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.

When ye prooue, that ye haue the Truthe, then maye ye be admitted, in your Defence to alleage the example of Christe, of S. Paule, and of the firste Christians. But nowe wee tel you, beinge as you are, these examples serue you to no purpose. And for ought ye haue saide ••itherto, the Ana∣baptistes, Libertines, Zwenkfeldians, Nestorians, Eunomians, Arians, and al other pestiferous He∣retikes might saye the same aswel as ye. Christe was charged of the Iewes with vsinge the power of impure Sprites,* 1.1 blasphemously: Paule was scorned of Festus, as a mad man, without cause: the An∣cient Christians were accused by the Infidels of hainous crimes, falsely. But ye are accused of Here∣sies and sundrie Impieties, by Godly, VVise, and Faithful men, vpon Zeale, by good aduise, and truely. And as for those Auncient Christians, when they made Apologies or Orations in the Defence of the

Christen Faithe,* 1.2 they did it so as became Christen men, plainely and openly. Either they offered them to the Emperours with thei owne handes, or put to their names, and signified to whome they gaue the same. As S. Hilary deliuered a Booke in Defence of the Catholique Faithe against the Arians to Constantius. Melito and Apollinaris wrote their Apologies to the Emperours. S. Iustine the Philoso∣pher and Martyr gaue his firste Apologie for the Christians to the Senate of the Romaines, the seconde to Autonius Pius Emperour:* 1.3 Tertullian to the Romaines. S. Apollonius the Romaine Senatour and Martyr did Reade his Booke openly in the Senate house, whiche he had made in Defence of the Chri∣stian Faithe.* 1.4 But yee doo your thinges, that ought to be done openly, in Hucker Mucker. Ye set foorth your Apologie in the name of the Churche of Englande, before any meane parte of the Churche were priuie to it, and so as though either ye were ashamed of it, or afraide to abide by it. The inscrip∣tion of it is directed neither to Pope nor Emperour, nor to any Prince, nor to the Churche, nor to the general Councel then beinge when ye wrote it, as it was moste conuenient: There is no mans name set to it:* 1.5 It is Printed without Priuilege of the Prince, contrary to Lawe in that behalfe made: allowed neither by Parlament, nor by Proclamation, nor agreed vpon by the Cleregie in Publike and lawful Synode. This packinge becommeth you: it becommeth not the vpright Professours of the Truthe Wherefore your vnlawful Booke,* 1.6 as it is, so it maye be called an Inuectiue, or rather a Famous Li∣bel, and sclaunderous VVrite, as that whiche seemeth to haue benne made in a corner, and cast abroade in the streetes, the Authours whereof the Ciuil Lawe punis heth sharpely.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Luke. 11. Act. 26. Tertul. in Apo∣log.
• * 1.2

  The Apologies of the olde Fa∣thers vvere lavv∣fully published. Eccles. Hist. Lib 4. Cap. 26.
• * 1.3

  Eccles. Hist. Lib. 5. Cap. 21.
• * 1.4

  The Apologie of the Churche of England for foorthe suspiti∣ously, and vvith∣out due order.
• * 1.5

  Vntruthe.
• * 1.6

  The Apologie •• famous Libel.