al one to say the vniuersal particular Church here is a vvel shapen argument and worthy the maker it consists of al particular propositions which euery smatterer in logicke knowes to be most vitious besides not one of them is good but al are sophistical and ful of deceit First concerning the forme if it were currant one might proue by it that no one Church in the vvorld vvere Catholike take for example the English congregation vvhich they hold to be most Catholike and apply M. Abbots argument to it thus The Catholike Church is the vniuersal Church but the Church of England is a particular Church wherefore to say the English Church is Catholike is to say a particular Church is an vniuersal His first fault then is in the very forme of reasoning which alone is sufficient to argue him to be a sophister and one that meaneth to beguile them that vvil trust him now to the particulars His first proposition the Catholike Church is the vniuersal Church is both absurd because the same thing is affirmed of himselfe for vniuersal is no distinct thing but the very interpretation of the vvord Catholike and also captious as hauing a double signification For the Catholike Church doth signifie both the vvhole body of the Church compacted of al the particular members vnited and joyned together in one in which sence no one particular Church can be called the Catholike Church because it is not the vvhole body spread ouer al the world for it is totum integrale to vse the schoole tearmes and not totum vniuersale quod dicitur de multis Secondly the Catholike Church doth also designe and note very properly euery particular Church that embraceth the same true Christian faith which hath continued euer since Christs time and beene receiued in al countries not only because it is totum similare as M. Abbot speaketh vvherefore euery true member of the Catholike Church may be called Catholike but also because each of the said particular Churches hath the same Faith the same Sacraments and the same order of gouernement al vvhich are as it vvere the soule and forme of the Catholike Church vvhich M. Abbot acknowledgeth and further also confesseth out of S. Augustine that Christians were called Catholikes Ex communicatione totius orbis Epistola 48. By hauing communion of faith with the whole world If then by his owne confession euery particular Church yea euery particular Christian that embraceth and professeth that faith which is dilated al the vvorld ouer be truly called Catholike how fondly then did he goe about to proue the Church of Rome not to be Catholike and Papists not to be Catholikes because forsooth they were particulars Yet that he may be thought not to doate outright but rather to dreame he addeth That at least the Church of Rome hath no reason to assume to her selfe the prerogatiue of that title because that euery Church where the true faith is taught is truly called Catholike and no one more then another I note first that this man is as constant and stable as the weather-cocke on the toppe of a steeple before he proued stoutly as you haue heard that no particular Church could be called Catholike now he wil haue euery particular Church that receiueth the true faith to be called Catholike Neither doe vve say that any one Orthodoxe Church is more Catholike then another if the word Catholike be taken precisely though we hold that among al the particular Catholikes the Roman holdeth the greatest priuiledges both of superiority in gouernement and of continuance and stability in the same true Catholike faith which is deduced out of the word of God because that Church Math. 16. vers 18. Is the Rocke according to the exposition of the ancient Fathers vpon which the whole Church was built and against which the gates of hel should neuer preuaile Againe the Bishop of Rome succeedeth lineally vnto S. Peter Luc. 22. vers 23. Whose faith through the vertue of Christs praier shal neuer faile wherefore S. Ireneus a most learned Archbishop of Lions in France and a glorious Martir of great antiquity saith That al Churches ought to agree with the Church of Rome Lib. 3. cap. 3. for her more mighty principality S. Cyprian Archbishop of Carthage in Africke affirmeth Li. 1. epist 3. That perfidiousnesse and falshood in matters of faith can haue no accesse vnto the See of Rome S. Ambrose taketh it to be al one to say the Catholike and the Roman Church in these vvordes If he shal agree with the Catholike that is De ob Satyri Hieron in Apolog 1. cont Ruffi cap. 1. with the Roman Church So doth S. Hierome when he saith of Ruffinus What faith doth he say his to be if the Roman faith we are then Catholikes affirming men to become Catholikes by holding the Roman faith a De Praescript Tertullian b Epiphan Haeres 27. Epiphanius c Lib. 2. cōt Parmeni Optatus d August Epist 165. S. Augustine doe proue their Churches to be Catholike and themselues to be Catholikes by declaring that they doe communicate vvith the Church of Rome in society of faith and doe condemne their aduersaries to be Schismatikes and Heretikes because they did not communicate vvith the same Roman Church And vvhich is greatly to be noted no general Councel of sound authority vvherein the Christian truth hath beene expounded and determined but is confirmed by the Bishop of Rome And on the other side no heresie or errour in faith hath sprong vp since the Apostles daies that did not oppose it selfe against the Roman See and was not by the same finally ouerthrowne Whereupon S. Augustine had good reason to say That that chaire obtained the toppe of authority De vtil cred cap. 17. Heretikes in vaine barking round about it This little I hope vvil suffice for this place to declare that there is great cause vvhy vve should attribute much more to the Roman Church then to any other particular Church whatsoeuer and yeeld to it the prerogatiue of al singular titles in a more excellent manner Here comes in M. Abbots second proposition but the Church of Rome is a particular Church in which is as great doubling and deceit as in the former for albeit the Church of Rome doe in rigour of speech only comprehend the Christians dwelling in Rome yet is it vsually taken by men of both parties to signifie al Churches of vvhatsoeuer other Country that doe agree vvith the Church of Rome in faith and confesse the Pastour thereof to be the chiefe Pastour vnder Christ of the whole Church Like as in times past the Roman Empire did signifie not the territory of Rome alone or dominion of Italy but also any nation that vvas subject to the Roman Emperour Euen so the whole Catholike Church or any true member thereof may be called the Roman Church à parte principaliore because the Bishop of Rome is the supreme head
be referred vnto the See Apostolike Because the Apostles by the commandement of our Sauiour haue ordained that questions of greater difficulty shal alwaies be referred vnto the Apostolike See vpon which Christ built the whole Church saying vnto blessed Peter the Prince of the Apostles thou art Peter vpon this rocke wil I build my Church c. Anacletus his immediate successor Euaristus Pope Martir writing vnto the Bishops of Africke Epistola 1. ad Eccles Africanam speaketh thus Truly your charity following the rule of the wise hath chosen rather to referre vnto the See Apostolike as to the head what ought to be obserued in doubtful matters then to presume your selues by vsurpation and writing to the brethren in Aegipt Epistola 2. doth command certaine Bishops whom he resembleth to adulterers because they had intruded into other Bishops Citties to be cast out of those places and to be made infamous and depriued of al Ecclesiastical honours adjoining That if after these thinges so dispatched they should haue further complaint against them that matter were to be enquired out and to be determined by the authority of this holy See Note how these holy Popes that vvere so nigh vnto the Apostles taught it to belong vnto the See of Rome to determine of the causes of the Bishops of Afrike and Aegipt most remote from them And because the Apostle S. Paul willeth 2. Cor. 13. vers 2. euery word to stand in the mouth of two or three witnesses I vvil take for the third Alexander the first Pope and Martir who succeeded vnto Euaristus he is as plaine and formal in this cause as any of the rest these be his wordes Epist 1. omnibus orthodoxis It is related vnto the primacy of this holy and Apâ—stolike See vnto which the disposition of the highest cases and the affaires of al Churches are by our Lord committed as to the head c. and a little after Our Lord here appointed this holy See the head of the whole Church I omit here the verdict of al others herein because this very matter must be spoken off hereafter againe and againe these three most ancient graue and Godly Martirs al successours of S. Peter and S. Paul vpon whose authority M. Abbot here only insisteth vvil suffice to certifie the indifferent reader that euen from the Apostles daies the Bishop of Rome hath beene taken for supreme judge in al Ecclesiastical causes aswel in the East as West Church To finish this passage thou maist gentle reader by this little see what shamelesse shifts M. Abbot is forced to vse to make any coulourable shew out of antiquity for the lay Magistrates superiority in spiritual causes He is first driuen to cite an vnlearned an vnlikely and an Apocriphal letter of 1400. yeares old vpon the credit of men of our owne age and those most partial too on his owne side the letter bearing date also many yeares after the death of him that is supposed to be the authour of it and when al is done in the same vvorshipful letter there is not one pregnant proofe for any part of their doctrine lastly that his owne chosen witnesses doe deliuer vp most cleare euidence against himselfe he therefore that vvil giue judgement on his side must needes shew himselfe exceeding partial ROBERT ABBOT ANACLETVS Bishop of Rome Dist 1. Episcopus 2. peracta and after him Calixtus ordained that consecration being done al should communicate or else be excommunicated For so say they the Apostles did set downe and the holy Church of Rome obserueth But the Church of Rome that now is maketh it lawful for the Priest to receiue alone the people in the meane time standing gazing and looking on and the fight only must suffice them WILLIAM BISHOP HERE is nothing in manner worth the answering only the cosening deceitfulnesse of the man is to be displaied First Anacletus hath only De consecrat dist 1. Can. Episcopus that Deacons Subdeacons and other Ministers that in solemne feasts attend in holy vestiments vpon the Bishop whiles he doth sacrifice vnto God should in the same solemne feasts communicate or else be debarred of their Ecclesiastical places where is not one word of the lay peoples communicating And therefore that Canon is wholy besides the purpose sauing that it doth teach that then Bishops vsed to offer sacrifice vnto God and that the Clarkes did in holy vestiments serue them at Masse See the Canon and vvonder at the folly of the man In like manner doth the second Canon of Calixtus speake of Ecclesiastical persons that serue at Masse for so saith the Collector De consecrat dist 2. Can. peracta Ecclesiasticis liminibus careat Minister Let the Minister or he that serueth want Ecclesiastical place With which agreeth the glosse vpon the same Canon vvhich also is euident by the very Text for the punishment set downe is Ecclesiasticis carere liminibus To be shut out of the Ecclesiastical mens seates and places vvhich vvere no punishment to a lay man that was not before admitted into any such roome And as it may be seene in the said distinction Cap. Etsi non frequentius De consecrat dist 1. and Cap. Secularis Lay men were commanded about those times to communicate but thrife in the yeare at Easter Whitsontide and Christmasse Briefly here is nothing against the moderne practise of the Church of Rome for both they that solemnely serue at Masse on festiual daies doe receiue and no lay man is denied to communicate on any day either on those feasts or at any time else vvhen he vvil prepare himselfe thereto But to debarre Priests from seruing God in that most high degree be their deuotion and preparation neuer so good vntil they can get some company of the laity to communicate with them is without just cause to robbe God of his soueraigne honour to extinguish the working of his holy spirit in deuout soules and to defraude the whole flocke of the benefit of many most holy and effectual praiers not only of the Priests but also of the people vvho doe not with vs stand gazing on at the time of communion as M. Abbot prophanely conceiteth but humbly kneeling doe then pray most deuoutly and doe in spirit and desire communicate also Briefly there is not one sillable in those Canons sounding to the Protestant sence that Priests should not coÌ„municate if the Clarke or people joine not vvith them but only that the indeuout and slugglish Clarkes should be depriued of their places if vpon high feasts they did neglect to communicate with the Bishop or Pastor ROBERT ABBOT IVLIVS the Bishop of Rome disallowed intinctam Eucharistiam De consecrat 2. cum omne the dipping of the Eucharist the Sacrament of Christs body in the cuppe Because no witnesse thereof was brought out of the Gospel but there is mentioned the commending of the bread by it selfe and the cuppe by it selfe but
sute of diuers Bishops of the East he did solemnely summon S. Athanasius that most learned and valiant Patriarke of Alexandria to appeare at Rome before him there to answere vnto such crimes as were indeede most vvrongfully objected against him Lib. 4. hist Tripart c. 6. Nicephor lib. 9. cap. 6. thus saith the holy History The Pope following the law of the Church commanded them also to come vnto Rome and according to the rule of the Canons cited the venerable Athanasius to judgement Athanasius obediently appeared but his aduersaries knowing that their lies in that place vvould soone be discouered durst not appeare vvhereupon Athanasius was purged of those imputations Ibid. cap. 12. and restored to his Bishoprick Vnto the same Iulius not long after Athanasius being pittifully abused by the Arrians repaired the second time for aide vvhere he found diuers other Bishops of the East namely Paulus Bishop of Constantinople Marcellus Bishop of Ancony Asclopas Bishop of Gaya and Lucianus Bishop of Adrianople al Easterne Bishops and yet appealing to Iulius Pope of Rome for remedy of the wrongs done them by the Arrian Heretikes which doth most manifestly testifie that in the primitiue Church al other Bishops acknowledged the Bishop of Rome for the supreme Pastour of Christes Church vvhich also Zozomenus doth confirme shewing how Iulius restored them al Tanquam omnium curam gerens Zozom l. 3. hist. cap. 8. propter propriae sedis dignitatem As one that had care ouer them al for the dignity of his owne See And Iulius his owne wordes recorded by no meaner a man then S. Athanasius doe declare the same for blaming the Bishops of the East he saith Athanas in Apolog. 2. Why did you not write vnto vs especially you of Alexandria are you ignorant that the custome is that we should first be written vnto that from hence it might be defined what was right therefore if you haue any quarrel against any Bishop you ought to haue referred it hither to our Church c. And shortly after I signifie to you such thinges as were receiued from the blessed Apostle S. Peter c. vvhere M. Abbot may see that one of S. Peters successours of great worth and authority doth tel the Bishops of the East Church that by order set downe by S. Peter himselfe Bishops causes of al countries ought to be referred vnto the definition of the Bishop of Rome he therefore is their superiour I adde hereunto because it belongeth both vnto Pope Iulius and this present purpose of their supremacy in Ecclesiastical causes this sentence taken out of the Ecclesiastical history The Councel holden at Antioch was not good Hist Tripart lib. 4. cap. 9. for that Iulius Bishop of Rome was not there present nor sent any Legate in his place because the Ecclesiastical Canons doe command that Councels ought not to be celebrated without the sentence of the Bishop of Rome ROBERT ABBOT GELASIVS Bishop of Rome saith as we say Gelas cont Eutich Nestor That in the Saâ—rament is celebrated the Image or resemblance of the body and bloud of Christ and that there ceasseâ—h not to be the substance or nature of bread and wine But now the Romish religion maketh them Heretikes that say the Sacrament is the Image or resemblance of the body bloud of Christ and not the body and bloud of Christ it selfe or wil not beleeue that the bread and wine are substantially and really turned into the same body and bloud Albeit they beleeue with the same Gelasius that the Sacrament is a diuine thing and that thereby we are made partakers of the diuine nature euen of Christ himselfe really and substantially but yet spiritually vvith al his riches becomming ours and being eaten of vs not by our teeth into our bellies but by faith into our harts vnto life euerlasting WILLIAM BISHOP FIRST I say that M. Abbot hauing his eie-sight sore troubled with a grosse defluxion of salt rhewme taketh a Rowland for an Oliuer that is one Gelasius an vnknowne Grecian for Gelasius an African borne yet Bishop of Rome That he was not Gelasius the Bishop of Rome appeareth plainly out of that very treatise cited by M. Abbot for that Gelasius professeth to alleage the testimony of al the learned Fathers who wrote before him yet he maketh no mention of the most renowmed authours in the Latin Church as of S. Hillary S. Augustine S. Hierome and of Pope Leo al vvhich wrote before Gelasius the Bishop of Rome and were had in very great estimation by him as may be seene by his declaration of the Canonical Scriptures of the most approued fathers workes Dist 15. SaÌ„cta Romana Ecclesia Ibidem Againe that Gelasius citeth often and relieth much vpon the authority of Eusebius Bishop of Caesarea vvhereas Gelasius the Pope hath noted his vvorkes for little better then Apocryphal so that nothing is more like then that the good man hath mistaken his marke and is fallen from the successours of S. Peter and S. Paul vpon I cannot tel whom yet because he is an old writer though of what credit it be vncertaine I wil not refuse him And to the former part of his sentence that in the Sacrament there is an Image or resemblance of Christes body I answere that vve Catholikes doe say as much in effect for euery Sacrament is a visible signe of an inuisible and holy thing and so Christs body vnder the forme of bread and wine is a resemblance of his body parted from his bloud on the Crosse and the body of Christ vnder the formes of bread and vvine as it is in the Sacrament is a picture also or resemblance of the vnion of his mistical body in faith and charity euen as the bread is made of many graines of corne and the vvine pressed out of many clusters of grapes The later part of his sentence may also haue a good meaning and stand wel with our doctrine for the nature of bread doth not wholy ceasse to be in the blessed Sacrament because the forme sauour and tast of bread which be natural qualities thereof doe stil remaine though the whole inward substance be turned into the body of Christ which that Gelasius doth in the same place signifie when he there saith The same bread to be changed into the diuine substance that is into the substance of Christ by the operation of the holy Ghost whereby the receiuers are made partakers of the diuine nature And M. Abbots glosse vpon these later wordes is very extrauagant for we cannot in property of speech be said to be partakers of Christs nature really by being made partakers of his riches for it is one thing to be partaker of a mans nature really another farre different to be partaker of his goodes and benefits And as for the receiuing of Christ spiritually by faith that may be done vvithout receiuing any Sacrament at al but Gelasius either speaketh of receiuing Christ in the
