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 B. of Sarisburie.

What hope wee might conceiue of your Late Chapter of Tridente, wée were sufficiently warned by the former, holden vnder Pope Paulus. 3. and Pope Iu∣lius. 3. wherein, notwithstandinge your many yéeres studie, and greate conference of so many, and so Learned, and so excellente, and so mutche a doo, yet in the end, yée were neuer hable, neither to suppresse your open stewes, nor to auoide your Priestes Concubines, nor to cause your Bishoppes to be residente vpon theire Charge, and to doo theire deuties, nor to resolue vs, whether the Pope be aboue the Councel,* 1.1 or the Councel aboue the Pope. In the Summone, and firste Entrie of your Assemblie there, Pope Paule had forgotten Christe, and leafte him quite out of Companie, and supplied the wante of him, with the Authoritie of Peter, and Paule. An other of your Reuerende Fathers there, maketh Marie the Blessed Virgine, Equal vvith Christe, and calleth her, his most Faithful Felovve: Fide∣lissimam Christi Sociam. An other of the same Companie telleth vs, that the Pope is the Light, that is comme into the vvorlde: Papa Lux venit in Mun∣dum. To be shorte, the whole Issue, and Conclusion of al your dooinges there, by the ful agréemente of al your Fathers,* 1.2 hangeth vpon the Popes onely plea∣sure. And, by your Doctrine, the Pope maie not be controlled, what so euer he doo, neither by the Cleregie, nor by al the whole Worlde. And, what so euer the Pope shal wil, to staie, or passe, your Doctoures telle vs, His onely Wil muste stande for Lavve.

For these, and other like causes, bothe the Emperoure Charles. 5. & also Fran∣cise the Frenche King,* 1.3 biside sundrie other Christian Princes, made open Prote∣statiō against your said Tridentine Conuenticle, being then remoued to Bono∣nia, and said, it was no lawful General Councel, but onely an Assemblie of a fewe certaine personnes, to serue one mans affection, and to seeke for gaine. Sutche is the opinion, that your owne Princes haue of your Assemblies.

It becommeth vs not, yée saie, to calle the determinations of your General Councelles, the Iudgementes of Mortal menne. Yet it became S. Augustine to calle the same, Concilia Contendentium Episcoporū: The Councelles of quarrelling Bishoppes.

And againe, Humanarum contentionum animosa, & perniciosa certamina: The bolde, and hurteful Contentions of worldly quarrelles. But what néede wée many woordes? Your owne Panormitane saith,* 1.4 Leges Summorum Pontificum, & Conciliorū appellantur Statuta Humana: & fic strictè non possunt dici Ius Diuinum: The Lawes, and Determinations of Popes, and Councelles, are called the Determinations, and Lavves of menne: and so in streite manner of speache, they cannot be called the Lavves of God.

Yee saie, wée are no Bishoppes, and therefore haue no Authoritie, to holde a Synode.* 1.5 Euen so your Fathers in olde time saide, that S. Paule was no Apostle, and that S. Basile, and S. Hilarie were no Bishoppes. Of S. Paule, it is plaine. S.* 1.6 Hilarie saithe of him selfe, Auxentius de Persona mea calumniatus est, damnatum me à Saturnino, audiri, vt Episcopum, non oportere: The Heretique Auxētius laith a quarrel to my personne: and, for as mutche as Saturninus, the Heretique, hath condemned me, he saithe, I maie not be hearde, as a Bishop.

Likewise the Arian Heretiques vsed to saie, that S. Basile, and other like Lear∣ned, and Catholique Fathers of that time, were no Bishoppes. S. Basile thereof

writeth thus:* 1.7 They calle the Councel of Catholique Bishoppes a Councel of vvicked menne: neither wil they once vouchesaue to name them Bishoppes, leste they should seeme to allowe the Decrees, that they haue made againste them. And they challenge them to be no Bishoppes, for that, as they saie, they are the Captaines of a wicked heresie. In like sorte he writeth vnto Patrophilus,* 1.8 of the Heretique Eustathius: He taketh greate heede, leste he shoulde happily be forced to calle vs Bishoppes.* 1.9 Thus, M. Hardinge, in de∣nieing vs to be Bishoppes,* 1.10 yée doo none otherwise, but as other your Predecessours haue donne before you.

