A04468:3115
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.
Ludovicus a Canon of the Church of Lateran in Rome, in an Oration openly pronounced in your late Chapter at Trident,1 saith thus: Ecclesia est Vivum pectus Christi: Scriptura autem est quasi Mortuum Atramentum: The Church is the Lively Breast of Christ: But the Scripture is, as it were, Dead Ink. Likewise said the Bishop of Poitiers in the same your Chapter: Scriptura est res manimis, & muta,2 sicut etiam sunt reliquae Leges Politicae: The Scripture is a Dead, and Dumb thing, as are all other Politic Laws. Albertus Pigghius saith, Si dixeris, haec referri oportere ad Judicium Scripturarum,3 Communis re sensus ignarum esse comprobas. Sunt enim Scripturae Muti Judices: If thou say, These matters must be put over to the Judgement of the Scriptures, thou she west thee self to be void of common reason. For the Scriptures are dumb Judges, and cannot speak. ⟨p. 474⟩Eckius calleth the Scriptures, 4Evangelium Nigrum, & Theologiam Atramentariam: The Black Gospel, and Inken Divinity. Again Pigghius saith, Ecclesia habet illam potestatem,5 ut possit Scriptis quibusdam impertiri Canonicam Authoritatem, quam nec ex se, nec ex suis Authoribus habent: The Church hath power to give Canonical Authority unto certain Writings, which otherwise they have not, neither of them selves, nor of their Authors. There may be certain Books allowed for Scripture, saith he, that have no credit, nor Authority of them selves. Therefore the meaning hereof must needs be this: The Church (of Rome) hath Authority to make Scriptures. Again he saithe, Sunt Scripturae, ut, non minùs verè, quàm festivè dixit quidam, velut Nasus Cereus, qui se horsum, illorsum, & in quancunque volueris partem,6 trahi, retrahi, fingique facilè permittit: As one man both truly, and merrily said, the Scripture is like a Nose of Wax, that easily suffereth it self to be drawn backward, and forward, and to be moulded, and fashioned, this way, and that way, and how so ever ye list.