Luther himself, in Præceptorio, is much against them that would have the canon of the mass to be pronounced with a loud voice for the better understanding. THE BISHOP OF SARISBURY. It appeareth M. Harding is much scanted of good authorities, when he is thus driven by tales and fables to countervail the tradition of the apostles; and that by such fables as he himself is fain to cut off in the midst, and cannot truly report without shame. Howbeit, nothing cometh amiss that may serve to astonie the simple. Such grounds be sufficient for such doctrine. The tale, as it is told by Innocentius and Durandus amongst other fables, is this: Certain shepherds, having by often hearing learned the words of consecration, began to practise the same amongst themselves, over their bread in the field, upon a stone. Suddenly the bread was flesh: the poor men were amazed: God was angry: fire came from heaven and burnt them up; not one left alive to tell these tidings. Hereupon, saith M. Harding, this law was made. For view of the likelihood hereof, they say that the priest himself, be he never so holy, unless he have his altar, his super-altar, his chalice, his corporesse, his lights, his vestiments, and all other appurtenances necessary; unless he stedfastly eye and behold the bread; unless he pronounce all these five words with one breath without stop; and unless he have a special intent and mind to work consecration ; he laboureth in vain, and can never consecrate. Yet these poor shepherds, not being priests, for ought that we know, nor having either altar, or super-altar, or vestiments, or any knowledge of these cautels, nor intention or mind to work consecration, yet notwithstanding had consecrate suddenly before they were ware. By these it may be gathered, that consecration is easier for a shepherd than for a priest. But, when these shepherds were all slain in the place where they stood, and not one left alive to report these doings, M. Harding should have told us by what angel or archangel or other secret revelation this tale afterward came to light. His reader would also long to know in what kingdom or in what country, in what king's or pope's days these things happened, in what chronicle, in what story they were recorded. Otherwise he will suspect M. Harding found it in the shepherds' calendar. And touching this new decree for silence and secrecy, M. Harding should have taught us in what council, in what synod, in what convocation, in what diet, in what country, and at what time it was determined; who was legate at the doing, who was referendary, who was president, who was present. If he have nothing to say, his tale hath lost his grace, and will be thought a shepherd's fable. But hereof these two things M. Harding might well have learned; first, that before these strange unknown shepherds gave this attempt, the consecration was every where pronounced aloud; and farther, that the same consecration was pronounced in the common known mother tongue of every country, that the shepherds might learn it and understand it, unless M. Harding will happily say they were Greek or Latin shepherds. [What persons the primitive church excluded from presence of the sacrament. M. HARDING. THE SEVENTH DIVISION. The fathers of the primitive church had this sacrament in such reverence and honour, that they excluded some sorts of faithful people from being present at the celebration of it, thinking them unworthy not only to hear the mystical words of consecration pronounced, but also to see the forms of the outward elements, and to be in the church whiles that most holy sacrifice was offered. They were these, catechumeni, energumeni, and pœnitentes. The first were learners of our belief, who, as they were daily in H. A. 1564.] xi. structed, believed in Christ; and, as St Augustine writeth, "bare Christ's Tract. in Jo. cross in their forehead, and marked themselves with the same1." The second were such as, notwithstanding they had been christened, yet for the inconstancy of their mind were vexed with unclean spirits. The third sort were they, who for their sins committed had not yet made an end of doing their open penance. All