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. 19. & 20. Diuision. 1.

Woteth not the Bishop of Rome, that these thinges are spoken by his owne Minions? or vnderstandeth he not, he hathe sutche Chāpions to fighte for him? Let him herken then how Holily, & ho•• Godly one Hosius writeth of this matter, a Bishop in Polonia, as he testifieth of him selfe: a man doubtlesse wel spoken, and not vnlear∣ned, and a very sharpe, and a sto••••te mainteinour of that side. Thou wilt marueile, I suppose, how any good man could either conceiue so wickedly, or write so despitefully of those woordes, whiche, he knew, proceeded from Goddes mouthe, and specially in sutche sorte, as hée woulde not haue it seeme his owne priuate opinion alone, but the common opinion of al that bande. He dissembleth, I graunte you in deede, and hideth, what hee is, and setteth foorthe the matter so, as though it were not he,* 1.1 and his side, but the zvvenkfeldian Here∣tiques, that so did speake. VVee, saithe he, vvil bidde avvaie vvith the same Scriptures, vvhereof vve see brought, not onely diuerse, but also contrarie interpretations: and vve vvil heare God speake, rather then vvee vvil resorte to the naked Elementes, or bare vvoordes of the Scriptures, and appointe oure Saluation to reaste in them. It behoueth not a man to be experte in the Lavve, and

Scripture, but to bee taught of God. It is but loste laboure, that a manne bestovveth in the Scriptures. For the Scripture is a Crea∣ture, and a certaine bare Letter. This is Hosius saieinge, vttered altogeather with the same Sprite, & the same minde, wherewith in times paste the Heretiques Montanus and Marcion were moued, whoe, as it is written of them, vsed to saie, when with contempte thei reiected the Holy Scriptures, that them selues knewe many moe, and better thinges, then either Christe, or the Apostles euer knewe.

What then shal I saie heere, O ye principal Postes of Religion, O ye Archegouernours of Christes Churche: is this that your re∣uerence, whiche yee geue to Goddes VVoorde? The Holy Scri∣ptures, whiche S. Paule saithe, came by the inspiration of God, whiche God did commende by so many Miracles, wherein are the moste perfite printes of Christes owne steppes, whiche al the Holy Fathers, Apostles, & Angels, whiche Christe him selfe the Sonne of God, as often as was needeful, did allege for testimonie and proufe, wil ye, as though they were vilwoorthy for you to heare, did them Auaunt? That is, wil ye enioine God to keepe silence, who speaketh to you moste clearely by his owne mouthe in the Scriptures?

Or, that VVoorde, whereby alone, as Paule saithe, we are recon∣ciled to God, and whiche, the Prophete Dauid saithe, is Holy, and Pure, and shal laste for euer, wil ye cal that but a bare, and deade Let∣ter? Or wil ye saie, that al our laboure is loste, whiche is bestowed in that thinge, whiche Christe hath commaunded vs diligently to searche, and to haue euermore before our eies? And wil ye saie, that Christe, & the Apostles meante with suttletie to deceiue the people, when they exhorted them to reade the Holy Scriptures, that thereby they might flowe in al wisedome, and knowledge? No marueile at al, though these men despise vs, and al our dooinges, seeinge they set so litle by God him selfe, and his infallible saieinges. Yet was it but wante of witte in them, to the intent they mighte hurte vs, to doo so extreme iniurie to the VVoorde of God.

But Hosius wil here make exclamation, and saie, that wee doo him wronge, & that these be not his owne woordes, but the woordes of the Heretique zvvenkfeldius. But how then, if zvvenkfeldius make exclamation on the other side, and saie that the same very woordes be not his, but Hosius owne woordes? For tel me, where hath zvvenkfeldius euer written them? Or if he haue written them, and Hosius haue iudged the same to be wicked, why hath not Hosius spoken so mutche as one woorde, to confute them? How so euer the mater goe, although Hosius peraduenture wil not allowe of those woordes, yet he dothe not disallow the meaninge of the woordes.

