¶ A SPARING Restraint of many lauishe Vntruthes which M. Doctor Harding dothe chalenge in the first Article of my Lorde of Sarisburies Replie By Edward Dering student in Diuinitie With an answere vnto that long and vncourteous Epistle entituled to M. Iuel and set before M. Hardings Reioinder Hieremie xxiij ¶ The Prophet that hath a dreame let him tell a dreame and he that hath my worde let him speake my worde faithfully What is chaffe to the wheat saith the Lorde ¶ Imprinted at London by Henry Denham for Humfrey Toy dwelling in Poules Church yarde at the signe of the Helmet ¶ TO THE RIGHT worshipfull Maister Thomas Wotton Esquire Edvvard Dering vvisheth all health and peace in CHRISTâ— AS ofte as I doe consider the estate of man here placed to accomplishe his appointed pilgrimage I remember the saying of the rightuous IOâ— that mannes life is a waâ—fare vpon the earth But when I further see what maner of fight we haue what enimies to encounter with vs howe great of force how cankred of will how subtile in deuise how continuall in assault on the other side how weak we be of our selues â–ª I remember the saying of our sanioure Christ that if it were possible the very electe should be deceiued There is no condition without his enimie no calling without temptation no estate sure The world deceiueth those who will not see that the worlde doth pearishe The fleshe defileth other that think filthinesse to be pleasure and make vnclennesse their felicitie And where these two can not bring forth the shamelesse breache of the law of God there rageth that Dragon and olde Serpent that seducer of the world that liâ—r and father of lyes and he soweth cockle among good corne superstition and heresie among the seedes of obedience and good bâ—hauiour where of it cometh that suche as will not be partakers with SODOME and GOMORRA nor haue felowship with those rotten woundes and stinking sores that make the blaspheming of Gods holy name their honoure yet they should be drowned in wicked doctrine that by some meanes their saluation might be hindred This estate of man so muche the more to be lamented how much the lesse it is regarded would make a Christian minister to muse muche and oftentimes howe he might be a frutefull labourer in Gods vineyarde For sith the children of wrathe doe not cease to walke disobediently and with al care and studie some in example of euill life some in profession of vngodly doctrine doe allure and entice other to walke with them in their open and wide iourney of euerlasting wretchednesse how shall not the children of light according as euery one hath receiued giftes so apply their endeuoure that godlinesse and good religion might call againe the lost children vnto the narow way of euerlasting happinesse The latter dayes are come and impietie dothe abound iniquitie hath so spredde hir selfe that she is plentifull bothe in worde and deede and that not in secrecie only and in priuate assemblies but in the face of the worlde and in open wryting while some preferre the present state before eternall life other delite more in dreames than in the worde of God It behoueth therefore euery true christian in all places to rebuke sinne to set forthe Gods glory in open meetings and to maintaine his worde before the enimie knowing that his rewarde is the saluation of his owne soule and his place is prepared in the kingdome of God his father From this duety neither King nor Queene Duke nor Earle honourable nor other are exempt but euery one as he is higher in dignitie so his accompt is the greater in the day of iudgement It helpeth not the lay man to say he is no minister Where the cause is Gods we are all a chosen generation and a royall priesthode an holy nation and a peculiar people to shew forth his vertue that hath called vs out of darknesse into his maruellous light If we will not walke in this light we abide in darkenesse and in the shadow of death If we will not shew forthe his vertue we are not his chosen generation nor his peculiar people If we haue not his name wrytten in our foreheade we shall not stand among the electe with the Lambe in Mount Syon If we haue not the pleasant smel of life vnto life we haue not Gods gosple engrafted in vs. As many as be Christians haue giuen their faith vnto Christ in their baptisme vnder the witnesse of a great many They haue forsaken the flesh the world and the deuil If they wil now be at league with the sinner and at agrement with the euill doer they haue broken their first promise and they are founde vnfaithfull And for their faith thus violate giuen vnto the immortall God God againe will breake with them his couenaunt of mercie if in time they repent not This made me right worshipfull sir according to the talent which God hath giuen me so in these euill dayes to apply my laboure not doubting but that little light with which he hath endued me by his free mercy may shine through the cloudes and mistes of errour which the prince of this darknesse hath blowne abroade God turne their hearts that builde vpon his euill foundations and God encrease their number that be setters vp of vertue and zealous in the house of the Lord. And of this number bicause God hath made you one of good will desirous and of authority able to defend the profession of a christian man I could not but chuse your worship vnder whose name my little labor should appeare both for a testimonie vnto all men that you are one in whome your countrey doth reioyce and a prouocation vnto other that by your example they might learn to liue Ther be diuers that loue the worde of God and in common talke make a glorious profession but the world wil not let them go vprightly vnto the truth of the gosple There be other whose conuersation is not amisse and in ciuil behauior giue good exaÌ„ple but they be so drowned in error that their estate is very lamentable they be the little flock and few in nuÌ„ber that do ioyne vertue and good religion togither It is hard and laborous to fleshe and bloud and therfore we turne vs froÌ„ it The way is narow wher they are both coupled therfore few do finde it FroÌ„ the princes priuie chaÌ„ber vnto the pore cottage they haue rare dwelling It would make a Christian heart to bleede to consider duely the maners of eche estate The scarlet and purple garmeÌ„ts do hide and couer vnchast and vnpure bodies â–ª The ornaments of gold and siluer are had to beutifie most horrible othes good learning and wisdome are abused to al deceit and craftinesse Simplicitie and plainenesse is a cloke of many subtile cogitations Neede and pouertie are common dwelling places of muche dissolute life Truthe is well nigh forsaken and faith is almost perished from the face of the