these were judged by the governors of the church at the beginning unworthy to be present at these holy mysteries. Now, if this great reverence towards the holy things in them was justly praised, the admitting of all sorts of people, not only to be present and to behold the same, but also to hear and understand the words of consecration (218) (that hath thus always been honoured with silence and secreteighteenth ness), cannot seem to wise, zealous, and godly men a thing commendable; specially the contrary in these times, in which the holy christian discipline of the church is loosed and utterly shaken off, and no difference nor account of any diversity is made between the perfit and godly people, and them that ought to do open penance, that be possessed with devils, and be infamous for heinous and notorious crimes committed. The two hundred and untruth. For is known and evident. Concil. Chrysost. in THE BISHOP OF SARISBURY. The reverence, that M. Harding presumeth was given only to this sacrament, was given likewise and in as ample sort to the sacrament of baptism. And, as the catechumeni were sequestered from the presence and sight of the one sacrament, so were they also sequestered from the other. In the council holden at Arausica it is written thus: Catechumeni ad baptisterium nunquam admittendi sunt: "The catechumeni may never be admitted to the place of baptism." St Chrysostom, touching the words of baptism, writeth thus: Verba Dei, quæ noGal. cap. iv. runt fideles, in aquæ lavacro per sacerdotem pronuntiata, tanquam in utero quodam, formant ac regenerant eum qui baptizatur1: "The words of God, which the faithful know, being pronounced by the priest in the water of baptism, do form and regenerate him that is baptized, as if it were in the mother's womb." LikeChrysost. in wise again he saith: Cupiam sane verba illa clare proferre, &c.5: "Fain would I in plain sort utter these words (of baptism), if the presence of these ungodly men, the heathens, did not let me. They cause my interpretation to be the harder: I may not speak plainly, nor publish our mysteries because of them.” Cyril. contr. So saith Cyrillus: Dicerem de baptismo alia,... nisi vererer non initiatorum aures®: i. ad Cor. Hom. 40. Julian. Lib. vii. August. in 66 Touching baptism I would say more, saving that I doubt the ears of these profane people that are not christened." To like purpose St Augustine saith: Opera nostra bona vident etiam pagani; sacramenta vero nostra occultantur illis" : "The heathens may see our good works; but our sacraments (that is, our baptism and our Lord's supper) are hidden from them." The like may be said both of public and solemn prayers, and also of the understanding of the scripChrysost. ad tures. Chrysostom saith: Quid... oratione potentius?... Et catechumenis quidem hoc nondum permissum est, &c.3: "What thing is there more mighty than the solemn prayer (of the church)? yet is it not lawful for the catechumeni to use the same. For they are not yet come to that boldness. But you (being christened) are commanded to pray for the whole world, and for the church." Thus, like as for reverence of the mystery the catechumeni might not be present at the ministration of the sacrament of Christ's body, even so, for like reverence, Hom. 79. [Si dixerimus catechumeno, Credis in Christum? respondet, Credo, et signat se: jam crucem Christi portat in fronte.-August. Op. Par. 16791700. In Johan. Evang. cap. iii. Tractat. xi. 3. Tom. III. Pars II. col. 376.] [ 1565, and H. A. 1564, omit is.] [3 Ad baptisterium catechumeni nunquam admittendi.-Concil. Araus. 1. cap. 19. in Crabb. Concil. Col. Agrip. 1551. Tom. I. p. 623.] [Chrysost. Op. Par. 1718-38. In cap. iv. Epist. ad Gal. Comm. Tom. X. p. 711.] [* Καὶ βούλομαι μὲν σαφῶς αὐτὸ εἰπεῖν, οὐ τολμῶ δὲ διὰ τοὺς ἀμυήτους· οὗτοι γὰρ δυσκολωτέραν ἡμῖν ποιοῦσι τὴν ἐξήγησιν, ἀναγκάζοντες ἢ μὴ λέγειν σαφῶς, ἡ εἰς αὐτοὺς ἐκφέρειν τὰ ἀπόρε pnra. Id. in Epist. i. ad Cor. Hom. xl. Tom. X. p. 379.] [ Cyril. Alex. Op. Lut. 1638. Contr. Julian. Lib. VII. Tom. VI. p. 249.] [These words do not appear in the place referred to. Ideas, however, something similar are there expressed. See August. Op. Enarr. in Psalm. civ. 2. 