Prosp. de

Promiss. Dei,

vi.

Matt. Hom,

83.

receiving of the sacrament shall be death, and not life, unto him that thinketh that Christ, being the life itself, was a liar ;" delivering these holy mysteries as the sacrament or pledge of his body, himself indeed having no body. So likewise Prosper Aquitanus: Christum...a populo Judaico fuisse occisum, nullus jam ambigit Pars i. cap. Christianus; cujus sacrum1 sanguinem omnis nunc terra accipiens clamat, Amen:..... ut neganti Judæo, quod occiderit Christum, recte dicatur a Deo: Vox sanguinis fratris tui clamat ad me de terra2: "Whether Christ were slain of the Jews or no, there is no christian man now that can stand in doubt. For now all the earth receiveth his holy blood, and crieth Amen. Therefore, if the Jew will deny that ever he slew Christ, God may justly say unto him: 'The voice of the blood of thy brother Chrysost. in crieth unto me from the earth."" So St Chrysostom: Hæc afferentes mysteria, ora ipsorum consuimus. Si enim mortuus Christus non est, cujus symbolum ac signum hoc sacrificium est3? "Laying forth these mysteries, we stop their mouths. For, if Christ died not, whose sign then and whose token is this sacrifice?" Thus, by the judgment of these learned fathers, Eutyches the heretic, or any other, that denied either the body or the death of Christ, might soon be reproved, even by the receiving of these holy mysteries. For they receive the sacrament, and yet deny the thing itself that is represented by the sacrament; and so, as Leo saith, they dispute against the thing itself that they receive. And thus Leo Leo, Epist. 81 himself plainly expoundeth and openeth his own meaning: Quam...sibi in hujus sacramenti præsidio spem relinquunt, qui in Salvatoris nostri corpore negant humanæ substantiæ veritatem? Dicant, quo sacrificio [sint] reconciliati: dicant, quo sanguine sint redempti1: "What hope do they leave themselves in the help of this sacrament, that say there is no truth of the substance of man in the body of our Saviour? Let them tell me by what sacrifice they are reconciled: let them tell me with what blood they are redeemed."

ad Palæst.

Eutych.

Lit. Jacob.

By these holy fathers it is plain, that whoso receiveth the holy mystery of Christ's body, and yet thinketh and holdeth that Christ indeed hath no body, as Eutyches the heretic did, he disputeth against that thing itself that he receiveth. Gelas. contr. For Gelasius saith: Hoc nobis in ipso Domino Christo sentiendum [est], quod in ejus imagine profitemur5: "We must think the same of Christ the Lord himself that we profess (in the sacrament, which is) his image." And therefore in the communionbook that beareth the name of St James it is written thus: Quotiescunque comederitis hunc panem, et hunc calicem biberitis, mortem Filii hominis annuntiatis, ...donec veniat. Populus respondet, Credimus, et confitemur: "As often as ye shall eat this bread, or drink this cup, ye do publish the death of the Son of man, until he come. Hereto the people maketh answer, 'We believe it, and we confess This is it that St Ambrose, St Chrysostom, Leo, and Clement call Amen. And this is that undoubted truth of Christ's body, not in the sacrament, as M. Harding imagineth, but in the unity of one person, that Leo defendeth against the heretic Eutyches. Bessarion's authority in these cases cannot be great; Anno Dom. both for that he was but of very late years, and therefore a very young doctor to be alleged; and also for that, being promoted to the bishoprick of Tusculum, and made a cardinal of Rome in the late council of Florence, contrary to the minds and judgments of the rest of his brethren of Græcia, he openly flattered and yielded himself unto the pope.

1439.

The two

hundred and fourteenth untruth. For

M. HARDING. THE THIRD DIVISION.

And that the people should give their consent and apply their faith to this truth without error and deceit, and that by saying “Amen” they should then believe and confess the bread and wine to be made the body and blood of Christ, (214) when it was made indeed, and not else, for so were it a great error-for this cause

['Sacris, 1609, 1611.]

[ Prosp. Aquit. Op. Par. 1711. De Promiss. et Præd. Dei, Pars I. cap. vi. 2. Append. col. 95. This treatise is not genuine.]

[3 Chrysost. Op. Par. 1718-38. In Matt. Hom. lxxxii. Tom. VII. p. 783.]

[ Leon. Magni Op. Lut. 1623. Ad Palæst. Episc.

Epist. lxxxiii. 4. col. 440.]

