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.

The summe of all these gaye woordes abbridged dothe attribute Loosinge, or Absolution firste to Preachinge, nexte to Assotlinge sutche as be Excomminicate. As touchinge the firste, these Defen∣ders confounde the offices of Preachinge and of Absolution. The Preacher teacheth the hearers, and reporteth the woordes of Christe, as out of the mouthe of Christe, saieinge, Thus saithe Christe &c: The Priest, whiche is the Minister of Absolution, accordinge to the Authoritie geuen to him by Christe, in his owne person assoileth the Penitente, saieinge,* 1.1 I assoile thee in the name of the Father, &c.* 1.2 The Preacher in that he preacheth onely dothe not assoile sinners, neither geueth he the Merites of Christe, nor full pardon by pronouncinge vnto them the Gospell.* 1.3 For if that greate benefite consiste in pronouncinge or denouncinge of the Gospell, then why might not euery laye man, yea womenne, yea yonge boyes, and gyrles assoile sinners? yea why might not euery man assoile him selfe? And woulde ye Sirs appointe vnto vs suche for iudges constituted by Christe?

For the woordes of Christe be so plaine, as they cannot be so violently wrested. For Christe saide not, To whom ye offer by preachinge of the Gospel my Merites, and Pardon, or whose sinnes ye pronounce by the Gospell to be remitted, but quorumcunque remiseritis, who soeuers sinnes ye remitte, they are remitted to them. For as the sonne of man remitted sinnes to him that was sicke of the Palsye,* 1.4 and to Mary Maudelen, that ye maye knowe (saithe he) that the sonne of man hathe Power to remitte sinnes,* 1.5 &c: Euen so he hathe transferred* 1.6 the same power vnto Priestes, saithe Chrysostome. VVhiche Priestes he hathe sente, as the Father sente him. And if Absolution consiste in pronouncinge of the Gospell, whiche profiteth so muche as it is beleeued,* 1.7 then the power of the Keies whiche Christe hathe geuen to the Churche, consisteth not so muche in the Minister, as in the sinner that heareth and beleeueth, and so is forgeuen by Luthers Opinion. And by this meanes the Prieste hathe no speciall power. But wee saie with the Churche, that a Sacramente hath his efficacie of the institution of Christe in him, to whom it is adhibited. In this sense the Catholike Churche of Christe hath euer taughte, that God woorketh our Saluation by Sacramentes, and in this faithe it hathe alwayes baptized infantes, that their sinnes beinge remitted, they mighte be made the children of God* 1.8 Like wise by the Keyes of the Churche it hathe assoiled personnes be∣refte of the vse of speache and reason, as the Learned and Auncient Holy Father Leo teacheth in his Epistle ad Theodorum Episcopum Foroiuliensem, and S. Augustine de adulterinis con∣lugijs, Lib. 1. Cap. 26. & vltimo.

Finally if the office of Loosinge, that is Absolution, consisted in Preachinge the Gospell, and offeringe the Merites of Christe by pronouncinge the woordes, in whiche the remission of our sinnes

is expressed, as this Denfender teacheth: then had not the Catechumens of olde time, neither nowe shoulde they be in any danger, if they shoulde dye without Baptisme, and the grace of reconcilia∣tion, that is, not beinge assoiled. For they lacked no preachinge, as nowe they lacke not where any suche bee. The contrarie whereof the Churche hathe euer taught, and for witnesse of the same,* 1.9 besides other fathers, wee haue the plaine Doctrine of S. Augustine: Who saithe, that a Cate∣chumen, howe mutche so euer he profitethe, beareth still the burthen of his iniquitie so longe, as he is not baptized.

