is not Iustified by the VVoorkes of the Lawe but by the Faithe of Christe M. Hardinge wil saie Yet hitherto of Sola Fides that is of Onely Faithe wée heare nothinge Notwithstandinge when S. Paule excludeth al manner Woorkes bisides Onely Faithe what els then leaueth he but Faithe alone How be it if it be so horrible an Heresie to saye Wée be Iustified before God by Onely Faithe that is to saie Onely by the Merites Crosse of Christe let vs sée what the Holy Learned Fathers of the Churche so many hundred yéeres agoe haue taught vs thereof S. Ambrose saithe Iustificati sunt Gratis quia nihil Operantes neque vicem reddentes Sola Fide Iustificati sunt dono Dei They are Iustified Freely Bicause woorkinge nothinge and requitinge nothinge they are Iustified by Onely Faithe through the gifte of God Againe Sic decretum est à Deo vt cessante Lege Solam Fidem Gratia Dei posceret ad Salutem This was Goddes determination that the Lawe surceasinge the Grace of God shoulde require Onely Faithe vnto Saluation And againe Sola Fides posita est ad Salutem Onely Faithe is saide or appointed vnto Saluation S. Bastle saithe Nouis se esse inopem Verae Iustitiae Sola autem Fide in Christum esse Iustificatum He knoweth him selfe to be voide of True Righteousnesse and to be Iustified by Onely Faithe in Christe Theodoretus saithe Non vllis Operibus nostris sed per Solam Fidem Mystica bona consequuti sumus Not by any VVoorkes of ours but by Onely Faithe we haue gotten the Mystical good thinges Nazianzenus saithe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Credere solum est Iustitia Onely Beleeuinge is Righteousnesse Origen saithe Vbi est gloriario tua Exclusa est Dicit sufficere Solius Fidei Iustificationem ita vt credens quis TantuÌ„modo Iustificetur etiaÌ„si Nihil boni Operis fecerit VVhere nowe is thy boastinge of thy good Woorkes It is shutte out Paule saithe that the Iustification of Onely Faithe is Sufficiente So that a man Onely Beleeuinge maye be Iustified although he haue donne no good woorke at al. Hesychius saithe Gratia ex Misericordia atque Compassione praebetur Fide comprehenditur Sola The Grace of God is geuen onely of Mercie and Pauoure and is embraced and receiued by Onely Faithe I leaue a greate number of others that haue written the like as wel Gréekes as Latines In steede of them al S. Chrysostome saithe thus Illi dicebant Qui Sola Fide nititur Execrabilis est Hic contrà demonstrat eum qui Sola Fide nititur Benedictum esse They saide who so staieth him selfe by onely Faithe is accursed Contrarâ—ewise S. Paule prooueth that who so stayeth him selfe by Onely Faithe he is Blessed Touchinge the woordes of S. Iames yf M. Hardinge wel considered the Equiuocation or double vnderstanding of this woorde Iustification he might soone and easily haue espied his owne errour For when S. Paule saithe Abraham was Iustified by Faithe without VVoorkes of the Lawe he teacheth vs how Abraham was receiued into fauour and Iustified before God Of the other side S. Iames when he saithe Abraham was Iustified by VVoorkes and not by Faithe Onely he speaketh of the woorkes that folowe Iustification of the Fruites of Faithe Without whiche Fruites Abrahams Faithe had benne no Faithe S. Augustine saithe Non sunt contrariae duorum Apostolorum Sententiae Pauli Iacobi Cùm dicit Paulus Iustificari hominem sine Operibus Iacobus dicit inanem esse Fidem sine Operibus Quia Paulus loquitur de Operibus quae Fidem praecedunt Iacobus de ijs quae Fidem sequntur The saieinges of the twoo Apostles Paule and Iames are not contrarie where as Paule saithe A man is Iustified without Woorkes and Iames saithe Faithe without Woorkes is in vaine For Paule speaketh of the VVorkes that goe before Faithe James speaketh of the VVorkes that folowe after Faithe Yf M. Hardinge shal thinke S. Augustines authoritie herein is not sufficient Thomas of Aquine wil auouche the same His woordes be these Iacobus hic loquitur de Operibus sequentibus Fidem quae dicuntur Iustificare non secundum quod Iustificare dicitur Iustitiae infusio sed secundum quod dicitur Iustitiae Exercitatio vel Ostensio vel Consummatio Res enim dicitur fieri quando perficitur vel innotescit Iames in this place speaketh of sutche woorkes as folowe Faithe whiche woorkes are saide to Iustifie not as Iustification is the procuring of Righteousnesse but in that it is an Exercise or a shewinge or a Perfitinge of Righteousnesse For wee saye A thinge is donne when it is perfited or knowen to be donne Nowe concerninge the assurance or Certainetie of Saluation the Scriptures are fulle S. Paule saithe There is no damnation to them that be in Christe Iesu The Sprite of God beareth witnesse to our Sprite that wee are the Children of God I knowe that neither Deathe nor Life nor Angels nor Powers nor Principalities nor thinges presente nor thinges to come nor Highth nor Deapthe nor duy Creature els shal be hable to remooue me from that Loue that God beareth to wardes mee in Christe Iesu our Lorde But for as mutche as these woordes perhaps haue not the Sense of the Churche of Roome without whiche in M. Hardinges iudgemente the Scripture of God is no Scripture let vs sée the Sense and Exposition of the Holy Fathers Tertullian saithe Vt certum esset nos esse Filios Dei misit Spiritum suum in corda noâ—tra clamantem Abba Pater That wee might be certified that we bee the Children of God he hath sente the Holy Ghoste into our hartes crieinge Abba Father Clemens Alexandrinus saithe Re vera Sanguis Fidei est Spes in qua continetur vt Fides in anima Cùm autem Spés expirauerit perinde acsi sanguis effluxerit vltalis Fidei facultas dissoluitur In deede Hope is as it were the Bloudde of Faithe in whiche Faithe Hope is conteined euen as Faithe is conteined in the Soule And when Hope is gonne then is al the Liuely power of Faithe dissolued as if the Bloudde were sheadde out of the Body S Cyprian saithe Et tu dubitas fluctuas Hoc est Deum omninâ— non nosse Hoc est Christum Credentium Magistrum peccato incredulitatis offendere Hoc est in Ecclesia constitutum Fidem in Domo Fidei non habere And dooste thou stagger and stande in doubte of thy Saluation That were as mutche as not to knowe God that were as mutche as with the sinne of vnbeliefe to offende Christe the Maister of Beleeuers That were as mutche as beinge in the Churche in the House of Faithe to haue no Faithe Prosper saithe Securi diem Iudicij expectant quibus in Cruce Domini gloriantibus mundus Crucifixus est ipsi Mundo They vnto whome the worlde is Crucified and are Crucified vnto the worlde waite for the daye
Pambus and many other Holy men liuinge in VVildernesse without letters no reste ne quiet at their hartes Nay who had the like And whereas you saie that al thinges needeful for our Saluation be abundantly and fully cōprehended in the Scriptures this is also as false as sundry other partes of your Doctrine For if al thinges necessary to Saluation be conteined in the Scriptures then what so euer is not in them conteined the same is not necessarie If not necessarie why shoulde we be laden with vnnecessarie burdens Then awaie with al Traditions at a clappe be they neuer so Apostolike neuer so Auncient neuer so Healthful neuer so longe time in the Churche continued Remember you not what the moste renoumed Fathers haue written of the necessitie of Traditions Or if you remember them what thought you when you wrote thus Let Learned and Holy Basil be hearde in steede of many if not to reuoke you from your errour yet to discredite you and staye others in the truthe His woordes be these Of the doctrines whiche be preached in the Churche certaine we haue out of the Scripture written certaine we haue receiued in secrete Mistery by tradition of the Apostles whiche bothe be of equal force to Godlines Neither concerninge these any man gainesaieth be he of neuer so smal knowledge For if we goe about to reiect the customes that be not set foorth in writinge as beinge of litle regarde then shal we condemne those thinges also whiche we haue in the Gospel necessarie to Saluation Yea rather we shal bringe the preachinge of the Faithe but to a bare name For so they were taken for Heretikes whiche regarded not the solemne faste of Lente receiued at the Apostles as we reade in S. Augustine