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.

M. Hardinge.

Suche vnhonest toies better become Brentius, that shamelesse railinge Heretike. Now to you, Syr Defender. You belie Hosius, as Brentius of whom you borowed this, belied the Reuerente Father Peter ae Soto. Either you haue readen the place of Hosius, or you haue not. If you haue not, then are you to blame, to saie so mutche euill, that you knowe not. If you haue readen the place, then is your faulte plaine malice, in puttinge that to Hosius, the contrary whereof you finde in the place by your selfe alleaged by which you leade vs, as it were by the hande, to beholde and consider your owne dishonestie. How iuste cause you haue to reprehende Hosius, for that he wrote againste Brentius in defence of Petrus a Soto, touchinge the Councell in whiche Christe was condemned by Caiphas, it shoulde beste appeare to him, that woulde reade the whole place, where Hosius treateth that matter. The same would I here haue rehearsed, to the discoueringe of your false dealinge, and shamelesse lieing,

were not the same very longe.* 1.1

Firste, this is the Truthe, touchinge the whole* 1.2 The Actes of those Priestes of the Iewes Syna∣gog were wicked, and contrary to Christe. * But their Sentence, though them selues were neuer so euil, was not onely true, but also to mankinde most profitable. And S. Iohn in his Gospell wi••nesseth, it was the oracle of God. For when after longe deliberation of the Councell, Caiphas the highe Bishop and president of that Councell, had pronounced his sentence, whereunto all the reste almost gaue their consente,* 1.3 It is expedient for vs, that one man die for the people, and not that all the Nation perishe: the Euangeliste thereto added his verdite, sayinge, This he saide, not of him selfe, but whereas he was highe Bishop of that yere, he Prophecied. Therefore let this be the true conclusion of the whole mat∣ter. The actes of that councell were wicked, the sentence was true and good. Nowe Hosius treateth this matter so learnedly, and so substantially, as you can not truely take any aduantage of his woordes to reprehende him. He stateth him selfe vpon the Scripture, a good grounde to stande vpon. VVhiche Scripture referreth doubt full, and harde questions to the Priestes of the Leuiticall order. Of whome it is saide, Indicabunt tibi Iudicij Veritatē:‡ 1.4 They shal shewe vnto thee the Truth of Iudgement. In this iudgement, saieth Hosius, though it were neuer so wicked, yet was the truthe of iudgement. How that might be, there he proueth it to Brentius by moste manifest argumentes.

VVhere ye impute to Hosius, to haue saide, that the same plainely was a iuste decree,* 1.5 whereby they pronounced that Christe was woorthy to die, that is your slaunderous lie, not Hosius saieinge. * For he saieth the cleane contrary, and that sundry times, that it was a wicked Councell, and moste vniuste decree. God forebidde any Christen man should saie, that Christe was woorthy to die.‡ 1.6 He saithe, it might haue benne truely pronounced by Caiphas, that he was gilty of deathe. And there he sheweth how, very religiously, and wisely admonishinge the reader, that he was moste innocent, and deserued not to die. And thus, Syr, you may see, we take not parte with Annas, and Caiphas, as you raile, and yet be able, God be thanked, to defende our true cause, and declare you to the worlde to be false teachers. Therefore belie vs no more.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Sprite of Truthe in Annas, and Cai∣phas.
• * 1.2

  A discrete, and a vvoorthy pro∣ctoure. The Actes vvere naught, and the sentence good. The Sentence vvas, That Christ should die the deathe.
• * 1.3

  Ioan. 19.
• ‡ 1.4

  This Truthe of Iudgemente vvas, That the Sonne of God vvas a Blahpse∣mer, and had de••••rued to die.
• * 1.5

  Vntruthe For thus saide Cai∣phas: And his Iudgemente Hosius defen∣deth, as true, and godly.
• ‡ 1.6

  Christe, by Hosius Iudge∣mente, vvas guilty of death.