confident and stubburne Hys confidencie I graunt He hath learned the good lesson of hys heauenly Father Confidite ego vici mundum be confident for I haue ouercome the world The Lorde is his helper and he shall not be moued for euer He is guiltie to him selfe of no crime herein he waxeth not pale with the memorye of any fault and therefore in the feare of God he hath sayd vnto hys soule hic murus aheneus esto stand fast as a brazen wall Would God M. Hardyng had had the lyke confidence the scornfull reproches of the proud should not haue proued hym stubburne Hardyng ¶ Our Lord yet if it be his pleasure once open your eyes and giue you grace to see the daunger of the poole you wade in Beware by tyme M. Iuell you fall not into the horrible gulfe that Salomon speaketh off Impius cum in profundum malorum venerit contemnit When the wicked man commeth into the bottom of euils he becommeth careles settyng all at nought If once you fall into thys bottom what hope is there of your recouery For whereas none returneth from euyll but he that repenteth hym of euil How can he repent that hath cast away all care Yea how can he steppe backe from euill and be made good that saith whose miserable state Esay lamenteth euyll is good and good is euyll How can he see the right way that maketh darknes light and light darknes How can he delight in sweete thyngs that taketh sowre for sweete and sweete for sowre Dering From these vncharitable beginnings M. Harding falleth as it may séeme to a charitable prayer but were the same acceptable in the sight of God he himselfe should returne from all hys abhominations now it procéedeth from the Minister of iniquity We are put in minde of the country prouerb that it is ill wyth the Géese when the Fox preacheth If the prayers were ryghteous he pretendeth here not our bloud but their owne teares should haue watred their eyes Nowe bicause their prosperitie hath bene the slaughter house of Satan this submission in aduersity can be but the Crocodiles teares If God of hys iustice shoulde carye vs agayne captiues into Babilon we know the purple whoore and the whyps of hir fornication But God be praysed the lynes are fallen to vs in pleasaunt places yea we haue a fayre heritage for the waye that Maister Iuell wadeth in it is not that horrible gulphe which M. Harding can not sée wherein the bottom of all euyll abydeth The spirite of God is our warrant that it is the narrow way which leadeth vnto euerlastyng lyfe there is no cause why M. Iuell should repent him of this iourneying he walketh in the way of health God of hys good wyll and mercie shall giue vnto hym that hys course be finished in the same He maketh not good euill nor euyll good he putteth not darknesse for light nor light for darknesse he saith not swéete is sower and sower is swéete And for as much as the whole controuersie betwéene vs doth rest in this whether of vs is in darknesse it shall not be tedious vnto the Christian Reader if in the woord of God we doe séeke for triall for that giueth vnto the simple sharpnesse of wyt and to the children knowledge and discretion neyther is it hydden but from the eyes of the scorner neither yet peruerted but of the wycked Let vs aske of the same woord what is good what is the lyght and what is swéete It is good for thée saith Peter to harken vnto the woorde And thy woorde saith Dauid is a lantern vnto our féete a light vnto our steppes and the same woorde is more swéete then hony and the hony combe Then as thys same word is true so we are assured of all goodnesse all light and pleasure if we follow it and therefore blesse onesse is pronounced ouer hym that readeth and them that heare that prophecie Now doe we call the world to wytnesse whether they or we do set out thys woorde We haue it in our churches and priuate houses we expounde it to the people we exhort them to reade it we call the ignorant from their errours wyth the same voyce that S. Augustine was called tolle lege tolle lege Take vp and reade and thys is as the holy Ghost doth witnesse good lyght and swéete But these men that crake so of their goodnesse what haue they done They haue pulled thys woorde out of their synagoges they haue not suffred it in the poore mans dwellyngs they haue not expounded it as the whole world can iudge they haue not made it the squire of their religion And if in any place that little booke was séene though in the houses of Bishops and Prelats yea in the verie palaces of Popes Cardinalls yet did it sléepe in the dust or if the candle was light it was set vnder a bushell The people did not knowe the meanes of their saluation the merite of Christes passion was mingled with mans good workes his continuall intercession darkned with the mediation of saints his bloudie drops wiped away with the remembring his holye martirs his crying out on the crosse at the yéelding vp of his spirit was not hard thorow the abusing the name of his blessed mother and in steade of other vnderstanding wherwith our soules are comforted we harkened after the straunge sounds of vnknowen trumpets in gadding on pylgrimage in paynting of Tabernacles in sensing of Idols in setting vp of Candels before stocks and stones in blasphemous Masses in idolatrous Altars in halowing of Temples in christining of Bells in selling of Merites in turning of Roodes in a thousand mo iuglings inuented by Satan and practised by his ministers that from the top to the toe from the hill altars vnto the church doore ther was nothing whole in that froward generation Neither they themselues can denie this though they like to dissemble it cry out how they will y t we make euil good and good euill And for the charging vs with darknes the thing so disagréeth that the ignorant require a further proofe and the learned doe sée ther much wrangling eloquence doe we make darknesse light I say as before what shadowes doe we walke in what darkenesse doe we preach wherein are we blinde leaders of the blinde Accusations may not goe for arguments nor slaunderings for sufficient proofe O Maister Harding turne againe to your writings examine your authorities consider your counsails applie your examples looke if any line be blamable in our seruice take hold of your aduantage I think Maister Iuel will accept it as an article No no this offer doeth not like you you see to great a hazarde of your little estimation Our seruice is good and godly euerie title grounded on holie scriptures and with what face doe ye cal it darknesse Sure with the same that the prophecies of the holy ghost were sometyme called dreames the doctrine
