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.

Here is a marueilous woorke. Sir Defender singeth discante, and quiteth him selfe like a Clerke: He altereth S. Hieromes minde: He saithe, S. Hierome saithe so, where as S. Hierome saith not so: He of Prowde Niniue, hath made the Churche of Rome: He of the Diuel, hath made Antichriste: He bableth aboute Babylon: He diuideth one sentence into twoo: He putteth in one woorde, and lea∣ueth out an other: He is bulled a sleepe: He scattereth his rifferaffe: He doothe, and saithe,

I knowe not,* 1.1 what, what so euer it shal please M. Hardinge of his courtesie to reporte.

Touchinge this heinous imagined corruption, and alteringe of S. Hieromes minde,* 1.2 S. Chrysostome saith. Qui mendax est, neminē putat verum dicere, ne ipsum quidem Deum: He that him selfe is a lier, imagineth, that noman saithe y^• truthe, no not God him selfe. With sutche corruption, & change of woordes, Palladius, a lewde felowe, thought him selfe sommetime hable to charge S. Hierome. S. Hieromes woordes thereof are these:* 1.3 Concionatur, me esse Falsarium: me Verbum non expressisse de Ver∣bo: pro Honorabili, dixisse Charissimum.* 1.4 Haec, & huiusmodi nugae, mea crimina sunt: He preacheth, and publisheth abroade,* 1.5 that I am a Falsarie: that I haue not precisely translated woorde for woorde: That I, in sleede of this woorke, Honorable, haue written, deerely Beloued. These thinges, and sutche trifles are laide to my charge.

To these folies S. Hierome answeareth thus, Cùm ipsa Epistola doceat, nihil mutatum esse de sensu, nec res additas, nec aliquod dogma confictum, faciunt nae isti in∣telligendo, vt nihil intelligant: & dum alienam imperitiam volunt coarguere, produnt suam: Whereas the Epistle it selfe declareth, that there is no alteration made in the sense, and that there is neither mater of substance added, nor any Doctrine imagined, verily by their greate cunninge, they proue them selues fooles: and seekinge to reproue other mennes vnskil∣fulnesse, they betraie theire owne.

Yée saie, S. Hierome in these woordes spake nothinge, neither of the Churche of Christe, nor of your Cleregie of Rome. For trial whereof, let S. Hierome him selfe be hearde to speake, as a witnesse indifferēt of him selfe. First in other places he saith thus (To this place we shal resorte afterward) Dicimus,* 1.6 Nō venient super nos mala. Audiamus sententiam Domini. Sion, & Hierusalē, & Mons Tēpli spe∣culatotium, & visio pacis, & Templus Christi in consummatione, & in fine: We saie, There shal no hurte comme vpon vs. Let vs heare the saieinge of our Lorde. Sion, and Hi∣erusalem, and the Mounte, that is the Watche Tower of the Temple, and the sighte of peace, and the Temple, or Churche of Christe, shalbe consumed, and brought to an ende. These woordes be plaine: not onely that haute Lady Niniue, but also the Churche, or Temple, that beareth the Name of Christe, shalbe consumed, and broughte to an ende.

Likewise he saithe,* 1.7 Quos Deus inseruit ex Oleastro in radicem Bonae Oliuae, si illi immemores recesserint à Conditore suo, & Adorauerint Assyrium, cur illos Deus non euertat, & ad eandem sitim reducat, in qua priùs fuerunt? Euen they, whome God hath graffed frō out of the Wilde Oliue tree, into the roote of the Good oliuie, (that is to saie, the children of the Churche) if they forgeate them selues, and flee from theire Maker, and woorship the Kinge of Assyria (that is to saie, Antichriste, or any other Crea∣ture, that is not God) why maie not God ouerthrowe them, and bringe them to the same thirste, and drouth, they were in before?

Againe he saithe,* 1.8 Abominatio Desolationis, intelligi potest omne dogma per∣uersum: quod cum viderimus stare in Loco Sancto, id est, in Ecclesia, debemus fu∣gere de Iudaea ad Montes: The Abomination of Desolation, maie be taken for any VVicked Doctrine: whiche when wee shal see standinge in the Holy Place, that is to saie, in the Churche of Christe, then wee muste flee from Iurie to the Mountaines (of the Scriptures).

