aduersary moued to let slip now and then a word or two Yea and let it be noted how one sweet pen-man in this case excuseth another M. Bishop his fellow Watson after that he had with all importunity and fury thorowout his whole booke of Quodlibets runne vpon the Iesuits e Answer to particulars against D. Bishop pag. 17. Sory I am saith he that to some blemish of his former vertues certaine bookes set out of late carry the letters of his name because the stile seemeth too sharp and some thing in them soundeth harshly in Catholike eares But to mitigate the matter the occasion of writing which time and place ministred must be duely considered and withall how he and others were before grieuously hurt in their reputation by the other party and that in defense of their honour they might lawfully discredit the iniurious aggressours Now if any man looke vpon me with the same eies wherewith M. Bishop looked vpon M. Watson he will easily see that the reputation and honour of our religion being so deeply touched and so many infamous aspersions being cast vpon our whole doctrine and ministery by his malicious and slanderous libell the zeale of truth and importunate impudencie of such an iniurious aggressour must needs wrest from me what spleene or passion I had to shew in the seruice of my Prince and in the cause of Iesus Christ And this I hope shall excuse me in this behalfe with all that are friends and welwillers to the cause in hand or if any take exception further I must say to him with the words of S. Bernard f Bern. in Cant. serm 12. Inhumanè corum redarguis opera quorum onera refugis temerariè obiurgat rirum de praelio reuertentem mulier nens in domo Thou dealest vngently to blame the doings of them whose burdens thou refusest it is rashnesse for the woman that sitteth spinning in the house to checke the souldier returning from the warre g Hieron Apolog ad Pammach Delicata doctrina est pugnanti ictus dictare de muro It is a daintie kinde of teaching saith Hierome to sit vpon the wall and to appoint the man in fight in what maner he shall strike Consider that thou art but as a beholder and looker on but I was as hee that felt the blowes and therefore do not maruell if I were more moued than thou yea esteeme of me in this businesse by the experience of thine owne affections in that that toucheth thine owne cause But I must needs heere intreate thee gentle Reader by the way to note how this sweet peÌ„-man carieth himselfe in that kind wherein he obiecteth so great fault to me The flowers of his speech are h Preface to his second part sect 10. Of the same accursed crue was Melancthon Caluin in his institutions to hell i Reproofe Pag. 50. craking impudencie and impudent craking k Pag. 64. a vaine craking iangler and notorious liar l Pag. 211. deuoid of all good conscience honest dealing m Pag. 264 past all shame and worthy to be thrust into an Asses skin n Pag. 272. base and bastardly minded Ministers o Pag. 283. cosening companions false hypocrites most impudent liars p Pag. 281. the spirit that possesseth his heart to wit the father of all lies q Pag. 283. he that will be fed with lies let him take the diuell to his father and M. Abbot or some other such like of his lying Ministers to be his master Nay the terme of lying is nothing euery where and it is wonderfull to see what a rare dexterity he hath to multiply lies vpon me as for example fiue lies in a place where indeed there is no lie r Reproofe Pag. 83. A lie it is saith he that I denied to his Maiesty such authority as would serue for the taking order how God might be rightly serued in his Realm whereas my words are that he denieth to his Maiesty that supreme gouernment in causes ecclesiasticall whereby he should take vpon him so to doe which he so far denieth as that against this Å¿ Pag. 170. 171. c. Supremacy he hath said more than of any one matter thorowout his whole booke What authority he dreameth would otherwise serue so to do that to me is nothing Another lie it is saith he that the Popes lawes doe inhibit Princes to meddle with matters of religion whereas the law is plaine t Dist 96. Si imperator Ad Sacerdotes deus voluit quae ecclesiae disponen da sunt pertinere c. Non publicis legibus non a potestatibus seculi sed a Pontificibus sacerdotibus opus deus Christianae religionis voluit ordinari c. The ordering of matters for the Church God would haue to belong to Priests not to the secular powers not by publike lawes not by secular powers but by Popes and Priests would God haue the worke of Christian religion to be ordered u Sext. de haeret Quicunque Inhibemus ne cuiquam laica personae liceat publicè vel priuatim de fide Catholica disputare Qui contra fecerit excoÌ„municationis laqueo innodetur We forbid any lay person either publikely or priuately to dispute or reason concerning the Catholike faith he that doth so let him be excommunicated Againe he saith A third lie it is that I affirmed Kings to hold their crownes immediatly from God but that his foolery may the better appeare he adeth Which though it be true in that sense he taketh it yet it is false that I said so in that place for I meddle not with those termes of immediatly or mediatly So then he saith so but yet I lie in saying that he saith so because he saith not so in that place whereas notwithstanding I neither charge him with mediatly nor immediatly in that place but onely repeat his owne former words that of Gods meere grace and bounty Princes receiue and hold their diadems and princely scepters Yet againe The fourth lie is that the Pope denieth Princes to hold their Diadems and Princely authority immediatly from God but are to receiue them by his mediation whereas the Pope himselfe saith of the Emperour x Auent Annal lib. 6. Imper ator quod habet totum habet a nobis Ecce in potestate nostra est imperium vt deâ—â—us iâ—ud cui volumus propterea constituti à deo super gentes regna vt destruamus euellamus edificemus plantemus c. Ex epist Adriani 4. What he hath he hath it wholly of vs the Empire is in our power to giue it to whom we will being therefore appointed of God ouer nations and Kingdomes to destroy and to pull vp to build and to plant Which words I alledged vsed by y Bull a Pij 5. apud Sander de schism Anglic. Pius Quintus against Queene Elizabeth and applied generally to that purpose by the z Extrauag de maior
Ben Beirdh the chiefest of the wisemen which seeme in all likely hood to tax Austin as a procurer of that slaughter For although he mention the said Taliessin as hauing beene a writer in the yeare 540. yet because there can be imagined no occasion of those words before Austins comming in I conceiue that either there is some errour in the notation of the time or that liuing perhaps to great yeeres as in those daies was no rare thing he wrot the Ode whence those verses are taken in his last time I will define nothing heereof but leaue it to the iudgement of the Reader to conceiue as he seeth cause The verses then he first setteth downe in the Welch tongue as they were written by him that made them a History of Wales by Doct. Powel Gwae'r offeriad byd Nys angreifftia gwyd Ac ny phregetha Gwae ny cheidw ye gail Ac efyn vigail Ac nys areilia Gwaeny theidw ei dheuaid Rhae bleidhi Rhufeniaid A'iffon gnwppa These he repeateth in English thus Wo be to that Priest yborne That will not cleanly weede his corne And preach his charge among Wo be to that shepheard I say That will not watch his fold alway As to his office doth belong Wo be to him that doth not keepe From Romish woolues his sheepe With staffe and weapon strong Where when he nameth Romishwolues we cannot doubt but that he alludeth to some cruelty caused or practised by some that came from Rome which because it can haue no application in those times but only to the slaughter of the Monkes aforesaid therefore I doubt not but that it hath reference to Austin the Monke who came then from Rome as the cause of that slaughter Now because we are in hand with falsifications and misconstructions I hold it not amisse to reduce hither two other taxations of his of the same