Of the Bishoppes, and Prelates of your side, I wil saie nothinge. What your owne frendes haue thought of them, I haue saide before.

As for vs, it shalbe sufficient, if wée be onely the voice of a Crier in the Wilder∣nesse. S. Paule, to auouthe his Apostleship, saide openly thus, Gratia Dei sum id quod sum: By the Grace of God, I am, that I am.

Yée saie, a Prouincial Councel maie not repeale a Councel General: as if the Authoritie of your Councelles stoode onely in number, and not in Truthe. Howe be it, the Simple Truthe of God shal ouerweigh Falsehedde, be it neuer so General. But euen thus saide Auxentius, the Arian Heretique, againste S. Hilarie. These be his woordes, Ego quidem, pijssimi Imperatores, existimo, non o∣portere sexcentorum Episcoporum Vnitatem, post rantos labores, ex contentione Paucorum hominum refricari: My moste Graceous Lordes, in my Iudgemente, it is not meete, after so greate paines taken, for the contentions striuinge of a fewe, to hazarde the consente, and Vnitie of Six hundred Bishoppes. Thus the Heretique Au∣xentius alleged greate multitudes of his Companions, againste S. Hilarie, and the Catholiques: whiche, he saide, were but a fewe.

Notwithstandinge, it were no harde mater, to shewe euidente Examples of General Councelles, that haue benne ouerruled by Particulares. The General Councel of Nice determined, as you saie, that al appeales, out of al partes of the worlde, shoulde lie to Rome. Yet the Particulare, or Prouincial Councel of Aphrica saithe, Si prouocandum putauerint, non prouocent, nisi ad Aphricana Concilia.* 1.11 Ad transmarina autem qui putauerit appellandum, à nullo intra A∣phricam in Communionem recipiatur: If they shal thinke it good to appeale, let them not appeale, but onely to Coūcelles that shal be holden within Aphrica. But who so euer shal appeale beyonde the Seas (that is to saie, to Rome) let noman within Aphrica receiue him to his Communion.

The General Councel of Nice durste not to dissolue Priestes Marriage: The Particulare Councel of Carthage dissolued it vtterly. The order of Priuate, or Auriculare Confession, whiche, in your fantasie, was receiued generally through∣out the whole Churche of God, was notwithstandinge quite abolished in the Churche of Constantinople, onely by the Particulare aduise of Nectarius.

Your Blacke Freers in theire Particulare Chapters,* 1.12 haue controlled, and cut of the General Determination of the Councel of Basile, touchinge the conceiuing of our Lady in Original Sinne. And Albertus Pigghius, by his like Particu∣lare Authoritie,* 1.13 telleth you, that as wel this Councel of Basile, as also the Councel of Constance, beinge bothe General (in that they saide, The Coun∣cel is aboue the Pope) Decreed plainely againste Nature, againste the manifeste Scri∣ptures, againste al Antiquitie, and againste the Catholique Faithe of Christe.

Certainely, the Truthe of God is not bounde, neither to Personne, nor to Place. Where so euer it be, either in fewe, or in many, it is euermore Catholique, euen bicause it is the Truthe of God. In the Councel of Constantinople it is written thus, Definierunt pariter, vt, si quid in Prouincia qualiber emergeret,* 1.14 Pro∣uinciae

