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.

Certaine places in the Scriptures haue euermore beene iudged darke, both•• for many other causes,* 1.1 and also for the mater it selfe, and for the deepe Mysteries therein conteined: whiche thinge D. Luther also hath confessed in sundrie places. But vnto them, that haue eies, and cannot see, and delite more in darkenesse, then in the light, the Sonne beames may séeme darke. The Prophet Osée saith, Rectae viae Domini: Praeuaricatores autem corruent in eis. The waies of the Lorde be streight: but the wicked shal falle in them. Therefore Cyrillus saithe, Ea, quae perspicua sunt, difficilia fiunt Haereticis. The thinges, that of them selfe are plaine, vnto Heretiques are made darke.

But in these cases, the Sprite of God is bounde, neither to sharpenesse of wit, nor to abundance of learninge. Oftentimes the Unlearned seeth that thinge, that the learned cannot see.* 1.2 Christe saithe, I thanke thee, O Father, the Lorde of Heauen and Earthe, for that thou hast hidden these thinges from the wise, and the politique, and hast reueled the same vnto the litle ones. Therefore Epiphanius saithe, Solis Spiritus Sancti Filijs facilis est omnis Scriptura, & dilucida: Onely to the Childrē of the Holy Ghost, al the Holy Scriptures are plaine, and cleare.

Hereof M. Harding seemeth to conclude thus: There be certaine darke places in the Scriptures: Ergo, The Scriptures are ful of Darkenesse. This is a guile∣ful kinde of reasoninge, knowen vnto Children, called Fallacia a secundum quid ad simpliciter.* 1.3 In like fourme of argumente he might haue saide, Albertus Pigghius graunteth, there be certaine errours in the Masse: Ergo, The Masse is ful of errours.

Or thus, The Cardinalles them selues confesse,* 1.4 There be certaine Abuses in the Churche

of Rome: Ergo, The Churche of Rome is ful of Abuses. Certainely, notwithstan∣dinge a fewe certaine places in the Holy Scriptures be obscure, yet generally, The Scriptures are a Candel to guide our feete: generally, Goddes commaundement is light, and lighteneth the eies, and therfore generally the Woorde of God is ful of comforte.* 1.5 Ther∣fore Chrysostome saithe,* 1.6 Omnia clara, & plana sunt in Scripturis Diuinis: quae cunque necessaria sunt, manifesta sunt.* 1.7 Al thinges are cleare, and plaine in the holy Scriptures. What so euer thinge there is necessary for vs, is also manifest. So saithe Clemens Alex∣an drinus, Audite, qui estis long••: Audite, qui prop••. Nullis celatum est Verbum. Lux est Communis: omnibus illucescit hominibus: nullus est in Verbo Cymmerius: Herken ye, that be farre of: herken ye, that be neare. The woorde of God is hid from noman: It is a light common vnto al men: There is no darkenesse in Goddes Woorde. So Irenaeus, Scripturae in aperto sunt, & sine ambiguitate: & similiter ab omnibus audiri possunt. The Scriptures are plaine, and without doubtfulnesse, and may be hearde indifferently of al men. So the Olde Father Origen,* 1.8 Clausum est negligentibus: inuenitur autem a quaeren∣tibus, & pulsantibus: It is shut from the negligente: but it is opened vnto them, that seeke, and knocke for it.* 1.9 So S. Hierome, Dominus per Euangelium suum Ioquutus est, non vt pauci intelligerent, sed vt omnes. The Lorde hath spoken by his Gospel: not that a few shoulde vnderstande him, but that al.* 1.10 So saith Fulgentius, In Scripturis Diuinis ab∣undat, & quod robustus comedat, & quod paruulus sugat. In the Scriptures of God there is plentie sufficient, bothe for the stronge to eate, and also for the litle one to sucke. To be shorte, so S. Gregorie saithe,* 1.11 Est flumen, in quo agnus ambulet, & elephas na••et. It is a Floudde, wherein the litle Lamme may wade, and the great Elephant may swimme.

Thus, notwithstandinge certaine clauses, and sentences in the Holy Scrip∣tures be harde, and darke, yet by these Holy Fathers iudgementes, the Scriptures generally are easy, and cleare.

But M. Hardinge vpon a false position maketh vp the like Conclusion. For thus he saithe, The Scriptures are darke: Therefore the people may not reade them. Uerily, as he woulde violently take the Scriptures from the simple, bicause, as he saithe, they vnderstande them not: So by the same force he maye take the Scriptures from al y^e Olde Doctours, and learned Fathers: bicause, as it appeareth by their dissension, and by M. Hardinges owne Confession, they vnderstoode them not.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Iohan. ••••. Rom. 11. Iohan. 3. Osee. 14. Cyrillus in Io∣han. lib. 14.
• * 1.2

  Matthae. 11. Epiphanius, li. ••.
• * 1.3

  Albert. P••gghi∣us, in Priuata Missa.
• * 1.4

  In Concilio Se∣lectorum Car∣dinalium.
• * 1.5

  Psalm. 118.
• * 1.6

  Psalm. 18.
• * 1.7

  Chrysostom. in. 2. Thessalonic. ••o. 3. Clemens Alex∣andrin. in Ora∣tione adhorta∣toria ad ••entes. Irenaeus li. 1. ca. 31.
• * 1.8

  Origen. in Ex••∣dum. hom. 9.
• * 1.9

  Hieronym. in Psalm. 86.
• * 1.10

  Fulgentius in Sermone de Cō∣fessor••b.
• * 1.11

  Gregor. in epist. ad Leandrum.