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 M. Hardinge saithe, Al standeth not in vnderstandinge, If he meane there∣by profounde knowledge, and deepe conceiuinge of Mysteries, as S. Augustine al∣so meante, it may wel be graunted. Otherwise, as touchinge the publique Ser∣uice, as Chrysostome saithe,* 1.1 Onles the vnlearned vnderstande, what thou praiest, he is not edified,* 1.2 neither canne he geue consent vnto thy pr••ier: thou throwest thy woordes into the winde, and speakest in vaine. And therfore the very substance of the Publique praier, reasteth in the vnderstandinge of the hearer.

No man may iustly presume, of that M. Hardinge saithe, we shal not render ac∣coumpte of our knowledge.* 1.3 For at that terrible daie of the Lorde, we shal assuredly render accoumpte of our wilful Ignorance.* 1.4 Christe him selfe, vnto whome God hath geuen al iudgement,* 1.5 saithe, If the blinde leade the blinde, bothe shal fal into the

pitte.* 1.6 And againe, This is the Condemnation of the worlde: light is come into the worlde: and men loue the darkenesse more then the light: This, saithe Christe, is the Condem∣nation of the worlde. And the wise man saith, The wicked at that terrible time, shal make their moane on this sorte:* 1.7 Aberrauimus à via veritaris: & Iustitiae lumen non fulsit nobis: & Sol intelligentiae non exortus est nobis. We straied from the way of the Trueth: and the light of Iustice shined not before vs: neither did the Sonne of vnderstandinge arise vnto vs. Chrysostome* 1.8 oftentimes complaineth of the peoples negligence in this behalfe, Non sum, inquis, Monachus: Vxorem habeo, & filios, & curam Domus. Hoc illud est quod omnia quasi vna quadam peste corrumpit, quòd Lectionem diuinarū Scripturarum ad solos pu••atis Monachos pertinere &c. Thou wilt saie, I am no Monke, I haue wife, and Children, and charge of householde. This is it, that as it were with a Pesti∣lence, infecteth al togeather, that ye thinke the readinge of the Holy Scriptures belongeth onely vnto Monkes.* 1.9 He addeth further, Multò est grauius, atque deterius, super∣fluam esse putare Legem Dei, quàm illam omninò nescire. Haec enim verba sunt, quae de Diabolica prorsus meditatione promuntur. The faulte is greater, and more greeuous, to thinke Goddes Lawe is superfluous (and not needeful for thee) then to be ignorant, whether there be any suche Lawe, or no: for these woordes come euen from the perswasion of the Diuel.

Againe he saithe,* 1.10 Haec Diabolicae inspirationis operatio est, non sinentis nos aspicere Thesaurum, ne diuitias acquiramus. Proptereà ille suade••, nihil omninò esse commodi di∣uinas audire Leges, ne quando ex auditu sequi videat actionem. This is the workinge of the Diuels Inspiration. He woulde not suffer vs to see the Treasure, leaste we shoulde geate the riches. Therefore he counseleth vs, that it vtterly auaileth nothinge, to heare the Lawes of God: least that vpon the hearinge, he may see our dooinge followe. Here we sée, the do∣ctrine of simple ignorance, whiche M. Hardinge so stifly mainteineth, is called by Chrysostome, The Diuels studie: The Diuels iudgement: the Diuels Inspiration. And where he saithe, God wil cal vs to no reckeninge of our knowlege, or lacke of knowlege, Chry∣sostome plainely auoutcheth the contrary by these woordes:* 1.11 Dices, non legi: Non est haec excusatio, sed crimen. Thou wilt say, I haue not readde the Scripture: This is no excuse, but a sinne.

Christian simplicitie is not wilful ignorance, that is to say, to beleeue euery fable that is tolde, and to examine, and know nothinge. As Christe saithe, Be ye Simple as Dooues:* 1.12 so he also saithe, Be ye Wise, as Serpentes. Take heede, ye be not decei∣ued. S. Paule saithe,* 1.13 He that knoweth not, shal not be knowen. Chrysostome here∣of writeth thus,* 1.14 Paulus ait, Verbum Christi inhabiter in vobis abundanter. Sed quid ad haec respondent fucis stultiores?* 1.15 Benedicta omnis anima Simplex: Et, Qui simpliciter ambulat, in fiducia ambular. Hoc videlicet omnium malorum est causa, quòd non multi Scripturarum testimonia in opportunis rebus sciunt adducere. Non. n•• eo loco Simplex pro stulto, aut pro eo, qui nihil nouit, intelligendus est: sed pro homine non malo, nec versuto. Nam si ita intelligeretur, superuacaneum fuisset dicere, Estote pru∣dentes, sicut Serpentes. S. Paule saithe, Let the vvoorde of God dvvel in you abundantly. But what wil these fooles say hereto? O, say they, Blissed is the simple soule. And, He that vvalketh simply, vvalketh surely. This is the very cause of al mischiefe, that in cases of necessitie, there be not many hable to allege the Scriptures. For, a Simple man, in that place may not be taken for a foole, or a man, that knoweth nothinge: but for a man that meaneth no il, or vvoorketh no fraude. For if it were to be taken so: it had beene in vaine for Christ to saie, Be ye vvise as Serpentes. Therefore M. Har∣dinge in the defence of ignorance, thus assuringe the worlde, that God wil not be offended with wante of knowlege, deceiueth the people of God, and saithe not the trueth. The reason, that M. Hardinge hereof geathereth, standeth thus:

The people, as S. Augustine saithe, cannot atteine profounde knowledge: and God beareth vvith their simpli••itie.
Ergo, they ought to haue their Seruice in a strange tongue.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Chrysostom. in 1.
• * 1.2

  Corin. homi. 35.
• * 1.3

  Roman. 14.
• * 1.4

  2. Corinth. 5.
• * 1.5

  Matthae. 15.
• * 1.6

  Iohan. 3.
• * 1.7

  Sapient. 5.
• * 1.8

  Chrysostom. In Matthae. ho. 2.
• * 1.9

  In eadem Ho∣••ilia.
• * 1.10

  In eadem.
• * 1.11

  Chrysost. ad He∣braeos hom. 17.
• * 1.12

  Matthae. 10.
• * 1.13

  Colossen. 2.
• * 1.14

  1. Corinth. 14.
• * 1.15

  Chrysostom. in Iohan. homi. 16.