A defence of the Apologie of the Churche of Englande conteininge an answeare to a certaine booke lately set foorthe by M. Hardinge, and entituled, A confutation of &c. By Iohn Iewel Bishop of Sarisburie.

The Apologie, Cap. 14. Diuision. 1. &. 2.

Albeit these same warninges alone maie suffice a wiseman, to take heede, he doo not suffer him selfe rashely to be deceiued with the name of the Churche, and not to staie, to make further inquisition thereof by Goddes Woorde, yet biside al this, many Fathers also, many learned, and Godly menne, haue often and carefully complai∣ned, how al these thinges haue chaunced in their life time. For euen in the middest of that thicke miste of darkenesse, God would yet there should be somme, whoe, though they gaue not a cleare, and brighte light, yet should kendle, were it but somme sparke, whiche menne, be∣inge in the darkenesse, might espie.

Hilarius, when thinges as yet were almoste vncorrupte, and in good case too,* 1.1 Yee are il deceiued, saith he, vvith the loue of vvalles: ye doo il vvoorship the Churche, in that ye vvoorship it in houses and buildinges: yee doo il bringe in the name of peace vnder roofes. Is there any doubte, but Antichriste vvil haue his Seate vnder the same? I rather recken Hilles, vvoodes, Pooles, Marishes, Prisons, and Quauemires, to be places of more safetie: for in these the Prophetes either abidinge of their accorde, or forced thither by violence, didde Prophesie by the Spirite of God.

Gregorie, as one, whiche perceiued, and foresawe in his minde the wracke of al thinges, wrote thus of Iohan Bishop of Constantino∣ple, the firste of al others, that commaunded him selfe to bee called by this newe name, the Vniuersal Bishop of vvhole Christes Church:* 1.2 Yf the Churche, saith he, shal depende vpon one manne, it vvil soone fal dovvne to the grounde. Who is he that seeth not how this is comme to passe longe sithence? For longe agone hath the Bishop of Rome willed to haue the whole Churche depende vpon him selfe alone. Wherefore it is no marueile, though it be cleane fal∣len downe longe agone.

M. Hardinge.

Ye make a foule lie, Syr defender, vpon S. Gregorie. The Woordes you recite, be your owne, not his. Is it not inough to lie your selfe, as you doo very often, but that you father lies also vpon the Do∣ctoursi Thankes be to God, that so ye bewraie the weakenesse of your cause.‡ 1.3 Neither in any Epistle to Iohn Bishop of Constantinople, as you saie in your Apologie, nor in any to Mauritius the Emperoure, as you haue noted in the margent, writeth Gregorie,‡ 1.4 that if the Churche shall depende vpon one mā, y^• whole shal fall to grounde. I see well, you would faine Gregorie had so written. And if he had, yet your argument had benne naught. For you take not the right minor, whiche should haue benne this, The Church doth depende vpō one man, if you would make your reason good, and after the rules of Logike. For where your minor speaketh onely of the Popes will, thereof your conclusion fo∣loweth not. Dispose your propositions in the forme of a Syllogisme, and you shall espie your owne fe∣ble reason. And if you make that your minor, then graunte you that, whiche you denie.