nature as most properly belonging to this place The first by order of my booke is a place of Mathew Paris by whom I say it appeareth that a Answer to the epistle sect 3. pag. 20. for the space of twelue hundred yeeres after Christ the Popes authoritie could gaine no acknowledgement in Scotland for that in the time of King Henry the third the one and twentith of his raigne when the Popes Legate would haue entred into Scotland to visit the Churches there the King of Scots Alexander the second forbad him so to do alleaging that none of his predecessours had admitted any such neither would hee suffer it and therefore willed him at his owne perill to forbeare Concerning this allegation M. Bishop setteth downe a postscript in the end of his booke when all the rest was finished in this curteous maner Curteous Reader I must needs acquaint thee with a notable legerdemaine which by perusing the authour I found out after the rest was printed Now gentle Reader I know thou lookest for some speciall great matter which he was thus carefull to adde after all the rest was printed but what is it I pray M. Abbot saith he to prooue that the Pope had no authoritie in Scotland twelue hundred yeeres after Christ auerreth that Alexander the second vtterly forbad the Popes Legate to enter within his kingdome which is not true No is Surely then M. Abbot dealt very vndutifully with his Prince to delude him with a false tale But I pray you M. Bishop tell vs what the truth is For his authour Mathew Paris declareth saith hee that the King indeed 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 authoritie in those ecclesiasticall 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 And is this all M. Bishop that you could finde perusing the authour so diligently as you haue done But I pray you put on your spectacles once more and turne ouer your booke againe Thou shalt vnderstand gentle Reader that the impression of Mathew Paris which I follow is that b Tiguri in officina Froschoviana 1589. at Tigure in officina Froschouiana anno 1589. There in the one and twentieth yeere of Henrie the third being the yeere of our Lord 1237. pag. 431. which in the edition cited by M. Bishop I take by some notes of mine to be pag. 597. thou shalt finde Mathew Paris set downe this matter in these words c Math. Paris in Henrico 3. anno 1237. pa. 431. Volenti autem domino Legato intrare reguum Scotiae vt ibi de negotijs ecclesiasticis tractaret sicut in Anglia respondit rex Scotiae Non me memini Legatum in terra mea vidisse nec opus esse aliquē esse vocandum deo gratias nec adhuc opus est omnia benè se habent Nec etiā tempore patris mei vel alicuius antecessorū meorum visus est aliquis Legatus introitū habuisse nec ego dum mei compos fuero tolerabo Veruntamen quia fama te sanctum virum praedicat moneo te vt si fortè terram meam ingrediaris cau tè progrediaris nequid sinistri tibi contingat c. The Lord Legate being desirous to enter into the kingdome of Scotland there to deale in Ecclesiasticall matters as he had done in England the King of Scotland answered him I remember not that I haue seene any Legate in my countrey nor that there hath beene any need thanks be to God that any should be called neither is there yet any need all things are well No nor in the time of my Father or of any of my predecessours hath any Legate beene seene to haue had any entrance there neither wil I suffer any so long as I am in my right wits Notwithstāding because by report you are a holy man I warne you that if yee doe goe into my countrey yee goe warily lest any thing befall amisse to you For vnruly and sauage men are there dwelling which thirst after mens bloud whom I my selfe cannot tame nor hold them backe from me if they fall vpon you These are the words of Mathew Paris now aske M. Bishop I pray thee wherein standeth that notable legerdemaine which he would acquaint thee with Aske him what it is wherein I haue varied from my authour I said that the king forbad the Legate to enter so saieth the storie I said that the King alleaged that neuer any Legate in the time of any of his predecessours had beene admitted there the storie saith the same I said that this was twelue hundred yeeres after the time of Christ the story noteth it to haue beene in the yeere 1237. Wish him now to tell thee where the legerdemaine is or whether it be rather some policie of his thus to talke of legerdemaine But this place he would not see yet the latter place he saw he quoteth the page 667. iustly agreeing with the
impugning of men saith Aquinas is of the malice of the diuels themselues but the order of their impugning is of God His power then being directed and limited to whom and in what and how far it shall extend is of God and according to these circumstances in all that he doth he doth the will of God but the euill it selfe which he doth by the power thus giuen him is of himself and no part thereof is to be ascribed vnto God Euen so it is with all the wickednesse of man his sinne is only of himselfe and God hath no part in it but to God notwithstanding belongeth the ordering and disposing of it By which order as somtimes he restraineth it letteth it lie as it were a sleep so sometimes also he giueth it way exciteth it and prouoketh it and without working any wickednes in him maketh it to appeare what before lay hid in the wicked hart of man For as the beames of the sunne doe draw from the filthy cation a noisome stincke whereof the sunne cannot be said to be the cause which with the same beames causeth from the violet and the rose a pleasing and delightsome smell but the whole matter thereof ariseth from the dead carkesse it selfe euen so God by the secret operation of his vnsearchable power findeth meanes to draw foorth the sin and wickednesse of man which yet he in no sort worketh in him but the whole contagion and filth thereof ariseth from the corruption of man himselfe And this we conceiue that God doth three manner of waies by motion by occasion and by destitution in all which he yet still remaineth pure and cleere Thomas Aquinas saith very rightly that ſ Th. Aquin. 1. 2 q. 79. art 2. in 〈◊〉 Deus est causa omnis actionis quatenus est actio q 80. art 1. ad 3. Deus est vniuersale principium omnis interioris motus humans God is the cause of euery astion as it is an action and the vniuersall beginning of euery inward motion of man In sinne therefore whatsoeuer belongeth to motion or action God is truly affirmed to bee the cause thereof But as in the halting of a lame leg we are to distinguish betwixt the act of the soule whereby it mooueth and the defect of the leg whereby it halteth so are we also in sinne to seuer by vnderstanding the worke of God whereby man mooueth and the default of man himselfe in the same motion whereby hee sinneth Which notwithstanding albeit in minde and consideration they be seuered yet in the subiect goe together and as the motiue faculty of the soule exercising it selfe the legge foorthwith by halting bewraieth it owne lamenesse and imperfection euen so it commeth to passe by corruption of nature in the whole man that whilest God moueth nature man acteth sinne whilest God cherisheth nature man cherisheth sinne and of Gods giuing strength of nature man gathereth strength of sinne And thus the more God ministreth vnto men either health and strength and vigour of body or dexterity and sharpnesse of memory and minde and vnderstanding so much the more doth he discouer the poison that is within them without any default of his but to the iust condemnation of man himselfe that so disgraceth and abuseth the worke of God Neither is it to be obiected that God being the cause of the cause must needes be also the cause of the effect because as lamenesse and halting is not an effect of going but a defect nor is to bee imputed to the motiue faculty of the soule as the cause of it but to the default and debility of the leg so neither is sinne the effect of the act and motion which God worketh nor is he the cause of it but it is the prauity and obliquity of man who is the subiect of that motion Now as by