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. 3. Diuision. 10.

The olde Councel at Carthage commaunded that nothing should be read in Christes Congregation, but the Canonical Scriptures: these menne reade sutche thinges in their Churches,* 1.1 as them selues knowe for a Truthe to be starke Lies, and fonde Fables.

M. Hardinge.

A man were better, I assure thee, good Reader, to make two newe Bookes, then to correcte one so ful of lies and falsefied places,* 1.2 as this Apologie is.‡ 1.3 This olde Councel of Carthage is newely falsefied by our new Cleregie. The wordes of the Councel are these. Palcuit, vt praeter scripturas Canoni∣cas

nihil in Ecclesia legatur sub nomine Diuinarum Scripturatum:* 1.4 It hath semed good vnto vs, that besides the Canonical Scriptures, nothinge be read in the Churche vnder the name of the ho∣ly Scriptures. They leauinge out these foure woordes, sub nomine Diuinarum Scripturarum, Vn∣der the name of Diuine Scriptures, woulde beare men in hande, the Councel willed nothinge to be read in the Churche, besides the holy Scriptures. Are not these trusty men to whom ye may committe the charge of your soules for your faith and saluation?

It foloweth in the same decree, Liceat etiam Legi passiones Martyrum, cùm anniuersarij dies celebrantur: Let it be lawful also for the Martyrdomes of Martyrs to be read, when theire ye∣rely festes are kept. And yet dare they not onely to saie, nothing must be read besides the Scriptures, but also to alleage that very place for that special lie, whiche saithe the contrary. Looke in the Booke thy selfe good reader, and see how falsely they handle so holy matters.* 1.5 An other lie is, when they saie, we reade those thinges in the Churche, whiche our selues knowe to be starke lies, and funde fables. VVhen they cannot them selues shewe that we haue any sutche, it is a vaine lieing rhetorike to saie, we doubt not of it, or knowe it our selues for a truthe. I wonder not if they blushe not in belieng vs, who haue belied so many Scriptures, Councels, and fathers.

The B. of Sarisburie.

It standeth wel with your Truthe, M. Hardinge, so often to charge vs with Lies, & Falsehedde. I truste it wil appeare, ye had no great cause, to keepe so great reuel vpon so poore a Conqueste. In deede these woordes be not founde in the thirde Councel of Carthage. Yet are they founde in the Councel of Hippo, whiche is the Abbridgemente of the thirde Councel of Carthage, as it appeareth by the Title of the same: Concilij Hipponensis Abbreuiationes factae in concilio car∣thaginensi Tertio.

The woordes of the Councel of Hippo, and, for so mutche, also of the thirde Councel of Carthage,* 1.6 be these: Scripturae Canonicae in Ecclesia legendae quae sunt: & praeter quas alia non legantur: The Scriptures Canonical, whiche are to read in the Churche: and besides whiche nothinge els maie be read. Here haue you, M. Hardinge, the plaine woordes of the Councel of Hippo, abberidged out of the thirde Councel of Carthage, That nothinge maie be read in the Churche, but onely the Canoni∣cal Scriptures. Iudge you therefore, howe iuste cause ye had, so vnaduisedly, for I vate not to saie, so vnlearnedly, to charge the Apologie with Lies, and False∣hedde.

Hereto maie wée adde the like Decrée of the Councel holden at Laodicea: Sabbatjs Euangelia cum alijs Scripturis legenda esse censemus:* 1.7 Wee agree that the Go∣spel, with others Scriptures, be read vpon the Saboth daie. If these woordes séeme not sufficiente,* 1.8 it foloweth further in the same Councel, Non oportet Libros, qui sunt ex∣tra Canonem, legere, nisi solos Canonicos Veteris, & Noui Testamenti: We maie not reade any Bookes, that be without the Canon, but onely the Canonical Bookes of the Olde, and Nevve Testamente.

