A replie vnto M. Hardinges ansvveare by perusinge whereof the discrete, and diligent reader may easily see, the weake, and vnstable groundes of the Romaine religion, whiche of late hath beene accompted Catholique. By Iohn Iewel Bishoppe of Sarisburie.

M. Hardinge. The .22. Diuision.

S. Ambrose after longe searche and discussion,* 1.1 howe that saienge of the Prophete might be vnder∣standed, Adore and woorship ye his footestoole,* 1.2 because it is holie: at length concludeth so, as by the

footestoole he vnderstandeth the Earthe, bicause it is written, Heauen is my seate, and the Earthe is my footestoole: And bicause the Earthe is not to be Adored, for that it is a creature, by this Earthe, he vnderstandeth that Earthe, whiche our Lorde Iesus tooke in the Assumption of his Fleashe of the Virgin Marie, and hereupon he vttereth those plaine woordes for testimonie of the Adoration: Ita{que} per Scabellum Terra intelligitur, per Terram autem Caro Christi, quam hodie quo∣que in Mysterijs Adoramus, & quam Apostoli in Domino Iesu Adorarunt. And thus by the Footestoole Earthe may be vnderstanded, and by Earthe, the Fleashe of Christe, whiche euen nowe adaies also we Adore in the Mysteries, and the Apostles Adored in our Lorde Iesus.

S. Augustines learned handlinge of this place of the Psalme, Adore ye his Footestoole, bicause it is Holy, maketh so euidently for this purpose, that of al other authorities whiche in greate number might be broughte for proufe of the same, it ought leaste to be omitted. The place beinge longe, I wil recite it in Englishe onely. His woordes be these: Adore ye his Footestoole:* 1.3 bicause it is Holie. See ye Brethern, what that is, he biddeth vs to Adore. In an other place the Scripture saithe:* 1.4 Heauen is my Seate, and the Earthe is my Footestoole. VVhat doothe he then bidde vs, Adore, and woorship the Earthe, bicause he saide in an other place, that it is the Footestoole of God? And howe shal we A∣dore the Earthe, where as the Scripture saithe plainely, Thou shalt Adore thy Lorde thy God, and here he saithe, Adore ye his footestoole? But he expoundeth to me,* 1.5 what his footestoole is, and saithe: and the Earth is my footestoole.* 1.6 I am made doubteful, afraied I am to adore the Earthe, leste he damne me, that made Heauen and Earthe. Againe I am afraied not to adore the footestoole of my Lorde, bi∣cause the Psalme saithe to me, adore ye his footestoole. I seeke, what thinge is his footestoole, and the Scripture telleth me, The Earth is my footestoole. Beinge thus waueringe, I turne me to Christ, bicause him I seeke here, and I finde, how without impietie the Earth may be adored. For he tooke of Earthe, Earth,* 1.7 bicause Fleashe is of Earth, and of the Fleashe of Marie he tooke Fleash. And bicause he walked here in Fleashe, and that very Fleashe he gaue vs to eate to Saluation, and noman eateth that Fleash, except firste he adore it: it is founde out how such a footestoole of our Lorde may be adored, and howe we not onely sinne not by adoringe, but sinne by not adoringe. Doth not the Fleashe quicken, and geue life? Our Lorde himselfe saide, when he spake of the commendation it selfe of that Earthe:* 1.8 It is the spirite that quickeneth, but the Fleashe profiteth nothinge. Therfore, when thou bowest thee selfe, and fallest downe to euery such Earthe, beholde it not as Earth, but that holy One, whose footestoole it is, that thou doest adore, for bicause of him thou doest adore. And therefore here he added: Adore ye his foote∣stoole, bicause it is Holy. VVho is Holy? He for whose loue thou adorest his footestoole. And when thou adorest him, remaine not by cogitation in Fleashe, that thou be not quickened of the Spirite. For the Spirite, saithe he, quickeneth, and the Fleashe profiteth nothinge. And then, when our Lorde commen∣ded this vnto vs, he had spoken of his Fleashe, and had saide: Excepte a man eate my Fleashe, he shal not haue in him life Euerlastinge.

Notes

• * 1.1

  De Spiritu Sancto. li. 3. ca. 1••. psal. 96.
• * 1.2

  Esai. 66.
• * 1.3

  In Psal. 98.
• * 1.4

  Esai. 66.
• * 1.5

  Deut. 6. 10.
• * 1.6

  Matth. 4.
• * 1.7

  VVe eate Christ sittinge in Hea∣uen: And so vvee Adoure him, not lieing vnder Accidentes, but sittinge in Hea∣uen.
• * 1.8

  Ioan. 6.