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.

Touchinge the woorthinesse of the Prieste, whiche they cal Opus Operan∣tis, it appeareth, M. Hardinge coulde partely be contented to make it equal with the Sacrifice of Christe, were it not, that it shoulde seeme too greate pre∣sumption. For thus he saithe, So wee shoulde make the Prieste Goddes piere, and his acte equal with the Passion of Christe.* 1.1 And therefore they saie, A wicked Priestes Masse is as good, and as meritorious in this respecte, as a good Priestes Masse: for that the woorthinesse of the woorke hangeth nothinge of the woorthinesse of the Prieste.* 1.2

Notwithstandinge S. Hierome seemeth to saie farre otherwise:* 1.3 Impi•• agunt in Legem Christi, putantes Eucharistiam imprecantis verba facere, non vitam: They doo wickedly againste the Lawe of Christe,* 1.4 thinkinge, it is not the Life, but the Woorde of the Minister, that maketh the Sacramente. And likewise Iren••us saithe, Sa∣crificia non sanctificant hominem, sed Conscientia eius, qui offert, sanctificat Sacrifi∣cium, pura existens:* 1.5 The Sacrifice doothe not sanctifie the Man, but the Conscience of the Prieste beinge vpright, and pure, doothe sanctifie the Sacrifice. In like manner Gabriel Biel his owne Doctour saithe,* 1.6 Videant, ne, si peccato obnoxij offerant, ••it illorum Oblatio, quasi eius, qui victimat filium in conspectu Patris, néue rursus Crucifigant Filium Dei: Let them take heede, leaste if they Sacrifice, beinge in Sinne, their Oblation be like vnto the Oblation of him, that slaieth the Childe in the sighte of the Father: and leaste they Crucifie againe the Sonne of God. Uerily of wicked Priestes God saithe,* 1.7 Maledicam benedictionibus vestris: That you Blisse, I wil Curse.

Touchinge S. Augustine, and Origen, that here are brought in for a counte∣nance, if these Ancient Holy Fathers were nowe aliue, they woulde blushe to

heare their tales thus reported. Origens woordes, if it mighte haue pleased M. Hardinge, to haue layde them out whole, and at large without clippinge, as he founde them, bothe woulde haue béene cleare, and plaine in them selfe, and also woulde haue soone shaken downe al this whole frame of Opus Operatum.

For he neither speaketh of the Masse, nother promiseth Remission of Sinnes for any thinge, that is donne in the Masse: but onely, and wholy for the Sacrifice of Christes Bodie vpon the Crosse. His woordes be these, Si redeas ad illum Pa∣nem, qui de Coelo descendit, & dat huic mundo vitam, illum Panem propositionis, hoc est, Christum ipsum, quem proposuit Deus propitiationem per Fidem in Sanguine eius: & si respicias ad illam Commemorationem, de qua dicit Dominus, Hoc facite ad meam Commemorationem, inuenies, quòd ista est Commemoratio sola, quae propitium faciat hominibus Deum: Yf thou turne to that Breade, that came downe from Heauen, and geueth life to this worlde, I meane that Shewebreade, that is, Christe him selfe, whome God hath appointed to be a Propitiation by Faithe in his Bloude: and if thou beholde that Re∣membrance, whereof the Lorde saithe, Doo this in Remembrance of mee, thou shalt finde, that it is this Remembrance onely (that is to saie, The Bodie of Christe Crucified, and the price of his Bloude thus Remembred) that maketh God merciful vnto menne. Nowe let M. Hardinge indifferently iudge, whether these woordes be likely to prooue his Opus Operatum, or any other thinge belonginge vnto his Masse.