5. Tom. IV. cols. 1179, 80.] [8 Chrysost. Op. Lat. Basil. 1547. Ad Pop. Ant. Hom. lxxix. Tom. V. col. 471. [ Mought, 1565.] they might not be present, neither at the sacrament of baptism, nor at the solemn common prayers. But now let us weigh M. Harding's reasons. In the old time 10, saith he, the catechumeni, which were only novices in the faith, and as yet unchristened, and other renegades, frantic and ungodly people, might not be present at the holy mysteries; ergo, now the godly faithful people may not hear the words of consecration. No man would use such logic but M. Harding. And yet this he thinketh for wise, zealous, and godly men is sufficient. As for the rest, indeed M. Harding, as a man of travel, that hath been in Rome, and hath seen bishops and cardinals men of war; children and boys set in the highest degrees and dignities of the church; open stews so dearly rented; so many thousand cortegians so well regarded; priests so freely allowed to keep their concubines; the church of God turned into a cave of thieves; such corruption in the clergy, such corruption in the people; so little difference between wife and harlot, honest and unhonest, godly and ungodly, and, as Bernard11 saith of them, "the servants of Christ serving antichrist 12;" and all this suffered without correction, and well allowed of and accounted catholic; seeing, I say, the church of God in Rome thus used, he may justly complain of corruption of life and looseness of discipline. Howbeit, it were hard hereof to conclude, that therefore no man may hear the words of consecration. Verily, it is thought lawful for usurers, thieves, whores, murderers, traitors, and all other like to be present and to hear mass without exception. M. HARDING. THE EIGHTH DIVISION. Whereas in old times, when by wholesome discipline the faithful people were kept in godly awe and obedience, that prayer also, which was said over the oblation before consecration (219) was pronounced closely and in silence; and therefore The two it was called of the Latins secreta, of the Greeks mystica oratio, meaning thereby hundred and that it ought not to be uttered openly and made common. THE BISHOP OF SARISBURY. nineteenth untruth. For the same secret prayer was pronounced aloud, as Here M. Harding, for want of other proofs, presumeth of himself that in old shall appear. times the prayer before consecration was pronounced, as he saith, closely and in silence. And that he guesseth only by his 13 word secreta, which is a term peculiar only to his mass-book, and in the old catholic fathers was never found. And yet doth not the same import any such silence or secrecy as M. Harding supposeth. For so Gerardus Lorichius writeth of it: Non arbitrandum [est], Ger. Lorich. orationem eam dici secretam, quasi non liceat laicis illam vel nosse vel audire; sed quod, juxta atque canon, non cantetur voce 14 altiori 15: "We may not think that the prayer is called secreta for that it is not lawful for the lay-people to know it or to hear it, but only for that it is not sung out with loud voice, as is the canon." Therefore M. Harding concludeth this matter with two untruths both together. Thus, notwithstanding this new dumb ceremony hath 16 been only received in the church of Rome, and nowhere else, and that only for a time, and not from the beginning, and therefore mere particular, and no way universal, and so not catholic; notwithstanding also it be utterly void of any shew, either of the scriptures, or of the old councils, or ancient fathers, or of any manner antiquity; yet M. Harding thinketh himself well able to maintain it, as he doth the rest, against St Ambrose, against St Augustine, against St Chrysostom, against Leo, against his own Clemens, against the whole primitive church, both Greek and Latin, and against the decrees and traditions of the apostles, and against his own knowledge, and, I fear me, also against his own conscience. [10 Times, 1565.] [11 St Bernard, 1565.] [12 Bernard. Op. Par. 1690. In Cant. Serm. xxxiii. 15. Vol. I. Tom. Iv. col. 1393. See before, page 382, note 11. See also In Concil. Remens. Serm. 5. Vol. II. Tom. v. col. 737.] [13 This, 1565.] [14 Alteriori, 1611.] [15 Ger. Lorich. De Miss. Pub. Prorogand. 