thing in this matter is that rocke vpon which Christ built his church Is not this deduction plaine enough But what will you say if the same most Autentike Doctor do in expresse tearmes affirme the church of Rome to bee that self same rocke then all the world maie see that to bee most apparantly true which I said And M. Abbot must needes confesse that hee ouershot himself verie grosly These bee S. Austins owne words come my brethren if you please August in Psalco partem donati Venite fratres si vultis vt inseramini in vite dolor est cum vos videmus praecisos ita iacere Numerate Sacerdotes ab ipsa Petri sede in ordine illo patrum quiâ— cui successit videre ipsa est petra quaÌ„ non vincunt superba inferorum porta and bee graffed in the vine It grieveth vs to behold you lying so cutt of Recken the priests even from the seate of Peter and in that rew of fathers regard to whom who succeeded that seate is the rocke which the proud gates of hell do not overcome The seat of Peter and succession of Bishopâ— of Rome is that rock in S. Austins iudgment against which hell gates shall not prevaile was not that the verie same rocke vpon which Christ built his church S. Hierom was another most learned Doctor of the ancient church Hier. Epist 57. ad Damasum Ego nullum primum nisi Christum sequens beatitudini tua id est Cathedra Petri communione consocior super illam petram aedificatain ecclesiam scio as all the learned know hee testifieth the same most plainly in these words vnto Damasus then Bishop of Rome I following none as chief but Christ am in communion associated vnto your holines that is vnto the chaire of Peter vpon this rocke I know the church of Christ to bee builded Lo S. Hierom knew and confessed S. Peters chaire in which Damasus the pope then sate to bee the same rocke vpon which Christ built his church Pope Iulius the first was yet a more ancient and a verie holie and grave father hee teacheth the same plainlie in these words Ex Iulij increpatoria ad Orientales Ipsa Romana sedes omnibus maior praelata est ecclesijs quae non solum Canonum sanctorum patrum decretis sed D. Saluatoris nostri voce singularem obtinuit principatum Tu es inquit Petrus super hanc petram adificabo ecclesiam meam The sea of Rome is preferred before all churches which not only by decrees of Canons and holie fathers hath obtained that singuler principalitie but by the voice of our lord when hee said Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my church If the church of Rome by these words of our Saviour vpon this rock I will build my church were preferred before all others as that graue holie prelate teacheth then must it needes follow that the church of Rome was the rock vpon which Christ built his church Damasus was also a very ancient holy Ex Epistola 4. B Damasi ad Stephanum Epist Concilia Aftiâ—ae Scitis fratres dilectiss firmamentum à deo fixum immobile atque titulum lucidissimum suorum sacerdotum id est omnium Episcoporum Apostolicam sedem esse constitutam verticem Ecclesiarum Tu es enim sicut diuinum pronuntiat verbum Petrus super hanc petram adâ—ficabo Ecclesiam meam and learned Prelate he writeth in this sort you know most beloued brethren the Apostolik see of Rome to be constituted by God a fixed and vnmoueable firmament a most bright title of all byshops and topp of churches euen as the word of God doth pronunce saying thou art Peter and vpon this rock I will build my church he then also took and expounded those words of Christ to appertaine vnto the see of Rome The testimonie of these fewe ancient renowmed fathers is more then sufficient to iustifie what I said and to assure the vpright readers that some of the ancient fathers did interprete the church of Rome to bee that rock vpon which our Saviour built his church wherby they maie see how vnciuilly M. Abbot dealt with mee having no other ground for it then his owne ignorance coopled with audaciousnes Bicause M. Abbot doth in this paragraff thrust in here and there manie broken sentences out of the fathers against the supreme authoritie of the Bishop of Rome I hold it convenient to fortifie the same with some select testimonies of the best renowmed prelates of the Greeke and Easterne churches for if they whom it concerned most to stand for the dignitie and prerogatiues of their owne churches being the greatest personages in that part of the world which was farthest of from Rome do neuertheles acknowledg the Bishop of Rome to haue had in the time of pure antiquitie commanding authoritie and power over themselues and their churches then no vnpartiall and vpright mind can doubt but that the church of Rome alwaies hath had or should haue had authoritie of power and superioritie in goverment over all other churches of the world Athanasius one of the prime Doctors of the Greeke church both for holynes of life greatnes of learning soundnes of faith and by his place patriarch of Alexandria which was the highest seat in the easterne coasts This most reverend Archbishop and renowmed Champion of Christs church being grievously persecuted by the Arrian heretikes and verie iniuriously thrust out of his Bishoprike by their meanes made his recourse vnto Iulius then pope of Rome and besought him to call his aduersaries being also Easterne Bishops to Rome to answer there for those wrongs that they had done him by which fact of his he acknowledged most perspicuously the church of Rome to haue power and authoritie over Easterne Bishops to determine their ecclesiasticall causes Thus it standes of record in the Ecclesiasticall history Athanasius flying from AlexaÌ„dria went to Rome Zozomen lib. 3. histor cap. 7. Athanasius autem fugiens Alexandria Romam venit codem tempore Paulus etiam Constantinopolitanus Episcopus forte illuâ— accessit Marcellus quoque Episcopus Anciroe Azelopus Gazae c. Lucius Adrianopoli Quorum criminationes cum Episcopus Romanus intellexisset omnes fidei Concilij Nicenâ— consentientes reperisset in communionem recepit Ac cum propter sedu dignitatem cura omnium ad cum spectaret singulis suam Ecclesiam restituit scripsitque ad Episcopos Orientis cosque incusavit quod inconsulto de his viris iudicassent deditque mandatum vt quidam illorum nomine ad diem constitutum accederent qui etiam minatus est se de reliquo non passurum eos invltos nisi novis rebuâ— studere desisterent Paulus Bishop of Constantinople another great sea of the Greeke church was also fled thither for succour and diuers other Bishops of the said Easterne church whose accusations when the Bishop of Rome had heard
giue mee leaue to imploy one probable presumption that in my poore opinion doth much fortifie the same It is collected out of those letters which in ancient time were called literae formatae and granted either vnto Bishops at their first creation or vnto priests that were dismissed by licence from their ordinary This kind of letters was in great vse in the primitiue church for no stranger was admitted into communion among the Catholiks without them The invention of these leters is referred to the first generall councell holden at Nice and the forme of them is recorded authentically in the end of the Chalcedon councell immediatlie before the letters of the Illustrious persons that wrote in or about that councell vnder this title Atticus Episcopus qualiter formata Epistola fiat In this epistle fower letters principally were set for an assured token that hee in whose favour they were granted was a sound Catholike The three former letters were the first letters of the father of the sonne and of the holy Ghost to testifie that hee believed aright in the blessed Trinitie and therfore was no Arrian Sabellian Macedonian or such like heretike the fourth letter in that formall Epistle was a the first letter of S. Peters name therby to signifie that the bearer was receiued into the vnitie of that church of which S. Peter as chief governor kept the keies the other letters of his name that graÌ„ted that Epistle Distinct 73. ca. 1. to whom it was granted I omitt as not necessary to this purpose hee that will may see a copiâ— of such an Epistle sett downe at large in Gratian where the misterie also of these letters is deciphered to bee such as I haue declared namely that the fourth letter was put for S. Peters name to make knowen that the bearer therof was a true member of that church in qua Petro datum est ius ligandi atque absoluendi in which to S. Peter was giuen the right of binding and loosing Out of which notable monument of antiquitie I draw this argument so well assured it was and a thing so notoriously knowne and approved in those purer daies of the primitiue church that S. Peter and the popes of Rome his successors were the chief governors of Christs church and the insoluble band of the vnitie therof that the first letter of S. Peters name was chosen for an vndoubted badge and token of being a sound member receiued into the vnity of the said Catholike church for why should the first letter of S. Peters name rather then any other of the Apostles bee taken for such an infallible marke of society with the catholike church had it not been a