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.

Athanasius, and Paulus, saithe M. Hardinge, beinge deposed by the Arians, assisted with the Emperour Constantius, appealed to the Pope, and by the Popes authoritie were restoared. Here I Appeale vnto the iudgement, and discretion of the Reader, that canne consider the state of that time: how likely it may seeme, ei∣ther that Athanasius shoulde Appeale from the Emperour to the Pope: or that the Popes commaundement should be of sufficient force, & authoritie against the Em∣perour. For neither was Pope Bonifacius the. 8.* 1.1 yet borne, y^• determined, That y^e Emperour should be inferiour to y^e Pope: nor Pope Innocentius y^e. 3. or his Glose, that rated the mater by good Geometrical proportion, & pronounced, that the Pope is fiftie and seuen degrees aboue the Emperour, euen iuste as muche, as the Sunne is aboue the Moone: Nor Pope Alexander the thirde, that sette his foote in the Em∣perours necke.

Uerily, the Pope then by his authoritie was hable, neither to depose, nor to re∣stoare, nor to cal before him any Bishop:* 1.2 as appeareth by that I haue already alle∣ged of Pope Innocentius, and Pope Gregorie, by their owne Confessions.* 1.3 No, Pope Leo him selfe confesseth, that he was not hable to remoue a poore Monke Abbate Eutyches from his Abbie: but was faine to desire the Empresse Pulche∣ria to sée him remoued.* 1.4

As touchinge Athanasius,* 1.5 it was the Emperour Constantinus the great, that by his authoritie remoued,* 1.6 and bannished him, as it appeareth by Socrates:* 1.7 and therefore the Emperour Iustinian saithe, If any Bishop offende herein, let him be de∣priued by force of this Lawe.* 1.8 And as he was bannished by the Emperour Constan∣tinus the Father, so by his Sonne Constantinus the Emperour, and not by the Pope, he was restoared:* 1.9 whiche thinge is testified, not onely by Socrates, that wrote the storie, but also by sundrie Epistles, and letters, taken out of the Empe∣rours Recordes concerninge the same.

Firste it is knowen, that the Emperour Constans, that ruled the Weast parte of the worlde,* 1.10 vnto whom Athanasius beinge deposed, flead for ayde, wrote in his behalfe vnto his Brother Constantius, that then was the Emperour of the East, & besought him, to sée Athanasius restoared vnto his roome.* 1.11 Otherwise he threate∣ned, that he him selfe woulde come with his power to Alexandria, & restoare him.* 1.12 Upon the sight of whiche letters, the Emperour Constantius wrote vnto Athana∣sius, and willed him to repaire with speede vnto his Courte, that he might be re∣stoared vnto his Countrie: and at his comminge, he directed out his letters vnto y^e Cleregie, and people of Alexandria, commaundinge them to receiue him with fa∣uour, and to abolishe al suche Actes, as they had before made against him. To re∣porte the whole letters at large, it woulde be tedious. Emonge other woordes the Emperour Constantius writeth thus,* 1.13 Recipiat voluntate Dei, nostro{que} indicio Patriā suum, pariter & Ecclesiam. And againe, Omnes Episcopū superno iudicio, nostra{que} sen∣tentia destinatum, libenter, & pie suscipite. Let him bothe by Goddes appointement, and by our Decree recouer both his Coūtrie, and his Churche &c. Further saith Cassiodorus,* 1.14 His literis cōfidens Athanasius, redijt in Oriētem. Athanasius vpon trust of these letters returned againe into the East. Likewise the Bishopes in the Councel of Hierusalem wrote a∣broade letters of gratulation vpon his returne, in this forme:* 1.15 Debetis ergo etiā &c. You ought also continually to praie for the Emperours Maiesties, for that, vnderstanding your desires, they haue restoared Athanasius againe vnto you. And Theodoretus touchinge the same, writeth thus, Procerū Senatorum{que} Coniuges &c.* 1.16 The Lordes, and Counsellours

wiues be sought their husbandes, to intreate the Emperours Maiestie, that he woulde restoare Athanasius vnto his flocke: and saide further, onlesse they woulde so doo, they woulde forsake them, and goe to him.

So likewise the Bishoppes, that the Arians had deposed with Flauianus, were restoared againe by the Emperour, and not by the Pope. For Pope Leo him selfe thereof writeth thus vnto the Empresse Pulcheria:* 1.17 Vos Sacerdotes Catholicos, qui de Ecclesijs suis iniusta fuerunt eiecti sententia, reduxistis. Your Maiesties haue restoared home againe the Catholike Bishoppes, whiche by wrongeful sentence were thrust from their Churches.

Pope Nicolas, as vpon occasion I saide before, was the second Bishop in Rome after Pope Iohane the Woman, whiche was almoste. 900. yéeres after Christe. Wherefore his authoritie might wel haue beene spared. It is wel knowen, that as the Popes power increased, so the Empire abated. Therefore was Platyna forced to say:* 1.18 Perijt & potestas Imperatorum, & virtus Pontificum. Nowe the Emperours haue lost their Ciuile power, and the Popes haue lost their holines. In olde times the Empe∣rour confirmed the Pope: Now the Pope confirmeth the Emperour. In olde times the Emperour called the Pope to the Councel: now contrarywise the Pope calleth the Emperour.