in steede of God WILLIAM BISHOP WHAT a worthy graue Preface he vseth to assure men that vve wil not deny S. Paul nor his Epistle to the Romans vvhich neuer were called in doubt by any man But good S ir vvhiles you muse and busie your head so much vpon bables you forget or wilfully mistake the very point of the question Was the Church of Rome at her most flourishing estate when S. Paul wrote that Epistle to the Romans was her faith then most renowmed ouer al the world as you write nothing lesse for not the tenne thousand part of that most populous Citty was then conuerted to the faith and they that had receiued the Christian faith were very nouices in it and stoode in great neede of the Apostles diuine instructions Any reasonable man would rather judge that the Church of Rome then came first to her most flourishing estate when Idolatry and al kind of superstition was put to silence and banished out of her vvhen the Christian religion was publikly preached countenanced by the Emperours authority which was not before the raigne of Constantine the great our most glorious country-man vvherefore M. Abbots first fault is that he shooteth farre vvide from the marke vvhich he should haue aimed at principally The second is more nice yet in one that would seeme so acute not to be excused It is that he taketh an Epistle written to the Romans for their instruction and correction as if it were a declaration and profession of their faith vvhen as al men know such a letter might containe many thinges vvhich they had not heard off before Further yet that you may see how nothing can passe his fingers vvithout some legerdemaine marke how he englisheth Theodorets wordes Dogmatum pertractationem The handling of opinions is by him translated al points of doctrine vvhereas it rather signifieth some then al opinions or lessons But I wil let these ouer-sights passe as flea-bitings and follow him whither he pleaseth to wāder that euery man may see when he is permitted to say what he liketh best that in truth he can alleage out of S. Paul nothing of moment against the Catholike faith S. Paul saith he is wholy against you and for vs. Quickly said but wil not be so soone proued First he condemneth the worshipping of Saints and Saints Images in that he reproueth the Heathens for changing the glory of the incorruptible God into the similitude of the Image of a corruptible man O noble disputer and wel worthy the whippe because we may not make false Gods or giue the glory of God vnto Idols may vve not therefore yeeld vnto Saints their due vvorship might not S. Paul whiles he liued as al other most Godly men be reuerenced and vvorshipped for their most excellent spiritual and religions vertues with a kinde of holy and religious respect euen as Knights and Lordes and other worldly men are vvorshipped and honoured for their temporal callings and endowments with temporal worship vvithout robbing God of his honour Is the Lord or Master dishonoured and spoiled of his due reuerence and respect if his seruants for his sake be much made off and respected yet with such due regard only as is meete for their degree This is so childish and palpable that if the Protestants were not resolued to sticke obstinately to their errours how grosse soeuer they be they vvould for very shame not once more name it To the next ROBERT ABBOT PAVL saith and we say the same that Ibid. vers 17. the righteousnesse of God is from faith to faith you say otherwise that it is from faith to workes that faith is but the entrance to workes and that in workes the righteousnesse of God doth properly consist WILLIAM BISHOP THE sentence of S. Paul is mangled his wordes are for the justice or righteousnesse of God is reuealed therein in the Gospel by faith into faith which are obscure and subject to diuers expositions The most common is that Christ the justice of God is reuealed in the Gospel by conferring the faith of them that liued before the Gospel vvith their faith that liued vnder it the faith of them who liue in the Gospel giuing great light for the cleerer vnderstanding of such thinges as were taught of Christmore darkely in the law and Prophets This being the literal sence of this place what is here for mans justification by only faith where only mention is made of Gods justice and not one vvord of the imputation of it to man but of the reuelation of it in the Gospel What a foule mistaking is this alas his pouerty of spirit and want of good armour compelleth him to lay hand on any vveapons how simple and weake soeuer In the next verse it is plainly shewed that God did grieuously punish al them vvho liued wickedly notwithstanding they held the right faith for saith S. Paul Rom. 1. v. 18. the wrath of God from heauen is reuealed vpon al impiety and vnrighteousnesse of those men that retaine or hold the truth of God in injustice Whence it followeth first that men may haue a true faith without good workes for they held the truth of God being themselues wicked Secondly that the same faith would not auaile them aught nor saue them from the just wrath of God if it were not quickned by good workes ROBERT ABBOT THE Apostle in expresse termes affirmeth Rom. 4. v. 6. imputation of righteousnesse vvithout vvorkes We doe the same but you professedly dispute against it WILLIAM BISHOP WE hold with the Apostle that vvorkes be not the cause of the first justification whereof he there treateth nor to deserue it though inspired with Gods grace they doe prepare vs and make vs fit to receiue the gift of justification neither doe the Protestants wholy exclude workes from this justification vvhen they doe require true repentance which consisteth of many good workes as necessary thereto We hold that justice is increased by good workes which we cal the second justification against which the Apostle speaketh not a vvord but doth confirme it vvhen he saith in the same Epistle Rom. 2. v. 13. Not the hearers of the law are just with God but the doers of the law shal be justified Marke how by doing of the law which is by doing good workes men are justified with God and not only declared just before men as the Protestants glose the matter Now touching See the place Rom. 4. v. 6. imputation of righteousnesse the Apostle speaketh not like a Protestant of the outward imputation of Christs justice to vs but of inherent justice to wit of faith vvhich worketh by charity which are qualities Rom. 6. powred into our harts by the holy Ghost so that there is only a bare sound of wordes for the Protestants the true substance of the Text making wholy for the Catholikes ROBERT ABBOT PAVL teacheth that Rom. 6. v. 23. Page 98. eternal life is the gift of God through IESVS
and to the publike tranquillity of the common vveale Now let the indifferent reader consider vvhether there be any one word in this supposed letter that carrieth meate in mouth as they say to feede the Protestants faith so that here is an ancient and reuerend Fathers letter cited to no purpose But M. Abbot saith that now a-daies not the King but the Pope is Gods Vicar and his Vicar general for al Kingdomes True it is the Pope is Gods Vicar in al Christian Kingdomes Sext. proem in glossa though there be not one vvord of any such matter in the glosse cited by him but that is in Ecclesiastical matters vvhich nothing hindereth but that the King is also Gods Vicar in temporal affaires for he may be called a Vicar that doth Vicem gerere alterius that is another mans Deputy Lieutenant or Substitute One King may haue many Vicars that is substitutes or deputies to whom he committeth some principal charge King Henry the eight for example hauing giuen him by the Parliament supreme power in both Ecclesiastical and Temporal causes had one Vicar for spiritual causes and many other for the temporal so God hath the Bishop of Rome for Christes Vicar general in causes of the Church and Kinges in the administration of the common vveale And the very Canon cited by M. Abbot would haue taught him so much if he had read it vvith a minde to learne the truth rather then to sucke out some matter of cauil out of it Distinct 96. Si Imperator for therein be these wordes The Emperour hath the priuiledges of his power which he obtained of God for the administration of publike lawes Marke here the Pope acknowledgeth the Emperour to be Gods Deputy and Vicar in the administration of the common lawes vvhich in the Canon that goeth next before is confirmed for there Gelasius an ancient Pope speaketh thus to Anastatius the Emperour Ibidem duo sunt There be two thinges ô Sacred Emperour wherewith this world is principally gouerned to wit the holy authority of Bishops and the power of Princes These two then be both Gods Substitutes and Vicars the one for spiritual causes the other for temporal wherefore M. Abbot reasoneth very childishly vvhen he goeth about to proue that we deny the King to be Gods Vicar because we teach the Pope to be Gods Vicar for vve hold that they both be Gods Vicars though in distinct and different matters Neither lastly can he take any aduantage of the word gouerne if it be in that letter for King Lucius demand was for the Imperial lawes to gouerne the temporal state of his realme vvherefore it is euident that he spake there of temporal gouernement and not of spiritual Now because the maine question is whether Kings haue authority ouer Bishops in Ecclesiastical causes or Bishops ouer Kinges let vs heare some two or three of S. Peter and S. Paules Successours M. Abbots owne vvitnesses deliuer their knowledge thereof The first shal be the same learned and holy Pope Gelasius last named he affirmeth in the same Epistle vvhich vvas written to the Emperour himselfe that the authority of Bishops in spiritual causes doth extend it selfe ouer Kinges and Emperours these be his vvordes Distinct 96. Duo sunt Thou knowest ô Emperour thy selfe to depend on their judgements and that they cannot be reduced to thy wil and pleasure therefore many Bishops fortified with these ordinances and with this authority supported haue excommunicated some Kinges others Emperours And if a particular example be demanded of the persons of Princes blessed Innocentius the Pope did excommunicate the Emperour Archadius for consenting vnto the deposition of S. Iohn Chrisostome And blessed S. Ambrose though a holy Bishop yet not Bishop of the vniuersal Church for a fault that to others did not seeme so grieuous excommunicating Theodosius the great did shut him out of the Church c. Is not this plaine enough and directly to the purpose that Bishops haue power ouer Princes in Ecclesiastical causes and the authority of Gelasius is of such vvaight with M. Abbot shortly after that here he cannot gaine-say it vvith any honesty I vvil joine to him Anacletus vvhom M. Abbot also noteth the next who succeeded immediately after Clement S. Peters Scholler he saith expresly Epistola 1. prope finem That the Church of Rome receiued by our Sauiour Christes order the primacy and preeminence of power ouer al Churches and ouer the whole flocke of Christian people If then M. Abbot vvil allow that Kinges be any of Christes people the Pope hath authority ouer them S. Clement himselfe one of S. Paules Philip. 4. v. 3. coadjutors and whose name is in the booke of life hath left this vvritten among the constitutions of the Apostles Lib. 2. c. 11. Wherefore ô Bishop endeauour to excel in sanctity of workes knowing thy place and dignity thou art Gods Lieutenant and placed ouer al Lordes Priests Kinges and Princes Fathers Sonnes Masters and al Subjects joined together Ibid. cap. 33. And in the same booke touching by the vvay the dignity of Bishops repeateth these memorable wordes out of holy Scripture spoken to Moyses as a King Bishop Exod. 7. v. 1. Ecce constitui to Deum Pharaonis Behold I haue created thee the God of Pharao vvho was King of the land of Aegipt vvhere both Moyses and al the children of Israel then liued see the dignity of a Bishop aboue his owne King And the 38. chapter of the same booke of Clement is formally intituled That Priests are more excellent then Kinges and Princes And finally that the gouernement of the whole Church was committed to Bishops that vessel of election S. Paul is a sufficient witnesse vvho saith Act. 20. v. 28. Take heede to your selues and to the whole flocke wherein the holy Ghost hath placed you Bishops to rule the Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne bloud If then M. Abbot wil allow that Kinges be any of Christs flocke and that he purchased them with his bloud they are to be ruled by Bishops who are placed by the holy Ghost to rule the whol◠flocke of Gods Church Hitherto comparing the Bishop of Rome with temporal Princes I haue proued the prerogatiue of Ecclesiastical gouernement to appertaine to the Bishops Now a word or two of the preeminence of the Church and See of Rome ouer al other Churches vvhich shal be briefly verified euen by the testimony of some of the most ancient and most holy successours of S. Peter and S. Paul to whom M. Abbot attributes so much The afore named Anacletus who succeeded next after their owne Disciple S. Clement hauing shewed that al Ecclesiastical causes belong to Bishops euen as temporal causes doe to the temporal Magistrate Epistola 1. ad omnes Ecclesias addeth that if more difficult questions shal arise as the judgements of Bishops and greater causes let them if any appeale be made
Sacrament or else M. Abbot doth fondly alleage his wordes against the real presence wherefore his later paraphrase is a meere trifle and a vaine shift See more of this man and matter in the question of the real presence Let vs proceede ROBERT ABBOT De consecrat dist 2. comperimus THE same Gelasius when he vnderstood that some receiuing only the portion of the sacred body of Christ did forbeare the cuppe of his sacred bloud did forbidde that superstition and willed that either they should receiue the Sacrament whole or be kept from the whole because the diuiding of one and the same mistery cannot come without great sacriledge But now the Church of Rome is so farre off from acknowledging the diuiding of that mistery to be sacriledge as that shee pretendeth to be moued with just causes reasons Concil Trid. Sess 5. Can. 2. such as Christ and his Apostles and the primitiue Church had neuer the vvit to consider off to administer the Sacrament to the people only in one kinde and pronounceth them accursed that say shee erreth in so doing WILLIAM BISHOP NOW we come to Gelasius the Pope indeede and by his very phrase related by M. Abbot you may plainely perceiue that he beleeued firmely the sacred body of Christ and his pretious bloud to be really present in the blessed Sacrament for thus he speaketh We haue found that certaine men hauing receiued the portion of the sacred body doe abstaine from the Chalice of the sacred bloud Neither doe his wordes fit M. Abbots turne for the peoples receiuing vnder one kinde for he speaketh of Priests that doe consecrate both together vvho therefore must receiue both together that he may be partaker of the sacrifice which he himselfe hath offered For as it is said in the Canon next before De consecrat dist 2. relatum est Quale erit illud sacrificium cui nec ipse sacrificans particeps esse dignoscitur what kinde of sacrifice is that whereof he that sacrificeth doth not participate Wherefore it is by al meanes to be obserued that how often the Priest doth sacrifice the body and bloud of our Lord IESVS Christ vpon the Altar so often he exhibite himselfe a partaker of the body bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ. These wordes taken out of the Councel of Toledo goe immediately before those wordes which M. Abbot citeth and doe euidently shew that they are to be vnderstood of the Priest only that consecrateth the Sacrament as also the very title would haue told M. Abbot if he had beene disposed to take them right It is that the Priest ought not to receiue the body of Christ without his bloud So that here is not a vvord against the giuing the blessed body of Christ alone to the people But M. Abbot is forced like an euil Apothecary to take quid pro quo as they say one thing for another or else he should not be able to furnish his poore erring customers vvith any sort of pleasing drugges to feede their corrupt tast and grosse humours He doth by a parenthesis enterlace That Christ nor his Apostles nor the primitiue Church had euer the wit to consider any just cause of giuing the Sacrament in one kinde to the people vvhich is spoken too too like a blasphemer to touch our Sauiour Christ Iesus with lacke of vvit skil or due consideration who as diuers ancient Doctors doe testifie ministred the blessed Sacrament himselfe to two of his Disciples at Emaus vnder one only kinde of bread Luc. 24. vers 30. He tooke bread and blessed and brake and did reach it to them and their eies were opened and they knew him and he vanished out of their sight vvhere the circumstances August lib. 3. De consensu Euang. c. 25. Epist 59. ad Paul q. 8. Hier. in Epitaph Paulae of blessing breaking and giuing bread as he did at his last supper and the maruailous operation of it doe very probably proue it to haue beene the blessed Sacrament after which giuen in one kinde IESVS vanished out of their sight * Isichius lib. 2. in cap. 9. Beda in Theophil in eâ—m locum Lucae Opus imperfectuÌ„ in Mat. homil 17. In the Apostles time also very vsually the Sacrament vvas administred in one kinde They were perseuering in the doctrine of the Apostles and in communication of the breaking of bread and praiers vvhere breaking of bread being joined with preaching and praier doth conuince it to be spoken of the blessed SacrameÌ„t Againe saith S. Luke In the first of Sabaoth when we were assembled to breake bread Paul disputed with them c. This assembly vpon a Sonday furnished with S. Paules sermon must needes be to be made for the receiuing of the blessed Sacrament as a August Epist 86. Beda in illum locum S. Augustine and venerable Bede doe testifie In al which places following the expresse letter of the Scripture and the interpretation of many holy Fathers we haue warrant for the administration of the Sacrament to the people vnder one only kinde they then I hope vvanted not wit to know a cause of giuing the Sacrament in one kinde Lastly that in the primitiue Church the Sacrament was receiued vnder one kinde is most manifest by the testimony of b Tertull. lib. 2. ad Vxorâ—m Cyprian sermone de lapsis Ambros de obitu Satyri Tertullian S. Cyprian S. Ambrose and many others who declare how the Christians in those times of persecution carried to the sicke and reserued in their owne houses the blessed Sacrament viz. vnder the forme of bread to receiue it when they were in danger of torments or death for their more comfort and strengthning against those assaults Thus much by the way of administring the Sacrament vnder one kinde vnto the laity out of the practise of the primitiue Church the Apostles and our Sauiour himselfe in answere vnto M. Abbots parenthesis Now ere I take my leaue of this holy and most reuerend Pope Gelasius I vvil note briefly some branches of the Catholike faith which he doth formally deliuer to counterpoise those friuoulous objections vvhich M. Abbot haleth in obtorto collo as the Latin phrase is by the heeles out of his writinges First I haue declared out of him already Epist. ad Anast Imperat. In Epist ad Episcopos Daâ—daniae how that Bishops haue power and authority ouer Kinges and Emperours in Ecclesiastical causes so farre forth as to excommunicate them when vrgent cause so requireth He saith further That the Canons of the Church doe ordaine that from any part of the world appeale may be made to the See of Rome and that from it no man is suffered to appeale Againe That euery Church in the world doth know that the See of blessed Peter the Apostle hath right and power to loose and vnbinde that which is bound by the sentences of what Bishop soeuer as that See which hath lawful authority to judge
