Rome vvhereas neither that Church then nor vve now doe reject the true fasting which the Scripture teacheth but only those opinions of fasting vvhich the Montanists first deuised and the Papists haue receiued against the Scripture to forbeare continually by way of religion such and such daies from such and such meates with a minde there in and by their very forbearing to doe a worship to God to satisfie for sinne to merit and purchase the forgiuenesse thereoff and to deserue eternal life WILLIAM BISHOP BEFORE we come to joine issue let this maxime of arguing be obserued He that vvil proue one to be the proper disciple of any Sect-master must doe it by producing the proper and peculiar doctrine of the same sect and not by alleaging such points of doctrine as are common to that sect vvith many others For example if I would proue a Protestant to be an Arrian I must not thinke to performe it by prouing that they beleeued in one God as the Arrians did or that they flie to the touch-stone of the Scriptures as the Arrians did refusing Traditions and that they relied much on the power of temporal Princes setting the Bishop of Romes authority at naught c. for none of these be proper branches of the Arrian sect but common to them with others Marry if I could proue them to affirme the Sonne of God touching his diuinity to be lesser then his Father or after his Father or not of the same substance vvith his heauenly Father I must needes be taken then to speake to the purpose Euen so if M. Abbot doe insist vpon those points of the Montanists errors which were proper to themselues and not common with others prouing vs to maintaine the same I then wil graunt that he acquiteth himselfe like a braue champion But if he doe make al his instances in such general circumstances of fastinges as the Catholike Church then did maintaine as vvel as the Montanists Yea that the Protestants themselues doe in part vphold and defend as wel as the Catholikes then euery man must needes acknowledge and take him for a wrangling Sophister and a vaine bragging writer that crakes of wonders and performes nothing Let vs now descend to his particulars and try what sharpnesse of wit and soundnesse of judgement he sheweth therein The Montanists saith he appointed certaine and standing daies for fasting and forbearing of certaine meates so doe the Papists I graunt vvhat be they therefore Montanists then the Protestants be also Montanists because they appoint certaine and standing daies of fastes as Friday Saturday the Imber and Lent-fasts and many feasts eues vvhich daies they appoint for the forbearing of flesh Is not this a proper peece of Montanisme that is common to so many Nay the Apostles themselues did the like as Tertullian in the same place graunteth vvere they also therefore Montanists see how M. Abbot beginneth to shame himselfe To the next The Montanists did not take any creature or meate to be vncleane but did only by way of deuotion forbeare at certaine times and the Papists doe also the same vvhich I also graunt And doe not the Protestants agree vvith them in the former part thinking no meate to be vncleane Now in the later they doe vvorse for they forbeare flesh at certaine times not of deuotion to chastise their bodies and to please God as the Montanists pretended but for worldly pollicy of fauouring the increase of flesh for the vpholding of the trade of fisher-men and to please their Prince Here let any Godly man be judge whether of these two endes of pleasing God or the Prince be more Christianlike and whether of them doe more sauour of the spirit of God he shal no doubt finde that herein it is much better to concurre with Tertullian then consort with the Protestants And that the best learned in the primitiue Church so thought and so taught I haue proued in the Question of fasting The Montanists being vrged with that place of S. Paul that it was the doctrine of Deuils to command to abstaine from meates answered that it touched Marcion and Tatianus who condemned meates as vncleane in their owne nature the same answere doe the Papists giue which I acknowledge vvillingly What are they thereby become Montanus disciples then vvas S. Augustine as a great Papist so no smal Montanist for he doth in most expresse tearmes so expound that place these be his wordes The Apostle doth in these wordes properly point at Aug. cōt Adimant Manichaeū c. 14. 