plainly set downe in Scripture are found all those things which containe faith and conuersation of life Yea he saith further that a Idem de vtilit cred cap. 6. Planè ita modificata vt nemo inde baurire non possit quod sibi satis est si modò ad bauriendum deuotè ac piè vt vera religio poscit accedat the doctrine of the Scripture is so tempered as that there is no man but may draw from thence that that is sufficient for him if he come to draw with deuotion and piety as true religion requireth him to doe Hereto adde how he vseth the wordes of the Apostle where to he alludeth in the sentence by me cited in his disputing against the Donatists b Idem de vnit Eccl. c. 11. 12. Quisquis aliud Euangelizauerit anathemâ— sit Aliud autem euangelizat qui perijsse dicit de câ—tâ—ro mudo Ecclesiam in parte Donati in sola Asrica reâ—nansisse dicit Ergo anathema sit Aut legat miâ—i hoc in scripturis sanctis noÌ„ sit anathema Whosoeuer preacheth any other thing accursed be he but he preacheth another thing who saith that the Church is perished out of the whole world and is remaining only in the Donatists therefore accursed be he or else let him reade it to me in the holy Scriptures that he may not be accursed Now then if by St. Austins iudgement there be found in Scripture all things belonging to faith and manners and there be no godly man but may draw from thence that that is sufficient for him if he be to be holden accursed that preacheth that which he cannot reade to vs out of the holy Scriptures then it appeareth that M. Bishop dealeth falsly in expounding the wordes of Austin and that they serue very fully to that purpose and meaning whereto I alleaged them and whereto without any ambiguity at all they most plainly sound But because we haue here in hand to informe the Roman Catholike I will conclude this place with the censure of a Roman Bishop Gregory the first who calleth c Gregor in 1. Reg. l. 2. c. 3. Quid cor animam Dei â—â—si sacram eius scripturam accipinâ— the holy Scripture the heart and soule of God and telleth vs that d Idem Moral l. 16. c. 16. Per cam Deus loquitur omne quod vult by it God speaketh all his will or all that he requireth and that so as that e Ibid. l. 18. c. 14. Eos ad sacrae authoritatis paginas vocat vt si vere loqui desiderent inde sumere debeant quid loquantur Qui ad verae praedicationis verba se praeparat necesse â—st vt causarum origines à sacris paginis sumat vt omne quod loquitur ad diuinae authoritatis sundamentum reuocet atque in câ— aedificium locutionis suae â—irmet he that desireth to speake or preach iruly must take from thence that which he speaketh and set â—h the grounds of his matters out of the sacred bookes that he may bring all that he speaketh to the foundation of diuine authority and thereupon settle the building of his speech He saith againe that f IdeÌ„ in Cant. c. 5. Sancti viri se consilijs Scripturae ex toto addicunt vt videâ—icet nihil agant nisi quod ex responsâ— Scripturarum audiunt c. Quia de quibuscunque scrupuliâ— in Scripturis consilium quaeritur fine minâ—ratione de omnibus ad plenum inuenitur holy men doe wholly addict themselues to the counsels or directions of the Scripture namely so as to doe nothing but what they heare by answere of the Scriptures because of whatsoeuer doubts aduise is sought for in the Scriptures namely concerning matters of faith and godlinesse it is there fully found of all things without exception and g Idem in Ezech. hom 15. Vniuersa nostra munitio in saâ—ro â—lâ—quâ—o cominetur all our munition or armour to wit against our ghostly enemies yea h Ibid. hom 9. In hâ—â— volumine cuncta quâ—â—dificant omniâ— qu◠〈…〉 diunt scripta contiâ—entur all things that doe â—difie all things that doe instruct are contained therein In all which speeches if Gregory say truth then it must stand good which I haue set downe that all our faith and religion is contained in the Scriptures and neither may the preacher speake nor the hearer receiue any thing that hath not confirmation and proofe out of the booke of God W. BISHOP §. 7. MAster Abbot hauing in few lines runne ouer foure large questions to wit first That the Prophets and Patriarks beleeued no principall points of the Roman faith secondly that Christ deliuered nothing but what the Iewes before hand beleeued thirdly that the Apostles preached the same and no other to the Gentiles fourthly that whatsoeuer they preached they afterwards wrote he fiftly addâ—th that the Protestants receiue and beleeue all the written word Whence he will haue it to follow finally that the Protestants are very good Iewes and doe iumpe iust with them in all articles of faith and consequently are true Catholikes so that in M. Abbots reckoning before you can be a true Protestant Catholike you must first become a good honest Iew. Behold what a round this man is driuen to walke and how many brakes of thâ—rnes he is forced to breake through ere he can come to make any shew of proofe that the Protestants are Catholikes the matter is so improbable I haue already declared how false euery one of his former foure propositions be the fift is as vntrue and more if more may be then any of the other and he plaies the sophister in it egregiously to beggâ— that which is principally in question How proues he that Protestants receiue and beleeue all the written word hath he so little wit and iudgement as to thinke that we would freely grant him that for to omit that they receiue not but reiect diuers bookes of the old Testament because they were not in the Canon of the Iewes or doubted of by some in the primitiue Church by which reason they might refuse as many of the new doe they rightly vnderstand and beleeue truly all that is written in that blessed booke of Gods word nothing lesse Doe they giue credit to our Sauiour â—esus Christ himselfe telling them This is my Mat. 26. 27. 28. Body that shall be broken for you this is my Bloud that shall be shedde for you Whose sinnes ye shall Ioh. 20. v. 23. forgiue on earth shall be forgiuen in heauen Thou Math. 16. v. 18. art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church c. and the gaâ—es of hell shall not preuaile against it Call the worke-men that had laboured in Math. â—0 v. 8. his vine-yard and pay them their hire Doe you see Iacob 2. v. 24. that by workes a man is iustified and not by faith only Is any man sicke among you let
him bring in Iacob 5. v. 14. the Priests of the Church and let them pray ouer them anoiling them with Oile in the name of our Lord c. Confesse therefore your sinnes one to Ibidem 16. another These and an hundred more plaine texts recorded in that fountaine of life wherein our Catholike Roman doctrine is deliuered in expresse tearmes to wit Thereall presence of Christs body in the Sacrament That Priests haue power to pardon sinnes That Christ built his Church vpon S. Peter That good workes doe in iustice deserue eternall life That we are iustified not by faith alone but also by good workes That in extremity of sicknesse wee must call for the Priest to anoile vs with holy Oile That we must confesse our sinnes not to God alone but also vnto men these and diuers such like heads of our Catholike faith formally set downe in holy Scripture the Protestants will not beleeue though they bee written in Gods word neuer so expresly but doe ransacke all the corners of their wits to deuise some â—dde shift or other how to flie from the euidence of them Whereupon I conclude that they doe not receiue all the written word though they professe neuer so much to allow of all the bookes of Canâ—nicall Scripture For the written word of God consisteth Lib. 2. de Trinitate ad Const not in the reading but in the vnderstanding as S. Hierome testifieth that is it doth not consist in the bare letter of it but in the letter