maintaining and moouing of nature so also by ministring occasions God laieth stumbling blockes before the wicked whereat they fall and purchase further damnation to themselues Occasions I say not as if they did giue occasion or were of themselues inducements to euill but because the iniquity of men euen of good taketh occasion of euill and turneth the righteousnesse of God to it owne sinne Thus Aquinas well obserueth that t Tho. Aquin. in Rom. c. 9. sect 3. Ad malum dicitur inclinare occasionalitèr inquantum scilicet deus homini aliquid proponit vel interius vel exterius quod quantum est de se est inductiuum ad bonum sed homo propter suam malitiam peruersè vtitur ad malum God is said to incline men to euill by way of occasion in that he setteth before man somewhat either inwardly or outwardly which of it selfe tendeth to good but man by his wickednesse crosly vseth it to euill He strengthneth in Pharao the care of the benefit of his people and Pharao turneth it to the oppressing of Gods people and to the resisting of the message which from God was sent vnto him u August in Psal 104. Non cor illorum malum faciendo sed populo suo benefaciendo cor illorū sponte malum conuertit ad odium By doing good to the Israelits x Psal 105.25 he turned the heart of the Aegyptians against them so that they hated his people and dealt vntruely with his seruants Thus God sendeth the preaching of the Gospell to vnbeleeuers and it becommeth to them y 2. Cor. 2.16 the Sauour of death vnto death So x Psal 69.22 their table where God giueth them plenty and abundance becommeth a snare vnto them and their prosperity is their ruine or as we commonly reade it the things that should haue beene for their wealth become vnto them an occasion of falling But of this see what hath beene said in the place before named the fourteenth section of the answer of the epistle to the King By destitution God draweth foorth mans sinne whilest he forsaketh him and leaueth him to himselfe and to the power and tyrany of Satan to be holden of him at his will For as in the departure of the soule the corrupt body groweth to more putrifaction and corruption so when God withdraweth himselfe from sinfull man his sinne increaseth more and more and as a house the pillars whereof are taken away falleth with violence so doth he runne headlong and without any stay to all excesse and obstinacy of sinne Yea and as a man being left naked and forlorne amidest his cruell enemies becommeth a prey and a spoile vnto them so heere being forsaken of God Satan and his angels presently seaze vpon him they blinde him they binde him as it were hand and foot and carry him vp and downe whethersoeuer it pleaseth them We must vnderstand that God though in the beginning he suffered man to fall away from him and thereby to deface in himselfe the glorious image of God according to which he was created yet vouchsafed of his goodnesse so far to vphold in him both light
appeareth that the sending and giuing of Christ is deriued from the loue of God as from a precedent and former cause What is the matter then of M. Bishops quarrell Marrie whereas Caluin and Beza by the good pleasure and grace of God doe meane in that sort a precedent cause of the giuing of Christ to merit for vs and doe expresse it by other termes of the ordinance of God of his appointing Christ to be our mediatour of appointing vnto vs this meanes of saluation and such like M. Bishop maliciously wresteth the same to a posterior cause of the acceptation of the merit of Christ as if they had said that God of his good pleasure and grace had accepted for merit that which Christ did when indeed there was no merit and so falleth to his termes of a faire reckoning and that so any other man endued with grace might haue redeemed all mankind as well as Christ woonderfully bestirring himselfe with his woodden dagger and though hee fight but with his owne shadow yet being strongly perswaded that hee hath killed a man And yet to see the arrogancie of this vaine-glorious wisedome he taketh vpon him here by the way to helpe Caluin that could not vnderstand how we were saued by the mercies of God if the merits of Christ in iustice deserue our saluation whereas Caluin purposely there disputeth against them who could not vnderstand that accord betwixt the mercies of God and the merits of Christ and telleth them that which this silly Sophister will seeme to teach him that r Ibid. Inscitè opponitur meritum Christi misericordiae dei Regulaenim vulgaris est quae subalterna sunt non pugnare ideoque nihil obstat quominus gratuita sit hominum iustificatio ex mera dei misericordia simul interueniat Christi meritum quod misericordiae dei subijcitur it is ignorantly done to oppose the merit of Christ to the mercy of God for it is a common rule saith he that things subordinate are not repugnant one to the other and therefore nothing hindereth but that the iustification of men may be free by the meere mercy of God and yet the merit of Christ may come betweene as being conteined vnder the mercie of God Learne more wit M. Bishop though you will not learne more honesty yet learne more wit for there is none of your owne fellowes that shall examine these things but must needs take you for a leud man but that Å¿ Bernard de Consider lib. 1. vitiosas conscientias vitiosoruÌ„ non refugit vbi omnes sordent vnius faetor mimmè seâ—titur naught cares not to be knowen of naught and where all stinke alike no one mans stinke is discerned from other 16. W. BISHOP To returne to our purpose and to discouer yet more of the Protestants disgraces offered to our Sauiours mediation Con. Hesh p. 39. Sup. Ioh. pa. 39. In locis fol 361. 1. Ioh. 2. v. 2. Did Christ suffer his passion for the redemption of all mankinde or did he die onely for some few of the elect let Caluin answer you Christs flesh was not crucified for the vngodly neither was the bloud of Christ shed to clense their sinnes With him agreeth brother Bucer Christ by his death did onely redeeme the sinnes of the elect Musculus will beare a part in that consort Christs death is a satisfaction only for the sinnes of the elect all as contrary to the plaine text of Scripture as can be Christ is a propitiation for our sinnes where he spake in the person of the elect and not for ours onely but also for the whole worlds Let vs goe on yet one steppe further What effect doth the bloud of Christ worke in the small number of these elected brethren Doth it clense their soules from all filth of sinne and powre into them the manifold gifts of the holy Ghost whereby they may afterwards resist sinne and serue God in holinesse of life nothing lesse Pag. 31. For in the Regenerat as M. PERKINS with al the rest of them doth teach there remaineth originall sinne which infecteth euery worke of man and maketh it a mortall sinne So that inwardly in their soules these clected Protestants be voide of iustice and full of all maner of iniquity marry they haue created in them the rare instrument of a new deuised faith by which they lay hold on Christs iustice so by reall imputation to vse M. PERKINS words of Christs iustice to them they on the sudden become exceeding iust therefore Frier Luther had some reason to say that whosoeuer was borne againe of this Euangelicall faith was equall in grace vnto both Peter and Paul and vnto the Virgin MARY Mother of God Supra 1. Pet. 1. In actis disput Tigur Fox Act. fol. 1335 1138. Nay it seemes that Luther came to short and Zwinglius stroke home when he said that God the Father did no lesse fauour all the faithfull then he did Christ his owne Sonne And out of the confidence of the same liuely-feeling faith proceeded these speeches of our new Gospellers in England And wee haue as much right to heauen as Christ hath we cannot be damned vnlesse Christ be damned neither can Christ be saued vnlesse we be saued Christ belike could not liue in blisse without their holy company What audacious companions and saucy Gospellers were these Yet their reason seemeth sound in the way of their owne religion for if they were most assured of the benefit of