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.

M. Hardinge. The .25. Diuision.

Nowe, touchinge the Scripture, by M. Iuel, and by al them of that side alleged, for the Seruice to be had in the Vulgare tongue, in the .14. Chapter of the firste Epistle to the Corinthians, S. Paule treateth of the vse of tongues, so as it was in the Primitiue Churche a special gifte. As the faith∣ful folke came togeather to praye, and to heare Goddes Woorde, some one man suddainely stoode vp, and spake in the Congregation, with tonges of many Nations, Spiritu insusurrante, as Chrysostome saithe, that is by inspiration, or promtinge of the Spirite, so, as neither others, that were present, neither him selfe, after the opinion of Chrysostome, vnderstoode, what he saide. That gifte the Apostle did not forbidde. For that euery gifte of God is good, and nothinge by him done in vaine: but de∣horted the Corinthians from the vaine, and ambitiouse vse of it: and therefore did muche extenuate the same, and preferred propheciynge, that is, the gifte to interprete and expounde Scriptures, farre before it. It was not in the Churche, but in the Apostles time, or a very shorte while after them, and that altogeather by miracle, the holy ghost beinge the worker of it.

As concerninge the order of the Common praiers, and Publique Seruice,* 1.1 in suche sorte as we haue nowe, and that age had not: S. Paule* 1.2 mentioneth nothinge, neither speaketh one woorde in that whole Chapter, but of the vse of the miraculouse gifte, as is saide before. And therefore his sayinges out of that Chapter, be not fittely alleged of M. Iuel, and the reste of our aduersaries, againste the maner of praiers, and Seruice of the Churche, now receiued and of longe time vsed, whiche in the VVeaste is vttered in the Latine tongue, not by waye of miracle, or peculiar gifte, but accordinge to the institution, and ordinaunce of the Churche. Profectò enim coelum Ecclesia tum fuit. In very deede saithe Chrysostome,* 1.3 the Churche then vvas a Heauen,* 1.4 vvhen as the holy ghost administred al thinges, moderated al the heades of the Churche, caught eche one vvith his inspiration. As for novv, vve keepe but the steppes onely of those thinges. VVe speake tvvo or three of vs, and that a sunder, and one holdinge his peace, an other beginneth. But these be but signes onely, and memorials of thinges. And so vvhen vve haue begonne (he meaneth D••̄s vobiscū) & cū spiritu tuo, the people ansvvereth: meaning to signifie therby, that so

in olde time they spake, not of their ovvne vvisedome, but of the instincte of the spirite of God. This much Chrysostome of the heauenly manner of the Primitiue Churche, in the Apostles time. Nowe, if in these daies the manner were like, if it pleased the Holie Ghoste to powre vpon vs the like abundance of grace, as to doo al thinges for vs, to rule the heades of al faithful people, to carrie eche one of vs with his diuine inspiration, and when we came to Church togeather for comforte, and edi∣fieing, to geue into our hartes, and put into our mouthes by daily miracle, vvhat vvee should pray, and what we should preach, and how we should handle the Scriptures: in this case no Catholike Christian man woulde allow the vnfruiteful speaking with strange and vnknowen tongues without interpre∣tation, to the let, and hinderance of Gods Woorde to be declared, and to the keping of the people onely in gasinge, and wondering, from saieing, Amen, and geuinge their assent to the Godly Blessinge, and thankes geuinge. But the order of the Churche nowe is farre otherwise. We haue not those miracu∣louse giftes, and right wel may wee doo without them. For the speakinge with tongues, was insteede of a signe, or wonder, not to them that beleued, but to the vnbeleuers. And signes be for the vnfaith∣ful: the faithful haue no neede of them. In Churches, I meane where auncient order is kepte, whi∣les the Seruice is songe, or saide, the ministers doo not speake with tongues, or with a tongue, in suche sorte as S. Paule vnderstoode: but they doo reade, and rehearse thinges, set foorthe and appoincted to them. S. Paule rebuketh them, who speakinge with tongues, letted the Preachers, so as the people pre∣sent might not be edified. The Latine Seruice is not so done in the Churche, as the exposition of the Scriptures be thereby excluded. In the Apostles time they came to Churche, to thintent they might profitably exercise the giftes, God gaue them, and by the same, specially by the gifte of prophecieinge, edifie one an other, and teache one an other. Nowe a daies, they come not togeather to Churche, one to teache an other, and to expounde the Scriptures in common: but to praye, and to heare the opening of Goddes Woorde, not one of an other without order, but of some one, to witte, the Bishop, Priest, Curate, or other spiritual gouernour, and teacher.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The .81. vn∣trueth. For sundrie Doctours bothe olde and nevve allege these vvoordes to this selfe same pur∣pose.
• * 1.2

  The place of S. Paule to the Corinthians maketh not for the seruice in the Englishe tongue.
• * 1.3

  In 1. Cor. 14.
• * 1.4

  Hom. 37.