cleere overuled case that hee who like an even squared stone lay vpon that rocke and did adhere vnto the head of the church was vndoubtedly a true member therof This argument as it shall serue for a coÌ„clusion of that which goeth before so it will make a conuenient passage to that which followeth in M. Abbots text 15 There was saith hee a church when there was no Roman church at all how then could that church bee builded vpon the Roman church This is a verie poore obiection for speaking as wee now do of the church which was since our Saviours time if hee take that season next to Christs ascension S. Peter was head of that church during his owne life and after him the Bishops of Rome his lawfull successors No man ever said that the church or Bishop of Rome was head of the church before S. Peter had placed his seate there If M. Abbot will accord vs that ever since that time the church of Rome hath been head of the rest as in truth it hath been wee will easily grant him that before it had no such priviledg Another like slugg M. Abbot thrusteth forth thus If the church of Rome bee that rock and other churches bee builded thervpon then it would follow that the gates of hell should never haue prevailed against any other of those churches but it hath prevayled against them Ergo. True good Sir if those other churches had stuck close to the said rocke the gates of hell had never prevailed against them but they foolishly flitting from that firme rocke were sowsed in the surging seas and swallowed vp by the gulfe of hell M. Abbot saw this to bee so full an answere that hee could not tell what to saie to it but that wee haue no assurance that the church of Rome shall continue alwaies builded vpon Christ Iesus this is M. Abbots last refuge and to it as to a safe anchor he doth twenty times fly in this book wherfore it shall haue a full answer in its due place but let vs first see whether the Bishops of Rome be S. Peters lawfull successors because that comes next M. Abbot doth either graunt it to bee true or at least hee supposeth it for true for hee disproues it not wherfore I need not staÌ„d loÌ„g about it so much the rather because it is recorded by S. Iraeneus Iren. l. 3. v. 3. Tertull. de prescr 36. Euseb l. 2. hist c. 2. Epiphar heres 27. Optat. mi leuit l. 2. perm Hieron de viris ill 1. August Epistola 1â—5 Tertullian Eusebius Optatus mileuitanus S. Hierom S. Austin and briefly by the full consent of all that haue made anie Catalogue of S. Peters successors It is evident and confessed by both sides that our Saviour established such a forme of government in his church that hee would haue to continew as long as the same church continued that is alwaies to the worlds end which was according to our doctrine that one should bee head and supreme gouernor over all the rest to preserue vnity in faith and conformity in rites of religion And by name that one was S. Peter for his life time All which I haue before proved out of holy scriptures and the ancient fathers S. Peter finally making choise of Rome for the seat of his Bishoprick liued there many yeres and in the end died Bishop of Rome wherfore they that were choseÌ„ Bishops of Rome were to succede him as in that seate so in that supreme governmeÌ„t of Christs church which daily experience teacheth vs. for wee see that whosoever is chosen bishop of any place for example of Canterburie hee presentlie vpon his installing entreth vpon all the priuiledges of honour and government which the former Bishops his predecessors died possessed of so that no sooner any man is created Archbishop of Canterbury but that imÌ„ediatly hee is therby Metropolitane of England and hath comanding authority ouer all the Bishops of that prouince with law full Iurisdiction to heare and determyne all such causes that by appeale do come to his courts In like maÌ„ner Linus being chosen Bishop of Rome after the death of S. Peter entred into possession of full power authoritie not onlie ouer the Diocese of Rome but also over all the Bishops of Christs church
ours Now it is to be cōsidered in whether they did well in whether ill To decide this cōtrouersie let vs heare the cēsure of the best Catholike Authors of those times Optatus a most worthy prelate that liued amōg the Donatists Lib 1. con Parm. blamed them greatly for appealing frō the iudgment of Bishops vnto the Emperor constantine the great relateth how the same good Emperor detesteth that their appeale breaking out into these words O furious and mad boldnes they Ad quam appellatio nem constantinus Imperator sic respondit O rabida furoris auda cia sicut in causis gentilium fieri solet appellatio nem inter posuerunt Aug. Ep. 166. Quia constantinus non est ausus de causa episcopi iudicare eam finiendam Episcopis delegauit Idem Epistola 162. Neque est ansus Christianus imperator sic eorum fallaces querelas suscipere vt de iudicio episcorum ipse iudicaret sed alios episcopos dedit a quibus ipsi rursum ad ipsum imperatorem prouocarent quam re illos quemadmodum detestetur audistis eorum peruersitatibus tandem cessit vt de illa causa post episcopos iudicaret a sanctis antitistibus postea veniam petiturus c. like the pagans haue put in an appeale which was from the Bishops to the Emperor S. Austin an other Antagonist of the Donatists in rehearsing the demeanor of the said Emperor towards the same appeale sheweth his owne opinion therabout He first recordeth that the Emperor would not take vpon him to iudge of the iudgments of the Bishops till hee was pressed thervnto by the Donatists impudencie which to represse hee finallie gaue them the hearing yet vnder the correction of the Bishops meaning afterward to craue pardon of them therfore all this that great doctor hath set downe in expresse tearmes further S. Athanasius of this matter vseth these words If the iudgmēt of this cause belōg to Bishops what hath the Emperor to do therwith if contrarywise these thinges be forged by the threates of Emperors what need is there of Bishops when was it euer heard that the iudgmēt of the church took its authority from the Emperour he relateth there this sentēcee of the great Hosius to the Emperor Athanasius epist ad solitar vitam agentes Si istud est iudicium episcoporum quid commune cum eo habet imperator sin contra ista minis Caesaris constantur quid opus est hominibus titulo episcopis quando a condito aeuo auditum est quod iudicium Ecclesiae authoritatē suā ab imperatore accepit ibidem in epistola Hosii ad Imperatorem Ne te misceas ecclesiasticis neque nobis in hoc genere praecipe sed potius ea a nobis disce tibi Deus imperium commisit nobis qua sunt ecclesiae concredidit intermedle not with ecclesiasticall causes nor cōmaund vs in that kind but rather learne those matters of vs God hath giuē you the Empire but hath cōmitted to vs the charge of the church To whō I will ioyne S. Ambrose who to the Emperor Valētinian addresseth this discourse whē haue you heard most gratious Emperor that laymē did iudge ouer Bishops in causes of faith Surely if your sacred maiesty please to pervse the course of holy scriptures or practise of former times you shall find none that deny bishops in matter of faith Ambros l. 2 epist 13. ad Aug. valentin Quando audisti clemētissime imperator in causa fidei laicos de episcopis iudicasse c. At si certe vel scripturarum seriem diuinarum vel vetera tempora retractemus qui◠est qui abnuat in causa fidei in causa inquam fidei Episcopos solere de imperatoribus Christianis non imperatores de episcopis iudicare c. Pater tuus deo fauente vir maturioris atatis qui dicebat non est meu◠iudicare inter Episcopos c. in matter I say of faith to haue been Iudges over Emperors not Emperors ouer Bishops your father being by the fauour of God a man of riper yeres did say it belongeth not to me to iudg ouer Bishops It being then most certain and evident by the verdit of S. Athanasius Hosius S. Ambrose S. Austin and Optatus that the Catholike church in that her natiue purity did mainteyne that opinion that temporall Princes had no authoritie to determyne ecclesiasticall causes The Donatists therin agreed with the true Catholike church and when they did fly from the iudgment of Bishops vnto temporall princes as supreme iudges in causes ecclesiasticall then they traced out the pathway vnto the protestants misbelief and therin were condemned and the protestants in them by the verdict of the most approued Prelats and best learned doctors of the primitiue church Let this then bee scored vp for a principall resemblance betweene the protestants and the Donatists R. AB 4. THe Donatists by false rumors discouraged men from coming to church and gaue out of the Catholike Bishops that some of them at the time of celebration of the sacraments Optatus l. 3. 