PART I.

Transcribed from the 1888 Cassell and Company edition by David Price,

email ccx074@coventry.ac.uk

THE APOLOGY OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND.

BY

JOHN JEWEL,

_Bishop of Salisbury_.

CASSELL & COMPANY, LIMITED:

_LONDON_, _PARIS_, _NEW YORK & MELBOURNE_.

1888.

INTRODUCTION.

The great interest of Jewel's "Apology" lies in the fact that it was

written in Latin to be read throughout Europe as the answer of the

Reformed Church of England, at the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's reign,

to those who said that the Reformation set up a new Church. Its argument

was that the English Church Reformers were going back to the old Church,

not setting up a new; and this Jewel proposed to show by looking back to

the first centuries of Christianity. Innovation was imputed; and an

Apology originally meant a pleading to rebut an imputation. So, even as

late as 1796, there was a book called "An Apology for the Bible," meaning

its defence against those who questioned its authority. This Latin book

of Jewel's, _Apologia Ecclesiae Anglicanae_--written in Latin because it

was not addressed to England only--was first published in 1562, and

translated into English by the mother of Francis Bacon, whose edition

appeared in 1564. That is the translation given in this volume. The

book has since had six or seven other translators, but Lady Ann Bacon's

translation was that which presented it in Queen Elizabeth's time to

English readers, and it had the advantage of revision by the Queen's

Archbishop of Canterbury, her coadjutor in the establishment of the

Reformed Church of England, Matthew Parker. It was published, with no

name of author or translator on the title-page, as "An Apologie or

answere in defence of the Churche of Englande, with a briefe and plaine

declaration of the true Religion professed or used in the same." The

book was prefaced by a letter, "To the right honorable learned and

vertuous Ladie, A. B." [Ann Bacon] "M. C. wisheth from God grace,

honoure, and felicitie," where M. C. signifies Matthew Cantuar, Matthew

Parker, Archbishop of Canterbury, whom Lady Ann Bacon had made her judge,

and whose judgment, the letter says, her book had singularly pleased.

Lady Ann Bacon was the second daughter of Sir Anthony Cooke, who was

tutor to King Edward VI. Sir Anthony gave to his five daughters a most

liberal education. His eldest daughter, Mildred, married Sir William

Cecil, afterwards Lord Burleigh, while Ann became the second wife of the

Lord Keeper, Sir Nicholas Bacon. Their father had made Mildred and Ann

two of the most learned women in England.

John Jewel was forty years old when he wrote the "Apology." He was born

in Devonshire in 1522, on the 24th of May, at the village of Buden, near

Ilfracombe. He studied at Oxford, where he became tutor and preacher,

graduated as B.D. in 1551, and was presented to the rectory of

Sunningwell. At the accession of Queen Mary he bowed to the royal

authority, but he was a warm friend and disciple of Peter Martyr, who had

come to England in 1547, at the invitation of Edward VI., to take the

chair of Divinity at Oxford. On the accession of Queen Mary, Peter

Martyr (who was born at Florence in 1500, and whose family name was

Vermigli) returned to Strasburg, and went thence to Zurich, where he died

in 1562. Jewel, repenting of his assent to the new sovereign's authority

in matters of religion, followed his friend Peter Martyr across the

water, and became vice-master of a college at Strasburg. Upon the

accession of Elizabeth, in 1588, Jewel came back, and he was one of the

sixteen Protestants appointed by the Queen to dispute before her with a

like number of Catholics.

In 1559 John Jewel was appointed a commissioner for securing, in the West

of England, conformity with the newly-arranged Church service, and he had

to see that the Queen's orders were obeyed in the churches of his native

county. Before the end of the same year he was consecrated Bishop of

Salisbury. He was most zealous in performance of all duties of his

charge. To his good offices young Richard Hooker owed his opportunity of

training for the service of the Church. Among Jewel's writings, this

Apology or Defence of the Church of England was the most important; but

he worked incessantly, and shortened his life by limiting himself to four

hours of sleep, taken between midnight and four in the morning. Bishop

Jewel died on the 21st of September, 1571, before he had reached the age

of fifty.

H. M.

AN APOLOGY, OR ANSWER, IN DEFENCE OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND,

_With a Brief and Plain Declaration of the True Religion Professed and

Used in the Same_.