For welueare in al Controuersies, & namely touchinge the vse of the

Holy Communion vnder Bothe Kindes, although the woordes of Christe be plaine, and euident, yet dothe Hosius disdeinefully reiecte them, as no better, then Colde, & Dead Elementes: and commaun∣deth vs to geeue Faithe to certaine Newe Lessons, appointed by his Churche, and to, I wote not what, Reuelations of the Holy Ghoste. And Pighius saith, Mēne ought not to beleue, no not the most cleare, & manifeste woordes of the Scriptures, onlesse the same be allowed for good by the Interpretation, & Authoritie of the Churche: where∣by he meaneth the Churche of Rome.

M. Hardinge.

How ignorantly, wickedly, and stubbornely the Authour of this Apologie burdeneth the reue∣rent Father in God, and Honourable prelate Cardinall Hosius with that he neuer saide, it is not vn∣knowen to al men, who haue readen that Booke, whiche he wrote, De Expresso verbo Dei, of the expresse VVoorde of God. Here I aske so muche pardon, as to detecte an hereticall touche or twoo, be∣fore I make direct answeare to the foule slaunderinge of Hosius.

Firste I note, with what fidelitie these newe Holy brethren doo their thinges. It maie be thought that the Secretary of this newe Clergie at his penninge of the Apologie, sawe not Hosius Booke of the expresse woorde of God. But as they haue benne conuersant in S. Augustine, Hierome, Chrysostome, and the Auncient Fathers, so vse they Hosius at this time: that is to saie, they reade neither the Olde Fa∣thers with any diligence, neither the writers of our time: But by snappes and pieces either them selues write out here and there a line or two, or vse that, whiche some of their owne secte hath ta∣ken out of them. So that for moste parte they neuer knowe the true meaninge of the place, whiche they alleage. But vsinge patched note bookes, and bringinge in scattered Authorities, they be decei∣ued themselues, and deceiue others. And he that tooke the note, knewe well they were not the woordes of Hosius, and did but onely put the name of Hosius vnto them, because they were taken out of his Booke. The writer of this Apologie, not knowinge, or not remembringe so muche, when he founde in the note booke the name of Hosius with suche woordes, he did rashely put them in printe, to his owne greate shame, and discredite. If this excuse be not true, wee muste needes laie maruelous malice to the saide writer, who wittingly and of set purpose did impute the woordes to Hosius, whiche he reported by waie of mislikinge of them, and shewinge whose Heresie they conteined.

Now let the Defenders chose, whether they will haue their Secretarie condemned of ignorance, or of malice. How so euer it be, marke yet the thirde pointe, whiche hereof we wil gather. The A∣pologie was skant Printed and published, but that grosse errour was out of hande espied, and woorde thereof brought to the Authour, I meane him, that penned it. But what did he? Did he confesse, that he was deceiued? Did he crie Hosius mercie? No, no. That is not the woonte of Heretikes. They wil go forewarde with the matter once begonne, what so euer come of it. VVhat did he then? VVhen it shoulde be set foorthe in Englishe, and woorde came to him thereof, he made an excuse, I warraunt you meete for an Heretike, whose propertie it is Proficere in peius, as S. Paule saithe, to proceede to worse and worse, to take his degree backewarde, and of a great faulte to make a farre greatter. For whereas before (as Charitiemoueth me to thinke) he had made an errour, supposinge Hosius to haue saide that, whiche he had not, after warde by stubborne mainteininge of it, he sheweth what spi∣rite he is of. And when he mighte reasonably haue excused his ignorance, chose rather spitefully to discouer his malice: As it shall manifestly appeare by the circumstance of the thinge. He laieth to Hosius charge, and in his persone to all our charges, that we do not esteeme the Holy Scriptures. He proueth it by certaine woordes alleaged out of a treatise made by Hosius De Expresso verbo Dei. The woordes are here put in the Apologie, as the reader maie see. The true argumente of Hosius booke is no other then to shewe, that all Heretikes haue alleaged the woordes of God, as they be written: But none of them all haue taken the righte vnderstandinge of Goddes woordes, as they doo in deede signi∣fie. For that onely the Catholike Churche atteineth vnto, because onely it hath the Holy Ghoste. All