shal speake more at large presently This therefore may suffice to satisfie any indifferent reader how the first Christian Emperours were Presidents at Councels that is as may be gathered out of their owne wordes first to honour that assembly with their presence then to see that al things there be peacibly and orderly handled thirdly to learne the true Catholike faith by the definitions of those learned Bishops there assembled fourthly to recommend the same to al their faithful subjects and lastly to defend it against al obstinate Heretikes Al vvhich put together doth not come neare any probable proofe that they are supreme gouernours in Ecclesiastical matters but rather that they are in them to be gouerned For they neither argue determine nor define them but only doe receiue approue and defend them being before decided and defined by the Fathers assembled in the Councel by the Bishop of Rome Indeede Constantius an Arrian Emperour vvas perswaded by the Arrians to take vpon him the supreme judgement in Ecclesiastical causes but he vvas very sharply reprehended therefore by that most valiant champion of Christs Church Athanasius Patriarke of Alexandria If saith he the judgement of these matters belong to Bishops In Epist ad Solitar vitam agentes what hath the Emperour to entermeddle with them vvhere he relateth what that blessed Father Hosius vvho was Pope Siluesters chiefe Legate in the first Councel of Nice spoke of that vsurpation of Constantius Who saith he seing the Emperour Ibidem prope finem in decreeing to make himselfe Prince of the Bishops and President ouer their Ecclesiastical judgements may not worthily affirme him to be that abhomination of desolation which is foretold of Daniel In a word then the Protestants treading in the steps of the condemned Arrians vvould haue the lay Magistrates such Presidēts of Councels as haue supreme authority ouer the Bishops judgements vvhich we Roman Catholikes with the consent of al ancient and holy both Bishops and Emperours doe thinke to be very preposterous incommodious and intollerable Now to that trash vvhich M. Abbot chops in by the way by broken and halfe sentences the same Leo saith he professeth his obedience to the Emperours appointment and wil to Theodosius and Martianus for proofe he quoteth Leo vvhere we may gather that a false marchants fingers are to be looked vnto For in the first place there is expresse signification of S. Leo Epist 16. 17. not fulfilling the Emperour Theodosius request vvhich was to haue him present at the second Councel of Ephesus and there was no reason for it these be his owne wordes Albeit no reason doth permit me Epistola Leon. 16. t◠meete at the Episcopal Councel appointed by your piety because I haue no president for it by the example of any of my predecessours and the necessity of the time wil not suffer me to leaue the citty c. yet so farre forth as our Lord wil vouchsafe to helpe I haue applied my endeauour that the decree of your clemency may in some sort be obeied by sending hence some of my brethren who shal supply my place c. Doe you see what profession of obedience S. Leo made to the Emperour Theodosius vvhom he telleth plainly that no reason vvil permit him to obey his appointment and vvil Is not this trow you honest dealing deserues not this man to be wel credited vvhen he citeth the Fathers vvhen as he blusheth not to alleage them and to quote the place distinctly vvhich if you wil but turne vnto you shal finde him to be a man that hath a seared conscience and cares not what he saith so he may deceiue his simple reader Now to the second place there indeede S. Leo hath that the Emperours piety and most religious wil Epistola 57. is to be obeied by al meanes but he doth not make profession of his owne obedience to the Emperour but speaketh indefinitely obediendum est and that not to his appointment and wil as M. Abbot fableth but vnto his Godly and most religious wil that is vvhen he commandeth or desireth any thing according vnto the wil of God Now if you wil but looke into the circumstances of this obedience you shal yet further discouer the deceit of M. Abbot for the Emperour Martianus did write vnto Pope Leo that he would confirme the Councel of Chalcedon with his owne sentence vvhich was before subsigned by his Legates present thereat and that in the first place the Emperour being perswaded as it is set downe in the same Epistle that the Councel should haue greater force to suppresse al Heretikes if it might be taught throughout al Churches that the definition there of did please the See Apostolike Here you may see that the Emperour demanded no obedience of S. Leo but shewed himselfe to haue so great opinion of his judgement authority that it would greatly countenance and commend that general Councel which vvas by al the Bishops and the Emperour himselfe before subsigned A reasonable man can desire no more to proue S. Leo his supremacy in Ecclesiastical causes then the testimony of this godly Emperour Martianus Tom. 1. Concil in Prolog Concil Chal. epist 1. Martian ad Leo. For first he acknowledgeth him to hold the principality among al Bishops Secondly he acknowledgeth him to be the authour of calling general Councels these two points haue beene before rehearsed Thirdly he promiseth S. Leo to assemble the Bishops of the East that they might declare those thinges that be agreable vnto the Catholike faith and Christian religion euen as your Holinesse hath according vnto the Ecclesiastical Canons defined Ibid. epist 2. Sicut sanctitas tua secundum Ecclesiastic as regulas definiuit And lastly al thinges being so defined he doth send vnto S. Leo to confirme the general Councel Doth not this acknowledgement of the Emperour that the Pope is the authour of calling general Councels that he is to direct and instruct them assembled what they are to define and lastly to confirme and ratifie that which is defined euidently proue that the supreme managing and authorising of the highest Ecclesiastical affaires doe belong vnto the Bishop of Rome Now to returne to M. Abbot he shewes the like wordes of Pope Agatho his due obedience to Constantius the fourth I finde no such wordes in that place quoted by him true it is that I haue not his whole letter but the abridgment of it as is standes in the Summe of the Councels Epist Agath ad Constant in Synod 6. art 4. where he thus beginneth That we may briefly intimate to your piety what the vigour of our Apostolike faith doth containe which we haue receiued by tradition from the Apostles Apostolike Bishops and holy Councels by which the foundations of the Catholike Church of Christ are fastned and fortified c. Out of which wordes we may gather that Pope Agatho was ready to satisfie the Emperours request in certifying and instructing him vvhat
passing through the middest of the assembly he came to the vppermost place of it where he stood on his feete and when a little seate of gold was set for him he would not sit downe before the Bishops beckned to him so to doe Where Eusebius saith indeede that he passed vnto the vppermost end of the Hal but doth not say that vvhen he came thither he was placed in the highest seate and one may wel sit in the highest end of a large Hal and not in the highest place thereof But in the vppermost part of the Hal a little chaire vvas placed for him beneath the benches whereon the Presidents of the Councel and chiefest Patriarks did sit for so the other Ecclesiastical historiographers doe intimate Further hauing after one of the Bishops made an Oration to the Councel Ibidem As a most louing Sonne vnto the Bishops and Priests his Fathers as Theodoret vvriteth not as a President of a Councel to his inferiours Euseb de vita Constant lib. 3. cap. 13. Moreouer hauing finished his said speech Sermonem omnem Concilij Praesidijs reliquit as testifieth Eusebius he left al the communication and discussings of matters vnto the Presidents of the Councel Out of vvhich vvordes we gather euidently that the Emperour was not the President of the Councel but there were other Presidents thereof vnto vvhom the Emperour referred the decision of the questions then in controuersie Finally the Emperour Bazilius deliuereth in the end of the eight general Councel That Constantine subscribed the Councel after al the Bishops there assembled vvhereas the President and chiefe Iudge of the Councel subscribeth in the first place Seing then that Constantine the great confessed that it appertained not to him to judge Bishops but to be judged of them and that therein he is seconded by Hosius Athanasius S. Ambrose and others al most ancient and renowmed Prelates of Christes Church And being most probable that he had no place in that Councel but by permission of the Bishops at whose beck he sate downe in a little seate a part and did not speake to them in other manner then a child doth to his Father leauing vnto the Presidents of the Councel the discussion of the matters there proposed what vpright weigher of such serious affaires can doubt but that he was nothing lesse then the chiefe President and moderator there True it is that he out of his owne zeale graue vvisdome did first attentiuely heare them then sometimes spake himself specially to appease the contentious wranglings of the Arrian Heretikes and their fauourites of whom many were there present and the ouer forward and feruent zeale of some Catholikes but this argueth no superinteÌ„dency or presidency but only Christian discretion and charity to helpe forward an orderly examination and peacible determination of those controuersies But saith M. Abbot the Bishops acknowledged him to be their supreme judge in that they referred their controuersies and quarrels to be ended by him Nothing lesse for vve referre many babling matters to be ended vnto our honest neighbours And as M. Abbot himselfe rehearseth out of Eusebius about the Bishops of Aegipt That Constantine interposed himselfe as an arbitratour of their controuersies not as Iudge euen so did some of the Councel referre their quarrels to him as an Arbitratour And most like that they who so did vvere vnruly Arrians or very vndiscreete Catholikes whereof who but an indiscreet person or wrangling Heretike can take hold Againe vvhere Eusebius reporteth that Constantine did as an arbitratour seeke to make attonement betweene the Aegiptian Prelates he addeth that he did it with very great respect Eos vt Patres imò vt Dei Prophetas omnino honorifice reuerens Reuerencing them very honourably as his Fathers yea more as the Prophets of God not domineering ouer them as his inferiours and prescribed to them some such thing as did belong to the good of Gods Church to wit that they would leaue off their dissention and quietly obey vnto the decrees of the Nicene Councel Lastly M. Abbot perceiuing very wel that he had hitherto but trifled and spoken little to the purpose he addeth And that M. Bishop may know that Constantine held himselfe the supreme judge ouer Bishops let him heare Constantine himselfe concerning them Theodor. lib. 10. cap. 19. If we haue holy Bishops of right beliefe and men indued with humanity we shal be gladde but if any audaciously and vnaduisedly shal grow vnto the commending of those pestilent heresies his insolency shal be repressed by the execution of Gods seruant euen by me These vvordes of the Emperour supposing them for the time to be spoken to Bishops though they come nearer to a probable shew of some kinde of supremacy then his sitting in the vpper end of the Hal in a golden Chaire and his curteous exhortation to peace and now and then helping out this man or that man with his matter yet doe they not reach home For the execution of punishment inflicted vpon Bishops by the decree of Councels or the Ecclesiastcal Canons may be and to this day is committed vnto the lay Magistrate without any feare of making him thereby the supreme judge in causes Ecclesiastical It rather proues him to be the minister or seruant of the Church in those cases But what wil you say if those threats of the Emperors were not giuen out against Bishops or any Clergy-men at al but only against lay-men then M. Abbot must needs confesse that he giues not M. Bishop to vnderstand that the Emperor is supreme judge ouer Bishops but that M. Abbot is one of the most audacious perfidious and cosening vvriters that euer set pen to paper vvho blusheth not euen thereto vaunt of his forces and to assure euen his aduersary of an inuincible argument where is no shadow in the world of any probable proofe for his part let any indâ—fferent man but turne to the place and he shal finde without any doubt those vvordes of threat to be spoken only to the cittizens of Nicomedia Their Bishop Eusebius and Theognis Bishop of Nicea were for being though wily yet obstinate Arrians by the decree of the Nicene Councel deposed from their Bishopricks and other chosen in their places wherevpon the most Christian and wise Emperor vvriteth vnto his subjects the cittizens of Nicomedia vvhom he heard to be too much addicted to their Arrian Bishop and his heresies to beware of him and hauing touched his faults and just punishment inflicted vpon him therefore by the Councel coÌ„meth to the wordes which M. Abbot peruerteth The wordes of the Emperour are these I am vestrum est ea fide in Deum aciem mentis vestiae intendere in qua vos semper mansisse constat c. Now it is your parts O yee cittizens of Nicomedia to serue God in that faith in which you haue alwaies continued and to performe al offices of Godlinesse And if it so happen that we may alwaies haue Bishops
wit to take special order that God almighty be truly and sincerely serued for Kinges may and ought to doe that though they be not supreme gouernours in causes Ecclesiastical For albeit it belong not to them to declare the true sence of al questioned places of holy Scriptures nor to determine al doubts rising in diuinity nor briefly to performe such other functions as are proper to the supreme Gouernour of Christes Church yet his Majesty might haue called together the most learned of his subjects of al sides and haue heard vvhich of them could best haue proued their doctrine to haue beene most conformable to the sacred word of God to Apostolical traditions to most ancient general Councels to the vniforme consent of the most holy and best learned Doctors of the primitiue Church and accordingly to haue embraced the same himselfe and by his Princely authority to haue established the same throughout al his Dominions It remaineth then euident That his Majesty might haue taken special order for the true seruice of God notwithstaÌ„ding he haue not supreme authority in Ecclesiastical causes And most false is this assertion of M. Abbots that any law of the Pope doth inhibite him to deale so farre-forth in matters of religion that Canon which he citeth doth only forbidde lay-Magistrates Distinct 96. Si Imperator to meddle with the ordering and judging of Priests and Clarkes and such other Ecclesiastical officers as doe properly belong to Bishops But that Kinges ought to meddle in matters of religion and how farre-forth they ought S. Leo the first a most famous Pope doth in these memorable vvordes declare You must ô Emperour without doubt know Epist 75. ad Leo. August that Kingly power is giuen to you not only for the rule of the world but is principally bestowed vpon you for the defence and aide of the Church that by suppressing wicked attempts you may both defend that which is established and also pacifie those thinges which are troubled But of this point I shal haue occasion presently to speake more at large It followeth ROBERT ABBOT AS touching the reason also vvhich he alleageth why Princes should take special order that God be rightly serued Because of his meere bounty and grace they receiue and hold their Diademes and Princely Scepters The Pope denieth that they hold the same immediately from God but are to receiue them by his mediation and approbation and no longer to hold them then they conforme themselues to his lawes Bulla Pij 5. Ecce nos constituti sumus super gentes regna c. Behold saith the Pope we are set ouer nations and kingdomes to build vp and to plant to pul vp and to destroy c. And therefore what the wisdome of God saith as M. Bishop alleageth by me Kings raigne the same the Pope blasphemously applieth to himselfe Prouerb 8. vers 15. Per me Râ—ges regnant By me Kings doe raigne thus the Pope would haue Princes as very beasts as Nabuchodonoser was not to know of whom they hold their crownes and kingdomes but to thinke that al dependeth vpon him But M. Bishop acknowledgeth here the truth that of God they hold the same and therefore should make it their special care that the same God be honoured accordingly And here vnawares he justifieth our doctrine as touching the Princes supreme authority for the gouernement of our Church the effect whereof we teach to be this to prouide by lawes and to take special order that God be purely and vprightly serued that Idolatry and superstition be remoued that the vvord of God be truly and sincerely taught that the sacraments be duly administred and the Bishops and Pastors diligently performe the seruice and duty that doth appertaine vnto them that the commandements of God be not publikely and scandalously broken for these things we acknowledge the King to be vnder Christ the supreme gouernour of the church within his Dominions and this duty M. Bishop confesseth to appertaine vnto him And thus did the good Kinges of Iudah Dauid Ezechias Iosias c. thus haue Christian Emperours and Princes done thus and no otherwise did Queene Elizabeth and yet for the doing hereof shee was proscribed by the Pope and so much as in him lay depriued of her Crowne and Scepter but the hand of God was with her and shee prospered thereby and died in peace c. WILLIAM BISHOP I Doe many times much muse how men of any sort and fashion specially how professors of Gods truth such as M. Abbot would be esteemed dare put into light such odde paltry shifts and poure out together such heapes of grosse lies A lie it was that I denied to his Majesty such authority as would serue for the taking order how God might be rightly serued in his realme Another lie it is that the Popes lawes doe inbibite Kinges to meddle with matters of religion A third that I affirmed Kinges to hold their crownes immediately from God vvhich though it be true in that sence he taketh it yet is it false that I so said in that place for I meddle not with those tearmes of immediately or mediately The fourth is that the Pope denieth Princes to hold their Diademes and Princely authority immediately from God but are to receiue them by his mediation for euen in the very Canon cited last before by himselfe the Pope acknowledgeth Distinct. 96. Si Imperator That Emperours and Kinges receiue from God the prerogatiue of their power vvhereupon the Glosse plainly noteth that they did not receiue their soueraigne authority from the Pope Which was also obserued in the Canon next before EadeÌ„ distiÌ„ct out of Pope Gelasius wordes And it is further the common opinion of al our Diuines vvherefore vnlesse this counterfait Diuine did meane here to lie for the whetstone I know not what he meant to huddle vp lies so thicke together euery one lowder then the other But saith he Pius Quintus writeth Eccenos constituti sumus super gentes regna Behold saith the Pope we are set ouer nations and kingdomes to build and to plant to plucke downe and to destroy c. therefore they apply to themselues that which the wisdome of God giueth to Kinges By me Kinges doe raigne This is the fift lie that he makes within the compasse of lesse then halfe a side for albeit the Pope vse the wordes spoken to the Prophet Hieremy Ecce nos constituti sumus c. yet doth he not those by King Salomon vttered in the person of Gods vvisdome vvhich M. Abbot deceitfully shuffleth in the place of the other Now the authority committed to the Prophet Hieremy did not make the King of Iuda to hold his crowne of him as al Diuines both Catholikes and Protestants doe grant wherefore though the same be yet remaining in the Church of God as it is not only granted by al Catholike Doctors but euen by the verdict of Caluin himselfe In cap. 10. Cor. vers
