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.

Trueth is not afraide of sclaunderous Tragedies. Wée haue not cutte of our selues from the Catholique Churche of God. Wée haue foresaken the dangerous companie of them, that haue turned the Churche of God into a caue of Théeues: whose compan••e God by special woordes hath willed vs to foresake. For thus the Almighty saithe vnto vs, O my people, come out from her,* 1.1 and be not partetaker of her sinnes: leaste ye take parte of her plagues.

The mater of Reseruation is onely pasted on, and vtterly impertinente, and nothinge belonginge to this question. How be it, onlesse M. Hardinge had vsed the aduantage of this Digression, he had passed ouer this whole Article without na∣minge of any Doctour. I graunte, The Sacramente in the Olde time in some certaine Churches was Reserued: how be it, not to be woorshipped with godly ho∣nour, but onely to be receiued in the holy Communion of the people.* 1.2 And Origen emongst other godly Fathers séemeth to mislike the same. For thus he writeth, Dominus Panem, quem Discipulis dabat, non distulit, nec seruari iussit in Crastinum: The Breade, that the Lorde gaue to his Disciples, he differred it not, nor willed it to be Re∣serued vntil the nexte daie.

But touchinge the force of this Article, Cyrillus speaketh not one Woorde, neither of Corporal presence, nor of Fourmes, nor of Accidētes, nor of Crommes, nor of Quantities, nor of Qualities, nor of Putrefaction, or Corruption, nor of the cōminge of Christes Bodie, nor of the Aboade, or Departure of y^e same, nor of any other the like M. Hardinges Mysteries. Therefore this holy Father neither reproo∣ueth our Doctrine, nor chargeth vs, as M. Harding imagineth, with any madnesse. But if he were now aliue, he would accoumpte him madde, and twise madde, that would so madly ra••ke his woordes to so vaine a purpose.

Concerninge the Reseruation of the Sacramente, that Cyrillus speaketh of, the mater stoode thus. Sometimes after that the people had receiued the Holy My∣steries, it happened, that there remained some portions vntouched. These por∣tions so remaininge the godly Fathers, that then were, thought it not méete, to turne to any profane vse: but rather Re••erued them vntil the nexte daie, to be re∣ceiued of the people in the Holy Communion. For as yet there was no Priuate Masse knowen in the whole Churche of God, throughout the worlde.

The Messalian Monkes repined he••eat, and saide, The Sacramente coulde not so longe contin••we Holy. Cyrillus answeareth them, not that the Fleashe, whiche Christe receiued of the Blissed Uirgin, contineweth stil, as inclosed in the Sacra∣ment,

as it is vntruely reported by M. Hardinge, but that Christes Institution, & the Mystical Benediction, whiche he calleth the Quickeninge Grace, continueth stil. And his reason is this: for that al Sacramentes haue their vertue, & Power, not of them selfe, but wholy, and onely from Christe. Wherefore, as Christe is one, & continueth stil without change: euen so muste the Grace, that Christe woor∣keth in vs by his Sacramentes, be likewise one, and continewe stil. And as there is no vertue in the Water of Baptisme, but when it is vsed: euen so there is no vertue in the Breade of the Holy Communion, but likewise onely when it is vsed.

As for the Quickeninge Grace, it is as wel in the one Sacramente, as in the other. S. Ambrose saithe, Aqua Baptismatis habet Gratiam Dei, & Praesentiam Tri∣nitatis: * 1.3 The VVater of Baptisme hath the Grace of God, and the presence of the Holy Trinitie.* 1.4 And in the Nicene Councel it is written thus: Cogita aquas plenas ignis Coelestis: Imagine this VVater to be ful of Heauenly fiere. And this Grace is not onely for one houre, or twoo, but lasteth, & continueth stil. So S. Augustine saithe, Arca Testamenti, quamuis ab hostibus capta, Virtutem tamen suae Sanctificationis non a∣misit: The Arke of God, notwithstandinge it were taken, and carried a waie by the Enimies, yet it loste not the vertue of the former holinesse,* 1.5 that was in it.

Yet may not M. Hardinge vpon occasion hereof, either thinke, or say, that this Grace is Really, and Substantially inclosed, either in the one Sacramente, or in the other. B••nauentura saithe,* 1.6 Non est aliquo modo dicendum, quòd Gratia con∣tinetur in Sacramentis essentialiter, tanquam aqua in vase. Hoc enim dicere, est erroneum. Sed dicuntur continere Gratiam, quia eam Significant: VVee may not in any wise saie, That the Grace of God is conteined in the Sacramentes Substantially, and in deede, as VVater is conteined in a Vessel. For, so to say, it were an errour. But Sacramentes are saide, to con∣••eine the Grace of God, bicause they Signifie the Grace of God.

Here the Opinion, that M. Hardinge séemeth to mainteine, is condemned for an errour: And this sentence allowed for true, and Catholique: Sacramentes are saide to cōteine the Grace of God, bicause they Signifie the Grace of God. To conclude, he saith, Gratia est in animis, non in Signis Visibilibus: The Grace is in the Mindes, or Soules of the receiuers: not in the Visible Signes, or Sacramentes.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Apocalip. 18.
• * 1.2

  Origen. in. 〈◊〉〈◊〉homil. ••.
• * 1.3

  Ambros. De Sa∣cramen. li. 1. ca. 5.
• * 1.4

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.5

  August. contr•• ••audent. li. 3.
• * 1.6

  In. 4. Senten. Dist. 1. quae. 3.