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. 20. Diuision. 1.

Bisides, though wee saie, wee haue no meede at al by our owne woorkes, and deedes, but appointe al the meanes of Our Saluation to be in Christe alone, yet saie we not, that for this cause menne ought to liue loosely, and dissolutely: nor that it is yenough for a Christian, to be Baptized onely, and to Beleeue: as though there were no∣thinge els required at his hande. For True Faithe is liuely, and can in no wise be idle. Thus therefore teache wee the people, that God hathe called vs, not to folowe riot, and wantonnesse, but, as S. Paule saithe, vnto good vvoorkes, to vvalke in them: That we are deliuered from the Povver of Darkenesse, to the end that vvee shoulde serue the Liuinge God: to cutte awaie al the remnauntes of Sinne, and to vvoorke Our Saluation in feare, and tremblinge: that it maie appeare, that the Sprite of Sanctification is in Our Bodies, and that Christe him selfe dwelleth in Our Hartes.

M. Hardinge.

VVith what face can these Defenders affirme,* 1.1 that they teache the people to walke in good woorkes, whereas beginninge the treatise of woorkes in this presente Apologie, they saie, that wee haue* 1.2 no helpe, or aide in our woorkes, and deedes? For so their Latine woorde Prae∣sidium doothe signifie, whiche in the Englishe, is tourned into Meede. VVhat, Maisters, is this the waie to make menne woorke wel, to tel them before hande, that their woorkes be nothing worth, and that they helpe them neuer a whitte? VVhy then let the Labourers Prouerbe take place, I had ra∣ther plaie for nothinge, then woorke for nothinge.‡ 1.3 Is there any Labourer so madde, as to woorke for nothinge? Firste ye tell the Labourers, that there is no helpe for them in their woorkes, and then ye crie vnto them to laboure:* 1.4 yea forsoothe, as harde as thei liste. Is not this to mocke God and the worlde? VVhereas ye speake to Christian menne, to those that be Baptized, to suche as haue Faithe: Yet ye tel them, they maie woorke as mutche, as they wil,‡ 1.5 but al in vaine, &c. Ergo then, al∣though a liuely Faithe cannot be idle, and somme true Faithe is liuely, yet in an other sense.* 1.6 there is a true Faithe whiche is not liuely, but idle. VVhiche true Faithe shal become liuely and haue great aide in woorkes, if it wel learne to leaue idlenesse, and practise that in will and harte, whiche it beleeueth in vnderstandinge.

But whereas these Defenders woulde no helpe or aide to be in Christian mennes woorkes, that ‡ 1.7 Heresie maie not so escape.* 1.8 Christe beinge demaunded of one, what good he shoulde doo to obteine Euerlastinge life, saide: If thou wilte enter into Life, keepe the Commaundementes. To keepe the Commaundementes is a woorke: to enter into Life is somme helpe to a man. Therefore it is falsely spoken, that in our woorkes there is no helpe for vs. Againe, Christe saithe, VVho so euer forsaketh his house, or brothers, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or landes for my sake, be shal receiue an hundred folde, and shal inherite Life Euerlastinge. S. Paule saithe, God wil render to euery man accordinge to his woorke. To those that seeke for glorie, and honour, and incor∣ruption, accordinge to the sufferance of good woorkes, (he wil render) Life Euerlastinge.

The B. of Sarisburie.

Here ye trifle, M. Hardinge, although not mutche bisides your common woonte, yet sommewhat aboue your ordinarie. Our Doctrine herein is groun∣ded vpon these woordes of Christe,* 1.9 When ye haue donne al, saie, that ye be vnprofi∣table▪ Seruauntes, and therefore haue deserued nothinge. In deede, of late yeeres this hath ben the General Doctrine of your Scholes: Vita Aeterna est Merces debita pro nostris Meritis: Vita Aeterna, nisi esset Merces debita, esset incerta. Quia debitum certum est: Misericordia incerta: Euerlastinge Life is a rewarde dewe for our deseruinges. If Euerlastinge Life were not a dewe rewarde, it were vncertaine. For dewe debte is certaine: Mercie, or sa∣uoure is Vncertaine. Thus haue you vtterly drowned the Grace of God, and the Saluation that we haue onely in Iesu Christe: and haue turned the most Comfor∣table Doctrine of the Gospel into a doungeon of Desperation.

