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. 109.

VVhat S. Hierome meant hereby, Erasmus, a man of great learning, and iudgement, expoundeth thus. Hieronymus aequare videtur om∣nes Episcopos inter se. &c.

Harding. Erasmus answered. Difference founde betwen Deacon and Priest in Order, and betwen Bisshop and Bisshop in power of gouernment.

And is Erasmus in deede a man of suche learning and iudgement,* 1.1 as you say? If he be, howe happeth it, that you condemne those articles of religion, which he con∣fesseth true? He agnised the real presence of Christes bo∣dy and bloud in the blessed Sacrament of the Aulter, whiche you denie.* 1.2 Howe happeth it, if he be a man of great learning, that he wrote so earnest an epistle against the false Gospellers (so he calleth them of your side) of which number you are? How happeth it, that he wrote that vehemēt, and long Epistle to the Brothers of the In∣feriour Germanie, cōmonly called the Lowe countrie, to beware of al such heresies, whiche you, and your fe∣lowes do now professe? If Erasmus be not such a one, as you say, why do you allege his autoritie, whose iudgemēt in sundry articles ye contemne? But what hath Erasmus to helpe you in this matter? Truely when al is searched, nothing at al.

Yet by the waie it is to be marked, that you would binde vs with Erasmus authoritie, a man of our time, whom your selfe in diuers Articles, as in the approbation

of the Masse, of the real presence, free wil, and of such o∣ther, do greatly dislike: yet you wil not sticke to denie vt∣terly, not only the autorities of the Fathers within these last nine hundred yeres, but also of them sometimes, that wrote within the first six hundred yeres. For so do you deale afterward with that holy, and great learned Father S. Leo, whom you labour to discredit, being pressed with the witnesse he geueth of the prerogatiue of the See A∣postolike of Rome, as though his desire were,* 1.3 as your false surmise is, to enioie as great honour as he could, for his owne time. Haue you no better meane to auoide that Fathers authoritie M. Iewel, but by charging him with ambition?

Where Erasmus saith,* 1.4 that S. Hierome seemeth to put in equal matche al Bishoppes together, as if they were al equally the Apostles Successours: that parte of his say∣ing, you could wel remember: but where he saith with∣in fiue lines folowing, that the Metropolitane hath a certaine dignitie, and Iurisdiction aboue other Bishops, whiche taketh awaie the equalitie, that you dreamed of: your eyes, without being called on, that parte of the sen∣tence were very loth to see. Take the one with the other M. Iewel, then is the equalitie of Bishoppes in regiment quite gonne, though they remaine equal in the order of Priesthood, and in that, that the highest Archebisshop in the worlde, yea the Pope him selfe, is no more a Prieste, nor Bishop, then is the poore Bishop of Eugubium, or who so euer is the lowest Bishop in the worlde, though his authoritie to rule and to gouerne, be more ample, and large, then any others. Reade the olde Fathers in suche sorte, that you may vnderstande them without

mistaking their right, and purposed meaning: then maie you cite them both to your owne honestie, and to the commoditie of others.

* 1.5One Falcidius a foolishe man, vtterly deceiued, went aboute to preferre, as S. Hierome of him to Euagrius seemeth to reporte, or to matche in one equalitie, as S. Augustine saith, the order of Deacons, with the order of Priesthood. For suppression of whiche errour, the ra∣ther to abbase the Deacons vanitie,* 1.6 S. Hierome dispu∣teth, that in diuers places of the Scripture, in certaine re∣spectes, Priestes are taken for Bishoppes, and Bishoppes for Priestes: so that if the Deacons be aboute the Prie∣stes, sith the Scripture doth cal Priestes, by the name of Bishoppes: it wil folowe, that Deacons should also be a∣boue Bishoppes. Which absurditie is so euident, as no man maie graunt it. Therefore, for the auoiding of this absurditie, whiche would followe vpon Falcidius false assertion, it behoued him, and suche as helde with him, vtterly to reuoke that errour, that Deacons are, either aboue Priestes,* 1.7 or equal with them. A Priest maie doo al that a Bishop doth, saue that he can not geue Orders: A Deacon can not doo al thinges that a Bishop doth, saue onely the geuing of Orders: for he can not consecrate the body and bloude of Christ in the blessed Sacrament: Ergo, the Priest that hath more power then the Deacon, must be aboue the Deacon.