7. did set an image vpon the aultar or communion table wherat the minds of men were greatly moued and euery one said hee that tasteth therof tasteth of a prophane thing so contrary was it holden to religion then which M. Bishop approueth now to set images vpon the Aultar But in this also the Papists are their followers who in the like sort devise rumors and tales of our divine service to make men abhorre to haue communion with vs. W. B. THis resemblance is more common then the high way For men of what religion soever they bee do seeke out reasons to disswade others from participation in holy rites with all other religions and specially from that which is most contrarie to their owne And neuer were any sectaries that deuised more lewd and vile slanders of any religion then the protestants haue done of the Roman And among others they do vse the verie same motiue of the Donatists to discourage men from going to masse To wit that there are Images in the churches set vpon the high aultars So that M. Abbot in multiplying his resemblances doth but multiply and increase the protestants conformity with the Donatists to the shame of their owne religion what kind of Image that was which the Donatists rumored should bee set vpon the Aultar for of the communion table or of Ministers there was no newes in the old daies of Optatus but of Aultars sacrifice and priests it is not certaine whether it were of Dragons and Leopards such as the protestants set vp in their churches or rather of some false God I cannot find in that Author Only I am assured it could not bee of any holy picture of Christ or of anie of his Saints such as Catholiks place in their churches because long before that in Tertullians daies there was engraven vpon the chalice wherin they offred vp the sacrifice of Christs
increase both the wealth and strength of our kingdome is to receiue or admitt of the Roman religion which spayne France and Flanders the richest and noblest regions adioyning next to vs do follow and vphold The ministers rare deuotions vnto the Almighty for the preseruation of the noble Princes life and encrease of honours were vayne and friuolous yea God send they were not hurt full and ominous for of such like the holie Ghost faith Prouer. 28.9 Oratio eius erit execrabilis their praier shal be accursed God comonly punishing them whom Satans seruants praie for and manie times cursing them whom they do blesse And what maruell if wee consider but the strange disposition of his Charitie shall I say or rather of his furie that would haue his Prince bath his sword in the bloud of innocēts and to sheath it in the Bowells not of some hundreds or thousands of such as neuer offended him but of innumerable hundreds of thousands of what sort nation or coūtrie soeuer so they be fauorers and supporters of the Roman religion was it any marvell I saie that the father of mercies and God of all comfort was highlie displeased at the pittiles petition of this bloudy Minister or rather monster From his deuotious and charity sutable to his profession let vs passe vnto his hope expressed in this passage his hope was that Prince Henries highnes should haue a chief part in the suppressing of this Roman religion Maie he not now as once he told mee crie out with the no-vaine poet O spes fallaces o false and deceitfull hopes o vaine confidence in earthly creatures be they neuer so noble and powerfull good reason hath he to do so seing he would not harken vnto the diuine prophet when he said Psalm 145. v. 2. Nolite confidere in principibus in filijs hominum in quibus non est salus Doe not put your trust in princes nor in anie sonnes of mortall men in whom there is no helpe principally for the atchieuing of any such vngodly merciles exployte I come now to the new article of M. Abbots belief that the vtter ruine forfooth of the Roman religion is not far of of which peraduenture he may bee as well assured as euerie protestant is of his owne saluation But bicause this seemeth to be rather a kind of prophecy then anie article of faith why maie not M. Abbot who is not yet knowne to be either a prophet or the sōne of a prophet as wel faile in this his beliefe as he was deceined in his hope And it being the diuination but of a blear eied if not of a blind prophet proceding rather out of his owne lōging then of anie foresight he hath of future euents no man I trow is bound to beleeue him vnles he list Some likelihoods there bee I grant in worldly mens opinions that the Catholike religion may be rooted out of England but when we lift vp our harts to heauen and weigh well the true qualities and nature of Christian religion we see noe euident cause to feare any such imminent daunger nay wee discouer rather motiues to perswade vs to the contrarie to witt that our redemption and the restauration of Catholike religion in our country is neere at hand Not to answer M. Abbot who hath brought no one reason for his surmise but for the consolation of manie heauily distressed and most pitifully afflicted Catholikes my most deare and best beloued countrimen I will briefly examine the causes that may moue worldlings to imagin their fathers old faith to be now in great hazard of vtter ruin and destruction that I may withall shew some reasonable grounds of hope for the speedie reparation therof The first principall cause of the decay of the Catholike faith in our coūtrie earthlie mē esteeme to bee the impouerishing of all them that constantly professe and maintaine the same for seing all Catholikes whom they call Recusants to bee fleeced and spoiled of all their goodes and to haue nothing left for themselues their wiues and their children to liue vpon they presentlie iudge that they cannot long hold out And all men of meanes being once impouerished neither priests who by doctrine administration of Sacraments and good exāple of life are great proppes and staies of religion can be harboured and interteined nor poore prisoners succoured and relieued and cōsequently all Catholikes in short space must needs be vtterlie extinguished Behold the presumptuous discourse of dust and ashes who being not able to raise their thoughts aboue the flatt of the earth or ouer the heades of their cattle doe seldome meditate vpon those words of our blessed Sauiour pauperes Euangelizantur the Ghospell is preached to the poore poore men do more readilie embrace the glad tidings of the ghospell then the rich or vpon that golden sentence of the chosen vessell of his grace videte vocationem vestram fratres 1. Cor. 1. v. 26. c. see your vocation brethren that not many wise according to the flesh not manie mightie not many noble but the foolish things of the world hath God chosen that he may confound the wise and the weake things of the world hath God chosen that hee may cōfound the strong and the base thinges of the world and contemptible hath God chosen and those things which are not that he may destroy those tings that are that no flesh may glory in his sight Being then assured by the truth it self that poore base contemptible creatures in the eie of the world be such as Christ maketh speciall choise of to receiue imbrace and preach his word How can it be probable to amy christian that the stripping men out of their goods is an assured waie to make them to flie from their faith If poore fishermen and others that voluntariely forsooke all they had were esteemed by Christ Iesus the grand master of that heauenly worke the fittest men to make pillers and chiefe members of his holie faith and religion how grosly are they deceiued in the estate and manageing of heauenlie affaires who do dreame that to make all Catholikes poore is to extirpate the Catholike religion when as it is in deed a readie way to make most absolute perfect christians discharged of all earthly clogges more nimble proper and at better leasure to employ themplues wholy and hartily in that spirituall busines And therby also indearing themselues vnto Almightie God for whose quarrell they haue lost all do become more capable and worthie of his greater giftes and blessings who can tell whither our forefathers did not through abundance and superfluitie of temporall wealth forget their dutie to God and by the sinnes that followed thervpon made way to that dissolution of religion which after ensued in our miserable countrie for so it hapned often in Israëll as Moises foretold my beloued waxed grosse and Kicked Deut. 32. v. 15. hee was grosse and exceeding fatt hee forsooke God his Creator and turned away from
