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.

M. Hardinge seemeth secretely to graunt that thinge, which without blusshing no man can denie: that is, that the Scriptures longe ••ithence, & in olde times haue beene Translated into the natural speache of this countrie. But he addeth withal a poore exception,* 1.1 that, notwithstandinge the Translation were in Englishe, yet it serued not for Englishe people. And yet, for what people els it should serue, it were not easy to coniecture. Doubtlesse, if they had meante, as these men doo, to

barre the Englishe people from Goddes Woorde,* 1.2 they woulde haue keapte it stil, as it was before in Latine, Greeke, or Hebrew, and woulde not haue suffered any suche Translation.

But Beda him selfe, that wrote the Storie of this Iland, in these very woordes, that M. Harding hath here alleged, seemeth to witnesse, that the Scriptures were then Translated into sundrie tongues, and that for the better vnderstandinge of the people. For thus he writeth, Haec Insula quinque Gentium linguis scrutatur v∣nam, eandem{que} Scientiam Veritatis. This Ilande searcheth out the knowledge of one Tru∣eth, with the tongues of fiue Nations. It is not likely, he woulde haue written thus of fiue seueral Tongues, if y^e Scriptures had béene written then onely in one tongue. In like manner, and to like purpose he writeth thus,* 1.3 Quicunque gentium linguis vnam eandem{que} veritatis Scientiam Scrutantur: Who so euer they be, that searche the knowledge of one Truethe (not onely in the Latine tongue, as M. Hardinge saith, but) gentium Linguis, that is, In the Natural, and Vulgare Tongues of this countrie. Doubt∣lesse, it were very muche to say, that the mere Englishe man, or Scotte, or Picte, or Britton, y^t vnderstoode no Latine, was hable neuerthelesse to Reade, and search the Scriptures in the Latine Tongue.

But to leaue coniectures, Beda* 1.4 saithe expressely, and in moste plaine woordes, that one Cedman an Englishe Poete,* 1.5 Translated the Creation of the worlde, and the whole storie of the Genesis, & the Exodus, and sundrie other stories of y^e Bible into Englishe Rime. Likewise, as it is saide before, kinge Adelstane* 1.6 aboute niene hundred yéeres past, caused the whole Bible to be Translated into Englishe. And Sir Iohn Treuisa* 1.7 saith, that Beda him self turned S. Iohns Gospel into English. And againe he saith,* 1.8 y^e Kinge Aluredus caused y^e Psalter to be turned into English. And vntil this day there be diuers suche Translations yet remaininge to be seene, whiche, for many causes, beare good proufe of greate Antiquitie. Therefore, that this Iland hath continued thirtéene hundred yéeres without hauinge y^e Scriptures in Englishe, it can beare no manner appearance, or shew of Trueth.

But beinge admitted, and graunted for true, If prescription of wante maye make good proufe, then maye wee saye, This Ilande stoode, and continued foure thousande whole yéeres, not onely without the Englishe Bible, but also without any knowledge of Christe, or God. Likewise wée may truely say, The Gospel, and the Truethe of God stoode, and continued in this Iland for the space of many hun∣dred yeeres, without either the Supremacie of Rome, or Transubstantiation, or Priuate Masses, or any other like fantasies.

True it is, our Fathers of late yeeres haue beene leadde in ignorance, & haue beene violently forced from the Scriptures. But the examples, and wantes of our Fathers, are not alwaies sufficient Rules of Faith. The Heretique Eutyches saide, Sic a progenitoribus meis accipiens credidi: In hac Fide genitus sum, & consecra∣tus Deo: & in ea opto mori.* 1.9 This Faithe haue I receiued from mine Ancesters: In this Faithe I was borne, and Baptized: and in the same I desire to die. And yet the same Faithe was an Errour, and no Faithe. So saide the Arian Heretique Auxentius,* 1.10 Quemadmo∣dum ab infantia edoctus sum, ita credidi, & credo: As I haue beene taught from my Childe∣hoode, so I haue beleeued, and so I beleeue stil. So likewise the Idolatrous Iewes saide vnto the Prophet Hieremie,* 1.11 Sic fecimus nos, & Patres nostri: Reges nostri, & Prin∣cipes nostri: Et saturati sumus panibus, & bene nobis erat. Thus haue wee doone, and our Fathers before vs: and our Kinges, and our Princes. And we had stoare, and plentie of al things, and a mery worlde, and did ful wel. But God saith vnto them, In statutis patrum ve∣strorum nolite ambulare &c.* 1.12 Ego Dominus Deus vester. Walke not in the statutes of your Fathers. I am the Lorde your God.

