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.

Where as of the nature of this woorde Communio, which is moste common∣ly vsed in al the olde Fathers, I tooke occasion to say that the Priest ought to com∣municate with the people, for y^t otherwise it cannot iustly be called a Communion, M. Hardinge maketh answer, as a man wel brooking his owne learning, That this reason is weake, and vnlearned, as proceedinge al togeather of ignorance. Here to leaue al con∣tention of learnyng, and onely to haue regarde vnto the truthe, If the very nature of this woorde Communio,* 1.1 importe not a thing to be common, as it is supposed, muche lesse may it, as I iudge, importe a thinge to be priuate.

It is named Communio, saith M. Harding, of the effecte that it woorketh in vs, bicause by the same wée are ioigned vnto God: not bicause many Communicate to∣geather in one place. And for proufe hereof he allegeth the authoritie of Diony∣sius: wherein he dooth great wronge to that good olde Father, alleging his autho∣ritie for the Masse, that neuer spake woorde of the Masse.

It is graunted of al without contradiction, that one ende of al Sacramentes is to ioigne vs vnto God: as Dionysius saith here of the holy Communion, & Paule likewise of the Sacrament of Baptisme:* 1.2 ye are ••l the children of God by faith in Christe Iesus:* 1.3 For as many of you as are Baptised in Christe, haue put on Christe. And Chrysostome saith, That by Baptisme wee are made Bone of Christes Bones, and fleashe of Christes fleash.

An other ende is to ioigne vs al togeather. And so likewise writeth S. Paule of Baptisme.* 1.4 Nos omnes in vnum corpus Baptizati sumus. Al wee are Baptised into one ••ody.* 1.5 And therfore saith S. Augustine, In nullum nomen Religionis seu verum, seu falsum, coagulari homines possunt, nisi aliquo signaculorum, vel Sacramentorum visi∣bilium

consortio colligentur:* 1.6 Men can not be brought into any name of Religion be it true, or false, vnlesse they be ioigned togeather with the bande of visible Signes, or Sacramentes.

And not withstandinge Dionysius speaketh plainely of bothe these endes, yet it pleaseth M. Harding in his allegation onely to name the one, and to concele the other: and by the affirmation of the one, vntruely to conclude the denial of the o∣ther. And as touchinge the later of these two endes, the same Dionysius in the same Chapter that M. Hardinge here allegeth, writeth thus:* 1.7 Sancta illa vnius, & eiusdem Panis, & poculi communis & pacifica distributio, vnitatem illis diuinam, tan∣quam vnà enutritis, praescribit.* 1.8 That holy, common, and peaceable distribution of one Breade, and one Cuppe, preacheth vnto them a heauenly vnitie, as beyng menne fedde togea∣ther. And Pachymeres the Gréeke Paraphrast expoundinge the same place hath these woordes: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. For that common diete, and consent farther bringeth vs into the remembrance of the Lordes Supper. What so euer M. Hardinge haue saide, I recken it wil hereby appeare vnto the indifferent reader, that these woordes doo sufficiently declare, both the common receiuinge of the Sacrament, and also the knittinge and ioyninge of many togeather.

Now let vs examine this reason: The Communion hath his name of the effect, for that it ioyneth vs vnto God: Ergo, sayth M. Hardinge, it signifieth not the communicatinge of many togeather. Surely this argument is very weake: I wil not say, It is vnlearned, or procéedeth of ignorance. He shoulde néede a newe Logique, that would assay to make it good.

Nay, it may muche better be replied: what effecte can this Sacrament haue, or whome canne it ioyne to God, but onely suche as doo receiue it? Or what effecte can the Sacrament of Baptisme worke, but onely in them that receiue Baptisme? Without al question, theffecte that Dionysius meante, standeth not in this, that one man saithe a Priuate Masse, and receiueth the Sacrament alone: but in this that the people prayeth, and receiueth the holy Communion togeather, & thereby dothe openly testifie, that they be al one in Christe Iesus, and al one emongst them selues.* 1.9 And therefore Chrysostome saieth, Proptereà in Mysterijs alter al••erum am∣plectimur, vt vnum multi fiamus. For that cause in the time of the Mysteries we embrace one an other, that beyng many, we may become one.