and true sense and meaning ioyned togither the letter being as the body of Scripture and the right vnderstanding of it the soule spirit and life thereof he therefore that taketh not the written word in the true sense but swarueth from the sincere interpretation of it cannot be truly said to receiue the written word as a good Christian ought to doe Seeing then that the Protestants and all other sectaries doe not receiue the holy Scriptures according vnto the most ancient and best learned Doctors exposition they may most iustly be denyed to receiue the sacred written word of God at all though they seeme neuer so much to approue all the Bookes Verses and Letters of it which is plainly proued by S. Hierome vpon the first Chapter to the Galathians R. ABBOT I Haue noted a §. â— before in this Chapter that St. Austin faith of the Prophets and faithfull of the people of the Iewes that though not in name yet in deede they were Christians as we are As they were Christians then with vs so are we now Iewes with them not according to M. Bishops vnderstanding of the name of Iewes to whom I may well say as Austin said to Iulian the Pelagian b August coÌ„â— Iulian. l. 4. c. 3. Cùm insana dicis rides phrenetico es similis When thou speakest madly and laughest thou art like to a frantike Bedlem but according to the Apostles construction thereof c Rom. 2. 29. He is a Iew which is one within and d Phil. 3. 3. we are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit and reioyce in Christ Iesus and haue no confidence in the flesh We must be Iewes by vnity of faith with them as they were Christians with vs because they with vs and wee with them make but one body and one Church whereof though there be diuers Sacraments yet there is but one faith from the beginning to the end receiued first by the Patriarches written afterwards by the Prophets written againe more clearly by the Apostles so that e Ephes 2. 20. vpon the foundation not foundations but one foundation because one euen one written doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets the houshold of God are built and our faith resteth wholly thereupon I haue walked no rounds I haue broken through no brakes of thornes but haue kept a direct and euen way and haue so strongly builded all this as that I scorne M. Bishops poore paper-shot as much too weake to throw it downe To him I know these things are rounds and mazes he knoweth not which way to get out of them they are brakes of thornes he lyeth fast tyed in them God giue him grace to yeeld to that which he seeth himselfe vnable to reproue He is very angry it seemeth as touching the last point that I should say that the Protestants receiue and beleeue all the written word He saith that therein I begge that which is principally in question and thinketh that I haue little wit or iudgement to thinke that they would freely grant me that But our vsage and debating of questions with them is sufficient to put that out of question We vse the Scriptures our selues we translate them for common vse we reade and expound them publikely in our Churches we exhort men to reade them priuately in their houses wee instruct them to receiue no doctrine but what they see there wee make the same written word the soueraigne Iudge of all our controuersies wee defend the authority and sufficiency thereof against the impeachments and disgraces which Papists haue cast vpon it What may we doe more to make M. Bishop beleeue that we receiue and beleeue the written word Surely if I tell him that the Sunne shineth at noone day he will not beleeue it if it seeme to him to sound any thing against the Pope But he will giue instance to proue that we doe not so first for that we reiect diuers bookes of the old Testament Wherein he saith vntruly for the bookes of the old Testament are the bookes of Moses and the Prophets the Psalmes f August coÌ„t Gaudent lib 2. cap. 23. Non habent Judaei sicut legem Prophetas Psalmos quibus Dominus testimonium perhibet tanquam testibus suis To which saith Austin our Lord Iesus gaue testimony as his witnesses of which we reiect none the other bookes that are adioyned to these we doe not reiect but we reade them and commend them yea we say as much of them as M. Bishop vouchsafeth to say of Pauls Epistles and the rest that they contayne many most diuine and rare instructions but yet we giue them no authority for confirmation of matters of faith because Christ and his Apostles haue giuen no testimony or witnesse of them and the primitiue Church in that respect hath expresly disclaimed them as I haue shewed at large g Of Traditions sect 17. before and resteth hereafter in this booke to bee shewed againe Secondly he bringeth sundry texts of the new Testament to proue that we doe not rightly vnderstand and beleeue all that is written in Gods word wherein he saith their Catholike Roman doctrine is deliuered in expresse termes First to proue the reall presence of Christs body in the Sacrament he citeth the wordes This is my body which shall be giuen for you c. But if the Romish doctrine be here deliuered in expresse termes how is it that their owne Scotus saith that
M. Bishop shew you selfe a man of your word let vs see that which you say is deduced out of Gods word for as for the exposition of the Fathers it auaileth not if it be not deduced out of the word of God Hee is dumbe and can say no more if you will take the Fathers exposition for a deduction out of Gods word be it so otherwise deduce he that can for M. Bishop can deduce nothing Albeit let vs aske him who be those ancient Fathers that haue expounded the Roman Church to be the Rocke vpon which the Church is built What M. Bishop are you afraid to name them Though you set not downe their words yet did not leisure serue you to quote them in the margent of your book that we might take knowledge of them It is true that St. Peter is sometimes termed the Rocke vpon which the Church was built but who euer said that the Rock is the Church of Rome or that the Church is built vpon the Roman Church The truth is that he belieth the Fathers and fathereth vpon them that which they neuer meant The Rocke vpon which Christ would build his Church is often by the Fathers expounded to be Christ himselfe and the true faith confession of Christ e Aug. de verb. Dom. serâ— 13. Super hanc Petram quam confessus es super hanc petraÌ„ quam cognouisti diceâ— Tu es Christus c. adisicabâ— Ecclesiam med id est super meipsum fiâ—ium Dei viui c. Vpon this Rocke which thou hast confessed saith Austin vpon this Rocke which thou hast acknowledged saying Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God I will build my Church that is vpon my selfe being the sonné of the liuing God f Hilar. de Trinit lib. 6. Super banc confessionis Petram Ecclesiâ— aedificatiâ— est c Haec fides Ecclesiae fundamentum est per hanc fidem infirma aduersus cam sunt portae inferorum hâ—c fides regni câ—lestis babet â—lâ—ues c. Vpon this Rocke of confession faith Hilary is the building of the Church This faith is the foundation of the Church by this faith the gates of hell preuaile not against it this faith hath the keyes of the Kingdome of heauen c. Chrysostome saith g Chrysost in Math. hom 56. Super hanc Petram id est fideÌ„ confessionem Vpon this Rocke that is this faith and confession Theodoret likewise expoundeth it h Theodor. in Cant. l. 2. PetraÌ„ appellat fidei pietatem veritatis professionâ— c. the piety of faith the profession of truth Anâ—brose saith i Ambros in Ephâ— c. 2. Super hanc petram c. id est in hac Catholicae fidei confessione statuam fideles ad vitam Vpon this Rocke will I build my Church that is in this confession of the Catholike faith will I stablish the faithfull vnto life and againe that those wordes of the Apostle k Ibid. In quo omnis structura c. Hic sensus est vnde Dominus aâ—t super hanc petram c. In him that is in Christ all the building is coupled together c. are the sense and meaning of that which the Lord saith vpon this Rocke will I build my Church And thus the whole number of the Bishops of Palestina in the Councell of Chalcedon vnderstood it l Epist Iuuenal Episc Palest in append Concil Chalced. Super hanc confessionem roberata est Ecclesia Dei Vpon this confession the Church of God is confirmed and strengthened By many other such like expositions of the ancient Fathers it may appeare that Christ Iâ—SVS euen the true faith of Christ for Christ is nothing to vs but by faith is the true Rocke whereupon the Church is builded that the gates of hell may not preuaile against it And to this St. Iohn accordeth m 1. Iohn 5. 