And againe likewise he saithe, Paxillus auferetur de Loco Fideli, hoc est, de Ecclesia, per impietatem quotidiè succrescentem: &, qui super eum antè pependerant Fi∣de, posteà infidelitate frangentur, & cadent, & peribunt: The Pinne, or barre (whereby he meaneth Christe, for that the Faitheful hange vpon him, as in a house thinges are hanged vp safely vpon a Pinne,) shalbe taken awaie from the place, that was Faitheful, that is to saie, from the Churche, bicause of the wickednesse, that daiely groweth: And they, that before honge vpon him by Faithe, afterwarde, by infidelitie, shalbe broken

downe,* 1.9 and falle, and perishe.

What so euer Glose yée shal geue to the other woordes of S. Hierome, cer∣tainely these woordes are plaine, and euidente, & wil not easily receiue your Glose. Likewise S. Gregorie, speakinge, not of the Firste comminge of Christe, but of the time,* 1.10 that is discribed, to be before the ende of the worlde, saithe thus: In die∣bus illis Ecclesia, quasi quodam senio debilitata, per Praedicationem parere Filio•• non va∣lebit: In those daies the Churche, as beinge ouermutche weakened with age, shal not be hable by Preachinge to beare Children.

Now,* 1.11 touchinge your Cleregie, S. Hierome him selfe saithe, Ipsi quo{que} Sacer∣dotes, qui Legem Domini docere deberent, & subiectos sibi populos à Leonis furore defendere, quodam stupore infatuati, vertentur in amentiam: The Priestes them selues, that ought to teache the Lavve of our Lorde, and to defende the people, committed to their charge, from the furie of the Lion (that is the Diuel) beinge amazed, and berefte of their wittes, shalbe turned into madnesse.

Againe he saithe,* 1.12 Scit Rex Assyrius, non posse se Oues decipere, nisi Pastores ante consopierit. Semper Diaboli studium est, vigilantes animas consopire: The Kinge of Assyria (that is the Diuel) knoweth, that he can neuer deceiue the Sheepe, onlesse firste he caste the Sheepeheardes into a traūce. It is euermore the Diuels policie, to laie watche∣ful Soules asleepe.

And therefore againe he saithe,* 1.13 Auferet Dominus nomina Vanae Gloriae, & Admirationis falsae, quae versantur in Ecclesia. Sed & nomina Sacerdotum cum Sacerdotibus, qui frustrà sibi applaudunt in Episcopali nomine, & in Presbyte∣rij Dignitate, & non in opere: God wil take awaie the names of Vaine Glorie, and False Credite, that are in the Churche: and the Names of Priestes, togeather with the Priestes them selues, that vainely boaste them selues of the Name of Bishoppes, and of the Dignitie of Priestehoode, but doo nothinge.

But aboute Babylon, yée saie, yee neuer make an ende of Bablinge. What Bablinge then,* 1.14 I praie you, made S. Hierome, when he saide, Petrus in Prima Epistola, sub Nomine Babylonis, Romam significat? S. Peter in his Firste Epistle meante Rome vnder the name of Babylon.

S. Augustine saithe, Roma est quasi Secunda Babylon: Rome is as the Se∣conde Babylon.* 1.15 Againe he saithe, Ciues Babyloniae nos fecerunt: dimisimus Creatorem: Adorauimus Creaturam: dimisimus eum, à quo facti sumus: Ado∣rauimus illud, quod fecimus: They haue made vs the Citizens of Babylon: (for) wee haue leafte oure Creatoure, and haue woorshipped a Creature: wee haue leafte him, that made vs: and haue Adoured that thinge, that wee made oure selues.

Likewise saithe Primasius, Tunc Babylon cadet, quando nouissimè pote∣statem persequendi Sanctos acceperit: Then shal Babylon comme to grounde, when she shal laste of al take power to persequute the Sainctes of God.

And againe,* 1.16 Vidi Mulierem sedentem super Vestem Coccineam, plenam Nomi∣nibus Blasphemiae, habentem Capita Septem. Septem Capita dicit Septem Montes: Romam, quae super Septem Montes praesidet, significans: I sawe a VVooman sittinge vpon a scarlet roabe, fulle of Names of Blasphemie, hauinge Se∣uen Heades. Seuen Heades he calleth the Seuen Mountes, vpon vvhiche Rome vvas builte: meaninge thereby Rome, that sitteth vpon Seuen Hilles.

