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.

He, that vnderstandeth what he heareth readde, Saithe M. Hardinge, hath his minde wan∣dringe, and is drawen abroade with vaine imaginations. But who so vnderstandeth not one woorde at al, neither what he heareth, nor what he speaketh him selfe, hath his minde cloasely fixed vpon that he speaketh. Thus M. Hardinge, as he hath made a new Diuinitie, so is he also bolde to make a newe Philosophie. For naturally, the minde vnderstanding what it heareth, or readeth, and beinge attentiue vnto the same, hath lesse cause to wan∣der, and straie abroade. S. Basile saithe,* 1.1 Lingua psallat▪ Mens autem scrutetur sen∣sum eorum quae dicis: vt psallas spiritu, & psallas etiam mente. Let thy tongue singe: and let thy minde searche out the meaninge of that, thou speakest: that thou maiste singe with thy spirite, and singe also with thy minde.

But, for as muche as M. Hardinge saithe, the vnderstandinge of the Prieste, is a hinderance vnto Priuate Deuotion, in fauour whereof he vtterly defaceth the publique praiers, it shal behooue vs to consider, what the olde Fathers haue

thought in that behalfe.* 1.2 Chrysostome thereof writeth thus: Non aequè exoras, cùm solus Dominum obsecras, a••que cum fratribus tuis. Est enim in hoc plus aliquid, videlicet, concordia, conspiratio, copula amoris, & charitatis, & sacerdotum clamores. Praesunt enim ob eam rem Sacerdotes, vt populi orationes, quae infirmiores per se sunt, validiores illas complexae simul in coelum euehantur.* 1.3 Thou doest not so soone obteine thy desire, when thou prayest alone vnto the Lorde, as when thou praiest with thy bre∣thren. For herein there is somewhat more, the concorde, the consente, the ioyninge of loue and charitie, and the crie of the Priestes. For to that ende the priestes are made ouerseers, that they beinge the stronger sorte, maie take with them the weaker praiers of the people, and carrie them vp into Heauen.* 1.4 Likewise againe he saithe, Quod quis apud se ipsum precatus accipere non poterit, hoc cum multitudine preca••us accipiet. Quare? Quia etiamsi non propria virtus, tamen concordia multum potest. The thinge, that a man can not obteine praieinge by him selfe alone, praieinge togeather with the multitude he shal ob∣teine. And why so? For although not his owne woorthinesse, yet the Concorde, and Vni∣tie preuaileth muche. Thus then stoode the order of Christes Churche: The whole multitude gaue eare vnto the Prieste, and at the ende of his praier lifted vp their voices vnto heauen al togeather, and saide, Amen: whiche voice oftentimes was so greate, that, as it is afore saide, S. Hierome likeneth it vnto a thunder clappe: S. Basile vnto the roaringe of the sea. At that time, M. Hardinges Priuate Deuo∣tion, as it is nowe vsed in his Churche, woulde haue beene called Priuate Super∣stition. And where as he thus strangely saithe, Deuotion is hindred by vnderstandinge, his owne Doctour Nicolas Lyra saithe otherwise, and condemneth him.* 1.5 Si populus intelligat orationem sacerdotis, melius reducitur in Deum, & deuotius responder, Amen: If the people vnderstande the praier of the Prieste, they are the better reduced vnto God, and with more deuotion they answeare,* 1.6 Amen. The Emperour Iustinian, where he commaundeth al Bishoppes, and Priestes, to minister the Seruice with a lowdo voice, geueth this reason withal, Vt mentes audientium ad maiorem animi compun∣ctionem, & ad reddendam Domino gloriam excitentur. That the mindes of the hearers, maie be stirred vp to more deuotion, and to render praise vnto the Lorde. And S. Basile saithe,* 1.7 Tanquam ab vno ore, & vno corde Confessionis Psalmum offerunt Domino: & verba poenitentiae eorum quisque propriè ascribit sibi. As it were from one mouthe, and from one harte, they offer vp vnto the Lorde the Psalme of Confession: and the woordes of repentance euery of them applieth particularly vnto him selfe. So likewise it is written in the Prologue* 1.8 before S. Augustine vpon the Psalmes. Quomodo debi••è potest Deo psallere, qui ignorat quid psallat? Howe canne he singe dewly (or deuoutely) vnto God, that knoweth not, what he singeth? It is thought by these, not withstandinge M. Hardinges contrary, and Priuate iudgement, that the vnderstandinge of the Publique Seruice is no hinderance vnto deuotion: and their authoritie in this case maie serue, onlesse M. Hardinge wil condemne them altogeather, as he doothe others, for Newe Maisters.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Basil. in Psal•• 28.
• * 1.2

  Praiers Commō and pri∣uate.
• * 1.3

  Chrysost. de in∣comprehensibili Dei natura ho∣mi. 3.
• * 1.4

  Chrysost. in 2. ad Thessal. hom. 4.
• * 1.5

  Lyra in. 1. Co∣rin. Ca. 14.
• * 1.6

  In Nouellis, De Ecclesiasticis di∣uersis capitulis. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.7

  Basili. ad Cleri∣cos Naeocaesar.
• * 1.8

  Prologus in Au∣gustin. super Psalmos.