As touching the restoaring of Athanasius, Pope Iulius intreated Themperour in his behalfe: whiche, as it appeareth, was his greatest request: For thus he wri∣teth vnto Liberius,* 1.19 Precamur vt vestris exhortationibus, tam per vos, quàm per Apo∣crisiarios vestros adiuuemur. We beseche you, that through your good exhortations, bothe by your selfe, and by other your agentes we may be holpen. More ouer, for that he was a Patriarke, he summoned a particular Councel, and laboured the Bishoppes. For the Arians saide:* 1.20 There was on Ecclesiastical Canon, That noman beinge once deposed should be restoared againe, onlesse he had first cleared him selfe before a Councel: and that the Bishoppes that woulde restoare him, ought to be moe in number, then were they, that had de∣posed him.* 1.21 And therfore Chrysostome was muche blamed of his aduersaries, for that he, beinge once deposed, had recouered his roome without a Councel of other Bishoppes.* 1.22 And therefore Flauianus beinge wrongefully put from his Bishop∣rike, offred vp his Bille of Appeale, not vnto the Bishop of Rome alone, but vnto him with other Bishoppes. The trueth hereof may wel appeare by these woordes of Leo Bishop of Rome vnto the Emperour Theodosius:* 1.23 Omnes partium nostrarum Ecclesiae, omnes mansue••udini vestrae cum gemitibus, & lachrymis supplicant Sacerdotes, vt, quia eisdem Libellum Appellationis Flauianus Episcopus dedit, generalem Synodum iubeatis intra Italiam celebrari. Al the Churches of these our countries, and al the Priestes with sighes, and teares beleeche your highnes, that, for as muche, as Flauianus hath offred vp his Bille of Appeale vnto them, it may please you to commaunde, a General Councel to be keapte in Italie.

In suche Councelles the Bishop of Rome beinge sometimes the chiefe, pro∣nounced the partie woorthy, either to be restoared, or to be deposed. But that Sentence was not alwaies put in Execution.* 1.24 The Councel of Antioche deposed Pope Iulius: yet was not Iulius therfore deposed. The Councel of Basile deposed Pope Eugenius:* 1.25 yet Eugenius continued Pope stil. The Decree of Bishoppes in suche cases without the Emperours authoritie was then of smal force.* 1.26 And ther∣fore Athanasius him selfe reporteth, that the Emperour gaue his consent to the determination of the Councel of Sardica, and so commaunded him to be sente for home.

But, M. Harding wil saie, The woordes be plaine, that Iulius restoared Atha∣nasius. It is true, and not denied. But the meaninge of these woordes is, that Iu∣lius pronounced him cleare in that, he was accused of, and therefore woorthy to be

restored. For it is certaine, and M. Hardinge wel knoweth,* 1.27 that Athanasius vpon Pope Iulius letters was not restoared. The like is also written of others. Cas∣siodorus* 1.28 saith, Maximus quo{que} restituit beato Athanasio, & Communionem, & dignita∣tem. Maximus also restoared vnto Athanasius, bothe his Communion, and also his di∣gnitie: That is to say, pronounced him worthy, to be restored. For Maximus was not the Bishop of Rome.

These thinges considered, M. Hardinge may make vp his reason thus: The Pope had no authoritie to restore them, that were deposed: Ergo, The Pope was not Head of the Churche.

Or thus, The Emperour restoared suche as were deposed: Ergo, The Em∣perour was Head of the Churche.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Me Maior. & obedient. Vnam Sanctam. Extra. de Ma∣ior. & obedien. Solitae. Et in Glosa.
• * 1.2

  Carion in Fre∣derico.
• * 1.3

  Epist. Decreta∣lis Innocent. 27.
• * 1.4

  Gregor. li. 4.
• * 1.5

  Epist. 34.
• * 1.6

  Leo Epist. 45.
• * 1.7

  Socrat. li. 1. ca 25.
• * 1.8

  De Ecclesiast. diuer. capitul.
• * 1.9

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Socrat. li. 2. ca. 3.
• * 1.10

  Sozomen. li. 3. Ca. 20.
• * 1.11

  Theodoret. li. 2. ca. 8.
• * 1.12

  Theodoret. li. 2. ca. 11.
• * 1.13

  Cassiodor. li. 4. ca. 31.
• * 1.14

  Cassiodor. li. 4. ca. 30.
• * 1.15

  Cassiodor. li. 4. ca. 36.
• * 1.16

  Theodoret. li. 2. ca. 17.
• * 1.17

  Leo Epist. 39.
• * 1.18

  Platyna in Adriano 2.
• * 1.19

  Epistola Atha∣nasij ad Libe∣rium.
• * 1.20

  Sozomen. li. 4. ca. 8.
• * 1.21

  Orientalium Epistola ad Iu∣lium.
• * 1.22

  Socr. li. 6. ca. 18.
• * 1.23

  Leonis Epist. 24.
• * 1.24

  Sozomen. li. 3. ca. 11.
• * 1.25

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Concil. Basilien. Athanas. in A∣polog. 2.
• * 1.26

  Cassiodor. li. 4. ca. 34.
• * 1.27

  Sozomen. li. •• ca. 8.
• * 1.28

  Cassiodor. li. 4. ca. 34.