Concilio finiretur:* 1.15 The Fathers agreed al togeather, that, if any mater should hap∣pen to growe in the Prouince, by a Councel of the Prouince it shoulde be ended. Like∣wise saith Isidorus: Manifestum est, quo'd illa, quae sunt per vnamquan{que} Prouinciam, ipsius Prouinciae Synodus dispenset: sicut Niceno constat decretum esse Concilio:* 1.16 It is cleare, that maters happeninge in euery Prouince, by a Prouincial Synode maie be or∣dered: as it is concluded in the Councel of Nice. Likewise S. Ambrose saithe, Sciebant esse consuerudinem,* 1.17 vt in Oriente. Orientalium esset Concilium: Intra oc∣cidentem, Occidentalium: They knewe, it was a Custome, that a Councel of the East Bishoppes shoulde be holden in the Easte: and a Councel of the VVeaste Bishoppes aparte in the Weaste.

S.* 1.18 Augustine saithe, Literas Episcoporum, & per Sermonem fortè sapien∣tiorem cuiuslibet in ea re peritioris, licet reprehendi, si quid in eis fortè à Veritate deuiatum est: Bishoppes Letters, if they swarue any thinge from the Truthe, maie be controlled by the discretion of any other man, that hath more skil in the mater.

In like sorte Abbate Panormitane your own Doctoure saith, as it hath benne alleged before:* 1.19 In concernentibus Fidem, etiam dictum Vnius Priuati esset praeferen∣dum dicto Papae, fi ille moueretur mehoribus rationibus Noui, & Veteris Testamen∣ti: In maters concerning the Faithe, the saieinge of any one Priuate Man were to be taken before the saieinge of the Pope: if he were moued with better reasons of the Olde, and Nevve Testamente, then the Pope.

Howe be it, wée haue not by our Prouincial Councel remoued, or shaken the Authoritie of any one Anciente General Councel, M. Harding. For of al the An∣ciente Councelles, that haue benne, touchinge the cases, that lie bitwéene vs in controuersie, yee are not yet hable to allege one. Wée haue vpon good causes remo∣ued your Vanities, & vnséemely Folies: & haue restoared againe, so mutch, as in vs late, the Decrees, & Canons of the Anciente Councelles. Hincmarus, the Bishop of Remes,* 1.20 saith thus: Cùm duarum, aut trium Prouinciarum Praesules in vnum con∣ueniunt, si Antiquorum Canonum iustitutione muniti, aliquid praedicationis, aut dog∣matis instituunt, quod tamen ab Antiquorum Patrum dogmaribus non discrepet, Ca∣tholicum est, quod faciunt: & fortasse dici potest, Vniuersale: When the Bishoppes of twoo, or three Prouinces meete togeather, if they by the warrante of the Olde Coun∣celles, appointe any mater of preachinge, or Doctrine, so that it disagree not from y• Doctrine of the Ancient Fathers, it is Catholique, yt thei doo, and perhaps maie be called Vniuersal.

The credite of the Emperoure Charles Booke, reportinge the Decrees of the Councel of Frankfoorde, touchinge the Adoration of Images, I leaue wholy to the indifferente discretion of the Reader.

It was Printed, not at Geneua, as you surmise, but in Parise: The setter out proueth it, not to be forged, by many good, and likely Reasons. An Anciente Copie of the same is yet stil to be séene in Rome in Laterane, euē in the Popes owne Li∣brarie. Augustinus Steuchus,* 1.21 the Maister of the same Librarie, reporteth y^• same. The Emperour Ludouicus, Sonne vnto Charles, wrote a Booke, yet extante, and remaininge in France, to like purpose. Freere Eckius also beareth witnesse vnto y^• same Booke of the Emperoure Charles, although vntruely, and guilefully, as his manner is. For he saith, that Charles wrote four Bookes in Defence of Images: whereas in deede the Bookes are directely written againste Images.

Although yée thinke Eli Phili, or, I knowe not, who, maie easily be charged with corruption, & forgerie, yet why the Pope him selfe shoulde corrupte, & forge his owne Booke, in his owne Librarie, against him selfe, it were harde for you to shewe good Reason.