[5 Gelas. adv. Eut. et Nestor. in Mag. Biblioth. Vet. Patr. Col. Agrip. 1618-22. Tom. V. Pars III. p. 671; where Christo Domino.]

[6 Jacob. Lit. in Lit. Sanct. Patr. Par. 1560. p. 24; where the response is assigned to the deacons.]

[De ecclesiasticis constitut. 123. H. A. 1564.]

meant no

But M. Hard

at Lovaine to

ments as he

two

Justinian the emperor made an ordinance, that the bishops and priests Justinian diversis capitulis should to this intent pronounce their service plainly, distinctly, and so such thing. as it might be understanded, that the people might answer, "Amen:" ing is licensed (which is to be referred to each part of the service, but specially to the consecration) make com that they might believe and confess it was the body and blood of Christ (215) when steth." it was indeed, and not so confess when it was not; which might happen if they Thered and heard not the words of consecration plainly pronounced. And hereunto specially fifteenthum that constitution of Justinian is to be restrained, as pertaining only to the Greek and fantastichurch, wherein he lived, (216) and not to be stretched further to serve for proof of whereunto all the service to be had and said in the vulgar tongue in the west church, as people anto that purpose of our new teachers it is untruly alleged.

THE BISHOP OF SARISBURY.

cal. For

should the

swer Amen,
hearing no
part of the
prayer?
The two
hundred and
sixteenth un-

this law

well the

Rome as the

Græcia, as

So many untruths in so little room, so constantly to be avouched without truth. For blushing! Where is the fear of God? Where is the reverence of the reader? touched as Where is shame become? First, neither doth that godly emperor Justinian once church of mention or touch this new fantasy of M. Harding's doctrine, nor did the Greek church of church, as it is sufficiently already proved, ever hitherto consent unto the same. shall appear. Will M. Harding make the world believe, that the people openly in the church gave their consents unto that thing that they never believed, but knew undoubtedly to be an error? Is he able to allege not one council, not one doctor, not one father, that ever expounded "Amen" in this sort? Is the matter so miserable and so bare, that no honest witness will speak for it? Or must M. Harding's bare word, without scripture, council, doctor, or father, be taken for the doctrine of the church?

Div. Capit.

The emperor's words are plain: "We command all the holy bishops and De Eccles. priests to minister the holy oblation, and the sacrament of baptism, and other Constit. 123. prayers (not closely or in silence, as the manner is now in the church of Rome, but) with a loud voice, that may be heard of the faithful people, (not to testify M. Harding's transubstantiation, which then was not known, but) that the hearts of the hearers may thereby both the more be humbled to repentance, and also eis Tetova κατάνυξιν. the more be stirred to glorify God." If the pronouncing of these two syllables, Távu. "Amen," be proof sufficient to warrant transubstantiation, then may we easily find the same transubstantiation, not only in the sacrament of Christ's body, but also in the sacrament of baptism, and in all other public prayers: for in every hereof the people was willed to say, "Amen."

66

Secondly, M. Harding saith (and he saith it alone, for no man ever said it before him), that the bishop and priest was thus commanded to speak aloud, lest the people should happen to prevent the time, and to answer "Amen" out of season, before the sacrament were consecrate. And this must be taken as a grave and a deep consideration, and meet for the emperor of the world. But, O the vanities of these vain men! For whereunto should the people answer "Amen," that heard no part of the prayer? Or how should they confirm that was said by the priest, that knew not one word what he said? Certainly it appeareth not that the emperor Justinian doubted so much the over-hasty answering of the people, but rather thought that, if the priest's voice were not heard, the people should be able to answer nothing. For to that end he allegeth these words of St Paul: "How shall the unlearned man answer Amen to thy thanks- 1 Cor. xiv. giving? For he knoweth not what thou sayest."

Last of all he saith, this constitution of the emperor Justinian touched only the Greek church, and pertained nothing to the church of Rome; adding further, that by these new masters it hath been and is otherwise untruly alleged. Thus much M. Harding only of himself, without any other further authority, either old or new. Perhaps he would have us think, according to that childish fable of their forged donation, that the emperor Constantinus had given over the whole Don. Conempire of the west part of the world unto the pope, and that therefore Justinian Tom. Conc.

[ Corp. Jur. Civil. Amst. 1663. Auth. Coll. ix. Tit. xx. Novell. cxxxvii. 6. Tom. II. pp. 196, 7. See before, page 287, note 10.]

[8 Edict. Constant. Imp. in Crabb, Concil. Col. Agrip. 1551. Tom. I. p. 228.]

stant. in 1

cap. Prope

randum.

et Cler. cap.

