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 B. of Sarisburie.

Ye saie, There is one onely Mediatoure of Saluation: but there are ma∣ny Mediatoures of Intercession. And thus with this prety simple distinction, ye conueigh your selfe awaie inuisible in a clowde. But to cutte of quarrels, M. Hardinge, Let vs haue that one onely Mediatoure of Saluation: and then af∣terwarde take to you your other Mediatoures of Intercession at your pleasure.

Howe be it, if Christe onely be the Mediatoure of Saluation, wherefore then doo you thus cal vpon the Blessed Virgine Christes Mother, Salua omnes, qui te glorificant? Saue thou al them, that glorifie thee. Here ye intrude vpon Christes office: and make the Holy Virgine a Mediatoure, not onely of Intercession, but also of Saluation. Wherefore saie ye thus of Thomas Becket, of whose Sainct∣hoode, for ought that I knowe, ye maie wel stande in doubte: Tu per Thomae San∣guinem, quem pro te impendit, Fac nos Christe scandere, qu•• Thomas Ascendit: O Christe, make vs to Ascende vnto Heauen, whither Thomas is Ascended, euen by

the Bloude of Thomas,* 1.1 that he sheadde for thy sake. Here you seeke, not onely Intercession, but also Saluation in the Bloude of Thomas. Wherefore doothe S. Ambrose saie,* 1.2 if it were S. Ambrose, that wrote the Booke, Reddere debemus Sanctis honorificentiam, qui nobis Salutem profusione sui Sanguinis pepererunt: qui tam Sacra Hostia pro nostra propitiatione Domino sunt oblati: Wee muste yelde honoure vnto the Sainctes, vvhiche haue procured Saluation for vs, by the sheaddinge of their Bloude: Whiche also were offered vp vnto the Lorde so Holy a Sacrifice for our Saluation. If wée haue Saluation in the Bloude of Sainctes, then is not Christe the Onely Mediatoure of our Saluation.

He is no indifferente Vmpeere, that firste diuideth Offices equally bitwéene twoo, and afterwarde alloteth bothe offices to One alone.

Notwithstandinge, the ende, and office as wel of Intercession, as also of Sal∣uation, is, to Reconcile vs vnto God, & to procure vs Mercie. But this is Christes onely office: He reconcileth vs vnto God: He presenteth vs vnto the Throne of Grace.* 1.3 And therefore, as S. Paule saithe, he euermore maketh Intercession, for vs. And for that cause also he saithe, Vnus est Mediator Dei & Hominum, Homo Christus Iesus: There is One Mediatoure bitweene God, and Man, Christe Iesus be∣inge Man.

S. Paule requireth the people to make Intercession, and to praie for him. This is true. And God hath commaunded, that al the Faitheful should praie one for an other. But S. Paule neuer required the people to praie to Sainctes. S. Augustine saithe,* 1.4 Paulus non facit se Mediatorem inter Populum, & Deum: Sed rogat, vt pro se orent inuicem omnia Membra Coporis Christi: Paule maketh not him selfe a Mediatoure bitweene God and the people: but requireth, that they Praie al one for an other, beinge al the Members of the Body of Christe. Againe he saithe of S. Iohn, Si Iohannes ita diceret, Hoc Scripsi vobis, vt non peccetis: et si quis peccauerit, Mediatorem me habetis apud Deum, & ego Exoro pro peccatis vestris, Sicut Parmenianus quodam loco Mediatorem posuit Episcopum inter Populum, & Deū, quis eum ferret bonorum, atque Fidelium Christianorum? Quis sicut Apostolum Christi, & non sicut Antichristum intueretur? If S. Iohn woulde saie, This haue I written vnto you, that ye Sinne not: and if ye Sinne, ye haue me your Mediatoure be∣fore God, and I vvil intreate for your Sinnes, As Parmenian (the Heretique) in a certaine place made the Bishop a Mediatoure bitweene God, and the People, what good, and Faitheful Christian Man coulde abide him? Who woulde looke vpon him, is the Apostle of Christe: and not rather thinke him to be Antichriste? Here, M. Har∣dinge, your sely distinction of Intercession, and Saluation, cannot saue you. For Parmenian neuer thought, the Bishop was a Mediatoure of Salua∣tion. And yet S. Augustine saithe, If S. Iohn woulde haue saide so mutche of him selfe, he had not benne the Apostle of Christe: but rather shoulde haue benne iudged, and taken for Antichriste.