4. 5. This is the victory that ouercommeth the world 〈◊〉 our faith for who is it that ouercommeth the world but he that beleeueth that Iesus is the sonne of God If Christ then be the Rocke by faith in him how falsly doth M. Bishop deale to foist in the Roman Church in steede of Christ or of the faith of Christ Now if Christ properly and truly be the Rocke then it can be but accidentally and vnproperly that Peter is so called only in respect of his doctrine and example of faith expressed and vttered in his confession n Math. 16. 16. Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God As Abraham is o Esa 51. 1. the Rocke from whence we are hewed so is Peter the Rocke whereupon we are built not for that either of them conferreth any thing to vs but only for that they stand before vs for patternes of imitation whereto we are to conforme our selues that togither with them we may be builded vpon the true Rocke p 1. Cor. 3. 11. that foundation beside which no other may be laid which is Iesus Christ. But in this Peter was not alone the rest of the Apostles as well as hee q Iohn 6. 69. beleeuing and knowing that Iesus was Christ the sonne of the liuing God Yea and in the place where Peter vttereth that confession as the question was asked of all the Apostles Whom say yee that I am so we must vnderstand also and so St. Austin affirmeth that r Augustin in Psal 88. Respondens Petrus pro omnibus vnus pro vnitate Peter answered for all one for vnity and consequently that all being in the like case the wordes which Christ returneth though in token of vnity vttered to one yet in that vnity did appertaine to all Therefore by the words there spoken to Peter Hiâ—rome concludeth that Å¿ Hieron in Amos lib. 3. c. 6. Petra christus est qui donauit Apostolis suiâ— vt ipsi quoque Petra vocentur Tu es Petrus super hac petram c. Christ the Rocke gaue not to one only Apostle but to his Apostles that they also should be called Rocks And in like sort Origen conceiueth it when he saith t Origen in Math. cap. 16. Quod si super vnum illum Petrum tantum existimas â—dificari totaâ— Ecclesiam quid dicturus es de Ioanne filio tonitrâ—i Apoâ—lolorâ—â— vnâ— quoque Quin alioqui num audebimus dicere quòd aduersus Petrum vnum noÌ„ prâ—ualiturâ— sinâ— portâ— inferorâ— aduensus caeleros auâ—â— Apostolos praeualiturae sinâ— ac noÌ„ potius in omnibus singuliâ—â—orum fit illud quod dictum est super 〈◊〉 Petram c. Quòd si dictum hoc Tiâ—i dabo claues c. câ—teris quoque commune est cur non simul omnia quae prius dicta sâ—nt quae sequuntâ—r 〈◊〉 ad Petrum dicta sunt omnium communia If thou thinke that the Church was built vpon Peter only what wilt thou say of Iohn the sonne of thunder euery of the Apostles shal we dare
rest of the Bishops there And that Councels held it not anâ—â—atter of necessity to haue the confirmation of the Bishop of Rome it is manifest both by the African Councell excluding his authority from amongst them as hath beene before shewed and by the Councell of k Chalcedon which notwithstanding the opposition of the l Concil Chalced. Act. 16. Contradictio nostra his gestis inhâ—reat c. Jâ—dices dixerunt Quod interlocuti sumus tota Synoduâ— approbauit Legates of the Bishop of Rome and l Leo Epist 51. 52. his owne reclayming thereto yet decreed to the Church of Constantinople equality of priuiledges with the Church of Rome saue only that the Bishop of Rome had precedence and priority of place as before also is declared As for M. Bishops other note it is a vaine and fond presumption that all heresies sprung vp since the Apostles daies haue opposed themselues against the Roman Sea and haue beene by it finally ouerthrowne The Church of Rome hath had nothing singular in this behalfe Yea many heresies there haue beene that haue more bent themselues against other Churches then against the Church of Rome neither hath the Church of Rome done so much in the confounding of them as other Churches haue done But yet he bringeth Austin affirming for him that that chaire obtained the top of authority heretikes in vaine barking round about it Where he dealeth very vnhonestly in falsifying the wordes of Austin who in that whole booke by him cited neuer once nameth the Roman Church or chaire nor saith any thing that may be auouched to haue any speciall reference or respect thereto Of the Catholike or vniuersall Church so apparantly to bee discerned from all hereticall combinations St. Austin there saith m Aug. de vtilit credendi c. 17. Dubitabimus nos eius Ecclesiae condere gremio quae vsque ad confessionâ—m generis humani ab Apostolica sede per successio nes Episcoporum frustra hareticis circumlairantibus c. culmâ—n authoritatis obtinuit Shall we doubt to repose our selues in the bosome of that Church which euen by the confession of mankinde from the Apostles sitting or time when the Apostles sate by successions of Bishops hath obtained a height of authority Heretikes in vaine barking round about c. In the whole processe of that booke from the beginning to this place which is almost the very end he speaketh generally of the Catholike Church without relation to any particular Church and therefore vnlikely it is that his wordes here should beare any speciall application to the Church of Rome M. Bishop will say that I mistranslate the wordes ab Apostolica sede and that Apostolica sedes is there meant the Apostolike Sea that is the Roman Church But he must giue vs leaue to vnderstand the meaning of St. Austins wordes by St. Austin himselfe who in this cause so often signifieth by that phrase of speech the time wherein the Apostles themselues sate that is wherein they liued and occupied the roomes of teaching and gouerning the Church Thus he saith in another place n Aug. cont Faust Manich. lib. 11. cap. 2. Vides in hac re quid Ecclesiae Catholicae valeat authoritas quae ab ipsis fundatissimis sedibus Apostolorum vsque ad hodiernum diem succedentium sibimet Episcoporum lot populorum consensione firmatur Thou seest how much the authority of the Catholike Church herein auaileth which from the most surely founded seates of the Apostles vntill this day that is from the time that the seates of the Apostles were most surely founded vntill this day by ranke of Bishops succeeding one another and by the consent of so many peoples is confirmed And againe o Ibid. lib. 28. cap. 2. Vniuersa Ecclesia ab Apostolicis sedibus vsque ad praesentes Episcopos certa successione perducta The vniuersall Church saith he which is deriued by certaine succession from the seates of the Apostles that is from the time that the Apostles sate vnto the Bishops that now are And in another place p Ibid. lib. 33. cap. 9. Eam sequamini que ab ipsius praesentiae Christi tempoâ—ibus per dispensationes Apostolorum 〈◊〉 ab corum â—edibus successiones Episcoporum vsque ad haec tempora peruenit Follow that authority which hath come from the time of the presence of Christ himselfe by the ministery of the Apostles and by other successions of Bishops