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.

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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.
Author
Jewel, John, 1522-1571.
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Imprinted at London :: In Fleetestreate, at the signe of the Elephante, by Henry VVykes,
Anno 1567. 27. Octobris.
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Subject terms
Jewel, John, 1522-1571. -- Apologia Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ -- Early works to 1800.
Harding, Thomas, 1516-1572. -- Confutation of a booke intituled An apologie of the Church of England -- Controversial literature -- Early works to 1800.
Church of England -- Apologetic works -- Early works to 1800.
Church of England -- Doctrines -- Early works to 1800.
Cite this Item
"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." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A04468.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 3, 2024.

Pages

The Apologie, Cap. 3. Diuision. 2.

Yet notwithstanding, wee saie, that there neither is, nor can be any one man, whiche may haue the whole Superioritie in this Vui∣uersal state: for that Christe is euer presente to assiste his Churche, and needeth not any man, to supplie his roome, as his onely heire to al his Substance: and y there cā be no one mortal creature, whiche is hable to comprehend, or conceiue in his mind the Vniuersal Churche, that is to wite, al the partes of the world: mutche lesse hable rightly, and duely to put them in order, and to Gouerne them.

The B. of Sarisburie.

M. Hardinges answeare hereto is longe, and tedious. The Substance therof in short is this: Where wée saie, No one Mortal Man is hable to wealde the bur∣then of the whole Churche of God, M. Hardinge answeareth: VVhere any thinge is in deede, there whether it may be, or no▪ to discusse, it is needlesse. Therefore whether any one man can

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be superiour, and chiefe ouer the whole Churche, wee leaue to speake: that so it is, thus wee proue: Euery Parrishe hathe his seueral Vicare, or Personne: And euery Dioces his owne Bishop. Ergo, what reason is it, there be not one Chiefe Gouernoure of the whole Christen people?

VVhen questions be moued in maters of Faithe, throughe diuersities of iudgementes the Churche should be diuided, onlesse by Authoritie of One it were kepte in Vnitie.

They, that saie otherwise, take from Christe the Glorie of his prouidence, and the praise of his greate loue towardes his Churche.

The Peace of the Churche is more conueniently procured by one, then by many.

It is moste meete, that the Churche Militante, touchinge Gouernment, resemble the Churche Trium∣phante. But in the Triumphante Churche one is Gouernoure ouer the whole, that is God: Therfore in the Churche Militant order requireth, that one beare rule ouer al accordinge to that the Holy Captaine Iosue seemeth to speake, The Children of Iuda, and the Children of Israel shal aessemble togeather, and they shal make to them selues one Head: Thereof our Lord saithe in S. Iohn, There shalbe One Folde, and One Shephearde.

In deede Christe is Heade of his Body. Yet neede it is, for as mutche as Christe nowe dwelleth not with vs in Visible Presence, his Churche haue one Man to doo his steede of outwarde rulinge in Earthe: And therefore he saide vnto Peter, Feede my Flocke: Confirme they Brethren.

Thus wee see these Defenders Negatiue Doctrine, That no One Man maie haue the Superioritie ouer the whole state of the Churche, disproued, as vtterly false.

To theire seconde reason, we graunt, Christe needed not any man to supplie his roome, that should succede in his whole Substance. Neither is Man of Capacitie of sutche succession: neither hathe there any sutche fonde saieinge ben vttered by the Diuines.

But bicause Christe sawe the knot of Vnitie should be moste surely kepte knit by Gouernmente of one, he committed the regimēt of the whole Churche vnto One: whoes Visible Ministerie he might vse in steede of him selfe.

To the thirde we saye, that Man is not onely hable to comprehende in his minde, and conceiue the Vniuersal Churche, but also to put it in order, and to Gouerne it so far as is expedient.

Laste of al, who so euer wil not be fedde nor ruled by this one Shepheard, and breaketh out of this one Folde, he is not of the Flocke of Christe, but of the Hearde of Antichriste.

Here, Gentle Reader, M. Hardinge hathe brought thée, not the Authoritie of any one Catholique Doctour, or Learned Father, but onely a few colde Reasons of his owne, with certaine Scriptures vnaduisedly alleged, and violently forced from theire meaninge, as shal soone appeare.