How be it, in plaine speache it is not the receiuinge of the Sacrament, that woorketh our ioyninge with God. For who so euer is not ioyned to God before he receiue the Sacramentes, he eateth and drinketh his owne iudgement. The Sacramentes be Seales and witnesses,* 1.10 & not properly the causes of this coniunc∣tion. Otherwise our children that departe this life before they receiue the Com∣munion, and al the godly Fathers of the olde Testament should haue no co••••un∣ction with God.* 1.11 Wherefore S. Augustine saithe, No man may any wise doubte, but euery faithful creature is then made partaker of Christes Bodie and Bloude, when in Bap∣tisme he is made the membre of Christe: and that he is not put of from the felowship of that Breade and that Cuppe, although before either he eate that Breade, or drinke of that Cuppe, he depart this worlde beyng in the vnitie of Christes Bodie. For he is not depriued from the partakinge and benefite of the Sacrament, so longe as he findeth in him selfe that thinge, that the Sacrament signifieth.* 1.12 Likewise S. Cyprian, Nos ipsi Corpus Christi effecti, & Sacramento, & re Sacramenti, Capiti nostro coniungimur, & vnimur: We our selues be∣yng made the Bodie of Christe, bothe by the meane of the Sacrament, and also by the thinge it self of the Sacramēt, or represented by the Sacrament, are ioyned and vnited vnto our Heade.

But S. Cyprian saithe,* 1.13 The whole Churche is but one house, in whiche the Lamme is eaten. And S. Hierome not withstandinge he dwelte in Bethlehem so many Miles of from S. Augustine, beyng then at Hippo in Aphrica, yet he calleth him a Bis∣shop

of his Communion: Ergo, saithe M. Hardinge, the Prieste that saithe Masse alone in Rome, communicateth togeather with an other Prieste that saithe Masse alone in India. Here S. Cyprian, and S. Hierome are violently drawen in, & forced to witnesse the thinge, that they neuer knewe: and so M. Hardinge, as his manner is, concludeth a false∣heade.

The holy Communion was so often, and so generally frequented amongst al Christians in the Primitiue Churche in al their assemblies, and Congregations, that at length the very companie and felowship of them was called Communio, takinge name of that action, that was most solemnely vsed emonge them at their méetinges. And therfore to geue somewhat more credite to M. Hardinges woordes, S. Augustine saithe:* 1.14 Mulier illa est Communionis nostrae: That Woman is of our Com∣munion. Likewise againe, Donatus non nisi in sua Communione Baptismum esse credit.* 1.15 Donatus thinketh there is no Baptisme but onely in his Communion. And S. Hie∣rome writinge vnto Damasus Bishop of Rome, hath these woordes: Ego nullum primum, nisi Christum sequens, beatitudini tuae, id est Cathedrae Petri Communione con∣socior. I followyng no chiefe but onely Christ, am ioyned by Communion to thy holinesse, that is to say to Peters Chaire: In these places this woorde Communio, signifieth not the Ministration of Sacramentes, but a side, a parte, or a felowship or consent in Articles of Religion. And in this sense S. Hierome called S. Augustine a Bi∣shop of his Communion: that is, of his Faithe: of his Minde: of his Doctrine: of his Religion.

Here may be noted by the way, that S. Hierome saithe not, S. Augustine is a Bishop of my Masse, but of my Communion. For M. Hardinge knoweth, that neither of them bothe euer sayd Priuate Masse, and therefore coulde not commu∣nicate the one with the other in saieyng Masse.

But for clearer answeare to the woordes of S. Hierome, the Communion or felowship of the Church standeth in sundrie respectes: For wée cōmunicate togea∣ther, either in consent of minde, as it is written of the Apostles, They had al one Harte, and one Minde:* 1.16 Or in knowlege of God, as Christe prayeth for his Apostles vnto his Father,* 1.17 that they may be one, as thou and I be one: And S. Paule to the Phi∣lippiens,* 1.18 I thanke my God alway, that ye are come to the Communion of the Gospel: Or in one Christe,* 1.19 as Paule saith, there is now no bondeman, there is now no free man, but al are one in Christe Iesus. To be shorte, we communicate in Spirite: in Prayers: in Loue: we are al washed with one Bloud: we are al ••edde with one Bodie: we haue al one hope of our vocation: and altogeather with one harte, and one voice, be we neuer so farre a sunder,* 1.20 doo glorifie God the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christe.