PART I.

It hath been an old complaint, even from the first time of the patriarchs

and Prophets, and confirmed by the writings and testimonies of every age,

that the truth wandereth here and there as a stranger in the world, and

doth readily find enemies and slanderers amongst those that know her not.

Albeit perchance this may seem unto some a thing hard to be believed, I

mean to such as have scant well and narrowly taken heed thereunto,

specially seeing all mankind of nature's very motion without a teacher

doth covet the truth of their own accord; and seeing our Saviour Christ

Himself, when He was on earth, would be called the Truth, as by a name

most fit to express all His Divine power; yet we, which have been

exercised in the Holy Scriptures, and which have both read and seen what

hath happened to all godly men commonly at all times; what to the

Prophets, to the Apostles, to the holy martyrs, and what to Christ

Himself; with what rebukes, revilings, and despites they were continually

vexed whiles they here lived, and that only for the truth's sake: we, I

say, do see that this is not only no new thing, or hard to be believed,

but that it is a thing already received, and commonly used from age to

age. Nay, truly, this might seem much rather a marvel, and beyond all

belief, if the devil, who is the father of lies, and enemy to all truth,

would now upon a sudden change his nature, and hope that truth might

otherwise be suppressed than by belying it; or that he would begin to

establish his own kingdom by using now any other practices than the same

which he hath ever used from the beginning. For since any man's

remembrance we can scant find one time, either when religion did first

grow, or when it was settled, or when it did afresh spring up again,

wherein truth and innocency were not by all unworthy means, and most

despitefully intreated. Doubtless the devil well seeth, that so long as

truth is in good safety, himself cannot be safe, nor yet maintain his own

estate.

For, letting pass the ancient patriarchs and Prophets, who, as we have

said, had no part of their life free from contumelies and slanders, we

know there were certain in times past which said and commonly preached,

that the old ancient Jews (of whom we make no doubt but they were the

worshippers of the only and true God) did worship either a sow, or an

ass, in God's stead, and that all the same religion was nothing else but

a sacrilege, and a plain contempt of all godliness. We know also that

the Son of God, our Saviour Jesu Christ, when He taught the truth, was

counted a juggler and an enchanter, a Samaritan, Beelzebub, a deceiver of

the people, a drunkard, and a glutton. Again, who wotteth not what words

were spoken against St. Paul, the most earnest and vehement preacher and

maintainer of the truth? sometime that he was a seditious and busy man, a

raiser of tumults, a causer of rebellion; sometime again, that he was an

heretic; sometime, that he was mad; sometime, that only upon strife and

stomach he was both a blasphemer of God's law, and a despiser of the

fathers' ordinances. Further, who knoweth not how St. Stephen, after he

had thoroughly and sincerely embraced the truth, and began frankly and

stoutly to preach and set forth the same, as he ought to do, was

immediately called to answer for his life, as one that had wickedly

uttered disdainful and heinous words against the law, against Moses,

against the temple, and against God? Or who is ignorant that in times

past there were some which reproved the Holy Scripts of falsehood, saying

they contained things both contrary and quite one against other; and how

that the Apostles of Christ did severally disagree between themselves,

and that St. Paul did vary from them all? And, not to make rehearsal of

all, for that were an endless labour, who knoweth not after what sort our

fathers were railed upon in times past, which first began to acknowledge

and profess the Name of Christ? how they made private conspiracies,

devised secret counsels against the commonwealth, and that end made early

and privy meetings in the dark, killed young babes, fed themselves with

men's flesh, and, like savage and brute beasts, did drink their blood? in

conclusion, how that, after they had put out the candles, they committed

adultery between themselves, and without regard wrought incest one with

another: that brethren lay with their sisters, sons with their mothers,

without any reverence of nature or kin, without shame without difference;

and that they were wicked men without all care of religion, and without

any opinion of God, being the very enemies of mankind, unworthy to be

suffered in the world, and unworthy of life?