I denie not, but cases of iuste necessitie be excepted in the one, and the other, hauinge right and firme willes, and desire in eche case: VVhen not the contempte of Religion, but the pointe of necessitie excludethe the Mysterie of baptisme, as S. Augustine saithe. Then how dangerous, and pernicious is the Doctrine of these Defenders our Newe Ministringe Prelates, who more with sweete and Holy woordes, then withe truthe, teache Christen people, that the office of Loosinge consisteth in offeringe by preachinge of the Gospell (as they call it) the Merites of Christe, and full pardon, and by pronouncinge (I knowe not howe) a sure and vndoubted forgeeuenesse of sinnes and hope of Euerlasting Saluation to suche,* 1.10 for soothe, as haue lowly and contrite hartes, and doe vnfainedly repente them? The contrition of harte, they seeme to speake of, sufficethe not for Loosinge of sinnes, onlesse it be contrition formed with charitie, as the Diuines teache. VVhiche charitie, seeketh and re∣quireth the Sacrament of Penaunce, and the grace of reconciliation. whiche cannot be ministred, but by a prieste.* 1.11 Neither is it possible, the prieste to iudge truly, who are lowly and contrite of harte, and repente them vnfainedly, forasmutche as he cannot searche the harte, onlesse the penitentes humble them selues vnto him, and declare theire repentaunce by simple and lowly confession of their sinnes.* 1.12 VVhiche confession these Newe Gospellers haue abandoned out of theire Congregations. Howe mutche is more the Catholike and holesome Doctrine of S.* 1.13 Augustine to be embraced and fo∣lowed, whiche he vttereth in these woordes? Doo ye penaunce, sutche as is done in the Churche, that the Churche maie praie for you. Let noman saie to him selfe, I do penaunce secretely, before God I do It: God, who forgeeueth me, knoweth, that I doo it in my harte. But what saith S. Augustine hereunto? VVhy then (saithe he) it was saide in vaine, What thinges ye Loose in Earthe,* 1.14 they shalbe Loosed in Heauen. Then without cause the Keies be geeuen to the Churche. VVe make voide the Gospell of God: wee make frustrate the woordes of Christe.

S. Augustine saithe, doo ye penaunce, not sutche as liketh your selues, not sutche as Newe fangled selfe pleasinge Preachers teache you, but sutche, as is done in the Churche, whiche consisteth in Contrition of harte, confession of mouthe, and satisfaction of worke, that so ye maie be assoiled, and perfitely reconciled.

Touchinge the seconde pointe, wee doo not attribute the Loosinge of sutche, as be excommu∣nicate, to the offeringe of Christes Merites and pronouncinge of the Gospell vnto them, as you doo, but to the power of Iurisdiction by Christe geeuen to the Churche.

By the fathers Excommunication in consideration of the necessitee of it, is called neruus Ecclesiasticae disciplinae, the sinnowe of Churchely discipline: by the Canons, Mucro Episcopi, the swerde of a Bishop: by S. Augustine, Episcopalis iudicij damnatio, qua poena nulla in eccle∣sia maior est. The condemnation of a man by Bishoply Iudgemente, then the whiche there is no greater punishmente in the Churche.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Vntruthe. For Christe neuer gaue the prieste any sutch Com∣mission.
• * 1.2

  Vntruthe. For S Hierome saithe, Soluunt Sermone Dei, & testimoniis Scripturarum.
• * 1.3

  Vntruthe, By M. Hardinges ovvne Doctrine. Reade the An∣svveare.
• * 1.4

  Iohan. 20.
• * 1.5

  Li. 3. de Dignitate Sacerdotali.
• * 1.6

  The same po∣vver, bicause they haue the same woorde: and not other∣vvise.
• * 1.7

  Vntruthe. ioined vvith vaine Folie.
• * 1.8

  Vntruthe. For the Churche as∣soiled not mad menne: but on∣ly pronounced them to be as∣soiled before, vvhen they vvere sober.
• * 1.9

  Tract. in Iohan. 13.
• * 1.10

  O dangerous Doctrine.
• * 1.11

  Vntruthe. Reade the aun∣svveare.
• * 1.12

  Lib. 50. Homiliarū, Homi. 49.
• * 1.13

  Manifest Vn∣truthe For S. Augustine spea∣keth these vvoordes of O∣pen Confession before the people.
• * 1.14

  Mat. 18.