Heretikes haue brought for their opinions the written VVoorde of God so longe, vntill at the laste (saithe Hosius) there were founde, who by the woordes of the Scriptures toke vpon them to take a∣way al Auctoritie from Scriptures. Natum est (saithe he) nouum quoddam Prophetarum ge∣nus, qui non sunt veriti Scripturarum auctoritate Scripturis auctoritatem omnem detra∣here. En quò perduxit rem tandem Saranas? A certaine newe kinde of Prophetes is risen, who sticke not by the Authoritie of Scriptures to take away al auctoritie from Scriptures. See whither at the length the Deuill hath brought the matter.

Now afterwarde expoundinge this matter more at large, he declareth the Capitaine of that He∣resie to haue benne Zwenkfeldius. He sheweth that by a Texte of Scripture, where Dauid saithe, I will heare, what our Lorde speaketh in me: Zwenkfeldius wente aboute to wil men to heare what God telleth euery man by inspiration, rather then to geue attendance to the written woorde of God. And whiles Hosius reporteth, what Zwenkfeldius saide for the maintenance of his fonde Heresie, a∣monge other his woordes these are, which be brought in this Apologie against Hosius, and againste the Catholikes: whereas it is neither Hosius, nor any Catholike that speaketh them, but onely Zwenkfel∣dius him selfe.

Hitherto we haue shewed that the woordes alleaged in the Apologie vnder the name of Hosius, make neither againste him, nor against vs, as not beinge his woordes, nor ours, but onely the woordes of Zwenkfeldius. VVell, what credite maie we geue to this man in expoundinge the VVoorde of God, (whose true meaninge he maie falsisie at his pleasure, because we can not bringe foorthe God him selfe to declare his woordes) seeinge he dareth to burthen Hosius with these woordes, whiche Hosius him selfe beinge yet aliue can declare to haue another meaninge, as the Booke it selfe doothe witnesse to all that liste to reade the same. This was a greate faulte, to impure so horrible an Heresie to Hosius vniustly. This was a greate ignorance, to charge him with that Heresie, whiche he refuteth and impugneth. They are greate crimes, and yet suche, as might ri••e of misreporte and ignorance. But when he was tolde of them, he shoulde of reason haue corrected them. He should haue repented with Peter, and not despaired with Cain and Iudas.

But what did he, when he vnderstoode he had erred? He addeth a Glose farre more malicious then the former errour was. For, graun••inge that Hosius setteth out the matter so, as though neither he, nor any of his side, but the Heretikes Zwenkfeldians spake so, this not withstandinge he burtheneth bothe him and the Catholikes with it, saieinge, that he dissembleth, and hideth what he is. Syr, was this the waie to amende your faulte, to graunt that Hosius spake against the Zwenkfeldians, and yet to beare men in hande, he fauoured them? If he had fauoured their Heresie, what needed he to refell it? But how saie you, that Hosius dissembleth and hideth what he is sith that euen here in two places in moste plaine woordes, you laie the Zwenkfeldian Heresie to his charge? Reade your owne Booke. Before the allegation of Zwenkfeldius Heresie, saie you not thus? VVe, saithe he, will bid away, &c. And after the allegation, haue you not these woordes, This is Hosius saieinge? How standeth all this togeather? You haue forgotten the Prouerbe, that biddeth a lier to be mindefull. I can not tell howe to name this kinde of your dealinge, lieinge, or detraction, slaunderinge, or malicious speakinge. But Sir, if Hosius haue spoken euill, why geue you not witnesse against him of euill? If he haue spoken well, euen by your owne confession in reputinge the Zwenkfeldians for Heretikes, why finde you faulte with him for his good woordes, suche I saie, as your selfe confesse to be good? You reprooue him, who speaketh not against Zwenkfeldius: and againe you graunt he speaketh against him: and yet be∣cause you had once reproued him, you will contine we in it without reason, learninge, or witte. But it must needes so be: for without pertinacie no man is either a perfite Heretike, or a perfite slaunderer.