The woordes whereof you gather this pretensed saieinge of Gregorie,* 1.5 as I suppose, be these: If a∣ny man hath caught vnto himselfe that name (of Vniuersall Bishop) in that Churche (of Constantino∣ple) then the whole Churche, (whiche God forbid) fell from his state, when he that is called Vniuersal, fell. Gregorie vnderstandeth by the name, Vniuersall Bishop, as him selfe declareth in many places. * 1.6 suche a one, as is a Bishop altogether and onely, so as there be no other Bishop besides him. Now if it were graunted, that the Bishop of Constantinople were this one and onely Vniuersal Bishop, this in∣conuenience would folowe, that with the fall of that Vniuersall Bishop, the Vniuersall Churche also fell. For where the Churche is, there be Bishoppes: and where be Bishoppes, there is the Churche: and a ‡ 1.7 Bishop Vniuersall, by Gregorie, is as muche as all Bishoppes. That this beinge graunted, the whole Churche is fallen from the Faithe, thus he proueth. For (saithe he) the Bishoppes of Constant inople haue fallen into the goulfe of great and detestable Heresies: as Nestorius, who thinkinge Christe to be two persones, and beleuinge that God coulde not be made man, ranne to a Iewishe Infidelitie: and as Macedonius, who denied the holy Ghost to be God. VVherefore if the B. of Constantinople be the Vni∣uersall Bishop, accordinge to the sense aforesaide, then at the fall of him from the Faithe, as when those two before named fell, the Churche also falleth, as then by this reason, when they were Bishops, it fell. Thus reasoneth S. Gregorie in that Epistle to Mauritius. But because to Gregorie it semeth very farre from reason, and incredible, that the Churche should fall from the Faithe, and faile: there∣fore he enucigheth againste Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople for chalenginge that name of Vniuer∣sal Bishop, and concludeth that the* 1.8 Bishop of that See in any wise can not so be.

But if the woorde, Vn••uersall, signifie a soueraintie of charge, and Supremacie of Gouernement ouer the whole Churche,‡ 1.9 whiche Christe committed to Peter, and in Peter to his Successours the Bishoppes of Rome,* 1.10 when he saide, Feede my Shepe: in this sense it is not impious nor erroneus, nor contrary to the minde of S. Gregorie, to call the Successour of Peter, Christes vicare in Earth, the Vniuersal Bishop, * 1.11 that is to saie, the highest of al, and hauinge power ouer all other Bishoppes, and Bishop of the Vni∣uersall Churche. And, as Christe gaue to S. Peter and his successours, for the benefite of his Churche, a Supreme auctoritie and power▪ so for the same Churches sake,* 1.12 for whose loue he deliuered him selfe to death,* 1.13 by petition made to his Father, he obteined for him and his successours the Priuilege of this su∣preme and moste excellente grace, that their Faithe shoulde neuer faile. In consideration of whiche singular Priuilege, obteined by Christe and* 1.14 graunted to the see Apostolike, and to none other, Grego∣rie rebuketh Iohn the Bishop of Cōstantinople so much, as one that presumptuously vsurped that newe name of vniuersal Bishop against the statutes of the Gospel, and against the Decrees of the Canons.

To conclude, if either Gregorie, or any other man shoulde sa••e, that the Churche dependeth vpon one man: he mighte seeme to saie truthe, meaninge rightly, and that not alone, nor without good Authoritie.* 1.15 For suche a saieinge we finde vttered by S. Ierome. The safetie of the Churche (saithe he) dependeth vpon the dignitie of the highest Priesie, who if he haue not auctoritie peer∣lesse and aboue all other, there will be so many Schismes in the Churche, as there be Priestes. VVhich peerlesse auctoritie aboue all other, as S. Hierome in that place dothe attribute to ‡ to the Bishop of e∣uery Dioces directly,* 1.16 so consequently to Peters Successor, to whom it was saide, Feede my Sheepe. For

by what reason in eche Dioces it behoueth one Prieste to be highes••ouer other Priestes,* 1.17 by the same and in like proportion nolesse it behoueth, that in the whole Churche one Bishop be highest ouer other Bi∣shoppes. I meane, for auoidinge Schismes.

The B. of Sarisburie.