De Haer. ad Quoduultdeum cap. 53. and in the Councel of Gangra in an Epistle to the Bishops of Armenia Euen so they whiche denied the distinction of a Bishop and a Prieste were condemned of Heresie as we finde in S. Augustine in the Booke and Chapter aforesaide and in Epiphanius Lib. 3. Cap. 75. In the Councel of Constance the same is to be founde Againe if al thinges necessarie to Saluation be expressed in the Scriptures to what purpose saide S. Paule concerninge order and maner to be vsed at the celebration of the holy Sacramente Coetera cùm venero disponam As for other thinges I wil take Order for them when I come VVhat meaneth S. Iohn to saye Hauinge other thinges to write to you of I woulde not write them in Paper and inke for I truste to be with you and speake to you mouthe to mouthe To conclude muche that might be obiected in fewe woordes for breuities sake what saie you sir Defender shal we finde al thinges necessarie to Saluation in the Scripture Howe thinke you of the Scripture it selfe How knowe you this to be the Scripture How knowe ye the Gospel of Mathewe Marke Luke and Iohn to be theirs whose names they beare This can you not finde in al the Scripture and yet is the same necessary to be beleeued VVhat Scripture have you to admitte these and to refuse the Booke bearinge the name of Peter the Gospel of Thomas of Bartholome we of Nicodeme VVhy admitte you not the Prophetes that Basilides would to be allowed but onely the foure greate and the twelue lesser what auctoritie haue you to staie your selfe by concerninge these but onely that of the Churche for Scripture haue you none for proufe hereof Then hath not Scripture al thinges in it necessarie for a Christen man Is it not necessarie to beleeue the Sonne of God to be Homousion that is to saie of the same Substance with the Father whiche if you denie you restore the olde condemned Heresie of the Arians The same can you not finde in the Scripture VVhere in al the Bible finde you that God the Father is Ingenitus VVhere finde you that the Holy Ghoste proceedeth frō the Father and the Sonne that the blessed Virgin Marie continued in her Virginitie that suche as be Baptized of Heretikes oughte to be Baptized againe That in fantes ought to be Baptized That the Foure Bookes of the Gospels were written by Mathewe Marke Luke and Iohn by what Scripture can you prooue it To ende where finde you expressely in al the Scriptures three Persons to be one God The B. of Sarisburie Here to weighe downe the Authoritie of Goddes Holy Woorde M. Hardinge hath brought in a heape of ordinarie stale quarrelles Of the difference bitwéene Priestes and Bishoppes of Lente of the Communion Booke of the Homilies of the Order of Seruice and of the Perpetual Virginitie of Our Lady His whole drifte herein is to beare vs in hande that there is very litle or none Authoritie in the Scriptures and that the whole Credite and certainetie of our Faithe resteth onely in the Churche of Rome He seemeth to take it in scorne that the Woorde of God shoulde be called the Light Yet notwithstandinge the Prophete Dauid saithe Thy Woorde is a Lanterne to my feete And againe The Commaundement of the Lorde is Lightsome geeuing Light vnto the eies And Theophylacte saith Verbum Dei est Lucerna qua Fur deprehenditur The Woorde of God is the Candel whereby ther Theefe or false Teacher is espied Whereas M. Hardinge demaundeth of vs so pleasauntly what Scriptures we allowe and what wée reiecte he troubleth him selfe with an idle and a néedelesse question For we embrace and reuerence euery parcel and title of the Scriptures without exception not refusinge any parte thereof that hath benne allowed by the Ancient Learned Catholique Fathers of the Churche of God Neither doo wee so scornefully calle Goddes Holy Woorde a Nose of vvaxe a Shipmannes Hose or a Dead letter as sundrie of that side haue delited to cal it Touchinge the Booke of the Machabees wee saie nothinge but that we finde written by S. Hierome S. Augustine other Holy Fathers S. Hierome saithe Machabaeorum Libros legit quidem Ecclesia Sed eos inter Canonicas Scripturas non recipit In deede the Churche readeth the Bookes of the Machabees but shee receiueth them not emonge the Canonical allovved Scriptures Or Praier for y◠Dead wee shal haue place more conuenient to speake hereafter The place of S. Iames touchinge the Iustification of Faithe Woorkes is answeared before Neither doo wee discredite any parte either of the Authoritie or of the Doctrine of that whole Epistle notwithstandinge Eusebius saithe It was written by somme other and not by S. Iames. His woordes be these Istius Iacobi qui lustus Oblias vocabatur dicitur esse Epistola quae prima scribitur inter Canonicas Sciendum autem est illam Epistolam esse Spuriam The Opinion is that the Epistle whiche is reckened the firste emonge the Canonicalles is of this Iames whiche was called Iustus and Oblias But wee muste vnderstande that
man is a True perfite Man As for the Faithe of Diuels in deede and verily it is no Faithe Certainely S. Augustine saithe Qui Fidem habet sine spe dilectione Christum esse credit non in Christum credit He that hathe Faithe without Hope and Charitie Beleueth that there is Christe but hee Beleueth not in Christe Againe he saithe Inseparabilis est Bona uita à Fide quae per Dilectionem operatur imò verò ea ipsa est bona vita Good Life can neuer be diuided from Faithe whiche woorketh by Loue Naie rather that same very Faithe it selfe is good Life S. Ambrose saithe Vbi quis coeperit luxuriari incipit deuiare à vera Fide As soone as a man beginneth to liue wantonly he beginneth to flee from the True Faithe Origen saithe Omnis qui credit in cum non crubescit Erubescit autem Omnis qui peccat Ergo qui adhuc ruborem peccati incurrit credere non videtur VVho so euer Beleeueth in God blussheth not But euery man blussheth that woorketh Sinne Therefore he that yet blussheth for his Sinne seemeth not to Beleeue Againe he saithe Malè credit quicunque peccat VVho so euer sinneth Beleeueth il To be shorte S. Cyprian saithe Quomodo dicit se credere in Christum qui non facit quod Christus facere praecepit Howe doothe hee saie He Beleeueth in Christe that doothe not the thinge that Christe Commaunded Hereby it is plaine that True Faithe is liuely and woorkeful and that an Idle Faithe is in deede no Faithe at al. But you saie Good VVoorkes haue theire rewarde and therefore ye saie This Heresie maie not so escâ—pe Whether Good Woorkes shal be rewarded or no it was no parte of Our question For wee vndoubtedly beleue the wordes that are written by S. Iohn Opera illorum sequuntur illos Theire VVoorkes folowe after them Wee beleeue the woordes that Christe saithe to his Disciples He that geeueth a Cuppe of colde Water to any of these litle Ones for my sake shal not lose his rewarde We beleeue that that S. Paule saithe Your Woorke shal not be in vaine in the Lorde Wee graunte Good Woorkes haue theire Rewarde But the same Rewarde standeth in Mercie and Fauoure and not in Dewtie Thus therefore we saie Consideringe the weakenesse and sinful corruption of Our Nature there can be no Woorkes in vs so pure and perfite that we maie thereby of right and of dewtie deserue Euerlastinge Life And this M. Hardinge is no Heresie but the very plaine Sense and Substance of Goddes Woorde and the vndoubted Doctrine of the Anciente Catholique Fathers of the Churche Iob saithe Si Homo velit contendere cum Deo non poterit ei respondere vnum pro mille If a man wil dispute with God he is not hable to answeare him one for a thousande And therefore he saithe Verebar omnia Opera mea I stoode in doubte and was afraide of al my Woorkes Againe he saithe Although â— were perfite yet my soule shal not know it If I woulde iustifie mee selfe myne owne Mouthe shal condemne me The ProÌ„phete Esai saithe Al our Righteousenesse is like a fowle stained clowte Therefore S. Augustine saithe Non intres in Iudicium cum Seruo tuo Quid est Non intres in iudicium cum Seruo tuo Non stes mecum in iudicio exigendo a me omnia quae praecepisti omnia quae iussisti Nam me inuenies reum â—i in iudicium intraueris mecum Opus ergo est Misericordia tua potiùs quà m liquidissimo iudicio tuo O Lorde enter not into iudgemente with thy Seruaunte What