His firste Reason concludeth very weakely: Euery parishe is gouerned by One Vicare, or Personne: & euery Diocese is gouerned by One seueral Bishop: Ergo, ther is One Vniuersal Gouernour ouer the whole Churche of Christe. Here is nei∣ther order in Reason, nor sequele in nature. Therefore if any man woulde denie the Argument, M. Hardinge were neuer hable to make it good. He might as wel, and in as good order reason thus: Euery Kingdome, or Common Weale hathe One Prince, or Magistrate to rule ouer it: Ergo, There is One Vniuersal Prince, to rule ouer the whole worlde. Or thus, Euery Flocke of Shéepe bathe One Se∣ueral Shephearde to ouersée them: Ergo, al the Flockes through the world are ouerséene by One General Shephearde. Otherwise, M. Hardinge imagineth, this fowle absurditie muste néedes folowe, that the parte is better Gouerned, then the whole.

The other thrée Reasons, touchinge the Prouidence of God, the Debatinge of questions in Faithe, and conseruinge of Peace, and Vnitie in the Churche, are an∣sweared already in my Former Replie to M. Hardinge. In déede, I remember, to a∣uouche al that M. Hardinge hathe here saide, one sometimes wel inclined to that side, saide thus: Non videretur Dominus discretus fuisse (vt cum reuerentia eius loquar) nisi Vnicum post se talem Vicarium reliquisset, qui haec omnia posset: Christe our Lorde

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should not haue seemed to haue dealte discretely (to speake it with reuerence) onlesse he had leafte One sutche Ʋicare behinde him, that might haue donne al these thinges.

I graunte, Dissension, and quarrelles be the sooner ended, when al thinges be put ouer to one Man: So that the same one Man maye liue for euer, and stil conti∣newe in one minde, and neuer alter. But oftentimes one Pope is sounde con∣trarie to an other: & sometimes one Pope hathe benne found contrarie to him selfe. Pope Sabinianus would haue burnte al Pope Gregories Bookes: And, as it is saide before, Pope Romanus vtterly abolished al the Actes of his Predecessour Pope Steuin: The same Pope Steuin vnburied his Predecessour Pope Formo∣sus, and defaced, and mangled his naked carkesse, and vtterly condemned al, that had benne donne by him before: And Platina geuethe this general iudgemente of them, Nihil aliud isti Pontificuli cogitabant, quàm vt Nomen, & Dignitatem Maiorum suorum extinguerent: These litle Petite Popes had none other care in the world, but howe to deface the Name, and Estimation of other Popes, that had benne before them. And thus, that one Pope liketh, an other misliketh: that one alloweth, an other condemneth. And yet by M Hardinges iudgement, wée haue none other rule to staie by in doubt∣ful cases, but onely the Wil, and Pleasure of the Pope.

Howe be it, this, I trowe, is not the readieste waie to procure Peace, and to mainteine Vnitie in the Churche. And therefore Gregorie saithe of Iohn the Bi∣shop of Constantinople, that claimed to him selfe this Vniuersal Power, Si hanc causam aequanimiter portamus, totius Ecclesiae Fidem corrumpimus: Corruit Vni∣uersa Ecclesia à statu suo, si is, qui Vniuersalis dicitur, cadit: If wee quietly suffer this ma∣ter thus to procede (that one Man shal be called the Vniuersal Bishop, wée seeke not waies to mainteine Vnitie, but) wee ouerthrowe the Faithe of the whole Churche: Yf be, that is called the Ʋniuersal Bishop, happen to falle, the whole Churche fallethe from her state. Thus therefore, to allowe any one Man Vniuersal Authoritie ouer the whole Churche, is a mater, not behoueful, and profitable, as M. Hardinge fansieth, but, as Gregorie saithe, doubteful, and dangerous to the Churche. For althoughe al the world either would, or could geue eare, and credite to one Man, yet were not that therefore alwaies Christian Vnitie. S. Augustine saithe, Habet & Superbia ap∣petitum quendam Vnitatis, & Omnipotentiae: Pride it selfe hathe a certaine desire of Vni∣tie, and of Vniuersal Power.

An other of M. Hardinges Reasons is this: The Churche Labouringe here in Earthe must resemble the Churche of the Sainctes Triumphing in Heauē. But in Heauen God onely is the Gouernoure ouer the whole: Therefore, in the Churche beneathe, the Pope likewise muste needes be Gouernoure ouer the whole. Thus God muste be rated to Gouerne aboue, and the Pope beneath: & so, as one sometime saide, Diuisum Imperium cum loue Caesar habet.

