A04468:2606
A defence of the Apology of the Church of England containing an answer to…A defence of the Apologie of the Churche of Englande conteininge an answeare to…
A defence of the Apology of the Church of England containing an answer to a certain book lately set forth by M. Harding, and entitled, A confutation of &c. By John Jewel Bishop of Salisbury.A defence of the Apologie of the Churche of Englande conteininge an answeare to a certaine booke lately set foorthe by M. Hardinge, and entituled, A confutation of &c. By Iohn Iewel Bishop of Sarisburie.
Imprinted at London : In Fleetestreate, at the sign of the Elephant, by Henry Wykes, Anno 1567. 27. OctobrisImprinted at London : In Fleetestreate, at the signe of the Elephante, by Henry VVykes, Anno 1567. 27. Octobris
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
M. Harding.
M. Hardinge.
It is a great eye sore to the Ministers of Antichrist, to see the Vicar of Christ above Lords and Kings of this world: to see Princes and Emperors promise and swear obedience unto him. But they that are the faithful subjects of the Church of God, think it no absurdity, that the Shepherd be set•, not only above the Lambs and Ewes of the Church, but also above the Wethers and Rams them selves. It is a very great folly for them to find fault with the superiority of the Bishop of Rome, who can never prove, that he is not the Vicar of Christ.1 If he were not his Vicar, yet being a Bishop he is above any temporal Prince‡ concerning his Priestly office. But sith Christ said to Peter, Upon this rock I will build my Church, and hell gates shall not prevail against it,* Bark until your bellies break, ye that be the hellhounds of Luther's and Zuinglius litter, or rather of Satan's your and their chief master, shall not prevail against the Apostolic see of Peter. It hath withstanded all Devils and Heretics a thousand five hundred years: and think ye that your selves be stronger then Arius? It grieveth you, that the Pope is higher then the Emperor, not for any love ye bear to the Emperor, nor for hatred that ye have to the Popes person, whom ye know not: but your quarrel is against Christ, whose person the Pope beareth. Or tell us, I pray you, doth he call him self any Princes or Emperors vicegerent, and not rather the‡ Vicar of Christ alone? Whom impugn ye then but Christ in his Vicar?5 Have ye not readen, qui vos spernit, me spernit: he that despiseth you, despiseth me? Ye thought the Pope had no better text for his primacy and supreme authority, than two lights, which God made in Heaven. But if malice had not blinded you, in the very same chapter of Innocentius the third, (from whence like a spider ye sucked that ye thought was worst) ye might have seen an other reason going before,