Christs owne iustice to be imputed vnto them they could not be lesse assured of their owne saluation then they were of Christs owne To conclude this point consider good reader how the Protestants who would be thought to magnifie Christes sufferings exceedingly doe in very deede extreamly debase them For as you haue heard they esteeme very little of all the rest of his life besides his passion secondly they make his passion without suffering of hell torments not sufficient to redeeme vs thirdly that all those sufferings put together doe not in iustice merit the remission of our sinnes but onely that of grace and curtesie God doth accept them for such fourthly that when all is done they deserue fauour onely for a few of the elect and that not to purge those few neither from all their sinnes but only to purchase them an imputation of iustice to be apprehended by a strong imagination or rather presumption falsly by them tearmed faith Is not heere a huge great mill-post fairely thwited into a poore pudding pricke as they say by them who after so high exaltations of the all-sufficiency of Christs suffering doe in fine conclude that in a very few persons it worketh onely an imputation or shadow of iustice How Christ died for all but it agreeth very well and hangeth handsomely together that by the merits of Christs sufferings in hell which are meere phantasticall these men should haue created in them a phantasticall faith neuer heard of before
that high dignity but ambitious persons flatterers stageplaiers and men defiled with all vices that there was scant a man preferred to be a Bishop that had but euen lightly read heard or learned the holy Scriptures yea that had so much as touched that holy booke saue onely the couer albeit they tooke their oath at their institution that they had knowledge of them Bernard also mentioneth that euen in his time t Bernard epist 42. Scholares pueri impuberes adolescentuli ob sanguinis dignitatem promouentur ad ecclesiasticas dignitates de sub ferula transferuntur ad principandum presbyteris laetieres interim quòd virgas tuaserint quà m quòd meruerint principatum nec tam illis blanditur adeptum quà m adempâ—uÌ„ magisterum Schoole-boies and beardlesse youthes were promoted to ecclesiasticall dignities and from the ferula were exalted to beare rule ouer Priests such as were more glad that they had escaped the rod than that they had obtained their preferment and ioied more that they were come from being vnder masters than that they themselues were become masters The behauiour of these Bishops Clemangis further describeth that u Clemang vt supra Non quidem ammarum sed crumenarum potius quaestum vbique explorant c. Nihil omnino agunt nisi quod ad colligendam quacunque ex oceasione pecuniam suffragan posse crediderint c. Multò aequanimiùs laturi â—acturam decem millium animaruÌ„ quà m deceâ— aut duodecim solidorum c. Nullus ad clerâ—â—atum vel ad sacrum ordinem vel ad quemcunque gradum ecclesiasticum nisi mercede accedit Omnes quotquot aduenerint nullo aut paruo admodum discrimine ad eos quos petierint titulos admittunt nisi fortè siqui adeò egestate premuntur vt soluendo non sint Nulla de anteacta vita percunctatio est c. De literis verò doctrina quid loqui attinet cùm omnes fere Preâ—byteros sine aliquo captu aut rerum aut vocabulorum morosè syllabatimque vix legere videamus c. Si aliqua beneficia suae sint dispositions deuoluta pro quaestu ea conferunt vel fuis ea spurâ—s histrionibus donant they euery where sought the gaining not of soules but of mony doing nothing but what might serue their turne to gather mony taking in much better part the losse of ten thousand soules than of ten or twelue shillings admitting none to sacred orders or to any degree of the church but only for money refusing none in a maner but onely such as were so poore that they could not pay money no question of their life no question of their learning so that their Priests for the most part could very hardly read hauing no vnderstanding at all either of the things which they reade or of the words bestowing for money their benefices which they had to bestow or vpon their bastards and â—tage-plaiers x Specul eccles Pontif. ex Aluaro Pelag. de Planctu ecclesiae Vix credo maximè in Hispania quòd de centum episcopis sit vnus qui non sit Simoniacus in ordinibus beneficijs conferendu I scant thinke faith Aluarus Pelagius that of a hundred Bishops there is one that doth not practise simonie in bestowing of orders and benefices And whereas M. Bishop twiteth our Ministers with solacing themselues with their Yoke-fellowes Clemangis againe telleth that y Clemang ibid. Rectores parochiarum in plerisque dioecesibus ex cerâ—o condicto cum suis praelatis pretio passim publicè concubinas tenent their Bishops for a certaine fee did giue licence to their parish Priests euery where and openly to keepe Concubines which z Sleidan Comment ii 4 Scire se Germaniae Episcoporum hunc esse morem vt accepta pecuâ—ia scortationem suis permittant Cardinall Campegius also confessed that the Bishops of Germany were accustomed to doe that a Clemang Passim inuerecundè prolem ex meretricio susceptam scorta vice coniugum domi tenent their Canons and Chaplaines openly and shamelesly kept their bastards and harlots in house with them Yea Theodoric de Niem saith further that b Theodor. de Niem In eisdem etiam partibus Hiberniae Norwegiae iuxta consuetudines patriae licet Episcopis Presbyteris tenere publicè concubinas eisdem visitantibus bis in anno subditos sibi Presbyteros c. suam dilectam ducere secum ad domes hospitia corundem subditorum presbyterorum nec ipsa dilecta permittit episcopum â—masium visitare sine ipsa c. Et penè idem modus quoad luxuriant circa Presbyteros Gasconiae Hispaniae ac Portugaliae c. in omnibus obseruatur in Ireland and Norway as also in Gascoine Spaine Portugall and other countries it was lawfull by the custome of their countrey for Bishops and Priests openly to keepe concubines and when the Bishops twice in a yeere did visit the Priests and Clergy of their iurisdiction they led their minions about with them who would not suffer their paramour Bishops to goe in visitation without them because they would be partakers of their good cheere and prouide that they should not fall in loue with other to their wrong The glosse of the Canon law saith that c Dist 81. Maximianus in glossa Pauci sine illo vitio inueniuntur there were few Priests found without the sinne of fornication so as that not without cause Gerson the Chancelour of Paris wished it to bee enquired of as a matter worthy of reformation d Specul eccle Pontif. ex Io. Gerson Scrutemini si alicubi sacerdotes in consuetudinem duxerunt sub praetextu antillarum habere concubinas Whether that Priests any where had drawen it into custome vnder pretence of maide-seruants to keepe concubines pointing at a thing which all men saw to be common euery where Such was in a word the continency of those Romish Bishops and Priests as that Aluarus Pelagius before mentioned saith that e Ibid ex Alu. Pelag. In pauco maiori numero sunt filij laicorum quà m Clericorum in Spaine and otherwhere their bastards were almost as many as the children of lay men f Ibi. ex Theod. de Niem Vnde quodammodo plures innaturales ex foedo complexu nati quà m filij legitimi ac naturales in ecclesiasticis titulis coÌ„cedendis praeferuntur plures legitimis apertissimè promouentur so as that in all those parts saith Niem speaking as before of Ireland Norway Spaine Gascoine Portugal and other countries there were more such bastards preferred to ecclesiasticall dignities than there were of them that were lawfully begotten Albeit they rested not heere but g Bernard ser in Synodo Remensi Episcopi Sacerdotes traditi in reprobum sensum faciunt quae non conueniunt quae enim in occulto fiunt ab Episcopis turpe est dicere c. Masculi in masculos