This is S. Hieromes very drifte in that Epistle to Eua∣grius, with the whiche meaning of S. Hieromes, your authour Erasmus doth wel agree,* 1.8 where he writeth thus vpon the same Epistle. Itaque quòd hic aequat humilium vrbium Episcopos cum alijs, ad Diaconos est referendum, qui

nonnullis locis praeferebantur presbyteris, quos propemodum aquat Episcopis. Where as he doth here equally matche the Bisshoppes of the meaner Cities, with other (that are Bis∣shopps of great Cities) it is spoken for the Deacons sake: who in certaine places were preferred before the priestes, whom almost he maketh Bisshoppes felowes. And againe, In hoc igitur aequales sunt Episcopi, & presbyteri, quòd vbicun∣quesunt, Diaconis sunt praeferendi. Touching this pointe Bishoppes and Priestes are equal, for that they are to be preferred before Deacons, where so euer they be.

But that there is greate difference in authoritie of gouernement betwixte Bishoppes', Priestes, and Dea∣cons, S. Hierome is plaine in the laste sentence of that Epistle, where he writeth thus. Et vt sciamus tradi∣tiones Apostolicas sumptas de veteri Testamento, quod Aaron & filij eius, atque Leuitae in Templo fuerunt, hoc si∣bi Episcopi, & Presbyteri, & Diaconi vendicent in Eccle∣sia. And that we maie knowe, the Apostles Traditions were taken out of the olde Testament, what Aaron, and his Sonnes, and the Leuites were in the Temple, Bisshoppes, Priestes, and Deacons, maie chalenge to them selfe, the same in the Churche. But Aaron being the high Priest, and Bisshop, was in auctoritie farre a∣boue al the rest: Ergo, if Priestes be named in Scripture Bisshoppes, as S. Hierome reasoneth against their folie, that preferred Deacons aboue Priestes: There is one Bisshoppe founde out, that ought to haue special rule ouer al the reste, and that by a consequent of the very Scripture.

Whereas S. Hierome condemned the lewde dis∣order of the Citie of Rome, not of the Churche of

Rome (as M. Iewel vntruly interpreteth) which he saith is one with the Churche of the whole worlde, keeping one rule of truth with the rest, for hauing Deacons in more honour then Priestes, and putteth the mater to be tried by authoritie, saying, that the authoritie of the vni∣uersal Church of the whole worlde, with the which the Church of Rome is one, is rather to be folowed, then the corrupte manner and custome of that one Citie: there is no reason, why he should seeme in that place to haue vsed the word Merite,* 1.9 for this worde Preeminence, as M. Iewel ful vainely iangleth, and can not prooue. His seely argumentes stande thus: The authoritie of the worlde, that is to saie, of the vniuersal Churche of the whole worlde, and therefore of the Churche of Rome also be∣ing One Churche with the reste, is greater then the au∣thoritie of the Citie of Rome: Ergo, the worde Me∣rite in the nexte sentence folowing must signifie Pree∣minence. Againe, the power of riches, and the basenesse of pouertie, maketh not a Bishop either higher, or lower: Ergo, the worde Merite, in the sentence before muste signifie Preeminence. This is strange Logique, by vse whereof euery foole maie seeme to reason wisely, if it were once allowed in open schooles.* 1.10

Whereas S. Hierome to Euagrius speaking against the euil custome of Rome, where a Deacon was pre∣ferred before a Prieste, saieth, Si authoritas quaeritur, Orbis maior est vrbe. If wee seeke for Authoritie, the worlde is more then the Citie: he meaneth not, as the circumstance of that Epistle geueth, that authoritie there should signifie, authoritie in gouernement, as M. Iewel hath interpreted, making S. Hierome to saie, that