from their seates from the time wherein they sate vntill this time Which when hee will in more proper wordes expresse hee speaketh thus q Ibid. lib 28. cap. 4. Ecclesia quae ab ipsius Matthaei temporibus vsque ad hoc tempus certa successionum scrie declaratur The Church which from the very time of Matthew vntill this time by certaine ranke of successions is declared r Ibid. lib. 32. cap. 19. Euangelica authoritas ab Apostolorum temporibus vsque ad nostra tempora per successiones certissimas commendata The authority of the Gospell commended by most certaine successions from the time of the Apostles vntill our times And in another place Å¿ Contra Aduers leg Prophet lib. 1. cap. 20. Ecclesia quae ab illorum Apostolorum temporibus per Episcoporum successiones certissimas vsque ad nostra deinceps tempora perseuerat The Church which from the times of the Apostles by most certaine successions of Bishops continueth to our times and so forward Now then sith all these speeches as by conference appeareth serue to expresse only one and the same thing it is plaine that St. Austin when hee said ab Apostolica sede meant nothing else but from the sitting that is from the age and time of the Apostles Of the Apostles I say though he speake in the singular number because hee nameth from thence not a succession as speaking of one but successions as resâ—rting himselfe to those many seates wherein Bishops had succeeded from the time of the Apostles And though wee doe vnderstand it of one Apostle St. Peter as elsewhere he saith t Cont. Epist fundam cap. 4. Tenet ab ipsa ede Petri vsque ad praesentem Episcopâ—tum successio Sacerdotum The succession of Bishops from the very seate of Peter from the very time when Peter sate vntill the Bishopricke that now is holdeth me in the Catholike Church yet doth there nothing hereby follow more to the Church of Rome then to the Church of Antioch where Peter sate as well as he did at Rome and where there had beene Bishops succeeding him vntill that time In a word let M. Bishop take those wordes as hee will yet is there nothing therein to be seene concerning the Church of Rome but only that as the principall Church and specially 〈◊〉 these Westerne parts it serued him most conueniently for instance of the succession which hee pleaded but as for the height or toppe of authority there spoken of it belongeth to
will teach you when I come some new doctrine and points of faith which Christ hath not taught or commanded me to teach but I haue added of mine owne If he thinke so let him tell vs that we may wonder at him If he doe not thinke so to what end is it that he alleageth those wordes Surely he who a little before so religiously telleth them that o Vos 23. he receiued of the Lord that which he deliuered to them should not seeme likely presently after to say that he would hereafter teach them other matters of his owne which he had not receiued of the Lord. M. Bishop therefore should haue vsed his discretion to put a difference betwixt matter of order and matter of faith so to vnderstand that though the Apostles might as the Church alwaies may prescribe orders for decency and conueniency in the publike assemblies and gouernement of the Church yet that in doctrine and faith neither they then nor the Church now may adde any thing to that which Christ our Lord commanded and deliuered both to them and vs. Of the same kinde is his other proofe out of that which the Apostle faith for aduice to the vnmarried so still to abide concerning which he professeth to haue receiued p 1. Cor. 7. 12. 25. no commandement from the Lord for what is this to shew that the Apostle hereby added a new point of faith when as whether the married or the vnmarried whether they that follow his aduise or they that follow it not all are saued by the same faith Aduise is of things arbitrary to be done faith is of things necessary to be beleeued The Apostle therfore might giue wholsome aduise without coÌ„mandement of the Lord and yet cannot hereupon be said to teach a new article of faith I said further in my answere that the Apostles preached only q Rom. 1. 2. the Gospell promised before by the Prophets in the holy Scriptures M. Bishop telleth me that I belye the Apostle and corrupt the text by adding the word only But I set downe the word only in a letter distinct from the wordes of the text as appeareth in my booke though he would not obserue it but hudleth all together and therefore there was no cause for him to charge me with corrupting the text And what will he say notwithstanding that it was not meant that they preached only the Gospell promised in the Scriptures Surely the Apostle noteth his calling and seruice to haue bin to preach the Gospell of God This Gospell of God he saith God had promised before by his Prophets in the holy Scriptures Now if M. Bishop will say that though the Gospell were there promised yet the whole Gospell was not promised he wrongeth the Apostle by making his wordes partly true and partly false true in one part of the Gospell because one part was promised false in another part because that other part was not promised Which to auoide he must confesse that the whole Gospell was promised in the Scriptures of the Prophets and because the Apostles preached only the Gospel of God therefore they preached only the Gospell promised in the Scriptures And thus in the end of the same Epistle the Apostle speaketh againe to the same effect that r Rom. 16. 26. the myslerie of the Gospell was published amongst all nations by the Scriptures of the Prophets We doe not thinke he dallied in so saying as to meane the Gospell is published that is to say a part thereof but not the whole but the Gospell entirely and perfectly is preached by the Scriptures of the Prophets Therefore elsewhere he professeth that in preaching the Gospell f he said no other things but what the Prophets and Moses did Acts 26. 22. say should come But here M. Bishop saith I mangle the text and breake off in the midst of a sentence that it might seeme appliable to all points of the Apostles preachings which the Apostle applieth only to Christs death and resurrection and the preaching and carrying of light to the Gentiles But he himselfe rather doth wrong in so abridging the wordes of the Apostle contrary to the practise of the Apostle who though here he name only a briefe of some principall points as accuslomably is done yet vnder these as the chiefe comprehendeth the whole doctrine which he taught He vsed the wordes to take away the offence which was generally conceiued against his preaching and seeing he did not preach these only particulars which are here set downe neither were they offended only at these therefore he must be so vnderstood as that the wordes must be applyed to all the rest and that taken as put in steede of all whereat they were offended most of all And if we doe not so take them we make him subiect to calumniation because he could not affirme that he said no other things then the Prophets and Moses did say should come if in any other points he taught any thing that had not the testimony of Moses and the Prophets Yea when the same Apostle saith generally of t Rom. 3. 21. 22 the righteousnesse of God by the faith of Iesus Christ that it hath the witnesse of the law and the Prophets how can M. Bishop perswade vs that in the preaching of the righteousnesse of God by the faith of Iesus Christ he should teach any thing but whereof hee had witnesse and warrant of the law and Prophets especially when wee see him as in other of his Epistles so specially in the Epistle to the Romans instifying all points of faith accordingly And that this is a truth not to be contradicted we will take witnesse of Gregory Bishop of Rome who saith that u Gregor in Cant c. 5. Apo 〈…〉 a Pro 〈…〉 â—ruâ—n dâ—ctis vt 〈◊〉 persisterent fidem integram 〈…〉 the Aposiles receiued the whole faith from those things that were spoken by the Prophets And againe x Idem in Ezech hom 6. Qued praedicat lâ—x hoc â—iani Prophete quod dâ—nuilciant Prophatae â—o◠〈…〉 bâ—t 〈◊〉 quod exâ—â—ourt Euangelium hoc praediâ—aâ—erunt Apostoâ—â— per mundum Looke what the law preacheth the same also doe the Prophets and what the Prophets teach the same the Gospell hath exhibited and what the Gospell exhibited the Apostles preached through the world Thus the law and the Prophets and the Gospell and the preaching of the Apostles haue all deliuered only one and the same thing Therefore he saith that y Ibid. Vâ—raque Testamenta in nullo a se dâ—screpant c. Inâ—st testamento veteri testamentum noâ—um c. Prophetia testamenti noâ—i testamentum vetus est expositio testamenti veteris testamentum nouum the two Testaments differ not in any thing one from the other that the new Testament is contained in the old that the old Testament is a prophecio of the now and the new Testament the exposition of the old The same had St. Austin said before that
