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.

This place of S. Cyprian is often, and muche alleged, as if euery woorde the∣reof were an argument: as in deede at the sight, and first appearance, it seemeth vehement, and soundeth muche: but beinge wel weighed and consydered, it wil appeare in substance, as it is. Certainely of Annihilations, of Remoouinge of Na∣tures, of Remaininge of Accidentes without Subiecte, whiche thinge M. Har∣dinge

hath taken to proue, it speaketh nothinge.* 1.1 For answeare, first it is plai∣ne by these foure Ancient learned Fathers, S. Augustine, S. Chrysostome, Gelasius, and Theodoretus, that the Breade, and Wine after the Consecration, remaine in theire Nature, and Substance, as they were before. Whiche thinge notwithstandinge, it is not the Nature of Breade, that worketh the effecte, and force of this Sacrament: That is, that Christe maie dwel in vs, and we in him: no more, then it is the Nature of Water, in the Sacrament of Baptisme, that worketh the effecte thereof, and maketh vs Fleashe of Christes Fleashe, and Boane of his Boanes.* 1.2 And for better euidence hereof, to compare one Sacra∣ment with an other, S. Basile saith, Gratia (Baptismatis) non est ex natura aquae, sed ex praesentia Spiritus. The Grace of Baptisme is not of the Nature of the Water, but of the Presence of the Sprite. And therefore Cyril saith, Quemadmodum viribus ignis, &c. As water beinge vehemently heat by the strengthe of fiere, heateth no lesse then if it were fier in deede, so the Water of Baptisme by the workinge of the holy Ghost, is reformed vnto a Diuine power (or Nature). So Chrysostome saith, Elizaeus potuit vndarum mutare na∣turam, &c.* 1.3 Elizeus was hable to change the Nature of the VVater, and made it hable to beare yron. Here Chrysostome saith, euen as S. Cyprian saith, that the Nature of the Water was chaunged:* 1.4 Yet the very Substance of the Water remained as before.

Likewise S. Ambrose speakinge of Goddes marueilous workinge in Baptisme, saith, Non agnosco vsum Naturae: Nullus est hic Naturae ordo, vbi est excellētia Gratiae. In this case I haue no skil of the vse of Nature:* 1.5 The order of Nature hath no rule, where as is the excellencie of Goddes Grace. Againe he saith, Est hoc illud magnum Mysterium, quod oculus non vidit, nec auris audiuit, ne•• in Cor hominis ascendit? Aquas video, quas videbam quotidiè. Me istae habent mundare, in quas saepè descendi, & nunquam munda∣••us sum?* 1.6 Hinc cognosce, quòd Aqua non mundat sine Spiritu. Is this that greate Mysterie, that the eie neuer sawe, that the eare neuer hearde, that neuer ••ntred into the harte of man? I see Water, that I sawe euery daye before. Is this it, that shal make me cleane? I haue gonne oftentimes into it,* 1.7 and was neuer the cleaner. Therefore vnderstande thow, that VVater (of his owne Nature) without the holy Ghost cleanseth not. And againe, Per predicatio∣nem Dominicae Crucis, Aqua fit dulcis ad Gratiam. By the preachinge of our Lordes Cros∣se, * 1.8 the VVater (byside his owne Nature) is made sweete vnto Grace. And in this re∣specte S. Hilarie saith, Vno Christo per Naturam vnius Baptismi indu••mur. VVe put vpon vs,* 1.9 onely one Christe, by the Nature of one Baptisme. And Gregorie Nyssene in like sorte, Natura Aquae praecedēte virga Fidei, &c. vitā praestat. The Nature of VVater (thus considered) the Rodde of Faith goinge before, geueth life. Otherwise he saith, Hoc beneficium nō Aqua largitur,* 1.10 &c. sed Dei praeceptum, & Spiritus. Aqua verò subseruit ad ostēdendā purgationē. It is not VVater (of his owne Nature) that geueth this benefite: but the commaundement of God, and the Holy Ghost. The VVater serueth, to shewe vs the cleansinge of the Soule.

By these examples, I turst, it maie appeare, what S. Cyprian meante by the change of Nature. Uerily, Origen that Ancient learned Father, touchinge the Breade in the Sacrament of Christes Bodie,* 1.11 writeth thus: Non materia panis. sed super illum dictus Sermo, est qui prodest, &c. It is not the Mater (or Substance) of Breade, but the VVoorde spoken ouer it, that doeth profite. And therefore S. Ambrose likewise saith,* 1.12 Quantò magis operatorius est Sermo Dei, vt sint, quae erant, & in aliud commutentur? Howe muche more effectual is the VVoorde of God, that (the Breade and Wine) maie be (in Substance and Nature) the same, that they were before, and yet be changed into an other thinge?