these purposes or any other yea they serue to set the minde a wandring and to withdraw it from that stedfastnesse and deuotion which these spirituall offices and exercises doe require of vs. In a word Lactantius maketh it y Lactant. Inst l. 2. c. 19. Non est dubium quin religio nulla sit vbicunque simulachrum est a thing vndoubted that where Images are there is no religion and therefore very iustly do we affirme that the Popish vse and defence of Images is no furtherance as M. Bishop would perswade but the very bane and ouerthrow of all true religion 18. W. BISHOP But let vs heare the end of his discourse thus he argueth They that worship they know not what worship an Idol This exposition is false vnlesse they worship it with diuine honor But goe on the Papists worship they know not what I prooue it thus To the consecration of the Host there is required the intention of the Priest but they cannot haue any certainty of the Priests intention wherfore they are not certaine whether it be bread or the body of Christ ergo worshipping of it they worship they know not what Answ First heere is leaping from the Commandements to the Sacraments which is out of order secondly I returne his argument vpon himselfe To their seruice and in the administration of the Lords Supper the Ministers intention is required for if he intend to serue the Diuell and by giuing them the cōmunion to binde them the faster to him then do they in saying Amen to his praiers and receiuing the communion at his hands ioine with him in the Diuels seruice Now they haue no more certaintie of their Ministers meaning than wee haue of our Priests intention yea much lesse of many of them who are mad-merry fellowes and care not greatly whereabout they go nor what they intend must they therefore flie from their diuince seruice and holy communion because they be not certaine of their Ministers intention therein Surely they should if his reason were ought woorth But in such cases we must perswade our selues that Gods Ministers doe their dutie vnlesse we see great cause to the contrarie and thereupon are we bold to doe our dutie to the blessed Sacrament If he should faile in his yet our intention being pure to adore Christs holy bodie onely and nothing else there we should formally be the true worshippers of Christ though materially we were mistaken in that host which to tearme Idolatrie is to stile our Sauiour Iesus Christ an Idoll and therefore blasphemy in the highest degree R. ABBOT They that worship they know not what The Papists worship they know not not what saith M. Perkins do worship an idoll M. Bishop saith that this is false vnlesse they worship it with diuine honor But that worship wherof M. Perkins speaketh is no other but diuine honour and in the subiect whereto he maketh application of this rule which is the Sacrament M. Bishop himselfe doth no otherwise vnderstand it and therefore his exception is verie idle Neither is there heere any vnorderly leaping as he speaketh from the Commandements to the Sacraments but verie orderly and direct proceeding when as hauing in hand to set foorth their breaches of the Commandement he exemplifieth the same by their idolatrie committed in the Sacrament For proofe whereof M. Perkins vseth this argument They that worship they know not what doe worship an idoll This M. Bishop acknowledgeth if they worship it with diuine honor But the Papists in worshipping the Sacrament doe worship with diuine honour they know not what Therefore they worship an idoll That they know not what they worship it is euident and plaine because they cannot know whether it be bread or the bodie of Christ For they confesse that it is not the body of Christ a Bellarm. de Sacra in Gen. ca 27. sententia Catholicorum est requirs intentionem faciendi quod facit Ecclesia without the Priests intention in consecration to doe that which the Church doth But how can any man tell whether the Priest haue this intention or not who can looke into his heart to be assured of his meaning when as it is God onely that knoweth the heart If no man can search into the Priests heart to know his intention then can no man know whether the Sacrament be the body of Christ or not and therefore in the worshipping of it they worship they know not what which is no other but idolatrie With this argument M. Bishop is cruelly pinched and knoweth not which way to auoid the absurditie that is thereby cast vpon them and yet somewhat hee must say howsoeuer little helpe hee receiue by it First hee would returne the argument against vs as touching the intention of our Ministers but dealeth therein childishly and vainly because hee knoweth well that we hang not the Sacrament or any power thereof vpon the intention of the Minister but wholly vpon the word of Christ It may be that some Ministers be as the greatest number of their Priests haue beene woont to bee madde merry-fellowes that care not greatly whereabout they goe but this hindreth vs nothing who by the words of Christ himselfe by them deliuered do firmely apprehend that which Christ hath promised But to salue the matter the best he can he telleth vs that we must perswade our selues that Gods Ministers doe their dutie vnlesse wee see great cause to the contrarie Where hee should remember that the matter heere vrged is not determined by our perswasion but by the Priests intention We may be in charitie well perswaded but in our being well perswaded wee may be deceiued and therefore doe not yet know but that we commit idolatrie in that which M. Bishop calleth duty to the blessed Sacrament and the rather for that he himselfe b Sect. 63. afterwards confesseth that it is idolatrie in the Sacrament to worship for Christ that which is not Christ But now welfare a distinction to helpe at a pinch for if the Priest in his intention faile yet our intention being pure saith he to adore Christs holy body onely and nothing else we shall be formally the true worshippers of Christ though materially we be mistaken in that host Let him speake plaine English and tell vs that formally we shall be true worshippers of Christ but materially we shall be idolaters and then let him resolue vs how in one and the same act it may be iustified that wee are both true worshippers and idolaters what shal become of the formally true worshipper when for being materially an idolater he shal be adiudged to hel I haue wondered at a saying which I haue read cited out of the great Schooleman Robert Holcot thinking it to be more absurd than that any Christian man would vtter it namely c Humphred de vita obitu Iuelit pa. 120. ex Holcot Asserit fidem laici adorantis hostiam non consecratam sufficere illi ad
as he rightly speaketh he would not vnderstand it to be receiued by the body And thus Christ sealing vnto vs in the Lords supper all the fruits of his passion and giuing himselfe vnto vs spiritually to become one with vs and to make vs one with him hee hath without reall presence bestowed as M. Bishop saith an inestimable gift vpon vs such a one as neuer any other did or possibly could doe 63. W. BISHOP Moreouer the institution of a religious rite and ceremonie to be vsed in the whole Church vnto the worlds end and to be receiued of all Christian people of age and discretion did necessarily require that it should bee done in most certaine and cleare tearmes otherwise there might arise great strife and contention about it and be the ruine of thousands And specially great perspicuitie is required in this holy Sacrament where the mistaking of it must needs breeed either idolatrie if wee worship for Christ that which is not Christ or impietie if on the other side we should not giue to it being Christ God and man diuine honour Wherefore no good Christian may thinke but that our prouident Sauiour Christ Iesus who verie well foresaw all these inconueniences did deliuer it in such tearmes as he would haue to be taken properly and not be construed at mens pleasures figuratiuely Adde that hee spake those words to the twelue Apostles onely whom hee was accustomed to instruct plainly and not in parable darkely and who were woont also to aske for the interpretation of obscure speeches who here made no question about this high mysterie because they were sufficiently forewarned that they should eat Christs flesh Ioh. 6. and that his body was truly meat and therefore beleeued Christs words without further question R. ABBOT The institution of a religious rite and ceremonie for the vse of the Christian Church required such termes as had beene formerly accustomed in the institution of such religious rites wherein as hath beene a Sect 48. before noted out of Austin Sacraments commonly beare the names of those things whereof they are Sacraments So is circumcision called b Gen. 17.13 the couenant of the Lord being but the signe and seale of his couenant So is the lambe called c Exod. 12.11 the Lords Passeouer though it were but a signification and remembrance thereof So were the sacrifices of the law called d Leuit. 