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.

Let this Banket be deight, saithe M. Hardinge, as it ought to be: Let the beste Disshe be made ready. Good Christian Reader, the best, the wholesomest, the moste pleasant, and most Comfortable disshe at this Table, is the Death of Christe, that Lambe of God, that hath taken awaie the Sinnes of the worlde. Thus Christe him selfe, the Maister of this Feaste, hath willed vs to dresse this Dinner: Doo this, saith he, in Remembraunce of me. Likewise S. Paule, As often as ye shal eate of this Breade, and Drinke of this Cuppe,* 1.1 ye shal shewe foorthe, and publishe the Lordes Deathe, vntil be comme.

This Banket therefore is not the outwarde, or bare Sacramente, but Christes very Body, and Bloude, which are represented vnto vs by the Sacramente: And, as it is before alleged out of S. Ambrose,* 1.2 It is not the Breade (of the Sacramente) that passeth into the belly, but the Breade of Euerlastinge Life, whiche reliueth the Substance of the Soule. Therefore S. Hierome saithe, Iudaicas fabulas repella∣mus, & Ascendamus cum Domino in Coenaculum magnum stratum, atque munda∣tum, & accipiamus ab eo sursum Calicem Noui Testamenti: Lette vs abandonne from vs Iewishe Fables, and set vs Ascende vp with our Lorde into Heauen, into that great parlar dreste, and made cleane: and there aboue let vs receiue of him the Cuppe of the Newe Testamente.* 1.3 In this sense S. Cyprian saithe, Vident haec Sacramenta Pau∣peres Spiritu, & hoc Vno contenti Ferculo, omnes huius mundi delicias aspernantur: & possidentes Christum, aliquam huius mundi possidere supellectilem dedignantur: The poore in Sprite see these Sacramētes, and beinge contented with this Onely Disshe, they despise al other the deinty fares of the worlde: and hauinge possession of Christe, they disdeigne to possesse any worldly Substance. In like sorte speakinge of the Birthe of Christe, he saithe thus:* 1.4 Ea quae licita sunt, & concessa, tangamus: & circa incunabula Saluatoris Prima Infantiae eius Fercula degustemus: Let vs touche those thinges, that be lawful for vs to touche: and standinge aboute the Cradle of our Saueoure, set vs taste of the Firste Disshe of his Childehoode.* 1.5 Likewise saithe S. Augustine, Coecus interiùs Panem Christum non videt. Et beatus est? Hoc non dicit, nisi Pariter Coe∣cus: He that is blinde in his harte within, seethe not Christe, that is our Breade. And is he blessed? Noman wil so saie, onlesse it be one as blinde, as he.

But what manner of Feaste is it, that M. Hardinge prepareth for the people? How is it seasoned? how is it dreste? Firste, by very vncourteous, and vnciuile dealinge, he withdraweth the one halfe, that is, the Cuppe of the Nevve Testa∣ment, and reserueth it seuerally to him selfe: & yet woulde make the people beléeue,

they haue the whole.* 1.6 And thus doothe he, when he hath greattest companie to Suppe with him, and when his feaste is beste furnished. Otherwise he suffereth his gheastes to stande aluffe, and he consumeth al his prouision him selfe alone. Neither in déede hath he any thinge to set before them, sauinge onely a colde sur∣charge of dead Shevves, and doumbe Ceremonies. The poore people heareth no∣thinge, Understandeth nothinge, Eateth nothinge, Drinketh nothinge, Tasteth nothinge: They publishe not the Lordes Deathe: They knowe not the Lordes Supper.

To sutche a Banket Pasetes the Iuggler vsed sometimes to calle his frendes.* 1.7 There was a greate shewe of varietie, and plenetie of al manner of Meates, and Drinkes, the table fulle. But when any of the gheastes would haue touched any thinge, it vanished suddainely awaie, and was turned to nothinge. And so, when their eies were ful, they put vp theire kniues, and rose ahungred. Euen thus M. Hardinge féedeth, and feasteth the people of God, with Shewes and Ceremonies, and suffereth them in the meane while to sterue for hungre. Euen as the Prophete saithe, It shalbe like the dreame of a hungrie man. Beholde he eateth, and maketh mery: But when he is awakte,* 1.8 his soule is emptie.