seruice and loue towards him Ioh. 15. â— maiorem Charitatem nemo habet quam vt animam suam ponat quis pro amico suo wherfore in the primitiue church it was the common opinion of all Christians that sanguis Martyrum semen sit ecclesiae the blood of Martirs is the seede of the church the sence wherof is recorded in these words of ancient Tertullian directed to the Heathen persecutors Tertul in fine Apolog Neither doth your ouer curious and diligent crueltie preuaile anie whit at all against vs but is rather an allurement to our religion we are multiplied and made more as often as wee are mowed and cut downe by you for the blood of Martirs is the seede of Christians Matth. 13 yea it is compared by diuers holie fathers to that seed which was sowed in the best ground and brought forth an hundreth fold encrease Iustin in Apolog. That glorious and learned Martir S. Iustin comparing Christians to a vine as in the scriptures they be often resembled saith Esai 5. Ioh. 15. that as a vine euerie yeare must be pruned and haue all superfluous branches cut of to make it yeeld more stoare and better fruite so some Christians now and then cut downe and put to death for the Christian religion doth both multiplie and make more perfect Christians To be short I will rehearse but one passage vttered by that golden mouth of S. Io Chrisostome wherin all the forsaid branches of losse of goods losse of libertie and life are couched together without anie feare of losse of their religion Chrisost quod Christus sit Deus Albeit saith hee the faithfull Christians were disgraced despised lost their goods and were cast into prison yea were butchered burned drowned and put to all kind of tortures with the greatest shame and spite that could be deuised like Traitors and publike enemies of the comon weale yet did they alwaies encrease and multiplie As well Maisters as schollers Preists as Lay men were fettered and suffered a thousand kind of euills yet the number of both Maisters and Schollers did grow dailie greater and greater Thus Saint Chrisostome and much more to the same purpose And if it would please our owne Magistrates who are of greater yeeres to call to mind how few priests and recusants were in the daies of Queene Elizabeth when they began first to put priests to death and to heape such heauie penalties vpon recusants in comparison of them that now be they must needes if passion do not much blind them cleerlie see that their persecution hath mightilie augmented our number I out of my small experience may be bold to auouch that since I can well remember for one Romane priest that then was in England there are now litle lesse then twentie And for one recusant then now more then a hundred Haue we not therfore iust cause following euen the light of humane reason and policie to thinke that the Protestants themselues who sit at the helme of government yeelding vnto that sensible argument of their owne manifest experience will shortlie cease the heat of the persecution and bridle those distempered restlesse spirits that seeme to feed vpon other mens sorrowes if it be for no other cause but for the preservation of their owne religion I meane not here to propound to them who are without all comparison exceedinglie far wiser then my selfe how manie great comodities both at home and abroad they might reape by holding a milder course in matter of religion bicause I find small disposition in them to accept of that seruice but for the comfort of afflicted Catholikes my most deere countrimen and brethrene and for the fuller confutation of the new article of M. Abbots false beliefe I haue briefly shewed that to stripp Catholikes of their goods for their religion is to put them though perhaps against their wills to purchase the redemption of that with their penurie which their Ancestors lost through ouer much superfluitie To cast and keepe them in prison is to sequester them from their worldly occupations and therby to make them much apter for heauenlie meditations To hange them like traitors is to prefer them to the glorious crowne of Martirs And all this put together cometh so far to short from rooting out the Romane Religion or from daunting of others from the liking of it that it worketh marvelous effects in many good soules and procureth multitudes to embrace it wherfore M. Abbots dreame of the vtter ruine therof to be at hand maie be aptlie compared to the diuination of those pagans which S. Austin recorded as most absurd when the Gentiles saith hee saw that the church of Christ could not be rooted out with soe manie greiuous persecutions as it had endured Aug. l. 18. de ciuit 54. but that it was therby wounderously enlarged they neuer theles were so blindly bent against it that they would needes appoint a certain time wâ—thin the which it should be vtterlie rooted out which was expired before S. Austen had written those his worthie Bookes of the cittie of God the christian Church much more florishing and enlarging it self then before The like successe will be no doubt vnto M. Abbots dreame who would needes counterfait those malitious Pagans in prognosticating the vtter decay of the Roman religion to approch if wee remaine constant and doe with patience after the example of those ancient noble Christians beare the losse of our goods lands libertie and life in the quarell of Gods cause and for his sacred religion I am not of their mind who looking vpon the helpe of men doe out of human probabilitie either appoint some time when this shall come to passe or on the other side not seing anie mans aide readie at hand do vtterlie despaire of the recouerie of it but do like maruelously well of them who huÌ„blie acknowledging our owne and our forefathers manifold grieuous iniquites to be such that we haue not yet suffred the hundreth part of that which they and wee haue iustlie deserued yet lifting their harts towardes heauen and maturelie pondering vpon God almighties incompreheÌ„sible mercie wisdome and power do conceiue good hope of our speedie redemption for noe Christian can saie his creede but he finds in the first article thereof that God is Almightie he can doe all things when hee will and assoone as he will with one word of his mouth one fiat of his by which he made heauen earth is more then a thousand times sufficient to alter the whole course of the protestants proceeding yea to worke such a strange alteration that they who now be most earnest persecutors of the Romane religion maie after the manner of Saint Paul become most zealous professors and planters of the same for most true is that which good Mardocheus in his deuoute praier confessed Hester 13 O Lord God the disposition of all things doth he in thy hands and there is no man that can resist thy will
reader and for the rest to take a longer daie wheras he saies that he hath followed me step by step he should rather haue said leape by leap and that with such vnexpected nimble dexteritie in a man of his declining age and heauy constitution that at the verie first feese he hath overlept fowerscore and seauen pages of mine smoothing the matter ouer as though all that had been vagaries volūtarie discourses of mine owne when as in deed there is not one passage of them but in answere to another of his there also set downe as everie one maie see And that the reader maie take a vieu of his substantiall answering my booke maie it please him to consider that in my whole booke there are but two hundred fourescore and six pages in quarto vnto threescore and one wherof M. Abbots answere doth extend onelie he beginning at the 87. and ending at the 148. and yet hath he chopped of by the waie 7 pages at one blowe as he cōfessesh himself in the 227. page of his booke so that in all he hath answered vnto 54 sides that is 27 leaues in quarto which doth not amonut to 7 sheetes of paper Now out of these 7 sheets you must also draw M. Abbots owne text which is comprised within mine and taketh vp neere hand the third part therof so that in true reckoning his prettie thick booke in quarto is but an answere to little more then fower sheets of mine And yet the vanitie of this braggadochio is such that he would make his simple reader beleeue that he hath coursed me Iolily following me step by step and leaving nothing of substance in all my book vnanswered R. AB OF this worke I haue finished but one only part wherin I haue at large discouered their vaine ostentation of the Catholike name and faith and shewed plainelie that the Romish religion accordeth not with Saint Pauls Epistle to the Romanes nor with his other Epistles which M. Bishrop Calleth to assist him bicause he findeth nothing to helpe him in that Epistle to the Romanes In all which I have been carefull gentle reader to giue thee satisfaction by the Cleere testimonie either of some learned Bishop of Rome or by some other famouslie approued and comended by that church Being now required a service of another kind so that I cannot yet goe forward with the rest I haue thought good to publish this in the meane time If I haue promised anie thing in this that is not here performed expect it in that that is to come Assist mee I praie thee with thy praiers vnto Almighlie God by whose grace I hope in due time to supplie that that is wanting now w. B. BEcause I haue as I hope sufficientlie displaied in my former booke the mans vaine humor in presuming aboue measure vpon his owne strength and shewed that his vaunting words do farr surpasse his slender works Therfore I do now onlie desiret the reader to suspend his Iudgment till he come to behold the combat it self which I trust to obtaine the sooner because M. Abbot himself notwithstanding his former florish seemeth here to feare some after clapp And therfore intreateth his gentle reader to beare with him if he hath not performed in this that which he promised and to praie to God to help him forth with it and then to expect by tom long the carrier some more worthie peece of worke for a supplie I am glad to see some more modestie in the man then was wont to bee we haue not now as he fondly vaunted in his