1. Tim. c. 4. not them who therefore abstaine from such meates that they may thereby bridle their owne concupiscence or spare another mans weakenesse but those who thinke the flesh it selfe vncleane Doe you see how S. Augustine interpreteth those wordes of S. Paul euen as we doe who also answereth to euery of the Protestants objections against set fasting aboue a 1000. yeares before they troubled the world In like manner doth S. Hierome in the very wordes that M. Abbot sets downe for ours thus he writeth Lib. 1. cont Iouin ca. 41. The Apostle doth condemne them that forbidde to marry and command to abstaine from meates c. true but he aimed at Marcion and Tatianus and such other Heretikes that command perpetual abstinence as though the creatures of God were abhominable but we commend euery creature of God and doe only preferre fasting before fulnesse c. So that by this exposition of S. Paules doctrine vve are not proued Montanists but doe imitate therein the principal pillars of the ancient Roman Church S. Augustine and S. Hierome and doe therein also wipe away a sluttish imputation of Iouinian reuiued and set a foote againe by the Protestants that forsooth Lib. 1. cont Iouin cap. 3. We teach the doctrine of Deuils condemned by the Apostles and doe fal into the opinion of the Manichees because we command to abstaine on fasting daies from some kinde of meates which God created to receiue c. but of this more exactly in the Question of fasting Now to the rest of M. Abbots text The Montanists tooke that their fasting to be a seruice and worship to God vvherein they were not deceiued for it is written in the word of God Luc. 2. That Elizabeth a blessed widdow departed not from the Temple by fasting and praier seruing night and day seruing in Greeke Latreuousa that is doing seruice and worship to God as by praier so by fasting Againe by fasting watching and other bodily austerities we doe according to the common exposition of the auncient Fathers Rom. 12. exhibit our bodies to God a liuing bost as the Apostle speaketh holy pleasing God and a reasonable seruice It must needes then be a very holy and most acceptable seruice and vvorship of God that is resembled by S. Paul vnto a liuing and pure sacrifice Canon 5. And in the Councel of Nice it is said That we may offer to God the pure and solemne fast of Lent
not a word out of him that wil greatly helpe their cause For what saith he that we say not we hold with him that the want of knowledge of the Scriptures is the cause of heresie for he that knoweth and vnderstandeth wel the holy Scriptures can neuer fal into errour or heresie Besides vve denie not but that it is expedient for al men either to reade the Scriptures or to heare them to reade them themselues if they be men of judgement and indued with a lowly spirit carrying with them this rule of S. Peter 2. Pet. 1. vers 19. That the Scriptures as they were not written by a priuate spirit so they must not be vnderstood by a priuate interpretation vvherefore in al darke and doubtful places they must not trust to their owne wit but make their recourse vnto the Catholike Church Ioh 14. v. 26. Ioh. 16. v. 13. 1. Tim. 3. vers 15. Which is directed by the spirit of God into al truth and therefore called the pillar and ground of truth for the true sence and meaning of them Al the rest both Men Women and Children we would haue to heare the holy Scriptures read vnto them and expounded by their lawful Pastours and approued Preachers who are chosen and sent to feede their soules with that heauenly foode of the word of God So that Gregory the ninth differeth nothing from Paul the fift the present Pope of Rome who is fully of the same opinion And M. Abbots audatious assertions to the contrary are but meere slanders For we hold it not pernitious for al sortes of people to reade the Scriptures vnlesse it be in such false translations as the Protestants haue made but haue our selues translated them into the vulgar tongue that al Godly wel minded people of any reasonable capacity may diligently and deuoutly reade them at their good oportunity M. Abbot vvas wont heretofore to alleage some authour or other to giue the better countenance to his lies but now he is faine to face them out himselfe without the helpe of any other and hauing put his special confidence in lying as they did of vvhom the Prophet speaketh Esai 28. Posuimus mendacium spem nostram We haue put our hope in lying he thrusteth them out lightly by huddles False then it is first that we teach the people to be secluded from the reading of Scripture as dogges are from holy thinges for vve would haue none other debarred from reading of them but wauering wilful and peruerse fellowes 2. Pet. 3. vers 16. Who as S. Peter teacheth abuse the holy Scriptures to their owne destruction and to the seducing of others Secondly it is a lie in graine to auouch that we teach the knowledge of the Scriptures to breede errour and heresie vnlesse he meane the corrupt and peruerse knowledge of them which is rather to be tearmed the ignorance of them for the true knowledge of them deliuereth vs from al errour and heresie and settleth vs in the sound doctrine of the Catholike Roman Church True it is that many now a-daies vvho haue some smattering in the vvordes and verses of the text hauing itching eares and wauering minds are the sooner lead away through their little skil in the Scriptures and ouer-great presumption of their owne wits for hearing Heretikes cite for proofe of their heresie some texts of Scripture which they know to be Gods vvord and hauing neither sufficient learning to answere them nor