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A reply unto M. Hardinges answerA replie vnto M. Hardinges ansvveareJohn Jewel, 1565

The B. of Salisbury.The B. of Sarisburie.

pp. 51–5311 passages

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.

:440p. 51

The B. of Salisbury.

The B. of Sarisburie.

:441p. 51

How often will M. Harding allege the old Doctors against him self? Here he bringeth in S. Hierome: and the first words that he could find for his purpose, were these: I know the custom at Rome is this, ¹that the Christian people there receive the Body of Christ every day. It seemeth this custom grew first from Peter, and was planted in Rome. A man may here well demand, when the custom was that the whole people should communicate daily together,² where then was the custom of Private Mass?

How often wil M. Hardinge allege the olde Doctours against him selfe? Here he bringeth in S. Hierome: and the firste woordes that he coulde finde for his purpose, were these: I knowe the custome at Rome is this, ¹that the Christian people there receiue the Bodie of Christe euery daie. It séemeth this custome grewe first from Peter, and was planted in Rome. A man may here wel demaunde, when the custome was that the whole people should communicate dayly togeather,² where then was the custome of Priuate Masse?

1Hieronym. in Apologia aduersus Jovinianum.Hieronym. in Apologia aduersus Iouinianum.
2Where was then the Private Mass?VVhere was then the Priuate Masse?

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:443p. 51–52

Here M. Harding interlaceth other matter of the office of wedlock, the words of Persius the Pagan Poet, and the superstitious Ceremony of the Heathens, ⟨p. 52⟩as I take it, little pertaining unto his Mass. Where as the whole people received the holy Mysteries every day, the man and wife remembering sometimes what they had done between them selves, and thinking them selves for the same not to be in so clean state of life, as the rest were, for y• cause forbore the Church for the time: and having the Sacrament sent unto them, received it Privately at home. Unto this superstition S. Hierome him self gave great occasion, many times both writing and speaking unseemly of the state of Marriage: in defence whereof S. Augustine wrote a Book against Jovinian intitled De bono Coniugij: and S. Hierome afterward was driven to make his answer by way of purgation unto Pammachius for the same. In this error were divers of the old learned Fathers. Tertullian sayeth, I allow not Marriage: for fornication and that stand both in one thing. ¹Origen saith, No man can offer the continual Sacrifice, that is to say, the Sacrifice of Prayer, unless he be a Virgin. S. Hierome saith, It is good not to touch a woman: Therefore it is il to touch a woman. Upon occasion of which error the people sometimes forbore the Churches where Martyrs were buried.

Here M. Hardinge interlaceth other mater of the office of wedlocke, the woords of Persius the Pagane Poete, and the superstitious Ceremonie of the Heathens, ⟨p. 52⟩as I take it, litle perteininge vnto his Masse. Where as the whole people receiued the holy Mysteries euery day, the man and wife remembringe sometimes what they had done betwéene them selues, and thinkinge them selues for the same not to be in so cleane state of life, as the rest were, for y• cause forbare the Churche for the time: and hauinge the Sacrament sent vnto them, receiued it Priuately at home. Unto this superstition S. Hierome him selfe gaue greate occasion, many times bothe writinge and speakinge vnséemely of the state of Mariage: in defence whereof S. Augustine wrote a Booke againste Iouinian intitled De bono Coniugij: and S. Hierome afterwarde was driuen to make his answeare by way of purgation vnto Pammachius for the same. In this errour were diuers of the olde learned Fathers. Tertullian saieth, I allowe not Mariage: for fornication and that stande bothe in one thinge. ¹Origen saithe, No man can offer the continual Sacrifice, that is to say, the Sacrifice of Praier, vnlesse he be a Virgin. S. Hierome saithe, It is good not to touche a woman: Therefore it is il to touche a woman. Upon occasion of whiche errour the people sometimes forbare the Churches where Martyrs were buried.

1Tertullian. in exhortatione ad Castitatem. Origen. in Numeros Homil. 23.

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True it is, Almighty God for the testimony of his Doctrine and Trueth, hath oftentimes wrought great Miracles, even by the dead Carcasses of his Sain••es, in witness that they had been his Messengers, and the Instruments of his will. But as these were good inducements at the first to lead the people to the trueth, so afterward they became snares, to lead the same people into error: and that even in the time of the old Fathers, above eleven hundred years ago. S. Augustine saith,¹ I know many worshippers of Craves and Images, that drink and quaff disorderly over the dead, and offer meat unto their Carcasses, and bury them self over the buried, and make account,² that even their very drunkenness, and gluttony is a Religion that pleaseth God. Gelasius saith, It is reported that with procession they furnish up their Churches, built in the name of dead men,³ and the same, for ought that I can learn, while they were alive, not altogether good faithful men. ⁴S. Martin on a time came to a Chapel built in the name of a holy Martyr. But afterward he learned by revelation, that the same Martyr had been sometime a common thief,⁵ & for a robbery had been put to death, and by error of the people was honoured for a Saint. Likewise S. Augustine saith,⁶ Some there be, that carry about Martyrs bones to sale: and yet it may well be doubted, whether ever they were Martyrs or no.

