The B. of Sarisburie.
This, saithe M. Hardinge, is but a smal Keye of our Religion. Whiche thinge may very wel appeare, bothe otherwise, and also by the smal weight, and sclendernes of his proufes. How be it, in cases of Religion, and in the Seruice of God, nothinge ought to be iudged smal, specially that may deceiu•• the people. Uerily, how smal so euer they wil now haue this keie to séeme, as it hath béene heretofore cause of no smal Superstition, so it hath shutte out Goddes people from the sight, and vnder∣standinge of our greatest Mysteries.
Certaine it is, That the Religion of Christ may wel stande without this kinde of Mystical Silence, as it may also without Trāsubstantiation, or Priuate Masse, or any other their like fantasies. But if the mater be so smal, wherefore doothe M. Hardinge take so greate paines to prooue it, and that by so greate vntruethes, and so manifest Fables? Wherefore are they not ashamed, to say, that Christe him selfe at his Laste Supper Consecrated in Silence,* 1.1 and Secresie, and that in like order, and forme, as they doo nowe? Or how durste the Byshoppes in this present Councel of Tridente* 1.2 so solemnely to abanne, and accurse al them, that dare to finde faulte with the same? So smal a mater, as this is now supposed to be, should neuer néede so greate a doo.
But whether these woordes be vttered Secretely, or Alowde, he imagineth, that by the power thereof the substance of the Breade, and Wine is Really, and wholy changed into the Substance of the Bodie, and Bloude of Christe. The vn∣trueth hereof is manifestly reprooued by S. Augustine, S. Chrysostome, Theodo∣retus, Gelasius, and by the general consente of al the Olde Fathers: and is an∣sweared more at large in the tenthe Article of this Booke. Certainely this er∣rour neither was euer confirmed in the Latine Churche,* 1.3 before the Councel of La∣terane in Rome, whiche was aboue twelue hundred yéeres after Christe, nor euer receiued in the Greeke Churche,* 1.4 from the Birthe of Christe vntil this daie.