Notwithstandinge this answeare vnto the discreete Reader maie seeme suffi∣ciēt, yet M. Hardinge forceth y^e mater further, with this woorde, Factus est. If this woorde, Factus est, saith he, maie Signifie an imaginatiue makinge, thē why maie

not,* 1.13 Verbum Caro factum est, be so expounded? O what simple shiftes are these? Is M. Hardinge hable to allege no barre, but that maie be pleaded against him self?* 1.14 Or doeth he thinke, that this Latine Woorde, Facere, must needes signifie, Transubstantiare? S. Augustine saith, Nos Christi Facti sumus: We are made Chri∣stes. Leo saith, Corpus regenerati, Fit Caro Crucifixi. The Bodie of the man, that is Re∣generate, is made the Fleashe of Christe, that was Crucified. Beda saith, Nos ipsi Corpus Christi facti sumus: We our selues are made the Bodie of Christe. Origen saith in like manner of speache,* 1.15 Spiritus Sanctus non in turturē Vertitur, sed Columba Fit. The Holy Ghost is not ch••nged into a Turtle, but is made a dooue. So S. Ambrose, Victa anima libi∣dine Car••••s, Fit Caro. The S••ule beinge ouercome with the pleasure of the fleashe, is made fleashe.* 1.16 And wil M. Hardinge vpon warrant of this one Woorde, conclude, that our Bodies be vtterly Transubstantiate, and Substantially, and Really become the Bodie of Christe? Or, that the Holy Ghost is verily Transubstantiate into a Dooue? Or the Soule into Fleashe? Or in these very woordes, that he hath alle∣ged, Verbum Caro Factum est: The woorde, that is, the Sonne of God, was made Fleashe, Doeth he thinke, that the Sonne of God leafte the Nature of his Godhead, and was verily Transubstantiate into Fleashe? Doubtles this were a Monstrous Doctrine,* 1.17 & in olde times it was Cherinthus, and Ebions horrible Heresie. Uerily Leo saith, Quamuis Iohannes scribat, Verbum Caro factum est, Verbum ••amen non est versum in Carnem: Although S. Iohn saie, The Woorde was made Fleashe, yet was not the Woorde turned (or Transubstant••ate) into ••leashe. S. Augustine saith of the He∣retiques called Timotheani, Ad confirmandam huiusmodi impietatem, qua Deum as∣serunt ve••sum esse à Natura sua,* 1.18 cogunt Euangelistae testimonium dicentis, Et Verbum Caro factū est, quod ita interpre••antur, Diuina Natura in Humanam versa est: These He∣retikes, to confirme their wickednes, wh••r••by they holde, that God was changed from his owne Nature, (and made man) racke the witnes of the Euangelist S. Iohn saieinge, The Woorde was made Fleashe. Whiche Woorde they expounde thus, The Nature of God was changed into the Nature of man. Euen thus M. Hardinge saith, The Nature of Breade is changed in∣to the Nature of Christes Bodie.

Where is then, that greate force of this woorde, Factus est, wherein M. Har∣dinge seemeth to haue suche trust? He might better saie thus, The Woorde was made Fleashe, the Nature, and Substance of the Woorde remaininge stil: So the Breade is made Fleashe, the Nature and Substance of the Breade neuerthelesse remaininge stil. And in this sorte,* 1.19 the Olde learned Father Tertullian speaketh touchinge the same: Christus acceptum Panem & distributum Discipulis, Corpus suum illum Fecit, dicendo, Hoc est Corpus meum, hoc est, Figura Corporis mei. Christe takinge the Breade, and diuidiuge it to his Disciples, made it his Bodie, sa••einge, This is my Bodie: That is to saie, saith Tertul∣lian, This is a Figure of my Bod••e. Thus the holy Fathers expounde, what they meant by these woordes, The Breade is made Christes Bodie.

But S. Cyprian further allegeth to this purpose,* 1.20 The Omnipotent Power of God, whiche, saith M. Hardinge, Farre ouerpoiseth al the••e mennes light fantasies. Thus he saith, as though that without this light fantasie of Transubstantiation, God coulde not be Omnipotent: or, as if there were such woonderful weight in his Outwarde Shewes, and Emptie Accidentes. But God worketh mightily, and sheweth his Power Omnipotent, not onely herein, but also in al other his holy Mysteries, as it is before declared in the fifthe Article,* 1.21 and the .3. Diuision. Leo saith, Christus de∣dit Aquae, quod dedit Matri. Virtus enim Al••issimi, & obumbratio Spiritus Sancti, quae fecit, vt Maria pareret Saluatorem, eadem fecit, vt Regeneraret vnda credentem. Christe g••ue to the Water, that he g••ue to his Mother. For the power of the Highest, and the ouer••hadow••nge of the Holy Ghost, that caused Marie to beare the Saueour, the same Pow••r hath caused the Water to Regenerate the beleuer. To like purpose saith Chrysostome▪