If yet you stande in Defence of it, all the worlde will accompte you for a desperate persone. For no man that euer sawe Hosius woorkes, can thinke that he was gilty of that you burthen him with. But some man might thinke you were deceiued, and mistooke Hosius. But sith you graunt, you doo not now mistake him, and yet charge him with auouchinge that, whiche he holdeth for Heresie: he that vnderstandeth thus muche of you, maye assure him selfe, that you are disposed to belie and slaunder Hosius, though it coste you the damnation of your Soule. For shame man, repente, and reuoke that, for whiche your owne conscience stinteth not to barke at you.

But Hosius (saie they) peraduenture will not allowe the woordes of Zuenkfeldius:* 1.2 yet he doothe not disallowe the meaninge of the woordes. VVell and clerkely reasoned. As though woordes were allowed or disallowed for any other so principall a cause, as for theire meaninge. And therefore he that disalloweth woordes, hath muche more disallowed the meaninge of them. Yet, (saie they) of the Holy Communion vnder Bothe Kindes he reiecteth the plaine woordes of Christe, as Deade and colde Elementes. Verely a man mighte thinke this Booke was set foorthe by some ennemie of our newe Englishe Clergie, it is so mutche to their defacinge, had not thēselues at diuerse times acknowleged it for a whelpe of their owne littour. A mā for his life can not finde one leafe in it without many Lies.

The B. of Sarisburie.

I cannot greately blame you, M. Hardinge, though yée shewe your selfe hote, and vehement in defence of Hosius. For of him you, and somme of your Felowes maie saie, as Carneades saide sommetime of Chrysippus, Nisi Chrysippus fuis∣set, ego non essem: If Chrysippus had not benne, then had I neuer benne. For had not Hosius benne good vnto you, and spared you parte of his furniture, sutche as it was, your Diuinitie had benne ful bare.

Ye saie, wée reade neither the Olde Writers, nor the Newe, but are vtterly ignorante, and voide of al learninge: and, in respecte of the Beames of your know∣lege, knowe nothinge. It were a very ambitious, and a childishe vanitie, to make vauntes of Learninge. For as motche as ye seeme desirous of the same of greate Readinge, ye shal haue the whole praise, and glorie of it, M. Hardinge, without contention. Wée wil rather saie with S. Paule, Wee knowe nothinge, but onely Iesus Christe Crucified vpon his Crosse. Yet notwithstandinge wée are neither so igno∣rant, nor so idle, but that wee are hable, and haue leasure to reade, as wel the Olde Doctours, & the Fathers of the Churche, as also your lighte vnciuile Pamflettes, and blotted Papers: whiche, God wote, in al respectes are very Newe. And for ei∣ther of them, wee are mutche ashamed in your behalfe: For the Olde Doctours, & Fathers, to see them of your parte, either of wilfulnesse, or of forgeatefulnesse, or of ignorance, so fowly misused: of your owne Papers, & Nouelties, to see them with vntruthe, and other vncourteous speache so fully freighted.

But, touchinge Hosius, yée condemne vs vtterly, either of ignorance, or of malice. For the woordes, wherein wée finde sutche faulte, were vttered by him, as you saie, not as any parte of his owne Iudgemente, but onely, as in the personne of the Heretique Zuenkfeldius. Therefore, ye saie, wée charge him wrongefully with the allowinge of that thinge, whiche he expressely, and plainely reproueth.