The Councel of Frankforde, yée saie, was Godly, and Catholique, and made De∣crees againste Imagebreakers, in the behalfe of Images. Yet notwithstandinge Auenti∣nus

saith,* 1.22 In Frankfordiensi Concilio Scita Graecorum, de Adorandis Imagini∣bus, rescissa sunt:* 1.23 In the Councel of Frankford the Grecians Decrees, for the Ado∣ration of Images,* 1.24 were quite abolished. Regino saithe, Pseudosynodus Graecorum, quam pro adorandis Imaginibus fecerunt, reiecta est: The False Councel of the Greekes, whiche they made for Adoration of Images, was repealed in the Councel of Frankforde.* 1.25 Likewise Ado saithe, Pseudosynodus, quam Graeci Septimam vo∣cant, pro Adorandis Imaginibus, abdicata est penitùs: The False Councel, whiche the Greekes calle the Seuenthe, wherein Decrees were made for the Adoration of I∣mages, was there vtterly put awaie.

Hincmarus, the Archebishop of Remes, speakinge of the same Councel of Frankforde,* 1.26 saith thus: Pseudolynodus Graecorum destructa est, & penitùs abdi∣cata. De cuius destructione, non Modicum Volumen, quod in Palatio adoles∣centulus legi, ab eodem Imperatore Romam est per quosdam Episcopos mis∣sum: The False Councel of the Greekes was repealed, and vtterly ouerthro wen in the Councel of Frankforde. Whereof, when I was a yong man, I readde a prety bigge Booke in the Popes Palaice in Rome: whiche Booke was sente thither by certaine Bishoppes from the saide Emperoure Charles.

Certaine woordes of the saide Levvde, or False Councel of the Greekes, emongest others,* 1.27 are these: Qui timet Deum, Adorat Imagines, vt Filium Dei: Qui Ado∣rat Imaginem, & dicit. hoc est Christus, non peccat: peccat, qui nō Adorat Ima∣ginem. Qui non Adorat imaginem, est Haereticus. Imago Adoranda est eodom cultu, quo Sancta Trinitas: He, that feareth God, Adoureth an Image, as he would Adoure the Sonne of God: He that Adoureth an Image, and saith, This is Christe, offendeth not: He offendeth, that Adoureth not an Image: He that Adoureth not an Image, is an Heretique: wee muste Adoure an Image with the same Reuerence. where∣with wee Adoure the Holy Trinitie.

Nowe, whether these, and other like woorthy saieinges, and sentences were to be reproued, or no, it maie please you, M. Hardinge, to consider.

That Councel, yée saie, is called General, not, whereun to al Christian Nations doo resorte in déede: but whereunto al Christian Nations are lawfully summoned. As this answeare is true, & not denied, so by the same, your late Councel of Tri∣dente, maie in no wise be called General. For, what lawful Sommones sente your Pope Pius, either to Preter Gian into Ethiopia: or to other Bishoppes, and Chri∣stians in India, or (Europa onely, and that not whole, excepted) into any other Kingedome, or Countrie of the worlde?

But yée saie, In Persia, Media, Egypte, Mauritania, and in other Countries adioininge, there are fewe Christians at this daie to be founde. Yet the Authours of Nouus Orbis,* 1.28 discribing the state of the world, saie thus, In al Countries vvhi∣ther so euer yee comme. there be somme Christians. Againe, In India many Kinges, & princes professe Christe. And againe, In Armenia, & cilicia, in a man∣ner, the vvhole people is Christened. Onely they are subiecte to the Cham of Tartarie.* 1.29 Their Priestes be maried: And, vvho so is vnmaried, maie be no Priest.