in Authoritie of gouernement, the whole worlde is greater then the Citie of Roome, whereby he thin∣keth to displace the Pope, and to depriue him of his authoritie in gouernement, and to bestowe it confuse∣ly abroade in al the worlde, whereof in deede, the Confusion whiche they may beste holde, and stande by, might be procured: The truthe is, S. Hierome there is not to be vnderstanded to speake of the Churches au∣thoritie in gouernement, but of common, and publique authoritie to be folowed for auoiding of that errour, that made a Deacon better then a Prieste, or at least equal with a Priest. In Controuersies we folowe au∣thoritie. Now saith S. Hierome. If we seeke for au∣thoritie, the worlde is greater then the Citie. As who should saie, let no man defende the errour by the autho∣ritie of the Citie of Rome, bicause there a Deacon is preferred before a Prieste: for what shal we esteme the custome of one Citie, the whole world holding the con∣trarie? And the authoritie of no one Citie, can be cōpa∣rable to the authoritie of the whole worlde. There∣fore pretending one to obiecte vnto him, that the man∣ner was at Rome for a Priest to be ordered at the testi∣monie of a Deacon, he saieth, Quid mihi profers vnius vrbis consuetudinem: what bringest me foorth the cu∣stom of one Citie? As who should say,* 1.11 it were not to be regarded in cōparison of the custom of the whole world.

Nowe that the Churche of Rome gaue not greater honour to Deacons, then to Priestes, by S. Hierome him selfe it seemeth to be euident, for so muche as Priestes there sate in the Church, where Deacons vsed to stande, and the Deacons neuer durste to sitte emonge the

Priestes,* 1.12 whiles the Bisshop was present. Although he confesseth, that once in the Bishoppes absence, he sawe a Deacon, when disorder tooke place, sitting emong the Priestes, and at priuate Feastes in priuate houses ge∣uing the benediction to Priestes. Whereby it is manifest, that the preferring of Deacons aboue Priestes, rose not of any ordinarie custome of the Churche of Rome, where al states best keept due order in the Bisshoppes presence, but of the priuate pride of some Deacons, and of the simplicitie of the people of that Citie. Therefore S. Hierome saith not, Quid mihi profers Romanae Eccle∣siae consuetudinem, why bringest me forth the custome of the Romaine Churche: but, Quid mihi profers vnius vrbis consuetudinem? Why bringest me the custome of one Citie? The ignorant people made more of the Deacons,* 1.13 bi∣cause they were but fewe in number, to wit, but only se∣uen at one time, as Eusebius maketh mention, whereas at that time there were six and fortie Priestes in that Chur∣che, whom the people, as S. Hierome saith, for the num∣ber had in contempte.

Vbicun{que} fuerit Episcopus, siue Romae, siue Eugubij, siue Cō∣stantinopoli, siue Rhegij, siue Alexandriae, siue Tanis, eius∣dem meriti, eiusdem est & sacerdotij. Beholde Reader how M. Iewel hath translated this sentence. Where so euer there be a Bisshop, be it at Eugubium, be it at Rome, be it at Constantinople, be it at Rhegium, be it at Alexan∣dria, be it at Tanis, they are al of one worthinesse, they are al of one Bisshoprike. Where the nominatiue case Epis∣copus, Bishop, being of the singulare number, so placed by S. Hierome with the verbe Est, also of the singular num∣ber, bicause it serued not M. Iewels turne, guilfully in

translation a change is made into the plural, and thereby the meaning of the sentence cleane altered, to thintent the sentence might so the rather sounde to his purpose, whiche is to make al Bishoppes equal in authoritie of rule, and gouernment. Now S. Hieromes wordes doo signifie, that a Bishop is of the same Merite, and of the same Priesthood, whether he be Bishop of a great Citie, or of a litle. And here is to be noted, that M. Iewel can not yet brooke this worde, Merite: and whereas before he vsed the worde, Preeminence, being by me admoni∣shed of it, now he translateth, eiusdem est meriti, they are al of one worthinesse. Likewise he termeth, eiusdem sa∣cerdotij, of one Bishoprike, for, of one Priesthood.

How so euer you bring in S. Hierome for the equa∣litie of Priestes with Bishoppes, it forceth not. It is wel knowen, S. Hierome neuer dreamed of suche an equa∣litie, as you would haue, when he wrote this sentence, Ecclesiae salus in summi sacerdotis dignitate pendet,* 1.14 cui si non exors quaedam, & ab omnibus eminens detur potestas, tot in Eccesia efficientur schismata, quot sacerdotes. The sauegarde of the Churche dependeth vpon the dignitie of the highest Bishop, vnto whom, if a peerelesse, and supreme power be not yelded, there shal arise so many Schismes in the Churche, as there be Priestes. If God haue a special regarde to the safetie of the Churche, and if the Churche can not be safe, without there be a peere∣lesse, and a supreme power yeelded vnto the highest Priest, whiche is a Bishop, as S. Hierome saith, what so euer M. Iewel saie to the contrarie: God must needes allowe the hauing of suche Bishoppes, as shal haue power peerelesse to rule their flockes, not onely their lambes,