1.4 4.20 c. attonements or reconciliations for sinne which yet they were not in themselues because e Heb. 10.4 it was vnpossible that the bloud of calues and goats should take away sins but were onely signes and figures of the attonement that should be made by the bloud of Iesus Christ And thus Cyprian saith expresly of the Lords supper that therein f Cyprian de Vnct. Chrismat significantia significata eis dem nomenibus censentur the signes and the things signified are reckoned by the same names being both termed the body bloud of Christ And herein is no occasion of contention but to them only that are contentious will prefer their own absurd fancies before the light and truth of the word of God Who as they do peruersly and wilfully mistake so doe wilfully by mistaking runne into idolatrie g Rom. 1.25 worshiping the creature insteed of the creatour giuing to the signe or sacrament that diuine honour which belongeth properly to Christ himselfe And if it be idolatrie as heere he telleth vs to worship for Christ that which is not Christ then hee hath told vs amisse before that men doe not commit idolatrie though they worship the Host when the Priest hath had no intention of consecration In a word our Sauiour Christ though he spake by a figure yet spake so as that not at mens pleasures but according to the course of Gods word he might easely be vnderstood And as for the Apostles we cannot doubt but that they were so well instructed in those other signes and sacraments wherewith they had beene before acquainted as that they could not make any scruple or question what his meaning was in the institution of this Therefore no cause was there for them to be troubled or to aske interpretation heere as of some darke and obscure matter but there had beene cause for them to haue questioned many things in the words of Christ according to that interpretation which the Church of Rome hath made thereof For though Christ spake to them before of the eating of his flesh and that his flesh was truely meate yet had hee said nothing vnto them that they should eate a whole body in the likenesse of a peece of bread Yea though hee spake to them of eating his flesh and drinking his bloud yet withall he spake enough wherby to giue them instruction how that should bee vnderstood as h Sect. 49. 57. before hath been declared 64. W. BISHOP Finally this holy Sacrament is a principall part of the new Testament and one of the chiefest legacies by Christ bequeathed vnto vs Christians Now what law or conscience will permit that any legacie should be interpreted figuratiuely to wit that for a house goods or lands bequeathed and giuen by last will and testament you should vnderstand a figure of a house to be giuen or the signification and representation of some goods or lands If this be most absurd and ridiculous in the testament of any ordinary man about temporall goods how much more pernicious and intollerable is it to suffer this in the eternall Testament of the Sonne of God and that in his diuine and inestimable treasures And thus at length by the grace of God I come to the end of this booke wherein good Christian Reader if thou finde any thing that may confirme thee in the true Catholike faith or further thy knowledge therein giue God the Father of lights from whom all good gifts descend the whole praise If any thing be amisse impute it partly to my slender skill ouersight or negligence and partly to the want of a conuenient resting-place commoditie of bookes and conference all which these times of persecution doe depriue vs of R. ABBOT He that maketh his last will and testament and giueth thereby great legacies of lands and goods and putteth to his seale for confirmation of the legacies that he hath giuen shall he be said in giuing his seale to bequeath only a peece of waxe or a figure and representation of landes and goods The seale indeed is but wax it is but a signe and token of somewhat but yet it serueth to giue assurance of the legacies for confirmation whereof it is appointed The new testament of Christ is the couenant and promise of forgiuenesse of sinnes purchased by his bloud This hath he published by the Gospell to all that repent and beleeue in him For confirmation heereof he hath put to his Sacrament as a seale thereby to deliuer after a sort and to put into our hands the thing which
obed cap. Vâ—am sanctam De ecclesiastica potestate verificatur vatietnium Ieremiae Ecce constitui te hodie c. Decretall of Boniface the eight and M. Bishop with a wile slily passeth by them and telleth me that I lie saying withall that the common opinion of all their Diuines is to the contrary whereas a number of their Diuines haue published it to the world that God hath setled the power of all kingdomes immediatly in the Pope and that the further disposing of them belongeth to him as is to be seene in the a Large Examination of M. Blackwell pag. 27. 28. c. examination of M. Blackwell the Arch-priest by many of their speeches to that effect some of the bookes being approoued and printed in Rome as containing nothing contrary to the Catholike faith The fift lie saith he that he maketh within the compasse of lesse than halfe a side is that the Pope saith By me Kings raigne whereas notwithstanding the Pope saith expresly concerning the Emperour b Auentin vt supra Per not imperat By me he raigneth and I further quoted the place where he doth say so in his booke of ceremonies which he suppresseth as shal appeare anon Now doest thou not thinke gentle Reader that this man hath a great facility in obiecting lies And this is his maner thorowout his whole booke whilest as the drunken man cried fire fire when he saw but the rednesse of his owne nose so doth he cry out euery while a lie a lie when the lie is no other but a giddy apprehension of his owne distempered braine being with anger growen so farre into melancholy that he thinketh euery straw that lieth in his way to be a lie And indeed we know by experience how the subtil thiefe when he is pursued crieth out with all his might stop the thiefe stop the thiefe that whilest he seemeth to cry after another he himselfe may not be taken to be the thiefe So it is with M. Bishop who in policy crieth out vpon me a lier a lier that he in the meane time may lie freely and no man may suspect him But who the lier is the processe shall declare and let him receiue the shame that belongeth therto In the meane time whereas for reprochfull words he hath applied to me those words of Saint Paul c Rom. 3.13 Their throat is an open sepulcher with their tongues they deale deceitfully the venime of serpents is vnder their lips their mouth is full of malediction and bitternesse c. I wish him to consider whether it touch him which is written d Rom. 2.21 Thou which teachest another teachest thou not thy selfe And againe e Luk. 19.22 Out of thine owne mouth will I iudge thee thou euill seruant Consider him I pray thee gentle Reader thorowout his whole booke and thinke with thy selfe whether he be not in this behalfe a sit master for me to be instructed by As touching that he saith that f Pag. 5. if I hold that course of scurrility I shall driue him to giue me ouer in the plaine field I wonder not thereat not for that I giue him cause by any scurrility of mine to leaue the field but for that hee seeth a necessity thereof by the badnesse and wretchednesse of a leaud and vnhonest cause which hee seeth himselfe vnable to defend 6. His next quarrell is that I cite for confirmation and proofe of any doubt our owne writers Bale Fox Iewel Humphrey Holinshed and such other Now if I doe so then I am a foole but if I doe not so then what is he Some of them whom he nameth haue compiled stories of former times collecting what they haue found recorded by others that were before them whose stories standing vncontrolled is it not as lawfull for me to cite as it is for Bellarmine and the rest of his fellowes to cite g Tert. Parsons Respo ad Apolog. pro iuram fidelit Baronius the Cardinall Blondus the Popes secretary Genebrard h Bellarmin de notis eccles cap. 14.15.16 c. Surius Cochleus Staphylus yea Bolsecke a very infamous runnagate and rakeshame and such other of the like stampe or for M. Higgons so often to cite i Motiues Pag. 44. 