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. 3. Diuision. 7.

And as for the Bishop of Rome, who nowe calleth al maters be∣fore him selfe alone, except he doo his duetie, as he ought to doo, except he minister the Sacramentes, except he instructe the People, excepte he warne them and teache them, wee saye that he ought not of right once to be called a Bishop, or so mutche as an Elder. For a Bishop, as saithe Augustine, is a name of labour, and not of Honour: that the man, that seeketh to haue Preeminence, and not to profite, maye vn∣derstande, him selfe to be no Bishop.

M. Hardinge.

Neither the Bishop of Rome,* 1.1 nor any other Bishop is worthy of the Name of a Bishop, except he do the duetie of a Bishop. Al this wee graunt. But that he ought not of right to be so called, of those whom he hathe charge ouer, in case of omittinge his duetie: thereto we saie, that although in respect of his domeanou•• he be not worthy to be called a Bishop▪ yet in respecte of the Vocation, Degree, and Preeminence, though he leaue his duetie vndone, for whiche he incurreth daunger of damnation, that Title perteineth vnto him of good right, and so continually he is and ought to be acknowleged for a Bishop, though an euil and an vnworthy Bishop: likewise a Priest. And whereas S. Augustine saithe, that a Bishop is a name of labour, and not of Honour, he is to be vnderstand so as the Scripture is: VVhiche in some places speakinge of two thinges, that are bothe in dede to be affirmed, the one beinge of more importance then the other, denieth the one in comparison of the other, &c.

Yet it semeth to be a secrete preparation towarde a purpose againste sutche time, as the Princes Gouernemente shal mislike theire phantasies. For where they Learned this Opinion, concerning Bi∣shops, there Learned they also the like, concerninge Ciuil Magistrates. I meane VVicklef. Amonge

whose Heretical articles condemned by the Churche in the Councel of Constance,* 1.2 this is rekened for the fiftenth: Nullus est Dominus Ciuilis, nullus est Praelatus, nullus est Episcopus dum est in peccato mortali. That is to saie, None is a Temporal Lorde, none is a Prelate, none is a Bishop, so longe as he is in deadly sinne.

The B. of Sarisburie.

This mater shal néede no greate contention. The like woordes haue benne vttered by sundrie other Holy Fathers. S. Chrysostome saithe, Multi Sacerdotes,* 1.3 & Pauci Sacerdotes: Multi nomine, Pauci Opere: Many Priestes there be, and few Priestes there be: Many in name, and fewe in Laboure. Againe, Quomodò potest esse Magister, qui Discipulum non habet? Acquire Discipulum, & esto Magister: Howe can he be a Maister,* 1.4 that ••ath no Scholare? Geate thee a Scholar, and then be a Maister. S. Am∣brose saithe, Nisi bonum Opus amplectaris, Episcopus esse non potes: Oulesse thou embrace the good labour, a Bishop thou canste not be. S. Gregorie saithe, Sacerdotes nominamur, & non sumus: Priestes wee are called, but Priestes wee are not.

As for VVicklefe, he expoundeth plainely his owne meaninge, and that with M. Hardinges owne Construction. For these be his woordes, euen as they are al∣leged by his enimies: Papa,* 1.5 vel Praelatus malus, & Praescitus, est aequiuocè Pastor: & ve∣rè Fur, & Latro: The Pope, or any other wicked Prelate, in double or doubteful speache is a Postour: but in very deede he is a Theefe, and a Murtherer. So Chrysostome saithe: Qui ab hominibus ordinatus est,* 1.6 quantum ad Deū artinet, nō est Sacerdos, aut Diaconus: He that is appointed by menne (and not by God) before God, is neither Priest, nor Deacon.