inferiore apud Polycarpum essem c. Commemorarequeam quomodo se cum Joanne ac reliquis qui DominuÌ„ viderunt conuersatum esse dixerit sermones eorum memorauerit quae ex illis de Domino audierit de virtutibus eius doctrina tanquam ex ijs qui ipsi verbum vite viderant percepta cuncta sanctis Scripturis consona recâ—nsuerit that he had beene in his childhood with Polycarpus and that he had heard him tell how he had beene conuersant with Iohn and the rest that had seen the Lord and remembred their speeches and what he had heard of them concerning the Lord and his miracles and doctrine as receiued from them who themselues had seene the word of life and reported all things agreeable to the holy Scriptures Here is a commendation of the Scripture and an intimation giuen that tradition ought to be no other but consonant and agreeable to the holy Scripture but of referring to the Churches in cases of controuersie not so much as one word But though his head here failed hiâ— yet I know well what the place is that he meant to cite which followeth in the booke whence I alleaged the sentence to which he answereth And yet there is nothing in that place fitting to his purpose Ireneus hauing there to doe with Heretikes who being reproued by the Scriptures reiected the triall of the Scriptures vpon the like pretences as the Papists now doe and therefore being forced to vse against them the testimony of the Churches from the time of the Apostles for proofe of those things which were cleare by the writings of the Apostles as we now doe against the Papists but saying nothing at all as to deliuer a rule that when cases of controuersie doe arise we should alwaies haue recourse to such testimony of the Church Of that place of Ireneus I haue spoken sufficiently m Answere to Doctor Bishops Epistle to the King sect 11. before and therefore I will not here againe trouble the Reader any further therewith In what sort also he attributeth principality to the Roman Church I haue already declared in the n §. 2. first Chapter of this booke Now as he is impudent in answering Ireneus so in his answere to Tertullian he is much more impudent The sentences of those two Fathers I cited as depending one vpon another Ireneus saith that the Gospell which the Apostles preached they afterwards deliuered to vs in the Scriptures Tertullian saith o Tertul. de Praescript Nobis non est opus curiositate post Christum nec inquisitione post Euangelium Cum hâ—c credimus nihil desideramus vltrà credere hoc enim prius credimus non esse quod vltrà credere debemus Wee neede no curiosity after Christ nor further enquiry after the Gospell when we beleeue this we desire to beleeue nothing further for this we first beleeue that there is nothing further for vs to beleeue Marke well gentle Reader the coherence of these wordes The Apostles committed the Gospell to writing we neede no further inquiry after the Gospell we desire to beleeue nothing further we beleeue that there is nothing else for vs to beleeue To this what doth M. Bishop say Beleeuing this beleeuing what the written word only nothing lesse The Gospell M. Bishop it is the Gospell you see of the beleefe whereof he speaketh and beside which or after which he desireth to beleeue nothing yea beleeueth that there is nothing further to be beleeued Seeing then the Gospell is written as Ireneus saith it followeth by Tertullian that beside the written word there is nothing else to be beleeued Nothing lesse saith M. Bishop And why For in that whole Treatise saith he his principall drift is to proue that Heretikes cannot be confuted out of the written word but by ancient customes and traditions which he calleth Prescriptions Where he most shamefully abuseth that worke of Tertullian expounding Prescriptions to be meant of old customes and traditions whereas Tertullian hath nothing to that purpose but by Prescriptions meaneth grounds of reasons and arguments whereby to proceede and deale against Heretikes for the reprouing and conuincing of them Neither doth he goe about to proue that Heretikes cannot be confuted by the written word but only sheweth that it was to no purpose to deale with them by the Scriptures or written word because they receiued and reiected Scriptures as they list did put in and blot out alter and chop and change so that whatsoeuer made against them should goe for no Scripture Yea the matters of their heresies were touching those articles of our faith which are clearely and manifestly testified by the Scriptures and therefore M. Bishop dealeth very lewdly with Tertullian to make him to say that they could not be confuted thereby I neede not stand hereupon hauing p Of Traditions sect 10. before at large discouered M. Bishops dishonesty herein and shewed out of the matter of the booke how falsly he fathereth that drift vpon Tertullian Only it is here to be noted what a prety meaning he maketh of those wordes which I cited thence namely this When we beleeue the whole doctrine of Christ both written and deliuered by Apostolicall tradition then we desire to beleeue no more of any vpstart Heretikes new deuises Where I pray thee to note how his two answeres agree together He told vs before to Ireneus that the Apostles left the Gospell in writing Here to Tertullian speaking of the Gospell he answereth that the Gospell signifieth the whole doctrine of Christ both written and vnwritten So when he list the Gospell is written and when he list the Gospell is vnwritten and he cannot tell certainly what it is If the Gospell were left in writing then the Gospell is no doctrine vnwritten or if the Gospell doe signifie also vnwritten doctrine then the Apostles did not leaue the Gospell in writing but only a part and parcell thereof But we beleeue that the Apostles left vs a perfect written Gospell and therefore we say to M Bishop and his fellowes as Athanasius said to the Arian Heretikes q Athanas de Incar Christi Si Discipuli estis EuangelioruÌ„ ne loquamini contra Deum iniquitateÌ„ sed per scripturas cedite Quòd si diuersa à scripturis fabulari vultis cur nobiscum concertatis qui neque â—oqui neque audire sustinemus quod extraneum sit ab istis dicente Domino c. If yee be Schollers of the Gospell speake not iniquity against God but goe by the Scriptures but if you will babble things diuerse from the Scriptures why doe you meddle with vs who endure neither to speake nor heare any thing which is strange from the Scriptures our Lord Christ telling vs If yee abide in my word then shall yee be free indeed Now to shew that beside the written Gospell and word of God there is nothing else to be receiued I alleaged a peremptory sentence of St. Austin r Aug.
