Etenim cum hinc ob consilij maturitatem longam maximarum rerum experientiam prope Regem ad maxima Reipub. negotia peragenda sedere compellimini illinc vero propter senilem infirmitatem amplissimam vestram prouinciam peragrare quomodo se quisque suo in munere gerat perlustrare non possetis adiutorem vobis elegistis nobilissimum Dominum D. Franciscum de Harlay virum omnium virtutum laude florentem qui ex illustri ortus familia inter magnates sanè si voluisset spleÌ„dide viuere potuisset sed ab ineunte aetate saeculi pompis nuncium remittens in altissimarum rerum contemplationem mentem suam tanto studio tantaque ingenij foelicitate intendit vt non in Latinis modo Graecis literis sed in omni scientiarum genere tam miros breui tempore fecerit progressus vt inter grauissimos Theologos Parisienses iuuenis summa cum laude professus sit qui rerum etiam occultarum cognitioni raram quandam prudentiam coniungens ad res magnas sacras eximiè gerendas admodum habeatur idoneus Hic talis ac tantus iuuenis vestram sustinens personam ac grauiore vestro illustratus consilio gregem vestâ—um vigilantissimè inspiciet omnia quae ab boni Pontificis munus spectare intelligit prudentissime administrabit Quum igitur prouinciam nobis proximam ab Illustrissima D. vestra adeo omni ex parte excellenter gubernari perspexerimus mirum videri non debet si nos qui omni proprij Episcopi auxilio penitus destituimur ad tanti Archiepiscopi patrocinium confugiamus Itaque humillimè ab Illustrissima vestra Amplitudine petimus vt in suam nos clientelam benigne admittere libellum hunc perpetui nostri erga Illustrissimam D. vestram obsequij quasi arrhabonem recipere dignetur Deumque Opt. Max. quotidie rogabimus vt Illustrissimam D. vestram ecclesiae suae quam diutissime incolumem conseruet Parisiis xxi Nouembris Anno Domini 1614. AN ANSVVERE VNTO M R ABBOTS EPISTLE DEDICAtorie GOOD Christian reader I being prisoner by the gatehouse in westminster when Mr. R. Abbots last booke intituled the true ancient Roman Catholike came forth against mee was you may be sure wel inough looked vnto for writing then any replie Since my enlargement I was a long time occupied partlye in flanders partlye in Paris about ordinary busines well knowen to many so that I had small respite to reade ouer that which M. Abbots had written against mee At leÌ„gth coming to haue better leasure albeit I haue neuer since bin free from the same care and not willing to spend my spare time idly but to set in haÌ„d with some peece of worke I was by my graue and vnderstanding frinds advised to begin with a confutation of the same booke as coming forth latest and being indeed the only booke wich M. Abbot had labored in defence of himself against mee I at my louing frinds instaÌ„ce perusing ouer that booke more diligentlie found it fuller of words tauntes and cauills thaÌ„ of weightie and sound matter and would therfore rather haue made choise of some other booke of more importance not making anie great reckning of his vntrue imputations and bitter speeches against my self bicause the most honorable prelates of the primitiue Church and best deserving Doctors whose bookes I am not Worthie to carrie after them writing against bitter and broadmouthed Heretikes never lightlie escaped better cheape for what these mild hornets wanted in sound reasonnig that they were wont to supplie in foule railing My kind frinds replied that how litle account soeuer I made of mine owne interest yet M. Abbot being now growen a maÌ„ of name and chosen for the divinitie reader in the famous vniuersitie of Oxford that ought not to bee contemned which hee and his frinds deemed worthie the print Besides he pretendeth it to bee a peece of great price long premeditated and esteemed by him a mater worthie a large treatise and therfore not to bee lett passe as a thing of naught without an answer whervpon in part and withall to iustifie that in my booke which hee catcheth at as least iustifiable belike for he doth not answere it orderlie as it lieth though it were but a litle one but picketh out certen parcelles I in fine resolued to examine brieflie the weight and worth of that his booke which hee surnameth à counterproofe not vnproperlie bicause hee doth in it verie often hunt the counter as they say that is rather runne vp and downe forward and backward turne this waie and that waie verie idly and impertinently then fall to any serious proofe or pursue the points in questioÌ„ directlie Notwithstanding I will not deale with M. Abbot after such a hafting and abrupt manner as hee doth with mee by cutting of at the first clapp fowerscore eight pages of my small discourse without amy word of auswere therunto mangling also the middle of it and leauing out a great part of the latter end but will begin with him at his Epistle Dedicatory and thenceforth prosecute it orderlie as it lies not omitting by the way anie matter of moment though I meane not to sett downe