The place of S. Augustine is yet muche plainer. For, as he toucheth none of al these M. Hardinges fantasies, so he speaketh onely of the Innocentes, and Blissed Martyrs, that were slaine onely for the Testimonie of Christe, VVhose Soules,* 1.8 S. Iohn saith, lie vnderneathe the Aultar of God, not in Earthe, as M. Har∣dinge fansieth, but in Heauen. For thus he writeth, Vidi sub Ara Dei animas occisorum propter Verbum Dei, & propter Testimonium Iesu, &c. I sawe vnder the Aultar of God (in Heauen) the Soules of them, that were slaine for Goddes VVoorde, and for the Testimonie of Iesus.* 1.9 VVhat thinge is there, either more reuerende, or more Honora∣ble, then to reaste vnder that Aultar (in Heauen) in whiche Sacrifices are made, and Obla∣tions are offered vnto God, and wherein (no mortal man, but) the Lorde him selfe is the Prieste? For so it is written, Thou arte a Prieste for euer, after the Order of Melchisedek. It is righte, (not that the Bodies, but) that the Soules of the Iuste shoulde remaine vn∣der the Aultar: bicause that vpon that Aultar (in Heauen) Christes Bodie is offered. And wel it is, that Iuste menne doo there require reuengeance of their Bloude, where as Christes Bloude for sinners is poured out.

Immediatly after this, he intermedleth somewhat touchinge Aultars, or Com∣munion Tables in the Earthe. For thus he addeth further, Conuenienter igi∣tur, & quasi pro quodam Consortio ibi Martyribus Sepultura decreta est, vbi Mors Do∣mini quotidiè celebratur &c. Therefore vpon good discretion, and in some token of Felow∣ship, Martyrs burials are appointed in that place (here in Earth) where the Lordes Death is daily remembred: As the Lorde him selfe saithe, As often, as ye shal doo these thinges, ye shal set foorthe my Deathe, vntil I come. I meane, that they, that died for the Lordes Deathe, may reaste vnder the Mysterie of his Sacramente.

After this he returneth againe to the Soules of the Blissed Martyrs, vnder the Aultar in Heauen. Legimus plaerósque Iustorum Abrahae sinibus refoueri &c. VVee reade, saithe S. Augustine, that many Iuste menne are refreashed in Abrahams bo∣some: and that many are in the pleasures of Paradise. Yet noman deserued better then the Mar∣tyrs, to reaste there (in Heauen) where as Christe is bothe the Sacrifice, and the Priest. I meane, that they may enioye Goddes fauoure by the offeringe of that Sacrifice, and may receiue the Blissinge, and Ministerie of that Prieste.

Hereby it is plaine, that S. Augustine speaketh of Heauen: and not of Earth, nor of Purgatorie: Of the Soules receiued abooue: and not of the Bodies buried

beneathe. For al these thinges S. Iohn by Reuelation sawe in Heauen. And for proufe hereof, S. Augustine addeth further: Inter coeteros igitur Martyres, quos sub Ara Dei consistere praedicamus, etiam beatas illas Infantum lactentium pro Chri∣sto pri••itias Martyrum laudemus: Therefore emongest the reste of the Martyrs, whome wee saie to be vnder the Aultar of God (in Heauen) let vs commende those blissed firste fruites of suckinge Infantes, that were Martyrs for Christe.

This is S. Augustines plaine, and vndoubted meaninge. But M. Hardinge to serue his turne, is faine, of Soules, to make Bodies: of Ioie, to make Paine: and of Heauen, to make Purgatorie. And yet in al this greate a doo, findeth, nei∣ther Opus Operatum, nor his Masse. Thus is it lawful for these menne, to carrie aboute, and to vse their Readers.

Touchinge the substance of this Doctrine, whiche M. Hardinge nowe at laste vpon better aduise séemeth in some parte to mislike, notwithstandinge it were not longe sithence generally receiued, bothe in schooles, and Churches, and coun∣ted Catholique,* 1.10 Origen that Ancient learned Father writeth thus: Quod san∣ctificatur per Verbum Dei, & per Obsecrationem, non s••apte natura sanctificat vten∣tem. Nam id si esset, sanctificaret etiam illum, qui comedit indignè Domino: The thinge, that is Sanctified by the Woorde of God, and by praier, of his owne Nature (or Ex Opere Operato) Sanctifieth not him, that vseth it. For otherwise it shoulde sanctifie him, that eateth vnwoorthily of the Lorde.

