M. Hardinge.
VVhy Sirs, are ye so wel learned, and so holy of life your selues, that ye take vpon you to iudge the Bishop of Rome, Christes chiefe officer in earthe, and al other men, before the time of your Apostates, and Renegate Frters, to haue ben both impious for not doing theire dutie, and ignorant for not kno∣winge what was theire dutie? VVas al Vertue so farre bannished, al necessarie knowledge and Chri∣stian learninge so cleane put out, that wee muste nowe beginne to learne how to beleue, and howe to liue a Christian life of sutche light preachers, Wicked vowbreakers, lewde Lecherous Lurdens, and detestable blasphemers, as your deuilishe rable is?
S. Bernardes wordes to Eugenius be these: Age indagemus adhuc diligentiùs, quis sis, &c. VVel goe too. Let vs somewhat more diligently examine, what manner a man thou art, what person thou bearest for the presente time in the Churche of God. VVho art thou? The greate Preieste, the hi∣ghest Bishop. Thou arte the chiefe of al Bishoppes, thou arte the heire of the Apostles: for primacie thou arte Abel, for Gouernement Noë, for Patriarkship Abraham. for holy order Melchiscdech, for di∣gnitie Aaron, for Auctoritie Moyses. for iudgemente Samuel, for power Peter, for thy anointinge Christe. Thou art he••to whom the Keies were deliuered, to whom the Shepe were committed. There be also other porters of Heauen, and Pastours of flockes. But thou so mutche farre passinge al other, as thou haste inherited bothe names mutche more indifferent. They haue theire flockes assigned vnto them. ech man one. Al are committed to thee, the one whole flocke to one. Neither arte thou onely the Pastour of al the Sheepe, but also the onely Pastour of al the Pastours.