Firste of al, the Authour of the Apologie protesteth, that, if there were any ouersight herein, it procéeded onely of erroure, and not of malice: as it maie wel ap∣peare, in y^t he was not deceiued alone. For if he were deceiued in mistakinge these woordes, diuerse others, the beste Learned of this age, haue benne deceiued therein as wel, as he.* 1.3 Nicolaus Gallus hereof writeth thus, Hosius Cardinalis Legatus Sanctissimi, & praesidens Concili•• Tridentini, in suo Libro de Expresso Verbo Dei, ait, Nos verò Dei de Coelo sententiam potiùs expectabimus &c. Non o∣portet Legis, aut Scripturae esse peritum, sed à Deo doctum. Vanus est labor, qui Scripturis impenditur. Scriptura enim Creatura est, & egenum quoddam Elementum: Cardinal Hosius, Legate vnto the most Holy Father, and Presi∣dent of the Councel of Trident, in his Booke, De Expresso Verbo Dei, saithe thus: We wil rather waite for Goddes wil from Heauen, &c. It behooueth not a man to be skilful in the Lawe of God, or in the Scriptures, but to be taught of God. It is but loste laboure that is spente in the Scriptures. For the Scripture is a Creature, and a poore kinde of out warde Ele∣mente. Thus Nicolaus Gallus burdeneth your owne Catholique Frende Ho∣sius with these woordes, and not the Heretique Zuenkfeldius.

Likewise saithe Flacius Illyricus,* 1.4 speakinge of the same woordes of Hosius, Vnum locum ex plurimis proferam, in quo Hosius alterius cuiusdam sententiam de hac re citans,* 1.5 comprobat: Nos Dei de Coelo Sententiam potiùs expectabimus &c. va∣nus est labor, qui Scripturis impenditur: One place I wil allege out of many, where Hosius bringinge in the saieinge of one certaine man (meaninge Zuenkfeldius) allovveth vvel of the same. These woordes, saithe Illyricus, Hosius vttereth in the name, & per∣sonne of Zuenkfeldius: Yet neuerthelesse he alloweth them, as his owne.

To like pourpose writeth Iacobus Andreae: who, after he had reported al the foresaide woordes,* 1.6 in the ende concludeth thus: Hactenus Hosius: Quae verba siue Hosius suo, siue aliorum nomine recitet, certè hanc else Asoti, & Hosij de Sacra Scriptura sententiam, non est obscurum: Thus farre Hosius: whiche woordes, how so euer Hosius reporte them, either in his owne name, or in the name of somme other, without al doubte, this is the Judgemente, that bothe Asotus, and Hosius haue of the Holy Scripture.

So likewise saith that moste Graue and Learned Father Iohannes Brentius: Intereà vociferantur,* 1.7 Sacram Scripturam else Dubiam, Ambiguā, Praeceptorem Mutum, Literā Occidentem, Literam Mortuam: adeo{que}, fi Reuerendis illis Patri∣bus libuerit, Aesopi Fabulas: In the meane while they crie out, y• the Holy Scriptures are Blinde, and Doubteful: a Doūbe Scholemaister: a killinge VVrite: a deade Let∣ter: yea, and, if it shal like these Reuerende Fathers, no better, then Esopes Fables. Perhaps ye wil saie of these Learned Menne, as yée saie of some others, Thei vsed onely their patched Notebookes, and scattered Authorities, by snappes, and peeces, here, and there a line, or twoo: and vnderstoode not, what they wrote. Notwithstandinge, what so euer it shal please you to saie, as therein your grace is very greate, yet you sée by these fewe, and muste néedes confesse, if the Authoure of the Apologie, thouchinge this place of Hosius, were happily ouerseene by erroure, yet he had to many of the beste Learned of this age, to keepe him companie in his erroure. Verily, they saie not, as you saie, Thus saithe Zuenkfeldius: They saie, as wée saie, Thus saith Hosius: It Hosius were hable to blinde so many, wée must thinke, he was a skilful Writer.

The fairest coloure, ye can laie hereon, is this: How so euer these woordes be vt∣tered by Hosius,* 1.8 yet was this no parte of his meaninge. Yet Iacobus Andreae saith, Hanc else Asoti, & Hosij sententiam, non est obscurum: Without doubte this is the very meaninge of Alotus,* 1.9 and Hosius. And Illyricus saith, Hosius alleginge y^e saieinge of one certaine man (whereby he meaneth the Heretique Zuenkfeldius) allovv∣eth vvel of the same.

But, for as mutche as yée saie, This Glose is more maliceous, then the Former Erroure: and that therein wee spitefully discouer our Malice, without Reason, without Learninge, without VVitte: and require vs to repente for shame, as if it were a Sinne, not againste Hosius, but againste the Holy Ghoste, I beseche you therefore indifferently to consider, with what reuerence, and modestie, not onely Hosius, but also sundrie others your Frendes of that side, haue vsed to speake, and write of the VVoorde of God.