Ludouicus Vi••es,* 1.17 your owne very frende, saith thus: Hieronymus, ad Mar∣cellam scribens, non aliam existimat discribi &c. S. Hierome, writinge vnto Marcella, thinketh, there is none other Babylon discribed by S. Iohn in his Reuelations, but the Cittie of Rome. Ambrosius Ansbertus saithe, Vbi est illa dudum super omnia Regna exaltata Inclyta Roma, Babylon Secunda? VVhere is that Noble Rome, euanced of late aboue al Kingedomes, the Seconde Babylon?

I passe ouer Beatus Rhenanus,* 1.18 Auentinus, Petrarcha, Dantes, and a greate number of other youre owne Doctours, mentioned before in place more conue∣niente: Al whome ye maie not of youre courtesie charge with bablinge.

Yee saie, S. Hierome meante not the state of our time: but onely the state of the time nowe paste: that is to saie, as it is saide before, The time of Christes firste Comminge into the VVorlde. And this, in your margine, yee cal the right sense of S. Hierome truely reported. Howe be it, youre Reader, that hath eyes to see, maie easily finde, that this is youre owne onely sense, M. Hardinge, and not S. Hieromes. For, I beseeche you, howe was Niniue fully destroied, or what Go∣spelles were there written,* 1.19 at the Firste Comming of Christe into the vvorlde? S. Hieromes meaninge, and speache is plaine, The people, before the seconde Comminge of Christe, vvhiche shalbe in Glorie, shal leaue theire negligente, and idle Scholemaisters, vvhiche haue of longe time deceiued them: and shal flee to the Mountaines of the Scriptures. And, al be it they finde not one to teache them, yet shal theire desire, and endeuoure be accepted before God, for that thei haue sought vnto these Mountaines: and the negligence, and slouthefulnesse of theire Maisters shalbe reproued.

To like pourpose S.* 1.20 Chrysostome saithe, Fieri non potest, vt is, qui Diuinis Scripturis magno studio, feruenti{que} desiderio vacat, semper negligatur. Licet enim de∣sit nobis hominis Magisterium, tamen ipse Dominus, supernè intrans in corda nostra, illustrat mentem: rationi iubar suum infundit: detegit occulta: doctor{que} fit eorum, quae ignoramus: tantùm si nos ea, quae à nobis sunt, afferre velimus: It cannot possibly be, that he, that with earneste studie, and feruente desire readeth the Scriptures, shoulde euermore be foresaken. For although wee wante the instruction of man, yet God him selfe from aboue entringe into our hartes, lighteneth our minde: poureth his beames into our wittes: openeth thinges, that were hidden: and becommeth vnto vs a Schole∣maister of that, wee knowe not: onely if wee wil doo so mutche, as in vs lieth.

So saithe S. Hierome, Postquàm conuersi fuerint, & Clarum Christi Lumen aspexerint,* 1.21 pascent in vijs, & in semitis sanctarum Scripturarum: & dicent, Dominus pascit me, & nihil mihi deerit: When they shalbe turned, and shal beholde the cleare light of Christe, they shal feede in the pathes, and waies of the Holy Scriptures, and shal saie, The Lorde feedeth me: and I shal vvante nothinge.

Againe he saithe, Circundabit sibi, quasi murum firmissimum, Scripturarum doctri∣nam: ne ad interiora eius possit hostis irrumpere:* 1.22 He wil enclose him selfe with the Do∣ctrine of the Scriptures, as with a stronge walle: that the Enimie maie not enter into his harte. Againe he saithe, Haec est via: Ambulate in ca. Ne{que} ad Dextram, ne{que} ad Sinistram. Tunc omnes Errores,* 1.23 & Idola, & Similitudines Veritatis comminnes, at{que} disperges, & ita iudicabis immunda, vt ••a menstruatae mulieris sordidissimo Sanguini compares: This is the waie: walke in it. Goe neither to the Right hande, nor to the Leafte. Then shalt then breake, and scatter al Errours, and Idoles, and Countrefeite likenesse of the Truthe: and shalt iudge them to be so filthy, that thou shalt liken them to moste vile, and lothesome bloude.