6. who to proue it doth cite euen the very same vvordes out of Hieremy And so 1200 yeares before him that famous Father S. Chrysostome did alleage the like out of the same chapter of the Prophet to the same purpose saying Homil. 55. in Mathaeum The Father said to Hieremy I haue put thee as a pillar of yron and wal of brasse c. yet the Father placed him but ouer one nation to vvit that of the Iewes but Christ hath placed Peter ouer the vniuersal world Briefly we granting the like power to be in the Bishop of Rome that was in Hieremy the Prophet whose wordes he vseth it can be no more deduced thence that Kings hold their Princely diademes of him then that the King of Iuda did his of Hieremy vvhich was neither mediately nor immediately for only a certaine spiritual power to roote out Idolatry errour and iniquity and to plant religion and vertue vvas by those vvordes giuen to men of the Church Which if it doe in some certaine case extend to the deposition of a Prince as I reade it hath beene practised by most juditious learned and holy Personages though I doe not reade vvhere it is by the Church defined to be any article of our faith yet no man is so simple as not to deeme it more holsome and expedient for the vniforme and peacible estate of Christendome that such supereminent power should rather rest in the supreme Pastor of Christs Church then be left vnto the discretion of the Ministers and Clergie of euery country according to the Protestants opinion and practise It being I say granted that the Bishop of Rome may in some case depose any temporal Magistrate yet can it not there hence be gathered that Kinges doe hold their Kingdomes of the Popes Holinesse For vvhen one King vvil not let his neighbour Prince liue in peace by him but doth extremely wast his Dominions kil his subjects and make hauocke of his country the Prince so molested if he cannot otherwise haue remedy may most lawfully by force of armes proceede euen to the deposition of that injurious King And yet the inuader did not hold his Kingdome of the other any more then the other did depend vpon him but was an absolute King himselfe as the other vvas notwithstanding by his intollerable outrages offered to his neighbour Prince he made himselfe punishable and subject to the other against whom he so grieuously trespassed In like manner if a Prince by most extreme persecution of Christs flocke doe become subject to the correction of the chiefe Pastor thereof yet thence it followeth not that that Pastor had power to dispose of his Kingdome at his pleasure or that the King did hold his Diademe of him either mediately or immediately howbeit the Prince through his owne exorbitant and otherwise remedilesse fault doe justly fal into the Pastors handes to be punished Here I doe by the way most humbly craue of them to whom it doth appertaine that it may without passion be duly considered whether we Catholikes doe not his Majesty more faithful seruice and shew our selues much more careful of the quiet continuance of his glorious happy estate when by al humble and faire meanes we doe labour most diligently to entreat his most excellent Majesty to deale more gratiously and mildly with his poore Catholike subjects then those hot-spurre Ministers vvho labour tooth and naile to cast their louing Soueraigne into such a brake of briars by incensing his Highnesse to hold so extreme a course against them For if his Majesty may be vvonne to follow the gentle and sweet inclination of his owne nature and to qualifie the rigour of the lawes against recusants in such temperate manner that the said recusant Catholikes may not be oppressed thereby the Popes holinesse without al doubt wil neuer goe about to depriue his Majesty of his regal dignity how forward soeuer he be otherwise to imbrace and aduance his owne religion for not so much for fauouring the Protestants as for extreame persecution of the Catholikes as the former example of neighbour Kinges doth shew that most seuere censure of the supreme Pastor of the Church is inflicted Wherefore vvhen it shal please his Highnesse to condescend gratiously vnto our humble and daily supplication for more moderation and mercy then shal his Majesty vvithout al doubt as euery man may easily perceiue take away al jealousie of those buzzes which seeme so greatly to disquiet the whole state Now to that point wherein the Kinges supremacy lieth according to M. Abbots declaration If it were only by lawes to prouide and to take special order that God be wel serued his word truly taught his Sacraments duly administred and that al Bishops and Pastors performe their duties then I should thinke him a badde Christian that would not acknowledge that his supremacy And I most willingly admit that the good Kinges of Israel did so but the man is so shallow shuttle-witted and vncertaine that there is no trust to be giuen to his declaration M. Perkins goeth more substantially to worke and affirmeth the Supremacy to consist not in the points aboue mentioned Reformed Catholike page 285. but in authority to declare which bookes of Scripture be Canonical which not and to determine finally of al controuersies and doubtes rising thereupon to cal general Councels and to ratifie their decrees to make Ecclesiastical lawes that binde al the Church and to excommunicate whosoeuer shal obstinately resist or breake them to consecrate and institute Patriarkes Metropolitanes and many such like vvhich when M. Abbot shal proue to appertaine justly to Kinges and Princes whether they be men women or children then we vvil allow the supreme temporal Magistrate to be also supreme gouernour in causes Ecclesiastical In the meane season we vvil pray that God wil vouchsafe to make them good and dutiful children of the one holy Cacholike and Apostolike Church and that they may humbly learne those high misteries of religion vvhereof most Princes as al the world seeth vvould be very vnmeete judges and also very euil dispensours What variety of religions hath growne by that kinde of supremacy what dissolution of Church discipline vvhat corruption of ciuil justice vvhat iniquity and deceit in contracts and bargaines vvhat oppression of the poore and generally what loosenesse and leudnesse of conuersation euery true Christian man doth see and lament and daily pray to almighty God our most merciful Father for amendment That vvorldly peace and temporal prosperity be no assured markes of Gods fauour nor of his true religion King Dauid is a sufficient witnesse Psal 72. Whose feete as he writeth were almost moued and beganne to slippe through his zeale against the wicked because he saw them suffered to liue in such prosperity and to die in so great peace And our Sauiour in expresse tearmes teacheth Math. 5. vers 45. That our Father in heauen maketh his Sunne to rise vpon good and hadde and raineth
the Church of Rome so cruelly surely there was no agreement betweene them Wherefore as the Catholikes of Africa then so they that were taken into the communion of the Church of Rome cared little for the Donatists as witnesseth S. Augustine saying of Cecilianus Bishop of Carthage August Epistola 162. He neede not to care for the multitude of his conspiring enemies the Donatists when he saw himselfe by communicatory letters joined with the Roman Church in which alwaies the principality of the Apostolical chaire flourished c. So we at this time neede as little to care for the bitter reproches and deceitful arguments of the Protestants so we stand stable and firme in the like society of faith and religion with the same Church of Rome ROBERT ABBOT Cont. Epist. Fund cap. 4. THERE vvas reason why Augustine should be moued with the name of Catholike vvhen they that were called Catholikes had testimony of their faith from the communion society of the Church throughout the vvhole vvorld and were therefore so called Breui collat diti 3. cap. 2. Quia communicant Ecclesiae toto orbe diffusae Because saith S. Augustine they communicate with the Church spread ouer al the whole world But most sottishly it is alleaged for a motiue to vs being now Donatistically applied to one particular Church of Rome and to men bearing the name of Catholikes only for communicating vvith that Church Surely as the name of Iewes was of old a name of honour and the proper title of the people of God but afterwardes by their Apostacy who bare it was left for Esai 65. vers 15. a name of curse and reproch so the name of Catholike was an honourable name and the peculiar title of the true children of the Church but now by their abuse who haue vnjustly taken that name vnto themselues it is become a name of curse and shame vvith the people of God and the proper badge of Apostataes and Heretikes And as the Apostle Rom. 2. v. 28. denieth the name of Iewes to them vvho yet according to the letter were so called because of the circumcision of the flesh and applieth the truth of the nam◠to them vvho vvere so according to the spirit albeit according to the letter they were not so named so the name of Catholikes in deede belongeth not to the Romish faction who according to the letter take vpon them to be so called but the true meaning thereof belongeth to them vvho although they joy not in the litteral name c. yet doe follow the same faith vvhich they followed vvho first were called by the name of Catholikes Let them haue the shel so that we haue the kernel c. the name in his true vse importeth them that imbrace the faith of the Catholike that is the vniuersal Church that hath beene from the beginning of the world that is through the vvhole vvorld and shal be to the worldes end WILLIAM BISHOP S. AVGVSTINE indeede was so much moued with the name of Catholike that he alleageth it to haue beene one principal cause Cont. Epist Fund cap. 4. De vera relig cap. 7. which kept him in the lappe of the Church And else where very often exhorteth al Christians To hold the communion of that Church which both is Catholike and knowne also by that very name not only to her owne followers but also to others And the self◠same reason alleaged by M. Abbot himselfe vvhich caused that most holy vvise and learned Father to esteeme so highly of that title Catholike is now of great force to perswade al reasonable men to make themselues members of the Roman Church for by joining in society of faith with the Church of Rome they shal cōmunicate with the Church spred ouer the whole vvorld because the faith and religion of the Church of Rome hath beene generally receiued al the world ouer as our aduersaries themselues doe confesse The name Catholike is by the Protestants Donatistically applied to their Schismatical congregation that neither are nor euer were scattered al the world ouer but be inclosed and confined vvithin certaine countries of Europe as the Donatists were within the boundes of Afrike Most sottishly then to vse his owne wordes doth M. Abbot affirme the name Catholike to be applied by vs of the Roman religion vnto the particular Church of Rome when as we cal al other Churches of what country soeuer that with the Church of Rome keepe intirely the same faith Catholike And men of al other nations doe we cal Catholikes as vvel as those vvho are Romans borne because they al beleeue and confesse the same one Catholke faith that is extended ouer al the world Secondly M. Abbot is much mistaken in his comparison of the name of Iewe with the name Catholike for to omit first that such examples proue nothing but doe only serue for shew or explication and moreouer that it can hardly be shewed that the name of Iewe was a name of such honour at any time for that peoples honourable name vvas Israelites and vvere not called Iewes til towardes the declination and wane of their estate Neither was it euer any peculiar and proper title of the people of God for God had many good seruants that were neuer called Iewes as may be gathered by Iob the Husite Naaman the Sirian the widow of Luc. 4. vers 26. Sarepta a Sidonian and by a great number of Prosilites and finally by that which the Apostle teacheth Rom. 2. vers 14. Many Gentils were saued without the law Lastly most vncertaine it is of what name the Prophet Isay speaketh when he saith Cap. 65. vers 13. It shal be left for a name of curse Al these impertinencies of his example being too too many I doe remit him but cannot pardon his grosse fault in the maine point of the comparison for the name Iewe according to the vsual signification of the word being the name of a certaine people of one race and kindred and hauing a law giuen them by Moises which should continue only for a prescript time and end at the comming of Christ is not like the name of Catholike which is no special name of the people of any one country but is attributed and doth agree to al sortes of men of what country or nation soeuer that doe embrace the true Christian faith And is inseparably linked and so fast joined and riueted with the Christian profession and religion that it shal neuer faile fal or be separated from it so long as Christs faith standeth nor euer be contemned of the faithful whiles Christs true religion flourisheth vvhich is proued inuincibly out of the very Etimology of the name Catholike and that according to M. Abbots owne interpretation in the same place who doth expound it to signifie that Church which is through the whole world and shal be to the worldes end If the name Catholike shal continue to the worldes end the true title of
censured a base and beggarly vassal for shewing my selfe sorrowful for my Princes misfortune what stile deserues he for such outragious reproches bealched forth against the highest Bishop of Christes Church Now whereas M. Abbot boldly auerreth That thereby his Majesty hath learned to cast off the yoke of bondage by which other Princes are enthralled to a beast sauing his reuerence I answere that other Kinges nourished in countries accounted as ciuil to say the least as Scotland vvil not change that their bondage vvith his Majesties supposed liberty and freedome because they hold it farre better to enjoy the direction and assistance of the Bishop of Rome for the vniforme and peacible gouernement of their Clergy according vnto the ancient Canons of the Church then either to take it into their owne handes or to cōmit it to the discretion of Consistory Ministers or to any other sort of late deuised Ecclesiastical plat-formes Godly wise and vnderstanding Kings vvil no doubt consider that some who perswade them to cast off such yokes are very false Parasites no sound and true harted subjects because it is said of Kinges out of il counsel in the second Psalme Let vs breake their bandes and let vs cast from vs their yoke vvhereas contrariwise in the same place the spirit of God speakes thus to Princes Apprehendite disciplinam Receiue discipline that is obserue al good orders and take correction least that our Lord waxe angry with you and then you perish from the right way And if they themselues should so much forget their duty to God and respect to his holy Church as to seeke the vtter ruine and subuersion of it yet very reason teacheth them that it is farre more safe orderly and expedient that there should be one only supreme Pastour assisted with the graue counsel of some of the wiser sort of euery Christian country as the Popes holinesse is with the counsel of his most graue wise and learned Cardinals to controule and correct them then to be left to the mercy of the Ministers of euery country and to the tumultuous reformation of the rash and giddy multitude who by the cōmon consent of the best learned Protestants must take their Prince in hand and belabour him if he goe about to oppresse the Gospel as hath beene before proued To proceede is it not a rare pranke of a parasite to auouch that an ancient student in diuinity must needes stand dumbe like an Asse before his Majesty and not be able to answere him one word in his owne profession but the Church the Church the Fathers the Fathers I vvish hartily that his excellent Majesty would match me with no meaner a man then Doctor Abbot he that professeth himselfe able to stoppe al mens mouthes to alleage not only the Church and the Fathers but the Scripture the Scripture and by his Highnesse authentike judgement approue him to haue the better cause that can pertinently cite most plaine texts of Scripture for their religion I make no doubt but the Protestant part notwithstāding their common craking of the vvord of God should goe to the ground Marry vvhen vve auouch holy Scripture for vs in as expresse tearmes as can be deuised they wil not yeeld but deuise most extrauagant glosses to fly from the euident testimony of Gods most holy word whereupon we are compelled to make recourse vnto the definition of the Church of God Iob. 16. v. 13. Which is guided by the spirit of God vnto al truth and vnto the learned commentaries of the most ancient holy and juditious Fathers vvho vvere for their times appointed by the holy Ghost to rule and instruct the same his Church that seing how they vnderstood the holy Scriptures vve may by their euen and vnpartial line and square direct our judgement in the true sence of holy Scripture vvhich is the principal cause why we rely so much vpon the Church and Fathers and for vvhich he so scornefully vpbraideth vs vvith the Church the Church the Fathers the Fathers And here to returne one of M. Abbots sharpe wordes vpon himselfe vvhat a dissembling hipocrite was he to say that when al was done we could not make any thing good by either Church or Fathers Sect. 9. 10. when as he himself doth plainly confesse that S. Augustine S. Hierome Epiphanius and diuers other Fathers be flat for vs and is driuen roundly to deny their authority and to preferre the opinions of condemned Heretikes Iouinian Vigilantius and Aërius before these most renowmed Doctors and Pastors As grosse and palpable an vntruth is that vvhich followeth That the Catholikes be not heauily persecuted by the state whereas al their goodes and chattels be vvholy confiscate and two partes of their landes their bodies at pleasure subject to prison there to lie without baile or mainprise their persons daily in danger of death for receiuing or any vvay maintaining their Pastours to omit al other their oppressions which be almost innumerable but belike because al Catholikes be not by most cruel death suddainly made away this Minister of bloud accounteth their persecution light and easie And vvhereas he so enlargeth the short and smal persecution of their bretheren I doe offer to joine with him in this issue that more Catholike Priests Religious men and others haue beene tormented murthered and most despitefully slaine by men of their religion within the compasse of two Realmes France and England during the only time of Queene Elizabeth her raigne then were of Protestants and men of al other Sects for a thousand yeares before in those countries yea take to them also al Spaine and Italy The Donatists and al other sectaries doe suffer persecution as S. Augustine truly saith for their obstinate folly vvhat of that ergo whosoeuer suffereth persecution for his religion is a foole what a foolish reason in this then were the Apostles and al the best Christians fooles But M. Abbot saith We be children and can yeeld no reason for that we suffer but what ignorance affordeth vs to wit we must cleaue to the Church and follow our fore-fathers Surely that were a foule fault that we as children should obey our Mother the holy Church and follow the faith and religion of our fore-fathers But first it is most palpably false that we can yeeld no other reason for our religion as our bookes euidently doe conuince Then if we had no other reason but that one it alone were sufficient for it is an article of our Creede to beleeue the Church and S. Paul assureth vs 1. Tim. 3. vers 15. That the Church is the pillar and ground of truth vvhereupon this is receiued as a principle of faith among the ancient Fathers allowed euen by Protestants themselues That he that hath not the Church to his Mother shal neuer haue God to his Father he therefore that cleaueth fast vnto the firme pillar of the Church and followeth her precepts as of a most faithful Mother can neuer goe astray