grace to aske counsel therein of the true Pastors of Christs Church vvho would rightly informe them become a pray to the rauening vvolues Againe the very experience of this age doth sufficiently informe an vnderstanding man that the ouer common reading of Gods word by the more rude and vnruly sort hath rather ingendred a corruption of manners then bredde any amendment thereof for euery peeuish scripturist puffed vp with the opinion of his owne learning wil rather take vpon him to be a teacher of others then a practiser of them himselfe And often very preposterously Women wil teach Men Children their Fathers Sheepe their Pastours in a word many wil be jangling about matter of religion and very few studious to liue religiously These disorders I graunt doe not spring directly out of Gods word but out of our corrupt nature too too prone to presumption on our owne skil And there fore let any reasonable man judge vvhether they did not more vvisely who vsed to bridle this itching appetite of reading in the curious and thought it better to binde them to follow the aduise of their spiritual guides which haue charge of their soules then our new bretheren who allow euery Man Woman and Child to read vvhat bookes of Scripture they list and to wrangle about them so commonly S. Paul insinuateth that al places of Scripture are not fit for al sortes of men but in some parts 1. Cor. cap. 3. vers 2. There is milke for sucklings and in others Strong meate for the more perfect And our Sauiour Christ IESVS spake much in parables vvhich are not for euery ones capacity A sword is a good weapon but put it into the hand of a madde man it wil doe more harme then good so if some men get a smattering in holy Scriptures they wil vse it ful madly Wherefore the Catholike Church though shee wish euery child of hers to know so much of the Scriptures as vvil doe them any way good yet shee knowes it to be holesome and very necessary that a moderation be vsed therein according to the discreet aduise and judgement of Godly and prudent Ghostly Fathers ROBERT ABBOT HIEROME and RVFFINVS by the doctrine of the Church of Rome Hier. in Prolog Galiat in Praefat. lib. Salomonis Ruffin in expositione Simboli excluded from Canonical Scripture the same bookes that we doe the bookes of Iudith Tobias Wisdome Ecclesiasticus Baruch and the rest they say plainly Non sunt in Canone non sunt Canonici They are not Canonical nor in the Canon The Church readeth them for instruction of manners not to giue any authority to any Ecclesiastical doctrine But now the Church of Rome wil haue them to be receiued and beleeued for Canonical Scriptures and of equal and like authority withal the other bookes WILLIAM BISHOP I Obserue first that M. Abbot forgetting himselfe vvhich is a foule fault in a liar and leauing his owne prescript order is now fallen cleane from S. Peter and S. Pauls successours the Bishops of Rome Secondly that he neuerthelesse holds his old custome in lying I winke at that petty lie that he thrusteth in Baruch among the rest vvhich his Authors doe not but may not dissemble this greater for whereas he saith Hierome and Ruffinus by the doctrine of the Church of Rome exclude from Canonical Scripture the same bookes that we doe therein he fableth for though they so did yet did they it not by the doctrine of the Church of Rome For Innocentius the first Pope of Rome
wordes gentle Sir and vntil you haue gotten the credit of â—â—other S. Iohn Baptist which wil not be this yeare beare with vs â—â—ough we cannot brooke such foule wordes so wrongfully cast â—pon vs Let it be considered whether those tearmes doe not raâ—her fit men of your owne coate and profession Young vipers to â—â—eepe into this world doe gnaw out their dammes bellies and to â—et the vse of life to themselues doe kil those that gaue them life â—â—e not the Protestants trow you such kinde of creatures did â—â—ey not receiue their christendome and new birth by Catholikes â—â—at were their Predecessors and doe they not by al meanes seeke â—â—e ouerthrow and destruction of them by whom they were reâ—â—nerated and borne a-new If the Catholikes had beene descenâ—â—d from the Protestants and had put them downe to set vp them â—â—lues M. Abbots reproch might haue had some col our of truth â—â—t the contrary being so notorious that the Protestants issued of â—â—e Catholikes and to hatch the vipers of their venimous errors â—â—d as much as in them lay procure the destruction of their Anâ—â—stors faith and religion who can doubt but that the Protestants â—e much more like the vipers brood then the Catholikes be The â—â—me may be said of the Samaritan generation vvho albeit they â—â—etended to be the off-spring of Iacob Iob. 4. and to haue the true vvorâ—â—ip of God in the mount Garazin yet vvere indeede Idolators â—â—d by force and vsurpation held that part of the country which â—â—as the ancient right of the Israelites And because they could 〈◊〉 quietly possesse it as they thought vvithout they serued the â—od