meaneth that Enter not into iudgemente with thy Seruaunte Thus mutche it meaneth Stande not with me in iudgemente requiringe of me al that thou haste commaunded For if thou enter into iudgemente with me thou shalt finde me guilty I haue neede therefore not of thy vpright Iudgemente but of thy Mercie Againe he saithe Merita quorumlibet hominum quae sunt Quandoquidem ille qui non cum Mercede debita sed cum gratuita Gratia venit Omnes peccatores solus à peccato liber liberator inueuit VVhat be the Merites of any menne For Christe that came not vvith his devve revvarde but vvith his Grace that vvas not devve founde al menne sinners being him selfe onely free from sinne and a deliuerer of Sinners Againe hee saithe Coronat te in Misericordia Miserationibus Hoc fiet in iudicio vbi cùm Rex iustus sederit in throâ—o redditurus vnicuique secundum opera eius quis gloriabitur castum se habere Cor Aut quis gloriabitur mundum se esse à peccatis Ideò illie necessarium fuit coÌ„memorare MiserationeÌ„ Misericordiam Domini c. God crowneth with Fauour and Mercie That shal be doune in the laste iudgemente where as when the Juste Kinge shal sit in his Throne to render to euery man accordinge to his woorkes who shal boaste that his harte is chaste Or who shal boaste that be is cleane from Sinne Therefore it was needeful to make mention of the Pitie and Mercie of Our Lorde And againe Opera manuum mearum non Commendo Timeo enim ne cùm inspexeris plura inuenias peccata quà m Merita Lorde I commende not the woorkes of my handes For I am afraide leste when thou shalte beholde them thou shalt finde moe sinnes then good deseruinges So saithe S. Hierome Si consideremus nostra Merita desperandum est If vvee beholde our ovvne Merites vvee muste be driuen to desperation So saithe Origen Ego vix mihi persuadeo vllum opus esse posse quod ex debito remunerationem deposcat I doo scarcely beleue that there can be any woorke that maie of devvtie require revvarde Againe he saithe Dicite vos esse Seruos inutiles Nam etsi Omnia fecerimus quae praecepta sunt non tamen bonum aliquod fecimus Nec enim si verè bona essent essemus inutiles Omne autem bonum nostrum non propriè sed abusiuè bonum dicitur Saie ye saithe Christe that ye be vnprofitable Seruauntes For notwithstandinge wee haue donne al thinges that are commaunded yet haue vve donne no good thinge For if our dooinges were good in deede then were wee not vnprofitable But any good deede of oures is called good not rightly or devvly but by abuse of speache So saith S. Augustine Si Deus vellet pro Meritis agere non inueniret nisi quod damnaret If God would deale with vs according to that we haue deserued be shoulde finde nothinge but that he might condemne Therefore M. Hardinge VValdensis one of your greate Doctours hauinge wel circumspectely weighed the mater of euery side at the laste concludeth thus Quid dignum facimus vt participes Coelestibus fieri inueniamur Apostolo dicente Existimo quòd non suÌ„t condignae passiones huius temporis ad futuram gloriam quae
Doctrine of the Certainetie of Saluation in euery of whiche thinges he saithe the Scriptures are cleare of his side and directly against vs. To answears al these pointes in particulare it would require an other Booke But briefely to touche so mutche onely as shal be néedeful First that the Substance of the Scriptures standeth in the right Sense and Meaninge and not onely in the naked and bare woordes it is true and generally graunted without exception and needeth no farther proufe S. Hierome saithe Non in Legendo sed in Intelligendo Scripturae consistunt The Scriptures stande not in the Readinge but in the Vnderstandinge And S. Hilarie Non Diuinorum dictorum sed intelligentiae nostrae à nobis ratio praestanda est Wee muste yeelde an accoumpte not of Goddes Diuine Woordes but of our owne Expositions But if that onely be the right Meaninge and Sense of the Scriptures that within these fewe late hundred yéeres is cropen into the Churche of Rome and if it be al Gospel what so euer it bée that arriueth from thence and if they be al Heretiques and Schismatiques and Despisers of Christe and of the Apostles and of the Uniuersal Churche that make staie at it or cānot receiue it then is the whole mater already concluded wée shal néede no more adoo Ye saie The Iewes the Arians the Nestorians and other Heretiques alleged the Scriptures Yea verily M. Hardinge and that euen with like Faithe and in like Sense and to like purpose as you allege them nowe as hereafter I truste it shal appeare By the waye for example hereof in this very place where you allege the woordes of the Pharise is auouchinge the Scriptures it maye please you to remember that either witingly or of some errour and ouersight ye haue manifestly corrupted the Scriptures For whereas you haue translated the place thus Searche the Scriptures the Phariseis saide nothinge els but Scrurare Vide Searche and see and spake not one woorde of the Scriptures And although the mater importe not mutche yet to charge you with your owne rule whiche muste needes be good against your selfe any smal faulte in Goddes Woorde must be counted greate In deede S. Chrysostome and S. Augustine séeme to supplie this woorde Scriptures although it were not in the Texte Touchinge the mater it selfe Nicolas Lyra saithe Hoe Verbum eorum simpliciter falsum est Quia si intelligatur de Prohetis generaliter aliqui fuerunt nati de Galilaea videlicet Elizaeus Tobias Debora Prophetissa fortè plures alij This woorde of the Phariseis is plainely false For if it be taken generally of al Prophetes then were there certaine of them borne in Galilei namely Elizaeus Tobias Debora and perchance others moe In sutche sorte M. Hardinge euen with like Faithe and credite you also haue vsed to allege the Scriptures But whereto driue you al this longe tale Wil you in the ende conclude thus The Iewes and Heretiques alleged the Scriptures Ergo Faitheful Christians maye not allege them Or thus Théeues haue sometimes armed them selues Ergo True menne maye not be armed Nay wée maye rather saye thus vnto you The Iewes and Heretiques alleged the Scriptures What accoumpte then maye wée make of you that flée and condemne and burne the Scriptures Certainely notwithstandinge the Phariseis and Heretiques wickedly misalleged the Scriptures as ye sometimes doo to scrue your purpose yet for al that Christe saide vnto them Scrutamini Scripturas Searche the Scriptures And as it is saide before the Catholique learned Fathers in al theire cases and controuersies appealed euermore to the Scriptures Where you saye The Scriptures are so cleare of your side ▪ and make so directly againste vs would God ye woulde in deede and vnfainedly stande to that trial Your fansies and folies woulde soone come to grounde Touchinge your greate heape of examples of the Sacramente of Baptisme defaced as you saye by M. Caluine of Absolution of Extreme Unction of Holy Oile of Signes of Figures of Onely Faithe of the certainetie of Saluation whiche you calle Presumptuous Firste of the Sacramente of Baptisme M. Caluine euery where writeth with al manner reuerence callinge it a Diuine and an Heauenly Mysterie and the Sacramente of our Redemption Wherein also sometimes he iustly reprooueth you for that ye haue so many waies so profanely and so vnreuerently abused the same Of Absolution wée shal haue occasion to saye more hereafter Touchinge your Oile in déede in shewe of woordes S. Iames séemeth to make somewhat for you Notwithstandinge neither doothe he calle it Holy Oile as ye doo neither doothe he calle it a Sacramente of the Churche nor doothe he saye as ye saie it should serue for the Saluation of Body and Soule nor doothe he teache you to salute it and to speake vnto it as to a liuely and reasonable Creature Aue Sanctum Oleum Alhaile Holy Oile nor with these woordes to minister it vnto the sicke Per hanc Sanctam Vnctionem suam pijssimā Misericordiam ignoscat tibi Deus By this Holy enointinge and his deere mercie God Pardonne thee To be shorte it was a miraculous gifte of Healinge lastinge onely as other like Miracles did for the time not a necessary Sacramente of the Churche to continewe for euer As for the Obiection of Signes and Figures for shortnesse of time I muste referre thée