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.

O howe many waste woordes hath M. Hardinge to spare? Here once againe he comneth in with Hus, Hierome of Prage, Wicklefe, Almarik, Abailard, Apo∣stolikes,

Peterbrusians, Berengarians, Waldenses, Albingenses, Image∣breakers, to fraye his simple reader with a terrour of strange names. Wée saie, Luther and Zuinglius were the first Publishers of the Gospel: and yet againe we saie, the same Luther and Zuinglius were not the firste: Wée haue forgotten our selues fouly: Wée write contradiction against our selues: Wée would séeme to toine with Christe and Paule: but truely they refuse our companie: And so foorthe, I knowe not what.

verily, M. Hardinge, wée neuer saied, Luther, and Zuinglius were the firste Publishers of the Gospel. Yf wée should so saie, wée should reporte vntruthe, as you doo often. Christe, and his Apostles were the firste.

These woorthy, and Learned Fathers, Luther, and Zuinglius, and other like Godly and zelous men, were appointed of God, not to erecte a newe Churche, but to reforme the olde, whereof you had made a Caue of Théeues: to kendle a∣gaine the Light, that you had quenched: and to heare witnesse to the Truthe of GOD.

You saie, Christ, and Paule wil none of our companie: as if you were priuie of theire counsel. But perhappes, M. Hardinge, this is Clauis errans, and there∣fore can neither open,* 1.1 nor shutte: Or,* 1.2 as S.* 1.3 Hierome saithe, Pars aliqua supercilij Pharisaici, some parte of the high lookes of the Phariseis. Christe him selfe hath saide, Who so loueth me, wil keepe my woorde: and my Father loueth him: And my Father, and I wil come to him, and dwel with him. S. Peter saithe, Who so trusteth in him, shal not be confounded.

Of Abailard, and Almarik, and certaine other your strange names, wée haue no skil: They are none of ours. Of Iohn Hus, Hierome of Prage, and Berengarius, and other like vertuous Learned men, wée haue no cause to be a∣shamed. Theire Doctrine standeth stil, and encreaseth daily: bicause it is of God. But as for yours, bicause it is onely of your selues, therefore it falleth daily, and is now forsaken the worlde through.

You saie, that the simple namè of Secte, or Heresie, wherewith S. Paule was charged, was not so infamous, or odious in those daies: and that Tertul∣lian called the Religion of Christe a Secte, or Heresie without any manner blem∣mishe or note of euil. It was néedelesse for M. Harding, to auouche Vntruthe so earnestly without cause.

I graunte, the name of Heresie, or Secte emonge the Philosophers was not infamous.* 1.4 Cicero saithe, Cato in ea Haeresi est, quae nullum sequitur florem Orationis. But in case of Religion it was euermore emongst al men taken in il parte, and condemned, and coumpted odious. Touchinge S. Paule, in howe good parte the Iewes called him Heretique,* 1.5 it may easily appeare by these woordes of Tertullus his accuser: Inuenimus hunc virum pestilentem, & mouentem seditionem omnibus Iu∣daeis per vniuersum orbem, ac Principem Sectae Nazaraeorum: We haue founde this man to be a Pestilent, and a wicked felowe, mouinge sedition emonge the Jewes throughout the whole worlde, and a Captaine of the Heresie of the Nazareines. In sutche good parte they saide vnto Christe:* 1.6 Arte thou greater then was our Father Abraham: Thou arte a false Prophete,* 1.7 and deceiuest the People: Thou arte a Samaritane, and hast the Diuel.

The like good parte Christ promised afore hande to his Disciples:* 1.8 They shal caste you out of theire Synagoges:* 1.9 Ye shalbe hated of al men for my names sake. In sutche good parte and meaninge was S. Paule called an Heretique. And so, M. Hardinge,* 1.10 bisides others, your owne Doctour Nicolaus Lyra would soone haue tolde you.

But muche more I marueile, ye should so vnaduisedly saye, that Tertul∣lian

called the Christian people a Secte,* 1.11 or Heresie in good parte, and, as you saye, without any blemishe, or note of euil. For the same. Tertullian in the same Apo∣logie saithe, the Heathens commonly called the Christians, Incestos, Homicidas, Infanticidas,* 1.12 Sacrilegos, Pessimos, Nocentissimos, Publicum odium, Hostes humani generis, Omnium Scelerum reos: Deorum, Imporatorum, Legum, Morum, Naturae to∣tius inimicos: Aduouterours against kinde, Mankillers, killers of Children, Churcherobbers, moste wicked, moste husteful, the publique hatred, the enemies of Mankinde, guiltie of al kinde of wickednesse: Enimies against the Goddes, against the Emperours, against the Lawes, against good order, against Nature it selfe.* 1.13 Where so euer they sawe them, they made an outcrie vpon them, Christianos ad Leonem: Non licet esse Christianos: Haue these Christians to the Lion: It is not lawful, these Christians shoulde liue. So S. Augustine saithe,* 1.14 Factum est vulgi Prouerbium, Pluuia defecit cause Christianorum: It is nowe become a common Prouerbe emonge the people, our raine faileth vs, bicause of these Christians. So Eusebius saithe, the Religion of Christe was called Impiorum Christianorum Haeresis: The Heresie of the Godlesse Christians. These woordes, M. Hardinge, I trowe, were neuer vttered without al manner blemishe, and note of euil. S. Hie∣rome saithe, Quod magis mirum sit,* 1.15 etiam illud de Actibus Apostolorum videtur esse relegendum, Fidem nostram in Christum, & Ecclesiasticā Disciplinā iam tunc à peruer∣sis hominibus Haeresim nuncupatam: And that wee maye the more marueile, wee maye once againe reade this place of the Actes of the Apostles: where we finde, yt the Christian Faithe, and Ecclesiastical Discipline was euen then of wicked menne called on Heresie.

Euen as rightly, M. Hardinge, and vpon as good groundes, you haue againe this daye condemned the same Gospel of Christe, and in ans good parte, & meaninge haue called it Heresie. But wée maye truely, and simply saye with S. Paule,* 1.16 Ac∣cordinge to this Secte, whiche you calle Heresie, wee woorship the God of our Fathers, whiche is the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christe.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Hieronym. in. 16 Ca. Matthae.
• * 1.2

  Iohan. 14.
• * 1.3

  1. Pet. 2.
• * 1.4

  Cicer. in Para∣dox.
• * 1.5

  Actor. 24.
• * 1.6

  Iohan. 7.
• * 1.7

  Iohan. 8.
• * 1.8

  Iohan 16.
• * 1.9

  Matth. 1••.
• * 1.10

  Nicola Lyra in 24. Cap. Actor.
• * 1.11

  Christian Faithe cal∣led Here∣sie.
• * 1.12

  Tertull. in Apo¦logetico.
• * 1.13

  Tertull. in Apo∣logetico.
• * 1.14

  August. De Ci∣uitate, li. 2. ca. 3. Eujeb. li. 4. ca. 18.
• * 1.15

  Hieronym. in E∣pist. ad Titum▪ Cap. 3.
• * 1.16

  Actor. 24.