Ludouicus a Canon of y^e Churche of Laterane in Rome, in an Oration open∣ly pronounced in your late Chapter at Tridente,* 1.10 saithe thus: Ecclesia est Viuum pectus Christi: Scriptura autem est quasi Mortuum Atramentum: The Churche is the Liuely Breaste of Christe: But the Scripture is, as it were, Deade Inke. Likewise saide the Bishop of Poiters in the same your Chapter: Scriptura est res manimis, & muta,* 1.11 sicut etiam sunt reliquae Leges Politicae: The Scripture is a Deade, and Doumbe thinge, as are al other Politique Lawes. Albertus Pigghius saithe, Si dixeris, haec referri oportere ad Iudicium Scripturarum,* 1.12 Communis re sensus ignarum esse comprobas. Sunt enim Scripturae Muti Iudices: If thou saie, These maters muste be put ouer to the Iudgemente of the Scriptures, thou she west thee selfe to be voide of common reason. For the Scriptures are doumbe Iudges, and cannot speake.

Eckius calleth the Scriptures,* 1.13 Euangelium Nigrum, & Theologiam Atramen∣tariam: The Blacke Gospel, and Inken Diuinitie. Againe Pigghius saithe, Ecclesia habet illam potestatem,* 1.14 vt possit Scriptis quibusdam impertiri Canonicam Authoritatem, quam nec ex se, nec ex suis Authoribus habent: The Churche hath power to geeue Canonical Authoritie vnto certaine Writinges, whiche otherwise they haue not, neither of them selues, nor of their Authours. There maie be certaine Bookes allowed for Scripture, saithe he, y^t haue no credite, nor Authoritie of them selues. Therefore the meaninge hereof must néedes be this: The Churche (of Rome) hath Authoritie to make Scriptures. Againe he saithe, Sunt Scripturae, vt, non minùs verè, quàm festiuè dixit quidam, velut Nasus Cereus, qui se horsum, illorsum, & in quancunque volueris partem,* 1.15 trahi, retrahi, fingi{que} facilè permittit: As one man bothe truely, and merily saide, the Scripture is like a Nose of VVaxe, that easily suffereth it selfe to be drawen backewarde, and forewarde, and to be moulded, and falshioned, this waie, and that waie, and how so euer yee liste.

Thus, M. Harding, yée teache the people to reuerence, & weighe the VVoorde of God. Ye calle it Deade Inke: a Liuelesse mater: a doumbe Iudge, that cannot speake: a Blacke Gospel: Inken Diuinitie: a Nose of vvaxe: and a thinge vtterly voide of Authoritie of it selfe. Examine these places: weigh these woordes. They are no Lies: They are no Sclaunders. Iudge vprightly: remoue affection: ye shal finde, that Hosius, and Zuenkfeldius, touchinge the Authoritie, and Credite of Goddes VVoorde, accorde in one. For proufe whereof, when obiection was made, that Kinge Dauid, beinge, not a Bishop, but onely a Temporal Prince, had written Psalmes, that is to saie, the very kete of the Scriptures, Hosius made an∣sweare,* 1.16 Quid ni scriberet? Scribimus indocti, docti{que} poëmata passim: VVrote Dauid Psalmes? And why shoulde he not write them? Horace saith, VVee write Ballades euery body, learned, and vnlearned: tagge, and ragge. So vnreuerently, & like an Hea∣then, he scorneth, and scoffeth at the scriptures of God, and likeneth the Heauen∣ly Ditties of the Holy Ghoste, to a Vile, Heathenishe, Wanton ballade. This in Zuenkfeldius had benne great Blasphemie: Yée allowe it in Hosius, as a vertue.