first book the whole truth furnished and set out with all its strength and such troupes and bands levied as should fright and put to flight all the world but one part of a poore peece of worke wherin he doubteth also whether he hath performed so much as he promised seing the world so amended and such a towardly disposition in him my poore praiers shall not be wanting that he may haue grace to see his wn weaknes to vnderstand daily better and better the badnes of their cause to feele more and more the feeblenes of mans wit setting it self against the might of Gods truth and so by little and little to retire himself from the bolstering out of that which he perceiueth not to be substātiall and sound and begin at length to employ his talents to the honour of him and in defence of his cause that hath bestowed them vpon him In the meane season goods ir what reason haue you to except against mee for employing the other Epistles of S. Paule aswell as that to the Romanes in favor of the Roman religion be not proofes taken out of anie of the other as pregnant and forcible as if they were taken out of that are they not all alike canonicall and of the same divine authoritie you doe but dreame when you imagine that proofes taken out of that to the Romanes be more proper then others for confirmation of the Romain faith should not the Romanes beleeve anie thing deliuered in the other Epistles of S. Paule as firmelie receiue it as currantlie as if it had been written to themselues Againe that Epistle was not penned by the Romans to declare their faith but was by the Apostle addressed to them for their further instruction and consolation wherfore it can be no more properly called a profession of their faith then of anie other Christians everie Christian being as well bound to beleeue all written therin as the Romanes M. Abbot contrarie to his owne knowledg eie-sight doth saie that I craved aide of the other Epistles of S. Paul because I could find nothing to helpe mee in that to the Romanes for I do alleage many texts out of that verie Epistle in proofe of the Catholike cause I desire thee reader but to turne to the 135. page of my booke and if he there do not find that I haue emploied as manie sentences therof to mainteine our cause as M. Abbot that braggs so much of it hath done to vphold theirs then let him take M. Abbot for a true mā but it being certain that I haue as plentifully produced testimonies out of it how canst thou choose but censure M. Abbot for a man that makes small conscience what hee saies of his adversaries writing finallie to vnderpropp his credit which hee saw tottering and like to decay he auerreth that hee hath been carefull to giue his Reader satisfaction in his allegations vsed in this booke hauing made choice onlie either of some learned Bishops of Rome or of others famously approued by that church But what if that bee not so neither doth he not by heaping one false tale in the neck of another much hasten on the downfall of his reputation and creditt who is ignorant that the Roman church hath condemned by name Cornelius Agrippas book de vanitate scientiarum and yet M. Abbot page 851 doth solemnly cite him for one of his grave Authors All the learned
finding these Bishops conformable to the faith of the Nicene councell of which Athanasius had been a principall piller hee admitted them into communion of all spirituall matters And wheras by the dignitie of his sea the charge of all persons did apperteine vnto him hee restored them backe to their Bishoprickes And did write vnto the Bishops of the east blaming them for that they had vnaduisedly iudged of those personages and sent them a mandate that some of them should appeare at a certaine day in the name of the rest who also threatned that he would not afterward let them passe vnpunished if they gaue not ouer to molest others Is not heere plaine proofe of the Bishop of Rome his power and commaunding authoritie ouer the greatest Bishops in the east They appealed vnto him for iudgment hee heard their causes hee reversed the sentences given against them by the Bishops of the east hee finallie restored againe their Bishopricks vnto them cited the others to appeare before him and theatned to punish them if they continued in their ill doeing Hosius ad Imperator Constantium Citatus ab Athanas epist ad solit vitam agentes Ne te misceas Ecclesiasticis neque nobis in hoc genere praecipe sed potius ea à nobis disce tibi Deus imperium coÌ„misit nobis quae sunt Ecclesiae concredidit quemadmodum qui tuum imperium malignis oâ—ulis carpit contradicit ordinationi divinae Ita tu cave ne quae sunt ecclesiae ad te trahens magno crimini obnoxius fiaâ— The same is also witnessed by Athanasius himself in his epistle to them that lead a solitarie life and in his second Apologie where hee doth relate the whole busines and teacheth expresly that it did not belonge to CoÌ„stantius then Emperour to determine ecclesiasticall causes but that he ought to learne them of Bishops To Athanasius I will ioyne Cirillus bicause hee was patriarch of the same sea of Alexandria Cirillus epist 18 ad CelestinuÌ„ and as learned and valiant a maintayner of the third generall councell held at Ephesus as Athanasius had been of the first kept at Nice Extat Tomo 1. Concil Ephes cap 29. This most learned Archbishop confesseth the like commanding power to haue been in Celestinus then pope of Rome that thother did before in Iulius Quoniam vero deus hiscâ— in rebus prudentiam à nobis exigit long aque ecclesiarum consuetudo suadet vt istiusmodi sanctitati tuae communiceÌ„tur non possum equidem quod apertum est ad pietatem non perscribere post malefacta exposita subiungit Et quamvis res ita se habeat non prius tamen illius communionem confidenter deserere ausi fuimus quam haec ipsa pâ—etati tuae indicaremus Digneris proinde quid hic sentias declâ—rare quo liquido nobis constet communicare ne nos cum illo oporteat an vero libere eidem denunciare neminem cum eo communicarâ— qui eiusmodi Erroneam doctrinam fovet praedicat Porro tâ—a integritatis mens ac super hac re sententia non modo pijssimis Macedoniae Epistopis sed totius quoque Orientis Antistibus perspicue per literas exponi debet Thus hee writeth to him Bicause in busines of this nature God requireth of vs wisdome and the long continued custome of the church doth admonish vs to communicate them with your holines I cannot but giue your pietie to vnderstand what is here discouered of Nestorius Bishop then of Constantinople whose foule crimes and pestilent errours when hee had laid open and certified how hee had done his endevour to move him to repentance but all in vaine hee afterward addeth Albeit these things bee soe yet wee durst not forbeare communicating with him before wee had related these things to your pietie Vouchsafe therfore to declare what you deeme to bee done therin that wee may assuredly know whether wee ought to communicate with Nestorius or els boldlâ—e denounce that no man ought to communicate with him that doth dâ—fend such erronious doctrine your holines good pleasure and sentence in this matter is to bee notified not onlie to the Bishops of Macedonia but vnto all the prelates of the east Behold the maÌ„ner of proceeding in these pure times of the church S. Cirill who for learning was perhaps better able then Celestinus to iudge of the errour of Nestorius and being patriarch of Alexandria by his place held the highest court of Iudgment in the east church Celestin Papa Cyrillo Archiepiscopo habetureodem Tomo 1. Concil Ephes cap. 16. yet would hee not take vpon himself to determine of Nestorius heresies or to excommunicate him but referred both vnto the Bishop of Rome whose sentence therin both hee and all the Bishops of the east did require and embrace In this manner did the same pope Celestinus returne answere vnto S. Cirill Most Reverend brother do you take vnto you our authoritie Quamobrem nostra autoritate ascita nostráque vice loco cum potestate vsus eiusmodi non absque exquisita severitate sententiam exequeru nempe vt nisi à decem dierum intervallo ab huius nostrae admonâ—tionis die numerandorum nefariam doctrinam suam conceptis verbis anathematizeâ— eamque de Christi dei nostri â—eneratione fidem in posterum confessurum se spondeat quam Romana tuae sanctitatu ecclesia vniuersa denique religio Christiana praedicat illico sanctitas tua illi ecclesiae prospiciat and vsing our power and place do you execute against Nestorius the sentence of excommunication with exquisite severitie vnles within ten daies after hee hath been admonished from vs hee do recant and recall his errours and let your holines provide a more worthy person for that Bishoprike which mandate of his Cirillus with the whole couÌ„cell following proceeded to the deposition of Nestorius in this maÌ„ner No man doth doubt Tomo secundo eiusdem Concil Ephes cap. 16. Nulli dubium imo seculis omnibus nâ—tum est sanctum beatissimumque Petrum Apostolorum principem caput fideâ—que columnam ecclesiae Catholicae fundamentum à Domino nostro Iesu Christo caelestis regni claues accepisse solvendique atque ligandi potestate quam acceperat vsum fuisse necnon per successores suos huc vsque semper vivere causas decernere semperque victurum esse Huius itaque ordinarius successor vicarius sanctus beatissimusque papa Episcopus noster Celestinus nos suos pro se quasi vicarios misit c. Et hac est praefatio sententia Nos canonum vi sanctissimi que patris comministri nostri Celestini ecclesia Romanae Antistitis epistola compulsi hanc tristem in illam sententiaÌ„ tulimus naie it hath been in all ages notorious that the most blessed S. Peter priÌ„ce head of the Apostles the pillar of faith and foundation of the Catholike church did receive of our Saviour Iesus Christ