Good menne, saithe M. Hardinge, withdrawe them selues, and are contented to be presente onely, & to stande by: but receiue not the Sacramente. But Chryso∣stome saithe to sutche a good deuoute man.* 1.9 If thou stande by, and doo not Communicate, thou arte vvicked, thou arte shamelesse, thou arte impudente. Thou wilte saie, I am vnvvoorthy to be partaker of the Holy Mysteries.* 1.10 Then arte thou vnvoorthy to be partaker of the Praiers. Thou maiste no more stande here, then an Heathen, that neuer was Christened.

Here, gentle Reader, maiste thou sée, a marueilous change in the Churche of God. The thinge, that in olde times was coumpted Heathenishe, Impudencie, and VVickednesse, is nowe by M. Hardinges Newe Diuinitie becomme Godli∣nesse, and greate Deuotion.

But,* 1.11 God wote, here foloweth a very colde Asseueration. Not Seldome, ye saie, the Prieste at the Masse, whan none other were disposed, receiued alone. O M. Har∣dinge, the worlde wel seethe, your woorde is no Gospel. It appeareth by your so many Vntruthes, ye care not greately, what you saie. Thus yée tel vs, Not Sel∣dome the Prieste receiued alone. Not Seldome? what is that? why speake you so nicely? what meaneth this colde, and doubteful eloquence, specially in him, that otherwise hath acquainted his voice to speake so bigge? why saie you not, The Prieste vsed daiely, and commonly so to doo? Or if yée coulde not auouche so great Vntruthe for very shame, why saide you not, The Prieste oftentimes, or at some certaine times receiued alone: at the leaste at foure, or three, or tvvoo sundrie times, within the space of sixe hundred yéeres? At the woorste, if yee had saide, but Once, it had benne somwhat. As for, Not seldomme, it is too base: it is too simple: it disgraceth the whole course of your pleadinge, and in plaine speache soundeth, as mutche, as Neuer. It had rather benne your parte, takinge vpon you this countenance of credite, and grauitie, to haue tolde vs Substantially, and plainely, what manner of man this Prieste was: where he dwelte: what was his name: when, and where, and in what Companie he saide this Masse: who sawe it: who hearde it: who bare witnesse to it: by what Recorde, or Authoritie it maie be pro∣ued. The matter beinge so great, and of sutche Antiquitie, is there noman leafte behinde, to witnesse the same, but M. Hardinge? In your Former Answeare ye bringe vs in Boies, Girles, Sicke folke, Laie people, and VVemen: and vpon sutche groundes ye sticke not to founde your Priuate Masse. And doubtelesse these examples might haue seemed to stande you in somme prety stéede, yf in those daies

Boies,* 1.12 and VVemen had benne Priestes. For Prieste, or Bishop, that euer re∣ceiued the Sacrament alone, in the Churche, before the people, ye are not yet hable to shewe vs one. As for your Leontius, and Amphilochius, & S. Basiles Masse at Midnight, and other like folies, and fables, it seemeth by the silence, ye vse in your late Reioinder, ye are contented wisely, and quietly to geue them ouer.

Yee saie, wee are deceiued by Gratian, and haue placed Calixtus in steede of Anacletus. Here firste of al, ye confesse, that Gratian your greate Rabbin, the Father, and Fountaine of your Decrees might be deceiued. And verily sutche plainenesse in dealinge, if ye would vouchesaue to vse it oftener, were woorthy of some commendation. For in déede your Gratian, as he was a man of great rea∣dinge, and smal iudgement, so he allegeth oftetimes, he knoweth not what: Hie∣rome for Origen: Cyprian for Augustine: Beda for Ambrose: Iuuencus for Vincentius: Greeke for Latine: Newe for Olde. As for this authoritie, where∣in you saie,* 1.13 wee are deceiued, he allegeth it in twoo sundrie places: firste vnder the name of Anacletus: nexte vnder the name of Calixtus: meaninge, I trowe, yf there were errour in the one, at leaste to redresse it by the other. Therefore, M. Hardinge, yf ye had looked better vpon your Booke, what so euer opinion ye haue of your Gratian, ye should haue founde, that wée were nothinge deceiued. Haw be it, your Gratian, in steede of one errour, hath made twoo. For in deede, as it is true, y^• these woordes were neuer written by Calixtus: so of the other side it is likewise true, they were neuer written by Anacletus: but were manifestly forged, and fal∣sified by others, that folowed afterwarde:* 1.14 as in my Former Replie I haue decla∣red more at large.