S.* 1.17 Luke saithe, Pharisaei, & Iurisperiti spreuerunt consilium Dei in semetipsis: The Phariseis, and Learned in the Lawe despised y^e Councel of God in them selues. Irenaeus saithe,* 1.18 Haeretici accusant Scripturas, quasi nō rectè habeant, necsint ex Autho∣ritate, &c. Heretiques finde faulte with the Scriptures, as if they were not wel written, and as if they were not of sufficient Authoritie, &c. And thus they doo, to the ende, to cause the people to lothe, & doubte the Woorde of Life, & so to becomme captiue to their owne Traditions.* 1.19 Therefore Cardinal Cusanus saithe thus, Haec est omnium sanè intel∣ligentium sententia: qui Scripturarum Authoritatem, & intellectum in Ecclesiae approbatione fundant: & non è conuerso, Ecclesiae Fundamentum in Scriptura∣rum Authoritate locant, &c. Dico, nulla else Christi praecepta, nisi quae per Ec∣clesiam pro talibus accepta sunt: This is the Iudgemente of al them, that meane wel: whiche founde the Authoritie, and vnderstandinge of the Scriptures in the allowance of the Churche: But contrarie wise laie not y^e Fundation of the Churche in the Authoritie of the Scri∣ptures. Thus I saie, There are no Cōmaundementes of Christe, but onely sutche, as by y^e Churche are allowed for Christes Commaundementes.* 1.20 So saithe your highest Doctoure Albertus Pigghius, A postoli quaedam conscripserunt, non vt Scripta illa praeessent Fidei, & Religioni nostrae, sed potiùs vt subessent: The Apostles wrote certaine thinges, not that their Writinges shoulde be aboue our Faithe,* 1.21 and Religion, but rather, that they shoulde be vnder. Iohannes Maria Verractus saithe, Determinatio Ecclesiae appel∣latur Euangelium: The Determination of the Churche is called the Gospel.

Therefore Hosius by his Episcopal Authoritie pronounceth Sentence Defi∣nitiue in this wise: Quod Ecclesia docet, Expressum Dei Verbum est: quod

contra Sensum,* 1.22 & Consensum Ecclesiae docetur, Expressum Diaboli Verbum est: What so euer the Churche teacheth (by the Churche he meaneth the Pope, and his Cardinalles, and the Churche of Rome, &c.) that is the Expresse VVoorde of God: what so euer is taught againste the Meaninge, and Consente of the Churche, that is the Ex∣presse VVoorde of the Diuel.

This was sommetime an ordinarie practise of sundrie Olde Heretiques, to scorne, and to disdeigne the Scripures of God: and to grounde them selues vpon other Conclusions, and imaginations of theire owne. So the Heretique Car∣pocrates saide,* 1.23 He knewe more, then either Christe him selfe, or his Apostles.

Tertullian saithe, Discipuli Montani dicunt, Paracletum plura in Montano dixis∣se, quàm Christum in Euangelio protulisse: nec tantùm plura, sed etiam meliora at{que} ma∣iora: The Disciples of Montanus the Heretique said, that the Holy Ghoste vttered moe thinges in Montanus theire Maister, then euer Christe vttered in the Gospel: and not onely moethinges, but also greatter, and better thinges. And againe they saide, Paulus ex parte sciebat, & ex parte prophetabat. Nondum enim venerat, quod perfectum est: Paule knewe in parte,* 1.24 and prophesied in parte. For the perfection (that was afterwarde in Montanus) was not yet comme. Therefore it is not vniuersally true, M. Hardinge, that you saie, Al Heretiques haue alleged the Scriptures. For somme Heretiques, in whoes steppes ye séeme to treade, haue made lighte of, and disdeigned the Scri∣ptures, as wel, as you. But, as somme Heretiques haue alleged the Scriptures, as you doo, without sense: euen so al Heretiques are euermore reproued by the Scriptures, as you bée. And that is the cause, that you, and your Felowes, for the most parte, so fearefully shunne the Scriptures. For he that dooth euil, fleeth the Light.

