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.

Ye leape with a lighte skippe from one thinge to an other: neither dwell ye longe in any one pointe, but in lieinge.

But ye saie, they be bothe the persons giltie, and the Iudges also. Iudges doubtelesse they be. For their vocation is lawfull, ye cannot disproue it. Guilty also they be, we denie not: but whereof? Of fraile liuinge, not of false teachinge. (for commonly they teache nothinge). And where? In the courte of conscience,‡ 1.1 not in the courte of man. Or if any of them be, bothe before this coun∣cell,

and in this councell godly orders haue benne decreed for holesome reformation.* 1.2

As for Monckes, ye maie not looke nowe, that either they gette their liuing onely by their hands labour, or that they be bounde to the harde discipline, which Monkes liued in, for twelue hundred yeres paste. Now be other daies, other manners. Suche great austeritie is to be wondred at, and to be wisshed for. But whether the Religious menne of our time be to be compelled thereto, I leaue it to wise con∣sideration. If it maie be lawfull to direct vs in suche spirituall cases, by an olde example of externe prudencie, me thinketh the discretion of Iacobs answeare to his Brother Esau is woorth to be thought on. VVhen ••sau courteously offered his brother Iacob recourninge from Mesopotamia with all his traine of householde and cattell, to goe with him, and keepe him companie, the reste of the iourney that remained from the place of their firste meetinge: Iacob full mildely saide, Syr, you know, if it like your Lordship,* 1.3 that I haue here with me tender babes,* 1.4 ewes with lambe, * and Kine with calfe. If I ouerlabour them with faste goeinge, my flockes will die all in a daie. Maye it please your Lordship to goe before me your seruaunt: I will folowe after the flocke fayer and softe, so as I shal see my litle ones able to beare it.

Like wise if there be not a discrete moderation vsed. but al Monckes be rigorously driuen to the ausieritie of life, they liued in of olde time, in this so greate loosenesse of maners, specially the disci∣pline of all religions beinge so farre slaked in comparison of the auncient seueritte: it is to be fea∣red, wee shall rather see Cloisters foresaken (whiche God graunte), then a Godly reformation procured (whiche wil neuer be).

In the ende of this Paragraphe, ye shewe your selfe to despaire of our amendement. God geue you grace so to doo for your partes, as we maye haue good cause to hope better of you. But whether we amende our faultes, or other wise, what pertaineth that to the ••••stification of your newe Gospell, and to the disproufe of the Catholike Faithe by vs defended? You k••••w, it is no good argumente à mori∣bus ad doctrinam. VVho would not hisse you and trampe you out of schooles, if ye made this fonde reason: The Papis••es liues be fauliy, Ergo their teachinge is false? To this head all the reasons of your Apologie in effect maye be reduced: and they holde Per locum topicum noui Euangelij à malis moribus.‡ 1.5 Dothe not Christe him selfe confute all suche your feble reasons, where he sateth.* 1.6 The Scribes, and Phariseis sitte in the chayre of Moses: what so euer they saie to you, doo ye, but after their woorkes doo ye not?

Notes

• ‡ 1.1

  Vntruthe. For their life is no∣torious to the vvorlde.
• * 1.2

  Monkes, Freeres, Nunnes.
• * 1.3

  Gene. 33.
• * 1.4

  M. Hardinge likeneth his Monkes to droaues of Cat∣tel.
• ‡ 1.5

  Here M. Har∣dinge compa∣reth the Popes, and his Bishops vvith the Scr••b••s and Phariseis.
• * 1.6

  Matth. 23.