Ye thinke, the woordes of the Prophete Hieremie spoken of Idolles, and False Goddes, maie not iustely be applied to the Sainctes of God. In déede of the Sain∣ctes parte, it were greate blasphemie, to calle them Idolles. For they sée God face to face, and euermore be with God in Glorie. But in respecte of your horrible Ab∣uses, and vaine fantasies, the Woordes of the Prophete be rightly applied. For you, in your imagination, of the Sainctes of God haue made Idolles: and haue so multiplied, and encreased the same, that the number of them hath far passed the number of al your Townes, and Citties. And therefore the Anciente Father Epiphanius applieth the like woordes of the same Prophete Hieremie, vnto the Blessed Virgin Marie, beinge then idolatrousely abused by the Heretiques called

Collyridiani,* 1.5 euen as the same Blessed Virgin, & other Sainctes are by you abu∣sed nowe. Thus he writteth,* 1.6 Ne quis comedat de errore, qui est propter S. Mariam. Tametsi enim pulchrum sit lignum, tamen non est ad Cibū. Etsi Pulcherrima est Maria, & Sancta, & Honorata: at non ad Adorationē. Hae ver•• Mulieres, colentes Mariam, rursus renouant Fortunae Mixturam,* 1.7 & praeparant Mensam Diabolo, non Deo: Quemadmodum scriptum est, Pascuntur Cibo impietatis. Et rursus, & Foeminae te∣runt Pollinem, & Filij colligunt ligna, vt faciant Placentas oleo subactas Reginae Coeli. Compescantur à Hieremia tales Mulieres: & ne turbent Orbem terrarum. Ne dicant, Honoramus Reginam Coeli: Let noman Fate of this Erroure, touchinge S. Marie. For though the tree be faire, yet is not this Fruite to be Eaten. Although Marie be bew••ie∣ful, and Holy, and Honourable, yet is she not to be Adoured. But these Women, vvorshippinge S. Marie, renewe againe the Sacrifice of Wine mingled in the Honure of the Goddesse Fortuna, and prepare a Table for the Diuel, and not for God. As it is written in the Scriptures. They are fedde vvith the Meate of VVickednesse. And againe, Theire Women boulte flower: and theire Children geather stickes, to make fine Cakes in the Honoure of the Queene of Heauen. Therefore let sutche Women be rebu∣ked by the Prophete Hieremie: and let them nomore trouble the worlde. And let them not saie, vve VVorship the Queene of Heauen.

Here wée see, the woordes, that were spoken of the Heathenishe Idolles, are applied by Epiphanius vnto the Mother of Christe: not to deface that Blessed Virgin, but to declare the fonde errours of those Heretiques.

As for the distribution of offices, and seueral dewties, limited, and appointed to eche Saincte in his degree, it shable beste for modesties sake to saie nothinge. S. Augustine speaking of the Heathens, from whom this parte of your Diuinitie, M. Hardinge, was first deriued, saithe thus, Dicebat, ita esse vtilem cognitionem Deorum,* 1.8 si sciatur, quam quisque Deus vim, aut potestatem habeat cuiusque rei. Ex eo enim poterimus, inquit, scire, quem cuiusque rei causa Deum aduocare, at{que} inuocare de∣beamus: ne faciamus, vt Mimi solent, & optemus à Libero Aquam, à Lymphis Vi∣num: Varro saide, The knowledge of the Goddes is Profitable, if a man vnderstand, what Power, and Authoritie eche God hathe in euery thinge. For so, saithe be, wee maie knowe, whom to cal vpon, and whom to praie vnto: Leste happily wee doo, as certaine Mimi are woont to doo: that is to saie, Leste of Bacchus, the God of Wine, vve begge VVater, or of Lymphae, the Goddesses of Water, vve begge VVine.