Therefore, wereas ye cal vs foorthe, and bidde vs humbly to crie you mercie, firste bidde Hosius your Scholemaister to recante his Errours: wil him to speake more reuerently of Goddes VVoorde: for it is Holy: Let him confesse, & repente his Blasphemie in comparing the Scriptures of God with Heathenishe Ballades. Recante you the Errours, that Pigghius, Cusanus, Eckius, and others your Do∣ctoures, and Felowes haue set abroade: And the Authoure of the Apologie shal doo, what so euer shal behoue him.

Remember also, howe vniuste, and vntrue reportes you your selfe, and your Felowes haue witingly, and willingly published, and blased in writinge, not spa∣ringe any man, whom it pleased you to touche with sclaunder. You your selfe in this selfe same Booke haue written thus:* 1.25 The Learned Gospellers of the Sea Townes in Saxonie teache, that there is no Helle at al.

An other of your Companie there, thus moste vniustly sclaundereth that godly Father Doctoure Peter Martyr:* 1.26 Petrus Martyr negat, Christum else nostrum Deprecatorem: Peter Martyr denieth, that Christe is our Intercessoure. Likewise againe, with one general sclaunder, he misreporteth al the Professours of the Go∣spel what so euer:* 1.27 Omnes Euangelici Pseudomartyres negant Christum venisse in Carne: Al the Gospellers (whom he thought it better, to calle the False witnesses of the Gospel) denie that Christe euer came in the Fleashe. I wil presse you no further with Examples of your immoderate sclaunders. As your vncourteous tongue hath no bridle, so your waste woordes haue no ende.

Al these, and other like reportes, your conscience knoweth, are moste vntrue. Yet haue ye not doubted, thus to hasarde your whole credite, and vainely with the same to féede the world. Suffer me therefore, M. Hardinge, to answeare you with your owne woordes: For shame man, repente, and reuoke that, for whiche your owne Con∣science stinteth not to barke againste your selfe.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Hosius de Ex∣presso Verbo Dei.
• * 1.2

  The mis∣takinge of Hosius.
• * 1.3

  Nicolaus Gallus.
• * 1.4

  The mi∣stakinge of Hosius.
• * 1.5

  Flacius Illyricus in Norma Con∣cilij.
• * 1.6

  Iacob. Andreae, De Authorita. Sacrae Scriptu∣rae.
• * 1.7

  Iohan. B•••• in Pra•••• in lac•••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 dreae contra Hosium.
• * 1.8

  Iacob. Andreae.
• * 1.9

  Flaci. Illyricus: Alterius cuius∣dam sententiam de hac re citans. comprobat.
• * 1.10

  Ludouicus, Cita∣tur ab Illyrico in Norma Con∣cilij.
• * 1.11

  Iohan. Sleidanus Lib. 23.
• * 1.12

  Albert. Pigghi∣us Controuer. 3. De Ecclesia.
• * 1.13

  The mi∣stakinge of Hosius.
• * 1.14

  Martinus Kem∣nitius in Exa∣mine Con. Tri∣dentini, Pag. 32. Martin. Kemni∣tius, in eodem Examine, Pag. 240.
• * 1.15

  Pigghius Hie∣rar. Li. 3. Cap. 3. Fol. 103.
• * 1.16

  Hosius Lib. 2. Contra Bren∣tium.
• * 1.17

  Luke. 7.
• * 1.18

  Irenae. Li. 3. ca. 2.
• * 1.19

  Cardinal. Cusan. De Authorita. Ecclesiae, & Con∣cilij Supra, & Cōtra Scriptu∣ram.
• * 1.20

  Albert. Pigghi∣us Hierar. Lib. 1. Ca. 2.
• * 1.21

  Iohan. Maria Verractus. Edi∣tus. An. 1561. Hosius, De Ex∣presso Verbo Dei Pa. 97.
• * 1.22

  The mi∣stakinge of Hosius.
• * 1.23

  Epiphani. Lib. 1. Haere. 27. Tertullian. De Praescription.
• * 1.24

  Augustin. ad Quoduulideum.
• * 1.25

  M. Har. Fol. 141. b.
• * 1.26

  Copus Dialo. 3. Pag. 331.
• * 1.27

  Copus Dialo. 6. Pag. 878.