All these things were spoken in those days against the people of God,

against Christ Jesu, against Paul, against Stephen, and against all them,

whosoever they were, which at the first beginning embraced the truth of

the Gospel, and were contented to be called by the name of Christians,

which was then a hateful name among the common people. And although the

things which they said were not true, yet the devil thought it should be

sufficient for him, if at the least he could bring it so to pass as they

might be believed for true, and that the Christians might be brought into

a common hatred of everybody, and have their death and destruction sought

of all sorts. Hereupon kings and princes, being led then by such

persuasions, killed all the Prophets of God, letting none escape. Esay

with a saw, Jeremy with stones, Daniel with lions, Amos with an iron bar,

Paul with the sword, and Christ upon the cross; and condemned all

Christians to imprisonments, to torments, to the pikes, to be thrown down

headlong from rocks and steep places, to be cast to wild beasts, and to

be burnt: and made great fires of their quick bodies, for the only

purpose to give light by night, and for a very scorn and mocking stock;

and did count them no better than the vilest filth, the offscourings and

laughing games of the whole world. Thus, as ye see, have the authors and

professors of the truth ever been intreated.

Wherefore, we ought to bear it the more quietly, which have taken upon us

to profess the Gospel of Christ, if we for the same cause be handled

after the same sort; and if we, as our forefathers were long ago, be

likewise at this day tormented, and baited with railings, with spiteful

dealings, and with lies; and that for no desert of our own, but only

because we teach and acknowledge the truth.

They cry out upon us at this present everywhere, that we are all

heretics, and have forsaken the faith, and have with new persuasions and

wicked learning utterly dissolved the concord of the Church; that we

renew, and, as it were, fetch again from hell the old and many a day

condemned heresies; that we sow abroad new sects, and such broils as

never yearst were heard of: also that we are already divided into

contrary parts and opinions, and could yet by no means agree well among

ourselves; that we be cursed creatures, and, like the giants, do war

against God Himself, and live clean without any regard or worshipping of

God; that we despise all good deeds; that we use no discipline of virtue,

no laws, no customs; that we esteem neither right, nor order, nor equity,

nor justice; that we give the bridle to all naughtiness, and provoke the

people to all licentiousness and lust; that we labour and seek to

overthrow the state of monarchies and kingdoms, and to bring all things

under the rule of the rash inconstant people and unlearned multitude;

that we have seditiously fallen from the Catholic Church, and by a wicked

schism and division have shaken the whole world, and troubled the common

peace and universal quiet of the Church; and that, as Dathan and Abiram

conspired in times past against Moses and Aaron, even so we at this day

have renounced the Bishop of Rome without any cause reasonable; that we

set nought by the authority of the ancient fathers and councils of old

time; that we have rashly and presumptuously disannulled the old

ceremonies, which have been well allowed by our fathers and forefathers

many hundred years past, both by good customs, and also in ages of more

purity; and that we have by our own private head, without the authority

of any sacred and general council, brought new traditions into the

Church: and have done all these things not for religion's sake, but only

upon a desire of contention and strife; but that they for their part have

changed no manner of thing, but have held and kept still such a number of

years to this very day all things as they were delivered from the

Apostles and well approved by the most ancient fathers.

And that this matter should not seem to be done but upon privy slander,

and to be tossed to and fro in a corner, only to spite us, there have

been besides wilily procured by the Bishop of Rome certain persons of

eloquence enough, and not unlearned neither, which should put their help

to this cause, now almost despaired of, and should polish and set forth

the same, both in books, and with long tales to the end that, when the

matter was trimly and eloquently handled, ignorant and unskilful persons

might suspect there was some great thing in it. Indeed they perceived

that their own cause did everywhere go to wrack; that their sleights were

now espied, and less esteemed; and that their helps did daily fail them;

and that their matter stood altogether in great need of a cunning

spokesman.

Now as for those things which by them have been laid against us, in part

they be manifestly false, and condemned so by their own judgments which

spake them; partly again, though they be as false, too, indeed, yet bear

they a certain show and colour of truth, so as the reader (if he take not

good heed) may easily be tripped and brought into error by them,

specially when their fine and cunning tale is added thereunto. And part

of them be of such sort as we ought not to shun them as crimes or faults,

but to acknowledge and profess them as things well done, and upon very

good reason.