1536. Lib. II. cap. i. Secret. p. 120; where quia for quod.] [16 Have, 1565.] Lib. ii. OF THE SACRIFICE. THE SEVENTEENTH ARTICLE. THE BISHOP OF SARISBURY. OR that the priest had then authority to offer up Christ unto his Father. [OF THE PRIEST'S AUTHORITY TO OFFER UP CHRIST TO HIS FATHER. M. HARDING. THE FIRST DIVISION. Agnus occisus mundi." Christ is offered up to his Father after three manners; figuratively, truly with bloodshedding, and sacramentally or mystically. In figure or signifi- Threefold oblation cation he was offered in the sacrifices made to God both in the time of of Christ. the law of nature, and also in the time of the law written. And there- est ab origine fore St John calleth Christ "the Lamb, which was killed from the be- Rev. xiii. ginning of the world," meaning in figure. The sacrifices of Abel, Noe, and Abraham, and all those of the people of Israel commanded by the law of Moses, figured and signified Christ. For which respect chiefly the law is reported of St Heb. x. Paul to have "the shadow of the good things to come." St Augustine, Lib. vi. cap. v. writing against Faustus the heretic, saith: [Testamenti veteris sacrificia] omnia ... multis et variis modis unum sacrificium, cujus nunc memoriam celebramus, significaverunt1: "All the sacrifices of the old testament signified by many and sundry ways this one sacrifice, whose memory we do now celebrate." And in *M. Harding another place he saith, *that “in those fleshly sacrifices there was a De Fide ad Pesignification of Christ's flesh, which he should offer for sins, and of cap. xvi. his blood, which he should shed for the remission of our sins2." hath purposely maimed this place of St Augustine, as shall appear. trum Diaconum, Truly and with bloodshedding Christ was offered on the cross in his own person, whereof St Paul saith: "Christ gave himself for us, that he might Tit. ii. redeem us from all iniquity." And again: “Christ hath loved us, and Eph. v. hath delivered himself for us an oblation and sacrifice to God into a sweet savour." Sacramentally or in mystery Christ is offered up to his Father in the daily Christ offered sacrifice of the church under the form of bread and wine, truly and indeed, not in of the man respect of the manner of offering, but in respect of his very body and blood, really (that is, indeed) present, as it hath been sufficiently proved here before. not in respect ner of offering. Heb. v. THE BISHOP OF SARISBURY. The greater and worthier the work is that our adversaries have imagined, that is, for a mortal and a miserable man to offer up the immortal Son of God unto his Father, and that really and indeed, the more ought the same, either by manifest words or by necessary collection, expressly and plainly to be proved. "For no man taketh honour and office unto himself, but he that is called and appointed thereto by God." But for ought that may appear by any clause or sentence, either of the new testament or of the old, God never appointed any such sacrifice to be made by any mortal creature. And Theophy-' Theophyl. in lact saith: Jesus, ejiciendo boves et columbas, præsignavit, non ultra opus esse animalium sacrificio, sed oratione3: “ Jesus, throwing the oxen and doves out Matt. cap. XXI. [ August. Op. Par. 1679-1700. Contr. Faust. Lib. VI. cap. v. Tom. VIII. col. 205.] [2 Id. Lib. de Fid. ad Petr. cap. xix. Tom. VI. Append. col. 30. See the next page.] [3 Theophyl. Op. Venet. 1754-63. In Matt. Comm. cap. xxi. Tom. I. p. 110.] of the temple, signified, that they should no longer have need of the sacrifice of beasts, but of prayer." Howbeit, the old learned fathers, as they oftentimes delighted themselves with these words, sabbatum, parasceve, pascha, pentecoste, and such other like terms of the old law, notwithstanding the observation and ceremony thereof were then abolished and out of use; even so likewise they delighted themselves oftentimes with these words, sacerdos, altare, sacrificium, "the sacrificer," "the altar," "the sacrifice," notwithstanding the use thereof were then clearly expired, only for