for he saith as Maister Iuell alledgeth not onely the priest sacrificeth but also the whole company of the faithful But what maketh this for Maister Harding The priest and the people both doe sacrifice therefore is there no difference in the ministerye S. Peter saith you are a kingly Priesthood therfore is ther no difference in the function betwene the minister and the laye man True it is that the minister and the people do offer vp a lyke one sacrifice vnto God but that maketh nothing to Maister Hardings saying Thus we se while he hobbeth and roueth and shooteth at euery marke a lie he was an hypocrite when he was at the best and nowe is led forwarde still to be an open enimie Reade the .222 vntruth An other péece of thys marke is this that men and women make the sacrifice of the aulter and be Priests after the order of Melchisedech Of this reade the .158 vntruth The last péece of thys marke is yet woorst of all nothing else but malice slaunder and wickednesse here agaynst M. Iuell bicause he wryteth not one such woord and commonlye agaynst the truth of God which the wicked doe alwaye peruert And this is that marke that God is the author of euill and driueth men to sin What should I here aunswere but euen saye with the Prophet The scornful haue said We haue made falshood our refuge and vnder vanitie we are hid If euerye such euyll saying myght clayme an aunswere M. Hardings one Reioynder would require many volumes But for a sufficient contentation of the Reader I say in all M. Iuels booke there is no one such woord I adde further nor in all the bookes that euer were wrytten by any godly man of M. Iuels profession Let M. Harding or all hys companions in searching ouer theyr wrytings bryng but one letter whereby we may gesse that euer such a saying was ment and for my part let hys writings be approued If he can not doe this consider of hys religion He would not speake wyckedlye for Gods defence nor talke deceitfully for his cause If anye man require what our opinon is let hym reade any learned man intreating of the predestination of God or of mans frée wyll or for a better warrant let him reade the scriptures it selfe We say al that God made was very good He created man in honour and gaue hym frée wyll and man of himselfe gaue place to inordinate affections where hee might haue obeyed Gods woord euen as it is written He hath set water and fire before thée stretch out thy hand vnto which thou wilt And agayne God created man without corruptiō And concerning sinne we say through the enuy of the Deuill came death into the world Neither néede we make exception agaynst this authoritie bicause it is not in the canō For the Apostle doth authorize it where he writeth He that committeth sinne is of the Deuil For the Deuill sinneth euen from the beginning And in an other place Diabolus est mendax pater eius the Deuill is a lyer and the father thereof not as your friende Mayster Dorman doth interprete it and so was hys father before hym for that were in déede to make God the authour of euill which is the marke you talke of Now euen as the Deuill is authour of euil so we by his suggestiō haue the next cause in our selues which is an vncleane hart lyke as our Sauiour saith Out of the hart procéede euil cogitations c. Of God we say and we say againe and we preache it and we wryte and beleue it and in it we reioyce that God is neyther the author of euyll neyther yet would it should be committed The shepe goe astray without the shepherdes wyll The groate is lost and the poore woman would not so Christ woulde gather togither Ierusalem as the Hen doth hir Chickens but they would not But this we say that the wayes of God are not like the wayes of men that he should not know what thynges were to come He could not be deceiued in his own creature He did foresée the fall of Adam and by his omnipotency could haue made him stand For who can resist hys will He coulde haue made him so pure that he should not haue sinned euen as he hath now made his Aungels and wyll make the whole number of his elect that no man anye more shall take awaye theyr ioye from them And as we are sure this is Gods omnipotēcy so why he did it not we cā not assigne any cause but bicause he would not For we knowe he hath done al things that he woulde Yet a cause ther was and that a most iust and good cause For their is no iniquity with him And this cause he did knowe in his eternall secret counsell before all worldes for as much as all thinges are present with him To enter further into Gods councell and aske why he appointed such a course in which the reprobate both Angels and men shoulde fall away this were presumptuous folly Shall the pot say vnto the potter why hast thou made me so The Godly will staye here and in the feare and loue of God wil professe and beleue both that God ruleth all thinges with his mighty worde and yet wylleth he no man to sinne We haue so much corruption in our selues that we néede no further prouoking vnto wickednesse Now to Maister Hardings purpose thus much we saye that God permitteth synne and with longe patience doth suffer the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction but yet this permission we say doth appertayne vnto the will of God For he doth not suffer it eyther inforced or against his will neither yet doth he so suffer it that he doth nothing him selfe For he ruleth and gouerneth euen their iniquity He suffereth it not to rage at will but guideth it either to the punishment of the wicked as he oft punished the Israelites with the wickednes of straunge Princes or to the triall of his elect as it is well acknowledged of the prophet Dauid saying of Shimei he curseth euen bicause the Lord hath bid him curse Dauid yet God made not the malice of Shimeis mynde Likewyse where it is sayde of the destruction of Ierusalem that God brought vpon them the king of the Chaldeans God did not ingraffe in Nabuchadoneyzar his great cruelty but being bred in his own mind he brought it vpon whom it pleased him Therfore Christ saith all the heares of our head are numbred and with out Gods appointment ther shal not one of them perish This therefore is our doctrine God is no cause of wickednesse but men cannot apply their owne wickednesse but where it pleaseth God neither do they exercise their wickednes but when and how far his grace doth leaue them For plainer declaration of this we may compare the grace of God and the sunne If the sunne be ouer
