A defence of the Apologie of the Churche of Englande conteininge an answeare to a certaine booke lately set foorthe by M. Hardinge, and entituled, A confutation of &c. By Iohn Iewel Bishop of Sarisburie.

The B. of Sarisburie.

Of the number of the Sacramentes, wée shal haue more conueniente time to speake hereafter. There, gentle Reader, I trust, thou shalt sée M. Hardinges great question easily answeared, with what face wée saye, wée allowe the Sacramentes of the Churche. In the meane season it maie please thée, to weigh these woordes of Cardinal Bessarion, the Bishop of Tusculum, one of M. Hardinges especial Ca∣tholique Doctours:* 1.1 Haec Duo Sola Sacramenta in Euangelijs manifestè tradita le∣gimus: These onely tvvo Sacramentes wee reade to be deliuered vs plainely in ye Gospel.

Here Bessarion nameth,* 1.2 not Seuen Sacramentes, as M. Harding dooth, but onely Tvvo. Certainely wée refuse no Sacramente, that euer was either ordeined by Christe, or vsed and practised by the Apostles.

Your Lordes Supper, saithe M. Hardinge, auaileth you nothing, but to your further Condēnation. So must it néedes be, bicause M. Harding saith, it shal so be. These Tragical terrours are fit onely to frale children: In the Date of the Lorde eche mannes woorke shal appeare. The simpleste of our people vnderstandeth the Nature, & Meaning of y^e Holy Mysterie of Our Lordes Supper: & therfore they re∣ceiue y^• same togeather to theire greate consolation. But in Your Lady Masse the simple people vnderstandeth nothing, heareth nothing, &, sauing a fewe vnseemely Ceremonies, seeth nothing. And therfore they so seldome Communicate, & that one∣ly of custome, without any zele, or comforte of conscience, as hauinge no sense, or fee∣ling in al these dooinges.* 1.3 Origē saith, Nisi Circuncisionis reddatur ratio, nutus est, & Opus mutum. Pascha, & aliae Solenuitates nutus magis sunt, quàm Veritas, vs{que} ho∣diè Populus Israel surdus, & mutus est: Onlesse the reasons, or causes of Circumcisiō be ope∣ned, Circumcision is but a gesture, and a doumbe kinde of vvoorke. The Easter Feaste, and other like Solemnities, are rather Ceremonies, then the Truthe it selfe. Euen stil vntil this daie,* 1.4 the people of Israel is deafe, and doumbe. S. Ambrose saithe, Indignus est Do∣mino, qui aliter Mysterium celebrat, quàm à Christo traditum est. Non enim potest deuotus esse qui aliter praesumit, quàm datum est ab Authore: He is vnwoorthy of the Lorde, that Ministreth this Sacramente othervvise, then Christe deliuered it. For he can∣not be deuoute, that presumeth to vse it othervvise, then it was firste deliuered from Christe the Authoure. These wordes séeme sommewhat to touche M. Har∣dinge, and his Companie. But here he is contented, to allowe vs the very Sacramente, and true vse of Baptisme, and that vailable, and of force for the Re∣mission of Sinnes. Whereby vnaduisedly, and vnwares he confesseth, that wee haue the very True Catholique Churche of God. For S. Augustine saithe truely, Baptismus Ecclesiae potest esse extra Ecclesiam:* 1.5 munus autem Beatae vitae non nisi intra Ecclesiam inuenitur: The Baptisme of the Churche maie be without the Churche: but the gifte of Blessed life is not founde, but vvithin the Churche. But why he alloweth vs this Sacramente, rather then the other, it were a harde mater to discusse. Neither may we iustly require reason of him that speaketh so mutche without reason.

Perhaps he wil sate, Baptisme is but a light Sacramente, & maie be ministred by any Laie Personne, euen by an olde Woman, or by a gyrle, so that shée speake Latine, and vnderstande not, what shée saie. For otherwise, I trowe, her dooinge maie not stande for good. Certainely, whereas M. Hardinge speaketh of the dewe Fourme of Woordes, according to Christes Institution, his owne Doctours telle vs,* 1.6 and auouche it for greate Truthe, that if the Prieste saie thus, Ego te Bapti∣zo in nomine Patris, & Filij, & Spiritus Sancti, & Diaboli: That is, I. Baptize thee in the name of the Father,* 1.7 and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghoste, and of the Diuel: Or if he saie thus, as one ignorante Prieste sommetime saide, Ego te Baptizo in nomine Patria, & Filia, & Spirita Sancta, yet the Fourme of Baptisme is very good.

But one greate faulte M. Hardinge findeth in our dooinges, for that wée haue leafte out a greate many Holie rites, his Chrisme, his Oile, his Salte, his Spittle, and sutche other like thinges: and for that wée minister this Sacramente plainely, & simply, as Christe commaunded. This obiection beinge of no greater weight, may easily discharge it selfe, & therefore maie passe wel without farther answeare.