his whole text word by word bicause that would cost mee more the printing then it is worth by agreat deale And wee here in banishment haue not so much spare monie but the summe and substance of all hee handleth shal bee sincerely related as the iudicious and vpright Reader if hee please to conferre this my answere with that his booke shall easilie perceiue Having in few words shewed the reasons that moued mee to vndergoe this worke and the method that I meane to obserue therin without anie further preface I will presentlie come to M. Abbots Epistle Dedicatorie in the first entrie wherof hee seemes to plaie the triuant and for want either of iudgment or of fitter inuention to fall into a faultie Exordium by the skilfull in that art called Commune comon which his aduerse party maie as well if not better vse against himselfe then hee doth against his aduersarie Neither needes it anie other answer but a plaine returne of the same wordes with a verie little alteration Let vs trie whether M. Abbots proeme proposed against vs will not in the iudgement of an indifferent Reader serue for vs against them Thus it begmneth Mr. Abbots text turned against his ovvne partie MOST gratious and renowmed prince such is the malice and furie of Antichrist and his army of priestes as Gregorie calleth theÌ„ in oppugning the Religion and faith of Christ Greg lib. 4. Ep. 38. as giueth cause to vs that fight for Christ to stand continuallie vpon our guard and to be readie still in armes to entertaine the assaultes that are made continuallie against vs. W. B. THE first staffe of this wartier like sentence bicause it hath in it the names of Antichrist and Priests maie at the first blush seeme to some protestantes to hitt vs but
subditos praelatos omniuÌ„ igitur pastor est quia praeter agnos oues in ecclesia nihil est Eucherius Archbishop of LyoÌ„s Christ sayd vnto peter feed my sheep first he committed to him his lambes then his sheep because he did not onely constitute him a pastor but the pastor of pastors therefore Peter doth feed the lambes and the sheep he feedeth the yonglinges and their dammes he doth gouerne the subiectes and the Prelates wherefore he is pastor of all because besides lambes and sheep there is nothing in the church h Gregorius lib. 4. Epist 32. Cunctis ergo Euangelium scientibus liquet quod voce dominica sancto omnium Apostolorum principi Petro Apostolo totius Ecclesiae cura coÌ„missa est ipsi quippe dicitur Petro amas me pasce oues meas ipsi dicitur ecce Satanas expetiuit cribarevos sicut triticum ego pro te rogavi Petre vt non deficiat fides tua c. Gregory the great it is manifest to all that know the Gospell that the charge of the whole church was by our lords voice coÌ„mitted to holy S. Peter prince of all the Apostles for to him it was said Peter dost thou loue mee feede my sheepe to him it was said behold Satan hath desired to sift you as wheate And I haue praied for thee Peter that thy faith shall not faile and thou once converted confirme thy brethren In which passage you see that other place of S. Luke emploied to establish the supremacie which H Leo ser 3. ass Commune erat omnibus Apostolis periculum de teÌ„tatione formidinis diuinae protectionis auxilio pariter indigebant c. tamen specialis a domino Petri cura suscipitur pro fide Patri proprie supplicatur tanquam aliorum status certior sit futurus si mens principis victa non fuerit S. Leo also doth in the forealleaged place in these words Our lord tooke speciall care of Peter and for the faith of Peter did hee praie peculiarly for the state of others should become more certaine if the mind of the Prince were not ouercome And after a litle Christ made Peter prince of the whole church S. Chrisostome vnderstood the supremacy to bee given to S. Peter in the same words when hee thus reasoneth I Chrisostom in 3. act Apostolorum Quam est feruidus quam agnoscit creditum a Christo gregom quam in choro princeps est obique primus onnium incipit loqui Behold the fervour of S. Peter how well did hee know the charge of the flocke to bee committed to him by Christ how well doth hee shew himself the prince of that company and doth alwaies speake first marke the reason for to him had Christ said And thou once conuerted confirme thy brethren In like manner k Ambros in Psalm 43. Denique Petrus ecclesia praeponituâ— postquam tentatus a diabolo est adeoque ante significat dominus quid est illud quod postea cum pastorem elegit dominici gregis nam huic dixit tu autem conuersus coÌ„firma fratres tuos c. S. Ambrose Peter is made President of the church Christ did signifie before what hee meant by that that hee chose him pastor of our Lords stocke for to him hee said thou being conuerted confirme thy brethren So doth l Theophil in c. 22. Luâ—ae Tu conuersus planus huius loci intellectus est quia te habeo vt principem discipulorum postquam me abnegato fleueris ad panitâ—ntiam veneris confirma cetâ—râ—â— hoc