Yf yée had better looked on your Bookes, M. Hardinge, ye woulde not haue benne so hasty in dealinge Lies. Wée falsifie not that good Fathers Woordes: but reporte them truely, as wée finde them. For thus he writeth in sundrie places, of Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople, that firste auanced him selfe aboue al his Brethren, and required to be called the Vniuersal Bishop of al the worlde: Vni∣uersa Ecclesia â statu suo corruit,* 1.18 quando is, qui appellatur Vniuersalis, cadit: The whole Vniuersal Churche falleth from her state, when he falleth, that is called the Vni∣uersal Bishop. This is no Lie, M. Hardinge: Conferre the places: & yée shal finde the woordes, as wee reporte them. It standeth not, neither with your profes∣sion, nor with your modestie, so vncourteously to vse your tongue. We neither Lie our selues, nor father Lies vpon the Doctoures. God be thanked, his cause is sutche, as maie wel be maineteined without Lies.

But, to put you further oute of doubte, the sense of these woordes ye maie finde often vttered by S. Gregorie, in other places. Vnto Anastasius, the Bishop of Antioche,* 1.19 he writeth thus: Vt de honoris vestri iniuria taceam, si vnus Epis∣copus vocatur Vniuersalis, vniuersa Ecclesia corruit, si Vnus Vniuersus cadit: To dissemble the iniurie donne to your Honoure, if one Bishop be called Vniuersal, then if that One Vniuersal Bishop fal, the whole Vniuersal Churche goeth to grounde.

Againe he saithe in the same Epistle,* 1.20 Vos eandem causam Nullam dicere non de∣betis. Quia, si hanc aequanimiter portamus, Vniuersae Ecclesiae Fidem corrumpi∣mus: Ye maie not saie, This is a mater of no importance. For, if wee patiently beare these thinges, wee destroie the Faithe of the Vniuersal Churche.

Againe he saithe,* 1.21 In isto Scelesto vocabulo consentire, nihil aliud est, quàm Fidem perdere: To consente vnto this wicked Name, is nothinge els, but to lose the Faithe.

Againe,* 1.22 Flens dico: Gemens denuntio: Quia cùm Sacerdotalis Ordo intus ceci∣dit, foris diu stare non poterit: I speake it with teares: I tel it with sighe of Harte: For, seeinge the Order of Priesthoode is fallen within, it cannot nowe stande longe without

Againe,* 1.23 Diabolus ita validè in quibusdam Ecclesiae necessarijs Membris dentes fi∣git, vt nulli sit dubium, quin, nisi vnanimiter, fauente Domino, cunctorum prouida Pasto∣rum turba concurrat, omne, quod absit, citiùs ouile dilaniet: The Diuel so strongely fasteneth his Teeth in the necessarie Members of the Churche, that, onlesse by Goddes Grace, the prouident companie of al Bishoppes ioine togeather, there is no doubte, but he wil soone destroie the whole flocke: whiche God forbid. And againe he compareth the Pride of this name with the Pride of Antichriste: and saithe, that the one shal woorke the Confusion of the Churche,* 1.24 no lesse, then the other. Thus he saith, Nunquid nō, cùm se Antichristus veniens Deum dixerit,* 1.25 friuolum vald•• erit? Sed ramen nimis per∣niciosum. Si quantitatem vocis attendimus, Duae sunt Syllabae: si pondus iniquitatis, Vniuersa pernicies: When Antichriste shal comme, and cal him selfe God, shal it not be a very trifle? Yet shal it be marueilous hurteful (to the Churche). If ye weigh the quantitie of the woorde, it standeth in twoo Syllables: If ye consider the weight of the wickednesse, it is an Vniuersal destruction. These are no Lies, as it liketh you to calle them, M. Har∣ding: They are very plaine woordes: it is the vndoubted meaninge of S. Gregorie. And therefore he calleth this claime of Vniuersal Povver, a Superstitio••••s, a Pro∣fane, an Vngodly, & a Wicked title: a name of Hypocrisie: & a name of Blasphemie.

To auoide these Authorities, beinge so pregnāt, & so cleare, ye are faine to tan∣sie sundrie prety shiftes, sutche as, neither Iohn, nor Gregorie was euer hable to vnderstande.