And this is that onely house wherein the Lamme is eaten,* 1.21 grounded vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophetes. In this house we dwel, M. Hardinge: here we walke togeather with consent: here we eate that Lamme of God, beyng al brothers, and members of one Bodie, and al one in Christe Iesu. God restore you once againe into the same house,* 1.22 that you may open the eyes of your harte, and sée from whence you are fallen.

Where you say, twoo diuerse Priestes sayeinge Masse may Communicate to∣geather, not withstandinge they be in sundrie countries, it may soone be graunted. For they Communicate togeather in wickednesse: in breakinge of Goddes com∣maundement: and in deceiuinge of the people: euen in like sorte as the wicked Chil∣dren Communicate in wickednesse with their wicked Fathers. As Christe sée∣meth to say to the Phariseis:* 1.23 At your handes shalbe sought for al the iuste Bloude, that hath benne spilte,* 1.24 from the Bloud of Abel the iuste vnto the Bloude of Zacharie. Fil ye vp the measure of your Fathers.

Now these thinges noted, we may the better take the viewe of M. Hardinges

argumentes,

The whole Churche (saith he) through the worlde is but one house: Ergo, the Prieste may [ 1] say Priuate Masse.

The faitheful that be farre a sunder doo Communicate togeather in consente of minde: Ergo, [ 2] they doo Communicate in receiuinge the Sacramentes.

S. Augustine, and S. Hierome did Communicate in Faithe and Doctrine, Ergo, they did Com∣municate [ 3] togeather in sayeinge Masse. If S. Paule might haue had some conference with M. Hardinge, and haue founde out these reasons, he would neuer haue found such faulte with the Corinthians, neither would he haue written thus vnto them, Inuicem expectate, waite ye al, One for an other:* 1.25 Whiche woordes euen Hugo Cardi∣nalis expoundeth thus: vt vna sit mensa: non habeat quilibet mensam suam: Let there be one table for al: and let not euery man haue his sundry table.

But who can better expounde S. Hieromes woordes, then S. Hierome him selfe? Thus he writeth vnto Theophilus against Iohn Bishop of Hierusalem, Quod scribit, nos tecum pergere Romam,* 1.26 & Ecclesiae communicare ei, à qua videmur cō∣munione separati, non necesse est ire tam longè: & hic in Palaestina eodem modo ei iun∣gimur. Et ne hoc quod procul sit: In viculo Bethlehem presbyteris eius, quantum in nobis est, Communione sociamur. Where as he writeth that I am goeinge with thee to Rome, to Communicate with the Churche there, from whiche we be diuided by Communion, it is no∣thinge needeful to goe so farre. For beyng here in Palestine, we are ioyned to the same Church in like māner. And let him not make mater, that it is so farre of. For beyng here in the litle towne of Bethleem, as muche as in vs lieth, we ioine in Communion with the Priestes of Rome. He saithe, as muche as in vs lieth,* 1.27 whereby he excepteth onely the vse of the Sacraments together. For otherwise they had Communicated throughly in al thinges, & these woordes, as muche as in vs lieth, shoulde not haue néeded.

The errour of these M. Hardinges reasons is called Fallacia aequiuocatio∣nis, That is, a falseheade in reasoninge, risinge by the craftie handlinge of one woorde, that hath twoo, or moe significations, whereby one thinge is laide foorth in shewe, and an other is concluded. This woorde Communio, beinge one, impor∣teth twoo thinges, Consent in Religion, and y^e Ministration of the holy Mysteries. The one is spiritual, the other corporal: The one requireth circumstance of place, the other requireth no place. Therefore to say, S. Hierome and S. Augustine, beyng so farre a sunder, did Communicate in Religion: ergo, they did Communi∣cate in breakinge and receiuinge the Sacrament: hath no more order in sequele, then if M. Hardinge woulde reason thus: S. Hierome, and S. Augustine did com∣municate in Spirite, ergo, they did also communicate in Bodie: Or thus, Their Sprites were togeather, ergo, their Bodies were togeather. So might he aswel say,* 1.28 The Sprite of Elizeus was with Giezi his man vpon the way: ergo, the bodie of Elizeus was with Giezi vpon the way: Or, The Sprite of Paule was with the Corinthians: ergo, his bodie was with the Corinthians.