Yée saie, The Patriarkes of Assyria, and Armenia (that neuer sawe, neither the one Countrie, nor the other) were at Rome (yée knowe not, when) and subscribed to al the Articles of your Councel of Tridente. O M. Hardinge, yee can grate no greate cre∣dite by open mockerie. It is no harde mater for your Pope, out of his owne garde to make sutche Patriarkes yenough, one for Hierusalem, an other for Constan∣tinople, an other for Alexandria, an other for Antioche, an other for Sidon, an o∣ther for Tyrus: and I marueile, if there be not somme Patriarke, one, or other, for Sodome, and Gomorre. These poore Holy, and Hongry Fathers are contented at al times, to yelde theire submissions, and to sette theire handes to what so euer

they shalbe required,* 1.30 and in the names of those Countries, that they scareely ouer hearde of, to confesse, the Pope their maister, to be al, & more then al. With sutche daine shewes, and visa••des, it pleaseth you to smoothe the worlde.

It yee doubte hereof, yée maie easily finde, that one Augustinus de Roma, in your late Councel of Baūle,* 1.31 hare the name of the Archebishop of Nazareth in lurie: Likewise, that one Petrus Paludensis, a poore Fréere Obsernante, not long sithence, bare the name of the Patriarke of Hierusalem. But what néede moe Ex∣amples? Your own Ceremoniarie of Rome telleth you thus, Consucueruni Auti∣qui ponere Patriarchas quatuor Ecclesiarum Principalium, inter Episcopos Cardi∣nales mixtim. Nostro tempore ponuntur immediatè post Cardinales. Sunt enim quodammodo' Titulares: They were woonte in olde times, to place the Patriarkes of the foure Principal Churches togeather with the Cardinal Bishoppes, one with an other. But nowe adaies they are placed nexte beneathe al the Cardinalles. For in a manner they haue nowe nothinge els, but the names of Patriarkes.

It is moste certaine, that the Christian Patriarkes, and Bishoppes of those Countries, wil neither Communicate with the Pope, either in Sacramentes, or in Praiers: nor any wise yéeld to his Authoritie nor geue any manner of honoure, or reuerence to his personne: nomore then to Machomete, or Antichrist: as I haue sufficiently shewed before.

Touchinge the Number of Bishoppes, presente at your Former Assemblie at Tridente, I referre mee selfe to the Recordes of the same. If yée finde there more then Fourtie Bishoppes, I am cōtent to lose my credite. And yet of the same num∣ber, Blinde sir Roberte of Scotland, as I haue said before, & M. Pates of England were seely poore Bishoppes, God knoweth, endewed onely with bare names, with∣out Bishoprikes.* 1.32 In your later Assemblie, twoo of your Holy Fathers were staine there presently in Aduouterie. By meane of whiche misfortune, your number by so mutche was abated.

These be the greate woorthies of the worlde: These Cornelius Bitontinus, one of the same Companie, calleth the Starres of the Churches, and the Mighty Ar∣mie of Goddes Angelles. These haue power to determine maters, that thei neuer vnderstoode, by Authoritie onely, but not by knowledge.

Alphonsus de Castro,* 1.33 as I haue shewed you before, saithe thus, It is certaine, that somme Popes be so voide of Learninge, that they vnderstande not the Grammare Rules. Erasmus, speakinge of sundrie the greate Learned of your side, saithe thus, Sibi videntur Semidei, miro supercilio prae se despicientes Grammaticos: Qui si Gram∣maticae litassent, non ad hunc modum se pueris deridendos propinarent: They thinke them selues halfe Goddes, and with high lookes thei despise poore Grammariens. But if they had wel Learned their Grammare, thei woulde not offer sutche occasions, that children, and babes should scorne at theire folie.

Concerninge the whole mater, your Doctours of Sorbona in Parise haue con∣cluded thus, Vt Concilium legitimè congregetur, sufficit, quo'd solennitas, & forma luris solenniter sit seruata.* 1.34 Quia, si quis trahere velit hoc in disputationem, vtrùm Praela∣ti, qui ibi sedent, habeant Rectam Intentionem, & vtrùm sint Docti, & vtrùm habeant Scientiam Sacrarum Literarum, & animum obediendi Sanae Doctrinae, esset processus in infinitum: That the Councel be lawfully assembled, it is sufficient, that y^• Solemnitie, and fourme of Lawe be solemnely obserued. For if a man would caste doubtes, whether the Bi∣shoppes, that sitte in Councel, haue a good Meaninge, and whether they be Learned, and whether they be skilful in the Scriptures, and whether they haue a minde to obeie sounde Doctrine, or no, then wee should neuer make an ende.