Then,* 1.10 saie you, Lette the Labourers Prouerbe take place, I had rather plate for nothinge, then woorke for nothinge. Verily, M. Hardinge, when other reason coulde not serue you, it was reason, your Labourers idle reason shoulde take place. Howe be it, if ye wil doo nothinge at Goddes requeste, of good wil, without rewarde, but muste be hyered onely for your Penny, then maie your Labourer, be he ne∣uer so simple, easily tel you, ye are not the Childe of God, but onely a Hyrelinge, and a Labourer. For the Natural louinge Childe wil Obey his Father, not for rewarde, but of loue, onely bicause hee is his Father.

Gregorie Nazianzene saithe, Si Seruus es, time plagas: Si mercenarius, tantum specta Mercedem. At, si supra hos es etiam Filius, reuerere tanquam Patrem tuū. Bene facito, quia pulchrum est obsequi Patri. Et, quamuis nihil aliud futu∣rum

sit,* 1.11 tamen vel hoc ipsum erit Merces tua fecisse quod gratum esset Patri: If thou be a bonde Slaue, then feare the whippe: If thou be a Hyrelinge, then looke onely for thy rewarde: But ouer, and bisides these, If thou be a (Natural) Childe, then reuerence (GOD) as thy Father. Doo vvel, bicause it is good to Obey thy Fa∣ther. Yea, and although thou shalt haue nothinge els, yet euen this shalbe thy revvarde, that thou haste benne Obediente to thy Father.

S. Hilarie saithe,* 1.12 Nos, si semel ieiunamus, satisfecisse nos arbitramur: Si aliquid ex horreo domesticarum facultatum inopi damus, implenisse nos iustitiam credimus, &c. Sed Propheta totum à Deo sperat: totum à Misericordia eius expectat: If wee faste once, wee thinke, wee haue satisfied: If out of the barnes of Our housholde stoare wee geeue sommewhat to the Poore, wee beleeue, wee haue fulfilled the measure of Righteouse∣nesse. But the Prophete hopeth al of God: and trusteth al of his Mercie. Christe saithe to his Disciples,* 1.13 Let your Light so shine before menne (not that ye maie be rewarded, but) that they maie see your good woorkes, and glorifie yur Father, whiche is in Heauen. S. Augustine saithe, Minùs diligit te, qui diligit aliud praeter te: O God,* 1.14 he the lesse loueth thee, that loueth any other thinge, bisides thee. Likewise S. Basile saithe, Qui non fidit suis rectè factis, nec expectat ex operibus iustificari, Solā habet spem salutis, Misericordias Dei: He that trusteth not to his ovvne good deedes, nor hopeth to be iustified by his vvoorkes, hathe the Onely hope of his Saluation, the Mercies of God.