But it is a world to see, what wiles, & shiftes these menne can finde, to beare out erroure. Firste, ye saie, these woordes were spoken of the Priestes, Deacons, & Subdeacons, seruinge the Prieste at Masse vpon Solemne Feastes. Pardonne me, M. Hardinge, to saie the Truthe. For verily, notwithstandinge this so∣lemne tale, it seemeth, ye knowe not, what ye saie. For it maie please you to re∣member, that your Anacletus, whose forged Authoritie ye haue alleged, was Bi∣shop in Rome in the time of S. Peter, shortely vpon the Deathe of Christe, when the Churche was euerywhere vnder persecution, & ful of Bloude. Nowe, I praie you, who euer tolde you, either of any office, that your Subdeacons had in the Ho∣ly Ministerie, or of any greate highe Holy Daies, of Duplex, or magis Duplex, or principal Solemne Feastes in the Churche of God in al that time? Maye wee thinke, that the Blessed Virgins, and the Apostles daies were keapte Highe and Holy, while the same Blessed Virgin, and Apostles were yet aliue? Though ye had none other regarde, either to God, or to your selfe, yet shame shoulde force you, to foresee more aduisedly, what yée saie.

But your greattest folie appeareth in y^• shiftinge, & glostnge of these woordes. For you saie, this Calixtus, or Anacletus speaketh onely of the Priestes, the Dea∣cons, and the Subdeacons: and neuer a woorde expressely of the Laie people: and therefore ye saie, w••e deceiue the vnlearned Reader with a lie. Touchinge your vncour∣teous speache, I weigh it none otherwise, but as it is. The Truthe wilbe hable euermore to beare it selfe. But that these woordes of Anacletus, or Calixtus, touche not the Laie people, but onely the Priestes, and the Ministers, the very Gloser him selfe was neuer, either so vnskilful, or so impudent, so to saie. For, whereas the woordes be these, Let them al Communicate, onlesse they wilbe remo∣ued out of the Churche, he setteth there to this Exposition, Hoc antiquum est: Nam hoc hodiè relictum videtur arbitrio cuiuslibet:* 1.15 This vvas the olde manner: For novve adaies it is free for euery man to doo therein, vvhat he vvil.

The like Decree is founde vnder the name of the Apostles Canons: Qui∣cun{que}

fideles ingrediuntur in Ecclesiam,* 1.16 & Scripturas audiunt, non autem persuerant in Oratione,* 1.17 nec Sanctam Communionem percipiunt, velut qui ordinis perturbationem commouent, ab Ecclesiae Cōmunione arceri conuenit: As many (not onely of the Prie∣stes, and Ministers, but) of the Faitheful, as comme into the Churche, and heare the Scriptures, but continewe not out the Praiers, nor receiue the Holy Communion, let them be put from the Communion of the Churche, as menne that woorke the breache of Order. Like∣wise it is noted in the Margin vpon the same Canons,* 1.18 Omnes olim, qui intere∣rant. Communicabant: In olde times al, that vvere presente, did Communicate. In the Councel of Antioche it was decreed thus: Omnes, qui ingrediuntur in Ecclesiam Dei,* 1.19 & Sacras Scripturas audiunt, auersantur autem perceptionem Dominici Sacramenti, &c. ab Ecclesia abijci oportet, &c. Al, that comme into the Churche of God,* 1.20 and heare the Holy Scriptures, and refuse the receiuinge of the Lordes Sacramente, let them be put from the Churche. These Decrees reache not onely to the Ministers of the Churche, but also to the whole people.

Clemens that was Bishop in Rome,* 1.21 as it is thought, nexte after this Ana∣cletus, saithe thus, Tanta in Altario Holocausta offerantur, quanta populo sufficere debeant: Let so many loues be offered at the Aultar, as maie suffise to serue, (not onely the Ministers, but also) the People.

S. Ambrose saithe, Munus oblatum totius populi fit: quia in vno Pane om∣nes significantur.* 1.22 Per idem enim, quòd vnum sumus, de vno Pane omnes sumere oportet: The oblation offered is made the vvhole peoples: for that in one Breade al are signified. For in that wee are al one, vvee must al receiue of one Breade.

S. Chrysostome saithe vnto the people, Neque nos abundantiùs, vos autem minùs, de Sacra Mensa participamus:* 1.23 Sed pariter, & ex aequo illam vtrique degustamus: •••• ei∣ther doo wee receiue more, and you lesse of the Holy Table: but wee taste thereof equally bothe togeather. The like might be alleged out of S. Hierome, S. Augustine, Dionysius, and others.

