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.

For the sittinge of Emperoures in Councelles, you treate a common place not necessarie. No man euer denied, but Emperoures maie sitte in them. we acknowledge two sortes of settinge: one for the assessours, an other for the Iudge* 1.1 No Emperoure euer sate as a Iudge in Councel: but many, both Em∣peroures in person, and their Lieutenauntes for them haue sitten, as being ready to assiste and defende that,* 1.2 whiche the Bishoppes had Iudged and decreed.

VVhat maner a seate greate Constantine had in the firste Councel at Nice, Eusebius in his life, and Theodoritus doth declare. After that al the Bishoppes were sette in their seates, to the number of 318 in came the Emperoure last with a smal companie.‡ 1.3 A lowe litle chaire beinge sette for him in the middest, he would not sitte downe, before the Bishoppes had reuerently signified so mutche vnto him, and as Theodoritus writeth, not before he had desired the Bishoppes to permitte him so to doo. Nowe thinke you that the Supreme head of the Churche should haue* 1.4 comme in last, and hane sitten* 1.5 be∣neath his subiectes, and haue staied to sitte, vntil thei had as it were geuen him leaue?

Neither consulted he with the Bishoppes,* 1.6 but required them to consult of the maters, thei came for, as Theodorite witnesseth. Neither spake he there so generally as you reporte, nor framed his tale in that sorte as you faine,‡ 1.7 vniuersally of the wil of God, ‡ but of the Godhed, saieinge, that the bookes of the Gospels, and of the Apostles, and the Oracles of the Prophetes doo plainely teache vs, what we ought to thinke of the Godhed, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. For the cōtrouersie about whiche the Arians made so mutche adoo, was touchinge the equalitie of Godhed in Christe, and his consubstantialitie with God the Father. And by those wordes and other, whiche there he vttered, he tooke not vpon him to define, or Iudge, but onely to exhorte them, to agree together in one Faithe. For amonge those Bishops certaine there were, that fauoured the Heresie of Arius. Suche examples you bringe for defence of your parte, as make mutche against you. Not that you delight in making a rodde for your selfe, but bicause you haue no better: and somwhat must you needes saie, lest the stage you plaie your parte on, shoulde stande stil.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Vntruthe For Cusanus saith, Inuenio Impe∣ratores in Cō∣cil••••s iudicia fec sse. Reade the Ansvveare.
• * 1.2

  In vita Cō∣stant. lib. 3. Theodorit. Lib. 1. ca. 7. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• ‡ 1.3

  Vntruthe en∣closed. For this lovve litle Chaire vvas al of beaten golde, and vvas lette in the hi∣ghest place of the Councel.
• * 1.4

  Vaine folie. For the Prince neuer commeth into the Parla∣ment House, be∣fore the Lordes b•• sette
• * 1.5

  Vntruthe. For S••zomen saith, ••••at thro••u••, ille ••••ximus, Salios omnes superaus.
• * 1.6

  Constan∣tine in the councel of Nice.
• ‡ 1.7

  Vntruthe eui∣dent. For Cas∣siodorus expoū∣deth it thus, Quid de Diuina Lege sapere de∣beamus.