These be they, M. Hardinge, to whom yée woulde haue vs to géeue care, what so euer thei saie, euen as to the Secretaries of the Holy Ghoste.

But S.* 1.35 Augustine saithe, Ecclesiae inter nos agitur causa, non mea. Ecclesia in nullo homine spem ponere, à suo didicit Redemptore: It is the Churches cause, that wee talke of, it is not mine. The Churche hath learned of her Redeemer, to put no truste in any man.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Omnipotentis Dei benignita∣ie, & Apostolo∣rum Petri, & Pauli Authori∣tate freti. Ambros. Catha∣rinus.
• * 1.2

  Cornel. Episcop. Bitontinus. Sessione. 6. Salua semper in omni∣bus Sedis Apo∣stolicae Autho∣ritate.
• * 1.3

  9. Qu. 3. Nemo. 10. Sleidan. An∣no. 1551. Illyric. in prote∣sta. aduers. Conc. Trident. Pag. 24 August de Vni∣tate Eccles. ca. 10 Eodem Lib. ca. 7.
• * 1.4

  Extra. de Con∣sangui. & Af∣fin. Non debet.
• * 1.5

  1. Cor. 9.
• * 1.6

  Hilar. Contra Arianos, & Au∣xentium.
• * 1.7

  Coūcelles General repealed by Prouin∣cial.
• * 1.8

  Basil. Epist. 72. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Basil. Epist. 82. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.9

  Marc. 1.
• * 1.10

  1. Cor. 15.
• * 1.11

  Epist. Auxentij apud Hilarium. Concil. Aphri∣can. Ca. 92. Sozom. li. 1. ca. 23 Concil. Cartha∣ginense. 2. ca. 2. Socra. li. 5. ca 17.
• * 1.12

  Augu. De Ciui∣ta. li. 20. Cap. 26. Viues.
• * 1.13

  Alber. Pigghius in Hierarchi.
• * 1.14

  Historia Tri∣parti. Li. 9. ca. 13
• * 1.15

  The coū∣cel of Frank∣forde.
• * 1.16

  Isidorus in Prae∣fatione in Con∣cilia.
• * 1.17

  In Concilio Aquileien.
• * 1.18

  Augusti. De Ba∣ptismo. contra Donatist. Lib. 2. Cap. 3.
• * 1.19

  Extra, de Electi. & Electi potest. significasti. Abb.
• * 1.20

  Hinemarus Re∣mensis, Cap. 20.
• * 1.21

  Augu. Steuchus, De Donatione Constan. li. 1. ca. 6 Eckius, de Ima∣ginibus.
• * 1.22

  A councel General.
• * 1.23

  Auen••••n. Fol. 3, 7.
• * 1.24

  Regino.
• * 1.25

  Ado.
• * 1.26

  Hincmar. ca. 20.
• * 1.27

  Citantur in Li∣bro Caroli Ma∣gni.
• * 1.28

  Nouus Orbis.
• * 1.29

  Eol. 324.
• * 1.30

  The num∣ber of the Bishoppes at Tridēte
• * 1.31

  Concil. Basilien. Petrus Paluden. Patriar. Hiero∣solymitanus. Ceremontar. li. 1 Section. 3.
• * 1.32

  Flacius Illyricus In protestatione aduersus Conci. Trident.
• * 1.33

  Alphansus ad∣uersus Haereses, Lib. 1. Ca 4. Erasmus, In Epistolam Hieronymi ad Eustochium.
• * 1.34

  Articul. 22.
• * 1.35

  Augustin contrae Cresconi. Lib. 3. Cap. 79.