Vt Sarā, non Natura,* 1.22 sed Dei promissio fecit matrē &c. As the promise of God, and not Na∣ture made Sara a Mother,* 1.23 euen so our Regeneration by Nature is nothinge. But the VVoor∣des of God, whiche the Faithful know, beinge pronounced by the Priest in the Bathe of VVater, doo forme, and Regenerate him, that is Baptized, as it were, in his mothers woombe. So they were wonte to singe at the halowinge of the Fonte, Descendat Spiritus Sanctus in hane plenitudinem Aquae,* 1.24 totam{que} eius Substantiā Regenerationis foecunde•• effectu. Let thy Holy Ghost come downe into this fulnes of VVater, and let it fille the whole Substance thereof with the effecte of Regeneration. Thus Leo, Chrysostome, and other Olde Fathers, acknowledge the Omnipotencie of God in the Sacrament of Baptisme: yet did they not thinke it therefore necessary, to Transubstantiate the Nature, and Substance of the Water. The same S. Cyprian, (al be it in deede it is not S. Cyprian, but a farre later writer, as by good proufes it dooth appeare) writinge onely of the Blissinge of the Holy Oyle, allegeth likewise the omnipotent Power of God aboue Nature, His woordes be these, Sanctificatis Elementis, iam non pro∣pria Natura praebet effectum:* 1.25 Sed Virtus Diuina potentiùs operatur: adest Veritas Signo, & Spiritus Sacramento. It is not Nature, that geueth effecte vnto the Element of Oyle beinge sanctified, but the Power of God worketh more mightily. The Trueth is Present with the Signe, and the Holy Ghost with the Sacrament. Therefore it was no good Catho∣lique Diuines parte, so lightly to shake of these Newe Maisters Sacramental changes, as maters of so smal weight. It appeareth by these Examples, that God therein sheweth his Omnipotent Power: and yet without any Transubstan∣tiation.

Nowe if neither these woordes, Panis Natura Mutatus: nor these woordes, Factus est: nor these woordes, Omnipotentia Verbi: nor al these woordes togea∣ther, be hable to prooue Transubstantiation, as it is cleare by that is saide already, then is M. Hardinges fundation not wel laide: and therefore we maie the better doubte of his Conclusion.

And, where as he saith, These Newe Maisters thinke it suiffcient to acknowledge a Sacramental changinge, and to saie, that the Breade is changed into the Sacrament of Christes Bodie, and that onely for a shifte, it maie please him to remember, that Beda welneare niene hundred yeeres agoe, expounded the same in like sorte: and yet that notwith∣standinge, was neuer counted neyther Shifter, nor Newe Maister. His woordes be plaine: Panis, & Vini Creatura, in Sacramentum Carnis, & Sanguinis Christi, ineffa∣bili Spiritus Sanctificatione transfertur.* 1.26 The Creature of Breade and VVine, by the ineffable Sanctification of the Sprite, is turned into the Sacrament of Christes Fleashe, and Bloude.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Natura.
• * 1.2

  Ephes. 5. Basilius De Spi∣ritu Sancto. ca. 15. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.3

  Cyrill. in Iohan. lib. 1. ca. 42.
• * 1.4

  Chrysost. de vir∣tutib. & vitijs, homi. 5.
• * 1.5

  Ambrosius de illis qui initiā∣tur Mysterijs. cap. 9.
• * 1.6

  Ambros. de illis qui initiantur Myster. ca. 4.
• * 1.7

  Abros. de illis qui initiantur Myster. cap. 3.
• * 1.8

  Hilarius de Tri¦nit. lib. 8.
• * 1.9

  Gregorius Nys∣sen. in vita Mo∣seos.
• * 1.10

  Gregor. Nyss. de Sancto Baptis∣mate.
• * 1.11

  Origen. in Mat∣thae. cap. 15.
• * 1.12

  Ambros. de Sa∣cramentis. li. 4. cap. 4.
• * 1.13

  Natura. Factus est.
• * 1.14

  Augustin. in Io∣ha••. tractatu. 21. Leo de passione Serm 14.
• * 1.15

  ••eda. 1. Cor. 10. Origen in Can∣ti••••, hom. 2.
• * 1.16

  Ambr. ••••orin. 5.
• * 1.17

  Augustin. ad Quoduuldeum. Epistola Leonis ad ••••onen Au∣gustum.
• * 1.18

  Augustin ad Quod••••••••deum.
• * 1.19

  Tertullian. con∣tra Marcionem. lib 4.
• * 1.20

  Omnipotentìa Verbi,
• * 1.21

  Leo Sermo 4. de 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.22

  Omnipo∣tentia.
• * 1.23

  Chrysost. in Epi∣••tol. ad Galat. Cap. 4.
• * 1.24

  Totam Substan∣tiam.
• * 1.25

  Cyprianus de vnctione Chris∣matis.
• * 1.26

  Beda in Octaui•• Epiphaniae.