in fewe is euer Catholique Thus M. Hardinge it is written by one of your owne side Etsi non nisi duo Homines remanerent in Mundo tamen in eis saluaretur Ecclesia quae est Vnitas Fidelium Although there were but two men remaining in the world yet euen in them two the Churche whiche is the Vnitie of the Faithful should be soued Luthers dogge eloquence for so M. Hardinge it liketh you of your modestie to cal it were it neuer so rough and vehement the iust zele of Gods glorie and of his Holy Temple whiche you so miserably had defaced so enforcing him yet was it neuer any thing comparable to your eloquence For I beséeche you if ye maie haue leasure harken a litle heare your selfe talke Behold your owne woordes so many so vaine so bitter so firie so furious al togeather in one place This newe Churche ye saie set vp by Sathan Martine Luther and other Apostates his companions This Babylonical Tower Luthers seditious and Heretical preaching Luther brinced to Germanie the poisoned Cuppe of his Heresies Blasphemies and Sathnismes Zuing lius and his rable The gutters of this Doctrine runne out of Luthers sincke Luther would stamps and rage and whette his dogge eloquence vpon you You are the Synagog of Antichriste These be the Figures and Flowers of your speache Yet must we thinke that ye can neither stampe nor rage but vse onely Angelles eloquence How be it I trust no wise man wil iudge our cause the worse for that your tongue can so readily serue you to speake il To the mater ye saie that touching the influence of Erace Christe onely is the Head of the Churche but touching Direction Gouernment the Pope onely is the Head Al this is but your owne tale M. Hardinge Ye speake it onely of your selfe Other Authoritie of Scripture or Doctour ye bringe ve-none And yet notwithstanding ye haue alleged Scriptures too God wote euen as ye haue vsed to doo in other places Ye saie S. Paule saithe Yf I forgaue any thing for your sakes I forgaue it in the personne of Christe Wee are Embassadours in the steede of Christe euen as though God did exhorte you through vs Hereof ye conclude Ergo The Pope vnder Christe and in the steede of Christe is Heade of the Churche Yf ye conclude not thus ye wander idlely and speake in vaine condlude nothing These woordes of S. Paule nothing touche y◠Pope but onely the faithful zelous Preacher of the Gospel For wherein dothe the Pope resemble S. Paule Wherein doothe he reprosente the Personne of Christe What exhorteth he What teacheth he What saithe he What doothe he And yet if he would do any one part of his whole duetie how might this Argument stand for good S. Paule being at y◠Cittie of Philippi in Maerdonia exhorted the Corinthians as in the Personne of Christe Ergo the Pope being at Rome in Italie although he neither exhorte nor preache yet is he the Head of the Vniuersal Churche Although Diuinitie goe harde with you yet ye shoulde haue seens better to your Logique I graunte Bishoppes may be called the Heades of theire seneral Churches So Chrysostome calleth Elias Caput Prophetarum The Head of the prophetee So Amos saith The Princes are the Heades of y◠people So Saul is called the Head of the Tribes of Israel So Dauid was made Caput Gentiū The Head of Nations Sondrie sutch other like examples I alleged in my Former Replie to M. Hardinge As that Cyrillius the Bishop of Alexandria in the Councel of Ephesus was called Caput Episcoporum congregatotum The Head of the Bishoppes that these were assembled That S. Gregorie saith Paulus ad Christum conuersus Caput effectus est Natlonūm Paule being once conuerted to Christe was made the Head of Nation That Prudentius saithe Sancta Bethlem Capur eitorbis Holy Bethlem is the Head of the World In this sense Optatus saithe There be foure sortes of Heades in the Churche the Bishops the Priestes the Deacons The Faithful And al this onely in a certaine kinde of phrase and manner of speache But in déede and verily S. Augustine saithe Paulus ipse non poterat Caput esse eorum quos plantauerat Paule him selfe could not be the Head of them whom he had planted Therefore Gregorie saithe Petrus Apostolus Primum Membrū Sanctae Vniuersalis Ecclesiae est Paulus Andreas Iohannes quid aliud quam singulariū sunt plebium Capita Tamen sub Vno Capite omnes Membra sunt Ecclesiae Arque ve cuncta breui cingulo locutionis astringam sancti ante Legem Sacti in Lege Sancti sub Gratia Omnes hi perficientes Corpus Domini in Membris sunt Ecclesiae constituti Et nemo se vnquam Vniueisalem vocari voluit Peter the Apostle is not the Head but the chiefe Member of the Holy Vniuersal Churche Paule Andrewe and Iohn what are they els but the Heades of seueral Nations Yet notwithstandinge vnder one Head Christe they are al Members of the Churche And to speake shortely the Sainctes before the Lawe the Sainctes in the time of Grace al accomplisshing the Lordes Body are placed emonge the Members of the Churche And there was neuer yet one that would haue him selfe called the Vniuersal Bishop Therfore where as M. Hardinge saithe Al Christian People haue euer taken the Successour of Peter to be the Heade of the Catholique Churche vnder Christ he speaketh it onely of him selfe And though the comparison be odious yet Christe saithe Cùm loquitur mendacium ex proprijs loquitur when he speakethe Vntruthe he speaketh it of his owne S. Gregorie saithe Peter was the chiefe Member of the Churche of Christe but not the Head But the Bishop of Rome and his hired Proctours haue taught vs farre otherwise Panormitane saithe Christus Papa faciunt vnum Consistortum excepto peccaio Papa potest quicquid Deus ipse potest Christe and the Pope make one Consistone and keepe one Courte And sinne onely excepted the Pope can doo what so euer God him selfe can doo This I trowe is that Head of Direction and Gouernmente that M. Hardinge meaneth As for the reste that the Churche is the Kingedome of Christe and the Pope the Prince thereof M. Hardinge in special woordes answeareth nothinge Notwithstandinge some others haue saide Petro Coelestis Terreni Imperij iura commissa sunt Vnto Peter was committed the right both of the Heauenly and also of the Earthely Empiere Last of al he doubteth not but the Pope maye be called the Spouse or Bridegrome of the Vniuersal Churche and yet the same without the Authoritie of any Doctour He allegeth onely S. Bernarde But the same S. Bernarde in the selfe same place saithe and that by M. Hardinges owne confession that the Pope is not the Bridegrome of the Churche