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…

And here, to dissemble these childish causilati•ns of the altering of Numbers, the Singular into the Plural: and of the changing of this word, Merit, into this word, Preeminence: which great fault, if it were any, by M. Hardinges own Confession, proceeded only from the Interpreter, and not from the Author: I say, to dissemble, and to pass by all these silly quarrels, what S. Hierome meant hereby, Erasmus a man of great Learning, and judgement, expoundeth thus:¹ Hieronymus aequare videtur omnes Episcopos inter se, perinde quasi omnes ex aequo Apostolis successerint. Nec putat ullum Episcopum alio minorem esse, quód sit humilior: aut Maiorem, quód sit Opulentior: Nam aequat Eugubiensem Episcopum cum Romano, Deinde non putat, Episcopum quovis Presbytero praestantiorem esse, nisi quód jus habeat Ordinandi: Hierome seemeth to match all Bishops together, as if they were all equally the Apostles Successors. And he thinketh not any Bishop to be sesse then other, for that he is poorer: or greater then other, for that he is richer. For he maketh the Bishop of Eugubium (a poor town) equal with the Bishop of Rome. And farther he thinketh, that a Bishop is no better then any Priest, saving that the Bishop hath Authority to Order Ministers.

And here, to dissemble these childishe causilati•ns of the altering of Numbers, the Singulare into the Plural: and of the changinge of this woorde, Merite, into this woorde, Preeminence: whiche greate faulte, if it were any, by M. Hardinges owne Confession, proceeded onely from the Interpreter, and not from the Authour: I saie, to dissemble, and to passe by al these séely quarrels, what S. Hierome meante hereby, Erasmus a man of great Learninge, and iudgement, expoundeth thus:¹ Hieronymus aequare videtur omnes Episcopos inter se, perinde quasi omnes ex aequo Apostolis successerint. Nec putat vllum Episcopum alio minorem esse, quód sit humilior: aut Maiorem, quód sit Opulentior: Nam aequat Eugubiensem Episcopum cum Romano, Deinde non putat, Episcopum quouis Presbytero praestantiorem esse, nisi quód ius habeat Ordinandi: Hierome seemeth to matche al Bishoppes togeather, as if they were al equally the Apostles Successours. And he thinketh not any Bishop to be sesse then other, for that he is poorer: or greatter then other, for that he is richer. For he maketh the Bishop of Eugubium (a poore towne) equal with the Bishop of Rome. And farther he thinketh, that a Bishop is no better then any Prieste, sauinge that the Bishop hath Authoritie to Order Ministers.