M. Hardinge saithe, there be Seuen Sacramentes, whiche, as he saithe, doo not onely signifie a Holy thinge, but also doo Sanctifie, and make holy those, to whō they be adhibited, being sutche as by Institution of Christe conteine Grace in them, and power to sanctifie. Here, to leaus the reste, it might be demaunded, howe can Matrimonie Sanctifie a Man, & make

him Holy:* 1.8 or by what Institution of Christe conteineth it Grace in it selfe, and Power to Sanctific? Or if it cannot Sanctifie, nor haue sutche Grace, howe then can it be called a Sacramente?

I graunt, the Ancient Learned Fathers, entreating of the Sacramentes, haue often vsed vehement,* 1.9 and greate woordes. It is written in the Councel of Nice, Vides Aquam? Considera Vim Diuinam, quae in Aquis Latet. Puta, Aquam esse ple∣nā Ignis Diuini. Seest thou the Water? Consider y^e diuine Povver that lieth Hidde in the Water, Imagin, that the Water is ful of Heauenly Fiere. So S. Ambrose, Spiritus Sanctus descendit,* 1.10 & Aquam consecrat. Adest Praesentia Trinitatis: The Holy Ghoste commeth downe, and haloweth the Water. There is the Presence of the Trini∣tie. So saith Tertullian, In Baptismo tingimur Passione Christi: In Baptisme wee are vvasshed vvith the Passion of Christe. So saith Chrysostome, as M. Hardinge hath here alleged him, Baptisme is ful of Povver, and Grace: So saith S. Cyprian: so saie others.

Al these, and other like vehemente speaches M. Harding mitigateth, and qua∣lifieth in this wise: VVee meane, saith he, that Sacramentes conteine Grace, after sutche manner of speakinge, as wee saie, Potions, and drinkes conteine healthe. That is to saie, Sacra∣mentes verily, and in déede conteine not the Grace of God. For drinkes, and Po∣tions verily,* 1.11 and in déede conteine not the health of y^e Patiente. In this manner of speache y^e Children of the Prophetes saide to Elizaeus the Prophete, Mors in olla, Vir Dei:* 1.12 O thou man of God, Death is in the Potte. So Salomon saithe, Death, and Life are in the handes of the tongue. So Christe saithe vnto the Phariseis, Searche the Scri∣tures: for in them you thinke to haue euerlastinge Life. Therefore one M. Hardinges Schoole Doctous saithe,* 1.13 In Sacramentis Ecclesiae, specialis Virtus Passionis Christi continetur, sicut Virtus agentis in instrumento: The special Grace of the Passion of Christe is conteined in the Sacramentes of the Churche, as the Power of the woorkes is conteined in the instrumente, wherewith he woorketh.

But in déede, it is the Soule of man, and not the Creature of Breade, or Water, that receiueth the Grace of God. Wee haue néede of Goddes Grace: These corrup∣tible elementes néede it not. Without Faith of our Parte Sacramentes be not o∣nely vnprofitable to vs,* 1.14 but also hurtful. S. Chrysostame saith, Vbi est Virtus E∣uangelij? In Figuris literarum, an in intellectu sensuū? VVhere is the Povver of the Gospel? In the Fourmes of the letters, or els in the vnderstandinge of the meaninge?

Likewise Bonauentura saithe,* 1.15 Nullo modo dicendum est, quòd Gratia conti∣netur in ipsis Sacramentis essentialiter, tanquam Aqua in Vase, vel Medicina in Pyxide. Imò hoc intelligere est erroneum. Sed dicuntur continere Gratiam, quia eam signi∣cant: VVee maye not in any wise saié, that the Grace of God is conteined substan∣tially, and verily in the Sacramentes, as VVater is conteined in the Vessel, or a Medicine in the Boxe. For so to saie, it were enoneous. But wee saie, the Sacramentes conteine the Grace of God:* 1.16 bicause thei signifie the Grace of God. Againe he saith, Gratia est in anima, non in Signis visibilibus: The Grace of God is, not in the visible Signes, but in the Soule. And againe he saithe, Ad illud, quod obijcitur, quòd remissio Peceatorum Latet in Baptismo, dicendum est, quòd hoc intelligiturede latentia Signati in Signo: quod quidem habet vlteriorem rationem, quàm rationem Significandi: non tamen essen∣tialiter continendi in se: sed quia ipsum, quod Signat, continetur in anima: To the Obie∣ction, that is made, that the Romission of Sinnes is Hidde in Baptisme, wee muste an∣sweare thus, that it must be taken of the thinge Signified hidde in the Signe. VVhiche thinge neuerthelesse hath a farther meaninge, then to Signifie: yet not to conteine (the Re∣mission of Sinnes) verily, and Substantially in it selfe: but that the Grace, that is Signified thereby, is conteined in the Soule.