This is a valiante kinde of Argument. It holdeth from Heauen to Earthe: from Angelles to Menne: from God to the Pope.

But how knoweth M. Hardinge, what Orders of Angelles, and Archangelles there be in Heauen? what they doo: howe they deale: who ruleth: who are ruled: what Lawes, and Policies they haue emongste them? They saie, thei would frame theire Churche accordinge to the Samplar: And yet good menne they neuer knewe, nor sawe the Samplar. But onely of them selues they imagine Common Weales, and Orders in Heauen: and accordinge to the same, they woulde shape, and fashon theire owne Churche in Earthe. The better waye, M. Hardinge, had benne, seeinge the whole mater hangeth onely vppon your fantasies, to saie, that God hathe appointed one Principal Archangel to be Pope in Heauen: and al other Powers, Angelles, & Dominions to be his Subiectes. Thus might ye easily haue made your frame to agree with your Paterne, and the one of your fansies to an∣sweare the other.

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For to saie, as you saie, God ruleth al in Heauen aboue: Therefore the Pope must rule al in the worlde beneath, it is but a sclender kinde of reasoninge. S. Au∣gustine saithe, Quid aliud in Pompa huius mundi homo appetit, nisi Solus esse, si fieri possit, cui multa subiecta sint: Peruersa, scil••••et, imitatione Omnipotentis Dei? In the Ʋaine Pompe of this worlde what thinge els is 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ that a man doothe desire, but, if it were possible, to make him selfe alone sutche a one, vnto whom many thinges maye be obedient: and that by a peeuishe countrefeitinge of God Omnipotente?

And this is it, that Gregorie saithe of Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople: Illum, videlicet, imitatur, qui spreta Angelorum societate, ascendere conatus est ad cul∣men Singularitatis: He foloweth Lucifer, who despisinge the felowship of the Angelles, la∣boured to geate vp to the toppe of Singularitie, and saide, I wil mounte vp aboue the Northe, and wilbe like vnto the Highest.

Verily, Dionysius writinge purposely of the Policie, and Gouernmente of the Churche, & comparinge the same withe the Glorious Gouernmente of the Angels and powers in Heauen, yet neuer vttered one Woorde of the Vniuersal Gouern∣mente of the Pope. Nay rather in the late Councel of Constance, out of this very place is Fourmed an Argumente to the contrarie: In Coelesti Hierarchia tota Congregatio Angelorum non habet Caput Vnum, praeter solum Deum: Ergo, à Simili, in Ecelesiastica Hierarchia Hominū nō debet esse Vnum Caput, praeter Solum Deū: In the Heauenly Gouernemente the whole Companie of the Angels hathe none other One Heade, but onely God: Therefore of the like, in the Ecclesiastical Gouernmente emongste Menne, there ought not to be any One Heade, but onely God.

Neuerthelesse M. Hardinge is wel hable to fortifie al these thinges by the Authoritie of the Scriptures. And here in steede of the firste Chapter of the Prophete Osee, be allegeth the firste Chapter of the Booke of Iosua. And leste thou shouldest thinke, it were onely a marginal errour, brought in by somme ouer∣sight of the Printer, as he vsethe sometimes to excuse, and to shifte the mater, he hathe thus laide it wide open in his owne texte, Hereof the Holy Captaine Iosue seemeth to speake. Howe be it, one errour maie the better be dissembled emongst so many.

In deede the Prophete Osee, and not the Holy Captaine Iosua, speaketh these woordes: but not, as M. Hardinge imagineth▪ of the state of al Christendome vnder One Pope, but of that Vnitie, and Consente, that al the Faithful of the worlde, as wel Iewes, as Gentiles should haue vnder One Christe: as it is moste euident by the whole discourse of the texte.

Thus lie the Woordes: The number of the Children of Israel shalbe as the Sande of the Sea shoare, that cannot be numbred: And it shal comme to passe in the place, where it was saide vnto them, Ye are no people of mine, There shal it be saide vnto them, Ye are the Children of the Liuinge God. And the Children of Juda, and the Children of Israel shal assemble togeather, and shal appointe vnto them selues one Heade. Vppon whiche Woordes S. Hierome Writethe thus: Haec omnia fient, quia magnus est Dies Se∣minis Dei, qui interpretatur Christus: Al these thinges shal comme to passe, bicause it is the greate daye of the Seede of God, whiche Seede is expounded (not the Pope, but) Christe.