the earth ther is then light if it be gone then is ther darknes yet is not the Sunne cause of darknes but such is the nature of the worlde where the Sunne is not there is foorthwith darknes So God is the light and man is full of darkenes bicause of corruption which it hath receiued When the light of Gods grace doth shine in this darknes then man séeth his goings and walketh forth in righteousnes but if the darknes do not comprehend the light then man thorow his owne impurity doth walke in all vncleanes yet is not God cause of this euill doings no more then the Sunne is cause that the worlde without it is darknes But who so doth receiue this light he is borne not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God And as S. Paule saith it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercy for it is he that worketh in vs both the will and the déede euen of his good pleasure Therefore the prophet Oze saith thy destruction O Israel doth come of thy selfe but thy saluation is of me Thus we se man doth of him self the thing that is euil God onely doth that which is good yet in such sort y t what so euer is done in the world good or euil by consent or vnaduisedly God disposeth al. Chaunce and fortune hath no place all maner circumstances are at Gods will to his glory and the comfort of the elect And this is plainly taught vs in that law of Moyses wher he that presumptuously doth kil a man is cōmaunded to be taken frō the aultar that he may die For there it is sayd if any one do kil an other haue layd no waite for him thē God hath offred him into his hand So chaunce is no chaūce fortune is no fortune but God is all in al therfore it is wel sayd of S. Ierom nihil accidit bonorum aut malorum temere et sine prouidentia sed omnia iudicio dei accidunt No good nor euill doth happen without a cause or by fortune without Gods prouidence but al thinges do happen after his iudgement For al creatures are as it were Gods instruments to vse after his owne counsell yet man doth of him selfe that which is wicked Thus vsed the Assirians the Caldeans the Persians the Grecians the Romains they through their owne ambition made warre vpon the Iewes but God appointed the tyme when it should be a scourge for his peoples disobedience So in all wickednesse God doth also worke but he onely that which is good In the punishment of Iob the Deuil worked to satiate his malice against mankinde God to the triall of his seruauntes faith that he might poure againe his mercyes more abundantly vpon him Christ was crucified on the Iewes behalfe that they might worke as enuy moued them but on Gods behalfe that he might paye the raunsome for the sinnes of the worlde Now if this be to saye God is the authour of euill then hath Maister Harding founde out a true marke if it be not he then shooteth in a false ground and his lying arowes are broken vpon vngodly stones Thus it apeareth what part we gyue vnto God in euill doyngs And thys the scripture when so it sheweth how God worketh in the reprobate as wher it is saide ego indurabo cor Pharaonis I will hardē Pharaos hart we must know God is not he that loueth wickednes For God hath said of Pharao I know that y e king of Egypt will not let you go but by strong hande So his wickednesse was of his owne will when God dyd not mollefie his hart with new grace But God did vse this wickednes for his glory euen as he testifieth For this cause haue I appointed thée to shew my power in thée to declare my name throughout all the worlde Now to aske further why God did not sende Pharao more grace in mekenesse of spirite we must aunswer with S. Paul O man who art thou that pleadest with God He hath mercy on whom he will whom he wil he hardeneth Our wisdome is but foolishnes w t him we must séeke no further then Gods word hath reueled Sure we are he is a righteous God sheweth mercy vnto thousandes of them that loue him So that if by testimonie of our owne conscience we hang vpon that mercy and walke as he hath commaunded the lesse we sée is in our selues the more sure is our hope For how often we thinke on him so many testimonies we haue of hys loue and we are sure no man can pul vs out of his hands And thus we doe sée the markes M. Harding coulde not shoote at méete markes for Christian Archers saue those which he him selfe hath set vp With which markes bicause he was neuer acquainted we haue to vnderstand that as he is now a professed enimye so he was then a dissembler and a man pleaser Therfore we yeld vnto him this conclusion that he hath not taught the Gospell in such sinceritie as we teach it now We beleue him with out his oth he shal not néede to take God to recorde that hath brought their imaginations to confusion Harding ¶ Touching the other pointes of your Gospell which you speake how so euer I spake once at Oxford of purgatory and at an other time of the Masse otherwyse then now by Gods grace and study of more mature yeares I haue ben instructed yet that any tyme I tolde you of the Paper walles painted fiers of Purgatory and that the Masse was a heape of Idolatrye and the Mystery of iniquity it is all together false Those Ministerlike termes of Paper Walles and painted Fiers in good sooth I remember not that euer I heard before your booke came forth Dering This that M. Harding graūteth here maketh great presūpsion y t he hath said more For if he hath spokē against Purgatorie then he hath confessed those fiers are but paintings if he haue thought wickednes to be in the Masse how could he not abhor these former wicked opiniōs But we must pardon him in speaking not considerately he will prouide to speake litle truely Once he spake against purgatory an other tyme against the Masse but very modestly In déede they be such tender chickēs of the Popes brood that if ye handle them roughly they will surely dye But if Maister Harding do speake now from his hart when he is so vehement doubtlesse if he were then so modest he was an hipocrite Now his zeale is so much to his holy father of Rome that he spareth no reproches against Gods ministers Then his deuocion was so cold in setting forth Gods glory that he could not spue out his déepe dissimulation But what skilleth it how he preached then sith he is now reuoked and like a dogge is returned vnto his vomite Here he sheweth vs the