The Mystical signification,* 1.17 that M. Harding hath imagined, of his Shevves, and Accidentes, that the Fourmes of Breade, and Wine outwardely represente the Spiritual nourishinge of the Soule, is vaine, and fantastical, without the wit∣nesse of any Anciente Doctour, or Father, confirmed onely by the Authoritie of him selfe. For what manner of féedinge is there is these Accidentes, and Holy Fourmes? Or how can that thinge, that féedeth not the Body, represente vnto vs the Spiritual féedinge of the Soule?

The mater is plaine yenough of it selfe, and néedeth no cauil. The Signi∣fication, and Substance of the Sacrament is to shewe vs, how wee are fedde with the Body of Christe: that is, that like as Material Breade feedeth our Body, so the Body of Christe nailed on the Crosse, embraced, and eaten by Faithe, feedeth the Soule. The like Representation is also made in the Sacramente of Baptisme: that as our Body is wasshed cleane withe Water, so our Soule is wasshed cleane with Christes Bloude.* 1.18 Therefore S. Augustine saithe, Nisi Sacramenta simili∣tudinem quandam earum rerum, quarum sacramenta sunt, haberent, omninò Sa∣cramenta non essent: Yf Sacramentes had not a certaine likenesse, and representa∣tion of the thinges, wherof they be Sacramentes, then in deede they were no Sacramentes. This Representation Rabanus Maurus expoundeth thus,* 1.19 Quia Panis Corpo∣ra confirmat, ideò ille congruenter Corpus Christi nuncupatur: Et quia vinum San∣guinem operatur in Carne, ideò refertur ad Sanguinem: Bicause (not the Accidentes, or Fourmes of Breade, but) Breade it selfe confirmeth the Body, therefore it is conueniently called the Body of Christe: And bicause Wine woorketh bloude in the fleashe, therefore it hath relation vnto the Bloude.

So likewise saithe Druthmarus,* 1.20 Vinum laetificat, & Sanguinem auget: & ideò non inconuenienter Sanguis Christi per hoc figuratur: (not the Accidentes or Fourmes of Wine, but) VVine it selfe reioiceth the harte, and increaseth bloude: And therefore the Bloude of Christe conueniently is thereby signified.

M. Hardinge, for that he cannot vtterly denie it, the mater beinge so plaine, is therefore contented to graunte, that the Sacrament is the Figure of Christes Body. But to helpe out, and to shifte the mater, he hath diuised sutche a strange kinde of Figure, as seldome hathe benne hearde before. Notwithstandinge the Holy Learned Fathers speake plainely, and simply, and vse no kinde of sutche Gloses.* 1.21 S. Hierome saithe, Ad Tropicam intelligentiam sermo referatur. Quan∣do dico, Tropicam, docco verum non esse, quod dicitur, sed allegoriae nubilo figura∣tum: Let that sateinge be expounded by a Figure. When I saie, a Figure, I saie, the thing that is spoken, is not true in deede, but Figured vnder the clowde of an Allegorie. Likewise Chrysostome saithe,* 1.22 Audisti, fuisse Figuram. Ne ergo mirare, ne{que} om∣nia require in typo. Ne{que} enim typus esset, si omnia, quae Veritati accidunt, habe∣rentur: Ye haue hearde, that it was a Figure. Therefore maiueise not: and beinge a Fi∣gure, require not al thinges to agree.* 1.23 For otherwise it were no Figure. So like∣wise S. Augustine saithe, in Principio cauendum est, ne Figuratam locutionem ad literam accipias. Ad hoc enim pertinet, quod ait Apostolus, Litera occidit. Cùm enim Figuratè dictum sic accipitur, tanquam proriè dictum sit, Carnaliter sapitur: ne{que} ulla mors animae congruentiùs appellatur: Firste of al thou muste take heede, that thou take not a Figuratiue Speache accordinge to the Letter. For that is it, whereof S. Paule saithe, The Letter Killeth. For, when the thinge, that is spoken vnder a Figure, is so taken, as if it vvere plainely spoken, there is a Fleashly vnderstandinge. Neither is there any thinge, that maie better be called the deathe of the Soule.* 1.24 Al this, and mutche more to like purpose, thou maiste finde in my Former Replie to M. Hardinge.

