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.

The B. of Sarisburie.

S. Ambrose, and S. Augustine, as thei agrée togeather for the exposition of the Psalme, so, touchinge the mater it selfe, neither doo they any wise disagree from vs, nor any wise agrée with M. Hardinge. They teache vs humbly to Adoure Christes Fleashe: but they teache vs not to Adoure the Sacrament of Christes Fleashe. Thus M. Hardinge hath taken a néedeles labour, to prooue a mater, that is already prooued: but the thinge, that he should haue prooued, he toucheth not. This is to bolde abusinge of the simple Reader, to beare him in hande, that these godly Fathers teache vs to Adoure the Sacrament, that spake not one woorde of Adouringe the Sacrament.

But M. Hardinge wil saie, VVe must Adoure the Fleashe of Christe. We graunt: we beléeue it: it is our Faithe: we teache the people, as the olde learned Fathers did, that noman eateth that Fleashe, but first he Adoureth it: and that he deadly offen∣deth God, and is wicked, and gilty of the Lordes Bodie, that Adoureth it not.

But as we Eate it, so we Adoure it. We eate it sittinge in Heauen at the Right hande of God: Thither we lifte vp our hartes, and there we Adoure it. S. Am∣brose

saithe,* 1.1 Stephanus in terris positus, Christum tangit in Coelo: Steuen standinge in the Earth, toucheth Christe beinge in Heauen. Againe he saithe, Non Corporali tactu Christum, sed Fide tangimus: We touche Christe by Faithe, and not by Corporal touching. And as we touche Christe,* 1.2 so we sée him: that is, with the Spiritual eies of our Faithe: and not otherwise. So S. Ambrose saithe in the place before alleged: Stephanus intra Coelos Dominum cernit absentem:* 1.3 Steuen seeth Christe beinge absente within the Heauens. And for proufe hereof, that al that Glorious ••••ght was meere Spiritual, and not offered to the Corporal eie of the Bodie, S. Augustine saith, that S. Steuen stoode then vnder a roofe before the Iudges,* 1.4 and sawe the Hea∣uens open, when with his Bodily eies he was not hable to looke vp, and to see the Heauens. There wee sée Christes Bodie: there we Approache vnto it: there wee touche it: there we Taste it: there we eate it: there we Adoure it.

And doothe M. Hardinge thinke, that the Religion of Christe is so Grosse, and so sensible, that wee cannot Eate, or Adoure his Bodie, onlesse it lye Corporally Present before our eies?* 1.5 Uerily S. Augustine saithe, Si Resurrexistis cum Christo, dicit Fidelibus, dicit Corpus, & Sanguinem Domini accipientibus, Si Resurrexistis cum Christo, que sursum sūt sapite, vbi Christus est in Dextra Dei sedēs: Quae sursum sunt quae∣rite, non quae super Terram. If ye be rysen agayne with Christe, S. Paule saithe vnto the faitheful, and vnto them, that receiue the Bodie ••nd Bloude of Christe, If ye be risen againe with Christe, sauer the thinges, that be aboue, where Christe is sittinge at the right hande of God: Seeke the thinges, that be aboue, and not the thinges that be vpon the Earthe. And in this very place by M. Hardinge alleged he saithe,* 1.6 Spiritualiter intelligite, quod lo∣cutus sum. Non hoc Corpus, quod videtis, manducaturi estis. Vnderstande you Spiritually that I haue saide vnto you. You shal not Eate (with your bodily Mouthes) this Bodie of mine, that ye see. Thus S. Augustine in the same place expoundeth, and openeth his owne meaninge. Doubtlesse, as the wicked maye dishonour Christe, so maye the Godly honour him. But the wicked, as S. Paule saith, doo Crucifie the Sonne of God beinge in Heauen:* 1.7 and Christe, beinge in Heauen saithe vnto Paule beinge in the Earthe benethe,* 1.8 Saule, Saule, Why doost thou persecute me? Therefore the Godly beinge in Earthe, may likewise Adoure, and Honour Christe beinge in Heauen.

But they wil replie, S. Ambrose saithe, We doo Adoure Christes Fleashe in the Mysteries. Hereof groweth their whole errour. For S. Ambrose saithe not, We doo Adoure the Mysteries, or the Fleashe of Christe Really Present, or Ma∣terially Conteined in the Mysteries, as it is supposed by M. Hardinge. Onely he saithe, We Adoure Christes Fleashe in the Mysteries: that is to saye, In the Mini∣stration of the Mysteries. And doubtelesse, it is our dutie to Adoure the Bodie of Christe in the Woorde of God: in the Sacrament of Baptisme: in the Mysteries of Christes Bodie, and Bloude: and where so euer we sée any steppe, or token of it: but specially in the Holy Mysteries, for that there is liuely laide foorthe before vs the whole storie of Christes Conuersation in the Fleash. But this Adoration, as it is saide before, neither is directed to the Sacramentes, nor requireth any Corpo∣ral, or Real Presence. So S. Hierome saithe,* 1.9 Paula Adoured Christe in the Stalle: And, That he him selfe Adoured Christe in the Graue: And S. Chrysostome teacheth vs, To Adoure Christes Bodie in the Sacrament of Baptisme. Yet neither was Christes Bodie then Really Present in the Stalle,* 1.10 or Graue: nor is it now present in the Water of Baptisme. Thus S. Ambrose saithe, Wee Adoure the Fleashe of Christe in the Mysteries.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ambrosi. in Ser∣mone. 18. De Ma∣ria Magda••••na.
• * 1.2

  Ambrosi. in ••u∣cam. li 10. Ca. 24.
• * 1.3

  Ambrosi. in Ser∣mone. 58. De Ma∣ria Magdalena.
• * 1.4

  August. De cog∣nitione verae vi∣tae. Cap. 42.
• * 1.5

  Augustin. in Psalm. 39. Coloss. 3.
• * 1.6

  Augustin. in Psalm. 98.
• * 1.7

  Hebrae. 6.
• * 1.8

  Actor. 9.
• * 1.9

  Hieronym. ad Paulam & Eu∣stochi.
• * 1.10

  Chrysost. in Mar∣cum Homil. 14.