of Israel also 4. Reg. 17. they got some Priests of the Israelites among â—â—em at the first to reach them their rites and ceremonies and so â—â—rued together both the God of Israel and each people their seâ—â—ral Gods besides Loe vvhat it is to be a Samaritan generation â—â—e not the Protestants their cosen germans or very neare kinsâ—en They vaunt themselues to be lineally descended of the Apoâ—â—les and to serue God most purely but they can make no better â—â—oofe of their pedigree and lawful succession from the Apostles â—hen the Samaritans could doe of their natural discent from Iacob â—herefore they are strangers borne of the sinnes of the people and raised out of the ashes of old rotten Heretikes that haue no right vnto any roomes in the Catholike and Apostolike Church no more then the Assirians had vnto the land of Israel Againe being entred into possession of the Church-liuinges by violence did they not for feare of displeasing the people that might perhaps haue hoised them out againe joine very many rites of the old seruice vvith their new deuises and gotte not one only aâ— the Samaritans did but many of our Priests to instruct them in the old ceremonies euen as the Samaritans for pure feare serued the God of Israel vvith their owne Idols so that in euery respect the Protestant progeny is proued to resemble to the life a Samaritan generation Now the Catholikes that haue not forcibly driuen the Protestants out of their ancient country nor taken any of their Ministers to teach them how to serue their Lord but succeeding lineally the Apostles as in place so in doctrine and religion can with no reason be called a Samaritan generation and consequently M. Abbot vvas fouly ouer-seene to charge vs with the imputation of such contumelies that doe in no sort touch vs but doe hitte themselues home In which he that would be taken for a great Oratour must needes confesse that he much forgot the wise counsel of the prince of Oratours Cicero who saith Qui alterum criminis accuset c. He that accuseth another man of any crime ought before-hand diligently to consider that be himselfe be not guilty of the same for it is a grosse and intollerable impudency to vpbraide another with that wherein your selfe are most faulty But herein as in many such like M. Abbot thought it more policy belike to imitate those infamous Elders vvho fearing to be accused truly by chast Susanna of their outragious attempt began first to burthen her vvrongfully vvith the accusation of forged crimes If therefore he speede no better therein then they did let him thanke himselfe for his badde choise I omit here his manifold other spiteful tearmes against his Holinesse and other inferiour persons as the ordinary flowers of his rusty rhethorike yet I cannot but note that he doth repeate againe and againe the vvord Religion too too scornefully for a man that maketh account of any religion and may not let passe that incongruity vvhich M. Abbot being a great Architect of wordes hath committed in his owne art For in the fore-front of his dedication he hath placed such a number of base rascal vile wordes as must needes seeme very vnfit to present vnto so high a Majesty as is the Monarke of great Britanny whose most ciuil and delicate eares may not abide the sound of such rude and harsh speeches as be for example Vipers broode whoore bastard slauery damnable accursed inchaunting whining repining onions garleeke feculent cachexy and such like a dainty messe of wordes no doubt and meete to be tendered vnto so juditious a Prince for a choise breake-fast Page 39. Ioine here vnto that which M. Philpot as he saith in great heate of spirit answered D oct Chadsey Afore God you are bare-arsed in al your religion and many of the same sort wherewith his vvritinges are besmeared and then judge whether they doe not smel more rankly of some noisome tan-fat then sauour of any ciuility and whether that old Adage may not be verified in him That which is bredde in the bone wil neuer out of the flesh otherwise the study of Philosophy in so famous an Vniuersity and chiefly the profession of Diuinity vvould haue weaned him from such rustical and homely tearmes and haue taught him to vse more ciuility in his writinges dedicated specially to so high a Majesty Let vs proceede ROBERT ABBOT AMONGST the rest one Doctor Bishop a secular and seminary Priest a man of special reputation among them and chosen to be a maine stickler in the late contentions of the secular Priests against the Iesuites hath taken vpon him to sollicite your Majesty in that behalfe and hauing apprehended a speech or two deliuered from your Majesties owne mouth in the conference of Hampton-Court would make you beleeue that if you wil stand vnto what your selfe haue deliuered you must needes admit their Catacatholike tradition to be the Catholike and true faith Whose Epistle to your Majesty when I had perused and examined the answering of the vvhole booke being by authority vnder your Majesty committed vnto me I could not but wonder that the author of it durst offer it being so ful of falshood and childish folly to a Prince so learned and wel able to judge thereof but that I considered that one vntruth must