but also their sheepe, to witte, the Clergie, the Priestes, and the Deacons vnder them.* 1.15 He saith also, Propterea inter duodecim vnus eligitur, vt capite constituto, schismatis tollatur occasio: Therefore is there one chosen emong the twelue (saith S. Hierome) who should be made Head, that the occasion of Schisme might be taken away. And that we should be put out of doubte, who chose that one to be Head aboue al the reste, and why Peter was rather chosen then Iohn, that was so deerely beloued, S. Hie∣rome saith, delatum est aetati, partly in consideration of his age, and partly bicause he would deliuer Iohn from the enuie, that he should haue incurred, if he had benne placed in that roome being so yong a man. M. Iewel had neede to looke better vpon his booke, and to learne by these places better to tempre the other sayinges of S. Hierome. S. Hierome saith vnitie can not be kepte, the Churche can not be in sauegarde, Schismes can not be suppressed by equalitie of Priestes with Bishoppes: Ergo, there must be Bishoppes, that shal haue power to rule the Priestes, and the reste. Thus M. Iewels equa∣litie wil not stande with the doctrine of S. Hierome.

Although (saith S. Augustine) after the names of ho∣nours now vsed in the Church the state of a Bishop be greater,* 1.16 then the state of a Prieste, yet in many thinges Augustine is lesse then Hierome. Notwithstanding we ought not to refuse, and disdaine to be corrected of any man, though he be our inferiour. Vpon these wordes of S. Augustine M. Iewel reasoneth, that the difference of power and authoritie betwixte Bishoppes and Priestes, had no al∣lowance from Scripture, but by the custome of the Churche. As though one thing could not be allowed

both in Scripture, and also by the common custome of the Churche. The common custome of the Churche teacheth vs to feare God daily: doth not the Scripture allowe the same? To honour our Father, and mother: And doth not the Scripture commaunde the same? But M. Iewel would faine make debate betwixt the custome of the Churche, and the holy Scripture, and therefore ful prouidently he hath interlaced a Parenthesis of his owne politike deuise in this manner: The office of a Bis∣shop, is aboue the office of a Prieste (not by authoritie of the Scriptures, but) after the names of honour, whiche the custome of the Churche hath now obteined. I haue here be∣fore declared, that there was a secte of Heretiques cal∣les Aerians, as S. Augustine reporteth, who denied, that there was any difference at al betwen the state of a Bis∣shop and the state of a Prieste:* 1.17 whiche opinion being ac∣compted for heresie by S. Augustine, ought to stop any reasonable mans mouth, and to persuade him, that S. Augustines opinion is quite contrarie to that, which M. Iewel holdeth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The .28. Chapt.
• * 1.2

  Erasmus against the false Gospel∣lers. Aduersus Pseudeuā∣gelicos, & fratres in∣ferioris Germa∣niae.
• * 1.3

  Pag. 111.
• * 1.4

  Erasmus in Anti∣doto post Scholia in epist. Hie∣ronym ad Euagriū.
• * 1.5

  The er∣rour of one Fal∣cidius.
• * 1.6

  August. in Quaest. ve¦ter. & no. Testam. Quest. 101
• * 1.7

  That a Priest is aboue a Deacon.
• * 1.8

  Erasmus in Anti∣doto. post Scholiam in epist. ad Euagriū.
• * 1.9

  Merite for Pree∣minence, after M. Ievvelles iudge∣ment.
• * 1.10

  The vvorld is more thē the Citie, expoun∣ded.
• * 1.11

  Neither at Rome vvas more ho∣nour ge∣uen to Deacons, then to Priestes.
• * 1.12

  Hiero. in eadē epi∣stol. ad ēuagriū.
• * 1.13

  Euseb. lib. 6. Eccles. histor. ca. 33.
• * 1.14

  Hieron. aduersus Luciferai∣nos.
• * 1.15

  Hieron. Lib. 1. ad∣uersus Io∣uinianū.
• * 1.16

  August. Epist. 19.
• * 1.17

  August, de Haresib. ad Quod∣uult deū. Haeres. 53.