Constant. Orat. 4, cap. xix.

the emperor had now nothing to do in the church of Rome. But Justinian himself, contrary to M. Harding's commentary, commandeth his laws to be taken as general, and to be kept universally throughout the world. For thus he writeth : Cod. De Jud. Visum est, . . . . præsentem legem omni terrarum orbi ponendam, nullis locorum rel temporum angustiis coartandam1: "We have thought it good that this law should generally concern the whole world, to be restrained by no limits of place or time." Cod. De Episc. And, making an ordinance for the church, he writeth thus: Et hoc, non solum in Generaliter. veteri Roma, vel in hac regia civitate, sed in omni terra, ubicunque Christianorum nomen colitur, obtinere sancimus2: "And this law we will to take place, not only in the old city of Rome, or in this princely city of Constantinople, but also in all the world where the name of Christians is had in honour." Likewise Eusebius writeth of Constantinus the emperor's proclamation for the keeping of the Euseb. in Vit. Sunday: "Upon that day he commanded not only the Greeks, but also all other nations that were subject to the empire of Rome, to rest from bodily labours 3." Tao Tois And concerning such matters as specially touched the city of Constantinople, he πᾶσι τοῖς VTTÒ TIJU writeth thus in the same law that M. Harding hath here alleged : "Whatsoever [τῶν] Pair things namely concern the church of this princely city of Constantinople, we have comprised the same in a particular law specially serving to that purpose." Yet nevertheless M. Harding thinketh it lawful for him to say, The emperor's mind was not to extend this law to the church of Rome; and we must believe him his bare word, yea, although the emperor upon himself say the contrary. But to what purpose excepteth M. Harding the Latin church in this behalf? was not St Ambrose bishop of Millaine, Clemens and Leo bishops of Rome, all three bishops of the Latin church? And doth not M. Harding say that every of these three pronounced the words of consecration openly with loud voice, and not in silence? And doth not M. Harding further tell us it was the tradition of the apostles? Wherefore then doth he so nicely except the church of Rome? Had the church there any special privilege to break the apostles' traditions more than others? Certainly, Clemens Alexandrinus saith, the traditions of the apostles, as well in the east church as in the west, were all one, even as was their doctrine. Fuit una omnium apostolorum, sicut doctrina, ita traditio5. Thus hath M. Harding found, by his own confession, both the tradition of the apostles and the ancient doctors Ambrose, Clemens, and Leo, and both the churches of God, the Greek and the Latin, against himself.

ἀρχὴν πολιτευο

μένοις. ταῦτα

εἰδικῷ νόμῳ περιελάβομεν.

M. Harding contrary to himself.

Clemens

Alex. Strom. Lib. vii.

The two hundred and

untruth. For there is no such thing

decreed by the ancient fathers.

M. HARDING. THE FOURTH DIVISION.

Now in this west church, which is the Latin church, the people having been sufficiently instructed touching the belief of the body and blood of our Lord in the sacrament, (217) it hath been thought by the fathers convenient the words of seventeenth consecration to be pronounced by the priest closely and in silence, rather than with open voice. Wherein they had special regard to the dignity of that high mystery. And doubtless for this point they understood, as St Basil writeth, that "the apostles and the fathers, which at the beginning made laws for the order of These words ecclesiastical things, maintained the mysteries in their due authority by keeping them secret and in silence. For it is not," saith he, "any mystery at all which is brought forth to the popular and vulgar ears," whereof he wrote very truly before: Ei, quod publicatum est, et per se apprehendi potest, imminere contemptum; ei vero, quod remotum est ac rarum, etiam sancto.cap. xxvii. naturaliter quodammodo esse conjunctam admirationem: "That

of St Basil pertain no

thing to the sacrament.

[ Corp. Jur. Civil. Amst. 1663. Cod. Lib. III. Tit. i. 13. Tom. II. p. 84; where super his per orbem terrarum nullis, and coarctandam ponere.]

[2 Id. Cod. Lib. 1. Tit. iii. 52. Tom. II. p. 22. See before, page 286, note 5.]

[3 Euseb. De Vit. Constant. Lib. IV. cap. xviii. in Hist. Eccles. Script. Amst. 1695-1700. p. 441; where πολιτευομένοις ἅπασι.]

[ Corp. Jur. Civil. Auth. Coll. 1. Tit. vi. Novell. vi. 8. Tom. II. p. 14. See before, page 286, note 3.]

[Lib. de Spiritu H. A. 1564.)