Finally he doth absurdly apply S. Augustines wordes spoken against the Donatists to vs they vvil much better fit the Protestants vvho imitate their errours in most points as I haue proued already who also may be more aptly resembled to children that stand in neede of a rodde because their religion is euery vvay childish as being young and of late borne phantastical and without any sound ground of mature judgement as changeable also as children according to the diuers humour of the state and time SECT 4. W. BISHOP VERY many vrgent and forcible reasons might be produced in fauour and defence of the Catholike Roman religion whereof diuers haue beene already in most learned Treatises tendered to your Majesty wherefore I wil only touch three two chosen out of the subject of this booke the third selected from a sentence of your Majesty recorded in the aforesaid conference And because that argument is as most sensible so best assured which proceedeth from a principle either euident in it selfe or else granted and confessed to be true my first proofe shal be grounded vpon that your Highnesse resolute and constant opinion recorded in the said conference Page 75. to wit That no Church ought to separate it selfe further from the Church of Rome either in doctrine or ceremony then shee hath departed from her selfe when shee was in her most flourishing and best estate from whence I deduce this reason The principal pillars of the Roman Church in her most flourishing estate taught in al points of religion the same doctrine that shee nâ—w holdeth and teacheth and in expresse tearmes condemneth for errour and heresie most of the articles which the Protestants esteeme as chiefe partes of their reformed Gospel therefore if your Majesty wil resolutely embrace and constantly defend that doctrine which the Roman Church maintained in her most flourishing estate you must forsake the Protestant and take the Catholike into your Princely and Roial protection ROBERT ABBOT YOV talke M. Bishop of many vrgent and forcible reasons but you talke as your fellowes doe like mount-bankes and juglers You haue much prating and many wordes but your reasons vvhen they are duly examined are as light as feathers before the vvinde neither vvould they seeme other to your owne followers but that you bewitch them with this principle that they must read nothing written on our part for answere to them we see your vrgent and forcible reasons in this booke vvhich you tel vs is the marrow and pith of many volumes I doubt not but by that time I haue examined the same your owne pupils and schollers if they reade the answere wil account you a meere seducer a cosener and abuser of them and wil detest you accordingly But to beginne withal you offer three reasons to his Majesty in this your Epistle for the justifying of your Romish religion for the impeaching of ours Two chosen out of the subject of this booke the third selected from a sentence of his Majesty Now if these reasons proue reasonlesse then your reason M. Bishop should haue taught you more manners and duty then thus to trouble his Majesty vvith your reasonlesse reasons To examine them in order the first reason is grounded vpon a principle most judiciously soundly affirmed by his Majesty That no Church ought further to seperate it selfe from the Church of Rome in doctrine or ceremony then shee hath departed from her selfe when shee was in her flourishing best estate and which is subtilly left out by M. Bishop from Christ her Lord and head For seeing it cannot be denied that the Church of Rome vvas once sound and vpright in faith the Apostle bearing witnesse Rom. 1. That their faith was published throughout the world it must needes follow that vvhat shee hath not since that time altered is stil vpright and sound and therefore to be embraced Now from thence M. Bishop argueth thus The principal pillars of the Church of Rome in her most flourishing estate taught in al points the same doctrine that shee now teacheth and in expresse tearmes did condemne of heresie most of the articles of our religion ergo c. but soft and faire M. Bishop there is no hast c. WILLIAM BISHOP TRVE 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 juditious man vvere to be perswaded by bare wordes and voluntary supposals before he see any proofe S ir I doubt not but the indifferent reader vvil suspend his judgement and deeme nere the worse of my vvriting for your empty censure til 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 ful of babble lies and foule wordes void of found proofes and farre from common ciuility Who are more circumspect then you your selues to keepe your followers from reading our bookes vvho first imprison any that wil helpe to print them then set fines on al their heades that shal keepe them and make very diligent search after them so that al 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 Majesties 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 vvhen shee was in her most flourishing and best estate shee cannot depart from Christ her Lord and head vvherefore 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 ROBERT ABBOT WE hope you wil not deny but the Apostle S. Paul was one principal pillar of the Church of Rome vvho there shed his bloud He vvrote an Epistle to that Church vvhen the faith thereof was most renowmed throughout the world He vvrote at large comprehending therein as * Theodor. in praefat epist Pat. li. Theodoret saith doctrine of al sortes or al kinde of doctrine Et accuratam copiosamue dogmatum pertractationem An exact and plentiful handling of al points thereof Now in al that Epistle what doth he say either for you or against vs nay what doth he not say for vs against you he condemneth the Rom. 1. v. 23. changing the glory of the incorruptible God into the similitude of the Image of a corruptible man and worshipping the creature in steede of the creatour It is for vs against you for you by your schoole-trickes doubt not to teach men by the Image of a man to worship God and by religious deuotion of praiers and offerings to worship Saints and Saints Images
ABBOT PAVL saith the Rom. 8 v. 18. sufferinges of this time are not worthy of the glory that shal be reuealed vnto vs but you say they are vvorthy WILLIAM BISHOP I Say that M. Abbot hath gotten such a custome of abusing Gods word that he scarce alleageth one sentence of it vvithout one paltry shift or other The wordes of S. Paul truly translated are Our sufferinges are not worthy to the glory or as our English phrase is are not to be compared to the glory of c. that is our labours or paines are not either so great and waighty or of so long endurance as be the joies of heauen yet through the dignity which we receiue by being made members of Christ and by the vertue of Gods grace wherewith those workes be wrought and by the promise of God both we are accounted vvorthy of heauen according to S. Pauls owne phrase 2. Thessal 1. vers 5. Which persecutions you sustaine that you may be counted worthy the Kingdome of God and our sufferinges meritorious of life euerlasting vvhich S. Paul doth very precisely teach vvhere he saith that 2. Cor. 4. vers 17. our tribulation which for the present is momentary and light yet worketh aboue measure exceedinglie an eternal waight of glory in vs we not considering the thinges that are seene but that are not seene and else vvhere is bold to say 2. Tim. 4. vers 8. That God had laid vp for him a crowne of justice which our Lord wil render to me in that day a just Iudge and not only to me but to them also that loue his comming If God as a just Iudge render the joies of heauen as a crowne of justice then were they before justly deserued and the sufferinges of them that deserued them vvere in just proportion worthy of them Thus briefly any indiffereÌ„t reader may perceiue how farre S. Paul being rightly taken is from affording any reliefe vnto the Protestant cause They doe now as many vnlearned and vnstable men did euen in his owne time witnesse S. Peter 2. Pet. 3. vers 16. depraue and misvse certaine sentences of his hard to be vnderstood to their owne perdition and to the deceiuing and vndoing of their followers for in al his Epistles being vnderstood as he meant them there is not one word or sillable that maketh for the Protestants or any other sectaries and plenty there are of plaine texts for the most points of the Catholike faith A tast vvhereof I wil giue you as soone as I shal haue made an end of answering vnto this his idle discourse ROBERT ABBOT PAVL saith nothing for those points for the denial vvhereof M. Bishop condemneth vs. Nothing for the justification before God by vvorkes nothing for free-wil nothing for Relikes nothing for the merit of single life nothing for praier for the dead nothing for traditions nothing for any of the rest Now in this case M. Bishop it had beene fit that you should by very good reason haue satisfied his Majesty how it should be probable or possible that the Apostle writing at large to the church of Rome should not once mention any of those maine points wherein the religion of the Church of Rome now vvholy consisteth if the Church of Rome vvere then the same that now it is That he should say nothing of the prerogatiue of that Church nothing of the Pope of his pardons of the Masse of transubstantiation of Monkish vowes of Images of pilgrimages of praier to Saints of al the rest of your baggage stuffe in a word that he should be a Papist yet should write nothing Rhem. Test. argum of the Epist in general but that in shew at least serueth the Protestants turne only we must be perswaded forsooth that where anything soundeth contrary to the Râ—mish faith we faile of the right sence But vndoubtedly M. Bishop either S. Paul vvas a Protestant or else he dealt very negligently in your behalfe S. Peter was another principal pillar of that Church the founder and head thereof as you perswade vs vvhat would he also forget his triple crowne vvould he say nothing for al these thinges not a word there is nothing hindreth in either of his Epistles but that he also must be taken for a ProtestaÌ„t Me thinkes here you should fare Erasmus de ratione as in another case Robertuâ— Liciensis did before the Pope you should spit and cry out fie vpon Peter fie vpon Paul would they not thinke these trash and trinkets of ours so much worth as to speake of them Ah these Protestants these Heretikes they say al for them and nothing at al for vs. But alas Peter and Paul had not heard any of these thinges and therefore no maruaile that they wrote nothing of them They reade Moyses and the Prophets they preached as Christ did according to the Scriptures the Catholike religion that had beene from the beginning of the world they continued betwixt the old and the new Testament vve see a vvonderful agreement but concerning Popery we see nothing WILLIAM BISHOP WE haue here a dainty dish of M. Abbots cookery a large rhetorical conclusion deducted out of leane thinne and weake premises He assaied to make a shew out of the Apostle that there was not a little which would serue the Protestants turne and cited to that purpose certaine sentences out of him but so properly that some of them indeed seemed to sound for him though they had in truth a farre different sence others had neither sence nor sound nor sillable for him Neuerthelesse as though he had gotten a great conquest he singeth a triumph and striketh vp a braue victory that al in Peter and Paul is for the Protestant nothing for the Papist Afterward as it were correcting himselfe he addes nothing but in shew at least serueth the Protestants turne vvhich is one of the truest wordes he there deliuereth The Protestants indeed be jolly nimble witted fellowes that can make any thing serue at least for a shew of their cause and when al other thinges faile thâ—m 2. Tim. 4. vers 4. Aâ— fabulas conuertuntur they turne their eares away from truth as the Apostle speaketh and fal to fables and one Robin good-fellow I vveene for lacke of a better is brought vpon the stage to spit and cry out Fie vpon Peter fie vpon Paul that had not remembred to say one word for Popery but al for the Protestant Fie I say vpon such a cause that must be vnder-propt vvith such rotten baggage stuffe What shadow of likely-hood is there that one should tel the Pope such a tale to his face or that Erasmus vvho vvas in most points a Catholike should report it or could there be any poore Robin excepting M. Abbots himselfe so simple and poore-blinde that in al the writings of those blessed Apostles he could not finde one vvord that gaue any sound or shew for the Catholike cause you haue heard already that I
faith of Christ and hauing now the old and new Testament he should by a Councel of his realme take lawes from thence to gouerne them by that he was the Vicar of God in his Kingdome that the people and nations of the Kingdome of Britany were his euen his children that such as were deuided he should gather them together vnto the law of Christ his holy Church to peace and concord and should cherish and maintaine protect gouerne and defend them c. But now the religion of Rome hath altered that stile and telleth vs Sext. proem in glossa That not the King but the Pope is Gods Vicar vpon earth his Vicar general for al Kingdomes And as for the Church the matters and gouernement thereof belong not to the King vvho if he make any lawes concerning religion He challengeth to him selfe anothers right that is Distinct 96. Si Imperator the Popes because God would not haue the worke of Christian religion to be ordered by publike lawes or by the secular power but by Popes and Bishops WILLIAM BISHOP TRVE M. Abbot you had neede to leaue Peter and Paul for heretikes who so plainely plentifully confute your doctrine and establish ours or else you and your fellowes must needes be taken for heretikes And if you hope to finde any of their Successors more friendly vnto you you wil proue in the end as fouly if not more grosly deceiued then you were before But how chanceth it that you lept from Peter Paul vnto one that was the thirtenth Pope after S. Peter why did you ouer-skip al the rest Was there not one of the other twelue that vvould afford you some peece of a darke broken sentence out of vvhich you might picke some colour of cauil against vs If they vvould haue yeelded him any comfort they should not haue beene forgotten as we may see by Anacletus who is afterwardes haled in by the way and yoked with another for want of some cleare sentence of his owne Wel let vs come to Eleutherius the man of whom you haue made choise First you relate such a wise tale of so vvorthy a Bishop so impertinent il hanging together and so weakly verified that no considerate person standing vpright can giue you any credit therein To beginne with the Authors that report it they be both professed Protestants and come more then a thousand yeares to late for the relation of so auncient a matter vnlesse they had alleaged other authentike Authours in confirmation of it But Hollinhead reportes himselfe to M. Fox a crafty deceitful lying Minister of his owne time Stow to some moth-eaten monument lying in the Guild hal Now what credit is to be giuen to thinges so sillily confirmed specially vvhere there is farre greater probabilitie against it for Eleutherius was Bishop of Rome whose epistles and letters vvere registred there and most diligently preserued in their treasury among other monuments of antiquity where one only epistle of his to the prouince of France is to be found And if he had vvritten another to a King of great Britany no question but it vvould haue beene as carefully preserued there as the other Againe what likelihood is there that any old writing of or to Lucius King of great Britany should be preserued in the citty of London vvhen al the Britons vvere driuen thence by their enemies the Saxons vvho vvere most like to make smal store of such letters specially which concerned the Christian religion to vvhich they were then enemies And if they had reserued any such should not venerable Bede our most learned and industrious country-man vvho made most diligent enquiry after al such vvhen our Ancestours were conuerted to the faith haue heard some newes of this famous letter vvho heard and writ as much of Pope Eleutherius King Lucius and the realmes conuersion as he could discouer and finde any ground for out of any part of antiquity the like may be said of al the rest of our ancient Historiographers whether English or Britons among whom there is not one to be found that made any mention of this vvorthy letter how then is it possible that there should be any such besides if you marke but the Kings demand and the Bishops answere both being persons of great wisdome and grauity such simplicity and incongruity appeares that any man of vnderstanding wil take it to be ridiculous and counterfait The King forsooth writeth to the Pope for a copy of the Roman constitutions and Imperial lawes for the gouernement of his realme the Pope writeth backe ad correctionem Regis to the correction and amendment of the King vvhich is an answere as just as Germans lips goodly stuffe surely and fit to lie hidde in dusty corners Those vvordes for the Roman constitutions to gouerne the Church are deceitfully shuffled in besides the purpose as may appeare by the answere And the King sent before and receiued by the Popes messengers ful instruction of al points concerning the Christian religion wherefore he then wrote only for the Imperial lawes to direct him how to gouerne his temporal estate To vvhich the letter maketh the Bishop to answere very childishly that he had the old and new Testament and willeth him to fish out thence the ciuil gouernement of his realme vvhich neuer any Christian King either before or sithens euer did Adde finally that the letter beareth date in those authours cited by M. Abbot 169. yeares after the passion of Christ vvhich is at least twise seauen yeares after the death of Pope Eleutherius But al these impertinences and improbabilities being set aside for the while let it be graunted that the letter vvere true and not fained vvhat hold can the Protestants take on it to serue their purpose surely very weake and such as may be most easily shaken out off their handes The letter hath That the nations and people of his Kingdome were euen his children Be it so a good King is Parens Patriae Pastor populi The Parent of his country and foster-father of his people followeth it of this that he is their chiefe head in spiritual causes then were the Heathen Roman Emperors supreme head of the Church for they were parents of their country that is nourishers defenders and rulers of the common weale this then wil help the Protestants nothing Neither wil that which followeth in the letter that they are Gods Vicars in his Kingdome and should gather his people vnto the law of Christ for the Roman Catholikes doe allow Kinges to be Gods Vicars not only in al the temporal affaires of their realmes but also that they should by counsel countenance example and authority draw al their subjects to the true faith of Christ and seeke to cal home al them that are gone astray and diuided from the Catholike Church and to establish peace and concord among them and finally to gouerne them so happily vnited in al such thinges as appertaine vnto their Kingly vocation