How be it, wee sitte not in Iudgement to condemne our Fathers: God onely

is their Iudge. S. Paule saithe,* 1.13 Solidum Dei fundamentum stat, habens hoc signa∣culum, Nouit Dominus, qui sint sui. This fundation standeth sounde, hauinge this seale, The Lorde knoweth, who be his owne.* 1.14 God was hable to preserue the Bushe in the middest of the Flame: and Daniel* 1.15 in the Caue in the middest of the Lions: and the three Children in the middest of the Fornace of Flaminge Fier:* 1.16 and his peo∣ple of Israel in the middest of the Red Sea:* 1.17 Euen so was he hable to preserue his owne in the middest of that deadly time of darkenesse. S. Cyprian saithe, Ignosci potuit simpliciter erranti. Post inspirationem verò, & Reuelationem factam, qui in eo, quod errauerat, perseuerat, sine venia ignorantiae peccat. Praesumptione enim, atque ob∣stinatione superatur. He that erreth of simplicitie (as our Fathers did) may be pardoned: But after that God hath once inspired the harte, and reueled his trueth, who so continueth stil in his errour, offendeth without pardon of ignorance. For he is ouer borne by presumption, and wilfulnesse.

Upon these woordes of Beda M. Hardinge Concludeth thus: The Latine tongue for the studie of the Scriptures, was common to al the Nations of this Realme: Ergo, The Scriptures were not translated into Englishe. A very Childe may soone see the simplicitie and the weakenesse of this reason. For euen now, notwithstandinge the whole Bible be Translated into the Englishe tongue, extante in euery Churche, and common to al the people, yet the Latine tongue is neuerthelesse Common to al the Nations of this Lande, for the readinge of Olde Commentaries, and the A••cient Doctours, and so for the meditation, and studie of the Scriptures.

[ 1] Now let vs weigh M. Hardinges Considerations in this behalfe. First if there had any faultes escaped in the Englishe Translation, as he vntruely saithe, there haue many, he woulde not thus haue past them vncontrolled. He lackte nei∣ther eloquence, nor good wil, to speake: but onely good mater to speake of.

[ 2] Secondly, the Scriptures Translated into English, haue béene deliuered vn∣to the people by suche Bishoppes, and other Spiritual guides, as in déede haue had a care for their soules, and haue geuen their liues, and Bloud, for their sheepe. But the Bishops of M. Hardinges side, can onely espie faultes in Translations: but they can amende none. They haue burnte a greate number of Bibles: but they haue hitherto Translated none. Christes Woordes are rightly verified of them, Neither doo yee enter your selues, nor wil you suffer others, that woulde entre. For the highest Principle of their Religion is this: Ignorance is the Mother of True Religion.

[ 3] To limite, and to diet the people, what they may reade, and what they ought to leaue, was sometime the Superstitious discretion of the Rabbines. Herein wee may saye, as S. Hilarie saithe,* 1.18 Archangeli nesciunt: Angeli non audiuerunt: Propheta non fensit: Filius ipse non edidit. The Archangels know it not: the Angels haue not hearde it: the Prophete hath not fealte it:* 1.19 the Sonne of God him selfe hath reueled to vs no suche thinge. Certainely, now, the Uele being drawen aside, and our faces being open, to beholde the Glorie of God,* 1.20 S. Paule saithe, Omnis Scriptura diuinitùs inspirata vtilis est &c. Not onely one parte of the Scriptures, but, Al, and euery parte thereof is profitable &c. And againe, Quae cunque Scripta sunt, ad Nostram Doctrinam Scripta sunt:* 1.21 Al thinges, that are written, are written for our instruction. And therefore Irenaeus saith,* 1.22 as it is before alleged, Ex omni Scriptura Diuina manducate. Eate you of euery parte of the Holy Scripture.* 1.23

Humilitie,* 1.24 and good life, whereof M. Hardinge woulde séeme to make some great accoumpte, is sooner learned of Knowledge, then of Ignorance.* 1.25 Chrysostoms saithe, Magna aduersus peccatum munitio est Scripturarum Lectio: Magnum Praecipi∣tium, & profundum barathrum Scripturarum ignoratio:* 1.26 nihil scire de Diuinis Legibus, magna Salutis perditio. Ea res & haereses peperit, & vitam corruptam inuexit: hoc sur∣sum deorsum miscuit omnia. The readinge of the Scriptures is a greate fense against sinne. And the Ignorance of the Scriptures is a dangerous downefal, and a great Dungeon. To know

nothinge of Goddes Lawes, is the losse of Saluation. Ignorance hath brought in Heresies, and vitious life: Ignorance hath turned al thinges vpsydowne.

