UNTO THE CHRISTIAN READER. logia Socra tis. PERUSING a certain book lately set forth in the name of M. Harding, and weighing the substance, and parcels of the same, good christian reader, I called to mind these words spoken sometime by Socrates the philosopher, touching his accusers, in his own defence before the judges: My lords, in Plato in Apowhat sort your affections have been stirred with mine accusers' eloquence, while ye heard them speak, I cannot tell. But well I wot, for mine own part, I myself1, whom it toucheth most, was almost persuaded to believe that all they said was true; yea, although it were against myself1. So handsomely they can tell their tale, and so likely and so smoothly they convey their matters. Every word they spake had appearance of truth. And yet in good sooth they have scarcely uttered one word of truth." Thus then said Socrates to 2 his accusers. Even so may I say now of M. Harding: for both in truth of matter, and also in probability of utterance, they are much alike. Aristotle, touching the darkness and doubtfulness of natural worldly things, saith thus: Quædam falsa probabiliora sunt quibusdam veris: "Certain falsehoods3 (by means of good utterance) have sometimes more likelihood of truth than truth itself." For truth is many times brought in simple, and naked, in poor array: but falsehood 5 must needs apparel and attire herself with all her furnitures. Thus many times we are deceived, and embrace falsehood instead of truth. And this is the misery of the simple. For neither are they able to teach themselves, nor have they wherewith to discern their teachers. There was never neither error so horrible, but the simple have received it, nor poison so deadly, but the simple have drunken it. In this sort St Hierome saith: "Infidelity was some- Hieron. contime published among the simple under the name of faith"." And antichrist shall be adored and honoured instead of Christ. 4 tra Luciferi anos. Touching the state and issue of the matter: whereas I, upon just occasion offered, and only in regard of the truth, sometime said in great audience, that in any of these cases here moved our adversaries are not able to allege either any one sufficient clause or sentence out of the scriptures, councils, or ancient fathers, or any certain usage or example of the primitive church, M. Harding hath here alleged and published, not only one, or other, but (as he himself saith, and as it is thought of many) great numbers of such authorities of scriptures, councils, and doctors, both Greek and Latin, and many ancient and evident examples to the contrary. The places are noted, the words are clear: it cannot be denied; and, as it is supposed, all the world is not able to answer it. It seemeth now an undoubted truth, that as well these, as also all other the doctrines and orders of the church of Rome, have been derived directly from Christ himself and his apostles, and have continued the space of fifteen hundred and thirty years at the least. Therefore some have wished my words had been more warily qualified, and uttered with more circumspection. Even this is it that Aristotle said: "The shew of truth beareth often more likelihood, than truth itself." There is no way so easy to beguile the simple as the name and countenance of ancient fathers. The Arian heretics alleged for themselves the ancient father Origen: the Nestorian heretics alleged the council of Nice: the Donatian heretics alleged St Cyprian: the Pelagian heretics alleged St Ambrose, St Hierome, and St Augustine: Dioscorus the heretic alleged Gregorius, Cyrillus, and Athanasius, and complained openly in the council, even in like sort, and as justly, as M. Harding doth now: Ego defendo dogmata sanc- In Conc. torum patrum. Ego illorum habeo testimonia, non obiter, nec in transcursu, sed Chalcedo. [ Meself, 1565.] [ Falsheads, 1565.] [ Falshead, 1565.] [* Of, 1565.] [ Mean, 1565.] [6 Nomine unitatis et fidei infidelitas scripta est.Hieron. Op. Par. 1693-1706. Adv. Lucifer. Tom. IV. Pars 11. col. 299.] Action. 