any greater cause arise and diuers such other plaine and cleare markes of superiority that euen M. Abbots badde eies may easily serue him to discerne them Seing then S. Leo thought himselfe and his predecessours to haue ful authority and that by the holy Canons made by diuine inspiration to delegate ouer the Churches of the East vvhere was most doubt of his authority such power vnto others Can it be doubted but that he vvas most certainly perswaded that the Bishop of Rome hath and alwaies had supreme command in Ecclesiastical causes al the world ouer And that you may see that S. Leo vvas not only of that opinion but that the best most learned of the East Church of that time were also as fully perswaded of the Church of Romes authority ouer al the world I wil adjoine hereunto the sentence of Theodoretus one of the soundest Catholikes and one of the most learned and famous authours of those daies He being Bishop of Cyrus in Asia doth write vnto Renatus a Priest of Rome thus Theodoret. Epistola 2. The Heretikes haue spoiled me of my Priestly function and seate they haue cast me out of the citties hauing no respect vnto my gray haires nor regard of my time spent in religion wherefore I pray you that you wil perswade the most holy Archbishop Leo that he wil vse his Apostolike authority and command vs to come to your Councel for that holy See doth hold the sterne of gouernement ouer al the Churches in the world Another Epistle this holy Father did write vnto Leo himselfe wherein he saith I doe expect the sentence of your Apostolike See and doe humbly beseech your Holinesse to succour me appealing to your just judgement c. And that you may yet further perceiue that S. Leo his sentence was of force to restore him being a Bishop in Asia to his former dignity and seate these few vvordes out of the Councel of Chalcedon wil sufficiently proue thus speaketh the Councel Actione 1. Let the most reuerend Bishop Theodoret enter in that he may be partner of the Councel because the most holy Archbishop Leo hath restored him to his Bishopricke Now I come to answere M. Abbots goodly proofes and vvise glosses to the contrary S. Leo saith he would not take vpon him to cal general Councels That is false for he did cal a general Councel in the West witnesse these his wordes vnto Tuilius the Bishop of Asturicensis Epistola 91. numer 17. I haue sent letters to our bretheren and fellow Bishops of Carthage in Afrike Tarragone in Spaine Portugal and France Eisque concilium Synodi generalis indiximus And haue summoned them to meete at a general Councel And that could not escape S. Leo his knowledge vvho vvas most skilful in al Antiquity which by tradition descended vnto one of his successors Pelagius the second who was S. Gregory the great his predecessor to wit Epistola 1 ad Orientales that the authority of calling general Councels was through the priuiledge of S. Peter giuen vnto the See Apostolike But he made request saith M. Abbot vnto Theodosius first and after vnto Martianus the Emperors that they would command a general Councel to be holden in Italy which they would not doe but chose rather another place Be it so for sometimes such mighty Monarkes take more state vpon them then Christian dutie doth permit And as for Theodosius the younger though he were a good Emperour at the first yet afterward it is euident that he assisted the Heretike Eutiches his Patron Dioscorus too farre in that wicked assembly at Ephesus See Actionem primam Concil Chalced. Liberatus cap. 12. the place by him assigned for that general Councel The reason that moued S. Leo to request those Emperours to cal a Councel was not for that he doubted of his owne authority therein but for diuers other good respects First because as I before signified the Bishops to be assembled vvere for the most part the Emperours subjects in temporal affaires and therefore were not vvithout his priuity to be called so farre from their residences And for this cause the Kinges of euery country being aduertised by the Popes Holinesse of a general Councel doe to this day as it appeared in the last general Councel of Trent summon the Bishops of their Realmes to the said general Councel and command them to make choise of some to send thither vvhich doth nothing derogate to the Popes general summoning Besides the Heretikes of those times vvould not obey the Pope nor their lawful Pastours command no more then these of our time wherefore the Emperours power vvhich they dreadded and stoode in more awe off vvas to be joined with the Popes authority wherefore he had good cause to request it Yet that the vnderstanding reader may perceiue how S. Leo euen then did fore-see that some inconuenience might happe to follow of his condescending so farre vnto the Emperours pleasure about the place and time of that Councel he as it were to preuent it doth yeeld his consent in such sort that no great aduantage can be taken of it Epist 41. ad Martian thus he vvriteth to the Emperour Martian I required indeede of your most gratious clemency that the Synode which you thought necessary to be assembled as we also required for the restoring of vnity in the East Church might be for a time deferred that the mindes of men being more settled those Bishops which for feare of enemies are staied at home might also meete but for that you doe zealously preferre Gods cause before the affaires of men and are wisely and Godly perswaded that it wil further the wealth of your Empire to haue the Priests of God in vnity and the Gospel preached without dissention Ego etiam vestris dispositionibus non renitor I doe not withstand or striue against this your ordinance Here you may see that he did not yeeld vpon obedience vnto the Emperours order but moued vpon good consideration would not contend against it his very wordes yet giuing that he might haue withstoode him if he had thought it more expedient for the common good Againe in his letters to the same Councel of Chalcedon he putteth in a caueat by vvhich they might vnderstand that this his condescending to the Emperour should not be taken for a prejudice against the authority of the See of Rome for calling of Councels these be his wordes Epistola 45. ad Synod Chalced. I had wished indeed most dearely beloued that al the Priests of God did agree in one profession of the Catholike faith c. but because many thinges are done of which we often repent c. the religious aduise of our most gratious Emperour is to be embraced mouing your holy brother-hood to assemble your selues together for the ouerthrowing of Sathans sleights and for the restoring of vnity in the Church Beatissimi Apostoli Petri sedis jure atque honore seruato the right
was the true Apostolike faith about the questions then handled But forsooth because he did belike vse these curteous vvordes of obedience M. Aâ—bot that lieth at the catch and wants better stuffe is constrained to lay hold on them by which manner of arguing he might proue euery Pope to professe due obedience to euery priuate seruant of God because his ordinary stile is Seruus seruorum Dei The seruant of Gods seruants Now if one had so little wit as hence to argue and gather that the Pope professed obedience or were inferiour to al other seruants of God for if he be their seruant he is bound to obey them would not al the vvorld wonder at his folly And yet this admirable combatant and champion of the host of Ismael is faine to fly to the like miserable shifts and to imploy perforce vvordes that are vttered of custome and curtesie in al Countries for sound proofes If al Italians and French men that vvil say they are your seruants Seruitore di vostre Signoria Monsieur je suis vostre treshumble seruiteur should be taken short at his word and thereby be pressed to your obedience seruice you might soone become a great Signiour ouer many stately seruants that vvould doe what they list But that you may see how M. Abbot can scarsly borrow one weapon out of the true armory of Antiquiry vvhich vvil not serue to wound himselfe I wil here acquaint you vvith some wordes out of the very same Epistle of Pope Agatho to the Emperour Constantius the fourth vvhich doe demonstrate the Church of Rome neuer to faile in matter of faith Did you marke before in those few wordes how he esteemed Apostolike tradition and the definitions of Councels and of the See Apostolike to be the firme foundation of the Church of Christ which alone is sufficient to batter and beate flat to the earth that chiefe fortresse of the Protestants of the al-sufficiency of the vvritten word then hauing deliuered the true faith of the blessed Trinity he annexeth these wordes This is the Apostolical and Euangelical Tradition which the Apostolike Church of God the Mother of your most happy Empire doth hold this is the pure confession of piety this is the rule of the true faith holden aswel in prosperity as in aduersity by the Apostolike Church of Christ which is proued by Gods grace neuer to haue straied from the path of Apostolical Tradition nor euer was corrupted with Heretical nouelties because it was said to Peter I haue praied for thee that thy faith faile not and thou being conuerted confirme thy brethren Here our Lord promised that the faith of Peter should not faile and willed him to confirme his brethren which the Bishops my predecessours as is wel knowne to al men haue alwaies done confidently and I though much inferiour to them yet for the person that by Gods goodnesse I sustaine doe desire to follow them at the heeles this out of Pope Agatho by the way in fauour of our cause because M. Abbot would haue gladly begged an almesse of him to relieue his miserable want Now that which followeth in him out of Tertullian That the Emperor is honoured according to the ancient doctrine of the Church as next vnto God inferiour vnto God only If the good man would haue bethought himselfe a little vvhat kinde of men the Emperours were in Tertullians time and before he vvould not I thinke for very shame haue once offered to proue those Emperours supreme authority in causes Ecclesiastical for they were al of them Heathen Idolaters and professed enemies to the Christian religion If then they vvere next vnder God supreme gouernours of Ecclesiastical causes it would follow thereof see the good effect of M. Abbots argument that the Christian religion vvas to be forsaken of al men and Idolatry to haue beene imbraced for that was these Emperors supreme judgement in spiritual matters What meant M. Abbots a Gods name to perswade Christians that Heathen and Idolatrous Emperours such as those were in Tertullians time vvere to be honoured followed in matter of religion before Bishops and Archbishops and next vnto God If those be Tertullians wordes euery man can apply them better then M. Abbot doth to wit that Emperours in temporal causes and in the ciuil gouernement of the common weale are vnder no man but next vnto God but in Ecclesiastical causes those Emperours had nothing at al to doe Now to those wordes which he proposeth as very odious That how much the Moone is lesse then the Sunne so much is the Emperour inferior to the Pope They be not precisely the wordes of the Canon but these That how much difference there is betweene the Sunne and the Moone so much is there betweene Bishops and Kinges The sence he doth not much alter but only sets it out more disdainfully vve allow of the sence being rightly taken to wit that the authority of Bishops is properly to be compared to the brightnesse of the Sunne because it is wholy conuersant in spiritual causes vvhich depend vpon the brightnesse and light of faith and doe formally appertaine to the heauenly Kingdome of the Sunne Christ Iesus Now who sees not that the Emperours power being properly to gouerne the temporal state by the light of natural reason which is very dimme and obscure if it be conferred vnto the light of grace may aptly be resembled to the Moone light the light of heauenly affaires as farre passing in clearenesse the light of vvorldly businesses as doth the brightnesse of the Sunne at noone daies passe the Moone-shine at mid-night Now if vve would search higher towards the most pure Antiquity we shal finde farre greater comparisons betweene the spiritual power of Bishops and the temporal of Emperours I vvil for a tast cite only the sentences of two most authentike Doctors S. Ambrose an ancient and most graue Father saith Bretheren the honour and sublimity of a Bishop Ambros initio sui Pastor citatur dist 96. cap. Si duo Greg. Oratio ad populum perturb cannot be equalled with any comparison The Majesty of Kinges and Diademes of Princes if they be compared to it are farre more inferiour then if the mettal of leade should be compered with gold And S. Gregory Nazianzene maketh no lesse difference betweene them two then there is betweene the soule the body the spiritual power of Bishops as much in his judgement excelling that of Princes as the soule in dignity doth surmount the body so that the Popes comparison alleaged by M. Abbot is very temperate in respect of these of the auncient Fathers vvhich notwithstanding vvere made vpon great judgement The lies and toies that ensue in M. Abbots text are not worth the answering First Catal. TestiuÌ„ he that reportes the Emperour to be the Popes man is an heretical and lying companion and therefore no sufficient vvitnesse Secondly if any Emperour or King out of his owne profound humility or aboundance of zeale towardes
the hope of eternal life is recouered that they who had lost the gift of regeneration condemning themselues by their owne judgement might attaine vnto remission of their sinnes the aide of Gods goodnesse being so disposed that pardon from God cannot be obtained but by the supplication of Priests For the Mediatour of God and Man the man IESVS Christ hath giuen this power vnto the Prelates of the Church that they may both enjoine satisfaction to the penitent and that they may also admit them being by the same holesome satisfaction purged through the gate of reconciliation vnto the communion of the Sacraments Where he further teacheth That they who die without this gift of pardon shal neuer be saued and doth also greatly blame them who deferre their confession til toward the point of death when saith he there is scarce space either for the confession of the penitent or for the reconciliation of the Priest It vvas not then vndoubtedly treason in S. Leos daies to be reconciled by a Priest seing he so often and so much recommended it to al Christian people and held it the only gate to re-enter into Gods fauor for al such Christians as were fallen from the grace they had before receiued in the Sacrament of Baptisme That Bishops Priests Deacons yea and Subdeacons should not marry and if any married man vvere chosen a Subdeacon that he should refraine from the company of his wife S. Leo is very plaine thus he decreeth Epist. 