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.

VVherefore saie yee thus of Thomas Becket: O Christ make vs to ascende vnto heauen, vvhither Thomas is ascended, euen by the bloud of Thomas, that he shead for thy sake. Here you seeke saluation in the bloud of Thomas.

Harding.

This is an obiection for a Cobler, as the other was, and not for a Diuine, whose duetie it were to depend of thinges, and not of wordes. Albeit you make it otherwise to your aduantage, then the Latin wordes reporte, yet thus we saie: It is lawful to aske mercie of God onely for his owne sake: it is lawful also at the time of asking mercie, to present to him the remembrance of any gifte, or grace of his.

God him selfe saith by his Prophete Isaias: Protegem ciuitatem istam vt saluem eam propter me, & propter Da∣uid seruum meum. I wil defende this citie to saue it for mine owne sake, and for Dauides sake my seruant. Now bicause we know, it was a most gracious gifte of God, that he gaue S. Thomas grace to dye for his honour: when we desire to be holpen by his bloud, representing the memorie of S. Thomas vnto Christe our Sauiour, and as it were putting him in minde of his death suffered for his sake, we desire to haue Gods grace the soner geuen vnto vs through that mercie, which he shewed to the said S. Thomas. Scio quia hoc mihi prouen••et ad salutem, per vestram orationem, & subministrationem spiritus Iesu Christi. I know (saith S. Paule) that this thing shal

helpe forwarde my saluation, by your prayer, and by the helpe of the spirite of Iesus Christe. Here are ioy∣ned together two thinges: the praier of good menne, and the helpe of the spirite of Christe. They are both vttered by this syllable, per, by or through.

But what? Is S. Paule become blasphemous, bicause he ioyneth mennes prayers with Gods spirite? No, no. He meant, that the prayer of menne might helpe him, not of them selues, but by Gods gift. But the spirite of Christe was hable to help him of it selfe, as being the spirite of God. And yet those two helpes so far vnlike, are put together in one sentence, and expressed by one kinde of speache. But it is not a phrase of speache, whiche maketh the difference, it is the harte of the faithful, which distinguisheth al. Your wordes be faire M. Iewel, but your harte vnwares to your selfe doth honour the Idol Caluine, more then Christe Iesus. For you are ashamed of Christes olde Churche, and de∣formed spouse, as you thinke: But the trimme strompet of Caluins setting out, pleaseth you right wel. It is that fowle, and blind harte of yours, that shal condemne you, and not letters, or syllables, whiche in al your bookes you hunt after. Whatsoeuer our wordes be, you maie assure your selfe, our faith, and harte putteth dif∣ference inough betwen S. Thomas Becket a good man, and Christ Iesus God, and man. If it shal please you to conferre this praier touching S. Thomas with a prai∣er that I shal anonne allege out of S. Ephem, I truste, you wil reuoke your rash iudgement, wherein you con∣demne the Catholique Churche for this, and the like praiers.

Notes

• Ibidem.
• Hovv it is lavvful to saie in praier. su¦per Tho∣mae San¦guinem, and the like. Esai. 37.
• Philip. 1.
• Prayer of good mē and Gods spirit ioy¦ned to∣gether in healping vs.