75. 78. Parsons his three Conuersions or for Parsons there to cite k Three Conuers pa. 2. cha 10. Examen of Fox his calendar chap. 16. passim Waldensis Antoninus Genebrad Surius Prateolus Sanders and such like yea to report what he list vpon hearesay from l Ibid chap. 12. sect 15. Sir Francis Inglefield or for M. Bishop to cite m Of Images sect 20. Bellarmine n Preface 2. part sect 13. Caluino-turcismus o Answer to the Aduer sect 10. Conrad p Ibid. sect 46. Ludolph q Of Traditions sect 16. Gregory Martin yea to report to vs a matter out of r Preface 2. part sect 8. a conference at Paris vpon his owne word yea to write vs a whole booke as he hath done vpon the credit of Bellarmine and some other of his owne side Surely we haue no cause to doubt but that those writers of ours in their relations are men of as great honesty and fidelity as any of theirs though I alledge from them matters of history and fact or doe perhaps cite a sentence of an author mentioned by one or other referring the Reader to the reporter because I haue not the prime authours workes at hand to search the original of it yet very childishly doth M. Bishop conclude heereof that I make their word a confirmation or proofe for any point of faith because I respect not at all what they say but what they haue said or done whose doings or sayings they report and their report I cannot but take to be true so long as I see M. Bishop can say nothing for the disproofe of it Thus haue I alledged out of Å¿ Answer to the epistl sect 4. pag. 26. Holinshed the epistle of Eleutherius Bishop of Rome to Lucius King of Britaine not to prooue any matter of question by Holinsheds word what wizard would so conceiue but to shew by Eleutherius what the duty of a King is towards the Church of God What a iest is this saith M. Bishop how knew this late writer what passed so long before his owne time But I pray thee gentle Reader put the like question to him He telleth thee in great sadnesse that t Reproofe Pag. 248. amongst many other pardons granted by S. Gregory whereof he cannot tell one there is to be seene vntill this day one altar by him erected in the Monastery of S. Andrews in Rome whereat whosoeuer saith Masse for a soule in Purgatory shall deliuer a soule from thence Say now to him What a iest is this how knoweth M. Bishop a new vpstart writer what passed so long before his owne time Would he not thinkest thou take pepper in the nose if a
edition wherin I haue formerly read the story is in the edition which I now follow pag. 481. We see what he hath made of it now let vs see how Mathew Paris himselfe reporteth it d Math. Paris ibid. anno dom 1239. pag. 481. Eisdem diebus Legatus in Scotiam intrare sestinauit c. Et antequam regnum Scotiae intrasset occurrit ei Rex Scotiae non acceptans ingressum suū Dixit enim quòd nunquam aliquis Legatus excepto illo solo in Scotiam intrauit non enim vt asseruit opus erat Christianitas ibi floruit ecclesia prosperè se habebat Et cùm sermones multiplicarentur rex ferè ad contradicendum erigeretur confectū est scriptum intercedentibus vtriusque regni magnatibus inter eos cuius tenor fuit vt nunquā ratione illius aduentus talis consuetudo in consequentiam verteretur in super in recessu suo scriptum illud signaret hoc procuratum est ne confusus in Angliam quasi repulsus reuerteretur c. Rege verò in interioribus terrae commorante Legatus sine Regis licentia clà m subitò recedens praedictum scriptum asportauit In those daies saith he the Legate hastened to enter into Scotland and before hee was come into the kingdome of Scotland the King met him not liking well of his comming For he said that neuer any Legate beside him had entred into Scotland for there was as he said no neede Christianity flourished there and the Church was in good case And vpon multiplying of words when the King was almost ready to chide there was a writing drawen betwixt them by the intercession of the Nobles of both kingdomes the tenor whereof was that there should neuer any custome grow by reason of his so comming and that at his departure he should seale that writing and this was procured that he might not returne into England with disgrace as hauing receiued a repulse But whilest the King was abiding in the innermost parts of his country the Legate without the Kings licence priuily and suddenly departed and tooke away with him the writing aforesaid Heere we see by both these places that the King of Scotland denied the Popes Legate any entrance into his land protesting that neuer in his time or in the time of his predecessours any Legate had beene admitted there and although he were content the second time vpon intercession to giue him leaue to visit that once to quit him from disgrace yet it was with caution that no custome should grow thereof neither should that example be pleaded to doe the like another time May I not then heere say of M. Bishop as Austin said of Adimantus the Manichee e August cont Adimant cap. 15. O hominem pessimum securum de negligentiae generis humani ad occultandas deceptiones suas c. O leaud man presuming of the negligence of men for the hiding of his owne cosenage and deceit that did not thinke that any man would be so carefull as to take the booke and by searching finde out how falsely and trecherously he dealeth in these things Is this his conuincing of me to be so perfidious and without all conscience in alleging ancient authours as that no man can repose trust in my allegations as he heere of inferreth Ah wretched man that thus maketh hauocke of his owne conscience and setteth his soule to sale for the defense of an vniust and wicked cause As for that which he further alleageth that the said King did afterwards acknowledge the Popes Legate and by his letters professe that hee and his heires were and would be obedient to his iurisdiction and censures though I finde no such matter by his quotation yet though it were so it skilleth not I question not what befell after but what had beene before knowing that the Pope where he had once set in foot was heedy to take all aduantages and opportunities specially of the distresses and troubles of Princes to winde himselfe further in And therefore as little to the purpose is that which he alleageth where by order he answereth this matter that when f Reproofe pag. 122. King Edward the third as he nameth him indeed the first would haue giuen to the Scots Iohn Baliol to be their King they answerd him that they would not accept him without the Popes consent who had their country in protection which was fiue and fifty yeere after the Legates first attempt to enter into that land and therefore no preiudice to that that I haue said 16. The other point that I haue thought fit to touch in this place concerneth the opinion of Proclus the Origenist heretike of whom M. Bishop alledged to the King that he taught as we doe that sinne in baptisme is not wholly taken away but only couered citing Epiphanius as mentioning him for this opinion to be an heritike g Answer to the epistle sect 7. pag. 49. I answered him as the truth is that by this allegation hee had sheathed a sword in his owne side for that vnder the name of Proclus he had by errour cited the opinion of Methodius an ancient and godly