vntruthes It is knowen how vncourteously those reuerend Fathers were entreated their sayings coulde not be heard for the others shamelesse â—issings This commendation of Maister Hardings catholike Doctours is out of season Their learning bicause it is Gods gift I do reuerence their vsage I detest and abhor The rumours of some of their doings are yet hot in Cambridge If I would make base notes in the mergin as Maister Hardings companions do vse where they doe speake slaunderously I could say the truth and make â— Christian mans eares to glowe at their filthynes But God amend them and let the report of their euill be buried with their euill Hardyng ¶ What if God so dispose that nowe also the hart of the Prince detesting the lewdnesse of their liues who professe your Gospell and seing the vntruth of your doctrine and lamenting this vniuersall decay of vertue proceding thereof and the vtter damnation of so many soules be wholy bent to restore the Catholique Religion of the Church and abandon all these wicked new deuises of Geneua What will you then do Dering Now after that Master Harding hath enquired much after Maister Iuells inconstancy and can espy little worthy reprehension in an vncharitable imagination he will néedes gesse what Maister Iuell would doe if he were againe put to his triall And héere with a sighing supposition he doeth féede his Popish veine and asketh What if God so dispose the hart of the Princes c. To this I aunswer that if God should so do his iust iudgement should be vpon the sinnes as well of the Prince as of the people For it is his mercy that we be not consumed But what if God will not so deale with his enheritance What if he wyll not shew his people such heauie things What if the king of Ashur shal ouercome vs no more What if we shall no more be led captiues into Babilon What if the téeth of the wicked are broken What if destructions be come to a perpetuall end Surely if our iniquities doe not turne awaye Gods blessings the hope of the vngodlye is like a thinne fome that is caried awaye with the streame As touching our Princesse hir hart is in the hande of the Lord and though we be no men pleasers yet this is the contentation of our conscience that we sée in hir the expresse tokens of the childe of God and we are witnesses vnto our selues how willinglye we obey hir Dauid was a good king though he would builde God an house thoughe it liked him not that the tabernacle shoulde be couered with Goates heare Ionathas was a good king very zealous though the high places were not taken away Ezechias was a very godly king though when God left him to trie him to knowe all that was in hys hart he found him faultie Iosias was a vertuous yong Prince as euer was in Ierusalem yet he was a feard of Necho king of Egipt Deborah was a good Quéene and is not blamed in the scriptures yet no doubt she was not with out fault and what if our Quéene that hath restored Gods religion should doe something that liked Maister Harding Doth he therfore thinke she will peruert the wayes of the Lorde and set vp againe his Romish Idolatries Their prophecies are now expired and that olde rotten Epistle before the confutation of the Apology is now forgotten From what stomaks such flatteries proceded it is not hard to iudge But peace be vpon Quéene Elizabeth and vpon the Israel of the Lorde For this great decay of vertue wherof Maister Harding complayneth it is not in the worde of God it is our corrupte manners This is an olde obiection made against true Religion S. Paul doth complaine of it that for this cause Gods name was euill spoken of among the gentiles So y e wicked Iewes would complaine Since we left to burne incence to the Quene of heauen we haue ben consumed with the sworde and with famine Yet the leauing off of their Idolatry was no cause of their euills Harding ¶ You did once confesse to mee plainly in Sarisbury when ye came thither in visitation that you neuer lyked the Supremacie of the temporal Princes ouer the Churche of England Did you not tell mee that it stode neither with Scripture nor with Doctours nor with the iudgment of the learned men of Germany Geneua and the parties where you had ben And why then preach you not this Doctrine abroade Dering As touching this priuate talke of Maister Iuell had with Maister Harding at Sarisbury concerning the Quéenes supremacie it is a malicious lye of Maister Hardings vncharitable hart If it were true yet I might well aunswere with the Philosophers that there are .iiii. sorts in whome is singular impudence in a woman that putteth on a mans garment in a gheast that thinketh him selfe as good as his hoste in him that will be talking of Princes wher he hath no occasion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in him that when a thing is tolde him in secrete doth tel it abroad openly Now if this accusation were true yet what witnesse hath Maister Harding to crye out of his impudency But what if it be false What if it be a shamelesse lye A christian man will saye with weeping eyes God amende the euill speakers But Demosthenes sayd to the people of Athens If you sée a Uiper or a byting Spider though they did neuer sting you yet you will kill them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lyke wyse O ye men of Athens when you sée a slaunderer hauing this vipers nature tary not till he sting you but kill him as sone as you se him If this accusation were true the very Gentiles could not abide it if it be false they thinke M. Harding not woorthy lyfe And that it is false his own words are a sufficient witnesse which say he spake after the opinion of the learned men in Germany and other where who do all graunt that their is no authority in the earth next vnder God aboue the authority of a Prince and that in all causes and estates ecclesiasticall and temporall euen as S. Peter sayth Submit your selues vnto all ordinauÌ„ce of man whether it be vnto the King as vnto the chiefe or vnto gouernours as vnto them that he sendeth This supremacy which S. Peter grauÌ„teth vnto the king the papist wil in no wise acknowledge but will haue the prowde Pope to treade vppon the Emperours neck and Princes to holde his stirrop while he goeth to horsbacke and waite bare foote at his gates to abide his papall pleasure Good Lord how was that worlde droonken with superstition We giue our Princesse hir authority we submit our selues to hir gouernmeÌ„t she is the anoynted of the Lord and chosen chiefe ruler of his church of Englande and God graunt hir many yeares to reigne till the fretting enuy be confounded in all flattering stomackes That euer Maister Iuell denied hir supremacy