These thinges hauinge theire beginninge emonge the Heathens, haue si∣thence benne brought euen into the Churche of God: and al the Sainctes in Hea∣uen haue benne appointed, eche one in Order to his Seueral Office: Leste any one should intrude into an others roume. Antoninus saith. in his time. where S Paule and Freere Dominike were painted togeather, the manner was, vnder y^• Image of S. Paule to write these woordes, Per hunc itur ad Christum: VVee maie come to Christ, by this Saincte: But vnder y^• Image of Freere Dominike, they wrote thus, Sed magis per istum: Yet mutche rather by this Saincte: Whereby was meante, that Freere Dominikes Office, and Authoritie before God, was sommewhat bet∣ter, then S. Paules.

Whereas ye teache the people thus to praie vnto the Blessed Virgin, Mon∣stra te esse Matrem: Commaunde thy Sonne: Vse thy Motherly Authoritie ouer him: Let him knovve thee to be his Mother, this you saie, is no blasphemie, but a Spiritual dallicinge. Nowe verily, M. Hardinge, this muste needes be a blessed kinde of Diuinitie, that can turne Praier into Dalliance.

One of your Beaupeeres of Louaine, as a man carrieing his face in his hand, saith boldely,* 1.9 these wordes were neuer vsed in your Churche. And therefore he saith with good courrage, Interim à bonis istis viris quaero, Cur non nominant illas Ecclesias, quae

Virginem Matrem tam impudenter appellant?* 1.10 Cur eas, inquam, non nominant? In the meane season, saithe he, this question I demaunde of these honeste menne: Why name they not those Churches, vvhiche so impudently cal vpon that Virgin Christes Mother? I saie, VVhy doo they not name them? Your modestie herein, M. Hardinge, is more praisewoorthy. You are contented to graunde the facte: and pleasantly to excuse it by a Spiritual Dallieinge.

But ye maie tel your saide Felowe, that this kinde of Praier was Vniuersal∣ly vsed throughout al your whole Churche of Rome: that Menne, Women, and Children, Learned, and Vnlearned were taught, and forced thus to praie: Thou arte the Queene of Heauen: Thou arte the Lady of Angels: Commaunde thy Sonne: Shevve thee selfe to be the Mother. Ye maie tel him, y^• Cardinal Bem∣bus, sometime the Popes Secretarie,* 1.11 calleth y^• same Blessed Virgine, Dominam, & Deam nostram: Our Lady, and Goddesse. Tel him, that Ambrosius Catha∣rinus in your Late Chapter at Tridente, representing, as you saie, your whole Catholique Church, calleth y^• same Blessed Virgine Goddes Felovve, by these woordes, Fidelissima eius Socia: Goddes moste Faitheful Felovve.

Ye maie further tel him,* 1.12 that in your Councel of Oxforde, Christes name is quite forgotten, and leafte out: and Our Ladies name put in place: For thus it beginneth, Authoritate Dei Patris, & Beatae Virginis, & omnium Sanctorum, &c. By the Authoritie of God the Father, and of the Blessed Virgine, and of al Sainctes. Notwithstandinge ye maie wel answeare, as before, that al this was no manner blasphemie against God, but onely a Prety Spiritual Dalliance: euen sutche Dalliance,* 1.13 I trowe, as S. Paule meaneth by these woordes, Sedit Populus ad manducandum, & bibendum: & surrexerunt ad Ludendum: The People sate downe to eate, and drinke: and rose vp againe to Plaie, or Dallie, that is to saie, to committe Idolatrie.