gentle Reader vnto my Former Replie to M. Harding The woordes of Christe whiche are thought to be so plaine the Anciente Learned Father Tertullian expoundeth thus Hoc est Corpus meum Hoc est Figura Corporis mei This is my Body that is to saye This is a Figure of my Body Likewise S. Augustine Non dubitauit Dominus dicere Hoc est Corpus meum cùm daret Signum Corporis sui Our Lorde doubted not to saye This is my Body when he gaue a Signe of his Body To rehearse al other like Ancient Authorities it were too longe O what triumphes would M. Hardinge make if none of al the Olde Learned Fathers coulde be founde that euer had called the Sacrament the Signe and Figure of Christes Body But as before he alleged an imagined Sense of the Scriptures without woordes so nowe he allegeth the woordes alone without sense He shoulde haue remembred better that S. Hierome saithe Ne putemus in Verbis Scripturarum esse Euangelium sed in Sensu Let vs not thinke the Gospel standeth in the VVoordes of the Scriptures but in the Meaninge Twoo other greate quarelles M. Hardinge moueth the one of Onely Faithe the other as he calleth it of the Presumptuous Certainetie of Saluation Wherein iudge thou vprightly good Christian Reader how iuste cause he hath to reprooue our Doctrine As for the firste hereof S. Paule saithe Iustificamur Gratis ex Gratia ipsius Wee be Iustified Freely of his Grace wee Iudge that a man is Iustified by Faithe without the VVorkes of the Lawe Wee knowe that a man
maie haue Euerlastinge Life by his Crosse Bloude And wee saie not this is donne sleightly coldely but effectually truely For although wee doo not touche the Body of Christe with teethe and mouthe yet wee holde him faste and eate him by Faithe by Vnderstandinge and by Sprite And it is no vaine Faithe that comprehendeth Christe neither is it receiued with colde deuotion that is receiued with Vnderstandinge Faithe Sprite For Christe him selfe altogeather is so offered and geeuen vs in these Mysteries that wee maie certainely knowe wee be Fleashe of his Fleashe and Bone of his Bones and that Christe continueth in vs and wee in him M. Hardinge It is easy to be perceiued who abaseth more our Lordes Supper whether ye that teache it to be very Bakers Breade and VVine with the onely Figure of Christes Body and Bloude or we who beleeue it to be his true Body and Bloude with the onely Fourmes of Breade and VVine Of whiche Fourmes neither Christe nor his Apostles euer tolde vs one woorde VVether ye that wil haue it a Figure of Christes whole Body absent or wee who wil haue Christes Body present in deede with a Figure of his Deathe whiche Deathe is absente onely VVhether ye that cal it an Idol when it is worshipped or we that do according to our dueitie adore it because that Roial Body as Chrysostome saith whiche is set before vs to be seene now in Earthe is woorthy of the most highe Honour But whether of those two is the colder Ceremonie and more simple Supper to haue Breade and VVine with a Signe onely of Fleashe and Bloude or to haue Reall Fleashe and Bloude with suche formes of Breade and VVine as by the Power of God do nolesse bodily nourishe vs then the Substance it selfe would haue done wee doubte not of wise mens iudgement Ye haue your carnal Bankettes fatte and full inoughe of the beste fleashe and it is with you superstitious to Eate drie and Lenten meates But ye wil haue your spiritual Bankettes so leane and Carreine as a man maye wel discerne whether ye haue more phantasie to your Fleashe or to your Spirite Ye write that many falsely sclaunder you sayinge that ye teache nothinge to be wrought in the Lordes Supper whereas ye affirme that Christe dothe truely and presently geue his owne selfe in his Supper that we may eate him by Faith and Spirite And other worke in the Lordes Supper ye shewe none And this whiche ye shewe a man may doubte whether it be a thinge wrought in the Lordes Supper or no. VVel may ye saie that it is a thinge wrought in thē whiche come to the Supper but that it is wrought in the supper it selfe ye shewe it not the Supper beinge that which is called Coena to witte the meate recetued not Coenatio whiche is the acte of suppinge For sith that supper is nothinge els but meate and drinke set vpō the Table to be receiued by suche as come vnto it that whiche is wrought in the Lordes Supper must be wrought in the meate and Drinke which our Lorde hath at his table And as the matter whereof our Lordes Supper is made is Breade and VVine so the Supper made thereof is our Lordes Body and Bloude into whiche the Breade and VVine by the Almighty power of the VVoorde is changed So that if ye wil shewe Christe him selfe to be made or wrought in our Lordes Supper ye muste shewe Breade and VVine to be changed into Christe him selfe and so to be Eaten of his faithfull at his Table But whereas there are three thinges christe taht makth the Supper the Communicantes that receiue the Supper and the Supper it selfe ye saye that Christe for his parte geueth his owne selfe verily presente likewise that Cōmunicantes for their parte Eate him by faithe and spirite And so ye shewe that the maker of the Supper worketh and that the Cōmunicātes worke But al this while ye shew vs not what is wrought in the matter of the Supper that is to saie in the Breade and VVine nor what is made O great sclaumder that ye were charged withal whiche not so muche as by your owne woorde ye are discharged of Howe muche sounder is the Catholike doctrine whiche reacheth the proper woorke of our Lordes Supper to be the turninge of the Substance of Breade and VVine into his Body and Bloude VVhiche woorke bicause ye wil not confesse yee haue deuised a woorke of your owne workinge whiche is not propre to our Lordes Supper For if I can receiue Christe in my house at home by Faithe and Spirite how is that worke proper to his Supper whiche maye be Wrought without his Supper Or can I not beleeue in Christe or lifte vp my Spirite vnto him excepte I come to Supper Or If I doo call for Christe dothe he not geue him selfe by grace vnto me But saie ye at the Lordes Supper Christe geueth him selfe verily presente To what purpose I praie you That wee maie Eate him saie ye by Faithe and Sprite VVel reasoned forsoothe Haue ye foregotten the geuinge to eate and eatinge that whiche is geuen to be Relatiues one of them hauinge relation to the other If Christe doo exhibite him selfe verily presente as your Latine Texte hath or geueth his owne selfe verily and presently as your Interpreter telleth your tale for you dooth not he so exhibite or geue himselfe as he wil be receiued Or dothe he shewe in one hande a piece of Breade and with the other strike vs on the heade with a stone If he geue vs him selfe verily present as ye saie wee take him verily Presente And then onlesse ye meane by him selfe his grace which is of Christe and not Christe him selfe we eate him verily Presente not onely by Faithe and Sprite but by takinge him into our Mouth and Body If it please him at any time to be Eaten by Fatthe and spirite alone after whiche sorte he is dately eaten by those that humbly cal vpon him then he geueth not him selfe verely Present but by Faithe and spirite other wise named grace or some spiritual effected of his workinge But in our Lordes Supper the Scripture requireth a special and peculiar presence of christe to witte of his fleashe so as it maye be Eaten If then he geeue him selfe verely present as ye saie he is present in his owne person God and Man with Body with Bloude with Soule with Godhed If ye meane the very presence of his Godhed that presence belongeth nomore to Christe them to the Father and to the Holy Ghoste And so haue ye not declared any pecultar presence belonginge to his Supper For by Presence of his Godhed he is alwaies verely present as well before Supper as at or after Supper because he filleth Heauen and Earthe It remaineth that either ye vnderstande not your selues or wilfully deceiue that infinite number of