For shortly to say the truth, these folk falsely accuse and slander all

our doings; yea the same things which they themselves cannot deny but to

be rightly and orderly done; and for malice do so misconstrue and deprave

all our sayings and doings, as though it were impossible that anything

could be rightly spoken or done by us. They should more plainly and

sincerely have gone to work if they would have dealt truly. But now they

neither truly, nor sincerely, nor yet Christianly, but darkly and

craftily charge and batter us with lies, and do abuse the blindness and

fondness of the people, together with the ignorance of princes, to cause

us to be hated and the truth to be suppressed. This, lo, ye, is the

power of darkness, and of men which lean more to the amazed wondering of

the rude multitude and to darkness than they do to truth and light; and

as St. Hierom saith, which do openly gainsay the truth, closing up their

eyes, and will not see for the nonce.

But we give thanks to the most good and mighty God, that such is our

cause, whereagainst (when they would fainest) they were able to utter no

despite, but the same which might as well be wrested against the holy

fathers, against the Prophets, against the Apostles, against Peter,

against Paul, and against Christ Himself.

Now, therefore, if it be lawful for these folks to be eloquent and fine-

tongued in speaking evil, surely it becometh not us in our cause, being

so very good, to be dumb in answering truly. For men to be careless what

is spoken by them and their own matter, be it never so falsely and

slanderously spoken (especially when it is such that the majesty of God

and the cause of religion may thereby be damaged), is the part doubtless

of dissolute and wretchless persons, and of them which wickedly wink at

the injuries done unto the Name of God. For although other wrongs, yea

oftentimes great, may be borne and dissembled of a mild and Christian

man, yet he that goeth smoothly away, and dissembleth the matter when he

is noted of heresy, Ruffinus was wont to deny that man to be a Christian.

We therefore will do the same thing, which all laws, which nature's own

voice doth command to be done, and which Christ Himself did in like case,

when He was checked and reviled: to the intent we may put off from us

these men's slanderous accusations, and may defend soberly and truly our

own cause and innocency. For Christ verily, when the Pharisees charged

Him with sorcery, as one that had some familiar spirits, and wrought many

things by their help: "I," said He, "have not the devil, but do glorify

my Father: but it is you that have dishonoured me, and put me to rebuke

and shame." And St. Paul, when Festus the lieutenant scorned him as a

madman: "I," said he, "most dear Festus, am not mad, as thou thinkest,

but I speak the words of truth and soberness." And the ancient

Christians, when they were slandered to the people for mankillers, for

adulterers, for committers of incest, for disturbers of the commonweals,

and did perceive that by such slanderous accusations the religion which

they professed might be brought in question, namely, if they should seem

to hold their peace, and in manner to confess the fault; lest this might

hinder the free course of the Gospel, they made orations, they put up

supplications, and made means to emperors and princes, that they might

defend themselves and their fellows in open audience.

But we truly, seeing that so many thousands of our brethren in these last

twenty years have borne witness unto the truth, in the midst of most

painful torments that could be devised; and when princes, desirous to

restrain the Gospel, sought many ways, but prevailed nothing; and that

now almost the whole world doth begin to open their eyes to behold the

light; we take it that our cause hath already been sufficiently declared

and defended, and think it not needful to make many words, seeing the

matter saith enough for itself. For if the popes would, or else if they

could weigh with their own selves the whole matter, and also the

beginnings and proceedings of our religion, how in a manner all their

travail hath come to nought, nobody driving it forward; and how on the

other side, our cause, against the will of emperors from the beginning,

against the wills of so many kings, in spite of the popes, and almost

maugre the head of all men, hath taken increase, and by little and little

spread over into all countries, and is come at length even into kings'

courts and palaces; these same things, methinketh, might be tokens great

enough to them, that God Himself doth strongly fight in our quarrel, and

doth from heaven laugh at their enterprises; and that the force of truth

is such, as neither man's power, nor yet hell-gates are able to root it

out. For they be not all mad at this day, so many free cities, so many

kings, so many princes, which have fallen away from the seat of Rome, and

have rather joined themselves to the Gospel of Christ.

