A detection of sundrie foule errours, lies, sclaunders, corruptions, and other false dealinges, touching doctrine, and other matters vttered and practized by M.Iewel, in a booke lately by him set foorth entituled, a defence of the apologie. &c. By Thomas Harding doctor of diuinitie.

In what credite, and estimation S. Augustine had General Councelles.

Howbeit this blessed Father touching the credite and authoritie of lawful Councelles, not only in this present place (as it now appeareth) but also in others of his workes hath written so circumspectly, and warely: that excepte heretiques were of very purpose, and mere wil∣fulnesse sette to peruerte the truthe, they coulde neuer haue piked out of his sayinges, so muche as any colour of aduantage to the preiudice of Councelles. Contrary∣wise to the aduauncement of their credite, and estima∣tion, he writeth in sundry places. Verely to the Donatistes being confuted, and conuinced by a great Assemblie of the Aphrican Bishoppes, he saith, Nulla excusatio iam remansit. Nimium dura, nimium diabolica sunt hominum corda, quae adhuc tantae manifestationi ve∣ritatis obsistunt. There remaineth now no excuse. The hartes of menne are too too harde, and too too deui∣lish, whiche doo yet withstande the truth so clearely opened vnto them. How much better may we saie this vnto you, and your companions M. Iewel, whose

heresies haue ben detected, and learnedly confuted in the late General Councel of Trent, vnto the whiche out of al Catholique Countries of Christendome, Bishopes, and the best learned menne were assembled?

Againe disputing against the errour of S. Cyprian touching the rebaptizing of such as heretiques had ba∣ptized, in the ende he concludeth with the Authoritie of a General Councel, and protesteth, that he him selfe would not haue ben so bolde, as in such sorte to confute that holy Fathers opinion, excepte he had had the Gene∣ral Councel on his side. These are his wordes. Nec nos ipsi tale aliquid auderemus asserere, nisi vniuersae Ecclesiae concordissima authoritate firmati: cui & ipse sine dubio cede∣ret, si iam illo tempore quaestionis huius veritas eliquata, & declarata per plenarium Conciliū solidaretur. Neither should we be so bolde, as to affirme so much, but that we are as∣suredly vpholden with the authoritie of the most vni∣forme consent of the vniuersal Church. To the which (S. Cyprian) him selfe would vndoubtedly haue yeelded, if at that time, the truth of this question being boulted out and made cleare, had benne by a ful (general) Councel established.

In like manner he vrgeth the Pelagians, saying. Vestra verò apud competens Iudicium communiū episcoporum causa modò finita est. Nec amplius vobiscū agendū est, quantū ad ius examinis pertinet, nisi vt prolatā de hac re sententiā cū pace sequamini. Quòd si nolueritis, a turbulenta, vel seditiosa in∣quietudine cohibeamini. Your matter is now ended, by suf∣ficient iudgemēt of Bishops from al partes. Neither ought we now to haue further dealing with you, as touching right of examination to be made, but now it behoueth

that y•• folowe peacebly the verdite, whiche hath 〈◊〉〈◊〉 pronounced of this matter. And if ye wil not, yet that ye be restrained from al troblesome, and seditious disorder.

Last of al speaking of General Councelles, he saith, Quorum est in Ecclesia saluberrima authoritas, their Au∣thoritie in the Churche is most holsome.

And bicause M. Iewel findeth him selfe agreeued wit•• the later Councelles, and is offended with the newnesse of them, and claimeth by former Councels, and pretēdeth to folow the Apostles owne Traditions: let vs see, what S. Augustine (of whom he would so faine borow helpe, if it would be) wil saie for him. Whereas the Donatistes for their rebaptizing of such as the Catholiques had ba∣ptized, alleged th' Apostles Tradition, and neglected a late General Coūcel assembled against their opinion, holding vpon a more auncient Tradition, euen such as came from the Apostles: to them in this case S. Augustine saith thus. Nec quisquam dicat, quod accepimus ab Apostolis, hoc sequi∣mur. Quatò robustiuo nūc dicimus, Quod ecclesiae cōsuetudo semper tenuit, quod haec disputatio dissuadere nō potuit, et quod plenariū Concilium cōfirmauit, hoc sequimur? Neither let any man saie (as the Donatistes said, and as Protestantes now saie) we folowe that, which we haue receiued of the A∣postles. Howe muche more stronger is that we saie now, we folowe that which the Custome of the Church hath euermore holden, whiche al this reasoning to and fro, hath not ben able to plucke out of mens hartes, and last of al, which a ful General Councel hath confirmed? So highly estee∣med S. Augustine those things, which M. Iewel of al o∣ther maketh lest accompt of.

And againe he saieth, Concilia posteriora prioribus apud

poster••s praep••nuntur. The posteritie preferreth the Later Councelles before the Former. Not as though the later should be contrarie to the former, but bicause in the later Coūcels the Church is alwaies better instructed, through the contradictions of heretikes, by occasion whereof matters are more exactely searched, discussed, and more clearely opened. Like as the flint stoanes being knokte harde together fier flieth out, and corne the more ye fifte it, the purer it is tried: so truthe by our aduersaries Con∣tradictions is beaten out, and doubteful pointes by long discussion, and search are made plaine and cleare.

Therefore againe he saith, Ipsa plenaria Concilia saepe prio∣ra posterioribus emendantur, cúm aliquo experimento rerum aperitur, quod clausum erat, & cognoscitur quod latebat.

The very former general Councells are oftentimes cor∣rected by the later Councells, when as by some trial of ma••••er that thing is opened, whiche before was close shut vp and that is knowen, whiche before laie hid.

Ye•• and this is the chiefe and best fruite, that heresies bring vnto the Churche, as the same S. Augustine other∣where declareth, where he saith: The matter of the blessed Trinitie was neuer wel discussed, vntil the Arian•• barked against it. The Sacrament of Penaunce was neuer throughly handled, vntil the Nouatians beganne to withstande it. Nei∣ther the cause of Baptisme was wel discussed, vntil the reba∣ptizing Donatistes arose, and troubled the Churche. Thus M. Iewel, if you geue eare vnto S. Augustine, whose ex∣ample you seeme to claime by, you shal learne of him not to refuse, and renounce the authoritie of General Coun∣cels, but to obey them, and to yeeld dew reuerence vnto them, yea though they be later, and as you cal them, new.

Notes

• The 20. Chapt.
• August. epist. 152. Ad populū factionis Donatia∣••a.
• August. de Baptismo cōtra Do∣natist. li. 2. cap. 4.
• August. Cōtra Iu∣lianum .li. 3. cap. 1.
• August. Epist. 118. ad Ianua∣rium.
• August. li. 4. cap. 7. de Baptis. cōtra Do∣natistas.
• August. li. 2. de Ba∣ptisme. cap. 9.
• Later Coū¦cels pre∣ferred be∣fore the former, for what cause.
• Ibidem .li. 2. cap. 3.
• The be∣nefit and fruite of heresies. August. in Psal. 54. super ver∣sum, Diui∣si sunt prae ira, &c.