If VVicklefe, vpon iuste zele of the House of God, for that he then sawe, the Bi∣shoppes either knew nothing, or did nothinge, or cared for nothinge, either spake, or meante more, then Truthe maie beare, wée defende it not. Notwithstandinge, touchinge that is obiected of deadly sinne, it séemeth, he folowed therein the Coun∣cel of Valentia in France.* 1.7 The woordes be these: Quicunque sub Ordinatione, vel Diaconatus, vel Presbyterij, vel Episcopatus, Mortali Crimine dixerint se esse pollusos, à supradictis Ordinationibus submoueātur: Who so eues after the Order, either of Deacon∣ship, or of Priesthoode, or of Bishoprike, shal saie they haue benne defiled with Mortal Sinne, let them be remoued from the foresaide Orders.

So. S. Augustine saithe, as he is alleged by Gratian,* 1.8 Qui nec sua crimina deter∣sit, nec filiorum crimen correxit, Canis impudicus dicendus est magis, quàm Episcopus: He that neither hath wiped of his owne finnes, nor corrected the Sinnes of his Children, ought rather to be called a shamelesse Dogge, then a Bishop.

Yet notwithstanding, to remoue al strife, what so euer the Bishop of Rome be, or what so euer he doo, let him hardly be called a Bishop, bicause, as M. Hardinge saithe, he standeth in roome of a Bishop: Or, as VVicklefe saithe, let him so be cal∣led. Aequiuocè, that is to saie, by a woorde of double meaning: as Vnsauery Salte is called Salte: Or as the Prophetes of Baal are called Prophetes: Or as a pain∣ted Man is called a Man: And as S. Gregorie saithe, Let him he called a Prieste, al∣though in deede he be no Prieste. Let him be called a Teacher, although he Teache not: Let him be called a Féeder, although he Feéde not. S. Cyprian saith of S. Paule, Ipsum,* 1.9 quamuis inane Nomen, & Vmbram quandam Sacerdotis cogitans, expauit: S. Paule was afroide, consideringe onely the emptie Name, and Shadowe of a Bishop. And in the late Councel of Tridente the mater is concluded thus, Qui dicit, cos, qui non exercent Ministerium Verbi, & Sacramentorum, non esse Sacerdotes, Anathema sit: Who so euer saie, that they, that Minister neither the Woorde of God, nor the Sacramentes, be no Priestes, Accursed be he. But Athanasius saithe, Quid opus est hominibus ti∣tulo Episcopis? What neede haue wee of these menne, that beare onely the name of Ei∣shoppes? Therefore S. Hierome saithe, Auferet Dominus Nomina Vanae gloriae, & Admirationis falsae, quae versantur in Ecclesia. Sed & Nomina Sacerdotum cum Sacer∣dotibus

dotibus aufere••,* 1.10 qui frustrà sibi applaudunt in Episcopali, & in Presbyterij Dignitate, & non in Opere: The Lord shal take awaie the names of Vaine glorie, and of ••••ined woo••de∣ring, whiche are in the Churche: Yea he shal take awaie bothe the names of those Priestes, and the Priestes withal, whiche vaunte them selues in the Dignitie of Bishoprike, and Prieste∣hoode, but not in the Laboure.

Notes

• * 1.1

  An euil Bishop loseth not the name of a Bishop, though he lose the metite of a Bishop. Vide Augustin. Lib. 2. contra Epist. Parmen. Cap. 13. Tom. 7. 1. Tim. 2.
• * 1.2

  A Bishop no Bishop▪
• * 1.3

  Chryso. in Mat∣thae. Homil. 43. Chrysost. in eod. Homil.
• * 1.4

  Ambro. De Dig∣nita. Sacerdota∣li, Cap. 4. Gregor. Lib. 4. Epist 32.
• * 1.5

  In Concil. Con∣stātien. Session. 15
• * 1.6

  Chrysost. in Mat∣thae. Homil. 53.
• * 1.7

  Concil. Valentin. sub Damas. ca. 4.
• * 1.8

  2. Quae. 7. Qui nec regiminis.
• * 1.9

  Cyprian. Lib. 1. Epist. 3. Concil. Trident. De Sacramente Ordinis. Athanasius Ad Solitariam Vi∣tam agentes. Hieron. in Soph••¦niam, Cap. 1▪
• * 1.10

  Provvde. Name.