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 Apologie, Cap. 2. Diuision. 2.

They crie out vpon vs at this present euerie where, that we are al Heretiques, and haue forsaken the Faith, & haue with newe persuasi∣ons, & wicked learninge vtterly dissolued the concorde of the Church.

M. Hardinge.

Yf ye haue forsaken the Faithe,* 1.1 ye were Baptized in, if ye be gonne from the faithe, whiche S. E∣leutherius Pope and Martyr the first Apostle of Britayne preached in this lande,* 1.2 by Damianus and Fu∣gatius within little more then one hundred yeres after Christes death,* 1.3 if ye refuse the Faithe which Gregorie the Greate that holy Pope, caused to be Preached to our Auncestours the Englishe nation by Augustinus, Melitus, and other holy Priestes, and haue thereby dissolued the vnitie of the Catholike Churche, and leaue not to maineteine the doctrine, whereby the same vnitie is dissolued: all this pre∣supposed. Wee see not but that this crie made vpon you is true: For then are ye Heretikes in deede.

The B. of Sarisburie.

As wel this reporte of Eleutherius, as also the other noted in the margin of Augustine, that the one was the first Apostle of the Britannes, the other of the En∣glishe, are both vntrue. For it is certaine, that the Churche of Britannie, nowe called England, receiued not first the faithe from Rome. Lucius the Kinge of this Countrie had receiued the Gospel of Christ, and was Baptized welneare one hun∣dred and fiftie yeres before the Emperoure Constantine: and the same Constantine the first Christened Emperoure was borne in this Ilande, And notwithstanding Eleutherius the Bishop of Rome, at the Kinges special request, sent hither Fuga∣tius, and Damianus, to enforme the Bishopes and Cleregie, and to bringe thinges to better order,* 1.4 yet vndoubtedly the Churche & Faithe of Christ had benne planted here a longe while before they came, eyther by Iosephe of Arimathaea: either (as Theodoretus writeth) by S. Paule the Apostle passinge this waye into Spaine: or (as Nicephorus saithe) by Simon Zel••tes: or by the Gréekes: or by some others.

As for our Augustine of Englande, for it was not S. Augustine the learned Doctour, neither was he so godly a man, as M. Hardinge maketh him: for as Gal∣fridus writeth of him, he was cruel, disoaineful, prowde, and arrogant, and no way méete to be called an Apostle. Neither was he the first planter of the Faithe in Englande. For the Faithe was planted here many hundred yeres before his comminge.* 1.5 Tertullian saithe of his time,* 1.6 Britannorum inaccessa Romanis loca sub∣duntur Christo: The countries of Britannie, whiche the Romaines coulde neuer atteine vnto,* 1.7 are now subiecte to Christe. Origen saithe of his time,* 1.8 Terra Britanniae con∣sensit in Religionem Christi: The Lande of Britannie hath agreed to Christes Religion. Athanasius of his time saithe,* 1.9 Episcopi Aphricae vniuersae, Siciliae, Sardiniae, Hispa∣niarum, Galliarum, Britanniarum sese ad Concilium contulerunt: The Bishoppes of al Aphrica, Sicilia, Sardinia, Spaine, Fraunce, and Britannie came thither to the Councel, (hol∣den at Sardica.)* 1.10 Constantinus the Emperour in his time maketh mention of the Christian Churches in Britannie.* 1.11 S. Hilarie in his time intituled his letter in this wise:* 1.12 Clericis Tololanis, & Prouinciarum Britannicarum Episcopis: To the Clere∣gie of Tolouse,* 1.13 and to the Bishoppes of Britannie. Chrysostome of his time saithe, Et Iusulae Britannicae extra hoc mare sitae, & in ipso Oceano positae senserūt virtutem Ver∣bi Dei: The Ilandes of Britannie beinge in the very Ocean, far out of this our Sea, haue felt the power of Goddes Woorde.* 1.14 Theodoretus of the time of the Emperour Iouinian saithe thus, Huic Fidei consenserunt omnes Ecclesiae, quae{que} in Hispania sunt, quae{que} in Britannia: To this Faith haue agreed al the Churches, bothe of Spaine, and of Britannie. These recordes may séeme sufficient, if it please M. Hardinge to receiue them. And al, and euery of these liued sundrie hundred yéeres before the arriual of Melitus, and Augustine.

Yf any man shal happen to replie, The Faithe was then vtterly rooted out by the inua∣sion of the Englishe men beinge Heathens,* 1.15 that mater is already answeared in my Former Replie to M. Hardinge. Certainely Beda saithe, The Quéene of Englande was

then Christened,* 1.16 and that there were then in this Realme seuen Bishoppes, and one Archebishop, with other moe greate learned Christian menne.

As touchinge this Augustine, wée are not bounde to al his dooinges. Although M. Hardinge allowe him Apostolike authoritie, yet al his heastes were not Gospel. The Churche in his time was growen to muche corruption, as it may many waies appeare by sundrie places of S. Gregorie.* 1.17 Verily Beda saithe, The Bishoppes, and learned Christians of this Countrie vtterly refused to receiue this newe Apo∣stle with his Religion. And yet were they right Catholique, and godly menne. And Galfridus saithe,* 1.18 Erant septem Episcopatus, & Archiepiscopatus Religiosiscionis Praesulibus muniti, & Abbatiae complures, in quib. grex Domini rectum ordinem tenebat: There were then in Englande seuen Bishoprikes, and one Archebishoprike possessed with very godly Prelates, and many Abbies, in whiche the Lordes flocke helde the right Religion.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Faithe in Britaine.
• * 1.2

  Vntruthe.
• * 1.3

  Damianus and Fugatius first Apostles of the Britons. Augustinus and Melitus of the Englishe.
• * 1.4

  Gildas. Polydor••••. Theodoret. De Curandis Grae∣corū affectibus. Niceph. li. 2. c. 4. Galfrid. Lib. 8. Cap. 4.
• * 1.5

  An. Do. 210.
• * 1.6

  Tertull. contra Iudaeos.
• * 1.7

  Anno. 212.
• * 1.8

  Origen. in Eze∣chiel. Homi. 4. Athanas. Apo∣logia Secunda.
• * 1.9

  Anno. 334.
• * 1.10

  Anno 330.
• * 1.11

  Theodoret. Hist. Eccl. Li. 1. Ca. 10. Hilarius De Synodis. Chrysost. in Ho∣milia, Quòd Christus sit Deus Theodoret. Hist. Eccl. Li. 4. Ca. 3.
• * 1.12

  Anno 360.
• * 1.13

  Anno 400.
• * 1.14

  Anno 367.
• * 1.15

  Art. 3. Diuis. 24. Beda, li. 1. ca. 26.
• * 1.16

  Beda. li. 2. Cap. 2.
• * 1.17

  Beda. li. 2. Ca. 26.
• * 1.18

  Galfridus. lib. 8. Cap. 4.