To like effecte Chrysostome saith,* 1.9 Ideò Christus meusas nummulariorum euer∣tit: Significans quòd in Templo Dei nō debent esse nummi, nisi Spirituales, id est, qui Dei imaginem habent: Therefore Christe ouerthrewe the Exchangers bakes: Meaninge thereby, that there maie be no Come in the Churche, but onely Spiritual, that is to saie,* 1.10 that beareth the Image of God. Againe he saithe, Lectorum officium erat, in Ecclesia, Sacra Legere ex Scriptis, vel Prophetarum, vel Apostolorum: It was the Readers office, to pronounce holy thinges vnto the people, out of either the Apostles, or Prophetes.

Erasmus saithe,* 1.11 Apparet, non nisi Apostolicas Literas olim Legi solitas in Tem∣plis, aut certè Vitorum Apostolicae Authoritatis: It appeareth, that in olde time, nothinge was vsed to be read in the Churches, but onely the Apostles Writinges: or at leaste the Wri∣tinges

of sutche others,* 1.12 as were of Apostolical Authoritie. Likewise saithe Abbas An∣sigisus, reportinge the Ecclesiastical Decrees of the Frenche Kinges, Levves, & Charles: In Templis tantùm Canonici Libri, id est, Sacrae Literae legantur: Let there he read in the Churches onely the Canonical Bookes,* 1.13 that is to saie, the Holy Scri∣ptures.

An other lie, Ye saie, is this, when they saie, wee reade those thinges in the Churche, whiche our selues knowe, to be starke lies, and fonde Fables. For trial hereof, wee shal not néede to trauaile far. Your owne Bookes, and Legendes are prouse sufficiente.

Erasmus thereof saithe thus,* 1.14 Hodiè quorumlibet somnia, imò mulietcula∣rum Deliramenta leguntur inter diuinas Scripturas: Nowe a daies euery fooles Dreames, yea very wee mennes doctinge fansies are read with the Holy Scriptures.

Likewise saithe Polydore Vergil: Multorum Diuorum vitas recitant, ta∣metsi parùm ad Fidem Scriptas:* 1.15 They reade many Sainctes Liues, although not writ∣ten accordinge to Truthe. Ludouicus Viues, writtinge of your Legenda Aurea, whiche was the Mother of al your deuoute Ecclesiastical stories, or Fables, saithe thus, Nescio, cur Aurea dici debeat, cùm scripta sit ab homine ferrei oris, & plumbei Cordis, & plenissima sit impudentissimis Mendacijs: I see no cause, why it shoulde be called the Goulden Legende, seeinge it was written by a man of an iron face, and a led∣den harte, and is freight ful of most shamelesse lies. If ye knewe not these thinges, M. Hardinge, your frendes wil thinke, ye knowe nothinge. Sutche Truthes yée reade, and publishe deuoutly, and solemnely in your Churches. Yet maie wée nei∣ther saie, nor thinke, yée mocke the people.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Concil. Cartha. 3.
• * 1.2

  Concil. Cartha. 3. c. 47.
• ‡ 1.3

  Vntruth. For, if this Old Coū∣cel be falsified, it vvas falsified tvvelue hundred yeeres agoe, in the Councel of Hippo.
• * 1.4

  Scriptures onely to be read in Churches
• * 1.5

  Vntruthe. For it is cōfessed by the beste of M. Har. ovvne side.
• * 1.6

  Concil. Hippo, Cap. 38.
• * 1.7

  Concil. Laodice. Cap. 16.
• * 1.8

  Concil. Laodice. Cap. 59.
• * 1.9

  Chrys. in Matth. Homi 38.
• * 1.10

  Chryso. in Acta, Homil. 19.
• * 1.11

  Erasin. in Hiero. de Eccle. Scripta∣rib. Efrem.
• * 1.12

  Scriptures onely to be read in Churches
• * 1.13

  Ansigisus, Lib. 1. Cap. 19. Impres∣sus Parisijs An∣na. 1550.
• * 1.14

  Erasin. in Anno∣tation. in Hiero∣nym. De Ecclesi∣asticus Scrip.
• * 1.15

  Polydor. Vergil. in Oration Do∣minicam.