A04468:556
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.
Concerning this place of S. Augustine, it ought not to be stretched to all matters in general, that be in question,1 as though we might not use the Testimonies and Authorities of the Fathers against Heretics: but it pertaineth only to the question in that book, De unitate Ecclesiae, treated of, which is, where the Church is. Petiliā the Donatist, and the Maintainers of that Heresy contended the Church to be only in Aphrike, or at the furthest in Part Donati, among them only that held with Donatus. The same heresy went they about to prove by Scriptures. But when S. Augustine saw how weak their proofs were, which they brought out of the Scriptures, he provoked them, the better to overthrow them, to come to the trial of the Scriptures. And in deed where the Scriptures be manifest for proof of any matter, what need is there of Doctors? But where the sense of the Scriptures is obscure, and may be wrested by evil wits to the maintenance of an Heresy, there the expositions of the Fathers by all Old Writers have ben taken of necessity, to supply the Scriptures obscurity, and to declare the sense of the Church, which the Holy Ghost hath prompted. And in such cases S. Augustine himself useth the Testimonies of the Fathers not seldom, namely against Julian the Pelagian: Where beside Scripture, touching Original sin, he allegeth against the Pelagians a great number of Fathers: and at length in one place speaking of the Authority, reverence, and credit he had them in, he saithe thus:2 Quod credunt, credo, &c: What they believe, I believe: what they hold, I hold: what they teach, I teach: what they preach, I preach. From the special to the general negatively, the argument holdeth not, ye know, if ye have not forgotten your Logic.