Therefore the Apostles of Christe, and al other godly Fathers haue euermore incourraged the people to reade the Scriptures: and euermore thought y^e Churche of God to be in best case, when y^e people was best instructed. S. Paule saith, Let the Woorde of God dwelle abundantly emongest yowe.* 1.27 Polycarpus* 1.28 saithe to the people, Confido vos bene exercitatos esse in Sacris Literis: My trust is, that ye be wel instructed in the Holy Scriptures. Origen* 1.29 saith vnto his people, Geue your diligence, not onely to heare Goddes Woorde in the Churche, but also to be excercised in the same in youre houses at home, and daye and night to be studious in the lawe of the Lorde. S. Augustine* 1.30 saith, Reade ye the Holy Scriptures. For to that ende God woulde haue them written, that we might receiue comforte by them. S. Hierome* 1.31 saithe, as it is alleged before, Laici, non tantùm suffi∣cienter, sed etiam abundanter Verbum Dei habere debent, & se inuicem docere: The Laye People ought to haue the Woorde of God, not onely sufficiently, but also abundantly, and to instructe one an other. S. Chrysostome* 1.32 willeth the Father with his Childe, and the Husbande with his Wife, at home in his house to talke, and reason of the Woorde of God. Theodoretus writeth thus, Passim videas haec nostratia dogmata, &c. Ye maie commonly see, that not onely the Teachers of the People, and Rulers of the Churches, but also Tailers, Smithes, and Clothe woorkers, and other Artificers doo vnderstande the Princi∣ples of our Religion: And further, that not onely learned wemenne, yf there be any suche, but also suche Wemenne as liue by their laboure, and Sewsters, and Maide seruantes, but also Husbandmenne, and Ditchers, and Heardmenne, and Graffers canne reason of the Holy Tri∣nitie, and of the Creation of the worlde, and of the Nature of mankinde, a greate deale more skilfully, then either Plato, or Aristotle was euer hable to doo. Therefore Origen* 1.33 saithe vnto his hearers of the Laye People, Me dicente, quod sentio, vos decernite, & exami∣nate, si quid rectum est, aut minùs rectum: While I speake, that I thinke meete, examine, and iudge yow, whether it be wel, or otherwise. Thus in olde times the Uulgare People, and suche as M. Hardinge calleth Swine, & Rude, and Rasshe people, and Curious Busie Bodies, were hable not onely to vnderstande the Scriptures, but also to iudge of their preachers. And therefore the wicked Renegate Emperoure Iulianus reprooued the Christians (euen as M. Hardinge nowe dooth vs) for that they suffered their Wemen,* 1.34 and Children, to reade the Scriptures.

But the Enimies of Goddes Trueth, for feare, and conscience of their wea∣kenes haue euermore vsed violently to take awaie the Woorde of God, not onely from wemen, and Children, but also from al the whole people. Chry∣sostome saithe,* 1.35 Haeretici Sacerdotes••claudunt ianuas Veritatis. Sciunt enim, si mani∣festata fuerit Veritas, Ecclesiam suam esse relinquendam, & se de Sacerdotali dignitate ad humilitatem venturos popularem. Heretique priestes shutte vp the gates of the Trueth. For they knowe, that yf the Trueth once appeare, they must needes leaue their Churche, and from the dignitie of their Priesthoode come downe to the state of other people. For Ter∣tullian* 1.36 saithe, Scriptura Diuina Haereticorū fraudes, & furta facilè conuincit, & detegit. The Holy Scripture wil easily bewraye, and confounde the guiles, and theaftes of Heretiques. Christe saithe, He that dooth yl, hateth the Light. And therefore they saie, as it is written in the Prophete Amos, Tace, & ne recorderis nominis Domini. Holde thy peace, and neuer thinke vpon the name of the Lorde. But miserable is that Religion, that cannot stande without hidinge, and suppressinge of the Trueth of God.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Bible in Englishe: and ye•• not for En∣glishe people.
• * 1.2

  The Scri∣ptures in Englishe.
• * 1.3

  Beda in Histor. Anglorum li. 1. Ca. 1.
• * 1.4

  Beda in Histor.
• * 1.5

  Anglorum. li. 5. ca. 22.
• * 1.6

  Adelstane.
• * 1.7

  Iohan Treuisa. li. 5. ca. 24.
• * 1.8

  Iohan. Treuisa. li. 6. ca. 1.
• * 1.9

  Concil. Chalce∣donen. Action. 1.
• * 1.10

  Hilarius in e∣pist. Auxentij.
• * 1.11

  Hieremi. 44.
• * 1.12

  Ezechiel. 20.
• * 1.13

  2. Timoth▪ 2.
• * 1.14

  Exod. 3.
• * 1.15

  Daniel. 6.
• * 1.16

  Daniel. 3.
• * 1.17

  Exod. 14.
• * 1.18

  Origen. in pro∣logo in Cantica Canti.
• * 1.19

  Nazianz. in A∣pologetico.
• * 1.20

  Hilari. de Vni∣tate patris & Filij.
• * 1.21

  2. Corin. 3.
• * 1.22

  2. Timoth. 3.
• * 1.23

  Roman. 15.
• * 1.24

  Irenaeus li. 5.
• * 1.25

  Ca. Omnes.
• * 1.26

  Chrysostom. De Lazaro Concio. 3.
• * 1.27

  Coloss. 3.
• * 1.28

  Polycarpu•• ad Philippen.
• * 1.29

  Origen. in Leui▪ homi. 9.
• * 1.30

  Augustin. in Psalm. 33.
• * 1.31

  Hieronym. in Epist. ad Coloss. cap. 3.
• * 1.32

  Chrysostom. in Iohan. homi. 1. Theodoretus De natura hominis. lib. 5.
• * 1.33

  Origen. in Iosue homi. 21.
• * 1.34

  Cyrillus contra Iulian. lib. 6. & lib. 7.
• * 1.35

  Chrysostom. in Opere imperfe∣cto. hom. 44.
• * 1.36

  Tertullian. in libro de Trini∣tate. Iohan. 3. Amos. 6.