Diuinis honoribus affecerint Beleeue me it is a greate matter to vnderstande what is the Creature and what is God the Creatoure what are the Woorkes and what is the VVoorkeman For if theise Heretiques coulde make diligente difference hereof they would not thus make confusion of al thinges nor place those thinges beneathe that be aboue I meane not They either pulle down the Heauen or the Starres or set vp the Earthe in theire Place But that they pulle downe the Kinge him selfe from his high throne and place him emongest his vvoorkes and Creatures and of the other side vvoorshippe a Creature vvith Godly Honoure The Apologie Cap. 15. Diuision 2. Bisides where they saie and sommetime doo persuade fooles that they are hable by theire Masses to distribute and applie vnto mennes commoditie al the Merites of Christes Deathe yea although many times the parties thinke nothing of the mater and vnderstande ful litle what is donne this is a Mockerie a Heathenishe fansie and a very ioie For it is our Faith that applieth the Deathe and Crosse of Christe to our benefite not the Acte of the Massinge Prieste Faithe had in the Sacramentes saithe Augustine doth iustifie and not the Sacramentes And Origen saithe Christe is the Prieste the Propitiation and Sacrifice vvhiche Propitiation commeth to euery one by meane of Faithe And so by this reckeninge wee saie that the Sacramentes of Christe without Faithe doo not once profite these that be a liue a greate deale lesse doo they profite those that be deade M. Hardinge Leaste any piece of your Apologie should be without a witnes for proufe that ye are his children who is the father of lies ye make vs to affirme that by our Masses we distribute and applie to men indifferently how so euer they be disposed for so ye meane as it appeareth partely by that ye saie here and special by your Doctrine other wheres vttered al the Merites of Christes Deathe But tel vs who euer taught this Doctrine in the Catholike Churche Yea God is so good and prone to bestowe his mercie that not onely when a man is through faithe prepared for it he geueth it abundantly vnto him but also though he of his owne parte haue no faithe presently yet for others sake whiche are Gods derely beloued frendes he farethe the better and hath that gifte obteigned to him As when S. Steuen praied at his deathe for those that persecuted him for whom prayed he then but for those who had no Faithe at al in Christe And when this grace was geuen vnto them as that from theire Iewishnes they came to the faith of Christe who shal exclude that blessed Martyr from this worship and honoure that throughe his praier as by one special meane that grace was applied vnto them VVhat effecte his praier tooke if any man thereof doubte he maye thinke it to haue wrought mutche for the benefite of others of lesse malice seinge that it did so mutche in Paule VVho as the Scripture saithe yet breathinge out threatninges and slaughter againste Christes Disciples was so chaunged and conuerted that of a Persecutour he became an Apostle For as S. Augustine writeth Si Sanctus Stephanus sic non orasset Ecclesia Paulum non haberet If S. Steuen had not praied so the Churche shoulde not haue had Paule Nowe if those that be no Priestes without publike Auctoritie of Consecrating the Body and Bloude of Christe yet by waie of praier doo obteine that men be conuerted to the Faithe whiche is the applyinge of one fruite of Christes merites mutche more the publike Minister and Bishop whiche assumpted from amonge men is ordeined for men in matters belonginge to God that he may offer vp giftes and Sacrifices for sinnes And nowe if ye liste to learne what kinde of applyinge we vse in our Masses we doo offer vp vnto God firste his Sonne representinge his passion and celebratinge the memorie of the same accordinge to Christes institution But what measure of good we procure them to God onely is that knowen If as the Learned Bishop Prosper saithe the grace of our Sauiour passe ouer some Persons as we see it to happen and if the Praier of the Churche wherein the Sacrifice is conteined after S. Augustines Minde be not admitted for them it is to be referred to the secrete iudgèmentes of Goddes iustice and it is to be acknowledged that the depth of this secrete may not be opened in this life The B. of Sarisburie Thus ye saie M. Hardinge Ye make vs to affirme that by our Masses wee distribute and applie to menne indifferently the Merites of Christes Deathe howe so euer they be disposed in token that ye are the Children of him who is the Father of lies Therefore ye saie Tel vs who euer taught this Doctrine in the Catholike Churche If ye be so vnskilful M. Hardinge and so far to séeke in your owne Doctours then it maie please you to vnderstande that the moste Catholique Pillers of your Catholique Churche haue euen thus taught vs. Thomas de Vio otherwise called Caietanus a Catholique Cardinal of your Catholique Churche of Rome in the Conference he had at Augusta in Germanie with Doctour Luther saide thus Fides non est necessaria accessuro ad Eucharistiam Faith is not necessarie for him that wil receiue the Sacramente of thankes geuinge Notwithstandinge otherwheres he acknowledgeth this was an errour and confesseth it was commonly receiued and beleeued of many euen in your Catholique Churche of Rome Thus he writeth In hoc videtur communis multorum error quod putant hoc Sacrificium ex solo Opere Operato habere certum Meritum vel certam satisfactionem quae applicatur huic vel illi Herein standeth the Common Errour of many that thei thinke this Sacrifice hath a certaine Mente or Satisfactiō whiche is applied to this man or to y◠man not by meane of the Faithe of the receiuer but by the Onely meane of the Woorke that is wrought by the Prieste Gabriel Biel saith The Prieste receiueth the Sacramente and the vertue thereof passeth into al the Members of the Churche Iacobus de Valentia saithe The Prieste is the Mouthe of the Body Therefore when the Prieste receiueth the Sacramente al the Members are refreased Againe he saithe Nos Communicamus Ore Sacerdotis Wee that be of the People doo Communicate or receiue the Sacramente by the Mouthe of the Prieste Thomas of Aquine youre Angelical Doctour saithe thus Sicut Corpus Domini semel oblatum est in Cruce pro debito Originali ita offertur iugiter pro quotidianis delictis in Altari As the Body of our Lorde was once offered vpon the Crosse for the debte of Original Sinne so it is daily offered vpon the Aultare for the debte of Daily Sinnes This Doctrine not longe sithence was holden for Catholique and was strongly mainteined by your Catholique Doctours Catharinus one of the woorthies of
your Late Chapter of Tridente saith Apparet quòd pro peccatis sub Nouo Testamento post acceptam Salutaris Hostiae in Baptismo efficaciam commissis non habemus pro Peccato Hostiam illam quam Christus obtulit pro Peccato Mundi pro delictis Baptismum Praecedentibus Non enim nisi semel ille Mortuus est Et ideò semel duntaxat hostia illa ad hunc effectum applicatur It appeareth that for the Sinnes committed vnder the Newe Testamente after that wee haue receiued in Baptisme the Power of the Healthful Sacrifice vvee haue nomore that sacrifice for Sinne vvhiche Christe once offered for the Sinne of the VVorlde and for sinnes committed before Baptisme For Christe neuer died but once And therefore that Sacrifice of Christe Crucified is applied vnto vs once onely to this effecte Hereby M. Hardinge ye maie sée that this Doctrine lacketh no defence emongest your Catholiques The summe and meaninge hereof is this That our Sinnes committed after Baptisme are not foregéeuen by the Death of Christe but Onely by the Sacrifice of the Masse Whiche thinge what it séemeth to you I cannot tel But vnto al Godly eares it seemeth an horrible greate blasphemie Here to speake of Praiers specially in so large a sorte it was far impertinente to your pourpose as beinge vtterly no parte of this question The Merites of Christes Deathe whereof wée entreate are conueied vnto vs by God and receiued by vs. God conueieth them to vs onely of his Mercie and wée receiue them Onely by Faithe But the waies whereby either to procure Goddes Mercie or to enkendle our Faithe are many and sundrie Goddes Mercie is procured sommetime by Praier sommetime by other Meanes But to bréede or encrease Faith in vs there are moe waies then can be reckened Somme menne are moued Onely by the Hearinge of Goddes Woorde Somme others by the beholdinge and weighinge of Goddes Miracles Iustinus the Martyr