The apology of the Church of England, and an epistle to one Seignior Scipio…

AN EPISTLE Written by the Reverend Father in God JOHN JEWEL, Lord Bishop of SARUM, TO SEIGNIOR SCIPIO A Venetian Gentleman.

AN EPISTLE Written by the Reverend Father in God JOHN JEWEL, Lord Bishop of SARUM, TO SEIGNIOR SCIPEO A Venetian Gentleman.

In Answer to a Letter of his, in which he complains of the Kingdom of England, for their not appearing in the Council of Trent, nor excusing their Absence by Letters.

SIR,

YOU are pleased to write to me with much freedom, according to the great Acquaintance which hath been between us (ever since we lived together at Padua, where you were employed in the public Service of your Common-wealth, ⟨p. 146⟩and I in the Pursuit of Learning) that both your self, and many others with you, in those Parts, do much admire, that seeing there is at this time a General Council called by the Pope at Trent, for the composing Controversies in Religion, and the extinguishing all Contentions that have arisen on that account; and that, whereas all other Nations are assembled there, the Kingdom of England alone, has neither sent any Ambassador thither, nor excused their Absence by Envoys or Letters; but in the mean time, without the Consent of the Council, hath changed almost the whole Order of their Ancient and Paternal Religion; that one of these things hath the appearance of a proud Contumacy, and the other of a pernicious Schism; for it is a great Wickedness for any man (say you) to decline the most holy Authority of the Pope of Rome; or to to withdraw himself, when he is called to a Council by him. And that Controversies in Religion ought not to be determined any where but in such Conventions, for there are the Patriarchs and Bishops, and the most Learned of all Orders of Men in the Church; at their Mouths the Truth is to be sought, there are the great Lights of the Church, and there the Holy Ghost is ever present, and accordingly, pious Princes have in every age referred all those Doubts which have happened concerning the Worship of God, to such public Consultations. That neither Moses, nor Joshua, nor David, nor Ezechia, nor Josiah, nor any other of the Judges, Kings or Priests, did ever deliberate of the Affairs of