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.

Iewel. Pag. 93.

VVe say, that our Doctrine, and the Order of our Churches, is elder then yours by fiue hundred vvhole yeres, and more. If ye vvil not be∣leeue vs, yet beleeue M. Harding: he vvil tel you euen the same. Marke vvel his vvordes: These they be: It standeth not with Christes pro∣mises made to the Churche, that he should suffer his Churche

to continew in darkenesse these thousand yeres past. And thus by secrete confession, he leaueth vs fiue hundred, three score and sixe vvhole yeres at the least: that is to say, the vvhole time of Christe, of his Apostles, and al the Godly learned Doctours, and Fathers of the pri∣mitiue Churche, &c.

Harding. That by no such secrete Confession I haue graun∣ted them the first fiue hundred yeres, &c.

To bring M. Iewel once to feele his palpable gros∣nesse in mistaking one thing for an other, thus I made my reason. Christes promise is as wel warranted to the Church•• for the later thousand yeres, as for the firste fiue hundred: But it saued the Churche from er∣rour the firste fiue hundred yeres, by your owne Confession M. Iewel: Ergo, it hath saued the Chur∣che from errour the later thousand yeres. Where is the secret confession, that I gaue you the firste fiue hundred yeres of light, and lefte to my selfe the later thousand of Darkenesse? It lieth you vpon to driue out that my secrete Confession by some woordes of myne, (whiche you shal neuer be hable to doo) or elles to reuoke and agnise your wilful malice, or your grosse ignorance.

If ye had any place of Scripture, that said Christes promises were no longer warranted to the Churche, then for the space of the first fiue hundred yeres, you had some colour to triumphe. But suche places of Scri∣pture haue ye none, nay ye haue the contrarie, both for

the presence of Christes special assistance, and of the holy Ghostes, vnto the ende of the worlde. What Scripture haue ye then to warrant the first fiue hun∣dred yeres, more then the later thousand? Here I cal earnestly vpon you to answere. Tel vs, haue ye any Scripture to warrant the one, more then the other? No doubtelesse, I am wel assured thereof. And doth M. Iewel now, that was woont to cal so busily for Scri∣pture, Scripture, make warrant of the one, more then of the other, without al Scripture?

Yet once againe I cal vpon you, to tel vs, in what parte of that sentence is my secrete Confession contei∣ned, that al the first fiue hundred yeres are yours. Tel it to my shame, if you can, spare me not. If you can by hooke, or crooke, by wresting, wringing, racking, or by any good drifte of reason boult out any suche se∣crete Confession of myne, marke wel what I saie M. Iewel, when you haue done it in deede, as I am wel assured you shal neuer be hable: I doo promise faithfully to yelde vnto you in al the rest of your Articles, vppon Condition, that if you do it not, you shal in like manner, yeelde to al the Articles of the Catholike Doctrine, wherein I haue trauailed against you. Lo here is a faire offer, who can denie it? Take it if you dare. If you re∣fuse it, take the shame to your selfe.

Touchinge Lirinensis (of whom in this place you speake besides all reason) who geueth three Notes, to knowe what Doctrine is Catholique: you make suche a prety Limitation of his saying, that his three Notes so limited, shall neuer stande vs in any steede. Lirinensis purpose was, to shewe

vs certaine assured notes, or markes, how to know, what doctrine is Catholique, and what is heretical, and erro∣neous, thereby to instructe vs how to beware of false doctrine. That is Catholique (saith he) that euery where, euer more, and of al personnes hath benne beleeued, that is, whereas the Churches were not corrupted, saith your fond•• limitation, and special Restraint. But the Churches (saith Lirinensis) that teache doctrine agreable with these three notes of Vniuersalitie, can not be corrupted in doctrine. For these are the very true notes whereby to knowe sownde Catholique doctrine from corrupte, as he auou∣cheth: neither he only, but S. Augustine also. Where∣vpon it foloweth, that M. Iewels newe founde Limita∣tiō, and special Restraint, is a very vaine toie of his owne deuise. Yea the Limitation, as it is vttered, vtterly de∣stroieth Lirinensis general rule of his three Notes to know Catholique, and vncorrupte doctrine.

If that, which hath ben beleeued euery where, euer∣more, of al personnes, may be corrupte doctrine, then are both Lirinensis, and S. Augustine vtterly deceiued in geuing vs such deceitful Notes, and M. Iewels Limita∣tion, and special Restrainte must take place. On the o∣ther side, if that doctrine, whiche hath ben beleeued eue∣ry where, euermore, and of al personnes, can not be but true, Catholique, and vncorrupte doctrine: then may M. Iewel put vp his Limitation, and special Restrainte in his purse, which he expressed by these wordes, whereas the Churches were not corrupted. Verely the same is vtter∣ly vnsauery, and hath no grounde of learning, nor of witte, nor of common reason.

To liue euery where, euermore, emong al sortes of

menne honestly, to hurte no man, to geue al other menne their owne, are three special Notes taught by Iustinian, for menne to know, who doo liue Ciuilly vnder the lawe. But M. Iewel, if he plaie with Iustinian, as he hath with Lirinensis, and S. Augustine, wil not leaue the matter so rawly: he wil rush in with a Limitation, and a special Restrainte, saying, it is to be vnderstan∣ded, whereas he that so liueth, committeth, or offen∣deth nothing against the lawe. If it would please him to take a daie to consider the matter better, he might see that he, who keepeth him selfe within these Notes, or preceptes appointed by Iustinian, dothe no more offende against the Lawe of man in dooing, then the Churches, that teache doctrine agreable with Lirinen∣sis, and S. Augustines Notes, offende against the Lawe of God in beleeuing: which doctrine of necessitie must be vncorrupte, and the Churches likewise that so teache, must of necessitie be in doctrine vncorrupte, if S. Au∣gustine, and Lirinensis say true. But iuggle on M. Iewel, your false plaie shal doo no great harme, as long as it com∣meth to light in this sorte, alwaies to your owne shame.

Notes

• See Rea∣der hovv vvel this ghear is proued. M. Har∣ding. fol. 25. a.
• The. 5. Chapt.
• Math. vlt. Iohan. 14. Esai. 59.
• A free and libe∣ral offer made to M. Ievv.
• Pag. 94.
• VVhat is Catholik by Liri∣nensis.
• Aug. li. de Genes. ad literā im∣perfect. cap. 1.