And although the popes had never hitherunto leisure to consider

diligently and earnestly of these matters, or though some other cares do

now let them, and diverse ways pull them, or though they count these to

be but common and trifling studies, and nothing to appertain to the

Pope's worthiness, this maketh not why our matter ought to seem the

worse. Or if they perchance will not see that which they see indeed, but

rather will withstand the known truth, ought we therefore by-and-by to be

accounted heretics because we obey not their will and pleasure? If so

be, that Pope Pius were the man (we say not, which he would so gladly be

called), but if he were indeed a man that either would account us for his

brethren, or at least would take us to be men, he would first diligently

have examined our reasons, and would have seen what might be said with

us, what against us; and would not in his bull, whereby he lately

pretended a council, so rashly have condemned so great a part of the

world, so many learned and godly men, so many commonwealths, so many

kings, and so many princes, only upon his own blind prejudices and fore-

determinations--and that without hearing of them speak or without showing

cause why.

But because he hath already so noted us openly, lest by holding our peace

we should seem to grant a fault, and specially because we can by no means

have audience in the public assembly of the general council, wherein he

would no creature should have power to give his voice or to declare his

opinion, except he be sworn, and straitly bound to maintain his authority

(for we have had good experience hereof in the last conference at the

council at Trident; where the ambassadors and divines of the princes of

Germany, and of the free cities, were quite shut out from their company.

Neither can we yet forget, how Julius the Third, above ten years past,

provided warily by his writ that none of our sort should be suffered to

speak in the council, except that there were some, peradventure, that

would recant and change his opinion): for this cause chiefly we thought

it good to yield up an account of our faith in writing, and truly and

openly to make answer to those things wherewith we have been openly

charged; to the end the world may see the parts and foundations of that

doctrine, in the behalf whereof so many good men have little regarded

their own lives; and that all men may understand what manner of people

they be, and what opinion they have of God and of religion, whom the

Bishop of Rome, before they were called to tell their tale, hath

condemned for heretics, without any good consideration, without any

example, and utterly without law or right, only because he heard tell

that they did dissent from him and his in some point of religion.

And although St. Hierom would have nobody to be patient when he is

suspected of heresy, yet we will deal herein neither bitterly nor

brablingly; nor yet be carried away with anger and heat; though he ought

to be reckoned neither bitter nor brabler that speaketh the truth. We

willingly leave this kind of eloquence to our adversaries, who,

whatsoever they say against us, be it never so shrewdly or despitefully

said, yet think it is said modestly and comely enough, and care nothing

whether it be true or false. We need none of these shifts which do

maintain the truth.

Further, if we do show it plainly that God's holy Gospel, the ancient

bishops, and the primitive Church do make on our side, and that we have

not without just cause left these men, and rather have returned to the

Apostles and old Catholic fathers; and if we shall be found to do the

same not colourably or craftily, but in good faith before God, truly,

honestly, clearly, and plainly; and if they themselves which fly our

doctrine, and would be called Catholics, shall manifestly see how all

these titles of antiquity, whereof they boast so much, are quite shaken

out of their hands; and that there is more pith in this our cause than

they thought for; we then hope and trust that none of them will be so

negligent and careless of his own salvation, but he will at length study

and bethink himself to whether part he were best to join him.

Undoubtedly, except one will altogether harden his heart and refuse to

hear, he shall not repent him to give good heed to this our Defence, and

to mark well what we say, and how truly and justly it agreeth with

Christian religion.

For where they call us heretics, it is a crime so heinous, that unless it

may be seen, unless it may be felt, and in manner may be holden with

hands and fingers, it ought not lightly to be judged or believed, when it

is laid to the charge of any Christian man. For heresy is a forsaking of

salvation, a renouncing of God's grace, a departing from the body and

spirit of Christ. But this was ever an old and solemn property with them

and their forefathers; if any did complain of their errors and faults,

and desired to have true religion restored, straightway to condemn such

ones for heretics, as men new-fangled and factious. Christ for no other

cause was called a Samaritan, but only for that He was thought to have

fallen to a certain new religion, and to be the author of a new sect. And

Paul the Apostle of Christ was called before the judges to make answer to

a matter of heresy; and therefore he said: "According to this way which

they call heresy I do worship the God of my fathers, believing all things

which be written in the law and in the Prophets."