meaning that it vvas in Ianuary past before he had seene my booke vvhich though he say not directly but that my booke was then sent to him yet he would haue his reader take it so that he might thereby and by that vvhich followeth gather vvhat expedition he had vsed in the answering of it wherein he giueth him vvrong to vnderstand For two monethes before that the booke vvas common to be had and great communication about the answering of it in the place of his abode and either he or one of his name had in short marginal notes assaied to giue answere vnto many points of the same epistle by that very Ianuary But admit that he saw not the booke before why did he not then goe in hand with it hauing receiued straight commandement from so high a personage to vse al expedition for the answering of it Forsooth the Barber-surgeon hauing his soare eies in cure would not giue him leaue to doe it Is it likely that the L. Archbishop was so euil informed of his estate that he would require him to make a speedy answere to a booke before he knew that he was in case to reade it But his Lordships letters perhaps found M. Abbot according vnto the season of the yeare frozen and could not as then vvorke in him any great resolution to answere but the spring following beganne to reuiue his drowsie spirits and in Iuly vvhen the heate of Sommer had throughly warmed him then â—â—e his affection to answere was so feruent and his disposition so fiery that he bestirred himselfe beyond al measure dispatching within three moneths not only this booke of thirty sheetes of paper but preparing also woofe and warpe as he speaketh for three hundreth more Surely this vvere vvonderful celerity if we might be so bold as to beleeue him but vntil he make better proofe of his fidelity he must pardon vs if in hast we giue not credit vnto him For vvho can perswade himselfe that M. Abbot being injoined to vse such expedition in answering would haue staied one yeare and a halfe before he published his answere vnto one sheete and halfe of paper for my Epistle containeth no more if he could haue sooner compassed it and who knowes not that a dedicatory Epistle vvhere matters are summarily touched only is none of the hardest partes of the booke to be answered But the man meaning in this Preface to commend himselfe aboue the skies saw that it was necessary to remoue this stumbling-block out of the vvay and before hand to excuse his extreame slownesse that it might not seeme strange how so admirable quicke a pen-man should be holden occupied so long time about so little I may not omit to note that vvhich now three times M. Abbot hath repeated to wit That the answering of my booke was committed â—o him from great authority vvherein he seemeth by his often reiâ—erating of it to take no smal pride that such a charge should be â—ssigned him from so high a personage But good Sir if my booke be nothing else but A fardle of baggage and rotten stuffe as you â—earme it it must needes redound rather to your shame to be â—hought a fit man to giue it answere For as euery man knoweth 〈◊〉 bald beggarly scholler is the meetest match to deale with a fardle of baggage But if there be more in my booke then you sometimes would haue people to beleeue they that haue a good opinion of it may hap to thinke that those graue wise-men in high authority fore-saw that it would hardly be answered by laying nakedly testimony of Scripture and Fathers to testimony and reason to reason vvherefore they thought it best pollicy to make choise of some jolly smooth-tongued discourser that might with a â—ufling multitude of faire pleasing wordes carry his reader quite from the matter and then blinding him vvith some colourable shew of learning lâ—â—de him into errour Proceede ROBERT ABBOT NOw the Treatise against which M. Bishop writeth is commonly knowne and entituled A reformed Catholike c. written by one M. Perkins since deceassed a man of very commendable quality and wel deseruing for his great trauaile and paines for the furtherance of true religion and edifying of the Church Against this booke M. Bishop so bendeth himselfe in his dedicatory Epistle as that with al he traduceth the whole doctrine of our Church and with such motiues and reasons as a badde cause wil afford him plaieth the part of Symmachus the Pagan Labouring vnder the name of antiquity Symmach relat ad Imp. Ambr. epistolarum lib. 5. to bring in Idolatry and to perswade his Majesty that that is Catholike religion which indeede is nothing else but errour and superstition In the due examination whereof waighing wel the sundry and slippery foundations wherevpon he buildeth I presume gentle reader that thou wilt be of my minde that he did not thinke hereby to preuaile any whit with his most excellent Majesty but only vsed the pretence of this