in all such cases and causes that do belong to the supreame governors court and cognizance in as large and ample manner as S. Peter had before enioyed and died posessed of this being a matter depending vpon common equity and daily practise doth require no other proofe nor can haue anie better then the aknowledgment of all the Orthodox and most eminent christian prelates of both Latin and Greeke east and west churches which I haue before pleÌ„tifully produced and wheÌ„ more need shal bee will yet produce more 17 M. Abbot admitting as I said the pope of Rome to bee S. Peters successor yet argueth that they may faile in faith bicause Caiphas did succeed lineally to Aaron yet Caiphas gaue senteÌ„ce against Christ further hee alleageth that seÌ„tence out of the law All are not the children of Saints that hold the places of saints but they that practise the workes of saints M. Abbot foreseeing that wee would answere that many successors though not so holy iust and wise as their predecessors were yet haue the same authoritie and Iurisdiction over their floc k which their predecessors had And albeit they may comitt some fault vnworthy their calling yet they do not therby leese the dignitie of their place And that namely our Saviour had praied for S. Peter that his faith should not faile but that hee not withstanding his owne frailty should haue strength from God through the vertue of Christs praier to confirme his brethren in the true faith This M. Abbot foreseeing doth acknowledg it to bee true yet that hee may not bee thought to have nothing more to saie doth aske vs with Austin as hee speaketh Did hee praie for Peter and did hee not praie for Iames and Iohn to saie nothing of the rest it is manifest that in Peter they all are contayned and praying for Peter hee is knowne to praie for them all All this is true but not against any thing that wee saie for it being granted that our Saviour made manie good praiers for all his Disciples doth it follow therof that his praier made for the preservation of Saint Peters faith was not heard nay rather doth it not thervpon most evidentlie ensue out of M. Abbots owne discourse which is that everie one of the elect obtaineth that without faile which Christ praied for in their names that Christ his praier made for S. Peter obtayned for him that his faith should never faile But M. Abbot like an ill Alhymist would faine distill out of those words of S. Austin that Peter by that praier had no priviledg aboue the rest which is both coÌ„trarie to the expresse words of our Saviour who doth distinguish Peter from the rest and to him apart did speake those wordes Luca 22. Behold saith our Saviour Satan hath desired to sift you that was all the Apostles to whom those words were spoken but I haue praied for thee Peter see how particularly hee commeth to him that thy faith do not faile and thou Peter once conuerted strengthen thy brethren M. Abbots collection is also against S. Austin himself for though S. Austin do saie that in praying for Peter hee praied for them all his meaning is not that hee praied that every one of them in particuler might receiue the same gift which was bestowed on S. Peter but that Christ in praying that Peters faith might not faile that hee also might haue strength to confirme his brethren may bee truly said to haue praied for them all because they were to rely vpon the stability of Peters faith and to receiue comfort from him wherfore they being assured that Peters faith should not faile they ioyning in faith with him were also assured that they should not faile August quaest noui testa q. 75. And this to bee S. Austins meaning the words following in the very same sentence which M. Abbot did guilefully clipp of do manifestly shew In praying for Peter Quid ambigitur pro Petro rogabat â—ro Iacobo Ioanne non rogabat vt caeteros taceam manifestum est in Petro omnes contineri rogans enim pro Petro pro omnibus rogasse dignoscitur semper enim in praeposito populus aut corripitur aut laudatur Christ praied for them all for that alwaies in the Governour the people are either corrected or praised So that hee praied for them not in particuler but as they were contained in their president Saint Peter Out of which so farr of is it that thence can bee gathered as M. Abbot did that Peter had not anie priuiledg aboue the rest of the Apostles that it followeth cleerly in S. Austins Iudgment that hee was president and head of that colledg of the Apostles 18 M. Abbot being amazed at this point of succession and not knowing well what to saie to it makes a stand and admitting Christ to haue meant some singuler favour to Peter doth aske by what art I can deriue the effect of Christs praier from Peter to the popes from an holie Apostle to a ranke and succession of men amongest whom there haue been so manie Atheists Infidels Idolaters Heriticks and so manie incarnate Devills and hatefull monsters of mankind This foule troubled floud of his currish eloquence I omitt as vnciuill To the matter I haue alreadie answered that it verie much concerned the perpetuall puritie vnitie of Christs church that the effect of our Saviours holy praier should not bee closed vp with S. Peters life but bee continued to the worlds end that there might bee alwaies in the church one liuing visible and certaine Oracle to coÌ„sult in all doubtfull questions which should arise And one supreme governor to confirme the weake to correct the proud and to hold all in one vniforme order of perfect discipline which to haue been S. Peters successors the Bishops of Rome Christs institution ioyned with the ordinarie manner of proceeding of the vniuersall church from the purest antiquity doth testify as hath been declared And wheras M. Abbot doth demaund of mee by what art I can deriue the effect of Christs praier from Peter vnto a succession of men I might better aske of him what ignorance oppressed him when hee could not vnderstand that that which was graÌ„ted to one man might not as well bee graunted to another man and so continued from one to another to the worlds end But saith hee Peter was an holy Apostle and the others were sinfull creatures Be it so Did not M. Abbot himself immediatly before confesse that evill men might bee lawfull successors even vnto Saints as Caiphas was to Aaron And here as though hee had cleane forgotten himself doth seeme to woonder ar my art that would make evill Bishops of Rome Successors to good S. Peter how can a man of discretion rely vpon anie thing M. Abbot saies when hee findeth him so contrarie to himself within the compasse of so few lynes yet it is well knowne to all the learned that exceeding manie Bishops of
circumstance of the very same Epistle S. Ierom finding the Bishops of the East vnder whom hee then liued to bee at fowle square about the word Hypostasis which may signifie either a substaÌ„ce or a person and being vehemently sollicited as a very learned man to deliuer his opinion whether they should say one or three hipostases would neither trust his owne learning which was singular nor rely vpon the iudgment of Paulinus by whom hee was made Priest who was both a very learned man and the patriarch of Antioch his proper pastor and prelate but knowing well that the finall and infallible resolution of all such doubts appertained vnto the Bishops of Rome addressed himself vnto him as vnto Christs vicar and S. Peters successor And was so far of from saying that hee would follow it no farther then hee followed S. Peter or from taking vpon himself so much as once to iudge of the popes senteÌ„ce that hee would beleeue and embrace whatsoever hee should determine Hiâ—ron epist 57. ad dama sum papam Disâ—ernite si placet obseero non ti meho tres hypostases dicere si iuhetis Ibidem Obtestor beatitudineÌ„ tuam per crucifixum vt mihi Epistolis tuis siue tacendarum siue dicendarum hypostaseon detuâ— auctoritas Ibidem Non nouivitalem miletum respuo ignoro Paulinum Quicunque tecum non colligit spargit hoc est qui christi non est Antichristi est and most instaÌ„tly besought Pope Damasus to commaund him and give him authority to say either three hypostases or but one And finally doth conclude that hee who would not be ruled by the pope in such doubtfull causes was none of Christs flocke but belonged to Antichrist Let S. Hierom then bee taken for a perfect patterne of true obedieÌ„ce vnto the popes senteÌ„ces and let M. Abbot staÌ„d for an exaÌ„ple of wranglers and perverters of the ancieÌ„t fathers