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.

VVe doo so. For they condemned those that went against the Tradition of the Fathers, and so doo wee.* 1.1 The Scriptures consiste not in inke and paper, but in the sense. VVhiche sense the Holy Ghoste by Christes promise hath taught the Churche.

Epiphanius refutinge the Heretikes whiche named them selues Apostolikes,* 1.2 saithe, that the Scri∣ptures haue neede of Speculation that is to witte, to be wel studied and considered) to the ende the force and power of euery argument maye be knowen. It behoueth vs also (saithe he) to vse the Tra∣dition: For wee can not haue al thinges of the Holy Scripture. Thus Epiphanius. By Tradition without doubte he meaneth the sense and vnderstandinge receiued of the Fathers. For that is the Keie of the VVoorde of God, as S. Peter taught, by report of S. Clement. This sense and vnderstandinge of the Lawe had the Ministers of the Lawe, to whome the Traditions of Moses and of the Elders came as it were by handes. Nowe wee require you to admitte this Tradition, that is to saye, the

Catholike sense and vnderstandinge of the Scriptures, whiche hathe benne deliuered vnto vs by the Holy Fathers of al Ages, and of al Countries, where the Faithe hath benne receiued. And then we wil calle you againe to be tried by the Scriptures.

This haue the Catholikes layde before you oftentimes, and this doo we shewe you in this Confu∣tation.* 1.3 He that despiseth you, despiseth mee, saithe Christe of his Churche. Ye despise the Catho∣like Churche, and therefore ye despise Christe.

What neede so many questions Sirs? Your hote Rhetorike sheweth more courage in woorde, then Victorie in deede. Ye calle vs foorthe to the Scriptures,* 1.4 as it were to the fielde. Ye strike vs downe with woordes, before ye come to encounter. To shewe your brauerie in the mo••stre, ye referre your controuersies vnto the Holy Scriptures, ye reporte you vnto the woordes sealed by God himselfe: but we the Catholikes, as ye pretende, sticke at it: we be afraide of it, we doubte of th•• mater, we feare the Iudgement of Holy Scriptures, we preferre our owne dreames and colde inuen∣tions. VVel, nowe that ye haue tolde your lusty tale, heare our sober answeare. Often•• times the true Scriptures are stretched foorthe to serue euil and false purposes. The Iewes went about by the Scriptures to prooue, that Christe was not so muche as a I••ophete.* 1.5 For they saide,* 1.6 Searche the Scrip∣tures, and see, that a Prophete riseth not out of Galiley. By the Scriptures they would needes shewe him woorthy to die.* 1.7 We haue a Lawe, quod they, and by our Lawe he ought to die, because he hath made him selfe the Sonne of God The Diuel by alleaginge Scripture, would haue deceiued our Sauiour him selfe, and saide vnto him: Scriptum est,* 1.8 It is written. The Arians were ful of the Scriptures, and by the same, as S. Ambrose writeth, went about to prooue, that Christe the author of al goodnesse was not good. It is written, quoth they, Nemo bonus nisi vnus Deus, None is good, but onely God. Likewise the Macedonians, the Nestorians, the Eutychians.

Now in this case, your selues dooinge the like, what may wee doo better, then honour the Scrip∣tures, and seeke for their right Sense and Vnderstandinge? Scriptum est, It is Scripture (saith S. Ambrose to the allegation of the Arians) I acknowlege, but the letter hath not the errour: woulde God the Arians interpretation had not. Apices sine crimine sunt, sensus in crimine. The letters be without crime: the sense is in crime.* 1.9 From the vnderstanding commeth Heresie, not from the Scri∣pture: the sense, not the woorde, becommeth to be a crime, saith S. Hilary, Sithens then al standeth in the sense, let vs agree first vpon the sense and interpretation of the Scriptures: and then if we be not as ready as ye, come foorth when ye liste, vpbraide vs hardely, and say lustely, as here ye doo, why sticke they to doo it? why are they afraide of it?