Shortly to speak. This universal religion which Christian men profess at

this day was called first of the heathen people a sect and heresy. With

these terms did they always fill princes' ears, to the intent when they

had once hated us with a predetermined opinion, and had counted all that

we said to be faction and heresy, they might be so led away from the

truth and right understanding of the cause. But the more sore and

outrageous a crime heresy is, the more it ought to be proved by plain and

strong arguments, especially in this time, when men begin to give less

credit to their words, and to make more diligent search of their

doctrine, than they were wont to do. For the people of God are otherwise

instructed now than they were in times past, when all the bishops of

Rome's sayings were allowed for Gospel, and when all religion did depend

only upon their authority. Nowadays the Holy Scripture is abroad, the

writings of the Apostles and Prophets are in print, whereby all truth and

Catholic doctrine may be proved, and all heresy may be disproved and

confuted.

Sithence, then, they bring forth none of these for themselves, and call

us nevertheless heretics, which have neither fallen from Christ, nor from

the Apostles, nor yet from the Prophets, this is an injurious and a very

spiteful dealing. With this sword did Christ put off the devil when He

was tempted of him: with these weapons ought all presumption, which doth

advance itself against God, to be overthrown and conquered. "For all

Scripture," saith St. Paul, "that cometh by the inspiration of God, is

profitable to teach, to confute, to instruct, and to reprove, that the

man of God may be perfect, and thoroughly framed to every good work."

Thus did the holy fathers always fight against the heretics with none

other force than with the Holy Scriptures. St. Augustine, when he

disputed against Petilian, a heretic of the Donatists: "Let not these

words," quoth he, "be heard between us, 'I say, or you say:' let us

rather speak in this wise: 'Thus saith the Lord.' There let us seek the

Church: there let us boult out our cause." Likewise St. Hierom: "All

those things," saith he, "which without the testimony of the Scriptures

are holden as delivered from the Apostles, be thoroughly smitten down by

the sword of God's word." St. Ambrose also, to Gratian the emperor: "Let

the Scripture," saith he, "be asked the question, let the prophets be

asked, and let Christ be asked." For at that time made the Catholic

fathers and bishops no doubt but that our religion might be proved out of

the Holy Scriptures. Neither were they ever so hardy as to take any for

a heretic whose error they could not evidently and apparently reprove by

the self-same Scriptures. And we verily do make answer on this wise, as

St. Paul did: "According to this way which they call heresy we do worship

God, and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; and do allow all things

which have been written either in the law or in the Prophets," or in the

Apostles' works.

Wherefore, if we be heretics, and they (as they would fain be called) be

Catholics, why do they not, as they see the fathers, which were Catholic

men, have always done? Why do they not convince and master us by the

Divine Scriptures? Why do they not call us again to be tried by them?

Why do they not lay before us how we have gone away from Christ, from the

Prophets, from the Apostles, and from the holy fathers? Why stick they

to do it? Why are they afraid of it? It is God's cause. Why are they

doubtful to commit it to the trial of God's word? If we be heretics,

which refer all our controversies unto the Holy Scriptures, and report us

to the self-same words which we know were sealed by God Himself, and in

comparison of them set little by all other things, whatsoever may be

devised by men, how shall we say to these folk, I pray you what manner of

men be they, and how is it meet to call them, which fear the judgment of

the Holy Scriptures--that is to say, the judgment of God Himself--and do

prefer before them their own dreams and full cold inventions; and, to

maintain their own traditions, have defaced and corrupted, now these many

hundred years, the ordinances of Christ and of the Apostles?

Men say that Sophocles, the tragical poet, when in his old days he was by

his own sons accused before the judges for a doting and sottish man, as

one that fondly wasted his own substance, and seemed to need a governor

to see unto him; to the intent he might clear himself of the fault, he

came into the place of judgment; and when he had rehearsed before them

his tragedy called _OEdipus Coloneus_, which he had written at the very

time of his accusation, marvellous exactly and cunningly, did of himself

ask the judges whether they thought any sottish or doting man could do

the like piece of work.

In like manner, because these men take us to be mad, and appeach us for

heretics, as men which have nothing to do, neither with Christ, nor with

the Church of God, we have judged it should be to good purpose, and not

unprofitable, if we do openly and frankly set forth our faith wherein we

stand, and show all that confidence which we have in Christ Jesu; to the

intent all men may see what is our judgment of every part of Christian

religion, and may resolve with themselves, whether the faith which they

shall see confirmed by the words of Christ, by the writings of the

Apostles, by the testimonies of the Catholic fathers, and by the examples

of many ages, be but a certain rage of furious and mad men, and a

conspiracy of heretics. This therefore is our belief.