cont lit Petil. l. 3. c. 6. Siue de Christo siue de eius Ecclesia siue de quacunque alia re quâ— pertinet ad fidem vitamque nostram non dicam Nos neqâ—aquam coÌ„parandi â—i qui dixit Licetsinos sed quod secutus adiecit si Angelus de coelo vobis annunciauerit praeterquam quod in Scripturis legalibus Euangelicis accepistis anathema sit If any man nay if an Angell from heauen shall preach vnto vs concerning Christ or concerning his Church or concerning any thing pertaining to our faith and life but what we haue receiued in the Scriptures of the law and gospell accursed be he Here M. Bishop commeth forth and telleth vs To St. Austin I answere first that those are not his formall wordes which he citeth and that is all his first answere Wherein he sheweth no other but a perfidious and treacherous purpose in that he would put a surmise into the Readers minde that I had cited the wordes amisse when he had nothing to alleage why he should say that I had done amisse What ailed him that he did not himselfe set downe the formall wordes that it might be seene what fault I had committed in the citing of them Thou maiest well be assured gentle Reader by the whole course of his writing that if he had had any thing to say he would not haue omitted so to doe To let this goe he taketh vpon him secondly to giue vs a formall answere Admitting the sense saith he if it be rightly taken I say that the wordes are to be vnderstood If any shall preach contrary to that that is written Of this sense he maketh St. Austin himselfe the Author quoting one place in the margent of his booke as he did before with Ireneus when as the wordes which he citeth are in another shewing that he tooke them at all aduenture out of their large volumes and neuer looked into the Author whether he did right or wrong It is true indeede that in the place quoted St. Austin applieth the wordes of the Apostle If any preach beside what yee haue receiued to condemne Faustus the Hereâ—ike Å¿ Aug. cont Faust Maniâ—h l. 17. c. 3. Quâ—a de Christo contra Christi Discipulos loquitur contra Euangclium quod illâ—rum authoritate firmatum est for that he spake of Christ contrary to the Disciples of Christ and contrary to the Gospell which by their authority was confirmed Thus he might very rightly vse the wordes and not beside the meaning of the Apostle who when he taught the Galathians to reiect whatsoeuer was beside the gospel which he had taught them doth much more teach them to condemne whatsoeuer should be contrary thereto But this exposition though it be true yet is not sufficient because it was not enough that the Apostle should condemne only things contrary but all doctrines beside the Gospell which they had receiued For we cannot doubt but that the Apostle preached vnto them the whole doctrine of the Gospell euen as he did to the Ephesians t Act. 20. 27. all the counsell of God Now of the whole doctrine of the Gospell it is truly said that not only nothing contrary but nothing beside it is to be receiued The Apostle therefore meant so that they were to receiue nothing beside the Gospell which they had receiued And this Chrysostome very well obserueth u Chrysost in Gal. c. 1. Nâ—que dixit si contraria annuntiauerint aut totum Euangelium â—ubuerterint verum si vel paululùm euangelizauerint praeter Euangelium quod accepistis etiamsi quidvis labefactarint anathema sint Paul doth not say if they preach contrary things or if they subuert the whole Gospell but if they preach but euen a little beside the Gospell which yee haue receiued or if they weaken any thing accursed be they This Theophy lact expresseth more plainly thus x Theophy l. in Gal. c. 1. Neque enim fi contraria solum praedicauerint intulit sed si euangelizauerint quid prater quod ipsi Euangelizâ—uimê° hoc est sâ— plusculum quippiam ipsi adiâ—cerint execrationi â—ubdantur For he saith not only if they preach contrary things but if they preach any thing beside that which we haue preached that is if they adde but any little thereto let them be accursed As for the wordes of Austin which M. Bishop citeth he knoweth not whence they make nothing against this meaning but wholly for it saue that he somewhat forceth them by false translation and cutteth off the last part of them y August in â—â—an tract 98. Non â—â—t plus quà m accepistis sed praeter quod accepistis nam si iltud diceret sibi ipse praeiudicâ—ret qui cupiebat venire ad Thessalonicenses vt suppler et quae eorum fidei deâ—uerunt sed qui supplet quod minus erat addit non quod inerat tollit Qui autem praetergreditur regulam fidei non accedit in via sed reâ—â—dit de via The Apostle saith not more then yee haue receiued but beside what yee haue receiued for if he had so said he should haue preiudiced himselfe who desired to come to the Thessalonians to supply what was wanting to their faith Now he that supplieth addeth that which is wanting and taketh not away what was before But he that goeth beside the rule of faith goeth not forward in the way but departeth from the way Where St. Austin doth not say otherwise then you haue receiued as M. Bishop translateth but beside what yeâ— haâ—e receiued as the Apostle speaketh calling that which they had receiued the rule of faith and saying that he that goeth beside or beyond that rule as it were to make a larger way departeth out of the way which M. Bishop thought it safest for him wholly to suppresse But he noteth withall that the Apostle forbiddeth them not to receiue more then they had receiued that is to receiue that more perfectly which they had receiued by growing more and more in the knowledge and vnderstanding thereof and proceeding therein as it were from milke to strong meate which is the drift of St. Austins discourse there only hee willeth them that beside that which they had receiued they should receiue nothing In a word to speake as the Schooles speake in extension they were to receiue no more by adding to the doctrine which they had beene taught in intension they were to receiue more by increasing and profiting in that which they had receiued But that we may know that it was St. Austins minde as his words import that nothing is to be receiued beside what we receiue out of the Scriptures of the law and the gospell we are to obserue againe that which I before obserued that he saith that z August de Doct. Christ l. 2. c. 9. In ijs quâ— apertè in Scriptura positâ—â— sunt inâ—â—â—iuntur illa omnia qua continent fidem moresque viuendi in those things which are
lib. 3. Illic pronuncianda est regulae â—nteruersio vbi posteritas inuenitur that where any after-faith is found there is to be pronounced the peruerting of the rule of faith Now therefore in question of religion the triall of truth shall be to haue recourse to that which was first deliuered or as Cyprian expresseth it c Cypâ—ian l. 2. Epist 3. Ad radicem atque originem traditionis Dominicae reuertatur to returne to the roote and originall of the Lords tradition and thence to secure our selues what we are to beleeue and what to doe that we may be saued To the same purpose I alleaged other wordes of Cyprian in the same place that d Ibid. Si soluâ— Christus audiâ—ndus est non debemus attendere quid aliquis ante nos faciendum putauerit sed quid qui ante omnes est Christ prior fecerit Neque enim hoâ—â—nis consuetudinem sequioportet sed Dei veritatâ— sith Christ only is to be heard according to that which the Father proclaimed from heauen concerning him This is my beloued sonne c. heare him we are not to regard what any man before vs hath thought fit to be done but what Christ hath done who is before all for we must not follow the custome of man but the truth of God Which wordes or the most of them as fitted my occasion being by me set downe in a distinct letter that they might be knowen to be Cyprians wordes M. Bishop in transcribing my text hath changed into his common letter that they might be thought to be but mine owne wordes knowing well enough that otherwise by the credit of the authour they would giue the Reader a preiudice against all that he hath here said We see that Cyprian teacheth vs first of all without respect what men haue done to looke to that which Christ did and thereby to iudge of all the custome of men But M. Bishop like the Crabbe that goeth backward teacheth a man to looke first what his father did and then his grandfather and then his great grandfather and so the rest that out of the custome of men he may learne what is the truth of Christ Those children saith he who follow the holy steps of their Catholike Progenitours ascending from sonne to father successiuely till they arriue at the first Christians of that Country are true Christians But what if the first conuersion of a