true meaning And for that M. Abbot brags in the end of this discourse that hee told not one lie in it which might bee taken for a miracle if it were true Let the reader know that hee belieth here that worthy patriarch Paulinus Ex phan heres 77. wheÌ„ he saith of him that hee taught not the doctrine of Peter in that questioÌ„ For Paulinus was of no other opinioÌ„ touching the blessed Trinity then was that great light of that parte of the world S. Athanasius as witnesseth that sound recorder of antiquity most holy Bishop Epiphanius So that for no other cause in the world did S. IeroÌ„ write vnto pope Damasus for finall resolutioÌ„ of that difficulty theÌ„ for that hee was fully perswaded that it beloÌ„ged vnto the Bishop of Rome rather theÌ„ to any other Patriarch to determine all such hard doubtfull questioÌ„s M. Abbots key-cold glosse takeÌ„ out of Erasmus his scholies vpoÌ„ that Epistle is not worth the answering for hee being but a late and slipperie writer no fast hold can bee taken on him Againe his words bee as vncertaine as hee that spoke theÌ„ he supposeth that the Cyty of Rome may hap to degenerate in the end May hapso may hap no. So the Bishop of Rome do continue alwaies Orthodox as we make no doubt but through the vertue of our Saviours praier hee shall our pole-starr in darke questions shall alwaies remayne firme and cleere Though the city of Rome which god forbid should bee ouerrun either by the Turke or by any other wicked race of misbelieuers to wars the later end of the world as it was in the beginning of the Christian religion ruled by heathen Emperors Of M. Abbots interpretation of S. Peters faith and coÌ„fession hath been spoken sufficiently I hope in the first chapter whither I referre the Reader Hitherto of M. Abbots former resemblances betwene the Donatists and the Papists in steed of iustification wherof hee hath in each of them confessed some one oversight or other besids hee hath made many sorie shifts to vphold them And hath poudered them also with diuers vntruths M. Abbot hauing acquited himself so brauely in his precedent braÌ„ches of comparison now hee will no doubt as worthily and wisely multiply and increase them The first staffe of his multiplication staÌ„deth vpon Donatus the pope as hee stileth him but hee might more modestly haue termed him the Abbot of the Donatists R. AB THAT Archheretike exalted himself aboue the Emperor Optatus l. 3. co â—arm and therby as Optatus reporteth made himself more then a man euen as it were a God bicause there is none aboue the Emperor but God And albeit hee did not expresly call himself God yet he did that which was aequivalent for hee made his party to stand in more feare of him then they did of God Hee advanced himself aboue all other Bishops thinking none comparable to himself Is not the pope of Rome such another Hee hath exalted himself aboue all other Bishops he hath lifted himself aboue the Emperor and therby as Optatus concludeth made a god of himself Extrauag Iohis 22. Cum interim in glossa in edit Par. 1601. cuÌ„ priuilegio Gregorij 13. besids he in effect taketh vpon him to bee God by dispensing against the law of God and by disanulling the institution of Christ yea in very words hee hath yeelded to be called a god leaving yet standing in the glosse of the Canon Law vncorrected Our lord god the pope he will haue men stand in no lesse awe of him then of God himself whiles he maks shew of Gods anger at his coÌ„maund to inflict it where hee will W. B. IF mens owne inventions how silly soever seemed not vnto themselues ouer daintie pretious M. Abbot would haue chosen rather to haue blotted out his former childish resemblances then to haue added new vnto them of the like light nature This his first is so generall on the parte of the Donatists and so vnproper to bee applied to the pope and papists as he tearmeth them that it is worse then naught was there ever any Archheretike that preferred not his owne iudgement and inuention before both Popes and Emperors too if they could not get them to imbrace their heresies and in this high kind of pride and disdaine there was never any perhaps that passed the protestants Grandsier and Ringleader Martin Luther who with his Bible Luther libro aduersus Regem Angliae Ibidem was in his owne conceit to be preferd before a thousand Austins a thousand Ciprians and a thousand churches In the eie of the world I wil be saith hee so honest that they shall not be worthy to loose the lâ—â—chet of my shoe And touching my doctrine I am to Deuils Kaysars kings princes and to all the world too too froward and proude In glossa co praeten sum edictum Imperiale And in another place I Doctor Martin Luther of Iesus Christ an vnworrhy Euangelist do say that the Emperors of Rome Turky and Persia the Pope Cardinals Bishops priests fryers and
them yet when the same were executed complayned of persecution and their church they teaâ—med the persecuted church that did not persecute And such on their side as were iustly punished for murders and other crimes they called their martirs and to their relikes they did great devotion Even the same course do the Papists take who by their wicked practises having giuen cause of making lawes against them do vpon the execution therof cry out of persecution and do call them Martirs that are put to death for such horrible treasons and do honor their relikes c. W. B. will not this proper resemblance bee much more truly verified in the protestants who hauing by their mutinous and seditious practises in many Christian countries provoked most Catholike Princes to enact severe lawes against them and being afterward for their open rebellions executed yet the protestaÌ„ts without blushing do in print proclaime them for martirs thrust their names into their Calender In which kind M. Fox our doating countryman hath I thinke excelled all his fellowes As for devotion vnto their mad martirs relicts I reade not in any place quoted by M. Abbot that the Donatists vsed any that is but a florish of his Rhetorike to make them seeme somewhat more like vnto vs that do honor the reliks and memories of those holy personages that haue honored God by their noble Martirdomes traced vs out the true steps to eternall glory but therin they were for ought I can find no more devoute then bee the protestants who do litle esteeme the dead bones of their dreaming Saints and mad Martirs nay S. Austins words cited by him self do declare that the Donatists did not and that the Catholiks did worship the relicks of martirs these they be l. 2. co Petil. c. 71 you donatists be not blessed but you make blessed martirs with whose soules the heavens are replenished and the earth florisheth with the relicks of their bodies vos non colitis sed facitis quos colamus you do worship them but make them such as may be worshipped by vs. R. AB 11. ALbeit the Emperors to represse the enormious crimes of the Donatists Aug co lit Petil. l. 2. c. 92. made such lawes against them yet they would haue it thought that the Emperors did it not of their owne mind but through the instigation of the godly Bishops Even so do the Papists and namely M. Bishop though they know the Prince to haue iust cause to deale so severely with them yet doth hee impute his proceedings vnto the instigation and exasperation of his Ministers W. B. I Must needs confesse that I know no cause why his Maiestie in the first parlament of his raigne in England did confirme all those severe lawes with some additions which had been enacted against Catholikes in Queene Elizabeths daies for the same Catholikes had as much if not more trauailed to make his highnes true title vnto the Crowne of EnglaÌ„d knowen and his person acceptable then the protestants and did as willingly receiue him into the possession therof And albeit some few Catholikes did rashly ioyne with protestants to haue attempted the surprising of his royall person out of their hands whom they presumed to abuse his Maiesty verie much with false and malitious informations Yet that could hardly bee in my poore opinion any iust cause to confirme so many rigorous lawes against the whole body of Catholikes no more then to haue made the like against protestants who were principall sticklers in that desperate enterprise All which considered had I not reason writing in that time to remoue that imputation which seemed to touch his Maiesty and to impute it rather vnto the malice of some certaine crept to farre into his royall favour and knowen to bee maliciously bent against our religioÌ„ then to his highnes who as many haue reported did in the beginning often protest that hee would take no soule mony and that hee would like of no Catholike the worse for his religion so that otherwise hee found him loyall and faithfull Since the horrible plot of the Gunpowder though there bee more colour for those seuere lawes yet there is in my slender iudgmeÌ„t no iust cause for what equity or coÌ„science teacheth for the crimes of some fewe offenders to punish innumerable Innocents that never consented vnto them nor were any waie culpable of the same crime It is the vniforme consent of