1. August. de cap. xvi. 8 in ipsorum libris posita. Ego cum patribus ejicior1: "I maintain the doctrine of the holy fathers. I have their witnesses, not uttered by chance, or by the way, but written in their books. I am excommunicate, and cast out, and banished with the fathers." If the devil can shew himself as the angel of light, and if false prophets can come in the name of Christ, much more may some others come in the name and under the colour of certain fathers. But, good christian reader, for thy better understanding, lest happily thou be deceived, it may please thee to know that these authorities, alleged here by M. Harding, are neither new, nor strange, nor unknown to any man of mean learning; but have been both often brought in, and alleged by others, and also weighed and examined, and thoroughly confuted long ago. Indeed, M. Harding hath added of himself some beauty of his eloquence and majesty of words; and yet not so much, nor such, but it may easily be answered, although not with like eloquence, whereof in these cases there is no need, yet at least with more truth. I trust by indifferent conference hereof thou shalt soon see the ancient fathers, some that never were, by M. Harding surmised and counterfeited; some untruly alleged; some corruptly translated; some perversely expounded; some unaptly and guilefully applied; their words sometimes abridged, sometimes enlarged, sometimes altered, sometimes dissembled; fabulous and unknown authorities newly founded; childish arguments fondly concluded; to be short, infinite untruths, and known untruths, boldly avouched. In consideration hereof St Augustine crieth out: 0 rerum naturæ obscuritas! quantum tegmen est cha. Lib. ii. falsitatis2! "O the darkness of natural things! what a covert have lies to lurk in!" Therefore Socrates saith: "We may not believe every argument that is shewed us, upon the sight, but must open it, and search it, and look it through." For oftentimes it seemeth otherwise than it is. It seemeth strong without, and is weak within. King Agesilaus, when he withstood his enemies, of policy, to cover the smallness and weakness of their bodies, had bombasted and embossed out their coats with great quarters, that they might seem big and mighty men, and that his soldiers therewith were much dismayed, after he had overthrown and slain them in the field, pulled off their coats, and stript them, and left them naked; and when he had caused his soldiers to behold the poor, lither, slender, wearish bodies, nothing like that they seemed before, then said he unto them: "Lo, these be they of whom ye stood so much afraid; these be their great bodies, these be their mighty bones". Even so, good reader, if thou stand in fear of these M. Harding's authorities and arguments, and think them terrible and invincible, for that they are embossed and wrought out by art; take them, rip them, open them, search them, weigh them, strip them naked, shake them out, confer them with the places from whence they were taken; consider the causes and the circumstances, what goeth before, what cometh after; mark the story of the time; examine the judgment of other fathers; and thou shalt marvel wherefore thou stoodest so much afraid, or ever thoughtest them to be invincible. It were above all things to be desired of God, that his heavenly truth might pass forth without these contrarieties and quarrels of judgments; and many godly-wise men are much offended to see it otherwise. But thus it hath been ever from the beginning. Cain was against Abel, Esau against Jacob: the kingdom of darkness was ever against the kingdom of light: the scribes and Pharisees were grieved with Christ: Celsus, Porphyrius, Julianus, Symmachus, were grieved [Luke ii. 34.] with the glory of the gospel. Christ himself is the stone of offence, "laid to the resurrection and ruin of many." But through these offences and contentions the truth of God breaketh out, and shineth more glorious. Blessed therefore be the name of God, that hath offered this occasion. For I have no doubt in God but of this necessary conflict, through his mercy, there shall issue some sparkle to the glory of his holy name. For, as Moses' rod devoured the rods of the sorcerers, even so will the truth of God devour error. [ Diosc. in Concil. Chalced. in Concil. Stud. Labb. et Cossart. Lut. Par. 1671-2. Action. 1. Tom. IV. [ August. Op. Par. 1679-1700. De Mor. Manich. Lib. II. cap. xvi. 38. Tom. I. col. 729.] [ Understood, 1565, 1609] [ Plut. in Agesil.] Darkness cannot stand before the light. Tertullian saith: Scriptura divina hæreticorum fraudes et furta convincit, et detegit: "The holy scripture discloseth and confoundeth the subtleties and robberies of heretics." And Nehemias saith: "Great is verity, and prevaileth." But M. Harding threatened aforehand that mine answer (be it true, be it false) shall soon be answered. Howbeit, if he will not dissemble, but deal plainly, and lay out the whole, and answer the whole as he seeth I have dealt with him, perhaps it may require him some longer time. But if he dismember my sayings, and