Your Lords Supper, saith M. Harding, availeth you nothing, but to your further Condemnation. So must it needs be, because M. Harding saith, it shall so be. These Tragical terrors are fit only to frail children: In the Date of the Lord each mans work shall appear. The simplest of our people understandeth the Nature, & Meaning of the Holy Mystery of Our Lords Supper: & therefore they receive y• same together to their great consolation. But in Your Lady Mass the simple people understandeth nothing, heareth nothing, &, saving a few unseemly Ceremonies, seeth nothing. And therefore they so seldom Communicate, & that only of custom, without any zeal, or comfort of conscience, as having no sense, or feeling in all these doings.1 Origē saith, Nisi Circuncisionis reddatur ratio, nutus est, & Opus mutum. Pascha, & aliae Solenuitates nutus magis sunt, quàm Veritas, usque hodiè Populus Israel surdus, & mutus est: Onlesse the reasons, or causes of Circumcision be opened, Circumcision is but a gesture, and a dumb kind of work. The Easter Feast, and other like Solemnities, are rather Ceremonies, then the Truth it self. Even still until this day, 2the people of Israel is deaf, and dumb. S. Ambrose saithe, Indignus est Domino, qui aliter Mysterium celebrate, quàm à Christo traditum est. Non enim potest devotus esse qui aliter praesumit, quàm datum est ab Authore: He is unworthy of the Lord, that Ministereth this Sacrament otherwise, then Christ delivered it. For he cannot be devout, that presumeth to use it otherwise, then it was first delivered from Christ the Author. These words seem somewhat to touch M. Harding, and his Company. But here he is contented, to allow us the very Sacrament, and true use of Baptism, and that available, and of force for the Remission of Sins. Whereby unadvisedly, and unawares he confesseth, that we have the very True Catholic Church of God. For S. Augustine saith truly, Baptismus Ecclesiae potest esse extra Ecclesiam: 3munus autem Beatae vitae non nisi intra Ecclesiam inuenitur: The Baptism of the Church may be without the Church: but the gift of Blessed life is not found, but within the Church. But why he alloweth us this Sacrament, rather then the other, it were a hard matter to discuss. Neither may we justly require reason of him that speaketh so much without reason.
Your Lordes Supper, saithe M. Hardinge, auaileth you nothing, but to your further Condēnation. So must it néedes be, bicause M. Harding saith, it shal so be. These Tragical terrours are fit onely to frale children: In the Date of the Lorde eche mannes woorke shal appeare. The simpleste of our people vnderstandeth the Nature, & Meaning of ye Holy Mysterie of Our Lordes Supper: & therfore they receiue y• same togeather to theire greate consolation. But in Your Lady Masse the simple people vnderstandeth nothing, heareth nothing, &, sauing a fewe vnseemely Ceremonies, seeth nothing. And therfore they so seldome Communicate, & that onely of custome, without any zele, or comforte of conscience, as hauinge no sense, or feeling in al these dooinges.1 Origē saith, Nisi Circuncisionis reddatur ratio, nutus est, & Opus mutum. Pascha, & aliae Solenuitates nutus magis sunt, quàm Veritas, vsque hodiè Populus Israel surdus, & mutus est: Onlesse the reasons, or causes of Circumcisiō be opened, Circumcision is but a gesture, and a doumbe kinde of vvoorke. The Easter Feaste, and other like Solemnities, are rather Ceremonies, then the Truthe it selfe. Euen stil vntil this daie, 2the people of Israel is deafe, and doumbe. S. Ambrose saithe, Indignus est Domino, qui aliter Mysterium celebrat, quàm à Christo traditum est. Non enim potest deuotus esse qui aliter praesumit, quàm datum est ab Authore: He is vnwoorthy of the Lorde, that Ministreth this Sacramente othervvise, then Christe deliuered it. For he cannot be deuoute, that presumeth to vse it othervvise, then it was firste deliuered from Christe the Authoure. These wordes séeme sommewhat to touche M. Hardinge, and his Companie. But here he is contented, to allowe vs the very Sacramente, and true vse of Baptisme, and that vailable, and of force for the Remission of Sinnes. Whereby vnaduisedly, and vnwares he confesseth, that wee haue the very True Catholique Churche of God. For S. Augustine saithe truely, Baptismus Ecclesiae potest esse extra Ecclesiam: 3munus autem Beatae vitae non nisi intra Ecclesiam inuenitur: The Baptisme of the Churche maie be without the Churche: but the gifte of Blessed life is not founde, but vvithin the Churche. But why he alloweth vs this Sacramente, rather then the other, it were a harde mater to discusse. Neither may we iustly require reason of him that speaketh so mutche without reason.
- 1Origen. in Luc• Homil. 5.
- 2Ambros. in 1. Cor. 11.
- 3De Con. Dist. 4 Ecclesia.
