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. 11. Diuision. 10.

Kinge Iehosaphat ouerthrew, and vtterly made awaie the Hille Aultars,* 1.1 & Groaues, whereby he sawe Goddes Honoure hindered, and the people holden backe with Priuate Superstition from the or∣dinarie Temple, whiche was at Ierusalem: whereto they should by ordre haue resorted yeerely from euery parte of the Realme.

M. Hardinge.

Yee put vs in minde to consider, how that your selues are those Priuate Hille Aulters, and darke Groaues. For ye be they, that stoppe the people from the common Temple of Christendome, the Catho∣like Churche: out of which is no Saluatiō, the heade whereof sitteth in Peters chaire at Rome. For set∣tinge order bothe in matters of Common VVeale, and others, Iehosaphat saide thus, concerninge Re∣ligion: Amarias Sacerdos & pontifex vester in ijs,* 1.2 quae ad Deum pertinent, praesidebit: Amarias the Prieste and Highe Bishop for such matters as perteine to God, he shall be heade ouer you.

The B. of Sarisburie.

Al this whole mater, touchinge as wel Kinge Iehosophat, as also Amarias the Highe Prieste, is answeared in that is paste before.

The Apologie, Cap. 11. Diuision. 11.

Kinge Iosias with greate diligence put the Priestes, & Bishoppes in minde of their dueties:* 1.3 Kinge Iohas bridled the Riote, and Arro∣gancie of the Priestes: Iehu put to deathe the wicked Prophetes.

M. Hardinge.

The puttinge of Priestes,* 1.4 and Bishoppes in minde of their dutie, is not a Supremacie in determi∣ninge Ecclesiasticall causes. And whereas you saie, that Kinge Ioas bridled the r••ot, and arrogancie of the Priestes, if it were so, it was well donne. But* 1.5 I finde not those woordes in the texte. Con∣cerninge that Iehu did, it is a‡ 1.6 mere temporall Office, to put false preachers, and Heretikes to death. Neither can it belonge to Priestes, onlesse they haue also ciuill iurisdiction. Muche lesse dothe that acte proue, that Kinges be Supreme heades ouer the Churche, and ought to be Iudges in controuersies and questions of Religion.

The B. of Sarisburie.

Concerninge the storie of Kinge Iohas, I reporte me to that is written of him in the Booke of Kinges.* 1.7 He sequestred the Oblations of the people, whiche the Priestes had bestowed lewdely, and wantonly vpon them selues, and, by his owne Authoritie, turned the same to the Reparations of the Temple. Of Kinge Iosias,* 1.8 it is written thus: Constituit Iosias Sacerdotes in officijs suis: Kinge Io∣sias appointed the Priestes to minister in theire seueral Offices. And againe, Munda∣uit Iudam, & Hierusalem ab Excelsis, & Lucis: Kinge Iosias cleansed, and ridde Iuda, and Hierusalem from their Hille Aultars, and their Groaues.

But yée wil saie, He did al thinges by y^• discretion of the Priestes, & Bishoppes. This thinge in deede is necessarie, while the Priestes, and Bishoppes be, learned, and godly.* 1.9 But Kinge Iosias did far otherwise: for he sent the Bishop him selfe vnto Olda the Prophetisse, to learne the discretion, and Iudgemente of a VVoo∣man: and so was directed in maters of Highest Religion, by a VVooman, and not by a Prieste. These Examples be so manifeste, that one of your Felowes there is faine thus to excuse the mater,* 1.10 by ouer mutche Antiquitie. If we woulde in these daies, saithe he, vse in all pointes the Examples of the Olde Lawe, there woulde folowe an huge number of inconueniences.* 1.11 It is no good reason, to saie, that therefore our Kinges nowe a daies muste haue the like Authoritie. Thus saithe he, As though the Princes righte were now abated, and altered, as the Ceremonies of the Lawe: & were otherwise nowe, then it was before: Or, as if the Comminge of Christe into the worlde, and the Preachinge of the Gospel, had pourposely benne to represse and pulle downe the State of Kinges.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1. Paralip. 17.
• * 1.2

  2. Par. 19.
• * 1.3

  4. Reg. 12. 4. Reg. 10.
• * 1.4

  losias. Iohas. Iehu.
• * 1.5

  Ye mighte haue founde it, 4 Reg. Ca. 12.
• ‡ 1.6

  But he Iudged them, and con∣demned them for False Pro∣pheres. This vvas no mere Temporal of∣fice.
• * 1.7

  4. Regum. 12.
• * 1.8

  2. Paralipom. 35.
• * 1.9

  4. Regum. 21.
• * 1.10

  Dorman. Fol. 37.
• * 1.11

  Dorman. Fol. 39.