True it is, Almighty God for the testimonie of his Doctrine and Trueth, hath oftentimes wrought great Miracles, euen by the dead Carcasses of his Sain••es, in witnesse that they had bene his Messengers, and the Instrumentes of his wil. But as these were good inducementes at the firste to leade the people to the trueth, so afterwarde they became snares, to leade the same people into errour: and that euen in the time of the olde Fathers, aboue eleuen hundred yéeres agoe. S. Augustine saithe,¹ I know many woorshippers of Craues and Images, that drinke and quaffe disorderly ouer the deade, and offer meate vnto their Carcasses, and burie them selfe ouer the buried, and make accompte,² that euen their very dronkennes, and glottony is a Religion that pleaseth God. Gelasius saithe, It is reported that with procession they furnishe vp their Churches, builte in the name of deade menne,³ and the same, for ought that I can learne, while they were aliue, not altogeather good faithful men. ⁴S. Martin on a time came to a Chapel builte in the name of a holy Martyr. But afterwarde he learned by reuelation, that the same Martyr had bene sometime a common théefe,⁵ & for a robberie had bene put to death, and by errour of the people was honoured for a Saincte. Likewise S. Augustine saithe,⁶ Some there be, that carie aboute Martyrs bones to sale: and yet it may wel be doubted, whether euer they were Martyrs or no.

1August. de moribus Eccle. & Manich. Ca. 34.
2Idem Confession. lib. 6. ca. 2.
3Celasius Can. 2.
4De Conse. dist. 1. placuit.
5Sulpitius in vita Martini.
6De opere Monachorum. Ca. 28.

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Touching Erasmus M. Harding hath already refused his authority, and turned him over to his own defence. Where he saith, every man was wont in old times to receive the Sacrament severally at home: it would much better have sounded of M. Hardinges side, if Erasmus had said, every man was wont then to say Mass severally at home. And all be it in that short not upon S. Hierome he seem to understand ⟨p. 53⟩these words of S. Paul, (have ye not houses to eat and drink in) of the private receiving of the Sacrament: yet otherwhere writing of purpose, and good deliberation upon the same, he saith S. Paul meant it only of common meats, and not of the Sacrament.¹ In his Paraphrase he expoundeth it thus: Hie unanimitatis Christianae mysterium agitur &c. Here is practised the Mystery of Christian unity, and not provision made for the belly. For that ought ye to do in your private houses, and not in the public Congregation. If ye would fill your bellies, have ye not houses, where ye may do it by your selves alone? And again, if any man be so greedy of meat, that he can not tarry, let him eat at home. Thus saith M. Harding, Erasmus gathereth the Private Mass out of the Scriptures. M. Harding is over quick in his Conclusions. He maketh him self sure of the Consequent, before he see the Antecedent. For Erasmus hath not one word there neither of Private Mass, nor of single Communion. How then can he get that of Erasmus, that Erasmus him self hath not? Neither is this any necessary form of reason, Men received the Sacrament in their houses: Ergo, they received the Sacrament alone. For they might receive in their several houses with their wives and families altogether, as it is already proved by the example of Hippolytus Martyr.² And S. Hierome sayeth, The Sacrament was sent home to the man and wife. Otherwise it might be said, God commanded that every man should eat the Easter Lam in his house, Ergo, God commanded that every man should eat that Lam alone. How be it I make small account of this matter, as nothing touching the Private Mass: but only show the feebleness of these Conclusions.

Touchinge Erasmus M. Hardinge hath alreadie refused his authoritie, and turned him ouer to his owne defence. Where he saithe, euery man was wonte in olde times to receiue the Sacrament seuerally at home: it would muche better haue sounded of M. Hardinges side, if Erasmus had saide, euery man was wonte then to say Masse seuerally at home. And al be it in that shorte not vpon S. Hierome he séeme to vnderstande ⟨p. 53⟩these woordes of S. Paule, (haue ye not houses to eate and drinke in) of the priuate receiuinge of the Sacrament: yet otherwhere writinge of purpose, and good deliberation vpon the same, he saithe S. Paule meante it onely of common meates, and not of the Sacrament.¹ In his Paraphrase he expoundeth it thus: Hie vnanimitatis Christianae mysterium agitur &c. Here is practised the Mysterie of Christian vnitie, and not prouision made for the belly. For that ought ye to doo in your priuate houses, and not in the publike Congregation. If ye woulde fille your bellies, haue ye not houses, where ye may doo it by your selues alone? And againe, if any man be so greedie of meate, that he can not tarie, let him eate at home. Thus saithe M. Hardinge, Erasmus gathereth the Priuate Masse out of the Scriptures. M. Hardinge is ouer quicke in his Conclusions. He maketh him selfe sure of the Consequent, before he sée the Antecedent. For Erasmus hath not one woorde there neither of Priuate Masse, nor of single Communion. How then can he geate that of Erasmus, that Erasmus him selfe hath not? Neither is this any necessarie forme of reason, Men receiued the Sacrament in their houses: Ergo, they receiued the Sacrament alone. For they might receiue in their seueral houses with their wiues and families altogeather, as it is alreadie proued by the example of Hippolytus Martyr.² And S. Hierome saieth, The Sacrament was sent home to the man and wife. Otherwise it might be saide, God commaunded that euery man shoulde eate the Easter Lamme in his house, Ergo, God commaunded that euery man shoulde eate that Lamme alone. How be it I make smal accoumpte of this mater, as nothinge touchinge the Priuate Masse: but onely shewe the féeblenesse of these Conclusions.

1Paraphrasis Erasmi in. 1. Corinth. 11.
2Hieronym in Apologia aduersus Jovinianū.Hieronym in Apologia aduersus Iouinianū.