Country be not aright as befell to the e Abb. Vrsperg in Chronico Valâ—ns Ariana persidiae saucius suae partis sautores illuc direxit praedicatores qui venientes rudibus ignaris illiâ—ò perfidâ—ae suae viruâ— insundunt Gothes whose conuersion was to Arianisme in the time of the Arrian Emperour Valens how then shall his rule stand good of ascending from sonne to father till we arriue at the first Christians of that Country Will he say that such doubtlesse beleeue aright because they beleeue as they did who first were conuerted in that Country If he alleage that he speaketh of following the holy steps of Catholike progenitors he maketh himselfe ridiculous because it is the question whether the Progenitours be Catholike and their steps holy and to be followed or not and he for triall hereof referreth vs to them that were in that country first conuerted who haply were corrupted at first by them by whom they were conuerted This case we put concerning the conuersion of our nation whereat he aimeth by Austin the Monke who though he brought hither the Christian religion yet brought it somewhat blended and sowred with the leauen of humane traditions and inuentions so that to receiue religion as he brought it is to receiue the corruption which he also brought which being growen since as in corruptions it falleth out from a little scabbe to a foule leprosie yet shall the foule leprosie be coloured and defended by the example of the scabbe This case being put M. Bishops rule is out of ioynt because we are come to the first conuerted of our nation and we doubt of some default in their conuerters which we the more suspect for that we f See the Answere to the Epistle sect 31. finde the Britaines who had beene formerly and anciently Christians refusing at that time to meddle with them Here then we are new to seeke and are forced to make further enquiry whether the faith of Christ as it was taught here first by that Romish Monke were in any such sort defiled or not But that being granted that a country is at the first rightly and truly conuerted to the faith of Christ how shall the posterity after so many generations haue infallible assurance that they hold inuiolably the same doctrine which they embraced who were first conuerted What rolles what records haue we certainly and particularly to informe vs that our fathers and fathers fathers and their fathers and forefathers from the beginning haue without adding or detracting without change or alteration either of phrase or meaning beleeued and practised thus and thus Will he send vs to the Chronicles and Stories of our country to be certified hereof To say nothing that euery one that seeketh assurance of his faith cannot studie Chronicles for the finding of it suppose a man hath read them all what is he the nearer inasmuch as Bellarmine hath taught vs to say of them all that g Bellarm. de Effect Sacram. l. 2. c. 25. Quòd historici quidam meminerint c. non potest parere fidem nisi humanam cui potest subesse falsum they breede but humane beleefe wherein there may be falshood Of the greatest matters many times they say least they deliuer things many times vnperfectly and often we may rather gather from them the priuate affection of the authour then any testimony of publike faith To the deuices of their owne times they apply the phrases of former times and corrupt the meaning of former times by speaking in the language of their owne times We finde many times differences and disagreements amongst them and that reproued by one which is approued by another Sometimes we descry lyes and tales wilfully deuised and falsly fathered vpon the times and persons that haue beene before and guilefully thrust into ancient bookes for the gracing of superstitions that haue growen of latter times and other writings and stories suppressed and made away which taxed such superstitions as they did arise Many vncertainties there are many difficulties and perplexities in this course and vnpossible it is for them that are the authors of it to set downe out of any records any perfect forme of their owne faith whereof a man can but reasonably satisfie himselfe that it hath beene vniuersally and vniformely receiued of all our fathers and continued wholly the same without alteration from the first conuerted till our time M. Bishop therefore by referring men in question of religion to their fathers forefathers doth but send them a long iourney in the darke not seeing which
Ecclesiasticall as the King of Scots did he well knoweth they durst not As for his other tales that the country was poore and could not spare money for which the Legate came and that the charges of entertainment of such a state would be ouer great they are his owne skiruy deuices the storie mentioneth no such thing and we know the Popes authority where it is acknowledged is not wont to be put off with such slender excuses He then that considereth what I haue alleaged and what he hath answered will easily see that I said truly of them and that there is no cause to returne it vpon me They care not indeede what they say or write so that it may carry a magnificall and braue shew to dazell the eyes of them that are not acquainted with their lewd and naughty dealing THere followed here M. Bishops answere to my sharpe taxation of him for vpbraiding the Kings Maiestie with misfortune in his breeding and bringing vp which for that it concerneth no matter of controuersie I haue left to be touched otherwhere amongst other matters of like nature and proceede to that that followeth for the sixt Chapter CHAP. VI. That the reasons of Popery where there is not a minde preiudicate are not vrgent or forcible and that M. Bishop was iustly censured for that in repeating a rule deliuered by the Kings Maiesty for iudgement of true religion hee left out some wordes thereof ANSWERE TO THE EPISTLE YOu talke M. Bishop of many vrgent and forcible reasons but you talke as c. to VVe hope you will not deny c. W. BISHOP TRue there is no hast indeede for M. Abbot comes faire and soft to the matter What a number of idle vaunting wordes and vaine repetitions be here as though any iuditious man were to be perswaded by bare wordes and voluntary supposals before hee see any proofe Sir I doubt not but the indifferent Reader will suspend his iudgement and deeme nere the worse of my writing for your empty censure till he see good reason to the contrary Sure I am that some Catholikes hauing read your booke doe like much the better of mine and esteeme yours a very fond peece of worke full of babble lies and foule wordes voide of sound proofes and farre from common ciuility Who are more circumspect then you your selues to keepe your followers from reading our bookes who first imprison any that will helpe to print them then set fines on all their heads that shall keep them and make very diligent search after them so that all these common wordes may most truly be returned vpon your selfe Mutato nomine de te narratur fabula You note that I subtilly left out of his Maiesties speech from Christ her Lord and head but shew no cause why and no maruaile for none indeede can be shewed they are needlesse wordes as being comprehended in the former For if the Church of Rome departed not from her selfe when shee was in her most-flourishing and best estate shee cannot depart from Christ her Lord and head wherefore to note this for a subtle tricke giueth the Reader cause to note you for a wrangler and one that is very captious where no cause is offered M. Abbot comes at length to my first reason and goeth about to disproue it thus R. ABBOT HOwsoeuer I seeme to M. Bishop to come faire and soft to the matter I make no doubt but he would haue beene very well contented that I should haue made lesse hast His vpbraiding me with idle vaunting wordes and vaine repetitions with bare wordes and voluntary suppâ—sals seemeth to me no strange thing because he knoweth it to be for his behoofe that all that I haue written be so accounted But euery man can conceiue that he is no fit man to be iudge of my writings He hath a web in his eye that troubleth his sight so as that nothing seemeth streight to him but that that is crooked What reason and proofe I haue brought for that that I say and whether my censure of him be right or wrong it resteth with the iudicious and indifferent Reader duely to consider and then to pronounce accordingly But the lest is in that that followeth Sure I am saith he that some Catholikes hauing read your booke doe like much the better of mine And doe they so indeede M. Bishop Happy man are you then and neede no longer care where you begge your bread You are certainly in the right if some Catholikes like better of your booke then they