But for as mutche as ye so bitterly tel vs, that wée misconstrue these woordes of Anacletus, and deceiue the vnlearned Reader with a lie, maie it therefore please you farther to heare, what your owne late Scholastical Doctours haue written, and iudged in this behalfe.

Thomas of Aquine saithe, In Primitiua Ecclesia, quando magna vigebat deuotio Fidei Christianae, statutum fuit, vt Fideles quotidiè Communicarent: In the Pri∣mitiue Churche, when greate Deuotion of the Christian Faithe was in strength, it was ordei∣ned, that the Faitheful should receiue the Communion euery daie. Duran∣dus saithe, In Primitiua Ecclesia omnes Fideles quotidiè Communicabant:* 1.24 In the Primitiue Churche al the Faitheful daiely receiued the Communion.* 1.25 Hugo Cardina∣lis saithe, In Primitiua Ecclesia omnes, quotquot intererant Canoni Missae, singu∣lis diebus Communicabant. Et, si nollent communicare, egrediebantur post Offertorium: In the Primitiue Churche, as many as vvere presente at the Canon of the Masse, did daiely Communicate: and if they woulde not, they departed foorthe after the Offertorie.

If ye thinke, these authorities are not sufficient,* 1.26 Iohannes Cochlaeus saithe, Omnes olim, tum Sacerdotes, tum Laici, cum Sacrificante Communicabant, sicut ex Canonibus Apostolorum, & ex Libris antiquissimorum Ecclesiae Doctorum perspicuè cognoscitur. Hic vnicum hac de re Canonem recitabo, qui Calixto adscribitur: Per∣acta, &c. In olde times bothe al the Priestes, and al the Laie people receiued the Com∣munion with the Minister, that had made the Oblation: as it is plainely perceiued by the Canons of the Apostles, and by the Bookes of the Ancient Doctours of the Churche. One Ca∣non hereof I wil allege written by Calixtus: &c. Likewise saithe Iudocus Clichtho∣ueus, In Primitiua Ecclesia Fideles quotidiè sumebant Communionem,* 1.27 secundum illam Calixit sanctionem, Peracta, &c. In the Primitiue Churche the Faitheful receiued the Communion euery daie, accordinge to this Decree of Calixtus: &c.

Here you maie sée, not onely, that these woordes are alleged by your owne Doctours, vnder the name of Calixtus, wherein you haue noted so greate an er∣rour, but also that the same woordes, by the iudgement of the same Doctours, are thought to perteine no lesse to the Laie people, then to the Prieste.

Nowe, M. Hardinge, these thinges considered, I referre the indifferent iudge∣ment hereof to your owne knowledge, and Conscience, whether of vs twoo hath deceiued the Reader with a lie.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1. Corinth. 11.
• * 1.2

  De Con. Dist. 2. Non iste. Hieronym. ad Hedibiam.
• * 1.3

  Cyprian. De Coena Domini.
• * 1.4

  Cyprian De Na∣tiuitate Christi.
• * 1.5

  August. in Psal∣mum. 57.
• * 1.6

  Priuate Masse.
• * 1.7

  Suidas.
• * 1.8

  Esai. 29.
• * 1.9

  Chrysost. ad E∣phes. Homil. 3.
• * 1.10

  Impudens. Improbus.
• * 1.11

  Not Sel∣dome.
• * 1.12

  Anacletus Calixtus.
• * 1.13

  De Con. Dist. 1. Episcopus. De Con. Dist. 2. Peracta.
• * 1.14

  Artic. 4. Diui. 3.
• * 1.15

  De Con. Dist. 2. Peracta. In Glossa.
• * 1.16

  Anacletus Calixtus.
• * 1.17

  Canon. Apostol. Canon. 10.
• * 1.18

  Canon. Apost. Can. 9. In Mar∣gine.
• * 1.19

  Concil. Antio∣chen. Can. 2.
• * 1.20

  Concil. Aquis∣gran. Cap. 70.
• * 1.21

  Clemens Epist. 2.
• * 1.22

  Ambros. in 1. Co∣rinth. 1••.
• * 1.23

  Chrysostom. in 2. Thessal. Homi. 4.
• * 1.24

  Durandus in Rational. Li. 4. Cap. 55.
• * 1.25

  Hugo Cardina in Luc. Cap. 24.
• * 1.26

  Iohan. Cochlae. Contra Muscul. De Sacrificio.
• * 1.27

  In. Clichthoueut in Canon. Missae.