Againe he saithe:* 1.11 Assiduitas Communicationis, & alia similia, non ipsae sunt Iustitiae, sed conditurae habentur Iustitiarum. Res autem Spirituales, quae ex se ipsis Iustitiae sunt, dicuntur Iudicium, Misericordia, & Fides: The often vsinge of the Com∣munion, and other like thinges, be not righteousnesse it selfe, (of it selfe, or of the woorke, that there is wrought) but onely the seasoninge, and settinge foorthe of righte∣ousnesse. But the Spiritual thinges, whiche be righteousnesse it selfe, are called Iudgement, Mer∣cie, and Faithe.

So S. Hierome,* 1.12 Ne quis confidat in eo solo, quòd Baptizatus est: aut in esca Spirituali, vel potu putet, Deum sibi parcere, si peccauerit: Let noman presume of this thinge onely, that he is Baptized: nor let him thinke, that God for Receiuinge the Spi∣ritual Meate, or drinkinge the Spiritual Cuppe (Ex Opere Operato) wil pardonne him, if he offende.

So S. Augustine,* 1.13 Non ait, Mundi estis propter Baptisma, quo loti estis: sed pro∣pter Verbum, quod locutus sum vobis: Christe saithe not, Ye are Cleane for the Bap∣tismes sake, wherewith ye are wasshed: but for the VVoordes sake, that I haue spoken vn∣to you.* 1.14 And againe, Foelix Venter, qui te portauit &c. Blissed is that woombe, that bare thee. But Christe answeared, Naie, Blissed be they, that heare the VVoorde of God, and keepe the same: That is to say, My Mother, whome ye cal Blissed, thereof is Blissed, for that shee keepeth the VVoorde of God.

Likewise againe,* 1.15 Materna propinquitas nihil Matri profuisset, nisi Foelicius Chri∣stum in Corde, quàm in Carne gestasset: The nearenes of Mothers Bloude shoulde haue profited Christes Mother nothinge at al, onles she had more blissedly carried Christe in her Harte, then in her Bodie.

Uerily to asscribe Felicitie, or Remission of Sinne, whiche is the Inwarde Woorke of the Holy Ghoste, vnto any manner Outwarde Action what so euer, it is a Superstitious, a grosse, and a Iewishe errour.

Origen of the Sacramente of Circumcision writeth thus:* 1.16 Circuncisionis nisi reddatur ratio, nutus tantùm est Circuncisio, & opus mutum: Onles there be a reason yel∣ded of the meaninge of Circumcision, it is but an Outwarde Shewe, and a dumme laboure, and auaileth nothinge.

And touchinge the vse, and order of the Holy Mysteries, Christe saithe not, Doo this, for Remission of your Sinnes: but, Doo this in my Remembrance.

The Onely, and euerlasting Sacrifice for Sinne, is the Sonne of God Cruci∣fied vpon the Crosse. He sitteth now in the Nature, and Substance of our Fleash, at the Right Hande of his Father, and euermore maketh intercession for vs: and is the onely Sacrifice, and Propitiation for our Sinnes.

What so euer Doctrine is contrary to this Doctrine, is Wicked, and Bla∣sphemous, and, as M. Hardinge hath confessed, iniurious to the Glorie, and Crosse of Christe.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Thom. in. 4. Sen. dist. 14.
• * 1.2

  Gerson contra Floret. li. 4.
• * 1.3

  Summa Angel. in Missa.
• * 1.4

  Hierony. in ter∣tium caput Zo∣phoniae.
• * 1.5

  Ir••n. c. li. 4. c. 34.
• * 1.6

  Biel Lection. 26.
• * 1.7

  Malachi. 2.
• * 1.8

  Augustin. De Sanctis Sermon. 11.
• * 1.9

  Apocalyp. 6.
• * 1.10

  Origen. in Mat∣thae. ca. 15.
• * 1.11

  Origen. in Mat∣thae. tractar. 25.
• * 1.12

  Hieronym. 1. Co∣rin. 10.
• * 1.13

  Augustin. in Io∣han. tracta. 80.
• * 1.14

  Augustin. in Io∣han. tracta. 10.
• * 1.15

  August. De San∣cta Virginitate.
• * 1.16

  Origen. in Lu∣cam, Homil. 5.