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 XXVII. ARTICLE, OF IGNORANCE. (Book 27)

The B. of Sarisburie.

Or, that Ignorance is the Mother, and cause of true Deuotion, and Obedience.

M. Hardinge.

Maister Iuel had greate neede of Articles, for some shewe to be made against the Catholike Churche, when he aduised him selfe to put this in for an Article. Verily this is none of the highest Mysteries,* 1.1 nor none of the greatest keyes of our Religiō, as he saith it is, but vntruely, and knoweth that for an vntrueth. For him selfe imputeth it to D. Cole, in his replies to him as a strange saieing by him vttered in the Disputation at VVestminster, to the wonderinge of the most parte of the ho∣norable, and worshipful of this Realme. If it were one of the highest mysteries, and greatest keies of the Catholike Religion, I trust the most parte of the honorable, and worshipful of the Realme, woulde not wonder at it.* 1.2 Concerninge the matter it selfe, I leaue it to D. Cole. He is of age to an∣sweare for himselfe. VVhether he saide it or no, I knowe not. As he is learned, wise, and godly, so I doubte not, but, if he saide it, therein he had a good meaninge, and can shewe good reason for the same,* 1.3 if he maie be admitted to declare his saieinge, as wise men woulde the Lawes to be declared, so as the minde be taken, and the word spoken not alwaies rigorously exacted.

The B. of Sarisburie.

Here M. Hardinge allegeth no Doctour, but Doctour Cole. And touchinge the mater it selfe, he thinketh this errour wel excused, for that it is not y^e principal keye of his Religion. How be it, he, that in moste honorable Assemblie doubted not openly to pronounce these woordes, I telle yovv, Ignorance is the Mother of De∣uotion, was thought then to esteeme the same, as no smal keie of his Religion.

Uerily it appeareth by the whole practise, and policie of that side, they are fully persuaded, that without déepe Ignorance of the people, it is not possible for their Churche to stande.

Therefore they chase the Simple from the Scriptures, and drowne them in Ignorance, and suffer them vtterly to knowe nothinge: neither the Profession, they made in Baptisme: nor the meaninge of the holy Mysteries: nor the Price of Christes Bloude: nor wherein, or by whom they maie be saued: nor what they de∣sire of God, either when they praie togeather in the Churche, or when they priua∣tely pray alone.

They shut vp the Kingedome of Heauen before menne:* 1.4 and neither wil they enter them selues, nor suffer others, that woulde enter. And, as it is written by the Prophete Esai, Dicunt videntibus, Nolite videre: They saie vnto them, that see, Stoppe youre eies,* 1.5 and see nomore. As the people is,* 1.6 sutche is the Prieste: and as the Prieste is, sutche is the people. The blinde is sette to guide the blinde.* 1.7

Thus they walter in darkenes, and in the shadowe of Deathe. And yet, as it is written in the Booke of Wisedome, Non satis est illis errasse circa scientiam Dei: sed in magno viuentes inscitiae bello,* 1.8 tot & tanta mala Pacem appellant: They thought it not sufficient, to be deceiued, and blinded in the Knowledge of God: but liuinge in sutche a Warre of ignorance, al these euilles they calle Peace, And make the people beleeue, it is Obedience, Catholique Faithe, and Deuotion: Or rather, as Ireneus writeth against the Ualentinian Heretiques,* 1.9 Veritatis Ignorantiam, Cognitionem vocant: Ignorance of the Truethe, and blindenesse, they calle Knowledge.

By these Policies they ouerrule the Churche of God, and keepe the people in Obedience:* 1.10 euen as the Philistines, after they had once shorne of Samsons heare, and boared out his eies, notwithstandinge the strengthe, and sturdinesse of his Bodie,* 1.11 were hable to leade him whither they listed, at theire pleasure. For he that walketh in the darke, knoweth not, whither to goe.

In the Councel of Toledo in Spaine it is written thus,* 1.12 Mater omnium erro∣rum Ignorantia: Ignorance is the Mother (not of Deuotiō, but) of al errours: Like as S. Augustine also saith,* 1.13 Erat in illis Regnum Ignorantiae, id est, Regnum Erroris: There was in them the Kingedome of Ignorance, that is to saie, the Kingedome (not of Deuo∣tion, but) of Errour.

S Hierome saithe,* 1.14 Scripturarum Ignorantia, Christi Ignorantia est: The Ignorance of the Scriptures is the Ignorance of Christe.* 1.15

And S. Gregorie saithe,* 1.16 Qui ea, quae sunt Domini, nesciunt, à Domino nesciuntur: Who so knowe not the thinges, that perteine vnto the Lorde, be not knowen of the Lorde.

But abooue al others,* 1.17 these woordes of the Anciente learned Father Origen are specially woorthy to be noted: Daemonibus est super omnia genera tormentorum, & super omnes poenas, si quem videant Verbo Dei operam dare, scientiam Diuinae Legis, & Mysteria Scripturarum intentis studijs perquirentem. In hoc eorum omnis flamma est: in hoc vruntur incendio. Possident enim omnes, qui versantur in Ignorantia: Vnto the Diuels it is a tormente, abooue al kindes of tormentes, and a paine abooue al paines, yf they see any man readinge the Woorde of God, and with feruente studie searchinge the Knowledge of Goddes Lawe, and the Mysteries, and Secretes of the Scriptures. Herein standeth al the flame of the Diuels: In this fiere they are tormented. For they are seased, and possessed of al them, that remaine in Ignorance.

To be shorte,* 1.18 Moses wished, that al the whole people might haue vnder∣standinge, and be hable to prophecie.* 1.19 S. Paule wished, that the whole people might daily more, and more increase in the knowledge of God: and saithe, VVho so continevveth in Ignorance, and knovveth not, shal not be knovven.

God the God of Light, and Truethe, remooue al Ignorance, and darknesse from our hartes:* 1.20 that wée maie flée the Sprite of errour, and knowe the Uoice of the Greate Shephearde: that we growe into a ful perfite man in Christe Iesu,* 1.21 and be not blowen awaie with euery blast of vaine Doctrine: that wée maie be hable to knowe the Onely, the True, and the Liuinge God, and his onely begotten Sonne Iesus Christe: to whom with the Father, and the Holy Ghoste, be al honoure, and glorie, for euer, and euer. Amen.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Fol. 77.
• * 1.2

  Iohan. 9.
• * 1.3

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.4

  Matthae. 23.
• * 1.5

  Esai. 30.
• * 1.6

  Esai. 24.
• * 1.7

  Matthae. 15.
• * 1.8

  Sapien. 14.
• * 1.9

  Irenae. li. 2. ca. 19.
• * 1.10

  Iudic. 16.
• * 1.11

  Iohan. 12.
• * 1.12

  Concil. Toletan. 4. Can. 24.
• * 1.13

  Augustin. in Psalm. 33. con∣cion. 1.
• * 1.14

  Distin. 38.
• * 1.15

  Si iuxta.
• * 1.16

  Gregor. in Pa∣storali, li. 1. ca. 1.
• * 1.17

  Origen. in Nu∣mer. homi. 27.
• * 1.18

  Numer. 11.
• * 1.19

  1. Thessal. 4. 1. Corin. 14.
• * 1.20

  Iohan. 5.
• * 1.21

  Ephes. 4.