of Gods owne mouth (I trow) immediatly, that which confirmeth
hym and his faith and religion.^81
In opposition to the Royal Supremacy and the supposed autonomy of
English bishops to alter and change religion, and to act as the final court
on what is and is not licit, Rastell affirmed the authority both of the
bishops in council and the papal prerogatives, in which he saw a
guarantee of the Church’s stability, unity and continuity.
How now then? should any wise man, and desirous of the truth,
have talk with an heretike aboute the open and close speaking of the
priest, which dependeth of that other question, whether the
Bishoppes and heades of the church, may not rule the churche of
Christ, as they shall see expedient? what a doe is made, about the
communion under one kynde: [etc.]? in which questions, the
heretike hath this advantage, that whiles these thinges are
indefferent, he maye bring for him selfe, a probably argument, and
the Catholike, what so ever he shall bring (except he goe to a higher
question) he shall speak but probablye, and so the hearer of bothe
partes can not dissalow greately, any one. But if we wold come to
that, which is the chefe in allsuch indiffernt matters, and reson,
whether we shold not obey the lawfull bishops and heads: this
question concluded, would sone put to silence all heresy, and settle
well the consciences of true Catholikes.^82Thus, for Harding, Sander, Dorman, Rastell, Stapleton and the other
Catholics, the sacraments, while creating union with Christ, were
guarded as to their truth and purity by the visible Church, that is, the
bishops and the pope. Jewel and England had severed themselves from
this institution, the universal Church, by implementing an oath denying
the unity realized within the episcopacy of the whole Church, and made
real by union with Christ found in the Eucharist.
154 JOHN JEWEL AND THE ENGLISH NATIONAL CHURCH
(^81) Rastell,Beware, f. 118a–18b.
(^82) Rastell,Confutation, f. 149a–49b.
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