Further ye saie, A true Faithe maie be idle, and vtterly without woorkes: & therefore ye thinke it not true, that wee saie, A true Faithe is Liuely, and can in no wise be idle. Here perhaps ye wil set Faithe vpon the Laste, and Racke her to a larger ••ise. For so Latomus, one of your Felowes, saithe, that Socrates, and Plato, and other Heathen Philosophers had as good vnderstandinge, and Faithe in Christe, as had Abraham. And Andradius, an other of your Felowes, saithe, that the Heathen, and Infidel Philosophers had the Righteousnesse of Faithe, and Euerlasting Life.* 1.15 His wordes be these, Philosophi, qui ab inani Deorum multitudine abhorruerunt, &c. illos tu illa Fide, Dei{que} cognitione destitutos dices, per quam, scilicet, impius iustificatur, & ex qua iustus viuit? The Philosophers, that abhorred, and shunned the vaine multitude of Goddes, &c. wilte thou saie, they lacked that Faithe, and that knovvledge of God, whereby the wicked is iustified, and whereby the Righteouse liueth? An other or your neare Felowes saith, Petrus, non Fidem Christi, sed Christū, Salua Fide, negauit: Peter denied, not the Faithe of Christe: but he denied Christe, his Faithe neuerthelesse beinge safe. If ye cal this True Faithe, M. Hardinge, that maie be founde in Heathens, and Infidels, and maie wel, and safely stande with the abiuringe of Christe, then, without question, your True Faithe maie be with∣out good woorkes.* 1.16 But S. Paule, whose woordes wee ought rather to credite, saithe farre otherwise: He, that hathe no regarde to his owne, specially sutche, as bee of his housholde, hathe denied the Faithe, and is woorse, then an Infidel. Againe he saithe:* 1.17 They saie, they knowe God: but by theire woorkes they denie God. S. Iohn saithe, VVho so saithe, hee knoweth God, and keepeth not his Commaunde∣mentes, is a lyer, and the Truthe is not in him. S. Iames saithe, Faithe with∣out woorkes is deade: And the Diuel beleeueth, and tremblethe for feare. But a Deade Faithe is nomore a True perfite Faithe, then a Deade man is a True perfite Man. As for the Faithe of Diuels, in deede, and verily it is no Faithe.

Certainely S. Augustine saithe,* 1.18 Qui Fidem habet sine spe, & dilectione, Christum esse credit: non in Christum credit: He that hathe Faithe without Hope, and Charitie, Beleueth, that there is Christe: but hee Beleueth not in Christe. Againe he saithe, Inseparabilis est Bona uita à Fide, quae per Dilectionem opera∣tur:

imò verò ea ipsa est bona vita: Good Life can neuer be diuided from Faithe, whiche woorketh by Loue: Naie rather that same very Faithe it selfe is good Life, S. Ambrose saithe,* 1.19 Vbi quis coeperit luxuriari, incipit deuiare à vera Fide: As soone as a man beginneth to liue wantonly, he beginneth to flee from the True Faithe. Ori∣gen saithe,* 1.20 Omnis, qui credit in cum, non crubescit. Erubescit autem Omnis, qui pec∣cat: Ergo, qui adhuc ruborem peccati incurrit, credere non videtur: VVho so euer Beleeueth in God, blussheth not: But euery man blussheth, that woorketh Sinne: Therefore he, that yet blussheth for his Sinne,* 1.21 seemeth not to Beleeue. Againe he saithe, Malè credit, quicun{que} peccat: VVho so euer sinneth, Beleeueth il.

To be shorte, S. Cyprian saithe, Quomodo dicit, se credere in Christum, qui non facit, quod Christus facere praecepit? Howe doothe hee saie, He Beleeueth in Christe, that doothe not the thinge, that Christe Commaunded?

Hereby it is plaine, that True Faithe is liuely, and woorkeful: and, that an Idle Faithe is in deede no Faithe at al.

But you saie, Good VVoorkes haue theire rewarde: and therefore, ye saie, This Heresie maie not so esc••pe. Whether Good Woorkes shalbe rewarded, or no, it was no parte of Our question. For wee vndoubtedly beleue the wordes, that are writ∣ten by S. Iohn,* 1.22 Opera illorum sequuntur illos: Theire VVoorkes folowe after them: Wee beleeue the woordes, that Christe saithe to his Disciples, He, that geeueth a Cuppe of colde Water to any of these litle Ones for my sake, shal not lose his rewarde. We beleeue that,* 1.23 that S. Paule saithe, Your Woorke shal not be in vaine in the Lorde. Wee graunte, Good Woorkes haue theire Rewarde: But the same Rewarde stan∣deth in Mercie, and Fauoure, and not in Dewtie.

Thus therefore we saie, Consideringe the weakenesse, and sinful corruption of Our Nature, there can be no Woorkes in vs so pure, and perfite, that we maie thereby of right, and of dewtie deserue Euerlastinge Life. And this, M. Hardinge, is no Heresie, but the very plaine Sense, and Substance of Goddes Woorde, and the vndoubted Doctrine of the Anciente Catholique Fathers of the Churche.

