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.

It were muche better for M. Hardinge not to knowe the Woorde of God, then thus wilfully to abuse it. They, vnto whom Christe woulde not open the Se∣cretes of the Kingdome of Heauen, were not the Common sorte of the Laie Peo∣ple, as M. Hardinge supposeth, but the Bishoppes, the Priestes, the Doctours, the Scribes, and the Phariseies, and other like reprobates, whom God had geuen ouer in the hardenesse of their hartes, as it is plaine by the Woordes, that Christe alle∣geth owt of the Prophete Esai:* 1.1 O Lorde, harden the harte of this people: stoppe their eares: blinde their eies: least happily they be conuerted, and so be saued. And thus that An∣cient

Father Irenaeus immediatly after the Apostles time expounded it:* 1.2 and ap∣plieth thereto these woordes of S. Paule, In quibus Deus huius saeculi excoecauit cor∣da infidelium, vt non fulgeat illis illuminatio Euangelij Gloriae Dei. In whome God hath blinded the hartes of them, that be vnfaithful, that the brightenesse of the Gospel of the Glo∣rie of God may not shine vnto them:* 1.3 And likewise these woordes, Tradidit illos Deus in reprobum sensum, God hath deliuered them ouer into a reprobate vnderstandinge: And in the ende he compareth them with Pharao, and Antichriste. So likewise Dio∣nysius the Carthusian, whose authoritie, I trowe, M. Hardinge wil not denie, saithe of them:* 1.4 Iusto Dei Iudicio negata est illis praedicatio Euangelij, tanquam indi∣gnis intelligentia Spirituali: The preachinge of the Gospel was denied vnto them by the iust iudgement of God, as vnto men vnwoorthy of any Spiritual vnderstandinge.

Thus M. Hardinge, the better to winne his purpose, is contented to say, that al the people of God, him selfe onely with a fewe others excepted, are blinde, re∣probate, accursed of God, forsaken, and leafte in hardenesse of their hartes, vn∣woorthy of Spiritual vnderstandinge, geuen ouer into a wicked minde, like to Pharao, like to Antichriste. So muche is the simple Laie People beholden to him. But Gerson,* 1.5 a Doctour of M. Hardinges owne Companie, saithe, Licet Iudicium, & Conclusiones Fidei authoritatiu•• spectent ad Praelatos & Doctores, tamen ad alios, quàm ad Theologos potest deliberatio pertinere, sicut & cognitio super his, quae Fidem respiciunt: ita etiam, vt ad Laicos hoc possit extendi, & plus aliquando, quàm ad multos Clericorum: Al be it the Iudgement, and the Conclusions of Faithe pertaine by authoritie vnto the Prelates and Doctours, Yet the Consideration, and weighing of the same may pertaine as wel vnto others, as also knowledge touchinge those thinges, that pertaine vnto the Faith: Whiche knowledge, and iudgement may also be extended vnto the Laie people: and that bet∣ter oftentimes,* 1.6 then to many Priestes. So Panormitane saith, Magis credēdum est Laico afferenti Scripturas, quàm Papae, & Concilio Generali: We ought more to beleeue a Lay man, if he bringe the authoritie of the Scriptures, then the Pope, and a General Councel.

By these it is euident, that God hath not excluded the Laye People, that belée∣ueth in him, from the vnderstandinge of his Holy Secretes. Hugo Cardinalis ex∣po••ndeth these woordes in this wise:* 1.7 Vobis datum est, vobis qui libenter auditis, & Fi∣dem habetis: Vnto you it is geuen: vnto you, that are glad to learne, and haue Faithe. And the very ordinarie Glose saithe thus, Vobis qui Fideles estis: Sed Pharisaeis incredulis Sancta non sunt danda: Vnto you, that are Faithful, it is geuen: But vnto the vnfaitheful Phariseis Holy thinges may not be geuen. And, where M. Hardinge saithe, The know∣ledge of these Mysteries partaineth onely vnto the Apostles of Christe, and to their Successours, plea∣seth it thée, good Reader, to vnderstande, that by M. Hardinges owne Decrée, the Successours of the Apostles be neither Priestes, nor Deacons, nor Monkes, nor Freers, nor Cardinalles, but onely Bishoppes. For so it is limited by Anacletus: Episcopi Apostolorum Domini:* 1.8 Presbyteri verò Septuagintaduorum Discipulorum lo∣cum tenent: Bishoppes are in the place of the Apostles: and Priestes are in the place of the three scoare and twelue Disciples. Thus M. Hardinge hath taken greate paines, to shutte out bothe him selfe, and the greattest parte of his Clergie, and al the whole people from the Mysterie of the Kingedome of Heauen.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Esai. ••
• * 1.2

  Irenaeus lib 4. cap. 48. ••. Corin. 4.
• * 1.3

  Roman. 1.
• * 1.4

  Dionysius Car∣thusian. in Lu∣cam. ca. 8.
• * 1.5

  Gulielm Gerson. Quae veritates de necessitate sal••tis creden∣dae sint, Corol∣lar. 4.
• * 1.6

  Abbas Panor∣••itanus.
• * 1.7

  Hugo Cardina∣lis in Luc. ca. 8. Glosa Ordina∣ria.
• * 1.8

  Anacleti epis. tertia, Dist. 21. In Nono.