was firste alluered to the Faithe by the crueltie of the Tyrannes and by the Constancie and Patience of Goddes Sainctes S. Cyprian saith Tanta est vis Martyrij vt per illam credere etiam cogatur qui te vult occidere So greate is the Power of Martyrdome that thereby euen he is forced to beleeue that woulde kille thee S. Augustine saithe He was sturred vp to comme to Christe by readinge a Heathen Booke written by Cicero called Hortensius Thus he saithe Ille Liber mutauit affectum meum ad â—eipsum Domine mutauit Preces meas That Heathen Booke changed my minde and turned my praiers ô Lorde vnto thee Emonge other causes the Sacramentes serue specially to directe and to aide our Faithe For they are as S. Augustine calleth them Verba visibilia Visible VVoordes and Scales and Testimonies of the Gospel All this notwithstandinge wee saie It is neither the Woorke of the Prieste nor the Nature of the Sacramente as of it selfe that maketh vs partetakers of Christes Deathe but onely the Faithe of the Receiuer S. Augustine saithe Vnde est ista tanta Virtus Aquae vt Corpus tangat Cor abluat nisi faciente Verbo Non quia dicitur sed quia creditur From whence hathe the Water this greate power that it toucheth the Body and wassheth the Harte sauinge by the VVoorkinge of the VVoorde Not for that it is pronounced but for that it is beleeued So saithe Hesychius Gratia Dei comprehenditur Sola Fide The Grace of God of our parte is receiued by Onely Faithe So saithe Cyrillus Siclus Fidei nostrae Formam habet Si enim Fidem obtuleris taÌ„quam Pretium à Christo velut Ariete immaculato in hostiam dato accipies Remissionem Peccatorum The Sicle hath the Fourme of our Faithe For if thou offer vp thy Faithe as the Price thou shalt receiue Remission of thy Sinnes from Christe that vnspotted Ramme that was geeuen for a Sacrifice Where ye saie ye offer vp Christe the Sonne of Godde Really and Substantially vnto God the Father If ye speake in your dreame it is a very pleasante phantasie but if ye be awake and knowe what ye saie then is it a greate blasphemie as in my Former Replie it maie appeare more at large The Apologie Cap. 16. Diuision 1. And as for theire bragges they are woonte to make of theire Purgatorie though we know it is not a thing so very late risen emoÌ„gest them yet is it no better then a blockishe and an olde Wiues deuise M. Hardinge Purgatorie semeth not to vs a thinge that wee shoulde mutche bragge of no more then yeâ— wil bragge of Hel. VVe tremble at the remembrance of it rather then bragge of it VVel howe so euer it be wil ye nil ye we see ye be driuen to confesse the same to be no newe thinge In deede if you cal them Papistes among whom the Doctrine of praieing for the deade whereof necessarely foloweth the Doctrine of Purgatorie is deliuered taught and holden then are the Apostles who deliuered it by Tradition as Chrysostome and Damascene reporte Papistes Firste forasmutche as nothing that is defiled commeth into the Kingdome of Heauen and some departe out of this Life though in the Faithe of Christe and Children of the Euerlastinge Kingdome yet not throughly and perfitly cleane it remaineth that sutche after this Life before they come to the place of Euerlastinge ioye haue theire Purgation Furthermore the Apostle saithe Seeinge then we haue these promises derely beloued let vs cleanse our selues from al filthines of the Fleashe and Spirite makinge perfite our satisfaction in the feare of God VVho seeth not hereof to folowe that to many whiche be iustified somewhat of satisfaction and Holynes lacketh VVhiche if they be taken from hence before they atteine to the measure of Holynes requisite be they not then after this Life in state to be purged and cleansed The B. of Sarisburie Here are wée comme to the Paper VValles and Painted Fieres of Purgatorie For so it liked M. Harding not longe sithence pleasantly to sport at it in the Pulpites as a bugge méete onely to fraie Children Yet now vpon better aduise and déeper studie he tremblethe God wote and quaketh for feare to remember the tormentes that somme body hath sithence tolde him to be there Howe be it Let him not so mutche dismaie him selfe The Pope as he either firste made it or receiued it by hande from the Heathens and firste allowed it euen so hathe he the whole Iurisdiction and Power ouer it and commaundeth in and out at his pleasure Whether ye make bragges hereof or no I leaue it in question Certainely for this and other like causes One of your felowes saithe Papa potest quicquid Deus ipse potest The Pope can doo vvhat so euer God him selfe can doo An other saith Animae existentes in Purgatorio sunt de Iurisdictione Papae Papa si vellet posset totum
your side bothe sworne to the Pope bothe presente at your late Chapter at Tridente Yet thus doothe the one of them gréete the other Tu permanes in sensu damnato per Synodum Thou remainest stil in a sense condemned by the Councel Catharinus condemneth Cardinal Caietan for twoo hundred sundrie errours somme of them he calleth vvicked and Antichristian These Termes must néedes be very Metaphysical M. Hardinge that can yelde you sutche Heretical Antichristian errours The Apologie Cap. 6. Diuision 1. They were beste therfore to goe and sette peace at home rather amonge them selues Of a truthe Vnitie and Concorde doothe best becomme Religion Yet is not Vnitie the sure certaine marke whereby to know the Churche of God For there was the greatest Vnitie that might bee amongest them that woorshipped the Golden Calfe and amonge them whiche with one voice iointly cried against our Saueour Iesus Christe Crucifie him Neither bicause the Corinthians were vnquieted with priuate dissensions or bicause Paule did square with Peter or Barnabas with Paule or bicause the Christians vpon the very beginninge of the Gospel were at mutual discorde touchinge some one mater may wee therefore thinke there was no Churche of God amongest them And as for those personnes whome they vpon spite cal Zuinglians Lutherans in very deede they of bothe sides be Christians good Frendes Brethren They varie not bitwixte them selues vpon the Principles Fundations of oure Religion nor as touchinge God or Christe or the Holy Ghoste or the meanes of Iustification or of euerlastinge life but vpon one onely question whiche is neither weighty nor greate neither mistruste wee or make doubte at al but they wil shortely be agreed And if there bee any of them whiche haue other opinion than is meete we doubte not but ere it bee longe they wil put aparte al affections and names of parties that God wil reuele the truthe vnto them so that by better consideringe and searchinge out of the matter as once it came to passe in the Councel of Chalcedon al causes and seedes of dissension shal bee throughly plucte vp by the roote and be buried and quite foregotten for euer Whiche God graunte M. Hardinge These Defenders be like in conditions to suche honest women as commonly we call Scoldes Because vnitie pleaseth you not as beinge that through lacke whereof your newe Churche is of al good men detested and of the meanest very muche suspected ye saie it is not a sure and a certaine marke whereby to know the Churche of God Yeas Maisters amonge other notes and markes of the true Churche Vnitie is one Not euery Vnitie but Vnitie in the Holy Ghost whiche geueth life to that one Body the Churche whereof euery faithful is a member and Christe the Head and powring Charitie abroade in our Hartes so linketh al right beleeuers togeather in the bonde of peace as they al saie one thing thinke one thing sauer one thing The Vnitie that â—s the note and marke of the true Church whereof wee speake is that for whiche the Churche is called one â–ª and beinge gathered and knitte togeather professeth Vnitie of Faithe of good wil and mutual love togeather and of Sacramentes The Vnitie of them who worshipped the Golden Calfe and with one consent againste our Sauiour cried Crucifige was farre distant from the Vnitie whiche is a note of the Churche and is the woorke of the Holy Ghost Suche is the Vnitie of the Deuils who conspire against Christ and al his with one consente Such Vnitie is oftentimes in Theeues such Vnitie is founde in you and all your sectes For be ye neuer so diuerse and at variaunce within