You saie, Our Lady, the Blessed Virgine hathe more grace geuen her, then any other Creature, excepte ye can name a greatter Grace, saie you, then to be the Mo∣ther of God. Verily, M. Hardinge, to be the Childe of God, it is a greate deale greatter Grace,* 1.14 then to be the Mother of God. S. Augustine saithe, Beatior ergo Maria fuit, Percipiendo Fidem Christi, quàm concipiendo Carnem Christi. Materna Propinquitas nihil Mariae profusset, nisi foelicius Christum Corde, quàm Carne gestasset: Marie was more Blessed (or suller of Grace) in that she Recei∣ued the Faithe of Christe, then in that she Conceiued the Fleashe of Christe. Mo∣therly kinreade coulde haue doone Marie no good, onlesse she had borne Christe more Blessedly in her Harte,* 1.15 then she bare him in her Fleashe. And a∣gaine he saithe, Mater mea, quam appellastis Foelicem, inde Foelix est, quia Verbum Dei custodtuit: Non quia in illa Verbum Caro factum est: My Mother, whom ye haue called Blessed, therefore is Blessed, bicause she hathe keapte the VVoorde of God: Not bi∣cause the VVoorde in her vvas made Fleashe.

Therefore saithe Epiphanius,* 1.16 Christus dixit, Quid mihi, & tibi est Mulier? Non dum venit hora mea. Qu•• non putarent aliqui, magis eximiam esse Sanctam Virginem, Mulierem eam appellauit: veluti prophetans, quae essent futura in terra Sectarum & Haerese••n genera: vt ne aliqui nimiùm admirati Sanctam, in hanc Haeresim, eius{que} deliramenta dilabantur. Est enim Ludibrium tota res, & anicu∣larum fabula, &, vt ita dicam, tota Haeresis tractatio: Christe saide vnto his Mother, VVoman, what haue I to doo with thee? My houre is not yet comme. Left any man should thinke, Our Lady vvas of greatter excellencie. he called her VVoman: as it were prophesieing of the Kindes, and Sectes of Heresies. that were to comme in the world: Lest any man hauinge too great opinion of that Holy Saincte, should fal into this Heresie, and into the dotage of the same. For in dede the whole materis but a mocke∣rie,

and an Olde VViues tale, and soothely to saie, nothinge els, but the handelinge of an Heresie.* 1.17 Origen hereof saithe, Si mensuram transcenderit Charitatis, & qui diligit, & qui diligitur, in Peccato est: If Loue passe the measure of cha∣ritie, as wel he, that Loueth, as also he, that is Loued, is in Sinne.

But touchinge the mater it selfe,* 1.18 S. Ambrose saithe, Ide•• ad Reges itur per Tribunos, & Comites: quia Homo vtique est Rex: & nescit, quibus debeat Rempubli∣cam credere. Ad Deum autem, quem nihil later, Omnium enim Merita nouit, Pro∣merendum, suffragatore non est Opus, sed mente deuota. Vbicunque enim talis loquutus fuerit ei, respondebit illi: Therefore wee are brought vnto the presence of Kinges by Lordes, and Officers: Bicause the Kinge is a Man, and knoweth not, to whom he maie committe his Realme. But to obtaine Goddes fauoure, from whom nothinge is secrete, as knowinge, what euery man is meete to haue, vve neede no spokesman, but a deuoute minde. For, where so euer sutche a one speaketh vnto God, God wil answeare him.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Media∣tour of In∣tercessiō.
• * 1.2

  Ambrosi in Ser∣mone 6. De S. Margareta.
• * 1.3

  Rom. 8. 1. Timoth. 2.
• * 1.4

  Augustin. Con∣tra Epist. Par∣meniant, Lib. 2. Cap. 8. Augustin. in eod. Lib.
• * 1.5

  Distincte Offices.
• * 1.6

  Epiphani. Li. 3. Hares. 59.
• * 1.7

  〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.8

  Augusti. De Ci∣uita. Li. 4. Ca. 22
• * 1.9

  Copus Dialog. 3. Pag. 340.
• * 1.10

  Mother of God. Childe of God.
• * 1.11

  Bembus in Epist. ad Carolum. 5. Concil. Trident. Session. 2.
• * 1.12

  Concil. Oxoni∣ens.
• * 1.13

  1. Corin. 10.
• * 1.14

  Augustin. De Sancta Virgi∣nitate, Cap. 3
• * 1.15

  Augustin. in Io∣han. tracta. 10.
• * 1.16

  Epiphani. Li. 3. Hares. 59. Con∣tra Collyridian.
• * 1.17

  Origen. in Lu∣cam, Homil 25.
• * 1.18

  Ambros. ad Ro∣ma. Cap. 1.