But, for as mutche as yee saie, Al these woordes of S. Hierome perteiue vnto somme other mater, I know not what, and not vnto the ouerthrowe of Babylon, or fal of Antichriste, that shalbe before the ende of the worlde, notwithstandinge S. Hieromes woordes of them selfe be plaine yenough, yet maie it please you, to consider these woordes of S. Chrysostome,* 1.24 touchinge the same. Thus he saithe: Tunc, qui in Iu∣daea sunt, fugiant ad Montes, id est, qui sunt in Christianitate, conferant se ad Scripturas. Montes sunt Scripturae Apostolorum, & Prophetarum, &c. Sciens Dominus tantam confusionem rerum in nouissimis diebus esse futuram, ideò mandat, vt Christiani, qui sunt in Christianitate, volentes firmitatem accipere Fidei verae, ad

nullam rem fugiant, nisi ad Scripturas. Alioqui, si ad alias res respexerint, scandali∣zabuntur, & peribunt, non intelligentes, quae sit Vera Ecclesia. Et per hoc incident in abominationem desolationis: Then let them, that be in Ievvrie, flee vnto the Moun∣taines: that is to saie, let them, that be in Christes profession, flee to the Scriptures. The Scriptures of the Apostles, and Prophetes, be the Mountaines, &c. Our Lorde knowinge, that there shoulde be sutche confusion in the laste daies, therefore com∣maundeth, that Christian menne, that beleue in Christe, willinge to haue an assurance of the True Faith, shoulde haue recourse to nothinge els, but vnto the Scriptures. Otherwise, if they haue regarde to any other thinge, they shalbe offended, and perishe, not vnderstandinge, what is the true Churche. And by meane hereof they shal falle into the Abomination of desolation.

Here, M. Hardinge, no Glose wil serue. Certainely, these woordes were spo∣ken, not of the Firste comminge of Christe into the worlde, as you imagine: but of the Kingedome of Antichriste, and of the Ende, & consummation of the worlde.

Hereof S. Gregorie saithe thus:* 1.25 Ecclesia post eosdem dies, quibus deprimitur, ta∣men circa finem temporum grandi praedicationis Virtute roborabitur: The Churche after these daies of her affliction, shal afterwarde notwithstandinge be strengthe∣ned with greate Power, and mighte of preachinge.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Rome. Niuiue. Babylon.
• * 1.2

  Chrysost. in Mat∣thae. Homil. 19.
• * 1.3

  Hieronym. Ad Pammach. De optimo genere Interpretandi.
• * 1.4

  Tom. 2.
• * 1.5

  In eadem Epist.
• * 1.6

  Hieronym. in Michaeam, Ca. 3.
• * 1.7

  Hieronym. in So∣phoniam. Ca. 2.
• * 1.8

  Hierony. in Mat∣thae. Ca. 24. Li. 4.
• * 1.9

  Rome, Babylon,
• * 1.10

  Gregor. in Iob. Ca. 9. Li. 19. Ca. 29.
• * 1.11

  Hieronym. In Hieremi. Lib. 1. Ca. 4.
• * 1.12

  Hieronym. in Naum. Ca. 3.
• * 1.13

  Hieronym. In So∣pboniam, Ca. 1.
• * 1.14

  Hieronym. In Catalogo Scri∣ptor. Eccle. in Marco.
• * 1.15

  August. De Ge∣nesi contra Ma∣nichae. Li. 2. Ca. 1. Augustin. in Psalm. 44. Primasius in Apocalyp. Ca. 16.
• * 1.16

  In idem Caput.
• * 1.17

  August. De Ci∣uitate Dei, Lib. 18. Ca. 22. Viues. Ambrosius An∣sbertus in Apa∣calyp. Li. 6.
• * 1.18

  The peo∣ple shal flee to the scriptures.
• * 1.19

  Hieronym. In Naum. Ca. 3. The true sense of S. Hieroms woordes.
• * 1.20

  Chrysostom. In Gene. Homi. 36.
• * 1.21

  Hierony. In Esai. lib. 12. ca 49. Psalm. 23.
• * 1.22

  Hieronym. In Naum. Cap. 3.
• * 1.23

  Hierony. In Esai. lib. 9. Cap. 30.
• * 1.24

  Chrysostom. In Matt. Homi 49.
• * 1.25

  Gregori. In Iob. ca. 29. li. 19. ca▪ 9.