doe of mine But take heede M. Bishop that you be not deceiued by them It may be they doe but flatter you and to please you are content to say that which they do not thinke It may be they too much fauour you and you may remember what Seneca saith that a Senec. de Tranquill. animi Semper iudicio fauor officit fauour alwaies hindereth a man from iudging aright I told you before of the Prouerbe b Quisquis amat Ranam Ranam putat esse Dianam Who loues the frogge in filthy dike He thinks the frogge Diana-like As in the body so in the mind there is a corrupt disposition which maketh a man to like nothing but that that serueth for the further corrupting of him Yea and it may be they are like to children that thinke the bels sound whatsoeuer they fancy and therefore doe esteeme mine a very fond peece of worke full of babble and lyes and I know not what but yours on the other side a graue profound learned and super-learned booke But M. Bishop if they were not forestalled with preiudice and bewitched thereto with Romish inchantments surely they would see that your Epistle to the King is so farre from bringing those vrgent and forcible reasons which you pretend as that it consisteth wholly of meere cauils and calumniations such and so apparant as that you haue beene glad to let it goe because you saw it vnpossible to defend it Gladly would I know of those iudicious Readers of yours how well they like of your alleaging against vs the opinion of c See the Aduertisement concerning D. Bishops Reproofe sect 16. Proclus the Heretike You haue beene so hot and so confident in it as that hauing set forth the matter at large I would willingly heare of them whether they thinke you or me more worthy to be thrust into the Asses skinne To let passe many other matters you haue there tendered to the King diuers conclusions drawen from our doctrine within the compasse of a few lines Of that that we say that it is vnpossible in this state of mortality and corruption perfectly to fulfill the law you inferre d Epistle to the King sect 19. 20. Therefore it is in vaine to goe about it therefore it is vnpossible to haue charity therefore it is vnpossible to haue faith therefore it is vnpossible for a Protestant cleauing to the grounds of his owne religion to hope for any saluation Againe
there is no shadow of likelyhood that one should tell the Pope such a tale to his face or that Erasmus being in most points a Catholike would report it But for the inducing of his Reader to this opinion see a trick of this honest man For if he had truly quoted the place as he found it by me set downe he thought his Reader would perhaps looke the place and so would finde it to be as I had said But to preuent this whereas I had noted in the margent Erasm de rat Concion lib. 3. hee setteth downe in steede thereof Erasmus de ratione that the Reader vvhen he should search for such a booke of Erasmus and finde no such written by him might thinke me to be as very a cozener as Doctor Bishop himselfe now is found to be Let me tell him once againe that Erasmus hath written a vvorke entituled Ecclesiastes or de ratione Concionandi in g Pag. 291. as it was printed at Basil by Frobenius 1535. the third booke whereof he hath left to future memory those vvorthy stories of Robertus Liciensis which I haue before reported For conclusion of this passage he termeth me a poore Robin simple and poore-blinde that can finde nothing in the Apostles writings for their Catholike cause telling vs that he hath shewed the contrary already and will further shew it in those very points which I my selfe haue made choise of But what he hath done already we haue seene it remaineth to examine the rest that follow that it may appeare whether the simple Protestants doe well or not in taking the Apostle St. Paul to be wholly for them W. BISHOP §. 2. TO beginne with the first there is plaine testimony that we are iustified before God by workes which I cited before VVith God the doers of the law shall be Rom. 2. vers 13. iustified There is much for free-will witnesse this Let not sinne therefore raigne in your mortall body Ibid. 6. vers 12. 13. that you obey the concupiscence thereof but neither doe you exhibite your members instruments of iniquity vnto sinne but exhibite your selues to God of dead men aliue and your members instruments of iustice to God for sinne shall not haue dominion ouer you for you are not vnder the law but vnder grace See how the Apostle maketh it in the power and will of euery man indued with Gods grace either to doe well or to doe euill and that sinne hath no such dominion ouer them but that they may doe well if they will concurre with Gods grace Item that it is not grace which doth all but a man must worke with grace and exhibite the powers of his soule as instruments towards the producing of good workes which is flatly our doctrine of free-will And before we depart from this matter of iustification as M. Abbot doth very quickly you shall heare more of it out of the same Apostle he teacheth expresly that a man in the state of grace may fulfill the law in these wordes For that which was impossible to the law Ibid. cap. 8. v. 3. in that it was weakned by flesh God sending his Sonne in the similitude of the flesh of sinne euen of sinne damned sinne in the flesh that the iustification of the law might bee fulfilled in vs who walke not according to the flesh but according to the spirit Which is seconded in the thirteenth Chapter where he concludeth loue to be the fulnesse of the law hauing Ibid. v. 9. 10. before said that he who loueth his neighbour fulfilleth the law And as for that certainty of saluation which many Protestants bragge of the Apostle doth wholly dispossesse them of it first in the place before cited where he willeth them that stand right in the true Rom. 11. ver 20. faith to beware that they fall not and assureth them that they shall fall as others had done before them if they did not diligently looke vnto it Elsewhere he aduiseth vs with feare and trembling to worke our Philip. 2. ver 12. saluation Marke how two points of the Protestant doctrine be wounded in one sentence and two of ours confirmed both that we must worke our saluation it comes not then by only faith and that with feare and trembling we are not then assured of it before hand by the certainty of faith which excludeth all feare and doubt of it Now that we ought to haue a firme hope of saluation S. Paul teacheth vs VVe haue accesse through faith Rom. 5. vers 2. into this his grace wherein we stand and glory in the hope of the Sonnes of God Also For by hope we Ibid. 8. vers 24. are saued Item we giue thanks to God c. for the Clooss 1. vers 5. hope that is laid vp for you in heauen With whom S. Peter consorteth Blessed be God and the Father of 1. Pet. 1. vers 3. our Lord Iesus Christ who according to his great mercy hath regenerated you into a liuely hope vnto an incorruptible crowne c. laid vp in heauen Not to prosecute all the particular points of iustification which haue euery one good ground in the Apostle S. Paul as in that question may be seene the very faith whereby Abraham was and we are iustified is no such kinde of faith as the Protestants claime to be iustified by that is by an apprehension and drawing of Christs righteousnesse to themselues but that faith whereby we beleeue all things to be true which God hath reuealed as S. Paul declareth in the fourth to the Romans where he reporteth Abraham Rom. 4. vers 19. to haue beene iustified by beleeuing that God according to his promise would giue him a Sonne and make him the Father of many nations so that finally there is not a word in S. Paul which in his owne meaning maketh for any one peece of the Protestants iustification but heapes of testimonies for euery branch of iustification as we beleeue it R. ABBOT H 〈…〉 M. Bishop beginneth to muster his abundance of 〈◊〉 like an armie of men whereof some want aâ—mes some legges some looke another way some turne quite about and fight against him He setteth downe a number of places but whether they hit or crosse or come short what careth he let the Reader looke to that He saith they proue this or that but how they proue it id populus curet scilicet he is too busie to trouble himselfe about it As for example There is plaine testimony saith he that we are iustified before God by workes namely a Rom. 2. 13. with God the doers of the law shall be iustified But it doth not follow that because the doers of the law shall be iustified with God therefore we are iustified before God by workes because it doth not appeare that we are doers of the law Let him put in for his minor proposition But we are doers of the law and then his absurdity appeareth because