dedication to credit his booke with them who he knew would take al that he said hand ouer head vpon his owne bare word Surely if he had not presumed of very wel-willing and friendly readers he would neuer haue dreamed to gaine any credit by writing in this sort What his Epistle is thou maist here see concerning the rest as yet I wil not say much only I aduertise thee and doe assure thee that if thou diddest like of M. Perkins booke before thou hast no cause by M. Bishop to dislike of it now Thou shalt see it assaulted with ignorance with impudency with vntruth and falshood with grosse and palpable heresie and that which he commendeth to be the marrow and pith of many large volumes thou shalt finde to be nothing else but a fardle of baggage and rotten stuffe For some tast thereof let me intreate thee to take wel in worth for the time this answere to his Epistle for the rest to haue me excused as yet both in respect of that weakenesse whereby I haue beene so long withholden from the following of this worke as also for the care I haue as wel to giue thee ful satisfaction in the questions here discussed as to stoppe the aduersaries mouth that he may haue nothing further to reply I haue propounded to my selfe the rule of Tertullian in such businesses alwaies to be obserued Decet veritatem totis vti viribus non vt laborantem truth is to vse it whole strength and not to fare as if it had much a doe to defend it selfe I am loth therefore to come hastily into the field and with mine owne sworde only to make an vncertaine fight but to take conuenient time to leuy such troupes and bandes â—as that I may not neede to doubt of the victory and it may appeare vnto thee that notwithstanding the crakes and brags of these Romish sicophants yet the truth is 2. Reg. 6. vers 16. That they that are with vs are more then they that
v. 8. Rom. 16. vers 19. Your obedience is published into euery place But no maruaile to the vvise though he did not then make mention of her Supremacy for that did not belong to the Church or people of Rome but to S. Peter vvho vvhen S. Paul wrote that Epistle vvas scarse vvel setled there neither did that appertaine to the matter he created of Of pardons S. Paul teacheth in formal tearmes which both the Church of Corinth and he himselfe gaue vnto the incestuous Corinthian that then repented these be his wordes 2. Cor. 2. vers 10. And whom you haue pardoned any thing I also for my selfe also that which I haue pardoned if I haue pardoned any thing for you in the person of Christ that we be not circumuented of Sathan What can be more manifest then that the Apostle did release some part of the penance of that incestuous Corinthian at other mens request vvhich is properly to giue pardon and indulgence And if S. Paul in the person of Christ could so doe no doubt but S. Peter could doe as much and consequently other principal Pastours of Christes Church haue the same power and authority The last of M. Abbots instances is That S. Paul saith nothing of traditions wherein he sheweth himselfe not the least impudent for the Apostle speaketh of them very often He desireth the Romans to Rom. 16. vers 17. marke them that make dissentions and scandals contrary to the doctrine which you haue learned and to auoide them but the doctrine that they had then learned before S. Paul sent them this Epistle vvas by vvord of mouth and tradition for little or none of the new Testament was then written vvherefore the Apostle teacheth al men to be auoided that dissent from doctrine deliuered by tradition And in the Actes of the Apostles it is of record how S. Paul vvalking through Siria and Silicia confirming the Churches Act. 15. v. 41 Commanded them to keepe the precepts of the Apostles and of the Ancients Item vvhen they passed through the citties they Act. 16. v. 4. deliuered vnto them to keepe the decrees that were decreed by the Apostles and Ancients which were at Hierusalem and the Churches were confirmed in faith c. Where it also appeareth that those decrees vvere made matter of faith and necessary to be beleeued to saluation before they vvere written He doth also charge his best beloued disciple Timothy 1. Tim. 6. vers 20. To keepe the depositum that is the vvhole Christian doctrine deliuered vnto him by word of mouth as the best Authours take it auoiding the prophane nouelty of voices and oppositions of falsly called knowledge Againe he commandeth 2. Tim. 2. vers 2. him to commend to faithful men the thinges which thou hast heard of me by many witnesses Was not this to preach such doctrine as he had receiued by Apostolike tradition without writing And further vvhich suppresseth al the vaine cauils of the sectaries he saith 2. Thessal 2. vers 15. Therefore bretheren stand and hold the traditions which you haue learned whether it be by word or by our Epistle where you see that some traditions went by word of mouth from hand to hand aswel as some others were vvritten and vvere as wel to be holden and stood too as the written proceeding from the same fountaine of truth Gods spirit Thus much in answere vnto the instances proposed by M. Abbot vvhich he very ignorantly and insolently auoucheth to haue no proofe or sound of proofe out of S. Paul I could vvere it not to auoide tediousnesse adde the like confirmation of most controuersies out of the same blessed Apostle as that 1. Tim. 3. vers 15. the Church is the pillar and ground of truth vvherefore any man may most assuredly repose his faith vpon her declaration That Christ gaue Ephes 4. v. 11. 