cull out my words, and take choice of my sentences, without regard what goeth before or what cometh after; or if he send us over such pretty pamphlets as he lately printed together, and joined with the Turkish news of Malta, I warn him beforehand I may not vouchsafe to make him answer. Notwithstanding, before he address himself to his second book, I would counsel him, first, to consider better the oversights and scapes of his former book; and further, to think that whatsoever he shall write, it will be examined and come to trial. And let him remember, it is not sufficient to call us sacramentaries and heretics, or to condemn our books for pelf and trash and fardels of lies, before he see them: for these things will now no longer go for arguments. But, before all things, let him write no more untruths; for thereof he hath sent us enough already: let him no more wrest and rack the scriptures: let him no more neither misallege, nor misconstrue, nor corrupt, nor alter the holy fathers: let him no more imagine councils and canons that he never saw let him no more bring us neither his Amphilochius, nor his Abdias, nor his Hippolytus, nor his Clemens, nor his Leontius, nor any other like childish forgeries, nor his guesses, nor his visions, nor his dreams, nor his fables: let him no more bring one thing for another. And, to be short, let him bring no more contradictions in his own tales, nor be found contrary to himself. Otherwise, the more he striveth, the more he bewrayeth his own cause. 1 Esdr. iv. Now, good christian reader, that thou mayest be the better able both to satisfy thine own conscience in these cases, and also to understand as well what is said, as also what is answered of either party, I have laid forth before thee M. Harding's book, without any diminution, fully and wholly, as he himself gave it out. And to every parcel thereof, according to my poor skill, I have laid mine answer; whether sufficient or insufficient, thou mayest be judge. To thee it is dedicated, and for thy sake it is written. Here must I say unto thee even as St Hierome saith to his reader in the like case: Quæso, lector, Adversus ut memor tribunalis Domini, et de judicio tuo te intelligens judicandum, nec mihi nec adversario [meo] faveas; neve personas loquentium, sed causam consideres? : mitani. "I beseech thee, good reader, that, remembering the judgment-seat of the Lord, and understanding that, as thou dost judge, so thou shalt be judged, thou favour neither me, nor mine adversary that writeth against me; and that thou regard not the persons, but only the cause." God give thee the spirit of understanding, that thou mayest be able to judge uprightly God give thee eyes to see, that thou mayest behold the comfortable and glorious face of God's truth; that thou mayest know the good, and merciful, and perfit will of God; that thou mayest grow into a full perfit man in Christ, and no longer be blown away with every blast of vain doctrine; but mayest be able to know the only, the true, and the living God, and his only-begotten Son Jesus Christ To whom both, with the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. From London, the 6th of August, 1565. JOHN JEWEL, Sarisburien. Error. Johan. Hierosoly [5 Jewel doubtless refers to the letter dated June 12, 1565, which Harding printed from Antwerp. It may be found in Strype, Annals, Vol. I. chap. xlv., and Appendix, No. xxx.] [ Dedicate, 1565.] [ Hieron. Op. Par. 1693-1706. Epist. xxxviii. Ad Pammach. adv. Error. Johan. Jerosol. Tom. IV. Pars II. col. 311.] TO THE READER'. 2 Cor. vi. σας. WHEREAS Horace saith, "They that run over the sea change the air, not the mind2;” it is so, reader, that I, passing over the sea out of England into Brabant, have in some part changed also my mind. For whereas, being there, I minded to send this treatise but to one friend, who required it for his private instruction, and never to set any thing abroad; now, being arrived here in Lovaine, I have thought good, by putting it in print, to make it common to many. Yet, to say the truth, hereto I have been pricked more by zealous persuasions of others, than induced by mine own liking. For though duty require, be it with shame, or be it with fame, to employ all endeavour to the defence of the catholic faith in these most perilous times much impugned; yet, partly by a certain cowardly judgment, and specially by natural inXabe Bi- clination, I have ever liked more that old counsel uttered by the Greeks in two words, which adviseth a man so to live secretly as it be not known he hath