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.

Praier for the Deade is none of those Articles, that M. Hardinge hath taken in hande to prooue. And therefore, as his manner is, he sheweth vs one thinge, for an other. This kinde of praier, although it be meere superstitious, and vtterly without warrant of Goddes woorde, yet, I confesse, it was many wheres receiued, and vsed, bothe in Gregories time, and also longe time before, and is auouched of Gregorie by a number of vaine, and childishe Fables. Touchinge the Sacrifice of the holy Communion he saithe,* 1.1 In this Mysterie Christe suffereth againe for our sake: In this Mysterie Christe Dieth: wee offer vp the Sacrifice of his Passion: wee renewe againe his Passion vnto our selues. As Christe Suffereth, and Dieth, and as his Passion, and Death is renewed in the holy Communion: euen so is he offered, and Sacri∣ficed in the same: that is to saie, as Gregorie* 1.2 expoundeth him selfe, by Representa∣tion, and by Memorie, and not Uerily, Really, or in Deede.

Touchinge the mater it selfe, that standeth in question, Gregorie saithe not▪ neither here, nor els where, either that the Prieste receiueth the Communion for the rest of his Parishe, or that one mannes receiuinge is auailable for an other.

The Sacrifice, that he nameth, is nomor•• the Sacrifice of the Prieste, then the Sacrifice of any other of al the People. For thus he writeth in the sani•• Fable: ••o••ies Mariti vincula soluebantur in Captiuitate,* 1.3 quoties ab eius Coni••ge obla••••e fuisse•• Hostiae pro eius animae▪ Absolutione: The Husband beinge taken prisoner had his 〈◊〉〈◊〉loo•• sed from him, as often, as his wife offered vp Sacrifice for his soule.

The woordes of this supposed Clements, by whom M. Hardinge woulde seeme to claime a shewe of greate Antiquitie, nothinge touche the thinge, that 〈◊〉〈◊〉••••∣maunded: For thus onely he saithe, Offerimus tibi Regi, & Deo, &c. Wee off•••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 vnto thee our God, and Kinge, accordinge to Christes Institution, This Breade, and This Cuppe, by him renderinge Thankes vnto thee. And leste M. Hardinge happen to saie, This Sacrifice was Propitiatorie to relieue the soules, that were in Purgatorie, this Clemens saithe further, Offerimus tibi pro ••mnibus, qui à saeculis tibi placuerunt, Sanctis, Patriarchis, Prophetis, Iustis, Apostolis, Martyribus: Wee offer vnto thee for al holy Sainctes, that haue benne from the beginninge of the Worlde, Patriarkes, Pro••hetes, Iuste menne, Apostles, and Martyrs. I trowe, M. Hardinge wil not saie, Al these were in Purgatorie.

And, touchinge the receiuinge of the Communion, he saithe thus,* 1.4 Posteà reci∣piat Episcopus, &c. Then let the Bishop receiue, and after him the Priestes, the Deacons, the Subdeacons, the Readers, the Singers, the Religious, the Wemen Deacons, the Vir∣gins, the Widowes, the Children, and the whole Congregation in order with sobrietie, and reuerence without confusion. By this Recorde of this Clemens it appeareth, that the whole Congregation receiued the holy Communion al togeather, eche man for him selfe, and not one man for an other.

Nowe, where as M. Hardinge vtterly den••ethe, that euer any man in his Churche receiued the Sacrament in steede of others, as somewhat myslikinge the open folie of the same, for shorte trial hereof, I remit him bothe to the very practise of his Masse, and also to the moste Catholique Doctours of al his Schoole.

In his Requiem he singeth thus, Pro quorū memoria Corpus Christi sumitur, &c. For whoes remembrance the Bodie of Christe is recei••ed. Yf he can happily diuise some vele, to shadowe this, yet his Doctours be bothe so plaine, that they cannot be shif∣ted: and also of so good credit, that they maie not be refused. Certai••ely they haue benne euermore thought, to teache the Catholike Doctrine of the Churche. Ga∣briel Biel saith thus,* 1.5 Sicut os materialis Corporis, &c. As the mo••th of our material Bodie, not onely eateth for it selfe, but also receiueth susteinance for the preseruatiō of al other members, whiche susteinance is diuided throughout the whole Bodie: Euen so the Prieste recei∣ueth the Sacramente, and the Vertue thereof passeth into al the members of the Churche, and Specially into them, that are presente at the Masse. Likewise saithe Uincentius de Ua∣lentia:* 1.6 The whole Christianitie is one Bodie, Knitte togeather by Faithe, and Charitie, and hauinge in it sundrie members: And the Prieste is the mouth of this Bodie. Therefore when the Prieste receiueth the Sacramente, al the members are refreashed. Againe he saithe, Nos Communicamus ore Sacerdotis, audiendo Missam: Wee hearinge M••sse, doo Com∣municate, or receiue the Sacramente, by the Mouth of the Prieste. Likewise Doctour Eckius saithe,* 1.7 Populus bibit Spiritualiter per os Sacerdotis: The People drincketh Spi∣ritually by the mouth of the Prieste. These woordes be plaine, and truely reported. Whiche beinge true, it must needes appeare, that M. Hardinges auouchinge the contrary is Untrue.

So Chrysostome saithe, The Olde Heretiques called Marcionitae* 1.8 vsed to Bap∣tize some, that were liuinge, in the behalfe, and steede of others▪ that were dead. And

from thence, it seemeth, they that nowe woulde be counted Catholiques, haue deri∣ued their Doctrine in this pointe. And that M. Hardinge maie the rather beléeue, that sutche folie hath beene vsed, let him remember, that in his Churche y^e Bishop, when he createth a Reader, geueth him euermore this Commission: Accipe po∣testatem legendi Euangelium tam pro Viuis, quàm pro Defunctis: Receiue thou power to reade the Gospel, as wel for the Quicke, as for the Dead. Therefore M. Hardinge so earnestly denieinge this, deniethe the manifeste, and knowen trueth, and defaceth the credite of his owne Doctours.

To conclude, I maie wel saie, as before, that M. Hardinge hauinge nothinge to allege, touchinge the mater, that lieth bitweene vs, and in steede thereof, fillinge vp his papers with maters impertinente, of Praier, and Sacrifice, hath somewhat abused the patience of his Reader, and shewed him one thinge for an other.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  De Con. Dis. 2. Quid Sit. Ite∣rum in hoc my∣sterio mortitur.
• * 1.2

  Gregor. in Euan gel. homi. 37.
• * 1.3

  Gregor. in Eua••∣gel. homi. 37.
• * 1.4

  Clemens Apost. Constitu. lib. 8.
• * 1.5

  Biel Lection. 8••.
• * 1.6

  In Sermon. 2. D•• Epiphania.
• * 1.7

  Eckius De Vtraque Spec••e.
• * 1.8

  Chrysostom. in 1 Corin. hom. 40.