As for the true sense and interpretation of the Scriptures, where shal wee finde it, but, as be∣fore wee saide,* 1.10 in the Catholike Churche? The Churche hauinge Christe remaininge with it al daies to the ende of the worlde, hauinge by promise of Christe the Sprite of truethe, remaininge in it for euer, hauing by Goddes owne ancient promise bothe the woordes, whiche the Father hath put in the mouthe of Christe, and the Sprite whiche he putte in him, whereby it may vnderstand the meaninge of Goddes woordes: wee maie not now seeke for the true sense, vnderstanding, and interpretation of the Scriptures any where, but in the Churche. Your owne Doctour Iohn Caluine him selfe▪* 1.11 whom ye folowe and esteeme so mutche, admonisheth very wel, and saithe, it is specially to be noted, that out of the Churche there is no light of the sounde vnderstandinge of the Scriptures. This ground beinge laide, on whiche eche parte must stande and be tried in, crowe no more againste vs, boast your selues no more:* 1.12 VVe feare not the iudgement of the Holy Scriptures. Nay it is your selues, that feare this iudg∣ment. For your owne conscience telleth you that on this ground ye are the weaker side. Yf ye stande with vs on this grounde, ye shal neuer be able to defende your Maister Iohn Caluines doctrine touch∣inge Baptisme,* 1.13 whiche h••••••aketh to be of so litle force, against the manifest Scripture: Let eue∣ry one of you (saithe S. Peter) be Baptized in the name of Iesus Christe, to Remission of Sinnes. Keepinge this grounde* 1.14 ye shal be borne from your Doctrine touchinge Absolution, denyinge the Prieste to haue power to absolue penitentes by his Priestly Auctoritie, but by Preachinge the Go∣spel to them, contrarie to the plaine Scripture: VVhose Sinnes ye ••orgeue, they are forgeuen to them: VVhose ye retaine, they are reteined. Yf ye refuse not this grounde, ye shal be forced to re∣store the Sacrament of extreme Vnction▪ and the vse of Holy Oyle againe, whiche ye haue abandoned.

For what haue ye to saye against the Scripture,* 1.15 It any sicke amonge you? Let him cause the Priestes of the Churche to come in to him, anointinge him with Oile, in the name of our Lorde? Ab••dinge in this grounde, ye shal be driuen to forsake your Zwinglian doctrine, whiche putteth Signes and Fi∣gures I onely in the Sacrament of the Aultar, for the True and Real Body of Christe there 2 presente.* 1.16 contrarie to the 3 cleare Scripture, This is my Bodie. Beinge on this grounde, ye shal soone geue ouer the maintenance of the Doctrine of your special Faithe, and of your Iustification by Faithe onely,* 1.17 as beinge contrary to the plaine Scripture, Man is iustified by woorkes, and not by Faithe onely. To conclude (for, to shewe in howe many pointes ye maye be confuted by euident Scriptures, it were in maner infinite) if ye wil admitte this for a good grounde, as ye midste needes admitte: then shal ye not mainteine the Presumptuous Doctrine of your certaintie of Grace and Saluation, contrary to that S. Paule counselleth,* 1.18 VVith feare and tremblinge woorke your Saluation.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Iohan. 14.
• * 1.2

  Haereei. 61. Scripture nes∣deth Speculatiō. Traditiō neces∣sa••ie, bicause Scripture hathe not al thinges. Recognition. Lib. 10.
• * 1.3

  L••c. 10.
• * 1.4

  Great bragges made by the Defenders, of thassurance of the Scriptures.
• * 1.5

  Iohan. 7.
• * 1.6

  Vntruth: For the vvoordes are other∣vvise.
• * 1.7

  Iohan. 19.
• * 1.8

  Matth. 4. De Fide. li. 2. c. •• Marke. 10.
• * 1.9

  Hilari. De Tri∣nita. Li. ••.
• * 1.10

  Matthae 7. Iohan. 4. Esai. 59.
• * 1.11

  In Epist. ad H••∣braeos.
• * 1.12

  Vntruthe.
• * 1.13

  Vntruthe. For he de∣baseth not the Sacra∣ment of Baptisme
• * 1.14

  Vntruth.
• * 1.15

  Iacob. 5.
• * 1.16

  Three and dente Vn∣truthes.
• * 1.17

  Iacob. 2.
• * 1.18

  Philip. 2.