Likewise Nicolas Lyra, Congregabuntur Filij Iuda, id est, Apostoli: & Filij Israel, id est, Gentiles conuersi: Pariter, id est, in Vna Ecclesia: & ponent sibi Caput Vnum, id est, Christum: There shal assemble togeather the Children of Iuda, that is to saie, the A∣postles: and the Children of Israel, that is to saie, the Heathens conuerted: Togeather, that is to saie, in One Churche: and shal appointe vnto them selues One Head, that is to saie, (not one Pope, as M. Hardinge woulde haue it, but) One Christe.

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S. Augustine expoundinge the same wordes saithe thus: Recolatur Lapis ille Angularis, & duo illi parietes, vnus ex Iudaeis, & alter ex Gentibus: Let vs remember that Corner Stone (that is Christe, and not the Pope) and the twoo VValles, the one of the Iewes, the other of the Heathens.

The other woordes, whiche M. Hardinge allegeth out of S. Iohn, Christe him selfe expoundeth, not of the Pope, but of him selfe: I am the good Shephearde: I yelde my life for my Sheepe: I knowe my Sheepe, and am knowen of them: I haue other Sheepe. that be not of this Flocke. Them muste I bringe, that they maye heare my Voice: and so shal there be one Shepheard, and one Flocke. These woordes Chrysostome expoundeth by the woordes of S. Paule: Vt duos conderet in Semetipso in Vnum nouum Hominem: That he might woorke twoo people into One newe Man (not in the Pope, but) in him selfe.

S. Augustine expoundinge the same saithe thus, Duobus istis Gregibus, tāquam duobus Parietibus, Christus factus est Lapis Augularis: Vnto these twoo Flockes, as vnto twoo VValles (not the Pope, but) Christe was made the Corner Stone.

And what should I allege any other the Olde Fathers? Nicolas Lyra, as sim∣ple an Interpreter, as he was, yet he likewise saithe the same: Fiet Vnus Pastor, id est, Christus: There shalbe One Shephearde, that is to saie, (not the Pope, but) (Christe.) Neither is M. Hardinge hable to shewe vs any Learned allowed Inter∣preter, Olde, or Newe, that hathe expounded this place otherwise.

Al these thinges notwithstandinge, as wel these woordes of Christe, as also the other of the Prophete Osee, M. Hardinge applieth onely to the Pope. The Pope muste be the Heade: The Pope muste be the Shephearde. Bothe Christe, and Osee Prophesied these thinges of the Glorie, and Kingdome of the Pope. Iuda and Is∣rael shal chuse Christe to be theire Heade: Al the Faitheful through the worlde are one Flocke, and Christe is the Shephearde: Ergo, the Pope is the General Heade of the Vniuersal Churche of God.

Sutche Logique M. Hardinge is hable to teache vs: and with sutche feare, and reuerence can he vse Goddes Holy Woorde. And like as the Emperour Caligula sometimes tooke of the Heade of his greate God Iuppiter, and set on an other Head of his owne: Euen so by these Interpretations, and Gloses, M. Hardinge smiteth of Christe, the Onely Heade of the Churche, and setteth on the Pope. For Io∣hannes de Parisijs (out of whom, or somme other the like, he hathe borowed this whole mater) nothinge doubteth to telle vs, that Christe is not, nor cannot be the Heade of this Body, or the Shephearde of this Flocke. And, leste M. Hardinge should charge me with vntrue reporte, his woordes be these: Congregabūtur Filij Iu∣da, & Filij Israel, vt ponāt sibi Caput Vnum: Et Iohan. 10. Fiet Vnū Ouile, & Vnus Pastor. Quod quidē de Christo intelligi nō potest: sed de alio aliquo Ministro, qui praesit loco eius: The Children of Juda, and the Children of Isral shal assemble togeather, to appointe vnto them selues One Heade: And in the tenthe of Iohn, There shalbe made One Folde, and One Shep∣hearde: Whiche thinge doubtelesse cannot be expounded of Christe: but muste be taken of some other Minister, that maye rule in his steede.