that the ears of the people, as well of the Jews as of the gentiles, had been long acquainted with the same. Therefore Pachymeres the paraphrast, writing upon Dionysius, saith thus: Presbyterum appellat sacerdotem, Pach. p. 401. ut etiam in Cœlesti Hierarchia; idque usus jam obtinuit: "Him that is the priest apaor elder he calleth the sacrificer, as he doth also in his Celestial Hierarchy; Tησс. and the same word 'sacrificer' is now obtained by custom." In this sense καὶ ἡ συνή Epist. ad Orat. ad St Paul saith of himself: Sacrifico evangelium Dei: "I sacrifice the gospel of Rom. xv. God." And Origen saith: Sacrificale opus est annuntiare evangelium: "It is a Orig. in work of sacrifice to preach the gospel." So the learned bishop Nazianzenus Rom. Lib. x. saith unto his people: Hostiam vos ipsos obtuli": "I have offered up you for a Nazianz. in sacrifice." So saith St Chrysostom: Ipsum mihi sacerdotium est, prædicare et Pleb. evangelizare. Hanc offero oblationems: "My whole priesthood is to teach and to Epist. ad preach the gospel. This is my oblation: this is my sacrifice." Thus the holy 29. fathers, alluding to the orders and ceremonies of Moses' law, called the preaching of the gospel a sacrifice, notwithstanding indeed it were no sacrifice. Of Chrysost. in Rom. Hom. Now to come to M. Harding's words. Three ways, saith he, Christ is offered up unto his Father: in a figure, as in the old law; indeed and bloodily, as upon the cross; in a sacrament or mystery, as in the new testament. which three ways the bloody oblation of Christ upon the cross is the very true and only propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of the world. The other two, as in respect and manner of signifying they are sundry, so in effect and substance they are all one. For, like as in the sacraments of the old law was expressed the death of Christ that was to come, even so in the sacraments of the new law of the gospel is expressed the same death of Christ already past. As we have mysteries, so had they mysteries; as we sacrifice Christ, so did they sacrifice Christ; as the Lamb of God is slain unto us, so was the same Lamb of God slain unto them. St Augustine saith: Tunc... Christus venturus, modo Christus August. de renit. Venturus, et venit, diversa verba sunt; sed idem Christus: "Then was cap. i. 'Christ shall come:' now is Christ is come.' 6 'Shall come' and 'is come' are sundry words; but Christ is all one." Again, in like comparison between the law of Moses and the gospel of Christ, he saith thus: Videte, fide manente, August. in signa variata. In signis diversis eadem fides1o: "Behold, the faith remaining, the Tract. 26. (sacraments, or) signs are changed. The signs or sacraments being divers, the faith is one." Util. Pænit. Johan. But here hath M. Harding done great and open wrong unto St Augustine, wilfully suppressing and drowning his words, and uncourteously commanding him to silence in the midst of his tale. Wherein also appeareth some suspicion of no simple dealing. St Augustine's words touching this whole matter are these: In illis... carnalibus victimis figuratio fuit carnis Christi, quam pro nobis August. de ...fuerat oblaturus, et sanguinis, quem erat effusurus in remissionem peccato- Diacon. cap. rum....In isto autem sacrificio gratiarum actio est, et commemoratio carnis Christi quam pro nobis obtulit, et sanguinis quem pro nobis idem Deus effudit.... In illis...sacrificiis, quid nobis esset donandum, figurate significabatur: in hoc [4 Oftetimes, 1565.] [5 The following is probably the passage meant: ...τοὺς γὰρ ἱερέας πρεσβυτέρους εἴωθε καλεῖν, ὡς ἐν τῷ περὶ τῆς ἐκκλησιαστικῆς Ἱεραρχίας διετράς ywore.-Dion. Areop. Op. Antv. 1634. Schol. S. Max. in Epist. Octav. Tom. II. p. 123.] [ Orig. Op. Par. 1733-59. Comm. in Epist. ad Rom. Lib. x. cap. xv. Tom. IV. p. 676; where esse for est.] [ Perhaps the following may be intended: icoù προσάγω σοι τοὺς ἐμοὺς ἱκέτας. Gregor. Nazianz. [ August. Op. Serm. ccclii. De Util. Agend. [10 In signis diversis eadem fides... Videte ergo, fide manente, signa variata.-Id. in Johan. Evang. cap. x. Tractat. xlv. 9. Tom. III. Pars 11. col. 598.] Fid. ad Petr. xix. |