of the priest and the lay man that vpon the displeasure conceyued we woulde say one to another Let him neuer be in thy Memento If as the Philosopher sayth the voyce of the people be the voyce of nature then it is certaine that sometyme the priestes wyll was to abbridge the commoditie of this common Masse and in his Memento to seclude some from this common benefite so that euen in this poynt Mayster Hardings distinction is a méere cauill Againe concerning this will of the priest I might aske of Mayster Harding what maner of Masses Pope Gregorie the .vii. said y t minded nothing more than sorcery or the priest that poysoned Pope Victor the thirde in the Chalice or such priestes as I haue knowne some in Cambridge that when they haue played all night at dice in the morning being called away to Masse haue sworne a great othe that they would make hast and come againe A man had néede to knowe his condicions well that would ground his Religion vpon the priestes intent Thus it appeareth that neyther by institution nor will of the priest euery Masse is coÌ„mon Concerning the oblation and communion how can they be commoÌ„ when in some of their Masses they haue none at al. First their is no oblation without bread and wine as the cannon of their owne Masse doth commaund and as Biel doth witnesse But in some of their Masses y e vse of wine is forbidden as appeareth by pope Gregorie therefore in some of theyr Masses there is no oblation or sacrifice Then how can that bée common which is not Likewise it is manifest in the communion how can that be made of the priest without bread and wine Nowe is there no excuse remayning why this distinction being false should not be a cauill except Mayster Harding will say him selfe did not knowe so muche Yet if he doe that will not serue For the very nature of a cauill is onely this vt ab euidenter veris res perducatur that the matter may be brought to open falshood And thus much is sayde for the exact discussing of the word so that it is plaine both by the common speach and by due tryall of the very worde that Mayster Harding maketh his first entrye with a cauill The B. of Saris. For where the matter is agreed vpon it is follie to picke a quarrell vppon the worde Harding The 2. vntruth It is not agreed vpon Dering Mayster Harding hath purposed to espie a great many of vntruthes and fearing least they should not amount to their iust number he thinketh good where oportunitie serueth to make of one eyther two or mo For where Mayster Iuell sayth this distinction of Masse is but a cauill bicause the signification of Masse is knowne Mayster Harding here noteth two vntruthes one it is no cauil an other it is not knowne And what néedeth this doubling if through vaine babling he did not think to blind the eies of the simple Who euer would denie both antecedent and argument both where they hang one of another The noting of this vntruth is a good proufe that y e other was a cauill Whether the signification of Masse be knowne or no small proufe will serue let the worlde bée iudge But whye is Mayster Harding so pleased with hys owne distinction that vpon it he will fownd mo vntruthes Forsooth he is a defender of antiquitie and such distinctions are very auncient more than 2000. yeare agone Anaxagoras made such another and stoode stifly in it that snow was not white bicause it was vnderstand two wayes One as it was water in substance so it was blacke another as it was congealed so it was white but such déepe fetches do not sinck in shallow wits Let vs be content with plaine vnderstanding so it shal be knowne that priuate masse is w t the priest alone no man communicating with him snow shal be whyte stil. The B. of Saris. Euery Masse sayth he is common and none priuate If it be so then hath he already concluded fully on our side Hardyng The .3 vntruth I say not so but vvith addicion Dering What addicions you make onelye wrangling excepted I sée not If there be any vntruth in these wordes the fault is your owne take it vnto your selfe Mayster Iuell affirmeth nothing but vpoÌ„ your saying that euery Masse is publike He inferreth if it be so then you haue concluded on his side you are not zealous for the truth that would thus cary away your reader with trifling Were your addicions neuer so good and godly yet Mayster Iuels wordes might stand without misreport of your saying But bicause we be fallen into these addicions marke good reader what maner ones they bée Euerye Masse sayth he is common concerning both oblation communion If it be so then his Masse it selfe must néedes be somwhat else which Mayster Harding I am sure wil not graunt and so vnawares for gréedinesse of an vntruth out of tyme he quite ouerturneth his vntrue religion For the whole substance of his Masse is nothing else but this oblation and communion these be the additions of his Masse oblation communion and all the other vsages are referred vnto it without all which these foure wordes hoc est corpus meum are a perfite Masse as Mayster Harding himselfe and also his owne doctours do confesse In steede of many it shall be sufficient to alleage one Clingius a great doctour of Mayster Hardings writeth thus Essentiale Missae sunt veâ—ba Christi hoc est corpus meuÌ„ hic est sanguis meus c. omnia alia quae circa Missam fiunt vt orationes ceremoniae vestimeâ—ta gesta crucis signaculum c. non sunt Missa sed sunt ad maiestatem ornatum sacramenti ordinata vt cum omni gloriositate hoc officium Missae celebretur The substaunce of the Masse are these wordes of Christ this is my body this is my bloud c. all other things about the Masse as prayers ceremonies vestments gestures crosses and such other are not the Masse but are ordeined for the maiestie and ornaments of the sacrament that the Masse might be sayde with all gloriositie Now thys being true as most of their doctours confesse it is true what a monster will Mayster Harding make of his Masse that teacheth the whole substance of it to be but accideÌ„ts or as he calleth them addicions And thus much if it were true that M. Harding spake not but with addicion But nowe what if he make no such addicion what if he belie him selfe what if his plaine wordes be these euerye Masse is common is it not then a shame for him to say the wordes and then to get an vntruth â–ª or to mocke his reader Denie them againe read the .112 vntruth thou shalt sée these are his verye wordes I say not that euery priuate Masse is common but that euery Masse is common If these be his plaine and