lived. Wherefore, as this labour in that respect deserveth less thank, so for my part it ought less to be blamed. If ought be found amiss, the blame thereof rightly divided between my friends and me, the greater portion shall redound to them, the lesser to me, as on whom the spot of unskill only shall cleave, but the note of undiscretion shall remain to them. For as the defects be mine and none other's, so oversight of setting forth that which was of less sufficiency is to be imputed to them, not to me. Howsoever it be, the meaning of us both is only this, christian reader, hereby to minister unto thee matter of comfort in these sorrowful, of stay in these wavering, of understanding the truth in these erroneous times; withal, to call him back, who in denying these articles hath overrun himself. Wherein I am not altogether void of hope. Our Lord grant the spirit of heresy, pride, stoutness of heart in gainsaying, estimation of himself, and regard of this world, stop not from him the Holy Ghost's working! Would God he may weigh this my doing so indifferently, as my meaning towards him is right wholesome and friendly! But in case that deep wound may not be cured with such salve, yet my trust is it shall do thee good, reader, who art either yet whole, or not so desperately wounded: which if it do, I shall think my labour well requited, and myself to have achieved that reward which I sought. Now, this much I have thought good here to warn thee of, that, whereas at the first I appointed this to my private friend only, and not to all in common (though in sundry places I follow the manner of such as mind to publish their writings), I have so both ordered the matter and tempered the style, as I judge it might have been liked of my friend at home, and doubt whether it may bear the light abroad. I see men's stomachs of our time to be very delicate and diverse. Some require sweet junkets, some sour and sharp sauces; some esteem the curiosity of cookery more than the wholesomeness of viands; some can like no dish, be it never so well dight. In this diversity no man can please all: whosoever seeketh it shall find himself deceived. I ween the best way is, if a man herein mind to do ought, to make his provision of the things only which be wholesome. So shall he displease many, hurt none, and please all the good. Whosoever in doing this directeth his whole purpose and endeavour to this end, that he may profit and help all, in my judgment he doth do the duty of an honest and a good man. Verily in this treatise this hath been mine only purpose; and the mean to bring the same to effect hath been such as whereby I studied to profit wholesomely, not to please delicately. How much good I have performed, I know not; my conscience (which is enough) beareth me witness of good-will. What the apostles have planted, in this great barrenness and drought of faith I have desired again to water. God give increase! If the multitude of allegations brought for confirmation of some these articles shall seem tedious, no marvel. I should mislike the same in another myself. I grant ['Reprinted from Harding's Answer, 1564, and not given in the editions of Jewel's works.] herein I have not always kept due comeliness. For, simply to say what I think (having leave to return to my former metaphor), soothly in some courses I have overcharged the board with dishes. Marvel not I have done that I discommend myself: to avoid a more reproof in greater respect, I have wittingly done a thing in some degree reprovable. Neither think I greatly to offend, if in this time of spiritual famine I follow the wont of some feast-makers; who, of their neighbours twitted with niggardness, to shew their largess and bounty feast them with lavish. The adversary, as here thou mayest see, hath not spared to irk us with reproach of penury, of scarcity, of lack; I mean, of proofs for maintenance of some good part of our religion. In this case to me it seemed a part of just defence to utter some good store. And the niggard's feast by old proverb is well commended, thou knowest pardy. Neither yet have we emptied all our spence3, as hereafter it shall appear, if need require. If some do not allow this consideration, whosoever the same shall blame, him here concluding shortly I answer with Alexander king of Macedons, who to Leonidas, one of his minions, finding fault with spending much frankincense in sacrifices, wrote thus in few: "Frankincense and myrrh to thee we have sent plenty, that now to the gods thou be no more a niggard.” Farewell. At Lovaine, 14 of June, |