A04474:29
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
Preface: ¶AN ANSWER TO M. Hardinges Preface.Preface: ¶AN ANSVVEARE TO M. Hardinges Preface.
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.
In this case Christian duty, and Charity required, that the trueth, and certainty of your tales should be opened, that the simple might understand, ye had deceived them, and that of all that your so large talk, and countenance of Antiquity you were, as you well know, utterly able to avouch nothing. Where as it so much offendeth you, that I should so precisely avouch the Negative, and require you to prove your Affirmative, whereof ye would seem so well assured, it may please you to consider, that S. Gregory writing against John the Bishop of Constantinople, that had entitled him self the Universal Bishop of the whole world, resteth him self likewise upon the Negative. His words be these: Nemo de•essorum meorum hoc superbo vocabulo uti consensit: 1Nemo Romanorum Po•tificum hoc Singularitatis nomen assumpsit. None of my Predecessors ever consented to use this arrogant name: No Bishop of Rome ever took upon him this name of Singularity. S. Augustine, when he had reckoned up all the Bishops of Rome, before his time,2 added thereto by a Negative, In hoc ordine successionis nullus Donatista Episcopus inuenitur: In this order of Succession there is found no Bishop, that was a Donatist. Yet neither S. Augustine, nor S. Gregory was ever condemned for Goliath. By the like Negative, you, M. Harding, your self say, although untruly, as ye do many other things besides, That neither M. Ivel, nor any one of his side is able to show,3 that the public Service of the Church in any nation, was ever for the space of six hundred years after Christ, in any other tongue, then in Greek, or Latin. And yet we may not therefore call you, either Goliath, or Thersites, or by any other like uncourteous name. You say, I take presumptuously upon me, to have read all things, and to be ignorant of nothing: only because I say, you in these cases can allege nothing. And why so? Can no man descry your wants, and disclose your Untruths, without presumption? You say, ye have the consent of all Doctors, of all ages, and of all times, of your side, shall we therefore say, that you vaunt your self of your knowledge? or, that you know all things, and are ignorant of nothing? You say, Ye have all the Doctors. I say, and true it is, Ye have not one Doctor.