enim tedecet qui post 〈…〉 petra es et firmamentum Theophilact the plaine sense of this place is bicause I esteeme of thee as of the prince of my disciples after that thou having denied mee shalt wepe and come to repentance do thou confirme the rest for that becometh thee who after mee art the rock and foundation of the church These texts of holie Scriptures and testimonies of ancient fathers to omitt manie others I deliuer by the way in confirmation of S. Peters primacy to giue M. Abbot a proof that I could haue said more for that cause then I said in my former booke where I did passe over that point speedely as scarse belonging to the question then in hand 7 Now I returne to that text recorded in S. Mathew Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my church vpon which wee must staÌ„d the longer bicause M. Abbot doth saie what hee could devise against the true sense of it by it therfore I will prove according to my former deduction first that the primacy was giueÌ„ to S. Peter and afterward shew that it is deriued to the popes of Rome his successors M. Abbot confesseth that the fathers sometimes take Peter to bee that rocke vpon which Christ built his church but avoucheth that none ever said that the church of Rome was the rocke yea addes very groslie that I belie the fathers and father that on them which they never meant when I saie that they out of that text gathered the Pope of Romes supremacie how audaciously and vntruly this is spoken shall appeare assoone as I haue dispatched the former part about S. Peter himself Let it therfore bee first duly considered what a worthie company of the auncient renowmed fathers both Greek and Latin do interprete S. Peter to bee that rocke vpon which our blessed saviour built his church and therwith gaue him power authority to gouern the same that no man maie doubt that to be the true literall sence first intended though secundarily it may admitt other constructions I will begin with that famous Clarke Origen who is one of the auncienst amongst the Greekes that hath written comentaries vpon the Testament he stileth 1 Origin homil 5. in Exodum Vide magno illi ecclesiae fundamento Petrae solidissimae super quam Christus fundauit ecclesiam quid dicatur a domino modicae inquit fides quaro dubitasti S. Peter the great foundation of the church and most sound rocke vpon which Christ built his church Hipolitus 2 Hipolit de constructione mundi Princeps Petrus fidei petra quem beatum iadicauit Christus deus nostâ—r ille doctor ecclesiae ille primus discipulorum qui regus claues habuit c. Peter the prince the rocke of faith the Doctour of the church the chief of the Apostles whom our lord pronouÌ„ced to bee blessed Eusebius 3 Eusebius lib. 6. historiae 19. resert ex Origine Petrus super quem Christi ecclesia contra quam â—nferorum pâ—rtae non praeualebunt aedificata est c. reciteth these words Peter vpon whom was built the church of Christ against which hel gates shall not prevaile 4 Epiphan in Ancorato non longe a principio Ipse dominus constituit Petrum primum Apostolorum petram firmam super quam ecclesia dei aedificata est portae inferorum non praepraeualebunt
they saie that all their additions ioyned and sowdered to the rest bee inspired by the holie Ghost Or can that trulie bee called a psalme of Dauid that hath one sentence in it not dictated by the holy Ghost But in their meeters manie such sentences bee added which are not assured to bee of the holie Ghost wherfore they may well marre but cannot make vp any psalmes of Dauid Besids they haue some very hereticall sentences interlarded among the rest As for example this in the inuocation of the holy Ghost before the Sermon Keepe vs from all papistry Finally there bee some whole psalmes made by by Robin woodcocke I trow or some of his fellowes no lesse Dunsticall then hereticall Take for a tast therof the first staffe of the last song in their psalter composed by R. W. which I thought good to record here that the reader may see how elegant and pleasant they bee both for meeter and matter Preserve vs Lord by thy deere word From Turke and Pope defend vs Lord Which both would thrust out of his throne Our Lord Iesus Christ thy deare sonne These must needes bee verie noble verses that haue thrice Lord in them And as for word and Lord Throne and sonne though the words do end in the like syllables yet they agree not in sound If M. Abbot would haue the simple reader beleeve that S. Austin and S. Leo when they speake in the praise of singing of Psalmes did meane Davids psalmes in meeter let him produce but one good Author to testify that they were so turned within 900. yeares of those Doctors deathes and then hardely beleeue him If hee cannot then every man may see what credit is to bee given to his allegations That S. Austins words which I alleaged are to bee vnderstood of Psalmes which the Donatists sung in their churches rather then of songs in their