Iob saithe,* 1.24 Si Homo velit contendere cum Deo, non poterit ei respondere vnum pro mille: If a man wil dispute with God, he is not hable to answeare him one for a thou∣sande. And therefore he saithe, Verebar omnia Opera mea: I stoode in doubte, and was afraide of al my Woorkes.* 1.25 Againe he saithe, Although •• were perfite, yet my soule shal not know it:* 1.26 If I woulde iustifie mee selfe, myne owne Mouthe shal condemne me. The Prōphete Esai saithe, Al our Righteousenesse is like a fowle stained clowte.

Therefore S. Augustine saithe,* 1.27 Non intres in Iudicium cum Seruo tuo. Quid est, Non intres in iudicium cum Seruo tuo? Non stes mecum in iudicio, exigendo a me omnia quae praecepisti, & omnia, quae iussisti. Nam me inuenies reum, ••i in iudicium in∣traueris mecum. Opus ergo est Misericordia tua, potiùs, quàm liquidissimo iudicio tuo: O Lorde, enter not into iudgemente with thy Seruaunte. What meaneth that, Enter not into iudgemente with thy Seruaunte? Thus mutche it meaneth: Stande not with me in iudgemente, requiringe of me al that thou haste commaunded. For if thou enter into iudge∣mente with me, thou shalt finde me guilty. I haue neede therefore, not of thy vpright Iudgemente,* 1.28 but of thy Mercie. Againe he saithe, Merita quorumlibet homi∣num quae sunt? Quandoquidem ille, qui non cum Mercede debita, sed cum gra∣tuita Gratia venit, Omnes peccatores, solus à peccato liber, & liberator, inueuit: VVhat be the Merites of any menne? For Christe that came, not vvith his devve revvarde, but vvith his Grace, that vvas not devve, founde al menne sinners, being him selfe onely free from sinne,* 1.29 and a deliuerer of Sinners. Againe hee saithe, Coro∣nat te in Misericordia, & Miserationibus. Hoc fiet in iudicio: vbi cùm Rex iustus sederit in thro••o, redditurus vnicuique secundum opera eius, quis gloriabitur, castum se habere Cor? Aut quis gloriabitur, mundum se esse à peccatis? Ideò illie

necessarium fuit cōmemorare Miserationē, & Misericordiam Domini, &c. God crowneth with Fauour and Mercie. That shalbe doune in the laste iudgemente: where as, when the Juste Kinge shal sit in his Throne, to render to euery man accordinge to his woorkes, who shal boaste, that his harte is chaste? Or who shal boaste, that be is cleane from Sinne? Therefore it was needeful to make mention of the Pitie, and Mercie of Our Lorde. And againe,* 1.30 Opera manuum mearum non Commendo. Timeo enim, ne cùm inspexeris, plura inuenias peccata, quàm Merita: Lorde, I commende not the woorkes of my handes. For I am afraide, leste, when thou shalte beholde them, thou shalt finde moe sinnes, then good deseruinges.

So saithe S. Hierome,* 1.31 Si consideremus nostra Merita, desperandum est: If vvee beholde our ovvne Merites, vvee muste be driuen to desperation.

