A04474:1586
A reply unto M. Hardinges answerA replie vnto M. Hardinges ansvveare
A reply unto M. Hardinges answer by perusing whereof the discrete, and diligent reader may easily see, the weak, and unstable grounds of the Romaine religion, which of late hath been accounted Catholic. By John Jewel Bishop of Salisbury.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.
Imprinted at London : In Fleetestreate, at the sign of the Black Oliphant, by Henry Wykes, Anno. 1565Imprinted at London : In Fleetestreate, at the signe of the Blacke Oliphante, by Henry VVykes, Anno. 1565
Article 4 › M. Harding. The .6. Division.Article 4 › M. Hardinge. The .6. Diuision.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Now if the Apostolic Church of Rome, hath obtained the primacy, and preeminence of power over all Churches, and over the whole flock of Christen people of our Lord Saviour himself as Anacletus saith:1 if it be evident to all that know the Gospel, that the cure and charge of the whole Church, hath been committed to the holy Apostle Peter, Prince of all the Apostles, by the woord• of our Lord,2 as Gregory witnesseth: if the whole Brotherhood (that is to say, all Christen folk) ought to obey the one high Priest or Bishop of God, and the one Judge that is Christs Vicar, or in stead of Christ for the time,3 according to the precepts and teachings of God, as Cyprian writeth: if it be God, that hath placed and ordained the Bishop of Rome in the highest state of the Church, as Athanasius, with all the Fathers of that Alexandrine Council recordeth: If this, I say, be true: then is it easily seen, upon how good ground this doctrine standeth, whereby it is affirmed, that the Bishop of Rome his primacy hath his force by God's Law, and not only by mans Law, much less by unjust usurpation. The Scriptures, by which as well these, as all other holy and learned Fathers were lead to acknowledge and confess the Primacy of Peter and his successors, were partly such, as Anacletus and Gregory here allegeth, and Cyprian meaneth as it appeareth by his thirde treatise De simplicitate praelatorum, and sundry moe of the New Testament,4 as to the learned is known: of which to treat here largely, and pithily, as the weight of the matter requireth, at this time I have no leisure: neither if I had, yet might I conveniently perform it in this treatise, which otherwise vvil amount to a sufficient bigness, and that matter throughly handled, will •il a right great volume. Wherefore, referring the readers to the credit of these worthy Fathers, who so underst••de the Scriptures, as thereof they were persuaded the primacy to be attributed to Peters successor by •od him self: I will proceed, keeping my prefixed order.