Thus wée are taught, that Christe is neither the Heade of his owne Body, the Churche: nor the Shephearde of his owne Flocke, but onely the Pope. And yet Chrysostome saithe, Qui non vtitur Sacra Scriptura, sed ascendit aliunde, id est, non concessa via, hic non Pastor est, sed Fur: VVho so euer vseth not the Holy Scripture, but com∣meth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 an other waie that is not lawful, (whiche is by False Gloses, and Corruptions) he is not the Shephearde of the Flocke: he is the Theefe.

So saithe S. Augustine, Ipsum characterem multi & Lupi, & Lupis imprimunt: The note, or marke of a Bishop many geue vnto Wolues, and be VVolues them selues.

M. Hardinge saithe farther: For as mutche as Christe is Ascendedinto Heauen,

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and is nowe nomore conuersante emongst vs in Visible Forme, as he was before, it behooued some one man to be put in Commission for bearinge the charge, and takinge care of the whole Churche. Therefore he saide vnto Peter, Feede my Flocke: Confirme thy Brethren. Firste, what Ancient Learned Father euer thus scanned the woordes of the Popes Commission? Or why dothe M. Har∣dinge auouche so greate a mater of him selfe onely, without farther Authoritie? And if this so large Commission be to Feede, & to Feede so many, why then doothe the Pope Féede so litle? Or rather, why Feedeth he nothinge at al? Or howe can he claime by Féedinge, that neuer Feedeth?

Againe, where learned M Hardinge to reason thus: Christe is Ascended into Heauen: Ergo, the Pope is Heade of the whole Worlde? Or thus, Christe saide to Peter, Feede my Flocke: Ergo, the Pope hath Vniuersal Power ouer the whole Churche of God? How can he make these Argumentes to holde, I wil not saie by Diuinitie, but by any reasonable shifte of Logique?

But ye saie, God speaketh not nowe vnto vs mouthe to mouthe: nor sendeth vs downe his Angels from Heauen: nor instructeth vs nowe by Visions, as he did o∣thers in Olde times. What of that? wil it therefore folowe, that al the worlde muste geue eare to the Pope? Nay, M. Hardinge, Chrysostome saithe mutche better: Bicause God speaketh not nowe vnto vs in sutche familiare sorte, Ergo, Suam erga Homines amicitiam innouare volens, quasi longè absentibus literas mittit, conciliaturus sibi Vniuersam hominum Naturam: Therefore God mindinge to renewe his fauour to wardes Man, sente (his Holy Scriptures, as it were) his Letters, thereby to reconcile to him selfe al Mankinde. God speaketh not nowe vnto vs by his Angels: but he hath already spoken vnto vs, as S. Paule saithe, by the mouthe, and presence of his Onely Sonne. And therefore he saithe againe, Yf an Angel from Heauen woulde nowe Preache vnto vs otherwise, then wee haue receiued, wée shoulde holde him accursed.

But for the Vnitie, and quiet gouernmente of the Churche of God, S. Paule saithe, Christe Ascendinge aboue al the Heauens, hathe geuen (not One Vniuersal Pope to rule the whole, but) some Apostles, some prophetes, some Euangelistes, some Pastours, some Doctours, for the perfitinge of the Sainctes, for the woorke of the Ministerie, for the buildinge vp of the Body of Christe, that wee maye al comme into the Ʋnitie of Faithe, and of the knowledge of the Sonne of God. By these meanes God thought it sufficient, to preserue his Churche in Vnitie, and neuer made mention of One Vniuersal Pope.

Therefore S. Cyprian saithe, Vnus est Episcopatus, cuius à singulis in solidum pars tenetur: There is but One Bishoprike, parte whereof of euery seueral Bishop is holden in whole. And againe, Ideò plures sunt in Ecclesia Sacerdotes, vt, vno Haeresim facien∣te, coeteri subueniant: Therefore are there many Bishoppes in the Churche, that if one fal into Heresie, the reste maye healpe. Thus, when Peter walked not vprightly to the Gospel, Paule came with healpe, and reproued him openly euen to his face: Thus Irenaeus reprooued Pope Victor: thus sundrie godly Fathers haue reprooued o∣thers. Therefore S. Augustine saithe, Deus docuit Petrum per posteriorem Pau∣lum. A quocunque enim Verum dicitur, illo donante, dicitur, qui est ipsa Veritas: Thus God instructed Peter by Paule his pne, that was called after him. For by whom so euer the Truthe is spoken, it is spoken by his gifte, that is Truthe it selfe.