So saithe Origen, Ego vix mihi persuadeo, vllum opus esse posse, quod ex de∣bito remunerationem deposcat: I doo scarcely beleue, that there can be any woorke, that maie of devvtie require revvarde. Againe he saithe, Dicite, vos esse Seruos inutiles. Nam etsi Omnia fecerimus, quae praecepta sunt, non tamen bonum aliquod fecimus. Nec enim, si verè bona essent, essemus inutiles. Omne autem bonum nostrum, non propriè, sed abusiuè bonum dicitur: Saie ye (saithe Christe) that ye be vn∣profitable Seruauntes. For notwithstandinge wee haue donne al thinges, that are commaunded. yet haue vve donne no good thinge. For, if our dooinges were good in deede, then were wee not vnprofitable. But any good deede of oures is called good, not rightly, or devvly,* 1.32 but by abuse of speache. So saith S. Augustine, Si Deus vellet pro Me∣ritis agere, non inueniret, nisi quod damnaret: If God would deale with vs according to that we haue deserued, be shoulde finde nothinge, but that he might condemne. Therefore, M. Hardinge, VValdensis, one of your greate Doctours, hauinge wel, & circum∣spectely weighed the mater of euery side, at the laste concludeth thus, Quid dignum facimus,* 1.33 vt participes Coelestibus fieri inueniamur? Apostolo dicente, Existimo, quòd non sūt condignae passiones huius temporis ad futuram gloriam, quae reuelabitur in nobis: Reputo igitur saniorem Theologum, fideliorem Catholicum, & Scripturia Sanctis magis concordem, qui tale Meritum simpliciter abnegat: VVhat woor∣thy thinge doo wee, that wee maie be founde in the Felowshippe of the Heauenly Sprites? The Apostle saithe, I Judge, that the afflictions of this time are not woorthy of that Glorie, that shalbe reueled in vs. Therefore I take him to be the ••ounder Diuine, the Faithefuller Catholique, and more agreeable to the Holy Scriptures, that vtterly denieth al sutche kinde of Merite.

But ye wil saie, If wée finde Our selues voide of Merite, howe then shal wee stand,* 1.34 and be iustified before God? S. Iohn saithe, Blessed are they, that haue wasshed theire Roabes (not in theire owne Merites, but) in the Bloude of the Lambe.* 1.35 And God saithe, I wil geeue the thirsty to Drinke of the VVel of Life (not for his Desertes, but) for nothinge.

The Ancient Father Origen saith,* 1.36 Quia Omnia conclusa sunt sub peccato, nunc non in Meritis, sed in Misericordia Dei Salus Humana Consistit: For as mutche as al menne are shutte vp, and Closed vnder Sinne, novve the Saluation of Man stan∣deth, not in mans Merites, but in Goddes Mercie.

S. Augustine saithe,* 1.37 Deus in fine Coronabit nos in Misericordia, & Mise∣rationibus: God in the ende wil crowne vs (not with the price of our deseruinges, but) vvith Fauour, and Mercies.

Againe he saithe,* 1.38 Pro nihilo saluos facies eos. Quid est, Pro nihilo saluos fa∣cies eos? Nihil in eis inuenis, vnde salues: & tamen saluas. Quia nihil inuenis, vnde salues: & multum inuenis, vnde damnes: For Nothinge thou shalt saue them. VVhat is meante by these worde, For Nothing thou shalt saue them? (This is the meaninge) Thou findeste Nothinge in them, vvherefore thou shouldest saue them: and

yet thou sauest them. Thou findest nothinge, wherefore thou shouldeste saue them: but thou findest mutche, wherfore thou shouldest condemne them: And againe, Omnes in Mor∣tem poena debita praecipites ageret,* 1.39 nisi inde quosdam indebita Dei Gratia liberaret: Deserued paine woulde throwe al menne into Deathe, onlesse the Vndeserued Grace of God deliuered somme frome it.

S. Basile saithe,* 1.40 Non erit Iudicium sine Misericordia: Quia non potest homo purus inueniti à sorde: ne si vnus quidem tantùm dies sit ab eius natali: Iudgement shal not be vvithout mercie: For noman can be founde pure, and cleane from al filthe: no, though he be but one daie olde.* 1.41 Againe he saithe, Haec est nostra integra, & perfecta gloriatio in Deo, quando propriae Iustitiae nos inopes agnoscimus: Sola autem Fide in Christū Iustificari: This is oure ful, and perfite reioicing in God, when we acknowledge, that wee are voide of any Our owne Righteousenesse, and are Iustified by Onely Faithe in Christe. So saithe S. Hierome, In Christo Iesu Domino nostro: in quo ha∣bemus fiduciam,* 1.42 & accessum, & confidenttiam per Fidem eius: non per nostram Iu∣stitiam, sed per eum, cuius Fide nobis peccata dimittuntur: In Christe Jesu Our Lorde: in whom wee haue boldenesse, and libertie to comme (to God), and truste, and affiance by the Faithe of him: not through Our Righteousenesse, but through him, in whose name Our Sinnes be forgeuen.