Firste ye saie,* 1.26 This Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople meante by this title, vtterly to disgrade al Bishoppes, and Patriarkes, what so euer: and to make him selfe the Onely Bishop of al the world. It is a childish laboure, to seeke a knotte in a russhe, & to imagine doubtes, where the case is cleare. It is certaine, that the Bi∣shop of Constantinople meante none other Vniuersal Authoritie, then that now is claimed by the Pope. Therefore it is thus noted in the Booke, called Chroni∣con Eusebij,* 1.27 Institntum fuit, vt Romana Ecclesia Caput esset Ecclesiarum om∣nium: cùm priùs Constantinopolitana id vsurpare tentasset: Order was taken, that the Churche of Rome should be the Head of al Churches: whereas before, the Churche of Constantinople had attempted to Vsurpe the same. Whiche thinge is also noted by Matthias Palmerius of Florence, & that without any manner diffe∣rence, or change of woordes.* 1.28 Sabellicus saithe, Bonifaciusz. egit ab initio admini∣strationis suae cum Phoca,* 1.29 vt Romana Ecclesia esset omniū aliarum Caput. Est{que} id aegrè, nec sine multa contentione Apostolicae Sedi datum. Graeci id ad se de∣cus trahentes, ibi Christianae Pietatis Arcem esse oportere aiebant, vbi & Im∣perij: Bonifacius the thirde, at the firste enitre into his office, was an earneste suiter vnto the Emperoure Phocas, that the Churche of Rome might be the Heade of al other Churches. Whiche thinge hardely, and with greate laboure was graunted to the Apostolique See of Rome. The Grecians drawinge the same honoure vnto them selues, saide, It was necessarie, the Heade of Christian Religion shoulde be there, where as was the Heade of the Empiere: whiche was at Constantinople.

Likewise writeth Vrspergensis:* 1.30 At the requeste and suite of Pope Boniface, Phocas the Emperoure appointed the See of the Apostolique Churche of Rome, to be the Heade of al Churches. For before that time, the Churche of Constantinople wrote her selfe the First, or Chiefe of al others.

By these it maie appeare, M. Hardinge, it was greate folie for you, thus to ca∣••••••l at the name. For the Power, and Iurisdiction, then claimed by the Bishop of Constantinople, and afterwarde vsurped by the Bishoppes of Rome▪ was al one. Therefore S. Gregorie saithe to Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople,* 1.31 Tu quid Christo, Vniuersalis Ecclesiae Capiti, in Extremi Iudicij dicturus es examine, qui Cuncta cius membra tibimet conaris Vniuersalis appellatione supponere? What an∣sweare wilte thou make, at the trial of the Laste Judgement, vnto Christe the Head of the Vniuersal Churche, whiche thus by the name of Vniuersal Bishop, seekeste to make al his Members subiecte vnto thee? Euen the selfe same Vniuersal povver claimeth nowe the Bishop of Rome: and séeketh to make al other Bishoppes through the world, and the whole Vniuersal Churche of Christe, thral and subiecte vnto him.

The Bishoppes of Constantinople felle sommetimes into Heresies, & were deceiued. But Christe hath praied for Peter, that his Faithe shoulde not faise. Ergo, saie you, The Bishop of Rome can neuer possibly be deceiued. O, M. Hardinge, let shame once force you to refraine these Vanities. I doubte not, but hereafter in place con∣uenient I shalbe hable to shewe, that there haue benne mee Heretiques placed in S. Peters Chaire, euē in the See of Rome, then you are hable to finde in any one Sée within Europe.