Ye saye, the Pope succedeth not Christe in al his Substance, yt is to saie, in al his Power: neither hath there any sutche fonde sayinge benne vttered (saie you) at any time by the Diuines. Yf this be true, wherefore then be these woordes written, and so wel allowed of in the Councel of Laterane, Tibi data est Omnis Potestas, in Coelo, & in Terra? Vnto your Holinesse al Power is geuen, as wel in Heeuen, as in Earth. Wherefore is Bernarde so wel allowed to force the same farther with these woordes: Qui totum dedit, nihil excludit: He that hath geuē thee Al, hath excepted No∣thinge.

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Wherefore is Panormitane allowed to saie, Papa potest omnia, quae Deus ipse potest? The Pope is hable by his power to doo, what so euer God him selfe can doo.

For the reste, M. Hardinge saithe, One Kinge is hable to rule One Kinge∣dome: Ergo, One Pope is hable to rule the whole Churche. This Reason is very simple, and is answeared before. Of the gouernmente of Princes wée haue dayly Practise: But of Popes, that euer exercised this Vniuersal Dominion ouer the whole Churche of God, M. Hardinge is not hable to shewe vs one. Wel were it with him, if he were but a Member of Christes Body, and a Sheepe of his Flocke. S. Gregorie saide sometime to Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople, claiminge vnto him selfe the same Title, and thinkinge him selfe hable yenough to rule the whole, Quid tu Christo Vniuersalis Ecclesiae Capiti in Extremi Iudicij responsurus es examine, qui cuncta eius Membra tibimet conaris Vniuersalis appellatione supponere? What answeare wilt thou make in the trial of the Laste Iudgemente, vnto Christe the Head of his Vniuersal Churche, that thus by the name of Vniuersal Pishop, seekest to bringe vnder thee al the Members of his Body?

Laste of al, M. Harding concludeth without premisses: Who so euer wil not be ruled by this Shepheard, the Pope, is of the Hearde of Antichriste. So saithe one of the Popes hired Proctours: Quicquid Saluatur, est sub Summo Pontifice: VVhat so euer Soule is saued, it is vnder the Pope. This one thinge beinge graunted, M. Har∣dinges whole cause passeth cleare.

But, God be thanked, it appeareth already to al them, that haue eles to see, that wee haue not departed from the seruile Obedience of that See, but vpon iuste cause, and good aduise. And in sutche sorte the Pope him selfe wil not denie, but it is lawful for any Churche to dissente from the Churche of Rome. These he his woordes, whiche muste be holden for a Lawe: Quicquid sine discretione Iustitiae con∣tra Romanae Ecclesiae Disciplinā actum fuerit, ratum haberi nulla ratio permittit: VVhat so euer thinge is donne without discretion of Iustice, againste the Order of the Churche of Rome, it maye not by any meanes be allowed. By whiche woordes it appeareth, Ex contrario Sensu, By an Argument of the contrarie, that, what so euer is donne by discretion of Iustice, notwithstandinge it be against the Order of the Churche of Rome, yet ought it to wel allowed.

S. Augustine saithe, Ne Catholicis quidem Episcopis consentiendum est, sicubi fortè falluntur, vt contra Canonicas Scripturas aliquid sentiant: VVee maye not geue our consente vnto any Bishoppes, be they neuer so Catholique, if they happen to be deceiued, and to determine centrarie to the Scriptures.

And Pope Pius. 2 him selfe saithe, Resistendum est quibuscunque in faciem, siue Paulus, siue Petrus sit, qui ad Veritatem non ambulat Euangelij: VVee are bounde to withstande any man to the face, be it Peter, be it Pause, yf be walke not to the Truthe of the Gospel.

To conclude, where the Woulfe is broken in, it is beste for the poore Sheepe, to breake out. That the Woulfe was broken in, beside the cruel spoile, and ra∣ueninge of Christian Bloude, it is plaine by the woordes of S. Bernarde. For thus he speaketh thereof in Open Councel, & in the presence of sundrie Bishoppes: Non custodiunt Gregem Domini, ses mactant, & deuorant: They keepe not the Lordes Flocke: but they kille it, and deuoure it. Againe he saithe, Propterea relinqua∣mus istos, quia non sunt Pastores, sed Traditores: Therefore set vs leaue them: For they are not Postours, but Traitours. And therefore God thus warneth vs in the like case: Exite de medio horum hominum, ne cum illis pereatis: Goe foorthe from the middes of those Menne, leste perishe al togeather.

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