By this argument M. Hardinge might very directly haue concluded againste him selfe: The whole Churche of God is but one house, and al the members of the same doo Communicate togeather in Faithe and Sprite: Hereof we may founde the maior. Euery particular Churche ought to be a resemblance of the whole Churche: and this particular Communion ought to be a resemblance of that gene∣ral Communion: That general Communion is common to al, and euery mem∣ber receiueth his parte: ergo, the particular Communion ought to be ministred commonly vnto al, and euery member to receiue his parte.

Or thus, The Ministration of the holy Communion representeth the coniunc∣tion, and felowship that we haue in Faithe:* 1.29 And as S. Cyprian saithe, that Chri∣stian men are ioyned togeather with vnseparable Charitie, the Lordes Sacramentes doo declare:

But Christian people being assembled in one Churche doo Communicate in Faith al togeather: ergo, beinge so assembled they ought to Communicate in Sacra∣mentes al togeather.

But M. Hardinge of the nature of this woorde, Communio, séemeth to fashion out farre other argumentes:

It is called Communio, saithe he: ergo, it may be Priuate.

It is called Communio: ergo, it may be receiued of one alone.

It is called Communio: ergo, the Prieste may receiue it without communi∣cantes. O M. Hardinge weighe your argumentes better before you sende them thus abroade. You shal lesse offende God, and your owne conscience: you shal lesse deceiue your brethren: and children shal take lesse occasion to wounder at you.

Now to adde a litle more hereunto toutchinge the nature of this woorde Com∣munio, wherein you so vncourteousely charge al others with ignorance, and lacke of learninge, as it pleaseth you to doo through out your whole booke, I thinke it not amisse to shew you, what certaine writers bothe olde and newe haue thought and written in that behalfe. I néede not here to allege the woordes that S. Paule vseth touchinge the holy Communion,* 1.30 We are al one Breade, al one Bodie, as many as doo Communicate of one Breade: Neither that S. Hierome saithe, The Lordes Supper must be common: Neither that Chrysostome▪ The thinge that is the Lordes, they make Priuate: But the Lordes thinges are not this seruantes, or that seruantes, but common to al: Neither that S. Augustine saithe,* 1.31 Hunc cibum & potum, societatem vult intelligi Corporis, & membrorum suorum, He woulde haue vs to vnderstande, that this Meate, and Drinke is the felowship of his Bodie, and of his members: Neither that Chrysostome saithe, Quidnam appello Communicationem? Idem ipsum Corpus sumus. Quidnam significat Panis? Corpus Christi. Quid fiunt qui accipiunt? Corpus Christi. What cal I the Communication,* 1.32 or Communion? we are al one selfe same Bodie. What signifieth the Breade? The Bodie of Christe. And what are they made that receiue it? The Bodie of Christe. Although these Fathers by these woordes doo manifestly declare, that the holy Mysteries in their time were diuided commonly to the whole people: yet wil I take no aduantage thereof, for that M. Hardinge wil replie, they come not pre∣cisely to the nature of this woorde Communio.

Therefore I wil note one or twoo others, and such as M. Hardinge can not de∣nie, but they speake directly to the mater.* 1.33 Pachymeres a Gréeke writer, the Pa∣raphrast vpon Dionysius, hath these woordes: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Therefore (saithe he) hath this Father Dionysius called it the Communion,* 1.34 for that then al they that were woorthy, did Communi∣cate of the holy Mysteries. Thus Pachymeres a man of late yéeres wrote vpon the same Booke of Dionysius: and we may safely thinke, he vnderstoode his au∣thors minde as wel as M. Hardinge. He saithe, Communio is so called of that we doo Communicate togeather. But M. Hardinge thinketh otherwise, and con∣stantly saith, it is not so.

Haimo writinge vpon S. Paules Epistles saithe thus:* 1.35 Calix appellatur Com∣municatio, quasi participatio, quia omnes Communicant ex illo. The Cuppe is called the Communication, whiche is as much as participation, bicause al doo Communicate of it.