82. ad Anastasium Thes num 4. It is free for men that be not of the Clergie to marry but to shew the purity of perfect continency carnal copulation is not graunted so much as to Subdeacons that they who haue wiues be as though they had them not and they who haue them not doe continue single And if in this order which is the fourth from the head with the Protestants it is no order at al it is meete that chastity be kept how much more is it to be obserued in the first second and third that no man be esteemed worthy either of the place of a Deacon or honour of a Priest or excellency of a Bishop who is discouered not to haue yet bridled himselfe from the pleasure of wiuing This of the continency of Priests Wil you heare S. Leos opinion of the Vowes of religious men and women which the false Father Abbot scornefully tearmeth Monkish Epist 90. ad Rusti Norb. cap. 12. The profession of a Monke saith he vndertaken by a mans owne free choise and desire cannot be forsaken without sinne because that must be performed which we haue vowed to God Wherefore he that forsaking the profession of a single or solitary life is turned souldier or fallen to marriage is to be purged publikely by the satisfaction of penance for albeit warre-fare may be harmelesse and marriage honest yet is it a transgression and offence to haue forsaken the better choise It followeth in the next number Ibid. ca. 13.8 Maidens who not constrained by their parents command but of their owne accord haue made profession of Virginity and receiued the habit if afterwardes they desire to marry they doe sinne though they were not yet consecrated Ibidem 14. but if after both profession and consecration they should fal to marry it cannot be doubted but that they should commit a very hainous crime For if mans decrees cannot be infringed without punishment what shal light vpon them who haue broken the couenants of the diuine mistery How forcibly doth this chast doctrine of S. Leo batter and beate flat to the earth the voluptuous loosenesse of runnegate votaries and giues checkmate to the Protestants for vpholding the same as wel done That you may yet further perceiue what an euil Protestant and a perfect Papist S. Leo was he commendeth highly the Emperour Martianus his vertue and Godlinesse for receiuing with worthy honour the holy Relikes of blessed Flamianus departed who a little before was Patriarke of Constantinople And for praying to Saints you haue heard before Serm. 5. de Epiphania how he encouraged al men Eorum ambire suffragia earnestly and as it were ambitiously to sue for the aide of their praiers Againe he exhorteth his auditours to celebrate vvith him the Saturday following the Vigils of the most happy Apostle S. Peter Ser. 8. de Iejunio decim Who saith he with his praiers wil vouchsafe to helpe our praiers fastings and almes-deedes Behold he made no question but that S. Peter both knew their desires and deserts and would also further them vvith the aide of his effectual praiers In briefe then we haue that the most learned and holy Pope S. Leo the first taught praying to Saints and worshipping of their Relikes the vowes of Monkes and professed Virgins that Priests and al in holy orders should not marry but liue continently that Priests haue power to reconcile and to forgiue sinnes and that euery man who hopeth for any pardon of his sinnes at Gods handes must particularly confesse them in priuate to a Priest and by due satisfaction purge himselfe from them that in the Sacrament there is the same true flesh of Christ which was crucified and did arise from death that Masse is to be said euery holy day wherein the sacrifice of Christs body is offered that S. Peter was the supreme Pastour of Christes Church and that the Bishop of Rome is his lawful successour therein hauing supreme authority ouer both East and West Church These with such like points which may by diligent perusing his most eloquent and diuine workes be gathered doe most perspicuously demonstrate the Church of Rome in his time vvhich vvas neare 1200. yeares agoe to haue held the selfe same language concerning matters of faith vvhich the same Church of Rome at this day speaketh And that M. Abbot in seeking to proue the contrary did but shew himselfe either very ignorant in his workes or ouer studious not to take his Author right as his manner is but to picke some matter of cauil out of him thereby to blinde and deceiue the simple reader Now to the next ROBERT ABBOT PELAGIVS the Bishop of Rome the first of that name admitted a married man to be Bishop of Syracusa only putting in a caution that he should not dilapidare the Church goodes and transferre the same to his wife and children Dist. 28. de Syracusana The danger whereof he signifieth was the cause of that constitution which did forbidde a man hauing a wife and children to be preferred to a Bishopricke otherwise a man is not repelled for hauing wife children saith the Glosse because the Apostles permitted the same But now the Church of Rome Glossa ibidē wil by no meanes admit men to be Bishops or Priests not for that they would auoide the dilapidating of the Church goodes for that is a thing common with the Popes themselues Platina in vita Iohan. 16. To apply al to satisfie the
crowne In eo enim sibi justitiae consortem coronae statuit promeritorem cum operum quibus erat illa repromissa corona habere dignatus est coadjutorem For therein did God appoint man to be copartner of his justice and meritour of the crowne when be vouchsafed to haue him coadjutour of those workes vnto which that crowne of glory was againe and againe promised So that God is the Authour of merits both by giuing man grace to doe them and by ordaining them to such a reward Otherwise saith S. Bernard those which we cal merits might be more properly called the way to the Kingdome not the cause of raigning Obserue that he saith vnlesse you take them otherwise then he had before spoken of them But we must beare with M. Abbot for snatching here and there a sentence out of the Fathers so abruptly otherwise he could make no shew for his part out of them because they vvere so ful and wholy Roman Catholikes Besides the misconstruing of S. Gregories wordes and the corrupting of S. Bernards M. Abbot falsifieth both the Councel of Trent and the Annotations of the Rhemes Testament for the Councel of Trent hath not simply that good workes doe fully satisfie the law of God but with this qualification Pro huius vitae statu As farre forth as the state of this life doth permit And whereas M. Abbot fableth that in those Annotations the justice of God is charged not in respect of his owne promise but in respect of the merit and desert of the workes it is a palpable vntruth as euery man may see that wil but turne to the place for there are these expresse wordes Annot. in 2. Tim. cap. 4. vers 8. Heauen is the goale the marke the price the hire of al striuing running labouring due both by promise and by couenant and right debt vvhere you see as wel Gods promise and couenant as the worth of the workes to be mentioned Which is also set downe distinctly in that very Chapter of the Councel of Trent vvhich M. Abbot cited in these vvordes Eternal life is to be propounded to them that worke wel Concil Trid. sess 6. c. 16. and trust in God both as a merciful grace promised to the sonnes of God through Christ and as a reward or hire by the promise of God to be rendred to their good workes and merits Thus you see how roundly and familiarly M. Abbot is wont to auouch vntruthes and that which testifieth a good conscience in the man euen clearely contrary to his owne knowledge for in the very same both Chapter of the Councel and Annotation vpon the Testament which he alleageth there is to be seene the plaine affirmation of that which he denieth vvhich doth conuince him to be one of the most carelesse men of his credit that euer set pen to paper ROBERT ABBOT Citat in Orthodoxo consensu de sacra Eucharistia cap. 1. ex Lyturg Georgij Cassandri THE same Gregory affirmeth that Missa the Masse was so called for that they were to be dismissed or sent away by the Deacon that did not receiue the holy communion for that they that should not be present at the celebration of the Sacrament were commanded to goe forth therefore saith he vnlesse at the voice of the Deacon after the manner of our Ancestors they that doe not communicate be willed to goe forth the seruice which is called the Masse is not rightly performed But now the Romish Masse is thought to be rightly performed albeit no man communicate but the Priest and vvithout any dismissing of them that doe not adde themselues to the communion the people as was said before being only the spectatours and lookers on WILLIAM BISHOP M. ABBOT is very penurious and wants matter that comes forth with such idle stuffe as this not taken out of S. Gregories owne vvorkes neither for no such fond and vnlearned thing is there to be seene but on the report of one George Cassander a man of smal credit and therefore deserueth no answere Besides these wordes Ite Missa est are not pronounced in the Masse by the Deacon or Priest vntil the communion be wholy past euen at the very end of the Masse when the people are licensed to depart as may be seene in al Masse bookes and the ancient expositours of the Masse vvherefore they could not serue to dismisse any before the holy communion Lastly why on Gods name must they al be sent away that wil not communicate themselues shal they receiue any harme by their beholding either the blessed Sacrament or others receiuing of it deuoutly vvere it not better they assisted the communicants there continuing in praier then to walke abroade idly or is there any reason vvhy the communicants should be offended vvith their presence that no way seeke to disquiet them but rather honour them for their greater feruour in deuotion and assist them with their praiers Idle and irreuerent gazers on we allow not off nor like of their presence at any time of the Masse but I see no cause at al why other orderly and deuout people should be driuen out of the Church at the time of communion ROBERT ABBOT THE same Gregory affirmed That whosoeuer called himselfe Gregor lib. 6. Epist 30. Item lib. 4. Epistola 32.36.38 or desired to be called the vniuersal Bishop was the fore-runner of Antichrist and did propose to himselfe to follow him who despising the legion of Angels that were placed in society with him did endeauour to grow vp to the toppe of singularity that so he might seeme to be vnder none and himselfe alone to be aboue al. He calleth it a new name a name of errour a fond name proude peruerse rash wicked prophane which saith he none of my Predecessours consented to vse by which no man hath presumed to be called that was in truth a holy man Decret Gregorij de foro comp c. Licet But soone after the time of Gregory the Bishop of Rome tooke vpon him that hateful name and hath since continued the same challenging the whole vvorld to be his Dyocesse and is growne to that height of pride as that he doubteth not to proclaime Extrauag de Maio. Obed ca. Vnam Sanctam That it standeth vpon the necessity of saluation for euery soule to be subject to the Bishop of Rome WILLIAM BISHOP THIS is a pretious argument with the Protestants and though it hath beene an hundred times I weene sufficiently answered by ours yet they doe as freshly propose it and as eagerly follow it as if it were not to be satisfied whereas in truth it is but a meere sophistication A vocibus ad res as the learned tearme it from the word vniuersal vnto the supreme authority of gouernement thus The Patriarke of Constantinople cannot be called an vniuersal Bishop nor any Bishop of Rome hath consented to take that name of vniuersal Bishop vpon him ergo no Bishop of Rome hath
of the present Roman Church he may vpon very smal consideration be reclaimed and brought to reforme his errours For to S. Peter himselfe who was afterwards Bishop of Rome was giuen euen by our Sauiour Christ IESVS ful power and authority to pardon whatsoeuer he saw fit to be pardoned Math. 16. vers 19. To thee I giue saith he the keies of the Kingdome of heauen whatsoeuer thou loosest or doest pardon vpon earth shal be pardoned in heauen And if S. Peter might loose any sinne how hainous soeuer much more might he release some part of the temporal paine which was due to sinne vvhich is properly to giue a libel of pardon the like power had S. Paul who did in the person of Christ 2. Cor. 2. vers 10. Cyprian l. 3. Epist 15. Pardon the incestuous Corinthian by cutting off some part of his penance vvhich otherwise he had beene to suffer for his former sinnes vvhich were then forgiuen S. Cyprian and the Bishops and Clergy in those auncient daies of the primitiue Church did vse to pardon and release the penance injoyned to grieuous offendours after their repentance at the intercession and request of the Confessors and designed Martirs as hath beene before declared The most authentike Councel of Nice doth declare Cōcil Nicen. cap. 12. that it is lawful for Bishops to deale more mildly and fauourably vvith them vvhom they saw to performe their injoyned penance seriously vvhich was to graunt them a pardon Leo. Epist 77 ad Nicetum num 6. The very same doth Leo the great vvho was Bishop of Rome aboue 1100. yeares past teach most plainly willing the Bishop to release of the due penance injoined what he thought good which is properly to giue indulgence or pardon I omit here Pope Siluester his predecessour and S. Gregory the great one of his successours because I haue before alleaged them not doubting but that these few so auncient so graue so learned vvil suffice to satisfie and instruct him that is willing to learne And as for communicating the same authority to others vvho can reasonably doubt of it considering that the power of absoluing from sinne which is farre greater then the other is imparted to al both Bishops and Parish Priests I haue also before proued most manifestly Leo. Epist 82 ad Anastat Gregor lib. 4. Epist 6. ad Episcop Arelat that both S. Leo and S. Gregory most worthy Bishops did as delegate their authority vnto other Bishops so reserue vnto their owne hearing and judgement the causes of greatest difficulty vvherefore M. Abbot if he wil hearken vnto reason cannot choose but hold himselfe therein fully satisfied He recuiles backe to Indulgences and multiplieth his demands about one and the same matter like to a Cooke that hauing but one sort of meate to serue in doth mince it into many mammocks and then make thereof sundry dishes Can the Pope saith he for saying such or such praiers or for doing this or that release a man from Purgatory for an hundreth or a thousand yeares What a question is this if the Pope can distribute indulgences as hath beene before proued no doubt but he can the rather doe it by injoyning the party that receiueth them to say vvithal some praiers or to doe some other good vvorkes for thereby the party doth the better deserue to be made partaker of the other grace But can he release a soule out of Purgatory for a thousand yeares Yes marry can he and that too not for some certaine number of yeares but for euer and euer The reason is for that the soules there are members of the same body that we are and there capable of the same graces of pardon vvhereof also they stand in very great neede according to the truth of Christian doctrine howsoeuer the Protestants doe erroneously thinke the contrary reade the Question of Purgatory And touching the present purpose among many other pardons graunted by S. Gregory the great there is to be seene vntil this day one Altar by him erected in the Monastery of S. Andrewes in Rome where he was himselfe first Nouice and afterwardes Abbot where at vvhosoeuer said Masse for a soule in Purgatory shal deliuer one there-hence Concerning the Iubilee which is free and ful pardon graunted once in fiue and twenty yeares vnto euery one that shal visit seauen Churches in Rome that yeare some fifteene times or thereabouts what new difficulty can there be about that yea it is as the most renowmed pardon that is graunted so the most reasonable for it can be obtained but once in fiue and twenty yeares and then exceeding hardly by vnder going a long costly and painful journey to the citty of Rome and by exercising there al the workes of piety and mercy as fasting praying and giuing of almes making general confession and receiuing the blessed Sacrament and often visiting of many Churches and Altars Those most godly meanes of training men to true repentance and satisfaction for their former faults and amendmēt of their liues if the Protestant religion were acquainted withal there would be among them some checke and stoppe of their vvicked courses But if they vvil needes sinne on themselues and neuer giue ouer nor amend vntil Gods judgments fal vpon them yet let them not be offended at vs that doe aduise al men to labour in time for such indulgences that they may escape the due punishment of their sinnes either in this vvorld or in the next Is it not also most probable and likely if those good soules vvho to doe some satisfaction for their former euil liues and to serue God more deuoutly in those holy places where some of the holy Apostles and an innumerable company of valiant Martirs and holy Confessors liued and died doe die by the way in that Godly purpose that they are carried by Angels to heauen as Lazarus was into Paradise we pray to God to command such by his holy Angels to be brought into Abrahams bosome as may be seene in the Masse for the dead But Balaeus in Latin and Bale the Irish Apostata in English M. Abbots worthy authour reporteth that Clement the sixt himselfe did command the Angels to carry them into Paradise No great regard is to be had vvhat such a lying lewd fellow relates and so I thinke him vnworthy any other answere Touching Canonization of Saints we hold that the Bishops of the prouinces vvhere their vertuous liues and most godly deathes cōfirmed by miracles are best knowne did alwaies from the beginning of christian religion declare and testifie to the Church that they were to be esteemed of al men for Saints Since it hath beene found most expedient that the vvhole course of the life and death of such being by most diligent inquisition tried out and taken in the places of their aboade be afterwardes sent to Rome there to be also throughly examined first and then accordingly to be declared Saints by the highest Pastor of the Church that
other countries or vvas there euer such a shamelesse writer as M. Abbot that blusheth not to set out in print such monstrous and notorious lies that in falshood exceede al fictions of Poets and Painters and in malice doe match vvith any deuilish deuise whatsoeuer Oh into what lamentable calamity is our poore Country fallen that must haue such cosening Companions such false Hypocrites and most impudent Liars for the guides of their soules to saluation and for the only teachers of al spiritual doctrine Can any man that injoyeth the right vse of his senses giue credit and trust vnto them vvho make no conscience but a cōmon custome to lie al manner of lies nay such a one if they be wise they should not beleeue when he telleth them a truth which they doe otherwise know For Demetrius Phaleius being asked what euil did follow a liar Marry saith he that no man afterward beleeue him when he telleth truth And good reason for how knoweth he vvhether he doe not lie then as he was accustomed to doe before He therefore that wil be sure not to be deceiued must neither giue credit vnto M. Abbot vvho is plainely conuicted to haue told very many grosse and palpable lies Any plaine honest man must needes much maruaile to behold or heare that he who maketh profession of Gods pure word and the truth of the Gospel should take such a special delight in lying but he must remember that al is not gold that glisters Al be not true Pastors of Christes flocke that come in sheepe-skinnes Al be not sincere teachers of Gods word that take vpon them to be Preachers And no one more assured touch of counterfaite coyne no plainer proofe of a rauening vvolfe and false teacher then such often and euident lying For as God is the truth it selfe and al his doctrine most true so are they vvith truth alone to be vpholden and defended Iob. 13. v. 7. What saith holy Iob hath God neede of our lies or that we should speake deceitfully in his cause no verily for the truth is strong enough of it selfe to confound falshood Fortis est veritas praeualet But the Deuils cause it is that needeth to be bolstered out and vnder-propped with lies Iohan. 