Hereof S. Bernarde in moste godly,* 1.43 and comfortable wise concludeth thus, Meritum meum. Miserationes Domini. Non sum ego inops Meriti, quam diu ille non est inops Miserationum. Si Miserationes eius multae, multus ego sum in Meritis. Hoc totum est Hominis Meritum, si totam spem suam ponat in Domino: My Merite is the Mercie of God. So longe as God is not poore of Mercie, so longe cannot I be poore of Merite. If his Mercies be greate, then am I great in Merites. This is the vvhole Merite of Man, if he put his vvhole affiance in the Lorde.

This is these Defenders Horrible Heresie, M. Hardinge, whiche, you saie, mought not so escape your handed.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Merite, and Mer∣cie.
• * 1.2

  No aide or helpe vnto Sal∣uation. Other∣vvise this report is Vntrue.
• ‡ 1.3

  Nazianzen. Si mercenarius es, tantùm expecta mercedem. De Sancto Baptism.
• * 1.4

  Is not this a folie, M Hard. Goddes Truthe is no mockerie.
• ‡ 1.5

  Vntruthe. For vve: saie vvith S. Paule, your vvoorkes shal not be in vaine in the Lorde.
• * 1.6

  Vntruthe. Reade the an∣svveare.
• ‡ 1.7

  Vntruthe. For it is no Heresie: it is the Faithe of Christ. Reade the Ansvveare.
• * 1.8

  That good vvoorkes helpe vs. Matthae. 19.
• * 1.9

  Luc. 17.
• * 1.10

  Gregori. Naziā. De Sancto Bap∣tismate. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.11

  Merite, and Mer∣cie.
• * 1.12

  Hilari. in Psalm. 118.
• * 1.13

  Matthae. 5. Augustin. Con∣fession.
• * 1.14

  Basil. in Psal. 32. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• * 1.15

  Illyricus De Sectis Pag 93. Kemnitius in examine Tridēt. Concilij. Pag. 535. Copus Dialo. 1. Pag. 51.
• * 1.16

  1. Timothe. 5. Fidem abnega∣uit.
• * 1.17

  Tit. 1 1. Iohn 2. Iacob. 2.
• * 1.18

  Augustin in E∣uangel. Iohan. Sermo 61. Augustin. De Fide & Operib. Cap. 23.
• * 1.19

  Ambros. Li. 6. E∣pist. 36.
• * 1.20

  Origen. in Epist. ad Roman. Li. 8. Cap. 10.
• * 1.21

  Origen in Eze∣chiel. Homil. 9.
• * 1.22

  Apocalyp. 14. Matthae. 10.
• * 1.23

  1. Corin. 15.
• * 1.24

  Iob 9.
• * 1.25

  Iob. 9.
• * 1.26

  Esai. 64.
• * 1.27

  Augustine. De Tempore, Ser∣mo. 49.
• * 1.28

  Augustin. Epist. 52. ad Mac••don.
• * 1.29

  Augustin. De Spiritu, & Li∣tera. Cap. 33.
• * 1.30

  Augustin. in Psalm. 137.
• * 1.31

  Hieronym. in E∣sai. Cap. 64. Origen. ad Ro∣ma. Li. 4 Cap. 4. Origen. in Matt. tracta. 8.
• * 1.32

  Augustin. in Psalm 94. VValden. contra VViclefum.
• * 1.33

  Roman. 8.
• * 1.34

  Apocalyp 22.
• * 1.35

  Apocalyp. 21.
• * 1.36

  Origen ad Ro∣man. Li. 9. ca. 12.
• * 1.37

  Augustin. Epist. 105. ad Sixtum.
• * 1.38

  Augustin De Verbis Apostoli, Sermo. 15.
• * 1.39

  Augustin. De Ciuitate. Li. 14. Cap. 1.
• * 1.40

  Basil. in Psal. 32.
• * 1.41

  Basil. De Humi∣litate.
• * 1.42

  Hieron. in Epist. ad Ephes. cap. 3.
• * 1.43

  Bernard. in Psal. Qui habitat.