[ Clement. Alex. Op. Oxon. 1715. Strom. Lib. VII. 17. Tom. II. p. 900.]

[* Κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν δὴ τρόπον, καὶ οἱ τὰ περὶ τὰς ἐκκλησίας ἐξαρχῆς διαθεσμοθετήσαντες από στολοι καὶ πατέρες ἐν τῷ κεκρυμμένῳ καὶ ἀφθέγκτῳ τὸ σεμνὸν τοῖς μυστηρίοις ἐφύλασσον. οὐδὲ γὰρ ὅλως μυστήριον τὸ εἰς τὴν δημώδη καὶ εἰκαίαν ἀκοὴν ἔκφορον.—Basil. Op. Par. 1721-30. Lib. de Spir. Sanct. cap. xxvii. Tom. I. p. 55.] [7 Id. ibid.]

what is done openly, and made common, and of itself may be attained, it is like to come in contempt, and be despised. But what is kept far off, and is seldom gotten, that even naturally in manner is never without wondering at.” And in such respect Christ gave warning, that precious stones be not strewed before hogs.

THE BISHOP OF SARISBURY.

Div. 7.

It is most certain, and therefore the more lamentable, that, as it now fareth through the whole church of Rome, the people knoweth neither the substance, nor the meaning, nor the use, nor the effect, nor the end or purpose of the sacrament, nor the consecration, nor any word thereto belonging. They hear nothing they see nothing: they understand nothing: they learn nothing. The pope, the cardinals, the bishops, the priests teach them nothing. It is thought to be the surest fence and strongest ward for that religion, that they should be kept still in ignorance, and know nothing. M. Harding, both in this place and also before, calleth them all hogs and swine, as insensible and brute beasts, and Art. 15. void of reason, and able to judge and conceive nothing. Yet he blusheth not to say: The people of the Latin church is sufficiently instructed touching the sacraments; and that more sufficiently, as it appeareth, than ever they were instructed in the primitive church, or in the time of the old learned fathers. Verily ignorance is easily learned: they may soon be taught to know nothing. But the doctrine that he meaneth standeth in transubstantiation and real presence, and other like matters incident unto the same, such as the godly people in the old times never learned. Howbeit, if the people were thoroughly instructed, and knew the meaning of all mysteries, would M. Harding thereof conclude that therefore they should not hear the words of consecration? Is this the logic of Lovaine? Who ever taught him to frame such a syllogismus? In what form, in what mood may it stand? How may this antecedent and this consequent join together?

But, where he addeth, that in consideration hereof the fathers thought it convenient the words of consecration should be pronounced in silence; this, besides other great wants, is also a great untruth to make up his simple syllogismus. For what were these fathers? what names had they? where dwelt they? In what council, in what country met they? This is a very strange case, that, being fathers, and such fathers, able to alter the traditions of the apostles, and the whole state of the church, no man should know them but only M. Harding.

As for St Basil, whose name he much abuseth to this purpose, it is plain that he speaketh not neither of the sacrament nor of the words of consecration. And here, good christian reader, mark, I beseech thee, the circumspection and constancy of M. Harding. For proof of his late-invented order of the Latin church, he sheweth us examples of the Greek church; and, to avouch his consecration in silence, he allegeth the authority of St Basil, who, by his own confession, evermore pronounced the same aloud with open voice, and never in silence. He should neither so unadvisedly avouch the names of ancient fathers, nor have so small regard unto his reader. True it is, as St Basil saith: "Familiar Basil. de use breedeth contempt." And for that cause pope Innocentius saith the words of consecration were commanded to be said in silence, ne sacrosancta verba vilesce- Tw Teπατημένῳ rent 10, "lest the holy words should be despised." The like hereof is surmised póxeipos also by John Billet11. ή κατα Thomas of Aquine saith, that "the oblation and consecration belong only to the priest, and that therefore the words be spoken in Innoc. III. silence, as nothing pertaining to the people 12" But if the people be thus Myst. Lib. iii. naturally inclined, the less they hear or know things, the more to have them Jo. Billet, de

[ See before, page 678.]

[ Basil. Op. Lib. de Spir. Sanct. cap. xxvii. Tom. I. p. 55.]

[10 Innoc. Papæ III. Op. Col. 1575. Myst. Miss. Lib. I. cap. i. Tom. I. p. 364.]

[ J. Beleth. Div. Offic. Explic. cap. xlvi. ad

calc. Durand. Rat. Div. Offic. Lugd. 1565. fol. 510.]

...