8. vers 44. For he is a liar and the Father of lies And without lying no falshood can be deceitfully coloured and made to appeare and seeme truth He then that wil be fedde vvith lies let him take the Deuil to his Father and M. Abbot or some other such like of his lying Ministers for his Master A certaine Minister being told that M. Abbot was reputed much to blame and very hardly censured by many discreet persons for that he had vsed so much deceit and leasinges in his writinges answered forsooth in his defence that he could not bely the Papists and their cause too much What can be said vnto such shamelesse persons surely nothing else but that the new light of their Gospel is now growne to his perfection vvhen as the brochers of it doe not only vnder-hand colourably paint it out with lies but are not ashamed openly to maintaine that they cannot lie to much in that cause O holy cause that needeth the helpe of lies But good master Minister be better aduised I pray you and rather hearken vnto the graue counsaile of the auncient Preacher Eccles 4. vers 26. Ne accipias faciem aduersus faciem tuam aduersus animam tuam mendacium take not falshood that is the face of the Deuil against truth vvhich is the true face of euery reasonable creature made after the Image of God and doe not admit lying against thine owne soule Sapient 1. vers 11. For the tongue that lieth killeth the soule Yea it doth not only kil his owne soule that lieth but the others also that beleeueth his lies blinding him with errors and so leading him blindfold into hel fire Math. 15. vers 14. For when the blinde guideth the blinde they both fal into the ditch Wherefore good Sir if you wil not yet a while make open profession to cast away your owne soule vvilfully and to leade al your followers after you to eternal damnation doe not for very shame vphold and maintaine open lying But if it be Gods good pleasure that you your selues shal make kowne to the vvorld that yee doe not only vse lying but also defend it as lawful necessary to vnder-proppe your badde cause then my trust in Gods infinite goodnesse and mercies is that the Moone-shine of your obscure Gospel waneth a-pace and the daies of your deceit draw towardes an end For howsoeuer you like iniquity and allow of leasinges Psal 5. v 6. God as the Prophet Dauid teacheth doth hate al them that worke iniquity and wil destroy al them that speake lies by bestowing vpon his faithful and prudent seruants such heauenly light and grace as they may easily discerne the juggling and false trickes of Protestant teachers 2. Tim 3. vers 9. For not their folly only as the Apostle speaketh but their falshood also and trechery are now sufficiently discouered and made manifest vnto al men of any reasonable capacity and study Wherefore al that haue tasted of the true gifts of Christes spirit vvil follow them no longer in their most dangerous and damnable courses but fly as fast and as farre from such false Prophets as poore sheepe doe from the jawes of rauening wolues and with speede returne happily vnto the only true fold of Christes flocke the holy Catholike Apostolike and Roman Church there to learne and imbrace that sincere auncient faith and pure religion vvhich only can saue their soules and which being planted by Christ and his Apostles hath euer since continued and brought forth aboundance of diuine fruit al the world ouer Which God almighty of his incomprehensible bounty graunt through the inestimable merits of IESVS CHRIST our most gratious Lord and Sauiour to whom vvith the Father and the holy Ghost be al honour prayse and glory for now and euer AMEN PRINTED ANNO DOMINI M. D.C.VIII A BRIEFE ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER I Haue hitherto set downe M. Abbots owne text word by word that the juditious reader comparing it with my answere may truly discerne vvhat substance is in his writing And how farre forth he is to credit him in the rest that hath in the first and best part of his booke behaued himselfe so insufficiently in matter of learning and dealt so dishonestly in the manner of handling of it There remaines behinde in this answere vnto my Epistle some light skirmishes and vaine friuolous brauadoes vpon those points of controuersie which I in one sentence only touched in the same Epistle excepting much foule speech and many slanderous lies which he plentiful powreth out by the way in both vvhich masteries I willingly leaue to him the bucklers Now because those his discourses are as it vvere scopae dissolutae not arguments soundly knit togither and set in any good aray but a feeble loose idle and disordered kinde of wrangling besides also the very same questions be afterwardes handled againe distinctly and particularly I haue judged it farre better to handle throughly euery controuersie in his due place then first lightly to skimme them ouer in hast as he hath done and afterward like vnto one that had either forgotten or ouer-shotten himselfe to recoile and turne backe againe to treate of the same matter more orderly and substantially vvhich course I hope wil not be misliked of the wise Take courteous Reader this that is already finished in good part If thou finde any thing in it to thy liking giue the glory to God And if thou be Catholike helpe me vvith thy good praiers that he who hath giuen me grace to beginne may increase his blessings vpon me to bring it to a good and perfect end The end of the first Part. FINIS COVRTEOVS READER I must needes acquaint thee with a notable legerdemaine which by perusing the Authour I found out after the rest was printed M. Abbot to proue that the Pope had no authority in Scotland 1200. yeares after Christ auerreth Page 117. that Alexander the second vtterly for-badde the Popes Legate to enter within his Kingdome which is not true For his Authour Mathew Paris declareth In Hērico 30 page 667. that the King indeede did at the first oppose himselfe against that visitation of his Kingdome to be made by the said Legate not for that he did not acknowledge the Popes supreme authority in those Ecclesiastical causes but because it was needlesse the matters of the Church being as he said in good order and for feare of ouer-great charges Nay further the said King did write a large letter vnto the Pope himselfe as the very same Authour recordeth where he first acknowledgeth In Hērico 30 page 873. that very person to be his Holinesse Legate as wel in Scotland as in England and Ireland Moreouer the King confesseth that he himselfe his heires and subjects were and would be obedient vnto the Popes jurisdiction and censures with much more to the same purpose Which alone is sufficient to conuince M. Abbot to be so perfidious and without al conscience in alleaging auncient Authours that no man who wil not willingly be blindly ledde by him can repose any trust in his allegations Good Reader beare with faultes in printing which besides false pointing be not many The principal that I remember are these Page 169 line 21 For Constantius the fourth reade Constantine the fourth and so in al that matter following treating of Pope Agatho his obedience to the said Emperour Page 170 line 32 though Emperour reade although an Emperour Page 186 line 21 for Concilij Praesidijs reade Concilij Praesidibus page 198 line 8 in the allegation of S. Leo there wants in the margent the quotation of his 23. Epistle to Martianus Augustus for the vvorship of Relikes Pag. 213 lin 27 for passed reade possessed pag. 261 line 25 for and ego reade an ego page 272 line 16 for Vndoubtly reade Vndoubtedly
care of prouiding for wife children doth wholy extinguish or greatly diminish their good house-keeping and prouiding for the poore as the lamentable experience of our very time doth sufficiently instruct vs. What if some Popes or other Clergy-men haue beene too forward to satisfie the greedy couetousnesse of their carnal friends that is their owne fault contrary to the prouident order and law of the Church and if the corrupt nature of man be so inclinable to fauor them that be next in bloud to them was it not right vvisely ordained by our Church that Clergy-men should haue no wiues and children for that men naturally doe loue them most dearely and vse al meanes to prouide for them But how carelesly herein doe the Protestants carry themselues vvho doe encourage and as it were push their Clergy-men forward to haue wiues and children vvho being thereby clogged with the cares of this world bidde adieu to al courteous and plentiful hospitality and leaue the poore to shift as they can for themselues for they haue more then enough to doe to prouide for their owne wiues and children The second lie is shuffled into the parenthesis taken out of Platina to vvit That vnder the name of nephewes commonly goe their bastards vvhich is not in his authour but a most malitious slander deuised of his owne head and auouched without any testimony and therefore to be contemned The third is in that he maketh Platina to affirme it to be a common thing with the Popes which he only noteth for a special fault in some few Is this man worthy thinke you the sacred title of a Diuine or of the common name of an honest man vvho doth in manner nothing else but sow lies together and that sometimes so thicke that for euery line neere hand there is onelie or other vvas his meaning trow you to giue instruction to the ignorant and satisfaction to the learned as often he vaunteth or rather to blinde the simple and to feede the vaine folly of the ouer credulous Protestant Prouerb 10. Qui nititur mendacijs saith the vvise man hic pascit ventos Idem insequitur aues volantes He that relieth on lies doth feede the windes that is may please vaine and light heades He doth also follow birdes flying in the aire that is doth feede the humour of hawty wauering and vnsettled spirits but can neuer giue contentment or satisfaction to any graue modest and discreet man who doth flie from a crafty and subtle liar as from the very off-spring of that Serpent which with lying deceiued our first mother Eue. But goe on vvith your lies seing it wil be no otherwise ROBERT ABBOT THE Emperours of Rome Theodosius and Valens according vnto the doctrine of the ancient Church of Rome Petri Crinit de honest disciplina lib. 9. cap. 9. Vpon care of preseruing the religion of the high God did forbidde the making grauing or painting of the Crucifix and commanded it vpon penalty to be abolished wheresoeuer it was found But now not the making â—nly but also the vvorshipping of the Crucifix is a matter of high religion in the same Church of Rome WILLIAM BISHOP VERITAS non quaerit latebras Truth is not ashamed of her selfe nor coueteth to hide her head in corners vvhen shee may with safety be suffered to shew her face publikely That decree of the Christian Emperour Theodosius is extant and to be seene in the very corps of the ciuil law vvhat needed then M. Abbot to runne vnto a late obscure authour called Petrus Crinitus Peter with the long haire to seeke that which is of so good record in so famous a volume thinke you that it is without some mistery that he being thirsty would leaue the fresh fountaine and runne to drinke of the dirty puddle Latet anguis in herbae There is a padde in the straw A strange longing he had to finde out some cauil against any part of the doctrine of the Church of Rome and because that could not be by the true and ful report of the Catholike Emperours decrees he would needs fly to some broken relation of he cared not whom to blinde his vnwary reader vvithal The decree then as it vvas made by the Emperour and standeth Authentikely in the Code maketh much for the honour of the Crosse for he commanded That the signe of the Crosse should not be ingrauen Lib. 1. Codi tit leg Cùm sit nobis or painted on the pauement Ne sacrum signum pedibus calcaretur that the holy signe of the Crosse might not be trodden vnder feete Which said decree of Theodosius the elder the Emperour Tyberius the second one of his Godly successours vnderstanding wel vvhen he espied a Crosse cut in marble lying on the ground he commanded it to be lifted vp saying Paul Diaconus lib. 18. Rerum Romanarum We ought to blesse our fore-head and breast with the Crosse of our Lord and we treade it vnder our feete In what high estimation the signe of the Crosse was vvith that most bright mirrour of Emperors Constantine the great and how gloriously it was placed in their Diademes Pallaces and publike places no man can be ignorant that is acquainted with their Hystories And somwhat I haue said thereof already in the question of Images therefore I doe here omit to speake any more of a matter so euident I might here by the way blame M. Abbot not only for his deceitful dealing but also because he forgetteth vvhereabout he goes for his drift here is to teach that S. Peter and S. Paules successours the Bishops of Rome did of old teach another doctrine then these of later yeares doe now of vvhich number of Bishops Theodosius the Emperour was none but many such faults as this I let passe vvittingly or else I should neuer make an end And vvhereas he addeth That these Emperours did forbidde the making of the Crosse according vnto the doctrine of the ancient Church of Rome Obserue first that it is so said only without any proof and besides it is auouched very impudently as being flat repugnant vnto the knowne and notorious practise of Constantine the great their late and most famous predecessour Now to the next ROBERT ABBOT Greg. lib. 9. Moral ca. 1. 14. GREGORY Bishop of Rome taught That al the merit of our vertue al our righteousnesse is but vice and vnrighteousnesse if it be stricktly examined it needeth therefore praier after righteousnesse saith he that whereas being sifted it would quaile it may by the only mercy of the Iudge stand for good Bernard in Annot. 1. De lib. Arbit Grat. In fine Trident. sess 6 cap. 16. Yea and Bernard by the same doctrine of the Church of Rome saith That mens merits are not such as that eternal life is due vnto them of right or that God should doe wrong if he did not giue the same they are the way to the Kingdome saith he but not the cause of obtaining the
Kingdome But now the * Rhem. Test Annot. in 2. Tim. 4. v. 8. ad Hebr. 6. vers 10. Church of Rome attributeth so great perfection of righteousnesse to good workes as that they fully satisfie the law of God and worthily deserue eternal life yea they affirme them to be so farre meritorious as that God should be vnjust if he rendered not heauen for the same chargeing the justice of God not in respect of his promise but in respect of the merit and desert of the workes WILLIAM BISHOP NOW that M. Abbot is driuen to flie to that most holy and renowmed Pope S. Gregory the great for defence of their doctrine he is like to speed wel no doubt for he was the first founder of the Catholike religion amongst vs English-men and a great maintainer of it al the world ouer as shal appeare to the eie of euery vnpartial man that wil but reade that little which shal by me hereafter be produced out of him First touching the merit of workes we beleeue the same that S. Gregory taught to wit That al the merit of our owne vertue al our owne righteousnesse that is al that vertue and righteousnesse which we haue by our owne nature or strength is rather vice and iniquity then vertue And therefore that vve had neede most humbly to sue and pray to God for mercy and forgiuenesse of our sinnes and for the assistance of his heauenly grace which is the roote and fountaine of al good workes and merits M. Abbot therefore mistakes S. Gregory grosly if he thinke him to deny any true merit or righteousnesse to be in a vertuous Christian for though he say that our owne to wit that which we doe by vertue of our owne natural power be nought vvorth yet he teacheth most expresly that good workes done by the helpe of Gods grace doe merit life euerlasting Thus he hath left vvritten vpon that verse of the Psalme I haue meditated in thy workes Gregor in Psal 141. He that acknowledgeth the riches of this world to be deceitful and doth through the loue of heauenly thinges contemne earthly that man doth meditate vpon good workes which when this life doth passe away shal remaine yeeld the reward of eternal life For we liue not here profitably Nisi ad comparandum meritum quo in aeternitate viuatur But to get merits by which we may liue eternally And vpon these wordes of the 101. Psalme Their seede shal be directed for euer Our workes are therefore called seedes saith he because like as we gather fruit of seede euen so doe we expect reward of our workes for the Apostle saith Gallat 6. Whatsoeuer a man wil sow that shal he reape He therefore that in this life soweth the seede of good workes shal in the life to come reape the fruit of eternal recompence And in the same booke of his Morals out of vvhich M. Abbot snatched his darke wordes S. Gregory declareth clearely Greg. lib. 4. Moral c. 42. That as there is among men a great difference of workes in this life so in the next there shal be as great distinction of dignities that how farre here one man exceedes another in merits so much shal be there surmount the other in rewardes If then according to S. Gregories plaine doctrine grounded vpon the Royal Prophets Dauid and the Apostle S. Paul good workes be the seedes vvhich bring forth life euerlasting If the merit of this life be that wherewith we must liue eternally hereafter If according to the difference of merits in this life we shal receiue distinct dignities in the life to come can any man of judgement doubt but that he most perspicuously taught both that there be true merits in vertuous and good workes and also that according vnto the different degree of merits distinct dignities of glory shal be rendred in heauen The most sweet and religious father S. Bernard is haled into this ranke of S. Peters successours against al due order because he was no Bishop of Rome but our prophane Abbot saith that the holy Abbot Bernard herein agreeth vvith the ancient Church of Rome How may we know that Is it because that godly and deuout man did in al points imbrace and follow the ancient Roman faith L. 2. de Cons ad Euge. In Vita lib. 2. c. 3. 6. Item lib. 4. cap. 4. Lib. 3. cap. 5. Serm. 66. in Cant. lib. Sententiarū non procul ab initio then it is a cleare case that the Bishop of Rome is supreme gouernour of Christes Church that the sacrifice of the Masse is a most true holy sacrifice and that the same body that was borne of the blessed Virgin Mary is really and substantially there present that it is flat heresie to deny either praier to Saints or praier for the dead that euery one must confesse his sinnes to a Priest that the vowes of Monkes and religious persons are most pretious jewels and ornaments of a Christian soule vvhereof he was so earnest a Patrone and perswader that in his * In Vita life-time he instituted 160. Monasteries Briefly there is no branche of the present Roman faith which may not be confirmed out of his godly and learned workes Wherefore if S. Bernard agreed vvholy with the doctrine of the ancient Church of Rome so doth the Church of Rome that now is But if M. Abbot wil say that in this point of merits only he jumpeth vvith the auncient Church though in none of the rest should he not rather haue proued it to be so then to haue taken it as granted Yes verily vnlesse he vvould be esteemed for such a trifler as ordinarily doth petere principium begge that which he should principally proue To the purpose then I say that neither the ancient Church of Rome doth deny the merits of good workes as may be seene in that question nor yet S. Bernard for when he saith That our merits doe not in justice deserue heauen he vnderstandeth that of our merits taken by themselues without Gods promise and appointment of heauen for the reward of them the which secluded excepted God should not doe any body wrong if he gaue not heauen for the same but Gods ordinance promise presupposed and the grace of Christ by which the merit is wrought then it doth euen in S. Bernards opinion of right deserue heauen and God should doe wrong not to repay it with heauen And this in effect doth S. Bernard himselfe teach in the second place cited by M. Abbot vvhere he saith That it is just that God pay that which be oweth De Lib. Arbitrio In fine but he oweth that which be promised the promise was indeede of mercy but now to be performed of justice which justice though it be also principally Gods because it proceedes from his grace yet it hath pleased God to haue vs to be partners of that his justice that he might make vs merit ours of his
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