victorie Such Hercules buskins he can applie to little leggs and make so great vaunts where himselfe is furthest deceyued The B. of Saris. The name of Masse is seldome or neuer found among the Catholyke fathers Hardyng The .17 vntruth It is often found among the olde writers Dering Note good Reader how this man feareth not to note vntruthes so his number may grow This word is seldom found â—aith Maister Iuell in the catholike fathers it is found often sayth he in olde writers as though who soeuer were auncient he were straite way Catholyke Himselfe hath remoued in the 21. vntruth certaine commentaries of Ierom. And I must certifie thée there be other which notwithstanding their age yet haue no more authoritie than olde Aesopes fables Then notwithstanding Maister Hardings note of olde wryters yet M. Iuels saying of the catholike fathers may be true But I will not vrge Maister Hardings wordes admit he ment no guile in the naming of olde wryters How proueth he this vntruth He bringeth in .ix. fathers and counsels in which this worde Masse is found he sayth he could bring thrée mo that is .xii. in all The olde bookes which are written are almost infinite so in .12000 bookes he can finde that he seeketh for but .12 times yet sayth he it is found often Maister Iuell graunteth it is found somtimes Such vntruthes wil soone shame the controller Now this worde Masse or Missa least it shoulde beguile thée for that it is sometime in catholike fathers I will brieflye declare vnto thée what it is and in what sence it is found That which maister Harding calleth so ofte the Masse as Basils Masse Chrisostomes Masse and Iames his Masse in Gréeke it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth an open or common function and this signification it hath as well in prophane writers as in the scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayth Aristotle he is occupied in the administration of the commoÌ„ wealth and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to execute common offices So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the open worshippinges and seruice of their Gods In like sort it is vsed in the scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they were openlye preaching and Saint Paule sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that I might be an open minister among the Gentiles and this is proued by the Etimologie or true explication of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that hath common businesse in hande Hereby it appeareth that eyther M. Hardings Masse is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so neyther Chrisostome nor Iames nor Basil nor the other Gréeke authors euer sayde or named Masse or if they did the verye worde doth quite ouerthrow the priuate Masse As touching the Latine worde Missa we haue to learne it as the fathers sayde remissa for remissio so also they sayd missa for missio that is a sending away when in the primatiue Church such as were Nouices in christian fayth were sent away from the true beleuers which was before the communion And this appeareth by Saint Augustine where he sayth Ecce post sermonem fit missa cathecumenis manebunt fideles venietur ad locum orationis Beholde after the sermon the Nouices are dimissed the faythfull shall abyde and shall go vnto the communion For so maister Harding doth witnesse that orationis in Saint Augustine doth signifie and in déede in this place it is true Here haue we thrée especiall things to note the craft and subtilitie of Maister Harding and his friend Stapleton who both as it may be well thought vpon conference haue aledged the same places oute of doctors and councels where this worde Misâ—a is found and yet neyther haue mencioned this place of Augustine If they knewe it not they are not of that reading they pretend if they knew it it is to maliciously concealed Secondarily there abode no more in the Church but such as were communicants So this late gazing at a popish Masse was not then in vse Thirdly they did all communicate and then where was priuate Masse So this gorgious shewe to bleare the simple peoples eyes with the antiquitie of this worde Masse is an inuincible argument whereby pryuate Masse doth fall Examine the places that they themselues bring thou canst not wreast any likelihoode of priuate Masse out of them Yet this is moreouer to be noted that within .380 yeares after Christ the worde was neuer named in any probable author whereby it sufficiently appeareth that it was neuer knowne in Christes time nor in his Apostles after him And thus much of this worde Masse The B. of Saris. Clement was very lately found in the yle of Candie by one Carolus Capellius a Venetian written in Greeke and in these Countreis neuer heard of nor seene before Harding The .19 vntruth It hath beene seene before Dering Here Maister Harding committeth thrée great faults the one to charge maister Iuel with an vntruth when he alleageth Peter Crabs authority an other for misconstruing those wordes which are plaine and common the thirde for clipping of Maister Iuels wordes For where he wryteth it was neuer séene in these couÌ„treis Maister Harding quoteth his vntruth it hath beene séene But considering these poore shiftes wherevnto maister Harding is driuen I will graunt these wordes to be maister Iuels that it was neuer séene Who knoweth not that neuer here signifieth of long time or seldom if it had béene neuer séene howe could it haue bene written These grosse gatherings in so fine a wit néedes must sauour of malice It is the phrase of al laÌ„guages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Saith Achilles they did neuer wast my fertile fieldes in Pthia yet not many yeres before were great iniuries done by the Troians eueÌ„ in Achilles countrey So Agamemnon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O prophet of harmes thou neuer yet toldest me pleasant things Yet it were much for M. Harding to say Calchas pleased not Agamemnon when he foretolde what tyme Troie should be destroyed In lyke maner sayth Euripides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There was neuer good son of an euill father yet was Ezechias good of wicked Ahaz So in the common prouerbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more auncient than the worlde we meane great continuance We say the same in Latine NunquaÌ„ tam palestricus praetor There was neuer such a wrastling chiefe Iustice meaning very seldome And in our english I neuer sawe such an other But what we meane by it that in déede was neuer doubted of neyther is Maister Harding so simple that he knoweth it not but he had rather speake against his owne knowledge then say nothing against Maister Iuell This is ynough to any indifferent reader to shewe that these vntruthes are but wranglings But read the replie and thou must néedes confesse it were thou neuer so parciall For Maister Iuell himselfe alleageth Leo Gelasius Bessarion which disalow this booke and how could that be if