drunken bankets may bee gathered out of the comparison that hee makes betweene them and the psalmes that were sung in the Catholike church And S. Austin might well by a Metaphore vsuall in the holy scripture call the Donatists new mad devises against the ancient custome of grave singing in the quire their drunkennes As for the worshipfull testimony of Cornelius Agrippa of our mingling holie things with prophane it being recorded in a booke of condemned memorie I hold it not worth the answering Sure I am that M. Abbot by producing of such Authors cracketh his owne credit for hee promised in his Epistle to the reader that hee would only vse the testimonie either of some learned Bishops of Rome or of some other famously approued author and commended in that church And this booke of Agrippa de vanitate scientiarum is by name condemned by the same church in the Cataloge of forbidden books wherfore M. Abbot is no man of his word Finally like to a tatling tennis plaier that comes well beaten out of the tennis court yet to comfort himself and to saue his poore credit with his friends brags that those mates with whom he plaid were no matches for him yea that no man that daie was able to stand in his hands Even so M. Abbot having behaued himself as simply as a man of either wit or learning could doe either for defending of his owne or for offendīg his aduerse party yet cōcludeth as though hee had gotten the field and cleane foiled his adversary saying that I did vnfortunatly enter into retorting of that comparison nothing serving my turne but that hee like a nimble tēnis player had returned my owne bals vpon mee that with very great advantage well bragge is a Iolly dog and leesers must sometimes bee suffred to haue their words Let the iudicious and indifferent reader but weigh well first what kind of resemblance M. Abbot endevored to make betweene the Donatists and the Papists to wit to chalenge to themselues to bee the Catholike church To bee or rather to desire to bee dilated all the world over that out of their church there was no salvation To spred ill rumors of their adversaries To discourage men from ioyning with them with a Ragmans roll of such rotten riff raffe common to all sects and to none more vsuall then to the protestantes themselues So triviall I say that any man of ordinarie discretiō would haue been ashamed to haue put them downe in print to the view of the world Afterward on the other side let him but call to mind what resemblances I haue proposed betweene the Protestants and the Donatists and weigh how substantiall they bee in themselues and how properly they fitt the protestants The first was that the spirit and soule of Donatisme cōsisted in affirming the church of Christ not to appeare in any other part of the world visibly but to haue cleā perished saving in some few places where men of their religion liued Of the same mind were the chief protestants for many yeares Secondly the Donatists were the first among Christians that appealed from the iudgment of Bishops vnto temporall Princes though they afterwards repented themselues thereof when they saw that the said princes would not helpe them Is not this one of the chiefe heads of the protestants Gospell yea doth not the whole frame of their new religion hang vpon the supreme ecclesiasticall authority of kings Thirdly they beate downe Altars abused the blessed Sacramēt of Christs body defiled holy oiles confiscated sacred chalices and sold them togither with the vestments and other holie ornaments of the church All which are so proper to the Protestants that they blush not daily to practise it and make open profession of the same 4. The protestāts like vnto the Donatists by putting innocēt priests to death make martirs whom we may worship Finally they pulled of the veiles of religious women which were signes of their professed virginity exposing them to the hazard of the wild world In which vngodlie and irreligious practise the protestāts haue gone farre beyond the Donatists But that they maie not take too great pride therin let them heare the vpright censure of the holy prelate Optatus passed 1200. yeares agone against them in the name of their deere brethren the Donatists In this kind you haue done as great damage to god Optat. l. 6. co Parm. In hoc genere tanta damna fecistis Deo quanta lucra diabolo procurastu Conflastis impie calices crudeliter fregistis inconsulte rasistis altaria Nudastis denuo capita iam velata de quibus professionis detraxistis indicia qua contra raptores aut petitores videntur inuenta Spiritale hoc nubendi genus est in nuptias Sponsi iam venerant voluntate professione sua vt secularibus nuptiijs se renuntiasse monstrarent spiritali sponso soluerant crinem iam caelestes celebrauerant nuptias as you haue procured gaine to the devill you haue impiously melted Chalices you haue barbarously broken downe Altars c. and a litle before you haue vncouered the