your selues yet ye ioâ—ne togeather in wicked amitie and Vnitie against the Church of Christ And therefore S. Augustine compareth you and all such as ye be to Samsons foxeâ— that were sundred by the heads and tied togeather by the tayles Neither saie we that amonge them who vary in small pointes and thinges not perteininge to the groundes of Faithe there is no Churche For all that certaine of the Corinthians in the Primitiue Churche were at square howe so euer Paule tolde Peter that he thought good though Barnabas and Paule agreed not about Iohn Marke yet were they of Christes Churche what els But where ye bringe this for excuse of the Luthâ—rans and the zwinglians and other sectes spronge out of them the cause is not like pardye For saie on what ye liste and lie so longe as ye liste their dissensions can not be dessembled muche lesse can they be accorded c. Yet lest they whose fortune is not to see ought thereof written els where should mistrust my reporte as all do espie your lyinge the woordes of Nicolaus Gallus your owne Doctor of Luthers scoole here I will rehearse Non sunt leues inter nos concertationes de rebus leuibus sed de sublimibus doctrinae Christianae articulis de lege euangelio de iustificatione bonis operibus de Sacramentis c. The strifes sateth he that be amongest vs be not light nor of light matters but of the highe Articles of Christian â—octrine namely of the lawe and of the Gospel of iustification and of good woorkes of the Sacramentes c. Here as ye see he rekeneth vp a greate many of the weightiest pointes of our Religion whereof they dâ—ssent amonge themselues But I doubte what I maye call weighty and great seinge these good felowes call the controuersie whiche is betwixte the Lutherans and the zwinglians concerninge the Body of our Saucour Christe neither weighty nor greate But as they make a foule lie therein so do they also in sayinge they vary not betwixte them selues but vpon one onely question Of the dissension that is betweene the Lutherans and Zwinglians thus pittifully complaineth Nicolaus Amsdorffius in his Booke entituled Publica confessio purae Doctrinae him selfe beinge an earnest Lutheran The worlde goeth with vs worse and worse dayly All thinges doo prognosticase the vtter ruine of the Gospell and that in place of the Gospell we shall haue nothinge but mere errours and the same very notable Then after a fewe woordes nowe Brenttus saithe he and the Adiaphoristes they be a speciall secte of the Lutherans beinge at the Communication or conference at VVormes would not condemne zwinglius and Osiander because they were â—rimme men in the tongues and well seene in Humanitie And as for vs and our side because we refused to agree vnto that communication onlesse they were condemned they dressed vs vily with theire scoffes and railinges thrust vs out of the communication and compelled vs to goe awaie c. Item after a fewe There be that saie they condemne zuinglianisme but the preface of Brentius to Maister Iames the minister of Goppingen his booke witnesseth farre otherwise For there they goe about a Gods name to conciliat good father Luther and Zuinglius and make them friendes one with an other Quod
Determination and Judgemente touchinge this mater And againe Ego omnium non solùm Aduersariorum sed etiam Catholicorum receptas in Scholis redarguo Sententias I doo reproue the Iudgementes not onely of our Aduersaries but also of the Catholiques allowed in the Schooles For these causes Ruardus Tapper of Louaine and Liriensis of Portugale haue namely written againste Pigghius And for as mutche as yee are desirous to haue the pointe noted wherein Pigghius so mutche misliketh S. Augustines iudgemente Petrus à Soto your owne Doctoure noteth it thus Pigghius de hoc malè audit quasi Peccata in nobis Originalia omnin ò inficietur Pigghius is il reported of as a man that vtterly denieth Original Sinne. Thus your Doctoures weigh S. Augustines Authoritie lighter or heauier as thei liste The mater of Marriage after a Vovve is blowen awaie with a séely Distinction of a Vovve Simple and a Vovve Double whiche yée commonly cal a Solemne Vovve and al the same is substantially clearely proued by the promise and deliuerie of a Horse Surely M. Hardinge a very simple Creature and sommewhat inferioure to a Horse would hardely be tied to sutche Distinctions For the better cleeringe hereof that ye cal a Simple Vovve y◠is made before God alone that Double or Solemne that is made in the presence of the Bishop or Abbate Nowe it is plainely confessed by your owne Doctours that your Simple Vovve be it neuer so Simple yet bindeth you as streitely before God as the Double For Pope Coelestinus saithe Votum Simplex apud Deum non minùs ligat quà m solenne The Simple Vovve before God bindeth no lesse then the Solemne And touching the Promisse and Deliuerie of your Horse Iohannes Scotus saith Alia ratio est quòd Vouens Solenniter mittit in possessionem illum cuì Vouet Solenniter Vouens autem Priuatè non sed quasi promittit Sed haec ratio valet minùs quà m secunda Quia omnia quae intrinseca sunt Voto vt Votum respicit actum voluntatis per quem obligat se vouendo transfert Dominium suum in alterum omnia inquam ista sunt aequalia hinc inde Igitur non magis datio hîc quà m ibi nec promissio ibi quà m hîc An other reason that they vse is this That he that maketh a Solemne Vovve putteth him to whom he so voweth in possession But so doothe not he that maketh a Simple Vovve but onely geueth his promisse This Reason is woorse and weaker then the Seconde For al thinges that be of the Substance of the Vovve as a Vowe concerneth the Acte of the Minde whereby the Minde bindeth it selfe by Vowinge and transposeth the ownership of it selfe vnto an other al these thinges I saie are of like vveight and equal of either side Therefore there is no more perfourmāce of promisse in the solemne Vovve then in the Simple nor more promise in the Simple Vovve then in the Solemne Thus you sée M. Hardinge with greate trauaile and mutche a doo ye haue founde a difference without difference Cardinal Caietan saithe Eiusdem speciei est Transgressio Voti Solennis simplicis Et differunt solùm secundum magis graue minùs graue The breakinge of a Vovve Simple and a Vovve Solemne is of one kinde or Nature And the difference is onely in more greeuous and lesse greeuous Therefore Thomas of Aquine him selfe the firste Father as it appeareth of this Distinction saithe thus Videtur quòd Ecclesia possit dispensare in Voto Continentiae Solemnizato per susceptionem Sacri Ordinis It seemeth that the Churche maie dispense with a Vowe of Chastitie Solemnized by the receiuinge of Holy Orders And this is it that S. Augustine saithe Qui dicunt talium Nuptias non esse Nuptias sed potiùs Adulteria mihi non videntur satis acutè ac diligenter considerare quid dicant They that saie the Marriage of sutche Menne or Weemen as haue Vowed Chastitie is no Marriage at al but rather Aduouterie seeme vnto me not to consider discreetely or aduisedly what they saie Thus therefore M. Hardinge notwithstandinge your Simple or Double Vovve S. Augustine saithe vnto you yee speake Vnaduisedly and Vndiscretely and vnderstande not what you saie But of this whole mater wée haue entreated before more at large The Apologie Cap. 2. Diuision 4. Also when they did of late put in Printe the Auncient Father Origens woorke vpon the Gospel of S. Iohn why leaste they quite out the whole sixthe Chaptre wherein it is likely yea rather of very suertie that the saide Origene had written many thinges concerninge the Sacramente of the Holy Communion contrarie to these mennes mindes and woulde rather put foorthe that Booke mangled then ful and perfite for feare it shoulde reproue them and their parteners of their erroure Cal ye this trustinge to Antiquitie when ye rente in pieces keepe backe maime and burne the Auncient Fathers M. Hardinge A wise man affirmeth nomore then he knoweth a good man nomore then standeth with Charitie a learned mā in matters of weight nomore then he can auouche by euident reasons ‡ sure proufes or ‡ sufficient Auctorities This Defender charginge the Catholikes with manglinge of Origen vpon S. Iohns Gospell as though of pourpose they had lefte out the sixth Chaptre whiche he imagineth