13. Pastors and Doctors to the edifying of that his mistical body vntil we meete al in the vnity of faith c. Therefore the Church shal not faile in faith vntil the day of judgement nor be inuisible that hath visible Pastors and teachers Also Hebr. 5. vers 1. that Priests are chosen from among men and appointed for men in those thinges that appertaine to God that they may offer gifts and sacrifices for sinne That Preachers and 1. Cor. 3. v. 9. Priests are Gods coadjutors and helpers and not only idle instruments That S. Paul and Timothy 1. Cor. 9. vers 23. 1. did saue other men and therefore no blasphemy to pray to Saints to helpe and saue vs. That S. Paul did Tim. 4. vers 16. accomplish those thinges that want to the passions of Christ in his flesh for Christes body which is the Church therefore Christes passion doth not take away our owne satisfaction That he a Colloss 1. vers 24. 1. Cor. 9. vers 16. gloried in preaching the Gospel of free cost which was a worke of supererogation That b Ephes 5. vers 32. Marriage is a great Sacrament That c 1. Tim. 4. vers 23. grace was giuen to Timothy by the imposition of the handes of Priest-hood vvhence it followeth that Matrimony and holy Orders be true and perfect Sacraments But vvhat doe I I should be too long if I would prosecute al that which the Apostle hath left in vvriting in fauour defence of the Roman faith This I doubt not wil suffice to confront his shamelesse impudency that blushed not to affirme there vvas not a vvord in S. Paul that sounded for the Catholike but al in shew at least for the Protestant As for S. Peter I vvil wholy omit him because the Protestants haue smal confidence in him Here I may be bold I hope to turne vpon M. Abbot this dilemma and forked argument vvhich S. Augustine framed against the Manichean Adimantus Lib. 1. cont Adimant Hoc si imprudens fecit nihil caecius si autem sciens nihil sceleratius If M. Abbot did ignorantly affirme S. Paul to haue said nothing for the Roman Catholikes what could be more blind then not to be able to discerne any thing in such cleare light if he said it vvittingly knowing the contrary then did he it most vvickedly so to lie against his owne conscience to draw after him selfe other men into errour and perdition ROBERT ABBOT WEL M. Bishop let vs leaue Peter and Paul for heretikes let vs see vvhether those that succeeded did al teach the same doctrine that the Church of Rome now teacheth Hollinshead descript of Britan. ca. 7. Eleutherius the bishop of Rome being sent vnto by Lucius king of this realme for a copy of the Roman constitutions for the gouernement of this new conuerted Church and of the imperial lawes for the better ordering of his common wealth about 150. yeares after the death of Christ for answere writeth vnto him Annals of England by Iohn Stow. That hauing receiued in his Kingdome the law and
censure and touch of reproach vpon the same his worke called Bibliotheca Patrum Lastly concerning the doctrine of Predestination I reade not that the Pelagians were called in question about it nor yet for Satisfaction vvherefore M. Abbot must first out of some good Authors shew their errours therein before he goe about to slander vs vvith the imitation of them but as I am vvel assured of the later so I thinke he wil not in hast performe the former ROBERT ABBOT I Omit many other matters that might here be added perswading my selfe that I said enough to trouble M. Bishop in the prouing of that that he hath so propounded that the principal pillars of the Church of Rome in her most flourishing estate taught in al points of religion the same doctrine that now shee holdeth c. only for conclusion let me aske him what Bishop of Rome there was for the space of a thousand yeares that practised or taught that concerning Pardons which is now practised and taught in the Church of Rome that the Bishop of Rome hath any authority to giue such libels of pardon or that it is in him to giue faculties and authority to others to graunt the like vvith reseruation of special causes to himselfe or that he can for saying such and such praiers or for doing this or that release a man from Purgatory for so many hundred or thousand yeares vvhat Bishop of Rome was there that did proclaime a Iubilee vvith promise that al that would come to Rome to visit the Churches that yeare should haue ful and perfect forgiuenesse of al their sinnes or that did charge the Angels as did Clement the sixt that vvhosoeuer should die in his journey