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 .19. Diuision.

Wherefore to conclude, excepte we woulde wickedly graunte, that Goddes prouidence hath lacked, or dothe lacke to his Churche, for loue of whiche he hath geuen his onely begotten Sonne, and whiche he hath promised neuer to forgeate, so as the woman can not forgeate the Childe, she bare in her wombe:* 1.1 reason may soone induce vs to beleeue, that to one man, one Bishop, the chiefe and highest of al Bishoppes, the successour of Peter, the rule and gouernement of the Churche by God hath beene deferred. For elles if God had ordeined, that in the Churche shoulde be sundrie heades and rulers, and none constituted to be ouer other, but al of equal power, eche one amonge their people: then he shoulde seeme to haue set vp so many Churches, as he hath appointed gouernours. And so he shal ap∣p••are to haue brought in amonge his faitheful people, that vnruly confusion, the destruction of al common weales, so muche abhorred of Princes, whiche the Greekes cal Anarchian, whiche is a state, for lacke of order in gouernours, without any gouernement at al. VVhiche thinge, sithe that the wise, and politike men of this worlde doo shunne and detest in the gouernement of these earthly Kingedomes, as most pernicious and hurteful, to attribute to the highe wisedome of God, and to our Lorde Christe, who is the auctor of the moste ordinate disposition of al thinges in earthe, and in Hea∣uen: it were heynous, and prophane impietie. VVherefore if the state of a Kingedome, can not con∣tinewe salfe, onlesse one haue power to rule, how shal not the Churche spredde so farre abroade, be

in danger of great disorders, corruption, and vtter destruction, if, as occasion shalbe geuen, amonge so great strifes and debates of men, amonge so many fier brandes of discorde, tossed to and fro by the Diuelles, enemies of vnitie: there be not one heade and ruler, of al to be consulted, of al to be hearde, of al to be folowed, and obeyed? If strife and contention be stirred about matters of Faith, if controuersie happen to arise about the sense of the Scriptures, shal it not be necessary, there be one supreme iudge, to whose sentence the parties may stande? If neede require (as it hath been often seene) that General Coun∣cels be keapte, how can the Bishops, to whome that matter belongeth, be brought togeather, but by the cōmaundement of one heade gouernour, whome they owe their obedience vnto? For elies beinge summo∣ned, perhaps they wil not come. Finally, how shal the contumacie and pertinacie of mischieuous per∣sones be repressed, specially if the Bishops be at dissension within them selues: if there be not a supreme power, who towardes some may vse the rodde, towardes other some the spirite of lenitie, 〈◊〉〈◊〉su••he discrete temperament, as malice be vanquished, right defended, and concorde procured: leaste, if the smal sparkes of strife be not quenched by auctoritie at the beginninge, at length a greate flame of Schismes and heresies flashe abroade, to the great danger of a multitude? Therefore as there is one Bodie of Christe, one Flocke, one Churche, euen so is there one head of that his mystical bodie, one shepe∣herde, and one chief seruant made stewarde, ouerseer, and ruler of Christes householde in his absence, vntil his comminge againe.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A sorte of simple rea∣so••s.