Verily, S. Gregories reason, touching the danger, & Confusion of the Churche, weigheth nomore againste the Bishop of Constantinople, then againste the Bi∣shop of Rome. For thus he saithe, If he, that is called the Vniuersal Bishop, happen to erre, then needes must y^• whole Vniuersal Churche fal togeather with him into Erroure, And therefore if ye had perused the Councel of Basile, ye shoulde haue founde this selfe same reason alleged there, not againste the Bishop of Constantinople, but against the Pride,* 1.32 and Arrogancie of the Bishop of Rome. The woordes be these: Alioqui, errante Pontifice, sicut saepè contigit, & contingere potest, to••a

erraret Ecclesia:* 1.33 Otherwise, when so euer the Pope erreth, as he hath often erred, and maie erre againe, the vvhole Churche should erre with him. Thus wrote the Bishoppes, and, by your owne Iudgemente, Catholike Bishoppes, in the Councel of Basile: yet had they not forgotten the Praier, that Christe made for S. Peter.

And therefore Franciscus Zarabella, a notable Canoniste, and Cardinal of the Churche of Rome, seeinge the greate enormities, that grewe hereof, saithe thus: Papae faciunt quicquid libet,* 1.34 etiam illicita: & sunt plusquam Deus. Ex hoc infiniti se∣quuti sunt errores. Quia papa occupauit omnia iura inferiorum Ecclesiarum: ita vt inferiores Praelati fint pro nihilo. Et, nisi Deus succurrat statui Ecclesiae, V∣niuersalis Ecclesia periclitatur: The Popes doo now, what so euer they liste to doo, yea although it be vnlawfultand are becomme more then God. Hereof haue folowed infinite Er∣roures. For the Pope hath inuaded, and entred vpon al the right of the Inferioure Churches: so that the inferiour Bishoppes maie goe for nought. And onlesse God healpe the state of the Churche, the Vniuersal Churche is in danger. Thus hitherto, M. Harding, ye haue founde no lie.

Nowe, where ye woulde seeme to saie, Gregorie so reproued the Bishop of Constantinople, that neuerthelesse he claimed y^• same Title, & Vniuersal Autho∣ritie to him selfe: maie it therefore please you herein to stand to y^• Iudgemēt of S. Gregorie him selfe, of whō, I recken, ye doo not doubte, but he vnderstood his owne meaninge. Doubtelesse, if ye had so diligentely considered S. Gregorie, as ye beare vs in hande, ye should haue found, that, touchinge any his owne right here∣in, he Disclaimeth this Title, & refuseth it vtterly. For so he writeth to y^• Empe∣rour Mauritius:* 1.35 Nunquid ego in hac re, pijssime Domine, propriam causam defen∣d? O my moste Graceouse Lord, doo I herein quarrel for myne owne right? Againe he saith, Non mea Causa, sed Dei est Nō ego solus, sed tota turbatur Ecclesia: Quia piae Le∣ges, quia venerandae Synodi, quia ipsa Domini nostri lesu mandata, Superbi, at{que} pom∣patici cuiusdam Sermonis inuentione tuibantur: It is Goddes cause: It is not mine. Not I onely am troubled therewith, but also the whole Churche. For the Godly Lawes, the Reuerende Synodes, and the very Commaundementes of oure Lorde Iesu are broken by the inuention of a certaine prowde,* 1.36 and pompouse Name. Againe, Nullus Romanorum Pontificum hoc Singularitatis Nomē assumpsit: Nullus Decessorum meorum hoc tam profano vocabulo vti consensit: Nos hunc honorem nolumus obla∣tum recipere:* 1.37 None of al the Bishoppes of Rome euer tooke vpon him this name of Singularitie: None of my Predecessours euer consented to vse this Vngodly style: wee our selues wil not receiue this honoure, though it were offered.

Thus it appeareth by the Iudgemente of S. Gregorie, that this Vniuersal Authoritie is vtterly vnlawful, not onely in other Bishoppes, but also euen in the Bishop of Rome.