[12 quædam vero pertinent ad solum sacerdotem, sicut oblatio et consecratio. et ideo quæ circa hæc sunt dicenda, occulte a sacerdote dicuntur.Thom. Aquinat. Op. Venet. 1595. Summ. Theol. Tert. Pars, Quæst. lxxxiii. Art. 4. Tom. XII. fol. 279.]

Spir. Sanct.

cap. xxvii.

φρόνησις.

de Sac. Alt.

cap. i.

Div. Offic. Thom. Par. iii. Quæst. 183.

in admiration; then were it good they should never hear neither the words of baptism, nor any part of the gospel, nor the Lord's prayer, nor the name of God or Christ, no, nor the mass itself. And, as now their ears be barred from hearing the words that make the sacrament, so were it good policy their eyes were also barred from seeing the sacrament. For naturally contempt groweth as well of sight as of hearing, or rather more. For by M. Harding's skill these were good ways to breed reverence in the people, and to increase devotion. But this is an unreverent reverence, and a disordered honour of God. The people of God is not made to serve the sacraments; but the sacraments are made to serve the people. But these be the secret works and policies of Satan, to make the simple believe they reverence the sacraments, and yet understand no part, neither of the meaning, nor of the use of the sacraments. Lactantius saith: Lactant. Lib. Hinc fida silentia...instituta sunt ab hominibus callidis, ut nesciret populus quid coleret1: "Therefore subtle and crafty men devised to have their sacrifices wrought in silence, that the people should not know what thing they honoured for their God."

V. cap. xx.

M. HARDING. THE FIFTH DIVISION.

If in the old law priests were chosen (as St Ambrose writeth) to cover the ark of the testament, because it is not lawful for all persons to see the depth of mysteries; if the sons of Caath by God's appointment did only bear the [Num. iv. ark and those other holy things of the tabernacle on their shoulders, H.A. 1564.] whensoever the children of Israel removed and marched forward in the2 wilderness, being closely folded and lapped within veils, curtains, and palls by the priests, and might not at no time touch nor see the same upon pain of death, which were but figures of this3; how much more is this high and worthy mystery to be honoured with secretness, closeness, and silence!

THE BISHOP OF SARISBURY.

[Vide Oriin Numer. cap.

genem, Hom. 5. iv. H.A. 1564.]

Here M. Harding seemeth to reason thus: In the time of the old testament it was not lawful for every of the people to behold the ark of God and the things therein contained; ergo, the priest ought to pronounce the words of consecration in silence, and secretly to himself. This simple reason holdeth from Moses to Christ; from the old testament to the new; from seeing to hearing; and, to be short, from somewhat to nothing; and serveth only to control all the ancient fathers of the church, who, as M. Harding knoweth, and hath already in part confessed, never pronounced these words in such secret sort, nor ever used these policies for increase of reverence. Notwithstanding, M. Harding, the better to lead along his simple reader, hath cunningly drawn in the names of two old fathers, Ambrose and Origen, to the intent to make his own conclusion to seem theirs. And thus under his painted coverings and veils of eloquence he foldeth up closely, not the ark of God, but, as his wont is, great untruths.

M. HARDING. THE SIXTH DIVISION.

ritib, veteris

1564.]

"For this cause, as they report," saith Carolus Magnus, that noble, virtuous, and learned emperor, writing to his school-master Alcuinus, our countryman [In fragmento and first teacher of philosophy in Paris, "it is become a custom in the Caroli Mag. de church, that the canon and consecration be said by the priest secretly, ecclesiæ. H. A. that those words so holy, and pertaining to so great a mystery, should not grow in contempt, whiles all in manner through common use bearing them away would sing them in the highways, in the streets, and in other places where it were not thought convenient. Whereof it is told that, before this custom was received, shepherds, when they sang them in the field, were by God's hand strucken 5.”

['Lactant. Op. Lut. Par. 1748. Div. Inst. Lib. v. cap. xx. Tom. I. p. 413; where nesciat, and colat.] [2 1565, 1609, and H. A. 1564, omit the.]

[3 Orig. Op. Par. 1733-59. In Levit. Hom. v.

Tom. II. pp. 284, &c.]

[ H. A. 1564, omits thought.]

[5 Idcirco ut ferunt consuetudo venit in ecclesia, ut tacite ista obsecratio atque consecratio a sacerdote cantetur, ne verba tam sacra et ad tantum mysterium pertinentia vilescerent, dum pene omnes per usum ea retinentes, per vicos et plateas aliisque in locis, ubi non conveniret, ea decantarent. Inde fertur,