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.

The wordes of the Apologie. Defence. Pag. 357.

They be the Popes ovvne Canonist•••• vvhiche haue taught the people, that Fornication betvven single fo•••••• i•• no sinne.

Harding.

IN my Cōfutation I saie, that this is a greuous offence, and worthy to be pounished, in processe I saie to the make••s of the Apologie, How proue ye it? They allege for it, one Iohn de Magistris. How be it M. Iewel hath re∣canted that errour, and confesseth him selfe to haue ben deceiued. For he graunteth, it was Martinus de Magi∣stris, whom he meant, or should haue meant. He should doo wel to recant diuers other the like his errours. For he hath not only ben deceiued by his note bookes, or his Notegatherers, in naming Iohn de Magistris, for Marti∣nus de Magistris, but also in the names of sundrie other menne, as it shal be declared in the nexte Chapter.

But touching the sclaunder of the Canonistes, if Martinus de Magistr•••• had so taught, yet the matter is not cleare, for he w•••• no Canoniste, but a Schoole Do∣ctor of Diuinitie. Again••, he ••••••••ht not the people, as our Maisters of the Apologie ••••e, but onely wrote of that matter after the Scholastical manner, from vn∣derstanding whereof the peoples simple capacitie is farre of.

Wel, let these three errours, Lyes, or ouersightes, be ••in••••ed at. Hitherto the Canonistes are not touched, but sclaundered. What shal we answer for Martinus de Magistris? Certainely neither that Doctour taught ei∣ther the people, or any other person, that vngodly, and false Doctrine. Certaine it is, that in this Treatie, De Tem∣perantia, quaestione 2. he taught the contrarie, where he proueth very sufficiently, and copiously, that simple Fornication is mortal sinne. But Alphonsus chargeth him with saying, that to beleeue the Contrarie, is not a point of Heresie. And thereof M. Iewel in the Defence taketh holde, geuing ouer al his other false holdes. Let it be as Alphonsus saith. Yet wil it not thereof follow, that the Popes Canonistes, or Diuines taught the people, it is no sinne.

By Alphonsus, whom M. Iewel allegeth, this Do∣ctor Martinus de Magistris saith two thinges. That For∣nication is deadly sinne, and yet that to beleeue the con∣trarie, Non sit haereticum, is not heretical, or a case of heresie. The first he proueth substantially: The se∣cond he proueth not sufficiently, as it appeareth to Alphonsus. The reason, whereby he would proue it, is this, Quia testimonia scripturae sacrae non sunt expressa, bi∣cause the testimonies of the holy Scriptures are not ex¦presse, that is to saie, bicause simple Fornication is not expressely so called. And though it were so, yet maie it otherwise be plainely, as it is most plainely signified. Now this question riseth betwen Martinus, and Al∣phonsus, whether to beleeue, that Fornication is not mortal sinne, be a case of Heresie, or no. Alphonsus saith it is, Martinus saith it is not. And what if he say

it be not a case of heresie so to beleeue, yet it ma•• be a wicked opinion so to beleue, and a more wicked thing to committe the crime, which Martinus doth not on∣ly not denie, but affirmeth, and proueth very earnestly, and that perteineth to the present purpose. Euery false beleefe maketh not a case of heresie, but whosoeuer stubbornely holdeth, and mainteineth a false beleefe contrarie not onely to the bare letter, but also to the sense of the Scripture, specially if it be determined, and published by the Churche, is to be accompted an heretique. How soeuer it be, and whether Alphonsus impute that saying to Martinus de Magistris, as erro∣neous, or no: Hitherto M. Iewel proueth not, that the Popes Canonistes haue taught the people, that Sim∣ple Fornication is no sinne. Let vs see with what other testimonies he can proue it.

Notes

• A sclaun∣der vtte∣red by the Apo∣logie a∣gainst the Canoni∣stes, not recanted in the Defence. touching the thing, but only touching the errour of the name.
• Alphonsus contra hae¦res. li. 5. Co¦itus Defence. pag. 362.
• The varie¦tie of mea¦ning be∣tuixt Mar¦tinus de magistris ād Alphō¦sus de Ca∣stro, tou∣ching sim¦ple Forni¦cation.