Bishop of Tyrus approued also by Epiphanius and therefore had at once produced two ancient witnesses teaching by his owne confession as we doe that originall sinne in baptisme is not wholly taken away but that the filth thereof cleaueth fast to vs so long as we continue in the frailty of this life The matter being cleere and euident by that that I alledged I told him that either he read the place too early in the morning or too late at night or else borrowed it from some of his Masters the Iesuites who make little conscience what they say Now I finde since that as almost in all the rest so in this also h Bellarm. de notis ecclesiae cap. 9. de baptismo c. 13. Bellarmine hath beene his Master and hath shewed as little wit in this obiection as he hath done Yet he hath led himselfe along in a strong opinion that he hath therein great aduantage against me and therefore though he haue cunningly passed ouer all the rest of my answer vnder pretence of handling all things in their proper questions and there follow i Of Originall sinne sect 9. a question afterward where this matter is mentioned and to which it properly belongeth yet not meaning in truth to trouble himselfe with any more questions hee would needes out with that that he had to say of this matter And heerein he mightily bestirreth himselfe he setteth downe opinions noteth diuisions and coherence of speeches examineth circumstances looketh into the Latin looketh into the Greeke taxeth me for shamelesse audacity for simple and shallow wit for carelesnesse of credit in thrusting out such an impudent assertion for grosse ignorance and in a word telleth me that I am past all shame and worthy to be thrust into an Asses skin But what M. Bishop can
ye not be content to be a foole but ye must be a foole in print I must be thrust into an Asses skin but it seemeth that you need not be thrust into it who doe of your owne accord so willingly put it on or let the skinne light to whom it will sure I am that the eares must belong to you Men would haue thought before that you had had some learning but now you giue them cause to thinke that you vnderstand not the Latin tongue or if you doe then remember him that said k Esay 5.20 Wo vnto them that put darknesse for light and light for darknesse Once againe gentle Reader to giue thee more full satisfaction in this matter thou shalt vnderstand that Epiphanius setting downe the heresie of Origen and intending as in the rest a confutation thereof l Epiphan haer 64. pag. 175. Contentus esse duxi his quae rectè a beato Methodio in sermone de resurrectione contraâ—psum Origenem dicta sunt c. thought best for one part of it to borrow the said confutation from Methodius a Bishop of former time Take knowledge by the way that I follow the edition of Epiphanius translated by m Iano Cornario interprete Basileae ex officina H. ruagiana c. 1578. Ianus Cornarius printed at Basil anno 1578. Heereupon he setteth downe from Methodius the words of Origen and hauing ended them there followeth towards the end of the next page this distinction set downe by the translatour n Pag. 176. Hactenus Methodius Origenis verba retulit sequuntur nunc Procli verba quae item Methodius recenset Hitherto Methodius hath rehearsed the words of Origen there follow now the words of Proclus which Methodius also setteth downe where in the Greeke there is no more but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the words of Proclus who namely in the time of Methodius maintained the condemned opinions of Origen and with whom it seemeth that Methodius had much to doe These words of Proclus extend to the seuenth line of the next page 177. the verie effect and substance whereof is this as Master Bishop also hath expressed it o Pag. 177. Siquis potens fuerit exactè intelligere c. cognoscet resurrectionem de hoc corpore non oportere accipi vt sp non possit in a ternuÌ„ iâ— mutabile permanere sed despirituali in quo idem ipse character qui nunc in hoc habetur conseruabitur quo vnusquisque nostrum etiam secundum formam idem sit quemadmodum ab Origene dictum est c. that the resurrection must not bee vnderstood of this body as which cannot abide for euer without change but of a spirituall body wherein the same shape that now is in this body shall be kept that euery one of vs in forme and proportion may be the same as saith he Origen hath said This being the opinion of Proclus by M. Bishops owne confession if he would haue had all the discourse following to be taken for the words of Proclus he should haue shewed vs how the same had suted to this opinion and haue laid before vs some of his arguments whereby hee had endeuoured the proofe of it He saw that I had so done and that the speeches which I alleaged from Methodius doe fully tend to the confuting of this opinion which he in his booke hath wholly suppressed knowing that no man can see those words but hee must also see his folly that would take those for the words of Proclus which tend directly to the ouerthrowing of that which he confesseth to be the errour of Proclus But to make the matter plaine the words of Proclus being thus set downe there follow these words in the next line p Pag. 177. Verùm hanc ipsorum contentionem ex his ex alijs pluribus quis redarguere poterit Demonstrabimus enim in sequentibus ac sermonis progressu per naturae veritatem non per coniecturaes neque Hieremiam vinctos terrae nos dixisse propter societatem ad corpus neque Dauidem hac de causa ligatos Operaepretium enim est haec proferre in quibus maximè labi videntur Proinde cúm de pelliceis tunicis quòd ante structuram ipsarum primi parentes vixerunt cum corpore immortalitate fruentes insuperque quòd non potest corpus vinculum carcer putari ea quae conueniunt dixerimus ô viri Iudices deinceps ad consequentia me conuertam velut promisi vt dilucidiùs videamus quod volumus But this which they contend for a man by these and many other reasons may reprooue for we will shew in the processe of our speech following by truth of nature and not by coniectures that neither Ieremy calleth vs prisoners of the earth because of the society with the body nor Dauid calleth vs bound or fettered for that cause for it is woorth the while to alleage those things wherin they specially seeme to erre Therefore when we shall haue spoken what is conuenient of the coates of skinnes and that our first parents before the making thereof liued with a body enioying immortality and moreouer that the body cannot bee taken to be a bond or a prison then I will turne me to those things that follow that we may the more plainly see that that we desire Heere we see a disputation plainely propounded against the foundations of the opinion of Proclus before set down whose Master Origen held q Pag. 173. Anâ—â—am humâ—nam pâ—ae existere dicit esse autem hae augelos virtuces supernas in peâ—catis constitutas ea gratia in supplicium in hoc corpus conclusas Quaproter inquit etiam vinculum vocatuÌ„ est corpus eò quod anima in corpore ligatdest c. Et hinc inquit Scripturam etiampelliceas tunitas indicasse quia fecit ipsis inquit tunicas pelliceas induit ipsos hoc corpus est c. Et mortuorum resurrectionem defectnosam facit c. that the soule was first created without the bodie and that when it sinned God created it a body and shut it vp thereinto as into a prison wherein it is fettered and bound and that this the Scripture meaneth where it saith that God made to the man and the woman coates of skins put vpon them by these saith he is vnderstood the bodie Hence drew he the rest of that absurd fancie whereby as Epiphanius there addeth he made the resurrection defectiue inferring that sith this is the nature and vse of the body it cannot be that this body should rise againe but that God will create a more excellent and spirituall body for the soule to dwell in And that this was the opinion of Proclus appeareth in the dialogue which is afterwards set downe betwixt Methodius and Auxentius on the one side and on the other side not Proclus and Origen as M. Bishop dreameth Origen being dead many a yeere before but Aglaophon and Proclus