to conteine their Sacramentary doctrine contrary to the Catholike Faithe for asmuche as he is vncertaine hereof and thereby noteth a greate vntruthe in the setters foorthe of that woorke neither by any meanes is able to proue the same he sheweth himselfe a foole aslaunderer and an vnlearned man VVee are like I perceiue to heare of the faultes they knowe by vs sithe that they burthen vs with that that they knowe not and for the same can pretende but a slender coniecture But Syr defender why complaine you not of the leauinge out of other Chapters and partes of that woorke as well as of the sixth Chapter For whereas Origen wrote vpon Iohn nine and thirty tomes as S. Hierome witnesseth the Latine translation Printed in Venis hath but. 32 lackinge the seuen laste tomes Neither be all they whole and perfite but many of them maymed and mangled VVhat maner a Doctrine of the Blessed Sacramente he hath vttered vpon the sixthe Chapter of Iohn and how Catholike he was in that pointe it appeareth by diuerse his other woorkes that you haue no cause to belie him in that you neuer sawe For the truthe of Christes Body in the Sacrament his testimonies be euident For credites sake here will I recite a couple In one place he saithe thus Ye knowe whiche haue benne woonte to be present at the Diuine Mysteries how that when ye take the Body of our Lorde ye keepe it with all warenesse and reuerence that no whit thereof fall downe that nothinge of the consecrated gifte miscary For ye beleue your selues to be gilty and right well doo ye so
not like to satisfie your longinge And yet they haue taken order for the amendemente of so many as they knowe Neither is any of the same about any point of our faithe but about thinges of lesse weight Your exaggeration of the termes so many so manifest so often confessed by them and so euident reporteth in one sentence your so many so manifest so often confuted by vs and so euident lies VVhen you folowe your hote humour and aske from what kinde of Idolatrie the Fathers of the Tridentine Councel haue reclaimed the people you go to farre VVhat so euer blasphemie ye vtter in bookes and Sermons against the adoration of the blessed Sacrament of the Aulter we knowe no kinde of Idolatrie vsed in the Churche Neither is any Idolatrie committed by vs in worshippinge of Sainctes in praieinge to them nor in the reuerence we exhibite to their Images as ye beare the people in hande As I can not wâ—l take a heare from your lieing bearde so wishe I that I could plucke malice from youre blasphemous harte The B. of Sarisburie Whether the Learned menne of oure side were shut te out from the right and libertie of youre Councel or no it maie soone appeare partly by that is already saide partly by that shal be saide hereafter Verily the Pope for his Premunire wil not suffer any Bishop to geeue voice in Councel on lesse he haue him firste solemnely sworne to the See of Rome and therefore they be al called his Creatures So Cicero saithe Verres when he hadde bribed and spoiled the whole Ilelande of Sicilia thought it not good to suffer his name or any parte of his dooinges to comme in hazarde but onely before a Iudge or Arbiter of his owne Therefore the Frenche Kinges Embassadoure as it is saide before protested thus openly euen in your saide Councel Minùs legitima minusque libera dicuntur fuisse illa Concilia qui aderant ad voluntatem alterius semper loquebantur These Councelles are coumpted neither so free nor so laweful as they ought to bee they that were there spake euermore to please an other by whiche Other he meante the the Pope And for that cause the Emperoures Maiestie by his Embassadoure Hurtadus Mendoza solemnely protested againste the assemblie of the same Councel His woordes he these Ego Iacobus Hurtadus Mendoza uomine Pientissimi Inuictissimi Domini mei Caroli Caesaris Romani Imperatoris ex illius speciali mandato ac nomine totius Sacri Romani Imperij aliorumque Regnorum ac Dominiorum suorum protestor Nullam posse esse Authoritatem assetorum legatorum Sanctitatis Vestrae corum EpiscoporuÌ„ qui sunt Bononiae Sanctitati vestrae maiori ex parte obnoxiorum atque ab illius nutu omninò pendentium vt in Religionis morum Reformationis causa c. legem praescribant I lamas Hurtado Mendoza in the name of the most godly and most mighty Prince my Lord Charles the Romaine Emperour by his special CoÌ„mission and in the name of yâ— vvhole Romaine Empiere and al others his Realmes and Dominions doo proteste that the Authoritie of the pretensed Legates of youre holinesse and of sutche other Bishoppes as be nowe at Bononia vnto whiche towne the Councel of Trident was then adiourned for the moste parte bounde vnto youre Holinesse and wholy hanginge vpon youre becke is of no force namely to make Lawes in cause of ReformatioÌ„ of Religion and maners And that it maie appeare in what obedience seruile subiection al Bishoppes be vnto the Pope Aeneas Syluius otherwise called Pope Pius the Seconde saith thus Quo'd si Episcopus Papae contradicat etiam vera loquendo nihilominus peccat contra Iufiorandum Papae praestitum If a Bishop speake against the Pope yea although he speake the truthe yet neuerthelesse he sinneth againste the Othe that he hath made vnto the Pope Therefore where as at the late Conference at Norenberg it was required by the Princes and States of Germanie that al Bishoppes comminge to the Councel might bothe be discharged from theire Othe made to the Pope and also sworne to speake and to promote the Truthe the Popes Legate there made answeare in greate disdeigne that it might not so bee For that so the Popes handes should be bounde Hereby M. Hardinge a blinde man maie easily see the fourme and Freedome of youre Councelles If the Bishoppes be Free to saie the Truthe then is the Pope leafte in Bondage Whether youre Fathers in the Chapter at Tridente sate there sixe whole Moonethes debatinge and reasoning about the Trinitie or no of certaine knowledge I cannot telle But certainely what thinge els they did either in al that time or longe after you can hardely shewe vs. Therefore if they did not this for as mutche as nothinge els appeareth of theire dooinges wee must imagine thei sate mute in a Muminerie and saide nothinge Notwithstandinge Cassander saithe thei bestowed one whole Sommer in greate and holy Disputations aboute meaner maters then the Trinitie I meane onely about the Communion of the Cuppe Martinus Kemnitius saithe Thei helde Disputations there and kepte greate sturre Seuen whole Moonethes togeather about the Iustification of Faith Workes yet in the end leaft it worse then thei founde it We saie You your selues haue espied mani disorders in your church of Rome as it is plain bi your ovvn Confessions To recken theÌ„ al in particular it were too long I haue partely touched theÌ„ heretofore Albertus Pigghius confesseth there be Abuses in your Masse The Frenche Kings Embassadour at youre laie Tridentine Chapter saithe thus Vel Praefectorum Ecclesiae incuria vel etiam ne quid grauius dicam praepostera Pietate irrepsisse in Ecclesiam res nonnullas Antiquatione Abrogatione vel Moderatione dignas fateamur necesse est Wee must needes confesse that either by the negligence of the Bishoppes or by some disordered opinion of Holinesse for I wil saie no more he meaneth falsehed and Mockerie and Wiltal Auarice certaine thinges are brought into the Churche woorthy either to be put awaie and abolished or at leaste to be qualified Picus Mirandula besoughte Pope Leo. 10. to abate the vaine Multitude of youre Ceremonies to refourme youre Praiers and to cut of youre Fables One of youre owne Louanian Felovves saithe Euen nowe a daies many good menne mislike so many Appeales to Rome Somme others finde faulte with your Pardonnes Somme with youre Simonie some with youre Stevves somme with youre licenceous keepinge and mainteininge of Concubines I wil not enlarge the mater further These and other like thinges are confessed by youre selues Other greater maters I wil not touche For in cases of Faith for your credites sake ye maie graunte no manner Erroure For otherwise it might be thought yee haue neither the Faith nor the Life of Christian menne Nowe therefore tel vs M. Hardinge what one Abuse of al the Abuses in your Masse what one