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. 1. Diuision. 2.

Wee beleeue that the Holy Ghost, who is the thirde Person in the Holy Trinitie, is very God: not made, not created, not begotten, but proceding from bothe the Father, and the Sonne, by a certaine meane vnknowen vnto man, and vnspeakable: and that it is his pro∣pertie to mollifie, & loften the hardnesse of mans hart, when he is once receiued thereinto, either by the holesome preaching of the Gospel, or by any other waye: that he doth geue men light, and guide them vnto the knowledge of God: to al way of Truthe: to newnesse of the whole life: and to euerlasting hope of Saluation.

M. Hardinge.

As wee acknowledge this article to be true and Catholike, so we demaunde of these Defenders. how they can proue the same. Haue they either expresse Scripture for it, or any of the first foure gene∣ral Councels, whiche be estemed of most Authoritie? VVe are sure they haue not. Therefore we do them to vnderstand, and if they heare vs not, we aduertise the Readers, that feare God, and loue his truth, that al truthe necessarily to be beleued expressed in the Scripture: and that other Councels be to be receiued besides the foure first, which are allowed in England by Parlament.

The B. of Sarisburie

Consider, M. Hardinge, notwithstanding ye euermore tel vs of Fathers, Fa∣thers, yet how contrarie oftentimes ye are in iudgement to the same Fathers. You saie, that the Godhed of the Holy Ghost cannot be proued by expresse Woordes of the Scriptures: and thereof, ye saie, ye are right sure. Yet S. Augustine nothinge douteth, but it may wel be proued by plaine Scriptures. Thus he saith, Spiritus San∣ctus est Deus. Vnde Petrus, cùm dixisser•• Ausus es mentiri Spiritui Sancto, continuò se∣quutus adiunxit, quid esse: Spiritus Sanctus: & ait, Non es mentitus Hominibus, sed Deo:

The Holy Ghost is God. Therefore Peter when he had saide (vnto Ananias) thou hast en∣terprised to lie to the Holy Ghost, he followed readily, and tolde him, what was the Holy Ghost: and saide, Thou hast not sied vnto Man, but vnto God.

Againe he saithe, Ostendit Paulus, Deum esse Spiritum Sanctum, & idò non esse Creaturam: S. Paule sheweth vs, that the Holy Ghost is God: and therefore is no Creature.

Likewise againe he saith, Ne quisquam Spiritum Sanctum negaret Deum, con∣tinuò sequutus ait, Glorificate, & portate Deum in Corpore vestro: Least any man should denie, that the Holy Ghost is God, Paule added immediately these woordes: Glorifie you there∣fore, and beare God in your Body. Here haue wée S. Augustines Yea, and M. Har∣dinges Nay. S. Augustine assureth vs, he hath Scriptures, to proue the Godhed of the Holy Ghoste: M. Hardinge saithe, wée are sure, he hath none at al. Iudge thou nowe, Gentle Reader, whether of these Doctours thou wilt beléeue.

But what a vaine vanitie, and folie is this? wil M. Hardinge haue vs beléeue, that God cannot be God, onlesse he be allowed by the Churche of Rome, and by the Pope? Then are wée come againe to that, y^e Tertullian writeth merily of the Hea∣thens: Nisi Homini Deus placuerit, Deus non erit: Homo iam Deo propitius esse debebit: Onlesse God please Man wel (though he be God) he shal be no God. And so nowe Man must be frendely, and fauourable vnto God.

Wée beleeue, M. Hardinge, that the Holy Ghost is very God in déede, not v∣pon the Popes, or his Cleregies credite, but, as S. Augustine saith, vpon the spe∣cial warrante of the Woorde of God.

And therefore Nazianzene saithe, Dicet aliquis, non esse scriptum, Spiritum Sanctum esse Deū. Atqui proponetur tibi examen Testimoniorum, ex quibus ostende∣tur, Diuinitatem Sancti Spiritus testatam esse in Sacris Literis: nisi quis valde insulsus sit, & alienus à Spiritu Sancto: Some Man wil saie, It is not written, that the Holy Ghost is God. But I wil bring thee foorth a whole Svvarme of Authorities, whereby it shal wel ap∣peare that the Godhed of the Holy Ghost is plainely witnessed in the Holy Scriptures: Onlesse a Man be very dul, and vtterly voide of the Holy Ghoste.

Notes

• Vntruthe. As shal ap∣peare.
• O folie. vvho euer saide other∣vviset
• O folie. vvho euer saide other∣vviset
• Augustin. contra Literas Petilia∣ni, Li. 3. Ca. 48.
• Augustin. De Morib. Eccle. Catholi. Li. 1. Cap. 16.
• Augustin. E∣pisto. 174.
• Tertull. in Apo∣logetico.
• Nazianzenus De Spiritu Sancto. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.