thitherward they should bring his soule into the glory of Paradise Balaeus in Clem. sexto which of them did take vpon him to Canonize a Saint vvho euer beleeued or taught as it is now receiued in the Church of Rome that the Bishops blessing is the forgiuenesse of venial sinnes Sextus in proem in glossa Rhem. Test in Math. 10. vers 12. Other innouations I wil passe ouer to further occasion but concerning these matters in this place I would pray M. Bishop to let vs be satisfied how the principal pillars of the Church of Rome haue in al points taught the same that the Church of Rome teacheth now The truth is that as the name of Theseus shippe continued a long time vvhen as it was so altered by putting in of new plankes and boordes as that it had nothing left of that that was in it when it was first built by Theseus so the Church of Rome stil continueth her name and would be taken to be the same albeit by chopping and changing shee is come to that passe that shee hath in a manner nothing left of that doctrine for vvhich shee vvas first called the Church of Rome But M. Bishop taketh vpon him to proue the contrary let vs now examine what his proofes are WILLIAM BISHOP YOV doe wisely to omit many other matters that you might haue added if they be like vnto these vvhich you haue already put downe for they are proued to be nothing else in manner but falsifications of the ancient Fathers vvritinges or fond illations of your owne bolstered out with a huge and shamelesse troupe of vntruthes the more one omitteth of such baggage and paultry stuffe the more it maketh for his credit Wherefore if M. Abbot had let al this alone no doubt but he should haue saued much of his reputation which by such vnchristian like and vnhonest dealing he is like to leese with the indifferent juditious reader If he perswade himselfe that he hath put me to some paines and trouble to trace out the vntruth of his allegations he is not deceiued for he produceth them so corruptly with such additions substractions misconstructions and euil applications that euery place he cites must needes be turned vnto in the Authours owne workes before a man can repose any trust in him or shal know what answere to make I pray you good Sir if there be any sparke of Christian sincerity left in you let this admonition serue to intreate you not to put your aduersary or reader to such trouble any more Either for loue of the truth or for feare of Gods judgements and rebuke of honest men forbeare to misreport your Authours If it be a shame to bely the Deuil vvhat impudency and impiety is it to bely most reuerend holy and learned Doctors and which much increaseth that hainous crime thereby to blinde Christian people and to draw them along with him to the bottomelesse pit of hel It hath I willingly confesse more troubled me to spend my spare time in discouering vntruthes and dishonest shifts trickes then it should haue done to haue bestowed it in substantial arguing and in round debating of questions in controuersie with short and sound arguments But I hope by this the vpright reader hath seene that M. Abbot was so farre off from troubling me to proue The principal pillars of the Roman Church in her most flourishing estate to haue taught the same doctrine that the present Church of Rome no teacheth that he hath rather furthered it by ministring vnto me so fit an occasion yea omitting others which I could choose my self for my better aduantage I haue not refused to verifie and make good the present doctrine of that Church euen by the testimony of those very authours of vvhich M. Abbot himselfe made choise as of men that spake most against it If then by their verdict who are thought by our aduersaries to be most estranged from vs our cause is confirmed and proued to be most just and veritable vvho is so carelesse of his owne saluation that had rather follow a lying Master leading to perdition then to imbrace so manifest a truth drawing towardes saluation May I not here justly exclaime with the holy King and Prophet and say Psalm 4. O yee Sonnes of men how long wil you be so heauy harted why are you so farre in loue with vanity and seeke after leasing he that is the true light Iohan. 1. who doth illuminate euery man that commeth into this world of his infinite goodnesse and mercy lighten your vnderstanding and incline your harts that you may perceiue and receiue that ingrafted word that truth of Christ preached by his Apostles approued by the most honourable Senate of the ancient Fathers beleeued al the world ouer that hath also continued euer since inuiolably vvhich only and none other can saue your soules Now for a conclusion and vpshot of this matter M. Abbot would faine know What Bishop of Rome for a thousand yeares after Christ had authority to giue any such libel of pardons as are now giuen or that could graunt to others any such faculty with reseruation of special causes to himselfe c. I answere if these be the greatest difficulties that with-hold him from approuing the doctrine