An other fantasie M. Hardinge hathe, that the Sacramentes of the Nevve

Lavve woorke the thinge it selfe,* 1.25 that they signifie, through Vertue, as he saith, geuen vnto them by Goddes ordinance, to special effectes of Grace. This, as I saide, is but a fantasie. For the Sacramentes of the Olde Lavve,* 1.26 and of the Nevve, in Truthe, and Substance are al one. S. Paule saithe, Omnes eundem cibum Comederunt:* 1.27 The Fathers in the Olde Lawe, did al eate the same meare, that is to saie, the same Christe, that wée eate. S. Hilarie saithe, Sub nube fuerunt, & Chri∣sto, aquam Petra praebente,* 1.28 potati sunt: They were vnder the Clowde, and were dren∣ched vvith Christe, the Rocke geeuinge them water. Likewise saithe Leo: Mysteria pro temporum ratione variata sunt: quum Fides, qua viuimus, nulla fuerit aetate diuersa: The Sacramentes are astered accordinge to the diuersitie of the times. But the Faithe,* 1.29 vvhereby vvee liue, in al ages vvas euer one. Likewise S. Augustine, Sacramenta illa fuerunt, in Signis diuersa: in rebus, quae significabantur, paria: These thinges were Sacramentes, in the outvvarde tokens, diuerse: but in the thinges tokened, al one vvith ours.

M. Hardinge wil replie:* 1.30 S. Augustine saithe, Sacramenta Noui Testa∣menti dant Salutem: The Sacramentes of the New Testament geeue Saluation. But who can better expounde S. Augustines meaninge, then S. Augustine him selfe? He ad∣deth immediately: Cùm ergo iam teneas promissa, quid quaeris promittentia Salua∣torem? Hoc dico, teneas promissa: non quòd iam acceperimus Viram aeternam, Sed quòdiam Christus Venerit, qui per Prophetas praenuntiabatur: Wherefore, seeinge thou haste the Promisses (of the comminge of Christe) already perfourmed, what see∣kest thou the thinges, that Promised the Saueoure? I saie, Thou haste the Promisses al∣ready perfourmed: not for that wee haue alreadie receiued euerlastinge life, but for that Christe is alreadie comme, that was promised by the Prophetes. Therefore, when S. Augustine saithe, Our Sacramentes geue Saluation, his meaninge is this, Our Sacramentes teache vs,* 1.31 that Saluation is already comme into the World. Thus S. Augustine saithe in an other place: Illa fuerunt Promissiones rerum complenda∣rum: haec sunt indicia completarum: The Sacramentes of the Olde Lawe were Pro∣misses of sutche thinges, as should afterv vard be accomplisshed: Our Sacramentes of the Newe Lawe are takens, that the same Promisses be already accomplisshed. Thus the Holy Fathers saie, The Sacramentes of the Newe Lawe vvorke Saluation: bicause they teache vs, that our Saluation is already wrought. So Bonauentu∣ra saithe of the Sacramentes of the Olde Testamente,* 1.32 Mundare dicebantur: id est, mundatum ostendebant: They were saide to make a man cleane, bicause they shevved, or signified, that a man vvas made cleane.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Bessarion, De Sacramen. Eu∣charistiae.
• * 1.2

  Baptisme.
• * 1.3

  Origen. in Luc•• Homil. 5.
• * 1.4

  Ambros. in 1. Cor. 11.
• * 1.5

  De Con. Dist. 4 Ecclesia.
• * 1.6

  De Conse. Dist. 4. Si non.
• * 1.7

  De Conse. Dist. 4. Retulerunt.
• * 1.8

  To Con∣teine Grace.
• * 1.9

  Concil Nicen.
• * 1.10

  Ambros. De Sa∣men. Li. 1. Cap. 5. Tertul. De Ba∣tismo.
• * 1.11

  4. Reg. 4.
• * 1.12

  Prou. 18. Iohan. 5.
• * 1.13

  Iohan. De Pari∣sijs, De Potestate Regia, Cap. 26.
• * 1.14

  Chryso. in Mat∣thae. Operis Im∣perfe. Homil. 43.
• * 1.15

  Bonauen in 4. Sen. dist. 1. Qu. 3.
• * 1.16

  Eodem loco.
• * 1.17

  Fourmes, and Acci∣dentes.
• * 1.18

  Augustin. Epist. 23.
• * 1.19

  Rabanus Li. 2. Cap. 31.
• * 1.20

  Druthmarus in Matthae. ca. 26.
• * 1.21

  Hierony. aduer∣sus Ruffinum.
• * 1.22

  Chrysostom. in Genesin, Homi. 35.
• * 1.23

  Augustin. De Doctrinae Chri∣stiana, li. 3. ca. 5.
• * 1.24

  Articulo. 12.
• * 1.25

  Sàcram. Olde. Nevve.
• * 1.26

  1. Corin. 10.
• * 1.27

  Hilari. in Psal∣num 67.
• * 1.28

  Leo De Natiui∣ta Domini, Ser∣mone. 3.
• * 1.29

  Augustin. in Io∣han. tracta. 26.
• * 1.30

  Augustin. in Psalm. 73.
• * 1.31

  Augustin contra Faustum, Li. 19. Ca. 14.
• * 1.32

  Bonauentura. in 4. Senten. dis. 1. In Procemio.