Hugo Cardinalis saithe thus:* 1.36 Post hoc dicatur Communio, quae appellatur, vt omnes communicemus. Afterwarde let the Communion be saide, whiche is so called, that we shoulde al Communicate. And he saithe further: Vel dicitur Communio, quia in Primitiua Ecclesia populus Communicabat quolibet die. Otherwise (saith he) it is cal∣led the Communion, for that the people in the Primitiue Churche did Communicate euery day.

Gerardus Lorichius,* 1.37 Dicitur Communio, quia concorditer de vno pane, & vno ••alice, multi participamus: Et Communio participationem & cōmunicationem significat.

It is called Communio, bicause we doo communicate togeather agreeably of one Breade, and one Cuppe: And this woorde Communio, is as muche as Participation, or receiuinge of partes.

Micrologus saith,* 1.38 Non potest propriè dici Cōmunio, nisi plures de eodem Sacrificio participent. It cannot iustly be called a Communion, onlesse many doo receiue togeather of one Sacrifice. If M. Hardinge wil not beleeue vs, yet, I hope, he wil beléeue some of these. They be al his owne. It were muche for him to say, they be al ignorant, and vnlearned: and not one of them vnderstoode, what he wrote. Certainely their age wil geue it them, they are no Lutheranes. S. Basile reporteth an Ecclesiasti∣cal Decrée,* 1.39 or Canon, that at the receiuinge of the holy Communion, whiche he calleth Mysticum Pascha, there ought to be twelue personnes at the least, and ne∣uer vnder.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Communio.
• * 1.2

  Cala. 3. Chrysostom. in ••pistol. ad ••phe.
• * 1.3

  Homi. 20.
• * 1.4

  1. Cor. 12.
• * 1.5

  Contra 〈◊〉〈◊〉Manichae. li. 19. cap. 11.
• * 1.6

  Commu∣nio.
• * 1.7

  Dionys. Eccle∣siast. Hierarch. cap. 3.
• * 1.8

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.9

  Chrysostom, Ad popul. Antio∣chen. homil. 61.
• * 1.10

  Roman. 4.
• * 1.11

  August. In Ser∣mone ad Infan∣tes. Beda. 1. Cor. 10.
• * 1.12

  Cyprian. de Coe∣na Domini.
• * 1.13

  Cyprianus de Coena Domini. Inter epistolas August. epist. 14.
• * 1.14

  August. in epist. ad Eusebium.
• * 1.15

  August. Retra∣ctar. lib. 1. ca. 21. Hieronymus ad Damasum.
• * 1.16

  Actor. 4.
• * 1.17

  Iohan. 17.
• * 1.18

  ••hilippen. 2.
• * 1.19

  ••alatas. 3.
• * 1.20

  Roman. 15.
• * 1.21

  Cyprian. De Coena Domini. Psalm. 54.
• * 1.22

  Apocalyp. 2.
• * 1.23

  Matth. 23.
• * 1.24

  Luke. 11.
• * 1.25

  Hugo Cardina∣lis.
• * 1.26

  Hieron. Aduer∣sus 10. Hieroso∣lymitan.
• * 1.27

  As muche, as 〈◊〉〈◊〉vs lieth.
• * 1.28

  4. Regum. 5. 1. Corinth. 5.
• * 1.29

  Cyprianus ad Magnum.
• * 1.30

  1. Corinth. 10. Hieron 1. Cor. 11. Chrys. 1. Corin. hom. 27.
• * 1.31

  August. in Io∣han. tracta. 26. Chrysost. 1. Co∣rin. hom. 24.
• * 1.32

  Significat.
• * 1.33

  Pachymeres in Dionysiū. cap. 3. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.34

  Dicitur Com∣munio, quia oēs Communicant.
• * 1.35

  Haimo in. 1. ad Corin. 10.
• * 1.36

  Hugo Cardina∣lis in Speculo Ecclesiae.
• * 1.37

  De missa publi∣ca proroganda.
• * 1.38

  Micrologus de Eccles. objerua∣tionib. apud Cassand de Li∣turgijs. cap. 22.
• * 1.39

  Basil. Exercit. ad pieta. Serm. 4.