their hearts and giue them vnderstanding that they may once know and confesse that his Religion may not thus be framed to mannes fansie so in the latter day when they shall be accomptable for their doings they may be vnblameable in the sight of the highest The B. of Saris. He saith Communion is so called of that we Communicate togither Harding The .79 vntruthe He saith not together Dering It is a very strange propertie not to be ashamed to speake manifestly against the knowne signification of any worde it is muche more straunge to speake against it placed in suche a sentence where of force the signification must be graunted but it is moste straunge of all and in manner a singulare impudencie to note it for any vntruthe in one that will not so shamelesly speake without reason as an other dothe Such an vntruthe as this is it which now we haue in hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is well knowne to signifie to Communicate together in the same time and place And in this sentence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Héere to say it can signifie any other thing it is very ignorant boldenesse But to note it for an vntruthe as maister Harding dothe it is bothe to be past shame and past grace The worde is well knowne that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do signifie a cōmunitie of any thing together and therefore they be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may haue felowship with the Congregation and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be in felowship with any man And bicause that Mercurie is sayd to be the messenger of the Pagane goddes to tell their errandes from them to any man therefore he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hauing a proper name of his proper office in that by him the Ethnikes did thinke they were made partakers of their gods counsell by which the propertie of this worde appeareth And consider good Reader what manner of Communion it is that M. Harding would make when the Priest saith Masse in the Church and calleth no body vnto him yet he sayth that al the Priestes in the world which say Masse at the same time doe Communicate with him and be made one body of Christe togither Héere I aske of M. Harding how he agréeth with S. Paule y t saith we are one bread one body bicause we all are partakers of one bread Marke reader because we eate of one bread we become one body saith S. Paule Bicause we say Masse at one time we become one body saith M. Harding though we eate not at all of the same breade Sure these two Doctoures doe not agrée S. Paule saith moreouer the bread which we break is it not the Cōmunion of the body of Christ M. Harding saith though we breake not the same bread but be eche one of vs by our selues at our altares yet it is the Communion of the body of Christ. Thus we sée S. Paule and M. Harding teache not bothe one Doctrine But it is no meruaile they are not guided bothe with one spirit S. Paule speaketh truthe and M. Harding falshead S. Paule the worde of God and master Harding his owne fansies as for this Communion of M. Hardings it was neuer knowne in the Church of God I remember there is a great bragger in Martial maketh euen suche an other he had euer in his mouth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All things are common among frendes but saying thus so often when he would neuer bestow any thing among his neighbors the Poet saith this is a very straunge Communion Das nihil dicis Candide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So it goeth with M. Harding he euer saith of his Masse it is common it is common but he saith it only he calleth no man vnto him Sure say what he will this is but craking Candidus his Communion God be praised that we are deliuered from it And thus it appeareth it is no vntruthe to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to Communicate together ▪ as well bicause the worde it selfe is plaine as for that the scripture teacheth that the Communion must be so administred The B. of Saris. Basil reporteth an Ecclesiasticall Decree or Canon that at the receiuing of the holy Communion which he called mysticum Pascha there ought to be .xij. persones at the least and neuer vnder Harding The .80 vntruthe It is no Ecclesiasticall decree Dering M. Harding in this place is farre gone He is wont to controll very curiously false quotation in this place onlesse my boke deceiue me he is much ouerséene For I think it is in asceticis sermone primo Whether it bewell quoted or no it is truely reported S. Basils words are these Quemadmodum spiritualis lex non vult eos esse infra numerum duodenarium qui mysticum pascha edere debeant c. Euen as the spirituall or Ecclesiasticall decrée will not haue vnder twelue that shuld eate the mysticall passeouer c. Loe. S. Basil sayth it is an Ecclesiasticall Decrée Yet M. Harding saith it is no Decrée Beleue him not henceforth before thou trie him And the Doctors words wer as sone changed as he is redy to deny or affirme at aduentures thou couldest be sure of nothing but it is well the truthe doth not hang vpon his report Let him say while he will it is no decrée S. Basils wordes are plaine it is spiritualis lex If M. Harding had not made wrangling his hope in these vntruthes this had not bene numbred He may as well blame the Euangelistes for alleaging the Prophets And no doubt if M. Iuell should follow the faithfull sense as the Euangelists doe and let passe words Maister Harding would finde fiue lies in one line Such truthe he vseth in these vntruthes The B. of Saris◠It appeareth by S. Augustine and certaine olde Canons that in the Primatiue church the Priest and people sometime did Communicate after supper Harding The .81 vntruthe The .11 diuision It appeareth not Dering This vntruthe is sone answered For M. Harding graunteth that it appeareth by s. Augustine some receiued on Maūdie thursday after supper but saith he that is not sometime For saith he he that saith somtime meaneth oftner than once a yeare Now if it were possible that once a yeare might be sometime then were it necessary that M. Harding did wrangle But bicause once a yeare is no time let vs sée if it may be proued that it was done oftner First whether it be or no S. Augustine is at a point and saith faciat quisque quod in ea Ecclesia in quam venerit inuenit Let euery one doe after the custome of that Church in which he cōmeth it appertaineth neither vnto faith nor vnto good maners therefore whether a man receiue the Cōmunion fasting or no so he receiue in the Lord it skilleth not muche Now what they haue done in the primatiue Church let vs as I haue said enquire It appereth in