Touchinge the place of S. Hierome, I sée, ye are contente to geue ouer, and to recante youre former erroure. For in your Firste Booke, ye saie, these woordes are Notable aboue others: and therefore might not be dissembled. And where S. Hierome saithe,* 1.38 The safetie of the Churche hangeth of the Dignitie of the Highe Prieste (meaninge thereby euery seueral Bishop within his owne Limites) ye thought it good, thus to lard the same, by a proper parēthesis, with certaine other special stuffe, of your owne prouision: He meaneth the Pope, Peters Successour: as if this Highe Prieste, of whom S. Hierome writeth, could be none other, but the Bishop of Rome. Now vpon somme better aduise, & by waie of Retractation, ye saie thus, This peerelesse Authoritie aboue al other, S. Hierome dooth at∣tribute to the Bishop of euery Diocese: whiche in déede was the very meaninge of S. Hierome. Certainely, if S. Hierome, by these woordes, meante Onely the Bishop of Rome, as ye tolde vs before, then he meant not the Particulare Bishop

of euery Diocese, as ye tel vs nowe. Therefore ye muste néedes confesse, that either nowe, or before, ye haue soughte meanes to beguile your Reader. As for the Pope, Peters Successour, he meante nomore of him, then of any other Bishop. If it shal likewise hereafter please you, to cal in other your like ouersightes, ye shal publishe more truthe, and encumber your Reader with lesse Erroure.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Contra Auxen∣tium.
• * 1.2

  Gregor. Lib. 4. Ad Mauritium.
• ‡ 1.3

  Vntruthe. For he vvriteth it often. Reade the Ansvveare.
• ‡ 1.4

  Vntruthe, more pee••••she, then the for∣mer.
• * 1.5

  Epist. lib. 4. ad Maurit. Epist. 32.
• * 1.6

  A manifeste vntruthe vvith∣out vvitte.
• ‡ 1.7

  Vntruthe. For Christe neuer gaue out any sutche Com∣mission.
• * 1.8

  Vntruthe, fonde, and vvil∣ful. For S. Gre∣gorie speaketh these vvoordes nomore of the B. of Constanti∣nople, then of the B. of Rome.
• ‡ 1.9

  Here M. Hard. recanteth his errour. For be∣fore he saide. These vvoordes belonge onely to the Pope.
• * 1.10

  Iohn. 21.
• * 1.11

  This same vvas it, that Gregorie reproued: For thus he vvriteth, Cuncta Christi Membra tibi conaris Vniuer∣salis appellatio∣ne supponere: Gregor. Lib. 4. Epist. 38.
• * 1.12

  Iohn. 14.
• * 1.13

  Luke. 22.
• * 1.14

  Vntruthe, vt∣terly voide of shame.
• * 1.15

  Contra Lu∣ciferian.
• * 1.16

  Iohn. 21.
• * 1.17

  The Vni∣uersal Churche falleth.
• * 1.18

  Gregor. Lib. 4. Epist. 32
• * 1.19

  Gregor. Lib. 6. Episto. 24.
• * 1.20

  Gregor. in eadē Epistola.
• * 1.21

  Gregor. Lib. 4. Epistol. 39.
• * 1.22

  Gregor. Li. 4. E∣pist. 52. &. 55.
• * 1.23

  Gregor. Lib. 4. Epist. 36.
• * 1.24

  Gregor. Lib. 6. Epist. 30.
• * 1.25

  Deus.
• * 1.26

  One One∣ly Bishop.
• * 1.27

  Chronicon Eu∣sebij, Anno. 607.
• * 1.28

  Matthias Pal∣merius.
• * 1.29

  Sabellicus Enne∣ad. 8. lib. 6.
• * 1.30

  Vrspergensis in Phoca.
• * 1.31

  Gregor. Lib. 4. Epist. 38.
• * 1.32

  Concil. Basilien. in Epist. Synodal.
• * 1.33

  The Pope him selfe disclai∣meth, &c.
• * 1.34

  Francis. Zara∣bella: C••••atur ab Illyrico, De Se∣ctis.
• * 1.35

  Gregor. Lib. 4. Epist. 32. In eadem Epist.
• * 1.36

  In eadem.
• * 1.37

  Gregor. Lib. 4. Epist. 36.
• * 1.38

  M. Hard. Fol. 80.