Bishop of Salisbury in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, and a great polemical writer against Popery. He was born in 1522 at the village of Buden, near Ilfracombe, Devonshire; studied at Oxford; and in 1546 openly professed the tenets of the Reformers. Having obtained the living of Sunningwell, Berks, he distinguished himself by his zeal and assiduity as a parish priest; but, at the accession of Queen Mary to avoid prosecution as a heretic, he made his escape to the continent, and became vice-master of a college at Strasburg. On the death of Mary he returned to England, was received with great favour by her successor, and in 1560 he was raised to the bishopric of Salisbury. His principle work is entitled “An Apology for the Church of England,” originally written in elegant Latin, but translated into every European language; and which, it is said, had more effect in promoting the Reformation than any other book ever published. He died in 1571.

  This Apology cometh to me in good season, as your Grace shall see by a letter received out of France this morning from our ambassador, which when you have read I beseech your grace to return. You may see how he would mingle policy and religion together. Surely he is wise and a good servant in this time. This book is negligently printed, and the margin would (sic) have had the common places marked. I mean to send five or six into France, and as many into Scotland.

  Was the worthiest divine that Christendom hath bred for some hundreds of years.

  A Jewel (sometimes taken for a single precious stone) is properly a collective of many, orderly set together to their best advantage. So several eminencies met in this worthy man; naturals, artificials, (amongst which I recount his studied memory, deserving, as well as Theodectes the sophister, the surname of Mnemonicus,) morals, but principally spirituals: so devout in the pew where he prayed, diligent in the pulpit where he preached, grave on the bench where he assisted, mild in the consistory where he judged, pleasant at the table where he fed, patient in the bed where he died, that well it were if, in relation to him, secundum usum Sarum, were made precedential to all posterity.

  One of the greatest lights that the reformed Church of England hath produced.

  Jewel’s “Apology” is an account of the grounds of our separation from the Church of Rome, as maintained after the separation had finally taken place. It was publicly received and allowed, and has also a claim to the attention of the reader, both for its clearness of argument and elegance of language.

  This short book is written with spirit; the style is terse, the arguments pointed, the authorities much to the purpose, so that its effects are not surprising. This treatise is written in Latin; his “Defence of the Apology,” a much more diffuse work, in English. Upon the merits of the controversy of Jewell with the Jesuit Harding, which this defence embraces, I am not competent to give any opinion: in length and learning, it far surpasses our earlier polemical literature.

  The contemporary of Archbishop Parker, Bishop Jewell, Bishop of Salisbury, with equal learning, united a more glowing style and richer eloquence. Jewell was indeed the most accomplished scholar who had yet appeared in the reformed Church of England.

  Jewell is eminent for his extensive learning, his sound views, and his Christian eloquence. All his works are valuable…. The finest Christian eloquence, deep learning, sound wisdom, and evangelical piety, mark the writings of this Reformer.

  Jewel’s “Apology” is the most perfect expression of the peculiar position of the English Church. It is divided into six parts, and refutes the charges of heresy, godlessness, libertinism, apostasy from the Church, etc. In the doctrinal treatment he shows the influence of Calvin and Peter Martyr; and in the articles on the Person of Christ, the Power of the Keys, and the Sacraments, he is in perfect agreement with them. On the other hand, the doctrine of predestination is wanting; and in regard to justification, he says that our salvation depends entirely upon Christ, and not upon works. He makes no distinction between the visible and invisible Church. He teaches that there are three orders, but defines their functions in a Calvinistic sense, and grants to laymen the exercise of ministerial duties in cases of necessity. The statement is repeated again and again, that the English Reformation was only a return to the old true Catholic Church of the first centuries; and the charge of innovation he repels by affirming it of the Roman-Catholic Church, which had forsaken Christ and the Apostles and Fathers. The Scriptures are the ultimate rule of faith; and the Fathers are not our spiritual “lords, but our leaders.”

  The “Apologia” is the first methodical statement of the position of the church of England against the church of Rome, and forms the groundwork of all subsequent controversy. In it Jewel sketched the doctrines and practice of the English church, defended them against the charges of heresy and disorder, justified the deviations from Roman belief and usage, explained the grounds on which the papal supremacy was not de fide, pointed out the long-felt need of a reformation, and claimed that, as it was impossible to proceed with it by means of a general council, national churches were at liberty to act through provincial synods…. The great interest attaching to Jewel’s writings is the insight which they give into the process by which the anglican system was established on a logical basis. Jewel began his episcopate with decided leanings to Calvinism, and hoped that the Elizabethan church would develope in a Calvinistic direction. But he soon saw that the first necessity was to make good its position against the discontented adherents of the Marian church, and in arguing against them he discovered the strength of the Elizabethan system. When the puritan party began to press for further changes, and demanded the abolition of the surplice, Jewel vigorously opposed them in the interests of peace and order. He had unconsciously shifted his position, and was somewhat inconsistent.

  It is recorded of him that in his Oxford days his practice was to rise at four of the clock, and to continue his studies with but little intermission till ten at night. His culture was wide in its extent…. Jewel was certainly the most learned theologian who had yet appeared in the reformed Church of England; and from his copious stores later controversialists have freely drawn. It would be wearisome to quote the numerous testimonies to his commanding powers.