all the learned that paena sunt restringeÌ„dae non ampliaÌ„dae Punishments are to bee restreyned and shortned and not to bee inlarged or lengthned To forgiue offeÌ„ders is an honorable duty of Christians but to inflict punishment where there is no iust desert is not excusable even amoÌ„gst pagans Therfore it being the dutifull part of a subiect rather to excuse his soveraigne then to accuse him wee that hold our selues so well assured of his maiesties most clement naturall disposition fortifyed also with iust and even proceeding in civill affaires could not but lay the blame of those extreme courses vpoÌ„ other more violent spirits were they temporall Lords or ministeriall I know not but sure I am that they haue shewed themselues towards men of our religion too too malitious and spitefull God Almighty pardon them and giue those of them that yet liue grace to amend those that bee dead would not haue vs to pray for their soules and therfore wee can do no more for them but to leaue them to Gods mercifull Iudgments R. AB 12. THe Donatists albeit they knew well that it was but a small part of the world that ioyned with them yet gloried to vse words as though they had had a church throughout all the world Even so the papists although they know the communion of the church of Rome to bee accepted of but in a small part of the world yet take pleasure to bable as if the Popes triple crowne were so wide as to compasse the whole earth W. B. AS the former resemblance was pared out of that which went next before it so hath this been thrice before touched The odd idle man that purposed to arriue vnto the full nuÌ„ber of twelue is forced to mince them into mammocks and to make no bones to repeate the same thing in effect very often ouer all to retourne a full Iury of twelue that may bring in a verdict against himself either of Ignoramus or els a billa vera for a poore peece of Inuention to frame resemblances as common as the high way and for the most part such as may bee imputed to what sect soeuer you please but do indeed not more properly appertaine vnto any then vnto the protestaÌ„ts themselues Thus farre to refute M. Abbots addition of triuiall and improper resemblances Now I come to confirme those points of comparison which I to requite him did propose I stood not vpon coÌ„mon accideÌ„ts which lightly are incident vnto all kind of sects as M. Abbot hath done very trifflingly but at the first do set vpon
acquaintance with the same whispering spirit with which they are so haunted that they haue almost hourely new illuminations and strange revelations See I pray you into what endles dissentions this doctrine of the spirit doth lead her folowers It being then most manifest that there is such variety and so great contradiction in the way of the private spirit everie man that hath a care of his salvation will I hope take heed therof and not suffer himself to bee abused therby Hee was inspired by the true spirit of God that gaue vs this faire warning 1. Iob. 4.1 My deerest beleeue not euerie spirit but prove the spirits if they hee of God because manie falâ—e prophets are gone into the world which deceiue many And Satan that trudgeth about so busily seeking whom hee maie deuoure finding so many readie to listen to the cursed councell of his wicked spirit transformeth himself often into an Angell of light that hee may the better beguile them that giue eare to such secret whisperings wherfore they that desire not to bee misled must follow Saint Iohns counsell try the spirits whether they bee of God or no. Ibidem If the priuate spirit do not agree with the publike spirit that conducteth the Catholike church in all trueth bee well assured that it is an erring spirit sent by Satan to deceiue you and to leade you into errour To recollect this point in briefe If no man may relie either vpon his owne learning or spirit not may safely trust anie priuate teacher or preacher then the protestants best meanes to obtaine salvation be very vncertaine and consequentlie they that wil bee assured never to erre in anie one article of faith must not relie vpon them but imbrace wholie and fully the doctrine of the Catholike Roman church and hold themselues close and fast thervnto Math. 16 That church is built vpon a rocke that alwaies hath and euer shall stand firme without flitting or tottering too and fro and Christ praied Luc. 22. for her governors faith that it should never faile Ioh. 16. The holie Ghost is alwaies with her to teach her all truth And in verie common sense when a controuersie riseth about any point in faith is it not much more probable that all the learned assembling together out of all coasts and countries of Christendome to conferre thervpon should boult out the truth of that question better then some few passionate and discontented men that oppose themselues against all the rest Thus verily stands the case betweene the Protestants and vs. for when Martin Luther Iohn Calvin and others discontented men and none of the best marke ranne out of our church and cried out that therein were manie errors taught and many foule abuses maintained a generall councell was called the best learned of all Christian countries were assembled to heare and determine those controuersies The ringleaders of the new Gospell were most courteously invited thither to shew what moved them to make that alteration but their consciences telling them that they were not able to iustifie their bad cause before so many learned men they durst not appeare in the councell wee then haue very great reason to follow the iudgment of the whole corps of Christendome but small probability haue the protestants to preferre the passionate opinions of a few malecontents flying from true triall before the calme and mature acts and definitions of all the rest that were ready to haue performed it God send them grace to see it in tyme least as they haue wilfully followed them in their errors so they bee not here after against their wills forced to folow them to eternall punishment I haue staid the longer to declare the commoditie and necessitie of submitting our vnderstaÌ„ding vnto the censure of the Catholike church because without that bee ioyned to Gods word to certifie vs both which is the word of God and what is the true sense and meaning thereof wee can haue no true faith at all for the declaration of the church is necessarilie required as a condition without which our faith cannot ordinarilie bee assured of that which it is to beleeue whervpon that great light of the world S. Austin was not ashamed to saie Evangelio non crederem August co Episâ— fundameÌ„tre 5. nisi me moveret Ecclâ—siae Catholicae authoritas I for my part would not beleeue the Gospell vnles the authoritie of the Catholike church did moue mee thervnto whence it is easie to gather that they who do not take their direction from the said church as all they do not who think euery Christian may be saued in his own religion haue no assurance in their faith and coÌ„sequently no true faith at all wherfore they cannot bee saued which I do thus confirme for the Apostle teacheth that Sine fide impossibile est placere Deo Hebr. 11.6 It is impossible to please God without faith which must needs bee vnderstood of the true faith because God is the God of truth and hateth all that is false but the true faith is but one onlie and of the same nature in all men which the said Apostle doth confirme when hee writeth that there is but one Lord one faith Ephes 4.5 one Baptisme but they that make account to bee saued in their owne religion bee not ordinarilie nor cannot bee all of one faith for one faith cannot teach vs to beleeue two coÌ„tradictory propositions to bee true by the same faith one may beleeue more and another lesse according to the measure of faith that it hath pleased God to bestow vpon them but one cannot beleeue cleane contrary to the other As for example That Saints are to bee praied vnto and that they are not to bee praied vnto That wee may praie for the dead and that wee may not praïe for the dead For one of those propositions must needs bee false wherfore they that beleeue men may bee saued in both these opinions haue no true faith at all because true faith cannot beleeue that which is false and one of these two must needs bee false This may bee yet further confirmed for that those men who thinke one may bee saued in any religion do want the aforesaid true and onlie meanes of vnitie and agreement in one faith for they rely not vpon the explication of the Catholike church which is the only way to hold all men in one faith no more then if they had neuer heard of that article of our Creede I beleeue the holâ—e Catholike church but take as it hath been before declared for their guides in matter of faith either their owne Iudgment skill or spirit or the advise of some of their friends which are much more like to leade them into a hundreth diverse opinions then to reduce them to vnity in faith and religion wherfore it is evident that the vniforme faith of the bodie of Christendome which alone is the true saving faith cannot dwell in one house with that